Time To Talk Turkey With Indians!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the Cubs should begin talks of a trade with the Cleveland Indians. The Indians find themselves in a precarious situation with their RHP Jake Westbrook, who is in the last year of his contract. He will most certainly put a strain on Cleveland's resources if he goes to free agency, so the Cubs are in an enviable position to help the Indians a lot more than the pilgrims did.

Cleveland's situation with Westbrook is similar to Toronto's with Wells. However, Cleveland has considerably less resources than Toronto and therefore is probably even a better trading partner for the Cubs.

What will it take to make a deal with the Indians for Westbrook? Well first of all, Cleveland's bullpen is like a sieve and they have a couple of well thought of Starters that could possibly take Westbrook's place. They also are in need of an everyday SS.

Let's brake down the needs of an everyday SS first. If Uncle Lou is sincere about pursuing Lugo, it most definitely makes Izturis, I know, I know, all of you will be crestfallen if we lose Izturis, expendable.

Next the Indians need a LHRP. Hendry's recent trade for Cotts, gives the Cubs the luxury of moving one of their three LHRP's.

The Cubs making trades when they have the best of it, like in the Toronto and Cleveland scenario's, is what teams with financial muscle do.

Just remember the Clute Motto; "When you've got'em by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow."

So stop lollygagging around Hendry, and start using some of that big market muscle. If you do, who knows, maybe all the donut jokes will stop.