The Chicago Cubs Should Trade Aramis Ramirez

What on earth am I proposing? The Cubs trade arguably their only clutch hitter?

Let's take a step back from Aramis Ramirez for a moment and examine the Cubs' needs entering 2009. The Cubs are looking to add starting-pitching depth, they need to add a left-handed bat to the middle of the batting order, and they need to solidify their bullpen.

They need to do all of this while the team continues to be for sale and General Manager Jim Hendry more than likely is close to his payroll maximum already.

So how do the Cubs solve all these problems?

For the starting-pitching issue, there is one giant name on the market: CC Sabathia. He will command a king's ransom and allegedly already has his offer from Milwaukee in hand.

After Sabathia, there are a number of free agents that are good starters, but many of them have health issues in their past. Ryan Dempster, the pleasant surprise that he was in 2008, will command a pretty good salary in free agency and there are enough desperate teams in baseball that he'll likely get paid and leave the North Side. Other big-name free agents like Ben Sheets or Derek Lowe will also price out of the Cubs' ability.

The cupboard is not empty, though. Jeff Samardzija threw very well in limited action out of the bullpen last year. The team has been very high on Kevin Hart, Sean Marshall, and Donnie Veal as well. The problem, though, is that the Cubs would potentially have Jason Marquis as a No. 4 starter entering the season, if they don't acquire another veteran. If the goal is a championship, Marquis is not your fourth starter on Opening Day.

The biggest issue in a deep free-agent pitching class is that the Cubs are strapped for cash. If the Cubs ideally want to replace Dempster as a third or fourth starter (behind Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, and potentially Ted Lilly), they'll need to spend some money to get a decent pitcher. If Hendry doesn't have cap space to work with, the only options are those already with the franchise.

Unless you make Ramirez available.

Then a trade for someone like Jake Peavy become a real possibility. There are at least 20 teams in baseball that would line up to talk about the reigning Hank Aaron Award winner.

What about the bullpen? If Kerry Wood tests the free-agent market, there will be a long list of potential suitors. If the Cubs are comfortable heading into the new season with Carlos Marmol at the end of a bullpen full of questions, that's a decision they can make.

But, again, if a championship is the goal, there needs to be an upgrade to the depth of the bullpen. Remember, Scott Eyre is gone (and got a ring), and if Samardzija or Hart or Marshall becomes a member of the rotation, that's another arm gone.

Much like the crop of starting pitchers, there is one kingpin in the reliever market: new saves-record-holder, Francisco Rodriguez. However, like Sabathia, he won't come cheap, and there will be a long, long line looking to acquire the closer. Even a second-tier closer like Colorado's Brian Fuentes will command a healthy contract...One that likely has the size of numbers Jim Hendry can't offer.

But if you make Ramirez available, there will be that same list of teams that have depth in their bullpen that could be available as part of a package.

So where is the left-handed outfielder going to come from? Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu? First of all, Abreu has apparently already been crossed off the Cubs' list. And Dunn would be a worst-case scenario in right field at Wrigley—a strikeout prone outfielder with limited range? He's a cross of Alfonso Soriano and Paul Bunyan.

o then who else is available as a free agent? Ken Griffey Jr.? Health issues will make him a tough sell. Garrett Anderson? I wouldn't mind it, but health concerns would again make him a questionable signing.

But, again, if Ramirez is available as a bargaining chip, there are plenty of outfielders that could become available.

Why would any GM want to move someone like Ramirez when the Cubs appear to be the leader in the clubhouse in a division with as many question marks as the National League Central?

First of all, you have an in-house remedy at third base. Mark DeRosa put up 21 home runs and and drove in 87 runs playing some third base, some right field, and a lot of second base. Third base, though, is probably his best position, defensively, and his offensive output is not an enormous drop off from Ramirez.

By potentially moving DeRosa to third, you have a couple things become more clear and a few options become more viable. Josh Vitters, the top prospect in the Cubs' system, is a third baseman. DeRosa is signed only through 2009, and will make only $5.5 million next year. Ramirez, on the other hand, is signed through 2010 with options through 2012, and is owed over $15.6 million for each of the next two seasons.

By making third base available for Vitters, and saving over $10 million at the position, the Cubs suddenly could become players in the free-agent market.

Also, by making Ramirez available, the Cubs would not necessarily have to strip their farm system as part of a deal for a key player to complete their batting order for a potential championship run.

A few scenarios that could easily play out if Ramirez were available:

Padres trade Peavy and shortstop Khalil Greene to the Cubs for Ramirez and Ronny Cedeno. The Cubs would then not need to upgrade their starting pitching, and the bullpen would be less of an issue with four proven starters, of which three could win a Cy Young.

The Orioles trade second baseman Brian Roberts, starter Daniel Cabrera and closer George Sherrill to the Cubs for Ramirez. Roberts would then leadoff and play second base, allowing/forcing the Cubs to move Soriano down in the order and Sherrill immediately helps the bullpen. Cabrera has always been seen as a prospect with an enormous upside that might fill in the bullpen slot left by Samardzija, or he could fill the slot himself.

The Mariners trade outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and reliever J.J. Putz to the Cubs for Ramirez and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome would fill the marketing void to Asia that the Mariners have worked so hard to build around Ichiro, while Putz would help build bullpen depth. The money on this deal is almost break even.

The White Sox trade starter Javier Vazquez and reliever Matt Thornton to the Cubs for Ramirez. The Sox would fill a huge hole at third, and the Cubs would add a starter with great stuff who wore out his welcome on the South Side. Thornton would be a nice power arm from the left side of the pen as well.

Finally, the Yankees trade outfielder Johnny Damon, second baseman Robinson Cano, and starting pitcher Phil Hughes to the Cubs for Ramirez and second baseman Mike Fontenot.

This deal would require the Yankees to move ARod to first base, a position they're looking to fill this offseason, but they've done more creative things in the past. Fontenot, when playing full time, could put up comparably numbers to Cano, while Damon would be a left-handed hitting leadoff man signed only through 2009. Expiring contracts are a beautiful thing, especially when trying to sell a franchise.

All of these potential deals are big names moving, and the likelihood that any deal close to any of these are remote at best. But when you make a big name like Aramis Ramirez available, blockbusters can happen. When one stone, no matter how big, can kill more than one bird, creativity can be king.

Just a thought....