The Chicago Cubs sent popular secondbaseman plus, Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for three minor league pitchers. DeRosa played 149 games each of the last two years on the Northside of Chicago, 90+ games at 2B, also filling in the OF & 3B, and hitting .293 & .285, with OBPs of .371 & .376, last year he hit 21 homers, and scored 103 times. While Mark was dealt to the Indians, Aaron Miles was signed to take his place at 2B. Six homers was Miles’ alltime high in Colorado in 2004 when he scored his career high of 75 in runs, his highest average was last year .317 with the Cardinals, but even then his OBP was only .355. It’s hard to believe little, 5’8″, Aaron Miles will help Cub fans forget Mark DeRosa.
So what did Chicago get for the versatile DeRosa? Jeff Stevens is a 6’2″ righthanded reliever out of Loyola Marymount, who struckout 111 batters in just under 60 innings pitched, and this 25 year old looks ready for the bigs. Chris Archer is a 6’2″ 20 year old righty out of North Carolina, who pitched in Class A, posting a 4.29 ERA, with 106 Ks in 115′ innings pitched. John Gaub is out of the University of Minnesota (2004-06), the 6’2″ (the Cubs must like 6’2″ pitchers) 23 year old lefty struckout 100 batters in 64 innings in Class A in 2008. Retooling the Cubbies bullpen may payoff big time down the line, maybe even next year with Stevens.
It’s interesting this deal doesn’t seem to be about money. What do you think about this trade? Did the Cubs get enough? Will Miles be a quality replacement for DeRosa?