For Better or For Wuertz

I leave my office for an hour and come back to find that Jim Hendry is still wheeling and dealing. This time, he is sending reliever Michael Wuertz to the Oakland A's in exchange for two prospects.

This trade doesn't bother me as much for two reasons: 1) Micheal Wuertz has never been considered an untouchable prospect, and 2) he actually still has value at the time of the trade, so its possible this trade could end up bringing the Cubs something that could help them.

Billy Beane, the GM of the A's is not a fool, and is not above screwing another team by hyping "tools" and "intangibles" in a player that is not performing to the levels that the scouts envisioned, so I'm not thrilled either. But the simple fact is that Lou never trusted Wuertz (sometimes with good reason) and he was also out of options, so the fact that Hendry may have gotten value is a minor miracle.

The two prospects were rated the #14 & #15 rated guys in the A's system last year. According to ESPN:

In the Oakland deal, the Cubs received outfielder Rich Robnett and infielder Justin Sellers.

Robnett, a first-round pick of the Athletics in 2004, has played five seasons in Oakland's minor league system, reaching Triple-A. He played in only 82 games last season after having a tumor removed from his stomach. He is a .256 hitter in the minors.

Sellers has played four minor league seasons in the Athletics' system, alternating between shortstop and second base.

It seems unlikely that any of the players acquired in the Hill and Wuertz deals will be helpful to the major league club this year unless Hendry is able to flip them later to fill a hole with a proven player.