Just noticed this...the Mariners and the Tigers could do a bad contract swap.

Carlos Guillen has 2 years left and is owed $26 million
Carlos Silva has 2 years left and is owed $25 million

Guillen could play LF for 2 years or DH and give Saunders time to get ready...?

M's probably have to throw in Felix Hernandez to get the deal done....

I'm not sure I'd describe Guillen as a "bad contract". This season he wasn't much of use to anybody, but he's had recent success with the bat. He's definitely in age decline, though, and the injuries that have plagued him his whole career are sapping what time he has left. He probably wont be worth much again this season or next.

But "not worth much" is worth more than Silva. I doubt the Tigers make this swap.

I know that Guillen isn't the hitter he once was, but I don't see anyone out there with much hope left in Silva. He's gonna be a tough one to off-load on somebody. Our best bet is to hope a pray with all our might that Silva turns it around somewhat. Now if Griffey retires, I could see us swapping Silva for an over-priced slugger out there who could fill a Junior-esque roll for us. A bat with some pop that could come off the bench or start occasionally. That would be more beneficial than 6+ ERA's and the 60-day DL for the next two seasons, but only if Junior is gone (which I hope he isn't).

You have obviously forgotten how bad Carlos suucked when he was here....not to mention he gets hurt more than most people change their underwear :)

I think Detroit took a chance on another failed pitcher, Dontrelle Willis. That might indicate that they're willing to consider a deal like this -- or it might be that they're even less likely to consider it, since the Willis contract was a bust. Once bitten, twice shy.

Willis did actually perform at a higher level, though. Silva.... Silva signed his contract with the upside of being a #4.

An 8.44 ERA is a higher level? That's his cumulative ERA from his two years with the Tigers.

I don't think he's talking about his time with Detroit. Willis actually had some pretty good seasons with the Marlins at the front of the rotation... Silva, not so much

Willis had some stellar seasons with Florida. In trying to figure out what went wrong with him, Mets announcer and ex-pitcher Ron Darling suggested that when his formerly wiry frame fleshed out, Dontrelle couldn't deliver the ball as deceptively as he used to; he couldn't maintain his extreme windup that used to have him looking backwards before he came toward the plate. But I've also read that Dontrelle suffers from an anxiety disorder (shades of Greinke). Detroit took a big gamble on him, and they're on the hook for another $12M in 2010. I like Willis, and it's sad to see how he's struggling. If you look at Silva's career stats, he was never the pitcher that Dontrelle once was.

No chance at all on that swap.... a better chance may be Carlos Silva for Milton Bradley. Both have two years left on their contract. Milton has far more upside, we would need to throw in another mid level prospect to get it done. But not sure what their needs are.

Some will worry Milton is a cancer, but he did well in the AL west previously and for the Cubs to get someone else to take him then they will need to give up plenty of salary, but by doing a deal like this with the M's they just swap bad contracts and keep their cash.

I just dont know if the Cubs would take a bad pitcher for getting rid of Bradley and what else we would have to throw in to get them to talk turkey?

"But not sure what their needs are."

I'm pretty sure no team needs a bad pitcher.

Obviously.... but they are going to have to either give away money or take another bad player on. Also that is why I said we will probbaly still have to give up a prospect of some kind... thats more why I said.... I dont know what there needs are. Carlos Silva is just now a long relief guy... what he always should of been!

Yeah, I was just making a joke at Silva's expense. But he can afford it, considering how much he's getting paid to do nothing.

Milton for Silva + mid-level prospect is so one-sided...are the Cubs really THAT desperate to get rid of Bradley that they'll give up a decent hitter for the worst player possible?

They also said Jose Guillen was a cancer, and look what happened in 2007. If this gets pulled off at all, it's the second-best move Jack Z has ever pulled off (tied with the Betancourt trade, behind the 3-team offseason trade the netted Guti).

Well, whataya know, poppin...looks like Buster Olney thinks you might be onto something:

h ttp://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/10/olney-on-potential-nontenders-and-bradley.html

"Olney also talks about some bad contracts the Cubs could acquire in exchange for Milton Bradley, adding that this morning's Vernon Wells rumor "would be a stunner" if it happened. Some of the players he mentions as possible fits include Carlos Silva, Derek Lowe, Gary Matthews Jr. (who said he wants out of Anaheim), Barry Zito, Aaron Rowand, Oliver Perez, and Dontrelle Willis, among others. Any other ideas?"

BTW, am I the only one who has to refresh the pages on this forum lately to get them to open? It doesn't happen on the other forums.

Looks to me like he just made a list of any recent bad contracts.

<<<" BTW, am I the only one who has to refresh the pages on this forum lately to get them to open? It doesn't happen on the other forums.">>>>

- I thought it was just me. Its been real annoying for the last few months

Thanks for letting me know that it's not just my browser. I wonder what's up with this forum?