The Chicago Cubs made an unsurprising move at today's trade deadline shipping starting pitcher Ted Lilly and infielder Ryan Theriot to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Blake DeWitt and minor league pitchers Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit.

In Lilly, the Dodgers add a veteran arm that will fit nicely into the middle of their rotation behind Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley.

This has been Lilly's worst year record-wise in his four seasons with the Cubs, posting a 3-8 record but boasts an ERA of 3.69 and 1.14 WHIP.

Lilly's numbers have not been as great as they have been in previous years, but his 3-8 record is quite misleading as he has gotten little run support from the terrible Cubs offense.

The Dodgers also receive Theriot in the deal with the Cubs who has had a solid season at the dish with a .284 batting average, but has been below average fielder especially since moving over to second base, where he would likely play with the Dodgers.

As for the Cubs side of this deal, I believe they did quite well considering Lilly will likely only be a rental for the Dodgers and that Theriot had really fallen out of favor with the Cubs because of his poor defensive play.

In the trade, the Cubs add an immediate replacement for Theriot in DeWitt, who is younger, with a good amount of upside and is under team control until 2014.

DeWitt has similar offensive stats as Theriot with a .270 batting average 30 RBI and only one home run, but DeWitt is slightly better than Theriot in the field, plus is five years younger than Theriot.

Of the two minor league players that the Cubs acquired in the trade, Wallach has the highest upside. 

Wallach is the son of former Major League pitcher Tim Wallach and is rated 20th among Dodger prospects by Baseball America. Wallach figures to be a third spot in the rotation type of guy, but is still far off as he currently resides in Single-A.

The other minor leaguer that the Cubs received from the Dodgers is reliever Kyle Smit, who just recently jumped from Single-A to Double-A. This season in the minors Smit has posted a 5-3 record with an ERA of 2.35 in 53.2 innings pitched.

As for who wins this trade, it is difficult to say right now. If the Dodgers somehow catch the Padres in the West or capture the Wild Card I would give them the edge.

However, as it stands right now, I would have to give the edge to the Cubs as the Dodgers get a rental starting pitcher and an average middle infielder for two solid pitching prospects, and a young middle infielder who is similar to who they acquired.

As a Cubs fan I am very pleased with this trade, although it is tough to see fan favorite Lilly go, it is nice to see that the Cubs were able to get good value out of him. Plus, the Cubs also add DeWitt, who I have had my eye on since his rookie season.

All in all, I believe this is a good trade for the Dodgers in the here and now, but next year and beyond this trade only helps the Cubs and not the Dodgers.

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In the trade, the Yankees would receive another offensive weapon to add to their lineup and a great defensive center fielder, but it also brings up an interesting question.

What happens with Melky Cabrera?

This is where the Chicago Cubs come in. The Cubs are in need of a center fielder so they can move Kosuke Fukudome over to right once Milton Bradley is shipped out of town.

Apparently this might actually be a possibility as "sources" have told the Chicago Tribune that the Cubs are expected to make a run at Cabrera.

Cabrera would be an interesting option for the Cubs as he might be a better option than any other free agent center fielder on the open market.

In 2009, Cabrera enjoyed a very solid season with a .274 average, 13 home runs, and 68 runs batted in, but it must be realized that Cabrera was surrounded by some of the best offensive talent in the majors.

Another plus to adding Cabrera is that he is only 25 years old, 11 years younger than current free agent front-runner Mike Cameron and five years younger than Rick Ankiel, another name being associated with the Cubs.

But Cabrera's age could also work as a disadvantage to the Cubs or any team for that matter in acquiring him. Cabrera is still in the early stages of his career and could simply be moved to another outfield position or as an insurance policy for injury purposes.

With that said, the Yankees could use some prospects or young players to fill the void left by Ian Kennedy, Phil Coke, and Andrew Jackson, so it is possible they would be willing to part with Cabrera to put more bodies on the farm.

Right now it is all speculation and there is no solid proof that the Cubs are interested in the services of Melky Cabrera, but if the Cubs do want to fill their hole in center field, I believe that Cabrera might be the best option out there.

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It has also been mentioned that two teams that would be interested in the services of Granderson would be the New York Yankees (of course) and the Chicago Cubs.

It is not surprising that the Yankees would be interested in Granderson because of the turnover in their outfield with the likely departures of Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, but also because they are the Yankees, and who aren't they interested in bringing in?

But as a Cub fan, the first time I heard Granderson might be on the trade market, I thought that Jim Hendry needed to be on the phone right away asking Dombrowski what he wanted for the All-Star center fielder.

Granderson would fit multiple needs that the Cubs have in that he is a left-handed-hitting center fielder who has speed and could lead off for the Cubs.

But what would you give up for Granderson if you were the Cubs?

Carlos Marmol? Jake Fox? Josh Vitters? Starlin Castro?

Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune suggests that the Cubs should be willing to part with the live arm of Marmol and hot prospect Castro, who is likely on a year or two away from being a major leaguer.

Now I want Granderson as much as the next Cubs fan, but if the Cubs trade Marmol, who is going to close games?

Jeff Samardzija? Jeff Stevens? Aaron Heilman? Sorry, didn't mean to scare you with that one—but you get my point, right?

Even though Marmol went through his struggles, maybe he can reclaim the command he once had in 2008 and be the pitcher that Lou Piniella expected him to be.

I also think that Castro is an untouchable prospect who I believe will be the starting shortstop heading into the 2011 season, but I believe that former first round pick Josh Vitters could be had if Granderson is in fact on the trade market.

Vitters is still a promising prospect at third base but has not made it past High-A Daytona and hasn't yet shown his power or production at that level, so he could still be several seasons off.

Some names that I would also keep my eyes on as possible trade chips are pitchers Andrew Cashner, Esmailin Caridad, and possibly lefty specialist Sean Marshall.

Now I love the idea of acquiring Granderson and plugging him in at the top of the lineup, but we must realize that Granderson is really a glorified platoon player.

In 2009 Granderson hit .249 with 30 home runs, 71 RBI, and 20 stolen bases.

But against left-handed pitching last season, Granderson hit a measly .183 with two home runs and nine RBI in 180 at-bats.

If Granderson were acquired by the Cubs, they would likely need to keep Reed Johnson, a right-handed batter, or add another right-handed-hitting center fielder to spell Granderson against lefties.

So do the Cubs really want to give up a couple of good prospects or young major leaguers for a platoon center fielder?

Yes, because when Granderson is in the lineup against right-handed pitching, he is one of the best offensive center fielders, hitting at a .275 clip with 28 home runs and 68 RBI.

Even though Granderson might be a glorified platoon center fielder, he would fit a need that the Cubs need in their lineup. If I were Jim Hendry, I would go out and acquire him as soon as possible.

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Placing players on waivers is not a strange occurrence in baseball, but it is interesting that both players might have been claimed by the same team.

Rich Harden has pitched very well as of late and would seemingly have very high value.  Heilman, on the other hand, would seem to have little if any value to a contending team as he has been a blown save machine with the Cubs.

Teams who might have put in the claim for the pitchers are the San Francisco Giants, Florida Marlins, Atlanta Braves or the Colorado Rockies.

I am sure many Cubs fans had drawn those conclusions after the sweep by the Phillies, but I thought it might be the Cubs struggling without the likes of Aramis Ramirez.

Now, I realize that the Cubs are dead. They're only 5.5 games out of the Wild Card and six games out of the division, but they're just not a good team—plain and simple.

Actually, let me rephrase that, they are an inconsistent team in that they can never seem to be in sync in all facets of the game at the same time.

If they are hitting, their starting pitching is terrible. If their starting pitching is great, they can't get a hit. If they get good starting pitching and hitting, then their bullpen blows it.

They are just a team riddled with inconsistencies.

So how do you make this team better for 2010?

It's difficult to pinpoint a single must-do come the offseason, but you would have to imagine that Jim Hendry, or whoever is making player personnel decisions, would like to rid themselves of Alfonso Soriano's gigantic contract.

Soriano has not come close to living up to his contract since joining the Cubs in 2007.

Although Soriano was good in his first two seasons with the Cubs, compiling 62 home runs, 145 RBI, and a batting average over .280, these are not the type of numbers you expect from a guy making $17 million per season.

This season, Soriano has played terribly, with a batting average of .243, 19 home runs, and 51 RBI.

At $17 million per season, it seems unlikely the Cubs could find a taker for Soriano, unless they were willing to take on a salary like a Barry Zito's.

Soriano has had a bad season but it's possible that he still has something left in the tank. I would have to imagine that he will still be in a Cubs uniform come April 2010.

The other problem that the Cubs have faced this season is the poor performance by their bullpen. Names like Kevin Gregg, Aaron Heilman, and Carlos Marmol have all disappointed in 2009, but in 2010 expect two-thirds of those names to be gone.

Gregg, the Cubs' closer until yesterday, has been shelled since joining the Cubs, allowing 13 home runs and blowing seven saves. Gregg is also a free agent come the offseason, so expect him to be gone then, if not earlier.

Heilman was another offseason addition for the Chicago Cubs, coming via a trade in which the Cubs gave up pitcher Garrett Olson (who was acquired in the Felix Pie deal) and shortstop Ronny Cedeno.

"Disappointing" would be an understatement regarding Heilman's season, recording an ERA of 4.64, six blown saves, and 31 walks in 54 innings pitched.

Heilman is still under contract through next season, but will either be dealt or released during the offseason.

As for Marmol, his inability to get the ball over the plate has been a problem. Even though Marmol has 67 strikeouts in 56.1 innings and an opponents batting average of .167, he has also given up 52 walks.

Marmol is only in his third major league season and possesses electric stuff, so he will be given another chance to compete for the Cubs' closer role. Look for him to also spend most of his offseason improving his strike-throwing.

The final problem with the Cubs this season has been their inconsistent offense.

Aramis Ramirez has been in and out of the lineup all season. Soriano hasn't been able to find his swing. Geovany Soto hasn't played like the 2008 ROY.

Mike Fontenot hasn't been as good as he was in 2008. Aaron Miles has been awful. Micah Hoffpauir seemed to loose all his confidence.

No one has been able to come up with clutch hits.

The driving factor in the lineups inconsistency could be the amount of injuries it has faced with Ramirez's shoulder issues, Soto's oblique strain, and Derrek Lee's back issues.

Even though the injuries are a factor, the biggest issue is that players like Milton Bradley, Soriano, and Soto haven't hit the way many of us expected.

The biggest bright spot of the Cubs' lineup has been minor league call-up Jake Fox, but with no place for him to play, he has been unable to get consistent playing time. Next season, however, Fox could see some time at second base as he will be sent to the instructional league this fall to get time there.

Another piece of the Cubs that deserves mentioning is the starting rotation, probably the brightest spot for the Cubs all season, until recently.

Ted Lilly, Randy Wells, and Carlos Zambrano have all pitched well, but Zambrano and Lilly have had to deal with injuries as of late, which probably contributed to the Cubs' most recent downfall.

Dempster and Harden have been average, but have given the Cubs a number of quality starts.

Harden has been very good in his last six starts. He's a free agent at the end of the season but could return if the Cubs feel pitchers like Jeff Samardzija, Tom Gorzelanny, and Sean Marshall are not good enough to capture the fifth spot in the rotation.

Even though the Cubs are coming into a stretch of games against teams below .500, it seems unlikely that the Cubs will be able to overcome the giant deficit that they have created.

After a season where nothing has gone right for the Chicago Cubs, many of us Cubs fans must turn our attention to next season and what steps must be taken for the Chicago Cubs to once again make the playoffs.

After last nights game against the San Diego Padres, in which Kevin Gregg gave up four runs in the bottom of the ninth for his sixth blown save, Lou Piniella stated that, "I think we're going to make some changes as far as what we're going to do late innings."

Piniella also said of Gregg's performance that, "[The tough losses] all end the same way—with a home run ball. We'll see what we'll do. I'm going to think about it tonight."

Cub fans have been calling for Gregg's head for weeks and the reason that Gregg is such a poor closer is because he has such hittable stuff. 

Piniella will consider Carlos Marmol and Angel Guzman for the closer position.

Marmol has the electric stuff that you would like to see at the closer position, but he has had a difficult time throwing strikes.

Guzman, on the other hand, has been far more consistent out of the bullpen but has never really gotten a chance to close games in his career.

Even though Marmol is inconsistent and Guzman has never been a closer in his career the two of them seem to be better options than Kevin Gregg.

By completing this deal with the Pirates the Cubs add a much needed left handed reliever to their bullpen that only features lefty Sean Marshall. Grabow has pitched well for the Pirates this season with an ERA of 3.42 and 41 strikeouts in 47.2 innings pitched.

In Gorzelanny the Chicago Cubs recieve a depth starter for the minor leagues and has had success in the major leagues. In 2006 and 2007 Gorzelanny was good for the Pirates with an ERA of around 3.84 and a record of 16-15 for a bad Pirates team.

Today the Cubs have addressed their biggest need for depth in the bullpen and could now shift their focus to adding a depth bat or possibly another arm to their bullpen.

In the game against the Astros, Heilman allowed his 14th and 15th inherited runners (of the 30 he has inherited) to score and gave up an earned run himself to boot. The timing of this flap was rather terrible, as the Cubs were only down one run at the time with two outs in the eighth inning.

I have not been as outspoken as some Cubs writers about Heilman and his inability to pitch, but tonight was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Yes, I do realize that if Heilman were to be designated for assignment, the Cubs would be shorthanded in the bullpen. But couldn't a player like Jeff Stevens fill Heilman's spot in the bullpen?

Stevens has been solid since being recalled, allowing zero runs in the first 5.2 innings of his MLB career.

Tonight, against the Astros, Stevens was charged with his first two runs when Heilman relieved him and gave up a two-out triple.

Granted, it is still early in Stevens' career, but he has pitched well against stiff competition including scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals

Yes, Heilman is a veteran pitcher who should be an asset to the Cubs' bullpen, but his inability to pitch in pressure situations makes him a dispensable player.

Although releasing Heilman may leave the Cubs bullpen short for the time being, with B.J. Ryan making his first Triple-A appearance and the trade deadline just two days away, higher-quality pitching solutions might be on the way.

Ryan has had a solid major-league career, in which he has complied an ERA of 3.37 and has 117 career saves. The reason for Ryan's major decline could likely be attributed to him having Tommy John surgery in 2007 but was very good for the Jays in 2008 with 32 saves and an ERA of 2.95. 

This season, however, Ryan has seen a major disappointment only recording two saves with an ERA of 6.53 and allowing five home runs, two away from his career high. Ryan has also seen drop-offs in his pitch velocity and ability to locate his pitches.

Ryan is an attractive option for the Cubs because they have zero depth in the left-handed pitching department.

Sean Marshall the Cubs lone left-hander has been a very effective in his role but with the injury of Ryan Dempster, Marshall is the best option to enter the Cubs' rotation, leaving the bullpen without a lefty.

Although it is not the big move that Cubs fans want, it is a cheap and possibly very profitable move that could solidify their bullpen. It is likely that he would only be a lefty specialist and face one to two batters per game.

It is low risk but has high reward.

But I was wrong.

Instead of going with the hot hitting Fox, Lou Pinella decided to insert backup catcher Koyie Hill. Hill has hit poorly, much like the rest of the Cubs lineup.

But Hill is known as a good defensive catcher and bottom of the lineup hitter.

So why has Lou decided to insert Hill over Fox into a lineup that is already struggling to score runs?

The obvious reason would be because Jake Fox has not caught regularly since 2007, for Double-A Tennessee. Despite this, the majority of his minor league experience (, 276 of his 535 games) has been spent at catcher.

Another likely reason for Fox's lack of playing time at catcher is because he has average tools as a catcher—a lack of mobility behind the plate and a below average throwing arm.

In his six minor league seasons, Fox has committed 35 errors in 276 games as a catcher—about an error ever 12 games. Hill is far better in his mobility behind the plate, as he has only committed four errors in his 113 games of major league service.

Evidence of Fox's lackluster arm is shown through his minor league statistics—He only threw out about 39% of the runners that challenged him. Really, Fox's arm should not be keeping him out of the lineup, because Koyie Hill's arm is not much better.

The final reason that I believe Jake Fox has not gotten time behind the plate is because he does not know the pitching staff as well as Koyie Hill does. Fox has focused purely on getting better in the infield and outfield, so little focus has been paid to his catching.

Yes, Jake Fox has produced a lot much offensively for the Chicago Cubs this season, but he just doesn't possess the tools necessary to be an everyday catcher at the major league level.

The catcher on a major league team must be the field general, and from looking at his progression through the minor leagues, Fox just doesn't seem to have that skill.

This is likely the reason that he has moved from position to position, trying to find a better fit for his bat.

I am a huge fan of Jake Fox, and I believed that he could be the answer for the Cubs behind the plate with Soto out. But through my research, it seems as though Fox does not have the tools to play every day as a catcher.

He will get his opportunity to start tomorrow night against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second half of a double header.

Tomorrow night should allow us to see if Fox still has the ability to sit behind the plate for nine innings. But what we do know is he will be bringing his bat, like he always does.