The Cubs have traded 34-year old lefty starting pitcher Ted Lilly and 30-year old righty swinging 2B Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for 24-year old lefty swinging 2B Blake DeWitt, 21-year old righty starting pitcher Brett Wallach and 22-year old righty reliever Kyle Smit. Blake DeWitt will replace Theriot at 2B. He played in 82 games for the Dodgers this year and he was 69 of 256 (.270 avg, .723 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 1 homer, 30 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. DeWitt has now played in 230 games in his three years in the majors and he is 176 of 673 (.262 avg, .719 OPS) with 78 runs scored, 12 homers, 86 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Brett Wallach came into this season as the Dodgers’ #20 ranked prospect according to Baseball America. Wallach has started 17 games in A-ball for the Dodgers this year and he was 6-0 with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He has now started 29 games in his two years in the minors and he is 6-1 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Wallach has 130 whiffs in only 115 2/3 innings in the minors but he does have 58 walks and that’s way too many. Still, the Cubs will bring him along slowly so he can work on his control. Kyle Smit has pitched in 37 games (1 start) in A+AA-ball this year and he is 5-3 with 6 saves, a 2.35 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He has now pitched in 105 games (40 starts) in his five years in the minors and he is 11-22 with 7 saves, a 5.14 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP.

Ted Lilly started 18 games for the Cubs this season and he was 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Lilly pitched in 113 games (all starts) in his four years with the Cubs and he was 47-34 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He will be missed as he was without a doubt one of the best starting pitchers the Cubs have had in a while. Ryan Theriot played in 96 games for the Cubbies this year and he was 110 of 388 (.284 avg, .647 OPS) with 45 runs scored, 1 homer, 21 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He played in 609 games in his six years with the Cubs and he was 648 of 2,254 (.287 avg, .712 OPS) with 328 runs scored, 15 homers, 174 RBIs and 100 stolen bases. The Cubs will miss his hustle.

This was little more than a salary dump for the Cubs as they didn’t get much back in return for Theriot and Lilly.

The Cubs have released 36-year old righty reliever Bobby Howry. Howry pitched in 24 games (0 starts) for the Cubs this year and he was 0-3 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. He was cut to make room for Carlos Zambrano who has been activated off the restricted list. Zambrano pitched in 4 games (0 starts) on his “rehab” assignment and he was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Big Z has pitched in 22 games (9 starts) for the Cubs this season and he was 3-6 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. Hopefully Zambrano will get his act together this time around for the Cubbies.

33-year old righty starting pitcher Ryan Dempster began his career as a reliever for the Cubs. In his first four years with the Cubs he pitched in 226 games (6 starts) in which he was 9-20 with 87 saves, a 4.10 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Three springs ago a job opened up in the starting rotation for the Cubs and Dempster wanted it. He won the job in the rotation as he has really excelled in that role the last three years for the Cubbies. In the last three years, Dempster has pitched in 85 games (all starts) and he is 36-22 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. This year has has been the most consistent starter on the Cubs. He has started 21 games for the Cubs this year and he is 8-7 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. You really have not heard Dempster’s name in any trade rumors this month but the Cubs could get a nice haul for him if they put him on the block.

If I were running the Cubs I wouldn’t be having a firesale. But I would be making some deals with an eye on the future. First off I would deal Derek Lee and Jeff Baker to the Angels for 1B Mark Trumbo, OF Chris Pettit and righty relievers Kevin Jepsen and Francisco Rodriguez. I would then deal 2B/3B Mike Fontenot to the Phillies for righty relievers Scott Mathieson and David Herndon. Finally I would pay Kosuke Fukudome’s contract and deal him to the Padres for shortstop Lance Zawadzki. These deals would help the Cubs rebuild the bullpen quickly and it would open up RF for Tyler Colvin and 1B for Mark Trumbo. Make the moves Cubbies.

25-year old righty reliever made the Cubs’ pitching staff out of spring training but he didn’t get to stay to long. He pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Cubs earlier this year and he was 0-1 with a 18.90 ERA and a 3.30 WHIP. Samardzija have up 5 hits and he walked 6 batters in only 3 1/3 innings with the Cubs so you can’t blame them for sending him to AAA. Samardzija has been pitching pretty solid baseball in AAA since his demotion. He has pitched in 25 games (5 starts) in AAA-ball this year and he is 6-1 with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Samardzija has only allowed 34 hits in 53 2/3 innings in the minors and he has 52 whiffs showing he has good stuff. But, he has walked 35 batters and until he tightens his control a bit I don’t see the Cubs calling him up.