Kerry Wood for Vidro & Church?

A new Cubs trade rumor found its way into my inbox this morning courtesy of loyal reader Derek.  Yesterday, Jim Williams wrote a column for the Washington Examiner suggesting the Cubs might deal Kerry Wood for Jose Vidro and Ryan Church this spring.

He mentions the health issues surrounding both Wood and Vidro and that both players would have to be ready to play.  Williams also says Wood's huge contract could be a concern.  Looking at the numbers, Wood makes $11MM in 2006 and has a $13.5MM option for 2007 with a $3MM buyout attached.  Vidro will make $7MM in '06, $7.5MM in '07, and $8.5MM in '08.  Church makes the minimum, having played just 132 games in the bigs.

I talked to three of my Cubs sources to see if they thought this rumor had any validity.  One called it "totally absurd."  The another said that given Wood's blanket no-trade clause, the rumor's not feasible.  I haven't been able to find Jim Williams's email address to ask him about that aspect of the deal.  A third source called the rumor sounded "shaky," saying that Wood would probably approve a deal to the Astros or Rangers, but not the Nationals.  He mentioned that Wood will need more than spring training to prove his shoulder is healthy, and a July trade wouldn't be a surprise.   

My thoughts on the players: Vidro's decline is coming on fast and he may never be completely healthy again.  Church will be a solid Major Leaguer if he gets the opportunity.  Wood seems destined for the bullpen in the long-term, perhaps with a Gagne-like run in the cards. 

Comments

[smc]

Jim Williams is a hack. He touts winning 7 Emmys, but everyone in town cracks on him.

[No Head Cases, Please]

Well, it’s still better than the Jacque Jones rumors, which have me almost at tears.

I find the trade unlikely, too, when you consider than Hendry has given 11+ Million and a no-trade clause to Kerry Wood. I can’t see a player with absolute power over where he plays leaving the comfort of Wrigley for Washington, especially when you have much better political spinsters at the Tribune who can continue to sell you as a god while you‘re on the DL awaiting a shot at the bullpen. That being said, I would really like this trade. I know that Vidro (like many players rumored this off season) has some detractors. But I am among those who think he’ll fit in nicely at the #2 slot and has plenty of life left at 30-ish. Moreover, I like Church - a quality young lefty with good OBP potential.

Now ideally, I would like to see Church and Murton platooned in LF, alternating against left-handers and right-handers in 2006 as they progress as players. But with the apparently imminent, disastrous signing of Jacques Jones to play RF, I’m not sure the Cubs can afford more “project” and “let’s-hope-we-got-lightning-in-a-bottle-at-a-discount-over-proven-players” guys in the lineup. So if Hendry decides to make a white-flag signing again, named “Jones” this year instead of “Burnitz,” I think it might be time to start realizing that the snake oil we’re being sold by Andy and Jim isn’t the elixir we were led to believe it was. Perhaps Cubs nation could actually convince one or two more of the rose-colored-glasses types that all the pieces are not in place in 2006?

I for one don’t want to go through another off-season that begins with Hendry telling us “the free agent market is weak, but teams are ripe for trades this off season,” and ends with the signing of a Jeremy Burnitz or Jacques Jones. Maybe the Cubs have to overpay a little for a Huff or (unlikely) an Abreu ----- so what? Is it really the wiser choice to flush 5-million+ down the Burnitz toilet and follow it up by flushing another 4-10+ million down the Jones toilet? What could they have done with that 10 million plus if Hendry had just made a better decision(s) in the first place? I’m tired of overpaying for relievers and C- players; I’d rather overpay a little for an impact player for a change. I mean, my gosh, if they (available impact players) came up through the organization the Cubs would overpay them excessively and give them more power over their situation than God!

Anyhow, I like the Wood for Vidro and Church trade; I’d love to see it. I don’t think it would happen, though. But right now, I’m pretty desperate for some good news, like that Tampa and the Cubs have come to terms for Aubrey Huff (and maybe Lugo), or that Johnny Damon will be visiting 1060 West Addison this week. Perhaps the best news I could hear today is that the Kansas City Royals have come to terms with Free Agent OF Jacques Jones……

Anyhow, I could learn to be a little excited about a lineup like this:

1.) Pierre (L) CF
2.) Vidro (S) 2B
3.) Lee (R) 1B
4.) Huff (L) RF
5.) Ramirez (R) 3B
6.) Barrett (R) C
7.) Cedeno (L) SS
8.) Murton (R) LF

…that is…..if Dusty will ever bench Neifi for Cedeno……..

Anyhow, I’m awaiting the white flag signing any time now……sigh………:-(

[RumorMonger]

Good analysis, NHC. Given that Jones was the EXACT equal of Burnitz in '05 and we'll be forced to take at least two years of him, I'm already losing some interest in 2006. As if we needed another guy who can't get on base to save his life. I thought Hendry started to "get" OBP when he called up Murton and Greenberg.

[no jock]

PLease no jacque....If we truly believe we have some good pieces in place then I think we need to be aggressive from here on out. If Wood wants to go to Texas then by all means how about a Wood/Pie for Young/Mench or Wilkerson? I don't think we're far off and I think this type of trade is plausible as Texas has Kinsler to backfill short and a plethra of OF's.

Thoughts?

[RumorMonger]

Would love to see Wilkerson in Chicago; I think your deal could be done with less than Pie.

[JMan]

Hopefully this is a tactic to get some trades moving. Even if it is the worst poker face.

Church does not make sense in this deal either for he is still a "prospect" because he hasn't played that much and Vidro will probably never reach the level he was once at. On the hand Wood isn't exactly a shining star either due to injuries the past few seasons

[Paul]

This trade makes no sense... if hendry biffs this offseason (and he's well on his way - Jones? are you kidding?) he will be out of job come this time next year.

A lot of sources are saying that Vidro's career is over. Church is a Murton-like prospect in that he's young and shows potential but hasn't been in mlb long enough. Wood on the other hand has the promise of one of the best pitchers in the game and if he can get past his injury history, he'll be a top 15 pitcher.

Dumb move and dumb rumor.

[Cubs]

The Cubs have offered Jones a contract.

[Cubs]

Whats your thoughts on this?

[Jon]

You guys are terrible--woe is me talk--Hendry hasn't even done anything with right field yet--which can be viewed as positive (we don't have these slouches you talk about YET) or negative (we have a vacancy to fill, he literally has done nothing). Point being--quit thinking negatively until we actually DO sign Jones/Burnitz. Then start complaining.

[Paul]

You're right Jon - Hendry still has time to make a substantial move. But how many rabbits does Hendry have in his hat? The market for quality players is drying up quickly. Jacque Jones is not even an upgrade to Patterson!!

This is a huge offseason for the future of Dusty & Hendry. It's my opinion that neither will be here next year and from what we've seen & heard, I don't think either has earned the right to job security. As it is in the business world, it's not what you did for me but what you are going to for me in the future!

[EverittBlewTheCall]

The Cub's only real chance to win the division this year is to have a healthy Wood with 15+ games with no significant injuries to the remaining starters. If you believe the foregoing is not very likely, you are damned right. This non-activity with two rookies and maybe Patterson in the lineup is hurting my gut.

[Jon]

Maybe it's not the billy goat--but all of your negative energy that's hurting the cubs and keeping their curse alive. The season hasn't started yet, we don't know the health of the team, and we don't know who will or will not be in Spring Training. You guys are focusing on what we DON'T HAVE...focus on what has been done--Eyre, Howry, Pierre, etc. Also--we haven't overpaid for Burnitz, Nomar, etc. Who knows, maybe a bit of competition b/t Corey and Jacque in Spring Training will help--BUT you can't complain about a situation until it HAPPENS! That being said--I do agree--Dusty hasn't been great--but you also have to look at the injuries they've had over the past 2 yrs. I'm harder on Hendry than Dusty. Remember, though, that Hendry has a few deals on the table.

We don't know what he has TRIED to accomplish, and I guarantee if he got Huff, Abreu, or whomever, there would be many that complained about that too (i.e. we overpaid).

[Dan]

This Wood to Washington rumor is absurd. If Wood is healthy, he's one of the best pitchers in MLB. You don't trade a dominant SP away for a player who is breaking down and a player who has so little big league experience and has already reached his upper twenties. If the Cubs are going to deal Wood, he's more likely to approve a trade to Texas or Houston, and he does have a no-trade clause. Wood to the Rangers for Young would make much more sense, as RumorMonger suggested. Send Neifi along with him. As I type this, I just heard the Cubs have signed Jacque Jones....a bit younger version of Burnitz..not good.

[RumorMonger]

I don't agree, Jon - you can question a decision before seeing the result. For instance, Jacque Jones is clearly no better than Burnitz, but we're stuck with three years of him.

[Da Krone]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5185442

Jock Jones officially a Cub. 3 YEARS?!

[EverittBlewTheCall]

RumorMonger is correct. The time to question a move is today. If someone pans out and we are wrong, then we are wrong. But I spend the entire offseason trying to get this team better so you had better believe I'm going to question something if it doesn't make sound baseball sense. I may get grief for this but here goes....I believe in my heart that I am every bit as qualified (if not moreso) to be a general manager of a major league team. And its not just me. I believe that the general managers and managers are not the most qualified 30 people in the whole damn world for those jobs. Hell, Ozzie can barely speak let alone make sense. Yea....I know he won, but if you think letting a non high schooler pretend he knows what the hell he is doing is smart baseball, you will lose 99 out of 100 times. FYI. Giving Jacque Jones three years tells me two things...Corey is gone (duh) and two...Pie is not as ready as some have suggested he is.

[Paul]

Can we bitch about Hendry now??

Jacque Jones for 3 YEARS!!!

Ha,ha,ha,ha... the joke is back on us cubs fans. the sux go out and get Vazquez & Thome and we get Pierre and Jones? We're not even filling holes and the sux are making themselves better.

I can't believe we just signed Jones for 3 years?? What about Murton, Pierre, & Pie in 2 years... is Jones gonna be happy bench player???