Word comes today that Tony Clark is willing to waive his no-trade clause if that’s what the Diamondbacks want. The Cubs are the obvious fit – should they go after him?
I vote yes. The Cubs’ offense was barely acceptable before Derrek Lee went down, and now it’s just plain feeble. This club cannot be backed into playing Neifi Perez regularly once again.
Clark is probably worth a win or two in Lee’s two month absence, and that easily justifies the $2MM owed to him through 2007. Josh Byrnes is a shrewd GM, however, so Hendry has to try not to send the next Dontrelle Willis over.
The issue of what to do with Clark once Lee comes back isn’t really an issue to me. The Cubs can use him to DH against the Indians and Mariners in June if Lee comes back early and otherwise add some pop and OBP to the bench. If Hendry can flip him somewhere in August, so be it.
Clark is not expensive and not a complainer. If Josh Byrnes isn’t asking for Rich Hill, I think a deal should be made. I wouldn’t expect Clark to hit .304/.366/.636 again, but he’ll improve the team by keeping Neifi on the bench.
