Cubs Considering Outfielders

Multiple readers have emailed me about a radio report on WSCR 670 The Score out of Chicago today. According to the report, the Cubs are considering multiple trade possibilities to fill the monthlog gap left by Alfonso Soriano’s quad injury.  On the radar: Craig Monroe, Matt Stairs, Jeff Conine, and Adam Dunn.  Additionally, Cubs GM Jim Hendry came out and said today that he’s working the phones to find some help.

Contract situations of each player:

Monroe – $1.5MM left in ’07, should earn $5MM+ in ’08 before reaching free agency
Stairs – $267K left in ’07, free agent after season
Conine – $630K left in ’07, free agent after season
Dunn – $3.3MM left in ’07, free agent after season if traded

Monroe is the right-handed Jacque Jones, contract situation and all.  He’d be a poor and mildly expensive addition.  He’d probably clear waivers.

Stairs is doing what he does best, mashing righties.  He’s having his best season since 2003.  He’s not earning much and has no ’08 commitment.  He played for the Cubs in ’01 and did a decent job. The problem?  He might be claimed off waivers before he gets to the Cubs.  Jim Hendry really should’ve made this deal in July.  Every AL team will have a crack at him first on waivers.  Plus the Jays might fancy themselves contenders at six games out of the wild card. 

Conine is on the last leg of his career and doesn’t really offer anything Matt Murton doesn’t.  I don’t really see the point but this pickup seems most likely.

Dunn is the most intriguing and also by far the least likely option here.  The Cubs would have to give up some good players and pay out a decent chunk of salary for less than two months of Dunn.  They’d also have to do something ugly like put him in right field when Soriano comes back.  I don’t see this happening.