Cubs Rumors

Odds & Ends: Dye, Arguelles, Royals, Astros

By Mark Polishuk | March 25, 2010 at 9:49pm CDT

Upset over seeing your Syracuse-topped bracket get ruined tonight? Cheer up by reading these news items!

MLB.com's Bill Ladson thinks the Nationals will make a move to bolster their current right-field platoon. He thinks Jermaine Dye would help the team, though Washington denied any interest in the veteran last week.
Noel Arguelles hasn't shown much in camp with Kansas City, but ESPN's Keith Law says it's part of the Royals' strategy to take it easy on the 20-year-old.
Rany Jazayerli of the Rany On The Royals blog looks at how K.C. has only recently gotten back into the habit of drafting local prospects. He also lists some of the local talent that the Royals didn't draft between 1988 and 2003, such as (sorry to mention it again, Royals fans) Albert Pujols.
The Astros are putting a greater emphasis on foreign scouting, writes The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice.
Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com lists 10 notable scouts who could be future general managers.
The Cubs could wait until the trade deadline before getting their desired set-up man, says FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi.

Cubs Could Face Major Changes In 2010 Offseason

By Mark Polishuk | March 19, 2010 at 10:29pm CDT

The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan suggests that unless the Cubs have success in 2010, the team's roster could face a dramatic overhaul next winter. Another disappointing season like their 83-78 performance in 2009 could lead to a rebuild, which must just thrill fans of a team has gone over a century without a World Series title.

Sullivan notes that the Cubs' core of stars are all in their 30's, so let's take a look at the ones perhaps most likely to leave Chicago should the team struggle next season. Manager Lou Piniella is on the last year of his contract, and would almost certainly not stick around for a lengthy rebuild. Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee are free agents, and Lee has already said he doesn't want to begin negotiations on an extension during the season. Perhaps the most intriguing case is that of Aramis Ramirez, who has the option of voiding his contract after the season or remaining with Chicago and earning $14.6MM in 2011. (MLBTR's Tim Dierkes broke down Ramirez's situation last month.)

On the surface, the Cubs losing three of their top players and their veteran manager doesn't look like good news. But, if the worst happened and all four left, the Cubs would suddenly be left with a lot of open money with Lee, Lilly and Ramirez all off of the books. The trio is set to earn a combined $40.75MM in 2010 according to Cot's Baseball Contracts, and if Ramirez opted out of his contract, that would free up the $14.6MM owed to him in 2011 and the possible $16MM that he could earn in 2012 should he reach his vesting options.

The Cubs would still have a lot of money tied up in the likes of Alfonso Soriano, Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano in the short-term. But, with the Lee/Lilly/Ramirez millions to spend and a minor league system ranked seventh in baseball by ESPN's Keith Law, a rebuilding process under a new manager (and probably a new general manager) might not be too long or painful. It could give Chicago a chance to invest in some younger talent rather than re-sign Lee or Lilly.

Two Clubs Interested In Boof Bonser

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 19, 2010 at 4:36pm CDT

At least two teams are interested in Boof Bonser, sources tell Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. McAdam hears that the Cubs and D'Backs are interested in the right-hander. Bonser is out of options, so the Red Sox would have to attempt to put him through waivers if they want to send him to the minors.

The D'Backs are looking for starters, but Bonser is far from GM Josh Byrnes' only choice. Even within the AL East, there's plenty of selection. The Blue Jays (Dana Eveland and Brian Tallet) and Yankees (Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin) could deal pitching, too.

The 28-year-old Bonser missed all of 2009 after shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff, but he has shown promise so far this spring. The Red Sox don't have room for Bonser in their rotation, but McAdam says he could make the team as a long reliever.

Bonser, who was part of the A.J. Pierzynski trade in 2003, has a 5.12 ERA in 391.2 big league innings, with 7.3 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9. This winter the Red Sox acquired Bonser from the Twins for Chris Province.

Odds & Ends: Crawford, Alvarez, Mauer, Aumont

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 19, 2010 at 3:11pm CDT

Some links for your Friday…

Tom Verducci of SI.com said on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan show that he expects Carl Crawford to sign with the Yankees after the season, because "nobody is going to outbid them." The Yankees and Red Sox both love Crawford, according to Verducci.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Dodgers should spend more aggressively, especially considering they led the league in attendance last year.
Alex Speier of WEEI.com points out that Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek, Bill Hall and Jeremy Hermida will combine to make only $10MM or so less than the entire Pirates team this year. Why is that noteworthy? All four Red Sox are expected to be bench players.
Cubs GM Jim Hendry is under contract through 2012, but he tells ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that he knows "these jobs aren't forever."
The Pirates say Pedro Alvarez needs seasoning above AA, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Sending the third baseman to the minors limits his MLB service time, so it's a sound financial decision by the Pirates.
The A's haven't called Joe Beimel, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The A's worked out Wagner Mateo on Tuesday, according to Slusser.
ESPN.com’s Buster Olney thinks that the Joe Mauer contract negotiations, which remain cordial, could continue in a few months if the sides don’t reach a deal in Spring Training.
The Dominican prospect already worked out for the D'Backs and will likely work out for the Indians.
Twins minor league director Jim Rantz told Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that another Dominican prospect, Miguel Sano, has "tremendous upside." Kovacevic says it's still too early to know how much the Pirates missed out on when Sano signed with the Twins instead of the Pirates.
Phillies prospect Phillippe Aumont tells Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun that he thought he was heading to the Blue Jays at one point this offseason.
Carl Crawford tells Tyler Kepner of the New York Times that he's comfortable with the speculation about his future since it "comes with the territory." Crawford is a free agent after the season.

David Purcey Drawing Attention

By Tim Dierkes | March 16, 2010 at 8:18am CDT

Blue Jays lefty David Purcey is "drawing attention from clubs," tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal also notes that the Cubs had a scout on hand Sunday for Jason Frasor's ugly Sunday stint (four hits and four earned runs in a third of an inning). Rosenthal says Frasor was under the weather during the appearance.

Purcey, 28 in April, was J.P. Ricciardi's first-round pick in 2004. He posted respectable strikeout rates at most minor league stops, but was plagued by control problems. He seemed to figure it out by his third Double A stint in '07, trimming his walks per nine to 2.3. However, surgery to remove cysts in his forearm and triceps cut that season short. Purcey kept the walks down the next year at Triple A, and showed flashes of brilliance in his '08 MLB debut season. The '09 season was a step back, with Purcey losing his rotation spot by May due to his walk problem.

Now MLB.com's Jordan Bastian says the Blue Jays have trimmed Purcey's repertoire and are leaning toward making him a reliever. Once the Blue Jays' #3 prospect, Purcey's outlook has been downgraded over the years by Baseball America from a potential #2 starter to a mid-rotation guy to a reliever. He still brings the power stuff that made him a first-round pick in '04, and there might be another club out there with ideas on fixing his command.

Cubs Notes: Castro, Bullpen, Silva

By Luke Adams 2 | March 15, 2010 at 5:49pm CDT

MLB.com's Carrie Muskat answered a few Cubs-related questions from readers today in a mailbag. Within the piece, she addresses some potential roster moves for the Cubs. Here are the highlights:

Look for super-prospect Starlin Castro to start the year in the minors, where he'll be able to play every day. The Cubs are hoping Mike Fontenot can back up Ryan Theriot at shortstop. That way, the club can use their final bench spot on a player with some pinch-hitting pop, rather than a reserve infielder like Andres Blanco.
Asked if the Cubs will fill their bullpen holes through free agency or trades, Muskat acknowledges that GM Jim Hendry has been looking for an experienced right-handed reliever since before the Winter Meetings. However, the club could still stand pat, using younger, in-house options to fill out their bullpen. As Muskat notes, "there's nothing wrong with youth as long as they get the job done."
One reader poses the idea of Carlos Silva moving to the bullpen as a right-handed setup man. Muskat suggests that, given some more time with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Silva could be successful at the back of the rotation.

Offseason In Review: Chicago Cubs

By Tim Dierkes | March 15, 2010 at 10:03am CDT

Next in our Offseason In Review series, the Cubs.

Major League Signings

Marlon Byrd, CF: three years, $15MM.
John Grabow, RP: two years, $7.5MM.
Xavier Nady, OF/1B: one year, $3.3MM.
Total spend: $25.8MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

Kevin Millar, Chad Tracy, Bryan LaHair, Bobby Scales

Trades and Claims

Acquired 1B Ryne White and P Scott Maine from Diamondbacks for RP Aaron Heilman
Acquired RP Jeff Gray, P Ronny Morla, and OF Matt Spencer from Athletics for OF Jake Fox, IF Aaron Miles, and $1MM
Acquired Rule 5 pick P Mike Parisi from Cardinals
Acquired P Carlos Silva and $9MM from Mariners for OF Milton Bradley

Notable Losses

Milton Bradley, Aaron Miles, Jake Fox, Aaron Heilman, Reed Johnson, Rich Harden, Kevin Gregg, Neal Cotts

Summary

The Cubs were handicapped this offseason by their need to unload outfielder Milton Bradley, a deal that went down on December 18th. The Cubs had little leverage with Bradley, as it was well-known they were dead-set on trading him. GM Jim Hendry had to take back a terrible pitcher on one of baseball's worst contracts, but he managed to save $5MM in acquiring Silva and cash from the Mariners. The whole mess reflects poorly on the Cubs, with Hendry making this dubious claim about Bradley: "No one could have really predicted how it turned out." The toxic clubhouse situation with Bradley forced the Cubs to subtract a .378 OBP in exchange for a two-year, $16MM commitment to Silva.

The Cubs then took the often-regrettable route of signing the best available free agent to fit their need, choosing Byrd out of a weak free agent center field market. Will the Cubs be happy paying a 34-year-old Byrd $6.5MM in 2012? They have to hope this is another Mark DeRosa signing: a contract that looked high at the time but paid off because DeRosa kept getting better.

The Grabow signing was painful. If that's the going rate for a southpaw reliever with control problems, find another solution. On the other hand I liked the Nady pickup. He should be one of the game's better reserves, and will be used heavily.

The success of the Cubs' rotation may hinge on Ted Lilly's health and Randy Wells' sophomore campaign. A midseason acquisition may be necessary. Same goes for the bullpen, where the big additions were Grabow and Gray. Angel Guzman's shoulder injury is a major blow, though not an unpredictable one given his injury history.

The Cubs enter their first season under new ownership with an array of bloated contracts and question marks, plus key players unsigned beyond 2010. This might be Hendry's last chance to get it right.

Cafardo’s Latest: Mauer, Beckett, Wood, Sonnanstine

By Luke Adams 2 | March 14, 2010 at 9:31am CDT

The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has his usual Sunday column up, kicking it off by entertaining the unlikely possibility of Joe Mauer playing in Boston. If the Twins and Mauer can't work out a long-term deal, Cafardo thinks the Red Sox would be one of a handful of teams that could afford the superstar backstop. Here are a few other highlights from Cafardo's piece:

One possible roadblock in the Josh Beckett negotiations is the Red Sox' desire to incorporate injury protection into the contract. If Beckett has a good year in 2010, he will likely have suitors that won't include health clauses in their offers, which could appeal to the right-hander.
The Cubs have some interest in Kerry Wood. Cafardo notes that the Indians closer would also be a good fit for the Twins, but that the Tribe would have to pick up a significant chunk of the $10.5MM Wood will earn this season.
The Rays may entertain trade offers for Andy Sonnanstine, who is having a solid spring.
Billy Wagner says that returning to Boston was "tempting" but that with Jonathan Papelbon firmly entrenched as the ninth-inning guy, the lefty went where he'd have a better chance to close.

Odds & Ends: Weeks, Castro, Roberts, Piniella

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 12, 2010 at 5:58pm CDT

Lots of rainouts in Florida, so here are some links to get you through the day…

Jayson Stark takes a look at pitching phenoms not named Stephen Strasburg. Also featured: Strasburg.
MLB.com's Steve Gilbert looks back at the trade that sent Jose Valverde to Houston and says the D'Backs now look like winners for obtaining Chad Qualls, Juan Gutierrez and Chris Burke.
Rickie Weeks told Colin Fly of the AP that he'll miss former teammate J.J. Hardy, who was traded for Carlos Gomez this winter (link via the Miami Herald).
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo profiles highly-touted high schooler Jameson Taillon, from his academic background to his hobbies, to his upper-90s fastball. Taillon will likely be a top pick in this year's draft.
Top Cubs prospect Starlin Castro will start the season in Triple A no matter how good he looks in Spring Training, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail repeated to Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun that the Orioles will consider other options in case Brian Roberts isn't going to be ready on Opening Day.
In case you're wondering, Jermaine Dye is the only remaining free agent who qualified for the batting title last year.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella feels healthy going into the last year of his contract, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Team president Crane Kenney expects to have an "interesting conversation" with Piniella after the season.
The Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League signed Toshihisa Nishi, according to this Sanspo report passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (via Twitter).
Jason Bay says he feels more comfortable than before, now that he has a no-trade clause in his contract, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times can't think of a Dodger to successfully make a comeback like the one Eric Gagne is attempting.
A former GM tells Baseball America that teams didn't worry about losing players out of minor league options in the past. Check out MLBTR's list of players out of minor league options here and go to the Baseball America article for Matt Eddy's explanation of options and why they matter.
Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post suspects that the Nationals may not draft Bryce Harper with the first overall pick in this year's draft.

Odds & Ends: Clark, Twins, Granderson, Sizemore

By Mike Axisa | March 10, 2010 at 3:41pm CDT

Some links for Wednesday…

Former big leaguer Tony Clark has been named the MLBPA's director of player relations, reports MLB.com's Bailey Stephens. Clark hasn't played since being released by the Diamondbacks last July, and his duties with the union are "expected to play a large part in future collective bargaining discussions."
FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says one of the Marlins' many non-roster relievers could become a low-priced option for the Twins if Joe Nathan ends up needing surgery. That group includes Jose Veras, Mike MacDougal, Derrick Turnbow, and Seth McClung.
In an interview with John Lowe of The Detroit Free Press, Curtis Granderson said he never wondered why the Tigers traded him only to sign Johnny Damon less than three months later.
Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com writes that even though the Indians are in full rebuilding mode, the front office is adamant Grady Sizemore isn't going anywhere. Sizemore is under contract for the next two years, and Cleveland holds a $9MM option for 2012.
Baseball America's Ben Badler goes back five years to look at how successful each team has been at developing players from outside the United States.
In response to Milton Bradley's interview with ESPN's Colleen Dominguez about his time in Chicago, GM Jim Hendry and former teammates basically said that Bradley had to look in the mirror, according to The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan and ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine.

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