Cubs Acquire Craig Monroe
Today, the Cubs acquired outfielder Craig Monroe and cash considerations for a player to be named later. Monroe has approximately $1.06MM left on his contract for 2007.
The 30 year-old outfielder enjoyed a career season in ’06, smacking 28 homers and knocking in 92. As a right-handed hitter he’s typically better off facing southpaws. It’d be nice to platoon him with Jacque Jones if he can handle center field. Monroe played eight games there last year and 33 the year before. More likely, he’ll be employed in right field once Alfonso Soriano returns. Jake Fox seems to be the odd man out for the Cubs.
The Cubs are hoping the change of scenery will coincide with a decent offensive rebound, similar to their Jason Kendall acquisition. Over in the AL, Monroe had been equally awful as Kendall (.222/.264/.373). Monroe isn’t set to reach free agency until after the ’08 season, though the Cubs could nontender him rather than pay the $5MM or so he’d get in arbitration.
Side note – I was surprised to see Jayson Stark write today that "it would be a shock" if the Cubs don’t nontender Mark Prior this winter. Given the price and dearth of starting pitching, why not cough up the $3.5MM to see how Prior looks post-surgery?
Cubs Sign Carlos Zambrano To Extension
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Cubs have inked Carlos Zambrano to a five-year, $91.5MM contract extension. The deal also has a $19.25MM player option for a sixth year, so you might as well call it 6/111.
By waiting, the Cubs cost themselves at least $11.5MM. It’s unclear as to whether the original 5/80 deal Zambrano almost signed had a player option. The new contract carries Zambrano through his age 31 season.
This is a home team discount, but $18.3MM annually guaranteed is still pretty hefty. The discount is that the Cubs are on the hook for five or six years instead of seven or eight. And sure, Z probably could’ve gotten $20MM on the open market. The deal would look a lot better for the Cubs if the 2013 option was the club’s. As a player option, Zambrano will basically only exercise it if he’s in bad shape.
I’ve been back and forth on my opinion of a huge Zambrano extension, kind of like the pitcher’s up and down season. Part of me says that the Cubs got a slight discount, Zambrano’s been an injury-free horse, and he’ll still be pretty young throughout the deal. The other side of me says that his best years are behind him, he’s got a ton of mileage on his arm, and almost no free agent pitcher deal of this magnitude could possibly work out. I think you could make a legitimate case for either side – sorry for the cop out.
The free agent pitcher market is significantly worse for Zambrano’s absence. The best option now appears to be Curt Schilling on a short-term deal, if you can get him.
Graziano’s Latest: Andruw, Dunn, Fukudome
Dan Graziano has a new article up regarding the free agent outfielder crop. He spoke to two anonymous GMs. Let’s take a look at some highlights.
- Andruw Jones has an awful .216/.312/.418 line this year. He’s been outdone by Shawn Green, Sammy Sosa, Jose Vidro, and Shannon Stewart in terms of OPS. Nonetheless, Jones isn’t expected to come at a discount. Scott Boras will just play up the defense, the RBIs, the career totals, whatever.
- Graziano says "it’s hard to see" the Reds picking up Adam Dunn‘s $13MM option. This would just be plain dumb on Wayne Krivsky’s part. Given the $0.5MM buyout, it’s basically like signing Dunn to a one-year, $12.5MM deal. How many teams would pass on a huge power bat on a no-risk one-year commitment? If the Reds don’t exercise the option, it will be change for change’s sake. And a bad decision.
- Kosuke Fukudome is the dark horse, a possible impact right fielder from Japan. He will not require a posting fee. Graziano says the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, and White Sox are among the teams scouting him. More on Fukudome in a separate post.
Cubs Deals For Podsednik, Stewart Dead
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Cubs will not be acquiring Scott Podsednik, and in fact chances were slim from the beginning. I saw a recent poll where the majority of Cubs fans thought the Cubs should trade for an outfielder. I disagree – I can’t see a waiver acquisition improving upon the in-house options. The one possible exception I can think of is Matt Stairs. Regardless of my opinion, the Cubs will apparently go with what they’ve got.
Similarly, the idea of acquiring Shannon Stewart should be dismissed. According to the Contra Costa Times, Stewart’s continued presence in an A’s uniform means the deadline has passed for a trade. Joe Stiglich notes that Stewart could net the A’s a high draft pick if he leaves via free agency.
Random Rumors And Signings
We have a bunch of rumor-related tidbits today, and for now I’ll put them into one post.
- There’s a mini-controversy afoot regarding Cubs lefty Will Ohman. Ohman has indicated that the Cubs have been letting him pitch while hurt, and the Cubs contend that he never visited the trainer. No matter who you side with, Ohman’s days in the organization are numbered.
- The Cubs indeed won the Scott Podsednik claim, but the White Sox want a legitimate prospect in return. I’ve heard Sean Gallagher mentioned. There’s not much time for posturing here as the teams probably have until today or tomorrow to make a trade. The White Sox were considered nontendering Pods last offseason, and he didn’t do anything this year that should’ve changed their mind. Ozzie Guillen even called him "unreliable" publicly. Kenny Williams should take what he can get and give the playing time to someone else.
- Casey Fossum‘s been released by the Devil Rays; he’ll hook on somewhere. The little lefty used to throw in the mid-90s with Boston. Not so much anymore, but he does boast one of the slowest curveballs you’ll find (slower than 50 mph). Back in ’03, the Red Sox offered him to Toronto for Kelvim Escobar, unwilling to give up Trot Nixon. He eventually went to Arizona in the Curt Schilling deal and later was traded to the Devil Rays for Jose Cruz Jr. Fossum’s battled shoulder woes for most of his career, having labrum surgery in ’06. He’s still only 29.
- The Rockies signed Elmer Dessens to a minor-league deal. They might have to throw the 34 year-old into the rotation for lack of better options.
- Carlos Silva wants to stay in Minnesota, and would sign at a discount before hitting the open market if the Twins are interested. Unfortunately, a discount for a Silva-type these days might be three years, $18MM. Jason Marquis‘s contract was something of a benchmark. If Silva backs it up to two years, $10MM, I can see the Twins going for it.
- Victor Zambrano now finds himself toiling for the Pirates’ Triple A affiliate.
Cubs Claim Scott Podsednik?
UPDATE: Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune seems to indicate that the Cubs won the claim.
Several people have emailed me this morning about an ESPN Radio 1000 report. Apparently the Cubs have claimed Scott Podsednik. As with the Shannon Stewart situation, I’m currently unclear on whether the Cubs simply put in the claim on Pods or if they’ve been awarded it.
How Podsednik would help the Cubs is beyond me, but that’s why Jim Hendry gets paid the big bucks. Podsednik makes another $860K or so this year, and might be a nontender candidate this winter. By the way, this is where I believe the original rumor began.
Cubs Put In Claim For Shannon Stewart
UPDATE: The San Francisco Chronicle verifies the claim. Stewart has mixed feelings about it.
UPDATE 2: Buster Olney says has heard that the two sides will not be able to work out a trade.
UPDATE 3: Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune says many teams put in a claim for Stewart, and the winner is not yet known.
Several people have emailed me regarding a Bruce Levine report today on ESPN 1000. It seems the Cubs may have won a waiver claim on Shannon Stewart, meaning the two teams have 48.5 hours to work out a trade.
The 33 year-old outfielder is having a solid year by his standards and has managed to stay healthy. But with a .401 SLG, he doesn’t add much pop to the currently punchless Cubs squad. I would imagine Stewart will be a Type B free agent, lessening the quality of the player going to Oakland in return.
Random Rumors: Erstad, Gagne, Podsednik
Here’s a smattering of random rumors.
- The Twins have tried and failed to acquire Mike Piazza, Jermaine Dye, and Kevin Mench. Instead of Dye, the White Sox offered up 33 year-old outfielder Darin Erstad, he of the .671 OPS. The Twins passed.
- Eric Gagne will apparently earn Type A status as a free agent, despite pitching only two innings in 2006. Rob Bradford has the details. This was apparently a big factor for the Red Sox in making the deal.
- The Chicago Sun-Times debunks a rumor that the Cubs are trying to trade for Scott Podsednik. How come I wasn’t told about this rumor previously? Who started it? I feel left out.
- The Pirates and Tigers are still talking about Jack Wilson. Apparently the deadline version of the deal died when the Bucs asked for Craig Monroe. Really? The deal died over that guy?
- Gordon Edes has a Major League source indicating that the Orioles are "the kind of team that might have interest" in Wily Mo Pena. That’s not the same as saying that they do have interest, however.
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.
Multiple Teams Looking At Kielty
UPDATE: The Red Sox signed Kielty.
Bobby Kielty is a 31 year-old switch-hitting outfielder. He can typically draw a few walks and hit lefties. He can handle the corner outfield positions but hasn’t played center with any regularity since 2002. Kielty is a free agent now after being released by the A’s.
According to the Boston Herald, Kielty is receiving interest from the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Astros. The Herald mentions Kielty’s ties to New England, while the San Francisco Chronicle considers him the favorite. Question: why would the Astros be interested?