Dodgers Acquire Greg Maddux
Ken Rosenthal tells us that the Dodgers have acquired Greg Maddux. Will be interesting to see who the Cubs end up with.
UPDATE: CBS Sportsline indicates that the Cubs received Cesar Izturis in return. The Chicago Tribune’s Dave van Dyck has a different take, but ESPN has confirmed the Izturis part.
CBS: Padres Acquire Todd Walker
According to Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline, the Cubs are about to send Todd Walker to the Padres. Another low-rent fix for Kevin Towers.
UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal has learned that Walker was dealt for 19 year-old righty Jose Ceda, currently in rookie ball.
ESPN: Dodgers Want Maddux
A report from ESPN’s Amy Nelson indicates that the Dodgers are the "hottest team on Greg Maddux." According to Nelson:
"The deal would be two L.A. prospects for Maddux; one would be a position player, the other a pitcher. And both would be high-level, likely coming from their loaded Triple-A team in Las Vegas."
Well, let’s have a look at Las Vegas’s roster. I could see Delwyn Young as a part of this, and maybe Hong-Chih Kuo as the pitcher. Southpaw starter Greg Miller would be an impressive bounty. Anything above that – Andy LaRoche, Joel Guzman, or Matt Kemp – seems highly unlikely to me. Nelson mentions that the quality of the prospects involved increases the more the Cubs pay Maddux’s salary. About $3.2MM remains; the Cubs should really just eat all of it and get one top-notch prospect.
Probably meaningless tidbit: Guzman sat out tonight’s wild affair against Iowa.
Maddux Leaves With Tip Of Cap
Many are speculating that Greg Maddux‘s excellent performance today against the Cardinals was his last as a Cub. He got the win and departed to a standard ovation, tipping his cap to the Chicago faithful.
In other Cubs rumors, Will Carroll mentions today in his latest Will’s Mill update that "the Cubs have received some indications that Aramis Ramirez is going to opt out of his contract at the end of the season, putting them in the same situation that the Brewers were in before moving Carlos Lee."
Though many Cubs fans may not want to admit it, there’s a very solid chance Ramirez tests the market. Does he love Chicago so much as to forego extra years and millions of security? Doubtful. Since when have the Cubs ever gotten a hometown discount, anyway? Sammy Sosa and Kerry Wood seemed to get a hometown surcharge in their massive deals. I suppose there was Andre Dawson, but that’s about it. This is Jim Hendry’s best shot to secure two young position players (and one had better be an outfielder).
Another tasty nugget from Carroll on the Reds:
"They have one offer out on a player that would really signal a new era in Cincy, though it’s unlikely to happen."
My own speculation? The offer is for Miguel Tejada. We know that they’ve kicked the tires. By the way, are you getting sick of the phrase "kicked the tires" yet?
Note To Hendry: Do Something!
1060West is a Cubs blog not afraid to tell it like it is. In this post, they compare Jim Hendry’s situation right now to Mark Shapiro’s: two teams that were expected to compete but now have no chance. Both clubs have plenty of veterans, and Shapiro has done a good job getting young players in return so far. Hendry, on the other hand, has two mediocre A-ball pitchers to his credit.
Is there any good reason for the Cubs to hang on to Jones, Ramirez, Maddux, Eyre, Howry, Barrett, Dempster, and the rest?
Source: Cubs Turned Down Kendry Morales For Aramis Ramirez
A trusted Angels source gave me the scoop on the team’s inquiries concerning third baseman Aramis Ramirez.
Word is that Los Angeles offered first baseman Kendry Morales straight up for Ramirez and the Cubs turned it down. Morales, a 23 year-old Cuban defector, was called up to start for the Angels after hitting .311/.352/.463 in 42 Triple A games. He responded by hitting just .240/.302/.388 in 183 ABs between the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th spots in the batting order.
According to Baseball America, Morales’s defensive deficiencies limit him to first base or DH. Still, a team could probably get away with sliding him down one more notch on the defensive spectrum to left field. If the Cubs decide to retain the hot-hitting Ramirez this month, they’d better be sure he’s not planning on exercising his out-clause and testing the free agent market.
My source also indicates that Morgan Ensberg is unlikely to be traded given his shoulder condition.
L.A. Times: Angels Inquire About Ramirez, Tracy, Ensberg
We’ve heard Miguel Tejada as well as various mid-tier firstbasemen bandied about as possible trade targets for Bill Stoneman and the Angels. Mike DiGiovanna’s article for the Los Angeles Times today also indicates that the Halos could pursue various slugging third basemen.
Specifically, DiGiovanna mentions that the Angels have inquired about Aramis Ramirez, Chad Tracy, and Morgan Ensberg.
Ramirez is on fire, hitting .329/.391/.763 this month with nine home runs. What some folks may not realize is that Ramirez has every reason and the ability to test the free agent market this winter. He would most certainly top the money he’d make staying with the Cubs under his current contract. Ramirez has said he wants to stay in Chicago, so we’ll see.
The Angels would have to offer an excellent young player to pry Tracy away from Arizona. The 26 year-old has slipped a bit to .279/.343/.454 this season, which is below average for his position. Still he’s locked up for $13.25MM for 2007-09. That’s more than fair value.
Ensberg turns 31 next month, yet free agency is still a few years off. He hit the DL on July 10th with a shoulder contusion. After a torrid April, Ensberg hit just .194/.355/.382. The Padres have also expressed interest, but this acquisition would be a gamble.
Mariners Trade Rumor: Todd Walker
According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Mariners are scouting the Cubs’ Todd Walker.
Walker would be platooned with Eduardo Perez at DH and would be used against right-handed pitching. From 2003-05, Walker has batted .290/.346/.458 against right-handers. The 33 year-old impending free agent makes $2.5MM this season. The Cubs have been trying to trade him since spring training.
Donald Trump Interested In Buying Cubs
Interesting note from BenMaller.com this afternoon: Donald Trump would consider purchasing the Cubs, if they became available.
The Donald is currently building a Trump International Hotel and Tower, a condo/hotel thingie, on the former site of the Chicago Sun-Times building. It should be completed in 2009, just one year after the 100th anniversary of the last time the Cubs won a World Series.
If the Cubs ever become available, Trump would have competition from Mark Cuban. There’s already a petition going.
Trade Rumor Roundup: 7 Days Left
Here’s the latest from around baseball…
Dejan Kovacevic mentions that the A’s are considering Sean Casey. Casey’s doing his usual good batting average/low slugging thing and he’s getting $8.5MM for it. The combined efforts of Dan Johnson and Nick Swisher have been inadequate at first, but would Casey really help? Johnson is hitting .485/.575/.848 in 33 Triple A at-bats; maybe he deserves another look. The Athletics, who are dead last in the AL in slugging, wouldn’t be helped by adding the powerless Casey. They need Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, Pat Burrell, or even Raul Ibanez to make a difference.
The Yankees have decided to hold on to Philip Hughes, and the Phils aren’t biting on whatever else they offered. According to George King, the Yanks think assuming Abreu’s contract and exercising his option should be enough. Still, it would be cool to see a nasty young Phillies rotation in 2008 with Hughes, Cole Hamels, Gio Gonzalez, and Scott Mathieson.
Also, I’m hearing that WPEN in Philadelphia has mentioned a trade rumor: Tom Gordon for Trot Nixon. Nixon is a good hitter (.400 OBP), though he’s 32 with declining power numbers. Given that Flash would be hands down the best reliever on the market, I’d expect the Phils to get more.
Kenny Williams didn’t deny the recent Soriano rumor, so now you know it’s legit. Kenny has been pretty shrewd with the media, so this is probably all part of his plan. Despite word of a possible contract extension with Washington, Buster Olney all but assured us of a Soriano trade in today’s blog.
Also, Olney nixed the A-Rod to the Cubs idea, explaining that Rodriguez is a bargain in the Yankees’ world. This column is kind of weird to me. Phil Rogers almost seems like he’s just cooked up a brilliant scenario or something, with Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones being swapped for A-Rod. Thing is, Bleed Cubbie Blue broke out this exact trade rumor three weeks ago.
RotoAuthority has a look at which pitchers have been abused this season.