Buzz Around The Game
Let’s see what we’ve got going on today in a potpourri-style format.
As predicted, Eric Byrnes was non-tendered last night. I can’t possibly think of a better way for the Cubs to turn the Jacque Jones signing into a positive. If you sum up Byrnes and Jones’ salaries, you’ll be getting solid stats from RF for the price. Assuming Dusty Baker understands what a platoon is and how all that works.
Of course, it’s probably one more roster spot than the Cubs wanted to use on this type of thing since they already have John Mabry. But Mabry can back up Aramis Ramirez, and the Cubs can carry one less pitcher and make it work. I put a word in to a Cubs source of mine, and he agreed that the idea makes sense (who wouldn’t agree) and mentioned that the Cubs have liked Byrnes in the past.
UPDATE: Just talked to a second Cubs source, and he echoed the sentiment held by many readers of the site: Hendry didn’t give Jones $16MM to platoon him. He’s a full-timer for the most part.
Kirby Arnold reports that the Mariners offered Gil Meche to the Cubs for Corey Patterson. At first, I said, "Sure, why not." But then I looked at Meche’s numbers, and I realized there’s no way he can help the ballclub. When a pitcher loses his ability to strike batters out, as Meche may have, he has to counter the increased hits he’s surrendering with good control. Or the ability to keep the ball in the park. Meche appears to have none of these traits, and would be a frustrating spot starter who would allow tons of baserunners. I might rather have Josh Fogg at this point. There’s got to be something slightly better out there for the Cubs.
Alfonso Soriano won’t move off second base for the Nationals and is pretty much raising a stink about being dealt to Washington. Let’s see here, are there any teams with GMs dumber than Jim Bowden who might make a trade for Sori? Dan O’Brien’s club doesn’t have a need for a 2B; Placido Polanco is firmly entrenched in Detroit…maybe Littlefield is interested?
Is Millwood really getting a five year deal from someone? Insane. Incredible timing to have your 2.86 ERA season. Best timing award for the NL: Todd Jones.
My Mets guy is saying the club is still talking to the Dodgers about Jeff Kent, but right now it’s a "pipe dream." Doesn’t seem like the two teams will agree on anything. The Mets still have some faith in Victor Zambrano (or maybe they’re just trying to save face), but Omar feels that after adding Julian Tavarez his bullpen will be pretty much set.
The Mariners seem desperate to get rid of Jeremy Reed after pushing hard to obtain him for Freddy Garcia. I guess they don’t understand that center fielders are hard to find and Reed will get better. After the masterstroke that was the Johjima signing, Bill Bavasi has taken a step backward with Jarrod Washburn.
Cubs Sign Jacque Jones
The Cubs cornered the market on guys who sound like they’re French but aren’t by signing Jacque Jones to a three-year, $16MM deal to play alongside Juan Pierre. Rounding out the French wannabe All-Star team are Alexis Rios, Joaquin Benoit, and Xavier Nady.
I’m guessing Cubs fans will be less than thrilled with this signing based on the initial reaction. That the deal was for three years only adds to the anguish. Here’s how lboros at Viva El Birdos put it:
"Encouraging news out of the Windy City, per Sun-Times: the Cubs reportedly have made an offer to Jacque Jones. A double gift — like having a tornado just barely miss your house and instead tear the roof off your obnoxious neighbor’s place."
Yep, that pretty much sums it up from a Cards fan point of view. I’m trying to find a silver lining here for Cubs fans. Jones was exactly as good as Jeromy Burnitz in 2005 – tied for the 9th best RF in the game. Slight positive note: Jones is a slightly better player once you even out their playing time. I’m really grasping here, but if Jones somehow returned to his 2002 level – .300/.341/.511 – that would be on par with what Jorge Posada and Jorge Cantu did in 2005. OK, that was weak.
The best Cubs fans can hope for is that Jones gets platooned at some point in the near future. Here’s his line against righties for each of the last three seasons:
.268/.348/.466
.258/.310/.465
.317/.342/.492
So that’s tolerable. Let’s see here, are there any available lefty mashers who can play the outfield? Here’s a short list of available outfielders and their lines against lefties in 2005.
Kevin Mench .296/.380/.600
Craig Monroe .303/.360/.549
Preston Wilson .262/.336/.571
Eric Byrnes .344/.406/.599 (2004)
Byrnes might be non-tendered tonight by the Orioles; why not take a flyer on a fun, hardworking player who can hide Jacque’s inadequacies? Such a move would greatly redeem Hendry in my mind, and he’d look less dumb too.
Kerry Wood for Vidro & Church?
A new Cubs trade rumor found its way into my inbox this morning courtesy of loyal reader Derek. Yesterday, Jim Williams wrote a column for the Washington Examiner suggesting the Cubs might deal Kerry Wood for Jose Vidro and Ryan Church this spring.
He mentions the health issues surrounding both Wood and Vidro and that both players would have to be ready to play. Williams also says Wood’s huge contract could be a concern. Looking at the numbers, Wood makes $11MM in 2006 and has a $13.5MM option for 2007 with a $3MM buyout attached. Vidro will make $7MM in ’06, $7.5MM in ’07, and $8.5MM in ’08. Church makes the minimum, having played just 132 games in the bigs.
I talked to three of my Cubs sources to see if they thought this rumor had any validity. One called it "totally absurd." The another said that given Wood’s blanket no-trade clause, the rumor’s not feasible. I haven’t been able to find Jim Williams’s email address to ask him about that aspect of the deal. A third source called the rumor sounded "shaky," saying that Wood would probably approve a deal to the Astros or Rangers, but not the Nationals. He mentioned that Wood will need more than spring training to prove his shoulder is healthy, and a July trade wouldn’t be a surprise.
My thoughts on the players: Vidro’s decline is coming on fast and he may never be completely healthy again. Church will be a solid Major Leaguer if he gets the opportunity. Wood seems destined for the bullpen in the long-term, perhaps with a Gagne-like run in the cards.
Adam Eaton On The Block
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick spoke to Adam Eaton last week, and his article definitely gives the vibe that the righthander won’t be staying in San Diego past 2006.
Eaton’s opinion of the Padres’ three-year, $17MM offer?
"It was almost like a slap in the face compared to what I’m capable of doing."
That’s an amusing statement. Here’s my translation:
"I’ve pitched almost 800 Major League innings and have posted a medicore 4.35 ERA for my career. I’ve never pitched more than 200 innings or had an ERA below 4 in a season, in a pitcher’s ballpark to boot. But since I’m under 30 and don’t completely suck, I’m worth at least $10MM per season. I’m insulted that you’ve only offered me $5MM per season."
Given that impressive resume, it’s no surprise teams are beating down the door to acquire Eaton. No, really, they are. These are the interested parties, according to Crasnick:
Rangers
Nationals
Tigers
Orioles
Red Sox
Cubs
Thoughts on a few of these suitors:
The Rangers have been shaky about including both Gerald Laird and Adrian Gonzalez to get a deal done, and they reportedly backed out of such a deal earlier this month. Eaton has been below average in home run prevention throughout his career, so I’m not sure he’s the best fit for Ameriquest. But Texas can’t count on Vicente Padilla to fill the void left by Kenny Rogers, so it’s likely they’ll bring another starter in this winter.
If Eaton could remain healthy, he’d give Washington solid starting pitching depth. 1-5, it’d go John Patterson, Livan Hernandez, Eaton, Brian Lawrence, and Ryan Drese. Top prospect Mike Hinckley will need some time before he’s ready to step in. A swap of Ryan Church for Eaton sounds like fair value to me, and Church would be a nice fit in left field for the Pads.
I’m not sure that the Cubs have what Padres GM Kevin Towers would want for Eaton. Plus, the point of Hendry adding another starter was seemingly to add a durable pitcher to the mix in the event that Kerry Wood can’t make 30 starts. Eaton is anything but durable.
Marlins Still After Gathright
Today, a source close to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays updated me on their efforts to trade Joey Gathright. The word is that the Marlins and Dodgers are the frontrunners, while the Rangers and Cubs are still "in the mix."
Three days ago, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com mentioned that the Marlins could send Scott Olsen to the Rays for Gathright. Gathright essentially is Juan Pierre, and the Marlins would have a formidable 1-5 in their order, believe it or not. Call me crazy, but the Fish are a few well-timed breakouts, reliever success stories, and a couple of miracles away from sniffing .500 in ’06. I know you’re probably bookmarking this story right now to disparage me at the end of the season for hinting that the Marlins could be a .500 team.
Anyway, it’s unclear to my source whether the Marlins actually offered Olsen for Gathright. He did mention that the Devil Rays like Olsen a lot, despite his late-season elbow inflammation. Olsen flashed huge strikeout potential in the minors, and jumped past Triple A this year to start four games for the Marlins.
The Dodgers’ interest probably hinges on Kenny Lofton‘s decision, as L.A. has an offer out to him. The Cubs seem an unlikely destination. Plugging in Gathright could result in a severely power-deficient outfield. Gathright would be a nice fit for Texas, and could score a boatload of runs fronting that lineup.
Shawn Green: Not Headed To Cubs
I caught wind of a December 14th James Renwick article by way of loyal reader Brian today. According to Renwick, "Shawn Green is going to be dealt, probably to the Chicago Cubs, in the next couple of days." Keep in mind that Green has a no-trade clause that stipulates he can veto a trade to any team besides the Angels, Dodgers, and Padres. It’s been said that Green’s wife prefers to live in Arizona or California, although it should be noted that Green is from Des Plaines, IL.
The D’Backs would love to trade Green, but it won’t be easy. I’m still pretty confident that the Cubs’ new RF will be one of the eligible players from this list. As mentioned then, it appears that the frontrunners for the job are Aubrey Huff, Kevin Mench, and Craig Monroe. Preston Wilson, Juan Encarnacion, and Jacque Jones are also legitimate possibilities.
Over at 1060west…
There’s a great post over at the 1060west blog. It’s titled, "Why It Can’t Be Ronny Cedeno," and pretty much extinguishes the undeserved status Cubs fans have heaped on Cedeno’s shoulders. I’ll leave you with a quote:
"I am compelled to suggest that starting Ronny Cedeno at shortstop is effectively starting Neifi Perez at shortstop for the 2006 season."
Cubs Show Interest In Jacque Jones
As I flipped through the Chicago Sun-Times today, I noticed a funny caption under Jacque Jones‘s picture: Strikes out a lot. It’s funny that the editors decided on that as Jones’s defining characteristic.
Calm down, Cubs fans – Jones isn’t the answer in right field. Jim Hendry might toss out the Jeromy Burnitz offer -one year, $4.5MM. But unless Jones has little regard for money or security, he won’t become a Cub. Jacque reportedly has a three-year offer on the table, and requires at least a two-year pact.
Jones and Jeromy Burnitz were essentially the same player in 2005. Solid glove, decent pop, little plate discipline. Jones may be younger than Burnitz, but he’s not on the upswing. Hendry is clearly looking to upgrade, and two or three years of Jones just wouldn’t serve the purpose.
With so many names tossed around for the vacant Cubs RF spot, I’ve provided this handy list. One of these 17 men will be in right field on Opening Day for the Cubs.
Bobby Abreu – Phils want Prior or Zambrano; out of the question.
Juan Encarnacion – Another low-OBP guy with OK power. If all else fails, it could happen.
Cliff Floyd – Hasn’t played RF since 2002; a better overall LF than Manny Ramirez in ’05. Has interested the Cubs for years, but Mets can’t spare outfielders right now.
Jay Gibbons – Still won’t take a walk; set a career high SLG. Probably not worth trading anyone for.
Shawn Green – Can and would veto a trade to Chicago.
Aubrey Huff – Recent decline worrisome; asking price (Angel Guzman?) high.
Geoff Jenkins – GM Melvin denied Jenkins trade rumors, but said the same about Overbay. Same division deal unlikely.
Jacque Jones – Lackluster option could be a Cub if Hendry gets silly and gives him two years.
Austin Kearns – Likely to stay put now that the outfielder logjam has been alleviated.
Kevin Mench – Plenty of teams are after Mench, who can play right or left field. His power would be useful, and he comes cheap.
Craig Monroe – See Juan Encarnacion.
Trot Nixon – Viable option; should be platooned with a lefty masher like Monroe or even Sosa.
Gary Sheffield – Wouldn’t happen unless Hendry gave the 37 year-old a two-year extension and dealt Pie, Guzman, or Hill.
Reggie Sanders – Probably wouldn’t accept the one-year deal Hendry might offer. Has played plenty of RF in his career though.
Sammy Sosa – As scary as it sounds, tossing Sosa $1MM to platoon with Nixon or Reggie Sanders could work out OK.
Ichiro Suzuki – Won’t come cheap and doesn’t provide power. Mariners aren’t dumping salaries this year, anyway.
Craig Wilson – Wouldn’t be pretty in the field, but the Cubs could use Wilson. Doesn’t fit in the Bucs’ plans, either.
I think the likely options are Huff, Mench, Monroe, Wilson, Encarnacion, and Jones, in that order.
Cubs Interest In Tejada Confirmed
A couple of different sources are confirming the Cubs’ interest in Miguel Tejada.
According to an emailer, David Kaplan of WGN Radio spoke with two sources close to Miguel Tejada. The sources told Kaplan early Friday that Tejada would love to play for the Cubs and would welcome a trade. The Tribune Company owns both WGN and the Cubs.
Several other emailers mentioned a Bruce Levine report on ESPN Radio 1000. According to Levine, there is major interest in Tejada by the Cubs and Jim Hendry has had talks with the Orioles front office already. John Stockstill is currently the Orioles’ director of pro scouting, and formerly had the same role with the Cubs. Interestingly, that same Baltimore Sun article from December 7th has a headline called "Tejada Energized" and mentions that Tejada is "excited" about the 2006 season.
The two teams worked amicably on a blockbuster trade last winter, when the Cubs sent Sammy Sosa to the Orioles for Jerry Hairston and some prospects. If you’re looking for possible scenarios for a Cubs-Orioles Tejada trade, you can browse some of the 144 comments on the first post on this topic. In my opinion, Felix Pie and Rich Hill would both have to be a component of any deal.
Diamondbacks After Corey Patterson
Several different sources have recently mentioned the Dimaondbacks’ interest in Corey Patterson. The rumor first surfaced in my inbox Thursday morning, and I put in a word to Jack Magruder of the East Valley Tribune. Magruder confirmed the rumor, saying that it might happen depending on who the Cubs would take.
After further inquiries, Magruder revealed that the D’backs were reluctant to part with relievers after the Johnny Estrada trade thinned their ‘pen. He also mentioned that Arizona will not part with Carlos Quentin, Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, or other top prospects, which makes sense.
Some have floated the idea of the Cubs attempting to acquire Des Plaines native Shawn Green for their right field vacancy. Green, the game’s 7th best right fielder in 2005, won’t be coming to the Cubs. Green’s contract calls for a limited no-trade clause for 2006 and 2007 that allows trades only to the Angels, Dodgers, and Padres. Apparently his wife prefers to stay in California.
Today, Bleed Cubbie Blue pointed us in the direction of an article on this same topic. John Gambadoro, in an article special to AZCentral.com, adds some new information about the D’Backs interest in Patterson. According to Gambadoro:
"Last season after the trade deadline had passed, Arizona put a claim in on Patterson after the Cubs had tried to slip him through waivers. The Cubs pulled the offer back."
I’ve dropped a line to "Gambo" in attempt to get a few names that Arizona would be willing to offer. This is pure speculation, but maybe the D’Backs would part with a struggling outfielder of their own, Josh Kroeger. A former wide receiver, Kroeger took a step backward by posting a .261/.316/.422 line in Triple A this year. He’s only 22, and had been successful up to this point. I figure it wouldn’t be bad to add a slugging outfield prospect to the stable if he’s available.