Cubs Looking At Hamilton, McLouth
The Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan has a new column up discussing a couple of outfielders in the Cubs’ sights aside from Kosuke Fukudome. Apparently they’re after someone who can handle center field in case Felix Pie falters.
- Those Josh Hamilton rumors are real – and the Reds are asking for Sean Marshall. I think the Cubs would pull the trigger on that one. Jerry Crasnick first suggested this match about five hours ago. He thought Marshall wouldn’t be enough and I agreed. Guess we’ll see. Sullivan notes that Lou Piniella had some contact with Hamilton back when he managed the Devil Rays.
- The Cubs are also in talks regarding Nate McLouth. Sullivan thinks McLouth would come cheap – for a reliever like Carmen Pignatiello, Neal Cotts, or Will Ohman. Damn, that’s cheap. We learned today that the Giants, Padres, and Marlins like McLouth; Sullivan adds the Braves to the mix as well.
Rockies Eyeing Burke, Ohman, Capuano
Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News has a list of available players the Rockies like. He names Chris Burke, Mark Redman, Steve Trachsel, Will Ohman, and Chris Capuano as the targets.
Trachsel and Redman we know about; they are two among a slew of starters the Rockies are considering. Capuano is new to the list, however. They’ll have some competition from the Cardinals on him.
Burke is an option for second base and a player the Rox liked a year ago for the Jason Jennings deal. Now he’ll come ultra-cheap. Mark Loretta is considered a long shot.
The Rockies like Ohman, who the Cubs consider expendable. It’s strange, though, because the Rockies are currently shopping a better southpaw reliever in Brian Fuentes. Fuentes wants to close, so Dan O’Down will listen to offers. But it doesn’t make sense that a team would surrender a young, eighth-inning ready reliever for Fuentes.
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.
Tigers Interested In Ohman
Look, it’s a real live trade rumor in April. Phil Rogers reports that the Tigers might make a move for a left-handed reliever, and the Cubs’ Will Ohman is on their radar.
Oddly, the Cubs are carrying three lefties right now in the pen – Ohman, Scott Eyre, and Neal Cotts. Last year, the 29 year-old Ohman put up 65 innings of 4.13 ERA ball, which included a K/9 over 10. He was excellent against lefties, but for some reason faced righties over half the time.
Ohman has done poorly in six appearances for the Cubs this year. Manager Lou Piniella recently commented on his 30 and 40-foot curveballs. If the Cubs don’t trade him, they’ll probably demote him soon enough. Ohman’s contract calls for $2.5MM over 2007-08, plus incentives.