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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.

   

Kerry Wood for Vidro & Church?

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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

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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.   

Javier Vazquez Trade Close?

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With a Javier Vazquez trade supposedly close to complete, it’s been unusually hard to dig up information about the deal.  Here’s the situation so far:

Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News addressed Vazquez today with just this blurb:

"Javier Vazquez, who has piqued the Mets’ interest, may be on the verge of getting shipped to the Windy City. A baseball insider suggested the White Sox are the most likely destination for the Diamondbacks pitcher, possibly leading to a trade involving Jon Garland (a free agent after the 2006 season) or Jose Contreras."

Ken Rosenthal is on the same page:

"The White Sox are making a ’strong, under the radar’ bid to trade for Diamondbacks right-hander Javier Vazquez, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations. The package of players that the Diamondbacks would receive is not known, though it could include a major-league starting pitcher — perhaps right-hander Jon Garland or Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez — and an outfield prospect such as Chris Young."

The Mets have long been mentioned as another suitor for Vazquez, and the Nationals are a dark horse.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but it doesn’t look like Vazquez will end up with either major market club.

I spoke to Chicago Tribune White Sox beat writer Mark Gonzales for his take on the rumor:

"Don’t think it’s going to happen. They had a brief chat, and nothing is on the front burner as of late last week.  Garland has become a bigger concern because of the free agent market."

The takeaway?  The Sox probably won’t chase Vazquez, but they’re not going to pay Garland A.J. Burnett money after this season.  Look for Garland to be dealt before the trading deadline, and possibly this winter.

How about the Mets?  My source close to the team tells me that some in the front office are privately scared of how Vazquez fared in the Bronx.  Omar likes him, but there is a split opinion.  The club is in wait and see mode, so they won’t aggressively pursue Vazquez.

One thing’s for sure – the Diamondbacks are being tight-lipped about details of the Vazquez deal.  I know that Jack Magruder of the East Valley Tribune, who is close to Josh Byrnes, still doesn’t know where the righty starter is headed.  Perhaps an unexpected team will emerge with the best offer, like the Tigers for example. 

Alfonso Soriano’s Washington Projection

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Some have suggested that RFK Stadium will kill Alfonso Soriano’s fantasy value.  Find out if that’s true by reading my Alfonso Soriano Washington Nationals 2006 Projection over at RotoAuthority.

Another website to check out today is Cub Town.  Derek Smart writes intelligent posts about the Cubs with a healthy dose of stats mixed in.  Highly recommended.

Nationals Snag Soriano, Will Remain At 2B

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ESPN is reporting that Jim Bowden picked up Alfonso Soriano for the Nationals and sent Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge over to the Rangers.

The trade is a pretty fair one by my off-the-cuff analysis.  I’ll probably have some player projections on RotoAuthority tomorrow, given that players are moving from an extreme pitchers’ park to a home run haven.

Once extra piece of information that we’ve managed to acquire contradicts a statement in the ESPN report.  According to ESPN:

"With Jose Vidro already entrenched at second base, it’s believed that the Nationals would move Soriano to left field."

My source is saying that the Nationals’ front office is quietly concerned that Jose Vidro may be done for his career.  Expect Soriano to see most of his time at second base in years to come. 

A.J. Burnett Update

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Some new information to report on the A.J. Burnett saga. 

Let’s start at Viva El Birdos, where lboros is getting a little weary with the constant Burnett sightings and updates.  It’s unclear whether he can be described as indefatigable.  Lboros references this Toronto Star article, which has the Cards close but the Blue Jays still in the game.  Another article mentions that the Nationals are still in the running even though they’ve yet to make an offer.

In light of this information, Brian Walton’s Scout.com article has changed significantly.  Walton is still contending that Burnett is due in St. Louis for a physical and has agreed to terms.

Speaking of Burnett in St. Louis sightings, I’ve got another source adamant that Burnett was seen at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport as first noted yesterday.  My source has talked to the head of security for Terminal A, who is "99% sure" it was A.J. Burnett last night.  Given that both sightings were by Cardinals fans, there may be another explanation to all the madness.   

Wilkerson Deal Unlikely To Include Cedeno

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Interesting article in the Washington Post, found via RotoWorld.  The Post confirms the Cubs’ interest in Brad Wilkerson, as mentioned on this site on November 29th.

The RotoWorld blurb and the Post article make a valid point: with the Cubs’ failure to sign Rafael Furcal, Ronny Cedeno is much less likely to be dealt.  RotoWorld speculates that Jerome Williams or Corey Patterson could be possible trading chips.

Bowden plans to be active, using money not spent on Esteban Loaiza and Hector Carrasco to acquire a free agent pitcher.  Back in October, I speculated that A.J. Burnett could wind up in Washington.  The possibility remains, and will increase in likelihood if the team is purchased soon.  One way or another, the Nationals are going to acquire several starting pitchers this offseason.

Brad Wilkerson To Cubs For Ronny Cedeno

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I promised myself I was going to take the evening off from rumormongering, I really did.  But this one was too sweet and reliable to leave til the morning.  Here’s the scoop – stay with me on this one.

A source went to college with Barry Larkin’s cousin, Michael.  (Michael is a wide receiver at Miami at Ohio, by the way).  My source was in Cincinnati for Thanksgiving, as was Michael Larkin.  Michael passed along the following info to my source via his cousin Barry.

It appears that Nationals GM Jim Bowden has asked Barry Larkin what he thinks of Cubs SS/2B Ronny Cedeno and for Barry’s help with Cedeno’s defense if he’s acquired.  The Nationals’ front office has a covert concern that Jose Vidro is done for his career, and Cedeno would be an ideal safety net at 2B.  Plus, the team wasn’t exactly thrilled with Cristian Guzman’s horrific season in ’05.

Barry Larkin relayed to his cousin that the potential deal was Ronny Cedeno for Brad Wilkerson straight up.  Then the info got to my source, and now it’s in your adoring hands.  Believe it if you want to – I think it’s on the level.

Ronny Cedeno was ranked 16th among Cubs prospects by Baseball America before the 2005 season.  He’s 23 years old and has a cannon arm.  He hit .300 in 80 ABs with the Cubs in 2005.  Before that, he managed a .355 mark in 245 Triple A at-bats.

Brad Wilkerson had an off year at age 28, ranking 13th among all CFs.  He’s got superb on-base skills.  He spent time at all three outfield positions and first base in ’05.  He’s yet to reach free agency.

Thanks to Rob G.

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