Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Rays May Trade Kazmir and Crawford? Cubs Benefit?

The Rays are considering trading Carl Crawford and Scott Kazmir because of financial reasons. We all know how much Jim Hendry and Sweet Lou like Carl Crawford. They tried to trade Rich Hill and others for him back in Novemeber of 2007, but was then pulled off the trading block in December.

The Cubs would more than likely not want to get Scott Kazmir (even though he would be good in the NL) because he is a fly ball pitcher and they have good starting pitching depth.

Crawford on the other hand would be ideal for the Cubs. He would provide them with speed (51 SB), great defense (.991 fielding% and 5 assists) , great base running instincts (9 times CS), good average (.314), nice power (11 homers), high OBP (.373), and a all around great guy! He has a 10 million club option in which the Rays are expected to exercise and he would be in the last year of his contract. But in the next few years the Cubs will shed some payroll so they could sign him to an extension if he is traded to them. The Cubs payroll goes from 137 million this year to 119 next season, then to 96 million, and finally 54 million in 2012. So signing him to a long term deal is not out of the question, especially if it is backloaded.

For the answer to the "left handed" bat the Cubs have been needing for the past 3 seasons at the age of 28, it is worth taking him on for at least the 2010 season.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Neither Crawford or Kazmir would make it through waviers. Any deal for them would be in the offseason. The Cubs will still have 3 outfield spots filled with the untradable contracts of Soriano, Fukudome, and Bradely. It is fun to dream, I just don't see it happening.

allan jb said...

Ummm...just where do you think that the Cubs will "shed" some payroll?

waldo7239117 said...

The Rays already said that they are going to get trade Kazmire and Crawford in the offseason not waivers.

Anonymous said...

How do the Cubs get rid of Soriano, Fukudome, or Bradley to make room for Crawford in the outfield or payroll wise. Any Rays rumor for Crawford has nothing to do with the Cubs.