Cubs Hit and Run: Cubs Sign Hairston, OF market, & Other Players on the Move..

The Cubs have signed Scott Hairston to a two year deal that could reach $6M with incentives. The Cubs were looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder but this is not what I would have thought. Yes he smashed left-handed pitching (.867 OPS against lefties) and he can play all three outfield spots but I really do not care for the signing. I feel the Cubs had the prospects to land a young impact everyday OF through trade and instead we settled on Hairston.

One good thing is Bruce Levine adds he is likely the 4^th/5^th outfielder.

It also sounds like the Cubs willdo a mix and match platoon with RF and CF with Hairston/Schierholtz and Hairston/DeJesus as of right now.

Rumors should start up fast about Soriano and DeJesus being traded since the Cubs have a lot of OF depth now and their roster sitting at 42 unofficially.

The Cubs 40 man roster unofficially stands at 42 with the unofficial additions of Scott Hairston and Carlos Villanueva so some moves have to be made soon.

The most disappointing part of this is that David Sappelt or Tony Campana are the most likely to start in Iowa (or end up on another team) next season since the Cubs do not need to carry 6 OF. I honestly think Sappelt deserved a shot for his defense and how well he played at the end of last season for Chicago.

The biggest non-Cub news today is the Braves landing Justin Upton and Chris Johnson for Randall Delgado, Martin Prado, Zeke Spruill, Brandon Drury, and Nick Ahmed. First off the Cubs could have beaten this deal but it seems the Dbacks really wanted Prado in which the Cubs do not have a “Prado” type player on their team they would be willing to give up. Honestly the Braves are scary good now on paper but the game is not played on paper. They should be a really fun team to watch. To me once again the Diamondbacks got hosed in a trade and it did not involve the Cubs which saddens me.

Reports out now say the Dbacks are dangling recently required Nick Ahmed for Rick Porcello which would knock off another guy the Cubs have been interested in.

The Cubs have interest in Chris Carpenter who was DFA by the Red Sox. Carpenter was the compensation for the hiring of Theo Epstein.

The Mets and Rangers are the top landing spot for Michael Bourn now according to many sources. The Cubs had interest but did not want to give up a draft pick.

The Rays signed Kyle Farnsworth to a 1 year $3M deal. I am hearing the Cubs made an offer to Farnsworth but it was not close to the deal he got from the Rays.

The Mets signed Shaun Marcum to a one-year deal pending a physical which is no guarantee. The Cubs had interest from Marcum but just like Haren they were scared of his medicals.

Bleacher Nation has the Cubs Spring Training Broadcast Schedule found here.

Until Next Time…

Cubs Hit and Run: Convention, Stewart, Pitching and More...

• If you did not go to the Cubs Convention like me then you were checking Bleacher Nation a lot. One of the most notable pieces is on the Obsessive Wrigley Renovation Watch found here. I love the upgrade ideas along with keeping the integrity of the ballpark.
• Brett Jackson says what everyone wants to hear which is he has every intention of making the big league team and he has no intention of going to Iowa.
• BJax swing has changed dramatically according to the few that have seen it up close including Dale Sveum. It mirrors a lot of what Rizzo approach/stance is at the plate is.
• The announcement of the Carlos Villanueva signing should happen this week with a corresponding 40 man roster move quickly before or after the announcement.
• So Ian Stewart talked to Carrie Muskat and Ian said he is 100% healthy for the first time since 2010. It would be wonderful if the Cubs could catch lightning in a bottle with Stewart. His defense is really good and worth having on this team but if his bat comes around like it was before his injury; WATCH OUT. If Stewart can bat .260 with a .320 OBP and 20 homers next season I call that a win!
• The Cubs are still being tossed around as a landing spot for Michael Bourn but as the days go by I think it is less likely he will be making his way to the north-side.
• The Phillies signed Delmon Young so I ask why they picked him over Soriano? Hmmm...
• The Diamondbacks and Cubs discussed Justin Upton according to Bruce Levine but the Cubs walked away when Castro got brought up. Cannot blame them there.
• The Cubs have the possibility of a 7 man rotation if no other moves get made with Shark, Garza, Jackson, Baker, Feldman, Wood, and Villanueva. Now to me it is likely to go to a 6 man with Travis Wood likely to be moved to the bullpen. So the next logically thing is Matt Garza being traded in Spring Training. Especially with reports of a possible contact extension being on hold indefinitely, which is an understanding by both sides. There are 5 places I can see Garza landing as of right now and they are with the Red Sox, Rangers, Yankees, Angels, and Indians.
• Indians and Yankees are my wild cards because the Indians have spent some money this winter and need an upgrade to their rotation. Not to mention they have a player that Cubs would love to have in Lonnie Chisenhall. The Yankees on the other had have decent pitching depth but never count them out when talking about a prominent player on the move. Not sure what the Yankees would give up for Garza.
• The place that makes the most sense is the Rangers for Garza considering they have a want and need to make a splash and have shopped Olt who is a guy that would interest the Cubs. I think Matt goes to the Rangers for a package of 4+ prospects that include Olt and Martin Perez or Buckle.
• The Cubs could have some interest in 24 year old pitcher Sam Dyson who was DFA by the Blue Jays to make room for Mark DeRosa. Dyson was a 4^th round pick in the 2010 MLB draft. See his stats here.

Now onto the latest with Bruce Levine-

• Matt Garza will be the Opening Day starter as long as he logs enough ST innings.
• There is rumors that the Phillies and Cubs are still talking about Soriano but he then says they are still rumors.
• The Cubs and Phillies have not talked since the Ben Revere trade.
• Vogelbach is more than a couple years from the big leagues so worrying about a position now is not an issue.
• The Cubs are not interested in giving up as draft pick for Bourn at this point unless he give the Cubs a heck of a deal.
• If the Tigers liked the Cubs relievers then a deal for Rick Porcello could work.
• Valbuena and Stewart will battle for 3^rd. Neither one has a lock on the position.
• There is nothing Brett Jackson can do in Spring Training to change the FO mind about keeping him in Chicago. I CANNOT DISAGREE MORE.
• Bruce thinks Garza stays put and proves he is healthy then the Cubs sign him to an extension. I do not thing that will happen either because he will be traded before Opening Day.
• He thinks Marmol is gone first and I think it will be Garza.

Until Next Time…

Trade Talk, Levine, and More...

Matt Garza is gaining interest as we get to closer to Spring Training. The teams the most interested in him are the Red Sox and Rangers although other teams are likely to emerge once he is prove healthy.

Rick Porcello is making the rounds on the rumor wire again. It is known that the Tigers want a late inning reliever, outfielder, or SS for Porcello. The Cubs have all three in Carlos Marmol, Soriano or DeJesus, and one of Darwin Barney or Junior Lake.

The Cubs like Porcello but maybe looking to deal Garza before making a move on Porcello a source tells me.

The Cubs front office is still looking to make this team better and have been monitoring the trade market as well as the free agent market. The name Michael Bourn has shown up in my inbox recently and like it or not he could wind up playing CF for the Cubs next season.

Another source tells me that the Cubs maybe prefer to deal for Smyly instead of Porcello which the Tigers are less incline to do.

Two other guys that have not been on the rumor wire that could become available sometime this season are the Rockies Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki. Both guys could interest the Cubs along with pretty much every other team in baseball. Rockies are pitching starved.

Cubs avoided arbitration with Luis Valbuena on a one year deal.

The Cubs want a significant piece in a trade for Soriano according to Epstein.

Bruce Levine did his chat thing so here is that-

• Bruce says the Cubs would love to get 3^rd baseman Mike Olt or Lonnie Chisenhall but their trade attempts have come up empty so far.
• The Cubs could net a 3^rd baseman in a deal for Matt Garza.
• A source in Arizona told Bruce it would take a player like Castro to get Upton but also notes Baez.
• Bruce confirms what we all have known and that the Cubs and Dbacks have talked about a possible trade.
• The Cubs are looking to trade Marmol before getting another bullpen arm.
• Brian Wilson could interest the Cubs on a good value deal but he seems ticketed for the Mets.
• If BJax can solve his K issue he could bat anywhere 1-5.
• Soler needs at least a year in a half in the minors with 500 Abs in AAA. He thinks he will be up quickly.
• Only surprises at the Cubs convention would be Soriano or Marmol traded.
• Top spring stories with the Cubs will be Samardzija growth and Garza’s health.

Until Next Time…

3 Team Trade in the Works...

A nice rumor that originated from MASN’s Roch Kubatko and big kudos to MLB Daily Dish for tweeting out the story and having a write up so soon indicates the Cubs are involved in a 3 team trade. The rumor trade would involve the Tigers Rick Porcello and the Orioles JJ Hardy. Here is what I know so far according to reports and my sources.

• The Cubs have been linked to Rick Porcello for some time now especially when the Tigers were able to lock up Anibal Sanchez. So the interest is there.
• The Tigers have been linked to many players on the Cubs but most recently Carlos Marmol and Alfonso Soriano.
• The Tigers feel like they can get a deal done with just the Cubs involving Porcello but DET would really like to land SS J.J. Hardy in that deal.
• The Orioles have two needs the Cubs could provide which is a middle of the lineup hitter and pitching. Both of which the Cubs have been shopping in Soriano and the Cubs currently have a 7 man rotation so they could include pitching in the deal.
• The gist of the deal according to Kubatko is the Cubs getting Porcello, the Tigers getting Hardy, and the Orioles getting pitching (unknown what kind of pitching).
• It should be also noted that the Tigers were in on Darwin Barney earlier this offseason but maybe the Cubs are less incline of dealing Barney than we previously thought which would lead to involving another team like the Orioles and their SS JJ Hardy.
• One of my sources have indicated talks have been taking place between all three teams involving the Cubs netting Rick Porcello. He goes onto to say that Travis Wood and Junior Lake could be a part of the deal.
• Another source chimed in shortly after saying talks have also taken place but are in the very early stages so nothing is close. Soriano, Marmol, and others could still be in play as well as a traditional two team deal involving the Cubs and Tigers.
• The first source goes onto say the Cubs are looking to trade for Porcello so they can make one of their other starters (Garza or Samardzija I am guessing) available for trade during Spring Training for a package of young players that can help them now and in the future.

After all that is said and done I believe the Cubs are working hard to trade for Porcello in order to trade Garza or Shark to a team that has a young impact player like Stanton in Miami, Upton in Arizona, or Carlos Gonzalez in Colorado. They also could end up trading Garza to the Rangers for Mike Olt, Martin Perez, and more; which seems very likely as well. If the Cubs are able to obtain Rick Porcello without killing the current team and then trade Garza or Samardzija for one of the players (or a package from Texas) listed it would be a huge win for the Cubs and the front office.

Until Next Time….

Cubs Hits: Front Office Speaks, Signings, and More...

There is a lot to get caught up on so here go-

• First off Bleacher Nation is rocking it with two original pieces that are must reads found here and here.
• Matt Garza offseason workout is going well and looks like he will be ready by Opening Day.
• The Orioles have interest in Carlos Marmol and could look to get young pitching in return.
• Edwin Jackson was officially made a Cub which is neat.
• The Cubs have re-signed pitchers Jaye Chapman and Zach Putnam to minor league deals with invites to ST.
• The Cubs have signed Dontrelle Willis to a minor league contract.
• Jed Hoyer did some speaking-

• You have to sign free agents that fit your scheme when they are available he said. Something a lot of us fans have been saying which is why you see them going after guys like Sanchez and signing a guy like Jackson.
• The Cubs went after both Edwin Jackson and Anibal Sanchez because they wanted them both. He even said that he and Sveum met with Jackson while Ricketts and Epstein met with Sanchez at around the same time.
• Through the grapevine I heard this from a follower that Hoyer on MLBN Radio said he is looking to add to the outfield but specifically CF. He also said they are considering position players on similar deals to what Edwin Jackson got. That to me screams Michael Bourn and to me that is exciting. I have been beating the Bourn drum for a while now.
• Right now Nate Schierholtz is a platoon partner/starter in RF with DeJesus in CF and Soriano in left although a lot can change that.

• Theo also did some talking-

• The Cubs front office is more comfortable and looking to improve the team now that they know their strengths and weakness.
• He echos what Hoyer says about getting players when they are available not necessarily when you are ready to compete.
• There are free agents worth surrendering a first round pick if the contract makes sense.

• Bruce Levine held a chat Thursday so here is some of that-

• Levine likes the Edwin Jackson move.
• The Soriano to Phillies rumors is old.
• Castillo and Navarro will be the catching tandem.
• If the Cubs can find suitors for Marmol and Soriano they will be traded.
• Marmol and prospects could be traded to the Tigers for Procello he says.
• Trading for Upton is just a rumor and they do not have the inventory to trade for a would be superstar. I disagree.
• The Cubs are not in a position to acquire Stanton. I disagree because if they offer a package around Samardzija and Baez the fish would look at that deal.
• The Cubs would consider trading Garza to the Rangers for Olt and a young pitcher or two. I sure hope so.
• Brett Jackson is the closest to making the big league roster with his change approach and swing at the plate.

Until Next Time…

Cubs: The Next 5 Moves

So I already had one post recently in which I laid out what the Cubs should do next found here. But here is another route giving the recent rumors circling around.

1. Trade for Giancarlo Stanton or Justin Upton.

I get the distinct feeling that the Cubs are working on something big and Upton or Stanton could be that something. I feel when the Cubs have shot at getting a young star with ML experience that is cost effective they jump at that chance to get him even if it means overpaying some. Now rumors have linked the Cubs (along with many other teams) to both young stars you have to believe the Cubs will do anything in their power to get one of these player because it is a trade opportunity of a lifetime. The Cubs are at a disadvantage because teams like the Rangers, Blue Jays, and Braves are stacked with great young prospects but whether those teams are willing to trade them is another story. If I am a part of the front office I have no problem building a package around Javier Baez or even Jeff Samardzija for Stanton. I would even consider trading both for Stanton. Now Justin Upton is a different story. I am not sure I would include either one in a deal for Upton but if it came down to dealing one I would be fine with it. What I am trying to say is Stanton value is much higher than Upton’s. Regardless this is a move the Cubs need to make and would actually shorten the rebuilding process by getting better now and in the future.

       2. Trade Matt Garza and Carlos Marmol to the Rangers for Mike Olt, Martin Perez, and 2 other prospects.

We all saw what the Royals gave up for Wade David and James Shields and I believe the Cubs can get something similar for Matt Garza and Carlos Marmol. The Rangers have been the most aggressive in the past for Matt Garza (even when Garza was injured at the deadline they were still interested). The Rangers are looking to upgrade their rotation and looking for a solid set-up guy with closing experience. Enter in Matt Garza and Carlos Marmol. Both would fulfill the Rangers need and the Cubs would get their need filled by acquiring a top left-handed prospect with Perez and a power hitting young natural 3^rd baseman with Olt. The Cubs would also get two mid-level prospects to help re-stock the roster after trading young talent away for Stanton or Upton.

       3. Sign Michael Bourn.

I am going to continue to bang this drum even though I am in the minority. Here is what I wrote back on the 22^nd of December.

The price of Bourn continues to fall as the market gets smaller and smaller. The Cubs have already shown wiliness to sign a big contract to a younger player in Edwin Jackson. A really big need for the Cubs is a CF with good defense and speed. He provides that. I do not think the Cubs should overpay for Bourn but a 4-5 year deal worth $60M-$72M makes sense to me. This would allow the Cubs to keep DeJesus in RF or even trade him. If they traded him they could go with Schierholtz and Sapplet platoon in RF. Either way the Cubs outfield defense would be one of the best in the league.

Now in this current scenario the Cubs would obtain a new RF with Stanton or Upton in which Sappelt and Schierholtz would likely be apart the Cubs bench. Adding Bourn to the top of this lineup automatically makes this team better and at the cost above why would you not sign Bourn who could be a part of a young exciting group moving toward the ultimate goal of a championship.

      4. Trade Alfonso Soriano somewhere.

Just like I laid out in the my first post the Cubs should deal Soriano to another team. Rumors suggest the Braves, Phillies, Rays, and Yankees all could be the most active for Soriano’s services but the Phillies seem like a logical fit to me. The Cubs should obtain a minor leaguer or two to restock the farm.

 

5. Sign another reliever.

The Cubs need another reliever after dealing Marmol. I think signing a reliever with late inning experience like JP Howell, Kyle Farnsworth, Matt Capps, Brian Wilson, Brett Myers, Jose Valverde, Todd Coffey, Jason Frasor, Francisco Cordero, Francisco Rodriguez, etc… would fill that need. There is plenty of choices and I feel the Cubs only need one.

After all is said and done this is what I see being the Cubs 25 man roster (I know even before ST).

1. Michael Bourn CF
2. Starlin Castro SS
3. Anthony Rizzo 1^st
4. Giancarlo Stanton or Justin Upton RF
5. Mike Olt 3b
6. David DeJesus LF
7. Welington Castillo C
8. Darwin Barney 2b

With Samardzija-

1. Jeff Samardzija
2. Edwin Jackson
3. Scott Feldman
4. Martin Perez
5. Scott Baker

Without Samardzija

1. Edwin Jackson
2. Martin Perez
3. Scott Feldman
4. Travis Wood
5. Scott Baker

Bench-

David Sapplet

Nate Schierholtz

Luis Valbuena

Ian Stewart

Dioneer Navarro

Bullpen

K. Fujikawa CL

Brian Wilson

Camp

Russell

Rondon

Dolis
(T. Wood to pen if Shark stays and take out either Rondon or Dolis)

Honestly with that lineup and rotation I can see the Cubs being sleepers in 2013 and contenders in 2014-2015.

Until Next Time….

Cubs Rumblings: Soriano, Garza, Other Targets, & Chatting

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and now onto baseball,

• Well a milestone for me happened over the holiday reaching 1000 followers on twitter. Yeah ME!
• Soriano continues to be a possible match for teams still looking for an outfielder with power. The Phillies, Braves, Yankees, Mariners, and Rays all have interest in Soriano.
• Carlos Marmol trade value is somewhat of a mystery but sources tell me he is expected to be moved before Opening Day.
• The Cubs would still like to add an outfielder who can play CF and an utility infielder who can play SS and 3^rd well.
• The Cubs maybe done adding pitching but are still monitoring the free agent market.
• The Rangers have interest in Matt Garza but no team will trade for him until they at least see him in Spring Training.
• A player that could interest the Cubs if officially made available is Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies. There are rumors circling that the Rockies will consider dealing him or Troy Tulowitzki or both for cost effective MLB pitching and prospects. Although buyer beware because Cargo’s splits are bad away from Coors where Tulo’s are not as bad. Both could be options for the Cubs because of their age. Although money may or may not be a hurdle.

Here is the latest from Levine’s chat-

• Brett Jackson is 3-6 months away from being a full time outfielder for the Cubs.
• The two teams that have had the most interest in Garza is Texas and Toronto. His sources say they would be very interested in Garza if proved healthy in spring training.
• He added that the Cubs could hold private workouts for teams during Spring Training for Garza.
• Bruce thinks the Cubs overpaid for Edwin Jackson. Where, I do not.
• The Cubs will not deal Baez for Upton unless they feel he can provide 30 homers and 100 RBI.
• Carlos Villanueva has huge upside and could be a sleeper as a starter.
• Levine saw Brett Jackson new swing and he says it is shorten and he is hitting the ball with more authority but that is against BP from Sveum so take it with a grain of salt
• A trade of Brett Jackson, Javier Baez, and Marmol for Justin Upton may work so either GM should consider that deal.
• The Cubs could go after Shaun Marcum if they feel Garza is not healthy (or likely to be traded).
• The Cubs would insist on Olt in any deal involving Garza.
• David Price will not be available.
• The Cubs were turned down by the Angels when asking about Bourjos but the Cubs would love to get a player like him.
• DeJesus will likely not end the year with the Cubs and would likely bring back a young player or two at the deadline.
• The Cubs would not consider trading Castro for Upton.

Until Next Time…

3 Moves Ahead....

The Cubs have done a wonderful job solidifying their bullpen and rotation this off season but one big thing remains and that is the Cubs offensive upgrades or changes.  Here are 3 moves I think the Cubs should do next.


1.  Trade Carlos Marmol for Gerardo Parra and a mid-level prospect.

The Cubs have been shopping Marmol around and now that the Dbacks have agreed with Cody Ross they have a surplus of outfielders.  Word is the Dbacks could revisit Upton trade talks or look to deal Kubel or Parra.  The Cubs have been linked to Parra in the past and I think it makes more sense than ever to trade for him.  The Dbacks are rumored to be looking for a reliever in return for either Parra or Kubel.  Matt Thorten of the White Sox has been mentioned in a Kubel trade; so why wouldn't a Parra for Marmol trade not work.  I say it should.

2.  Trade Alfonso Soriano to somewhere.

The Cubs should get some good value for Soriano once some of the other outfielders come off the board.  To where? I can only speculate.  The Phillies, Mariners, Braves, and Rays makes sense.  This will leave LF open for Parra to start everyday.

3.  Sign Michael Bourn.

The price of Bourn continues to fall as the market gets smaller and smaller.  The Cubs have already shown wiliness to sign a big contract to a younger player in Edwin Jackson.  A really big need for the Cubs is a CF with good defense and speed.  He provides that.  I do not think the Cubs should overpay for Bourn but a 4-5 year deal worth $60M-$72M makes sense to me.  This would allow the Cubs to keep DeJesus in RF or even trade him.  If they traded him they could go with Schierholtz and Sapplet platoon in RF.  Either way the Cubs outfield defense would be one of the best in the league.


With all this said and done it seems the Cubs may go into the season with a possible Stewart/Valbuena platoon at 3rd.  But with the moves made that I listed above this is what I see for the starting lineup.

1. Michael Bourn CF
2. David DeJesus RF
3. Starlin Castro SS
4. Anthony Rizzo 1st
5. Gerardo Parra LF
6. Welington Castillo C
7. Ian Stewart 3rd
8. Darwin Barney 2nd
9. Pitcher

Not the dynamic power hitting lineup but I think it is good enough to at least be competitive.  With the Cubs new starting pitching defense has to be a priority since they are not a lot of power hitters available.  You have to work with what the market is giving you and I see that taking place here.

Until Next Time..

Cubs Hits: EJax, Pitching, and More....

• A report from Jim Bowden suggest the Cubs and Rangers are finalist for Edwin Jackson.
• The price for Edwin Jackson is 4 years or more around 12-14M a year. If I am the Cubs I do not go much beyond 4 years 48M. In fact I do not guarantee 5 years.
• The Cubs are still trying to sell Soriano but many teams are waiting to see where other free agents go before trading for the veteran outfielder.
• The Tigers are taking calls on Drew Smyle in which case the Cubs should me more interested in him given his controllable cost compared to Porcello.
• Ken Rosenthal on the MLB Network said he does not expect the Rangers to be the high bidder for Edwin Jackson. So that is good news for the Cubs since Bowden said the Rangers are the Cubs only competition right now.
• The Cubs are very quietly still looking at available outfielders on the free agent market including Michael Bourn and Cody Ross.
• T.R. Sullivan from MLB.com says Edwin Jackson is not a logical fit for the Rangers at 4 years $50M. I would take Jackson at that cost if I was the Cubs.
• Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says Matt Garza could still be a target for the Red Sox.
• The Cubs are one of the teams interested in J.P. Howell but so is about half the teams in baseball.
• The Cubs still have some interest in bring in Kyle Farnsworth.

Some Levine Chat Talk-

• The Cubs probably have interest in Bourjos but the Angels are not going to give him away.
• Levine must be out of the loop because he says Jackson will get a three year deal from another team and the Padres are the leading dog for him. (Jackson wants 4 years so the Padres bowed out)
• The Cubs are still in on Shaun Marcum.
• Team are reluctant to give up young talent for players like Soriano.
• The Cubs do not have an extensive talent to trade for the likes of Mark Trumbo and Stanton.
• Bruce is getting grumpy at his old age. Check it out from his chat-

- Steve (Wilmington, IL) What do you make of Buster Olney saying the Cubs will make a run to get David Price next offseason? If this is true, who would they actually consider giving up?

Bruce Levine Next offseason? I don't understand what that is supposed to mean. Price may be traded or signed by Tampa before next offseason. To me that's just pie in the sky.

• Levine does not see a Barney for Porcello swap because they now have Omar Infante.
• The Padres do not want to trade Headley and Grady Sizemore as an impact player is gone.
• Levine bets Marmol gets traded for a small package of prospects. (agreed)
• No word on when Vizcaino will be ready but maybe not until early 2013
• The Rangers could be a match for Marmol.
• Organization believes Brett Jackson has tremendous upside.
• The Cubs would love to trade for Trumbo but do not have the goods.
• Andre Ethier is too old and expensive for the Cubs.

Until Next Time….

Cubs Hits: Lim, Rosario, Hamilton, & the Fallout

• It looks like the Red Sox could be landing former Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster. No surprise there considering they had interest in trading for him during the deadline in July.
• The Cubs claimed pitcher Sandy Rosario off of waivers from the Red Sox. The 27 year old Rosario has not been given much of a chance in the big leagues. Putting up just 7.2 IP and a 15.26 ERA but his minor league numbers say a different story. Last season with Miami’s AAA affiliate he posted a 1.04 ERA with 16 SV in 26 IP. His career numbers are pretty good as well posting a 21-14 record in the minors with a 3.48 ERA in 310 IP with 319 SO. This guy seems like a classic “let’s see if this guy has it figured out”. He has the make-up of a good reliever but only time will tell.
• The Cubs are set to sign 36-year-old Korean pitcher Chang-Yong Lim to a 2 year $5M deal but it is a minor/major league split which means he does not make a ton of money until he is in the majors. The big issue is he is coming off his 2^ndTommy John Surgery and will not be ready to pitch in games until 2014. There is some risk but more reward. He is right-handed reliever with a funky side arm delivery in which his fastball sits in the low 90s. I really like a pick up like this for the Cubs.
• Buster Olney said the buzz around baseball is positive on how the Cubs are rebuilding from the ground up. He also throws in a tidbit about the Cubs being poised to maybe trade for David Price next winter to which I say… HELL YEAH!
• Jayson Stark is reporting the Cubs among 7 other clubs are in the mix for 34-year-old right-handed reliever Mike Adams. He goes on to say that he will likely make his decision in the next few days.
• The Cubs adding depth to their bullpen is an obvious need but with a rotation that is not as strong they see a very cost effective way to counteract that by signing good relievers. Thus making their rotation not leaned on as much like last season.
• Now onto the good stuff. It looks like the Angels and Josh Hamilton are on the verge of a 5 year deal worth $125M which could impact the Cubs in many ways. First off the deal makes the Angels outfield, infield corners, and DH too full. They have Mike Trout, Peter Bourjos, Mark Trumbo, Vernon Wells, Alberto Callaspo, Albert Pujols, and Kendry Morales to fill only 6 starting spots. Players that will not be traded are Mike Trout and Albert Pujols so that fills two spots. Vernon Wells is a tougher sell than Soriano so he is likely not to be moved. So out of this possible fall out after Hamilton you really only have 2 starting spots open for the rest of the players involved. That tells me that Bourjos, Trumbo, Morales, or Callaspo will be traded before the start of the season. There has already been thoughts that Callaspo could be traded with Bourjos taking over in CF, Trumbo at 3^rd, Morales/Wells to DH and Hamilton in RF. There has also been talk about Bourjos or Trumbo being traded for starting pitching (RA Dickey) which makes some since minus their rotation being solid.

Now with the players that would interest the Cubs the most are Peter Bourjos which you can find his stats here, Mark Trumbo (here),or Alberto Callaspo (here). Morales is purely a DH/1^st baseman and that does not fit the Cubs. The Cubs have an obvious fit with Peter Bourjos to fill the huge void in CF for them. He is 25 years old, has not even tapped into his talent, can play great defense, and has great speed. He also would cost the Cubs a lot in the terms of talent. Another big fit would be Mark Trumbo who will be just 27 next month. Trumbo can handle the OF, 1^st, and many think he can handle 3^rd. Trumbo is a pure power hitter and very cost effective but he could cost more in talent than Bourjos. Finally Callaspo fits what the Cubs are doing right now. Looking for guys they can plug into hole in hopes of him doing well then flipping them for prospects. The Cubs currently have Luis Valbuena and Ian Stewart (non-guaranteed contract) to man third in this up and coming season. So obviously Callaspo is an upgrade offensively but he could also be a good platoon with Stewart or Valbuena being a switch hitter. He is going to cost a lot less in talent but is not as good of a player.

The fall out of this Hamilton deal is going to spread far and wide. Whether the Cubs are able to capitalize remains to be seen.

Until Next Time…