The Cubs Off-Season Report - 12/24/05

Tejada....Prior....Zambrano....and More Cubs Rumors

The Friday before Christmas Eve the Cubs Faithful had visions of Miguel Tejada dancing in their head. All of the sports talk throughout the country was talking about the story that Ken Rosenthal broke on Thursday. Most of the CCO readers disagreed with the Cubs even thinking of trading Mark Prior for Miguel Tejada. The rumor was given more credibility when Bruce Levine (ESPN 1000 - Chicago) said the Cubs had made the offer to the Orioles that would include Rich Hill, Corey Patterson and Erik Bedard,

Before we get to the Cubs, the Cardinals quietly got a lot better on Friday. The Cards signed Juan Encarnacion (3 years, $15 million) and Junior Spivey (1-year).

I have more news on Miguel Tejada, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, Alfonso Soriano, Juan Pierre, Felix Pie, Kevin Millwood, Erik Bedard and a name I would like to add: Wes Helms.

Larry Bowa and Chuck Wilson were discussing the Tejada/Prior trade on Friday morning and Bowa thinks the Cubs should make that trade. Prior's injury history was brought up and Bowa thinks Tejada could be better for the Cubs in the long run. Wilson did not agree and both (Bowa and Wilson) said the Cubs should not trade Zambrano for anything. They both agreed that Zambrano has become the Ace of the Cubs Pitching Staff.

According to an article in the Baltimore Sun, the trade could involve the Oakland A's and Barry Zito in a 3-team deal.

John Sickels from Baseball America was talking to Holden Kushner on Friday night about the Prior/Tejada trade and Sickels said he would not trade Prior for Tejada and Kushner agreed. Kushner asked about Felix Pie and Sickels said he is about a year away from playing at the Major League level. Sickels said Pie is similar to Corey Patterson and the Cubs cannot do with Pie what they did with Patterson and rush him to the Majors.

A caller on XM's morning show on Friday mentioned a VERY good stat about Juan Pierre. Apparently Pierre's lifetime batting average during day games is over .350. Bowa and Wilson then spent the next few minutes singing the praises of Juan Pierre. I am looking VERY forward to seeing him in Mesa on March 2nd.

Alfonso Soriano cannot keep his mouth shut. On Thursday Soriano told the Washington D.C. Press that he is planning out playing out his free agency and then go back to the American League according to a report on XM. Bowa said the Nationals should trade him now.

The Boston Red Sox are now interested in Kevin Millwood according to ESPN and a report on XM on Friday said the Rangers have offered Millwood a 3-year, $38 million dollar contract.

With all of the talk concerning Erik Bedard, I thought we should look at his numbers. Bedard will be 27 years old when the season starts. In his 2nd full season with the Orioles, Bedard was 6-8 in 24 games with a 4.00 ERA. Bedard struck out 125 and walked 57. Bedard's numbers in 2004 were very similar with his ERA being a little higher. I like looking at the WHIP (Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched). Bedard posted a 1.38 WHIP in 2005. For comparison sake I thought I would look up some other pitchers WHIP in 2005: Zambrano (1.15), Prior (1.21), Zito (1.20) and Jerome Williams (1.35 with the Cubs).

I ran across a very interesting name on Friday: Wes Helms. Most of you know this name; he has KILLED the Cubs over the years. Helms is a free agent and I think he would be a VERY good addition to the Cubs bench. Helms led the Majors in Pinch Hitting in 2005 posting a .381 average. He played in 95 games for the Brewers and his season numbers were .298/4/24/.356/.458. Helms can also play first base, third base and a little outfield. Helms best season was 2003 when he played 134 games for the Brewers. Helms hit .261 with 23 home runs, 67 RBI's, .330 OBP and a .450 SLG. The Cubs need depth and Helms could he provide it. While his name is not as big as some of the others, this is a move the Cardinals would make and the Cubs should do it before someone else does.

Check back this weekend for Another View of A Kerry Wood Sighting. The CCO Fantasy Baseball Insider Report will be posted on Tuesday morning. Remember to check in with the CCO over the Holidays for your updated Cubs News, if it happens you will be able to read about your Cubbies here.

From everyone at Chicago Cubs Online....Happy Holidays!!!

Well, thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the news and IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m sticking to it!!

Sonny D

Just wanted to clarify something I posted above.....Prior will be arbitration elgible nect year. But yo get the picture, he is eventually going to get paid.

Sonny D

First off, let me say I'm a Cubs fan. Born and raised on the North Side. Cub fans do however, make me laugh. The problem with us is we have become "preconditioned" by the Tribune Company. We so dearly love our team, our ballpark, and thus year after year we are taken advantage of by ownership. Let me explain......

As I've read and listened to all the "hot stove" trade rumors over the last couple weeks, I have not ONCE heard anyone mention ANYTHING about money. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.......That's all the Tribune co cares about!

We Cub fans, and all baseball fans across the country for that matter, debate why the Cubs should or shouldn't trade Prior. Oriole fans argue why they should or shouldn't trade Tejada. NOBODY brings up WHY the Cubs are even in these discussions. I'll tell you why......

It makes me laugh (or shall I say feel sorry) for all the great Cub fans (on this board and throught the country) when I read things like: "Let's trade prospects to the A's, get Tejada and that way we can keep Prior". As a PURE baseball fan, YES absolutely, that would be the trade to make. If the Tribune Co REALLY wanted to win, that's EXACTLY what they would try to do. But they have no interest in having BOTH Tejada and Prior, because it's ALL ABOUT THE MONEY....

Prior is in the final year of his contract. Do you REALLY think the Tribune Co wants to have both Tejada's contract and Prior's future contract on the books at the same time???

Why are we even pursuing Tejada? Because his contract, in today's market, is relatively cheap for the type of player he is. If the Cubs REALLY wanted a SS, why do you think they let Furcal go to the Dodgers?? They could of had him WITHOUT giving up any players. Granted Furcal is a different type of player than Tejada, and obviously not as "good" as Tejada, but he was a guy the Cubs needed and targeted. They offered $50mil for 5 years, why not commit only $39mil for 3??? If he works out, sign him to another extension and you have your shortstop for the next 10 years. If not, you cut your ties......Again, it's ALL about the money!!

The A's are willing, and have shown the last 2 years, that they are ABSOLUTELY WILLING to trade their top stud pitchers for young talent. From a PURE BASEBALL MENTALITY, and from a fans point of view, why wouldn't you trade a Rich Hill and a couple other prospects for Barry Zito if he is available? Would you rather not have "The Double Z", in Zambrano and Zito, along with Prior and Wood with the current Cub's lineup???? ABSOLUTELY YOU WOULD! But then a year from now, you'd have to deal with both Zito and Prior on new contracts, and with the Tribune Co., there is no way they'd pay them both, probably neither for that matter. How would they save face with the fans a year from now when they lose both pitchers to FA???? That's precisely why that trade doesn't happen.

Instead, we acquire "role" players that will not command big contracts, now nor in the future. I love juan Pierre, I believe he brings so much to the table, and was a GREAT acquisition. But what would have been wrong with Pierre, Furcal and D-Lee batting ehind them?? Would we be discussing Tejada??? Buth then we get Jacque Jones, a 120k/year player who has averaged .250 over the last 2 seasons, and sign him to a 3 year contract (again, relatively cheap at 5mil per year). Now we have probably the BEST French outfield ever assembled in the history of baseball......Pierre and Jacque.

If the Tribune Co simply made a 2 year commitment, to "JUST GO FOR IT", we can have a championship on the North Side. And I'm not talking spending yankee type money. But that won't happen as long as the corner of Clark and Sheffield stays full. I don't blame Hendry, nor any GM for the Cubs for that matter. It's a shame that theTribune Co continues to "play" with the minds of Cub fans all across the country. They dangle in Tejada discussions, and people all over become excited. As if the Cubs now are REALLY trying to win.

Folks, stop, look, listen and analyze. As long as the Tribune Co. owns the Cubs, we will NEVER WIN A WORLD SERIES. Somehow, someway, perhaps we get lucky and on a roll and do it. But let us not forget 1984 and 2003.......

Almost, but somehow, someway we found a way to lose. Perhaps because the Tribune Co deserved for it to turn out that way.