While the Cubs spend their final off day in Chicago preparing for the final seven games of the regular season, the rumor mill is already churning.
Many feel the Cubs will make more trades this off-season than free agent signings. With close to $116 million committed to ten players for 2010, it makes sense that Jim Hendry would have to focus on acquiring pieces via the trade route. It is doubtful once the Ricketts Family takes control of the organization that Jim Hendry will be able to open up their checkbook to atttempt to repair the damage he did a year ago.
Reports over the weekend indicated the Ricketts Family could take control of the team before the end of October, which is two or three weeks earlier than first thought. Dave Kaplan said his sources mentioned an October 26 date while Bruce Levine is hearing eleven days earlier ... October 15.
Here is the latest from the mill, including more on 'Moving Milton' and a Zambrano for Peavy deal?
Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Zambrano is coming off his best outing of the year and two of his better outings of the season. But Phil Rogers is hearing the White Sox and Cubs could swap big name, high priced pitchers this off-season. According to Phil Rogers, the Sox could trade Jake Peavy to the North Side for Carlos Zambrano.
After spending a winter of following every Jake Peavy rumor out there, this off-season is beginning to look like more of the same.
Typically a Phil Rogers rumor should be taken with a grain of salt, but in his defense this is not the first time over the past couple of weeks this rumor has popped up. Baseball Prospectus reported a possible Zambrano for Peavy deal a week ago.
"Some around the Chicago baseball scene would not be shocked to see a major crosstown trade of right-handers in the off-season, in which the Cubs would deal Carlos Zambrano to the White Sox for Jake Peavy."
So, while Phil Rogers misses the mark most of the time, and is really bad at math, this rumor could have a little more to it.
But with Zambrano talking retirement again, if the Cubs wanted to trade Zambrano this off-season it might be hard to do ... even if he was to waive his no-trade clause. The AP reported Sunday night Carlos Zambrano could retire at the end of next season if he has a repeat performance of 2009 ...
Milton Bradley
The Cubs will trade Milton Bradley this winter. The question is ... how much money will they have to send along with the outfielder/designated hitter?
According to Baseball Prospectus, the Giants, Padres, A's and Rays have shown interest in Bradley. John Perrotto stated the Rays and Cubs rumor continues to pop up with the Cubs sending Bradley to Tampa along with the $15 million difference for Pat Burrell ... in a swap of disappointments. BP said a deal involving the Giants, Padres and A's would have to include "a large sum of cash".
Bruce Levine reported Saturday that the Rays "are very interested in bringing the beleaguered outfielder to Florida." Rumors last winter suggested the Rays were the other team bidding for the services of Milton Bradley.
Bruce Levine also indicated both the Rangers and Blue Jays showed interest in Bradley before the August 31 deadline.
Kevin Towers, or Tampering Towers as he became known last winter, told ESPN Friday that he "is open to discussing a trade to reacquire Milton Bradley". Towers told ESPN that he's not spoken with Jim Hendry about Milton Bradley.
Paul Sullivan brought up the idea of a possible swap between the Cubs and Giants involving Aaron Rowand on Saturday. The former White Sox centerfielder has struggled mightily in the second half (.219/.266/.371 with seven doubles, a triple and six home runs in 56 games) and is owed a lot of money (3 years and $36 million, $12 million per year through 2012). Sullivan also brought up the Kansas City Royals in the same report, but the Royals denied the rumors according to a report in the Kansas City Star on Sunday. The Royals officials dismissed the rumor, calling the people that started the rumor, or speculation of possible interest, "idiots."
Aaron Rowand just turned 32 (August 29, 1977) and is hitting .262/.318/.426 with 15 home runs, 30 doubles and two triples in 139 games. Outside of AT & T Park, Rowand has put up a .278/.320/.441 line with 13 doubles and ten home runs in 71 games.
Aaron Rowand and Reed Johnson are good friends and Johnson feels Rowand would be a great fit in the Cubs' clubhouse.
Reed Johnson and John Grabow
According to a report from Baseball Prospectus, the Cubs are trying to sign both John Grabow and Reed Johnson before they hit free agency.
Well, that is the latest from the mill with seven left to play ... and I'm sticking to it.
I think any trade involving Bradley is going to have to be a 3-way trade. I don't see any straight swap out there that is good for the Cubs.
A swap for Burrell? Well, first off Burrell is a left fielder. Lou would prefer to shift Kosuke back to right field. So, those things make it a very unikely fit.
Not to mention the guy is a career .250 hitter. His power disappeared this year. We have enough people (Soriano / Soto) who we need to bounce back. We dont need another.
Aaron Rowand is interesting, but I'd rather get younger with more speed in CF.
Zambrano is not waiving his no-trade clause. Might as well forget that idea. I just don't see it happening.
Personally, I would make CF a straight platoon with Fuld and Johnson next year. I think both bring great hustle to the team. They have the attitude it takes!
I think we may see Hoffpauir and Fox traded away this offseason to help bring more of what we need. They might include Fuld in trades as well.
The right moves can get us back in a good position.
Also, either date works for me as far as the Ricketts family taking over....as long as it's by the end of October before the mid-November opening of free agency. This way the Cubs know what they can spend (if any). Would be nice if we could go after Hudson for 2B.
A few thoughts.
* No way does Zambrano go to to bridgeport for Peavy. Kenny Williams hates the Cubs. He wanted Peavy to pitch on September 3 vs the Cubs (The Make-up Game)just to stick it to Hendry.
* Bradley will be traded before the convention.
How about Carl Crawford for Milton Bradley instead of Pat Burrell.
I'm thinking that Hendry finishes the job he started last year, i.e. trades Ted Lilly for a group of prospects, trades Ryan Theriot for Alex Gonzalez so that he can start Blanco and Miles every day, and potentially trade Lee or Ramirez to the Padrez for Gonzalez...Edgar, that is.
Peavy for Zambrano is just fluff...to
generate ink and conversation.
I'm not convinced Peavy would do all that well for us anyway.
"Z" should bounce back and with his desire to stay a Cub...any thoughts of trading him is a waste of brain power.
I agree with Joe S. re Bradley and a 3-way trade. The problem is Hendry,
self-admittedly, has a problem with
envisioning and executing such trades.
I seem to remember him saying "my brain
swirls" or some such thing when discussing complicated trades involving more than one team at a time.
More likely, he'll execute a couple of seperate deals regarding Bradley.
One to get rid of him...and one that brings a player that truly maikes sense.
My first thoughts on Z in general and the rumor swap to the SS for Peavy are: Great! I would take Peavy over Z everyday. Even with his injuries, he is just better. And who wouldn't want to see/hear the Z & Ozzie show every couple weeks? I'd pay for that. And to Z "threatening" to "retire" at the ripe old age of 30 I say please. With what respect Z is due, I have some doubts that he has squirreled away the majority of his earnings while he has acquired the tastes of 20-something millionaire. We all know he isn't the sharpest tack in the box so he isn't in line for a coaching or broadcasting gig anytime soon...point is, he needs to work. He ain't gonna retire.
Finally, and this is something that surprisingly came up very little this season, I think Z has been injured all season. And not back tweaks. Yes, he's a haus, but he has thrown a lot of innings over the 7 seasons, thrown hard and long. We've seen his arm angle change day by game, pitch by pitch sometimes, and he labors. If he isn't hurt now, (and not telling anyone because he wants to hit in the game) he is a big injury waiting to happen. Any game I feel like could the one he tears something bad and is done for a season and then who knows.
Trade Z!
jc3-6-3...you might be on to something
re Zambrano...he was great in the first half of the season...but got no run support.
But remember last season when he ran into all kinds of problems towards the end of the year....Until he threw the
no-no...he was terrible...and after the no-no he didn't look good.
Put that together with no talk of the Cy Young any longer and there could be some sort of injury he's harboring.
Either way...he's not going anywhere.
His no trade clause guarantees him that.
I don't know. I don't think the no-trade clause is as big of deal as a lot of people do. The way a no-trade clause works for a player is that they can say "hell, no" you aren't sending me to Toronto or Pittsburgh or KC or...you get the point. Of course they can say NO to any trade but if a player, and specifically one like Z, gets the notion that they aren't wanted anymore, I think they are happy to move on because basically they get to make a short of teams they would play for. Then GM has to try to find a deal with one of those teams. Z is in a pretty good position, he is stud when you look at his numbers, he is young, he has nasty "stuff" and is desirable to a lot of high caliber teams. As we've mentioned many times, Boston, NYY, MYM, LAA...there are a lot of teams that would bargain for Z. So it is far from impossible to image him getting moved because of his N-T clause. It just limits the places he would go.
I would think Z will be staying as well. Lou has said he only expects there to be about 5 moves this off-season. We all know that moving Bradley will be one them so that leaves about 4 more moves. I would think that trying to find a middle of the order bat is the top priority. Depending on what happens with Harden the staff will be solid again. Dempster, Z, Lilly, Wells, and another 5th starter to be named later would be solid. The bullpen also has the potential to be solid if Marmol can get on track, Guzman can stay healthy, and they resign Garbow. Here is a potential Lineup which I think is pretty good.
1. Theriot
2. Fukedome
3. Lee
4. Ramirez
5. Middle of the order guy Lou Wants (most likely outfielder)
6. Soriano
7. Soto
8. Baker
I know that it that is a very righthanded lineup but hopefully that middle of the order guy can be lefthanded and we get a few left handed bench guys. I think that next year the Cubs can really rebound. Maybe this year is what they need to get their act together. We can only hope.
There were 4 specifically aggravating
players this season. They took the joy
out of the team.
1)Bradley
2)Soriano (He really was #1 with his
horrible AB's and defense
...but Bradley's mouth won
out)
3)Gregg
4)Miles
(Soto, Fuko, Heilmann rate special mention but didn't make the all-star failure list.)
Gregg and Bradley are apparently gone.
We're stuck with Soriano...It would be a nice Christmas present to see Miles gone.
My hope is they are replaced with productive players.
The main event will be Ricketts taking control...and hopefully a statement of direction/plan.
Teams like the Pads, Rays, Rangers and A's are always looking for players on the extreme cheap--because they have to live with bottom tier payrolls. The Rangers, whose $68 mil payroll may have to come down further, brought in Andreu Jones in 2009 for the minimum while the Dodgers are paying the rest of his $18 mil. So, in my view, the Pads, Rays and A's are just tire kickers.
Rowan and Burrell are not good fits, in part because we will almost certainly be getting younger. Rowan is owed too much for too long and one of Fox or Hoffpauir will produce more than Burrell.
I do think the Bradley to the Rangers deal I've mentioned could be good for both sides. Bradley and cash, Gorzelanny, Caridad and Carpenter go to the Rangers. We get Kevin Millwood for a year, the young slugger, Chris Davis and their #7 ranked prospect, Robbie Ross (LSP). What I'm thinking is that Davis and Ross will be better for us over 8 to 10 years than Gorzo, Caridad and Carpenter.
It's a long shot, but I also think that Z could find his way to accepting a trade to the Red Sox, Yankees and Angels--but not the White Sox or any non-contender. Carl Crawford is an exceptional player. But one reason the Rays moved Kazmir and are trying to move Burrell is so they can keep Crawford--the face of their franchise. Crawford would be a long-term, expensive sign even with the option held by the Rays, and we have some excellent young outfielders on the way. If we could figure out a way to pry the SS, Bartlett, away from the Rays and move Theriot to 2nd, we would really help ourselves.
We will have to put up with way to much of the "Talking Towers" type crap again this winter, but we should have a lot to talk about as the Ricketts' era begins.
Excellent post JimK...and as before...I like your proposed trade with the Rangers.
I really think we should look at Texas
for a trading partner first...they have so much talent.
I still would like Hendry to target EY Jr
from Colorado...but the cost might be prohibitive.
The offseason will be fun...with Ricketts.
I'm not sure why the Sox wou;ld wanta headcase like Zambrano making 18M / yr.
Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
I would take Rowand in a second. He's a solid center and has shown to be a positive force in the clubhouse. All I want this off-season is to repair the status of the house. Move those horrible contracts we made, at least as many as we can, and have a SOLID team next year. Not the Yankees flash with the heavy batting order, I want players that can come together and play the damn game.
i just read on mlbtraderumors.com that lou said they have no intrest in bringing harden back bc the rotation is set well look i like the shrak but he needs a little bit more time after his bullpen issues last year and gorzalony dose he remember his success or lack of success in pitsburg that got him sent to the minors? harden has shown he can stay healthy and that is what we wanted we all know that he is dominant and the most effective pitcher we had besides the occasionaly great starts by lilly this year,
For those of you who keep suggested a trade of Zambrano to an American League team think about this: would Z actually waive his no trade clause to go to a league where he's not going to be able to bat?
Answer: Extremely highly unlikely to hell no.
Regarding Rich Harden, will the Cubs even offer arbitration? If they don't then Hendry again looks like a damn fool when they had a chance to trade him during the season and get something out of it. Losing him for nothing would be really stupid and further prove Hendry's incompetence.
Ryno...Thinking about Z in the AL, after a day off before and after a start, Z could still get 8 AB's every 5 days as a DH. LOL.
I still haven't checked out keeping draft picks without offering arbitration, but I'm recalling that's possible. It may be that a team keeps rights if it offers a contract instead of arbitration, and the contract is turned down.
There is nothing worse than being excited for a game, puttin on your lucky socks, and then the Cubs lose. This season was a bust with certain players earning way more than they deserved and plaguing the team with their bad attitudes. I’m writing off this season and waiting til March. Hendry better work some G.D. magic.
Mywrigleyville.com
Bradley, Soriano, Gregg, Miles, Soto, Fukudome, Heilmann, Fontenot have to go. They've ALL, saying the least, have been a big disapointment and are worth nothing to us. Theriot has to be moved to 2nd. Wew need lots of guys who get on base an/or can bring them in. Defense and scoring runs this year was absolutely horrible. And I have a feeling with these huge contracts we are going to get killed and have to sign a lot of old veterans on their last leg.