While the Phillies and Yankees battled in game one of the Fall Classic, the rumor mill continued to pickup speed for the Chicago Cubs. Jim Hendry and his staff will receive direction from Tom Ricketts next week in Mesa during the organizational meetings ... Mr. Ricketts is expected to reveal some of "his long-term and short-term plans" for his team during Friday's press conference.
The new owner of the Cubs is expected to be hands-on and many feel once Mr. Ricketts gives Hendry his payroll number, 'Trader Jim' will have to get to work and be a little creative in order to get the Cubs back in the post season next year.
Here's the latest, including a rumored deal for Milton Bradley that has been on the table for three weeks.
Tidbits from Bruce Levine
- According to Bruce Levine, expect a "slight raise in ticket prices" next season
- Levine's sources have indicated the Cubs payroll for next season "will be locked in at close to $140 million, the same that was spent in 2009".
- Hendry has been working on trades with Tampa, Toronto and "three to four other clubs with players with big contracts they would like to move."
- Toronto "will talk to anyone" about Vernon Wells and his large contract.
- The Blue Jays will be looking to trade Roy Halladay at some point. Levine said "it is unknown at this point if the Cubs will be involved."
Bradley for Burrell
The rumor that keeps on ticking ... According to Bruce Levine, "A Milton Bradley-for-Pat Burrell trade has been on the table for three weeks."
According to recent rumors, the Rays are not happy and are looking for a team to take Pat Burrell and the one-year left on his deal. Tampa was rumored to be interested in Bradley last winter. But the figures do not match and the Cubs would likely have to send a lot of the two years and $21 million owed to Bradley along with the outfielder/designated hitter to Tampa.
For the record: Pat Burrell is owed $9 million in 2010.
Mark DeRosa
According to a report from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Mark DeRosa underwent wrist surgery on Monday "to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist." The Post-Dispatch reported the Cardinals interest in re-signing DeRosa despite the fact the Redbirds "plan to go into 2010 with rookie David Freese having a chance to win the starting third base job."
Derrick Goold mentioned "the Chicago Cubs figured to make an overture toward DeRosa as a make-good for trading him to Cleveland before the 2009 season - a move general manager Jim Hendry conceded was a mistake."
Gary Matthews, Jr.
Bruce Miles thinks the Cubs should pass on Gary Matthews, Jr. ... and goes into full detail as to why he thinks a reunion with the Cubs and Sarge Jr. should not happen.
FloridaCubs.com
Hat tip to Chuck Divine once again ... Bringing the Cubs to Florida has been launched on the World Wide Web. www.floridacubs.com
The group trying to bring the Cubs to Naples, Florida has a press conference scheduled for 2:00pm C.T. on Thursday.
Departing Words
Sam Zell was unaware of Tuesday's closing on the sale of the Chicago Cubs according to a report on Cubs.com. Zell had the following to say once he found out ...
"I think the team should be owned by somebody who is local, somebody who is really passionate about baseball," Zell said. "I happen to be local. I'm not passionate about baseball, so I wish them all the best of luck. And maybe we'll break the 101-year curse."
Random Cub of the Day
From time to time this off-season, the CCO will post a Random Cub of the Day. The first in line ... Steve Swisher, father of Nick Swisher. Steve was a Chicago Cub from 1974 - 1977. Steve Swisher's Page from the Baseball Cube
Follow the CCO on Twitter ...
A quick reminder to check the CCO's Community Blog ... excellent posts and different opinions from the Faithful.
Well, that's the latest ... and I'm sticking to it!
If the cubs did get Pat Burrell would he be a back up?
I say he will be a 4th outfielder like Reed Johnson and Johnson will not be back.
Or the Cubs might try trade Burrell.
Yes, to Ron Santo
Thanks for the great job Neil.
Some Thoughts:
1) Can't wait for the press conference.
2) A "hands on" owner is not usually a good thing...in this case it might be
...while JH is still GM.
3)Burrell would be of little use to the Cubs...since he can barely play in the field. If that were Milton's destination
I would look for more players in the mox
to equalize salary and fit needs better.
The attraction of Burrell's bad contract
is it comes off the books after next season.
4) Steve Swisher was a light hitting but
hard nosed catcher that loved the game. I met him several years ago when he was a Joliet JackHammer.He impressed me as a pretty good guy...proud of his son.
Nick is a motormouth...similar to "Rudy",
but more talented.
5) I expect us to be like Toronto re Wells...We should talk to anyone re Soriano.
Rudy? Rudy reutiger?
Yes, Rudy Ruettiger...There were
14 Ruettiger's that grew up in Joliet.
I was friends with one of his younger brothers...He never stops talking.
He's a motivational speaker now...I believe in the Las Vegas area.
There has got to be a better trade out there...Burrell would take roster space and not solve the problem they have with payroll for 2010. I'd rather see them get a bucket of balls and save the dough i.e. he's free to anyone that would take the salary or at least 8mm of it per year.
jw, I agree with you. No Pat Burrell! (Unless BJ Upton is included in the deal) There must be another expiring contract out there that works better for the Cubs. I know Jeremy Bonderman's name has been thrown out there. If not someone like him, perhaps a relief pitcher. At this point, I would give Sam Fuld the starting nod in center and move Kosuke to right. Then we have to hope we can land EY Jr or someone of the like. I love the idea of adding more speed and defense to the club.
mlb trade rumors posted this yesterday: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/10/bad-contract-swap-meet.html any thoughts?
Yeah, I'd trade Bradly for Bodkin.
There doesn't seem to be many bad contract options out there that could be a match for a Bradley deal ... perhaps Ollie Perez, Bonderman, Jose Guillen, Eric Brynes (though the D-Backs don't need an OF). Maybe a 3 team deal in which Burrell goes to the D-Backs to play 1B, Byrnes goes to the Cubs as a 4th OF, and Bradley and $10 million go to the Rays?
I just don't get all this "trade bad contracts" mentality of baseball GM's. You look at Soriano and Bradley, and just say 'good bye'. Take your lumps on the dollars and insert a Fuld or Fox (just an example)at the $500k number, and you don't heavily impact the overall payroll. Additionally, you don't occupy a roster spot with a non-producing high priced individual. You have to have faith and commitment in your farm system development, but time to manage differently. We need to stop injecting aging retreads that take on roster spots.
Agreed. I can't stand Burrell or thought of him on the Cubs. BUT if the Rays really do not want him AND are (were) interested in Milton why would the Cubs have to eat $$ in a trade between those two? This will be a test of Hendry's abilities to deal and sell. The worst case scenario is he makes a trade for a Burrell - $9 mil for a bum 4th OF - AND pays the last year of Bradley's contract, so essentially you have a Burrell for one year and $19 million. A best case would be building a package around the bad contracts and grabbing Upton or Bartlett or Zobrist in the deal. Who knows. Jimmy has his work cut out for him. I just hope that Mr. Ricketts let's him know that his job is on the line, so act prudently and wisely.
O, and I don't think we need a lot of reason why Lil Sarge is a bad idea. How about $10 million per for an under performing, aging vet who juiced his numbers...then again, I guess he'd fit right in!
Bradley (gulp!) is better than Burrell. I'd rather keep the hemorrhoid than pay someone else to take him. Paying people to take jerks off of your hands is BAD MANAGEMENT.
What if JH can't do a Bradley trade?
I can see him coming out and saying...
"We didn't see anything we liked...or that woukd make the team better...so we're going to start off the season with Bradley in right."
What then?
Mutiny.
Hello everyone I've been away for awhile. Bradley has to go but not for Burrell. Ripsnorter is right Bradley is better, and the numbers don't even match up. Eating contracts is stupid, because you still have to pay them and there not even on the roster. Getting a shortstop and moving roit to second should be the number one thing they should be thinking about this year. I think the Cubs should try one more time to win it all and then blow it up.
I don't think there would be a mutiny. Uncle Lou would just go on like nuttin' happened. I really think they are not going to be able to get anything for him, and everybody will want the Cubs to pay off his contract so they can have him for free. JHendry did not handle this situation well at all. Giving him a paid vacation ("let's call it a suspension with full pay") was a joke for Bradley, and put the Cubs in an impossible situation. Another "not so smart move" by JHendry.
Fan mutiny.
But you're right, Lou will act like nothin happened. Which would probably be the best scenario. I'd hate to Bradley back, but I agree that I'd probably hate to have Burrell + pay 10mil of Bradley's contract just as much.
Does anyone think Milt could come back humbled, and just shut-up, put his head down and play? I don't know.
The key mistake by Hendry on the Bradley front was adding that stupid 3rd-year for just 75 game appearances. My gosh, talk about a gimme for appearing in less than 1/2 of the total games. If we didn't have that to deal with peddling him (or eating the 2nd year) would have been much easier and palatable. Brilliance by Hendry.
Bryan, I have to agree...re his contract...it was all one sided.
There was also a talked little about
part that would have voided the third year...If he finished the season on the DL because of his knees...and couldn't start the next season...because of his knees.
It's moot now...The most critical part was signing him at all...But the world knows that.
Maybe I missed it. But, why does everyone think that Colorado will deal Eric Young jr?
Jim, They won't openly try to shop him...we have to overwhelm them...but they are set at second...(his primary position...are in need of pitching and have a tight budget.
It will take Marxhall or Gorzelanny maybe Jay Jackson and another promising arm (at least) to land him.
I've on the same wavelength with JimC. And, Suzy, I just don't see Marshall/Gorzy/and minor league arms getting it done. As we've all pointed out, the Cubs aren't known for their special farm system. Jackson may not be hay, but he isn't all that either. And Gorzy, hell, he was in the Pirates minor league system. Young is soo talented and major league ready, I am just skeptical the Cubs can get it done. And who is the 2B in Colorado that they are set with?
Nothing wrong with wishful thinking though!
EJ YOUNG: Marshall and gorzelanny are not much at all. If that's all it would take, do it! But it will take a lot more than that. Soforgetaboutit.
Jackson ain't hay...and if you have to Cashner/Gaub?...But you don't forget about it.