Jim Hendry still has several holes to fill this off-season. Reportedly Hendry is looking for a veteran reliever for the backend of the pen and a centerfielder. Could Johnny Damon be an option for the Cubs?
According to Jim Duquette (XM Radio), the Cubs are interested in signing Johnny Damon to play centerfield. Here is the latest ...
Johnny Damon
The self-proclaimed idiot and two-time World Series Champion Johnny Damon is on the Cubs radar according to Jim Duquette.
The former Mets and Orioles GM mentioned, on two different occasions, Thursday during Power Alley with Seth Everett (XM Radio) that he had heard the day before the Cubs are "very interested" in Johnny Damon to play centerfield.
As Duquette pointed out, Damon is an average left fielder at this point in his career and would be a better fit with an AL team. Damon has never been known for his defense and his below average arm is barely adequate for left field.
Johnny Damon can still produce at the plate (.282/.365/.489/.854 with 36 doubles and 24 home runs in 2009) and is a very smart baseball player but signing 36-year old Johnny Damon would be a huge mistake for the Chicago Cubs.
Beside the fact that Damon's agent, Scott Boras, is seeking another big payday for his client, to say Damon is past his prime would be an understatement. The Cubs were rumored to be interested in Damon prior to him signing with the Yankees in 2005 and that would have been a questionable signing four years ago.
Offensively Damon would be a better option than Marlon Byrd and Scott Podsednik ... but a Cubs' outfield of Alfonso Soriano, Johnny Damon and Kosuke Fukudome would be the worst defensively in all of baseball.
Bullpen
With Matt Capps off the market, Jim Hendry will shift gears. Hendry could take his time pondering the free-agent options according to the Tribune.
Dave van Dyck reported on Christmas Eve that Mike MacDougal ... and even Kevin Gregg could be options for the Cubs.
Mike MacDougal and Kevin Gregg should be avoided at all costs. The Pirates have reportedly contacted Gregg about their closer's job ...
The Cubs have options in Esmailin Caridad and Justin Berg that could give Lou Piniella similar consistency as MacDougal and Gregg ... for a lot less money.
According to a report from ESPN.com, the Phillies may be close to a contract with Mike MacDougal.
Carlos Zambrano
Dave Kaplan 'kinda' shot down the rumors that the Cubs were shopping Carlos Zambrano to the Yankees last week.
Apparently there was a conversation between the Yankees and Cubs ... but that was all.
"Sources very close to the Yankees who would not speak on the record told me that there was really nothing in the way of negotiations with the Cubs regarding Big Z. One phone call was placed to see is Zambrano was available, and Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman was told that short of an overwhelming deal in terms of talent, and the Yanks assuming all of the remaining 53 million dollars on Zambrano's contract, the Cubs had not interest in trading their #1 starter."
Kaplan acknowledged the one phone call ... but that was it.
As Dave Kaplan pointed out, the Cubs have problems with the rotation as it is and taking Carlos Zambrano out of the rotation would create even a bigger mess.
Ben Sheets
ESPN.com mentioned the Cubs as one of several teams that could use the services of Ben Sheets.
The Mets and Cubs stick out in the NL according to ESPN ... along with the Dodgers and Cardinals. In the AL, the Rays, Mariners and Angels. All of the teams mentioned could use a healthy Ben Sheets.
Reportedly Sheets is not looking to give a discount, despite the fact he did not pitch in 2009.
If the Cubs signed Ben Sheets and if he ends up healthy, Sheets would be the ace of the Cubs' staff. But both of those are big 'ifs' ...
Joel Pineiro
ESPN.com asked the question ... Could the Cubs show late-winter interest in Joel Pineiro? The Cubs keep getting connected to Pineiro by the mainstream media. But how can they afford Joel Pineiro?
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Well, that's the latest ... and I am sticking to it!
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Really, Neil? Damon a mistake?
The guy is a winner, still hits well and adequate defense as a detractor is an overrated concept.
As if Marlon Byrd, Reed Johnson's beard and Scott Podsednik would be "Smart" signings.
It's not like I'm a Damon homer but the Cubs are running out of real players who can make a splash.
Go out and get a guy who will show the league you're commited to winning. It's not like he's asking for (or will really get) four years or anything..
Matt, I have not been "on board" with the Byrd or Podsednik additions. Johnson, on the other hand, could be a platoon partner for Kosuke ... but Fuld could do the same for less money. Plus Fuld would give Piniella more options late in the game.
Damon without Soriano would help but the two in the same outfield would not work.
Teams are looking to get more 'athletic' in the outfield. In the post-steroid era defense is very important ... and should not be overlooked.
Offensively and in the clubhouse, Damon would be an addition. Due to his age, limits in the outfield, their current roster and what it could cost (length and amount of contract) adding Damon would be another example, in a long list, of the Cubs signing a player past his prime.
For years the Cubs have tried to fill holes in order to win ... and it has not worked. It is time for them to build a winning organization from the bottom up.
What is the definition of insanity?
Well said Neil. Damon would get the fan base excited initially because of his "name" and offensive numbers, but at the $20+ million over 2 years it would take to get him ... we'd likely be cursing JH for the signing by July. That said, if the market comes down significantly and Damon is willing to sign a $5 million one year deal like Abreu did last year, then it would be a risk worth taking.
Neil, Thanks for your consistant work. I hope your Holidays are good.
1) I loved Johnny Damon with Boston...and his early years with NY.
NO NO NO he is not a good fit with the Cubs right now. We have to always be mindful that Soriano is in left...so CF
should be above average defensively.
2) I won't even name the 2 relievers
mentioned...they are both mistakes...
and if JH revisits one of the 2...I'm sure one of the Cub faithful would gladly escort JH to Outer Mongolia where he could live out the rest of his disgraced retirement in nomadic ignomy.
3)I read Sheets is seeking 12 million to pitch next season....Far too much for the Cubs.
Realistically, He should sign an incentive laden deal somewhere in the vicinity of what Harden signed for...with the possibility of making a lot more if he does stay healthy.
Although I wish otherwise, my guess is that the Cubs will wait to see if Silva
can contribute before they add another starter.
Still, One would think Ricketts would like to make one splashy move this
offseason.
Suzy, thank you and they have been. I hope your Holidays have been good as well.
I had not heard/read that Sheets was wanting that much. I had heard/read in the $8 to $10 million range ... but not $12.
He might want to reconsider.
I have read in a few different sources that Sheets is seeking $12 million guaranteed money for a one year deal. I can't see him getting that. $7 million guaranteed plus $5 million of incentives seems possible, but most likely he ends up with a bit less than that.
The 12 million figure I read from several sources...but I agree with David F....that Sheets will probably sign for less with incentives that may get him to the promised land.
He would be a great addition if the price is right...but considering the Cubs didn't want to pay Harden 7 mil plus...I'm not hopeful here.
To say Damon would be a HUGE mistake is just wrong. Maybe he is not ideal but adding a two time allstar who hit .282 with 24 HRs and 36 dbls last year and hit .303 with 17 HRs the prior year can in no way be a HUGE mistake especially considering our last few CFs and our other options.
True he is not Granderson out there defensively but he is not horrible and Kosuke will be playing a gold glove caliber defense in Right as we saw in 2008. It will not be a strong point of our team but if we have signed him and added the gold glover Orlando Hudson I would say that we would have as strong a right side of the diamond (Lee, Hudson, Fuku) as anybody and Aram is a definite plus fielder, Soto was great defensively in 08 and is looking to bounceback, Theriot is average and Soriano is horrendous but does have an amazing arm (not trying to stick up for his D by any means)
The only way Damon would be a huge mistake is if Boras tries to get him a nasty contract, which he prolly will but at the right price I would love seein that idiot in CF with his leadership and proven winning attitude.
I also think Sheets is a great high reward move and is more than worth a flier to stick at the end of the rotation and try and keep him healthy, because like you said, he would be our ace. He was the NL starter in the allstar game just 2 years ago and is a gamer that would thrive at Wrigley.
Damon, Hudson, Sheets- YES
Byrd, Ankiel, Fontenot- Plan B
gregg, macdougal-how are they even being mentioned with a team with playoff aspirations. Caridad and Berg are better/cheaper/younger. Sign Calero.
Marmol
Calero
Grabow
Guzman
Caridad
Marshall
Gray/Stevens/Gaub/Gorzelanny/Samardzija
Also I think by signing Hudson it not only gives us more leadership and speed but allows Baker to move into the role of a younger DeRosa playing 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, and RF while providing solid pop off the bench getting 350-450 ABs and this allows us to try and move Fonty in a deal if need be.
Damon: your quote said, "As Duquette pointed out, Damon is an average left fielder at this point in his career and would be a better fit with an AL team. Damon has never been known for his defense and his below average arm is barely adequate for left field."
That means two things:
1. JHendry wants him. He can't evalutate talent.
2. He'd be awful with the Cubs and a bust.
Fortunately I think the budget is so well overblown with all the bad signings JHendry has made that it means Damon won't be a Cub, unless he plans to sign up for welfare.
Gregg????????? JHENDRYAREYOUOUTTAYOURMIND!!!!
Answer: yes.
Not sure that you can believe all the nonsense out there regarding this player (Damon) or that player (Gregg). The media just loves to keep things going out there. I am sure that there are many conversations about the availabilities of players. Just because there is a conversation doesn't mean there is going to be a trade. I am sure that all general managers talk about all of their players.
Weeks and months continue to tick by, and we NEVER hear JH, LP or the media even hint of a commitment of any of our internal system players to fill key holes (outside of 19 y/o Castro) for next year.
In our entire farm system I guess we have no-one ready to fill an outfield or mid-inning pitching role. Instead it's the same 'ol story of going after aging veterans such as Damon.
Nothing changes with this franchise. It's just crappy business as usual, just under a different owner banner.
Go Blackhawks!
Bryan, The Blackhawks are indeed having a special season...but it took years of losing...building up draft picks and the death of the old school owner to revitalize the franchise...JH isn't going to change his spots...and as far as the outfield goes....I really don't see anyone ready to come up and truly do the job.
3 or 4 moves and I would get really excited.
Move 1:
I love DLee...but he is near the end for us...and there is no one in the pipeline that is close to replacing his production.
Convince him to waive his no trade clause
and turn him into Adrian Gonzalez...
either by 3 way trade or or straight
up to the Padres...If it is straight up
to the Pads...we eat the difference in
DLee/AG's salary and throw in some prospects.
The Pads still have a marquee player
for the short term and we still have a slugger at first for the long term.
Move 2 (anyone that's read my posts over time can guess this one).
EY Jr. The Rockies are looking for pitching and depth....JH and Colorado
have trading history...(most one sided to the Rockies)
We have an overload of left hand relievers...(and prospects/suspects)
but lefties are usually at a premium.
I think Marshall needs to go...(since he feels he is a starter)...so let him start for the Rockies and send one or 2
of the leftie relievers (probably Gaub and someone else.) and Fontenot (to replace EY's backup spot).
EY starts at 2nd and leads off for us...
with his minor league average of 58 stolen bases to marvel at.
OR he can platton in center with Fuld
which is what he does with the Rockies.
Move # 3...and this is the tough one.
The Marlins, as usual, are looking to get cheaper again. They are looking to move Dan Uggla and his 7 million contract
with little luck.
The goal is to acquire Josh Johnson...
a true stud ace with a cheap contract.
All you GM's out there please help me with this one...figure Cashner and several other prospects go as well...and we may have to take Uggla off their hands
as well...so maybe the Riot goes and Blanco/EY have to do ss with Uggla at second.
Thoughts on how to acquire Josh Johnson?
...and in general?
SuzyS,
The Pads want the world for AGon since he's locked in for 2 years at about $5 million per year. I don't think any big market team other than the Red Sox have enough to satisfy the Pads demands. A Castro, Cashner, Vitters package wouldn't be enough based on what I've read the Pads are looking for (and I wouldn't make that deal even if we could). Personally, I think his price will drop a bit by mid season and the Red Sox will acquire him this July for a package that looks something like Buccholz, Westmoreland, Reddick or Kalish, and a mid tier prospect.
EY Jr. is a more realistic target for the Cubs. The Rockies like the idea of using him at 2B and the OF so I think his price will be higher than what I imagined a couple months ago. I also think they don't have a lot of faith in Barmes and want EY Jr. as insurance. I agree with you that he'd be a perfect fit for us, but it will likely take a strong package of pitching prospects to bring him over. Marshall, Gaub and Fontenot isn't nearly enough. Maybe Marshall, Gaub and top 5 prospect like Jay Jackson could get it done.
As for Johnson ... he'd be great for us, but another guy that I don't think we can realistically land. Like AGon he is under team control for 2 more years. His price should be a little less than Agon, but given that the Marlins have turned down a Feliz/Smoak package (which would be better than a Castro/Cashner package), I'd guess that it would take at least Castro, Cashner, Vitters and one more prospect to bring Johnson over. I think that price would be too high given his injury risk. Rather than dump the few top prospects we have for 1 star, I'd rather wait and let our guys develop.
I forgot to address Uggla. The Marlins still view Uggla as having positive trade value despite his expection $7 million price tag. They don't see him as a salary dump so taking himn wouldn't help with a Johnson deal. The Marlins looking for a young major league starter for Uggla ... I doubt they will get it ... I see Uggla either staying with the Marlins or being moved for 2-3 mid level prospects.
David F. Thanks for your assessment....It was spot on...But a fan can still dream can't she?
Bryan:
I disagree, I think that the franchise has begun to show more and more faith in their young arms. They declined to trade for Peavy so they could keep their young prospects, same with Roberts, and Granderson. They have given the reigns of the closer position to a young stud named Marmol, they let a rookie start at catcher, Soto, they let Theriot take over at SS (over Izturis the veteran) after he proved it, they have already told Theriot (who is now a veteran) to be prepared to move positions for Castro, they gave Fontenot more than enough chances, you know they are discussing Vitters for either 1st or 3rd in the next year or two. Ricketts will not allow Cubs management to just string them along or pull a Pie/Patterson (call em up and sit em 4 of every 5 games). Just because they explore short term solutions doesnt mean theyre forgettin about their prospects. We have a real good system right now of guys who are all about 1-2 years away so as much as I hate to say it as a diehard Cub fan, we must be patient just a little longer.
Suzy,
The Cubs can trade everyone of their prospects . . . when has the last position player come up and impact the team? Your plan is correct to get the proven but younger guys. Castro is doomed, just like Patterson, Pie, Bobby Hill - none of them can hit. Catro will probably not bee able to hit either as he will probably be typical free swinger with do patience. He will be real hyped up, start off slowly, and the fans will ride his ass out of town. This is the entire problem with the club so they have to overpay for free agents which has worked in some instances but has backfired in others.
I want to hear you say it, Suzy: THE CUBS TALENT EVALUTATION HAS BEEN POOR." Say it! Say it!
That's why no Cubs' position players have made it. And I'll blame the coaching, too. Randy Wells would have been a bust if he hadn't been picked Rule IV draft by the 'Jays.
So the rot runs all the way through the management stream, starting with that fountain of ineptitude, JHEndry.
Rip, my friend...you must have read enough of my posts by now to know I am no Hendry apologist...and I think the Cubs talent evaluation has been poor.
Why the vitriol?
You know I, like many others, am just waiting for Ricketts to make the necessary changes in the management team...from "Clown Kenney" on down.
And yet I hope against hope that a really good move will happen somewhere along the way.
The Cubs also kind of got caught by the economy and changing scenery of the entire sport....Just when everything
crashed...they found themselves locked into THEIR highest payroll ever.
To me, Hendry was a good 2nd in command
under McPhail...and should have left when Andy did...but the Cubs had no other "baseball guys" to lean on...and the sale process started...and JH was all there was....along with a big wallet.
"Clown Kenney" may or may not be a good businessman...but he is no baseball man...and Ricketts obviously has no experience at baseball.
And the Cubs really need a baseball man
in "Clown Kenney's" current position
above Hendry...and whomever the new GM
will be.
I don't mind Ricketts taking this year
to assess where they are at before making changes...it's the prudent thing to do in a new ownership learning the business...as JimK would say. BUT I will scream bloody blue murder if the same management is in place a year from now.
Did I say it loud enough for you Rip?
Merry Christmas...great singing by the kids btw...I loved it.
No vitrol directed at you or any other CHICUBSONLINE folk; only vitrol I have is reserved for JHendry and Cubs management. Ricketts simply has to change the whole tenor of the entire organization. How it got to 55 years of incompetence, I am not really sure. But he has just got to address the REAL problem: talent evaluation.
Talk of Damon and Sheets is nothing but mental masturbation - neither one is coming to the Cubs. And Neil is right - Damon doesn't make sense for the Cubs. Sheets does, but it aint gonna happen.
We need to stop ignoring the circumstances we're in. The Cubs have far too much tied up in Zambrano, Lilly, Dempter, Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Fukudome and now Silva to make a big splash this offseason. There are two paths here, and to Neil's point one of them is the road far too often traveled by this franchise. That's the one that leads to Marlon Byrd and Kiki what's his face. The path I'd choose is the one less traveled for the Cubs - the one that involves our using the few valuable assets we have (preferably those of middle-baseball-age and above-average expense) to acquire younger talent in positions that make sense.
Most Cub fans don't even want to consider this path because they don't want to give up on 2010. I say screw 2010 - let's build a team that can win the division for 5-10 years running beginning in 2011.
The path I prefer involves using pieces like Zambrano, Marmol, and even Ramirez, along with minor league prospects like Cashner and Jackson to acquire MLB-ready position players like Howie Kendrick and Dexter Fowler. We can make moves that bring us closer to winning a championship and reduce payroll at the same time.
We don't have a lot of blue-chip minor league talent. The few pieces we can get excited about are Jackson (OF), Vitters (3B), Castro (SS), and a handful of pitchers (Jackson, Cashner, Coleman etc). If we can acquire a player like Kendrick to play alongside Castro and Vitters for the next 5-10 years, and a player like Fowler to play alongside Brett Jackson (and maybe Kyler Burke) for the next 5-10 years, we'll have a good foundation to work from. First basemen are easy enough to find, relief pitching is a crapshoot, and a strong rotation can be built with a combination of homegrown talent (prospects not used to acquire the Fowler and Kendrick types) and free agents. That's how the Yankees and Red Sox do it.
I've said it before - this path isn't in the cards because Hendry is thinking short term. So I think we will acquire Marlon Byrd or someone of that ilk. And this team will probably compete for and maybe even win the division in 2010. But they wont win the series, and they'll be ill-equipped to compete in 2011 and beyond.
Short-term thinking brings long-term pain. Long-term thinking brings short-term and long-term gain.
Kendrick and Fowler won't be available unless we are prepared to move our quality young pieces like Marmol, Soto, Castro, Cashner and Vitters. Kendrick and Fowler are young players with huge upside and their current teams are very aware of it.
Gregg should never be mentioned on a Cubs board again unless it's to blast how awful the guy was for us. One of the worst gopher ball closers we've had in a while. This guy should never have been closing for us...period. I'd love to see him sign with a division rival.
Calero might fit the bill of what we are looking for.
If Ankiel's price comes down, he'd be an interesting addition, but I'd like to see Orlando Hudson on the team. He'd loosen up the clubhouse & provide some solid defense at 2b. Baker would make a great super sub then.
The Rockies have a surplus of talented young outfielders and are looking to add pitching. The Angels have a surplus of talented young infielders and are looking to add pitching. I'd start the bidding at Cashner and Wells for Fowler, Zambrano and Marmol for Santana and Kendrick. Then take some of the $20M in annual payroll savings to add somebody like Sheets.
Whatupbr...you're forgetting that both the Rockies and Angels have limited payroll space this year.
"Z" contract is for 17.75 mill per year
for the next several years with a club option in 2014. (Or only $250K less then Soriano's sorry contract per annum.
Add "Z"'s no trade clause and his meltdowns the last few seasons...and there is no way he is dealt...at this time.
Hendry has overpaid and overcommited to
almost all his big money guys with the exception of ARAM and possibly DLEE.
I am sorry but as much as Damon is a winner it will be a disaster in the outfield with both him and Soriano. Besides Damon will want too much money and the Cubs won't be able to afford that. I just can't see it working out especially looking long term. This would be a great example of the Cubs wasting money. Too me I would have preferred Matsui instead.
I never understood why people get so out of shape for defense in baseball. When we had Izturis, he was performing admirably, but his glove never really won any games single-handedly, nor did it particularly contribute. On the flip side, Soriano doesn't play the ball very well, but there's have been numerous occasions where his arm have won us games, and at the same time I can't recall more than two or three games where his bad defense single-handedly lost us a game (the extra inning loss in Pittsburgh because he dropped a fly ball obviously sticks out, but other than that, I have nothing). The same with Jake Fox last year, where everyone was getting on him about how awful his defense was in Triple A, yet his glove never lost us a game on his own, nor did it particularly contribute to a loss (or a win, but that's besides the point).
Fact is, we could have a great defense, but if guys are unable to perform at the plate with runners in scoring position, they might as well be dropping every fly ball hit there way (our biggest issue last year). Heck, I'd settle for a below-average defense if we could score 5-10 runs a game.
Boseph, I'm a baseball purist...if there is such a thing.I once watched Glenallyn
Hill stand there like a lug while a flyball dropped directly in front of him.
It colored my perspective my perspective of him to this day...as a lazy fielder...just like I will always, always remember Milton throwing the ball in the stands after 2 outs.
A game or series can turn on a defensive
miscue...just look at the Holliday error
with the Cards last season...they should have won that game...but fell apart with the error.
I don't recall Soriano winning any games with his arm LAST SEASON.
As for Jake Fox, you are right...but there's more to that story then we'll ever know. He got in Lou's Dog House and never got out.
The flip side of your argument is that if we scored 5 or 10 runs...but couldn't turn a double play or catch the ball...
the other team would always have hope to get back in the game.
We really need a balance of both
WOW, how soon we seem to forget. it was us as fans at the begining of the decade that were yelling for the cubs to spend and bring big names here. Now that that hasn't worked to well, now we're complaining that we are nspending too much for marginal talent. We went after guys like Soriano, who once he got paid forgot how to play. Whike letting guys like Derosa get away. It's time to decide what we really want. Hendry is not going to be able to give us "Yankee's west" and I know we dont want the "Tribune Company type" teams again. We are stuck with the aging high priced core we have. Dealing the farm to get more of the same is not the answer either. I am also concerned about the number of former Pirates we have added. Rameriez was a good addition but if they cant win in Pitsbers with these "Talented" guys are we really helping ourselves? Anyway thats my take, I see the drought continuing for amny years ahead.