Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Byrd Brains

Nothing official yet, but it was just a matter of time that once the Cubs moved Bradley, they'd sign their center fielder and with Mike Cameron off the market, that meant Marlon Byrd.

Looking for confirmation on a deal, but Byrd does appear to be the next domino to fall once the Cubs finalize the Bradley deal. The Rangers will get a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds in next year's amateur draft for Byrd. That will give them two first round picks (one for not signing Matt Purke and their own) and two sandwich picks (for Byrd and Ivan Rodriguez).

You can find my thoughts on Byrd from a previous post, but to sum up, frightening home/road splits, disappointing walk rate, probably better suited in a 4th OF role. I'd like to see the contract first though before I go too far off the deep end.

UPDATE: Levine has a post up and says Matt Capps may be the first priority. The Nationals are offering up to $4M on a one year deal and the closer job, the Cubs may have to go to a multi-year deal to get him as a primary set-up man. He also say Byrd is asking for a two year deal, although no amount is mentioned. Scott Podsednik is taking a drink from the delusions of grandeur fountain and is seeking 3/$12M.

Comments

I'm going to start a shitty thread response about a "meh" player after making a shitty trade to get the "meh" player... FIRST!

BTW...I'm not concerned about byrd's home/road splits...mostly because he's a free swinger not looking for a damn thing except what happens to hit his bat. the guy has 30HR power, but he doesn't have the plate selection for it...but that's nothing new for byrd...people been waiting on that for 5+ years now. at least batting practice fans will have something to take home and a game play fans will have a reminder of a young sammy sosa.

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In reply to by crunch

no reason to be concerned about a guy who hits home runs over a 3-year period at half the rate away from a generally favorable hitters park... I see no problems.

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In reply to by Rob G.

in 1 of those 3 years he did better away, but 08/09 he was much better at home. because of the way he approaches swinging at the plate i chalk that up to actually putting the bat on the ball in a good place. park factor plays a piece, but i don't expect byrd to roll up and hit 10 homers. as far as his avg/ob% goes his home/road splits are nearly even or erratically odd for no reason you can see looking at numbers...at least since 04 when i can browse. from his overall numbers it looks like he had a rough time with those splits early in his career, though.

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In reply to by crunch

XBH's Home vs. Road 2007: 17 vs. 18 2008: 26 vs. 16 2009: 41 vs. 24 the last 3 years is all I care about... all the research is up in the link in the post

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In reply to by The Real Neal

it's over 3 full years, granted a particular extreme last year - but his PA's are consistent between the two. helluva discrepancy imo... as for Wrigley being a good place to hit, didn't work too well for Bradley's slugging last year. of coure, DeRosa did just fine with the same move, but doesn't mean it would give me caution. Overall DeRosa was about the same as he was in Texas, a little worse OPS in 2007, considerably better in 2008 mostly thanks to a crazy jump in his walk rate both years and slugging in 2008.

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In reply to by Rob G.

dero's main complaint as i remember it was the long-very-tired applying of a career year in a hitter's park to him. that said...the reason i was easier accepting of dero was based on what he changed at the plate. byrd is practically same as he ever was.

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In reply to by Rob G.

Your sample is extra base hits, not PA's. Then factor 10% of that difference out because players perform better at home, and it's not to much to worry about. He'll hit fewer HR's and triples at home, but he'll probably enjoy playing in Hotsun and Cincy a lot more than Oakland and Seattle.

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In reply to by Rob G.

Dallas had a very hot, very dry summer, so it's not surprising. I was just saying that it's not reasonable to expect a 50/50 split of XBH's for players. If you were recalled you were worried about the same thing with Bradley last year, and his splits in 2009 were even more pronounced. Some guys just like home cooking.

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In reply to by Rob G.

what's to be said for a flyball hitter with a non-refined power swing playing in the power-friendly NL parks? if the guy had more of a method to his swing i'd put more credence in the numbers. the numbers are off-base enough to go with them, but based on how he swings at the plate and what parks he'll get to play in the NL i'm not that concerned. the guy is gonna make contact and lift it in the air.

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In reply to by crunch

Bradley = Byrd plus turd + $6 million I think we made out. Maybe Silva just needed a change of scenery (and to lose 60 pounds)!

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In reply to by kmokeefe

He has 89 RBI's last year, that's 12 more than Bradley ever had, therefore our offense is fixed. I wonder who's going to be our center fielder in 2011 after the new GM and Sandberg agree that Byrd is a 4th outfielder.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

heck...i think byrd could be an everyday. i'm not as confident as i was in derosa who seemed like a no-brainer to me. still, byrd has the tools and a decent (even if ugly) swing. he can play CF...too bad he doesn't have the arm for RF, but we're not signing him to a 5 year deal...hopefully.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

"I wonder who's going to be our center fielder in 2011 . . ." News flash, the Cubs are very high on Brett Jackson. Speed, power, defense, what are you looking for? (Commence discussion of walk rate and strikeouts.) Sandberg likes Guyer and Adduci and may also like Colvin, who hit 14 HRs for him in a partial season.

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In reply to by VirginiaPhil

I'm not too high on Brett Jackson. I think he was a wasted pick, actually, but I'll admit he and the Cubs staff have made me look stupid... so far.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

Remember the time they told you that you HAD to wear a top hat with your tux or else they wouldn't let you in the ball, but, when you showed up, NO ONE ELSE was wearing a top hat? They made you look REAL stupid THAT day.

Jim Hendry wants to know what this "splits" are? Does it have to do with bananas?

*opens Cubs fans Xmas presents* grabow, byrd, and silva. it's like getting go-bots instead of transformers...wtf? also, happy Chaka Khan to the chosen people...your analogy is getting a Droodle that doesn't spin more than 1 rotation before falling over.

Predict the Byrd Contract contest Scoring: 50 percent for correct guess on number of years, minus 40 percent for years missed by; 50 percent for average dollars per year, minus 20 percent per $1M difference; options don't count toward years but buyouts count toward average My guess: 2 years, $15M total

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In reply to by kmokeefe

Well... being that Fangraphs has Byrd's last three seasons valued at 10.5 M, 16.1M, and 10.6M, I am not quite sure where you get the $3M figure.

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In reply to by big_lowitzki

see 2010 is a year that has not yet occurred, so it's pending events that have not yet happened Fangraphs may do a dutiful job in quantifying past performance, but it cannot show the dampening effect that "career year" followed by "signed by the Chicago Cubs" has

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In reply to by kmokeefe

i got it covered...im sacrificing 12 chickens and burning 182 candles over the next 3 months. you can feel free to factor that out.

Unfortunately, when it comes to CF, I don't see any good options. I'm not a big fan of Byrd, Podsednik, or Crisp. Damon is looking for too much money (can he even play CF any more?). Ankiel is intriguing, but I understand he is looking for multi-years and big bucks (he's represented by Boras). Are there any other CF options out there?

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In reply to by crunch

Yeah, everything I've read in connection to the Cubs is Byrd, Pods, Ankiel and Crisp. I haven't heard much of what's up with Jerry Hairston Jr. Rocco Baldelli will give 50-60 games of great D. Reed Johnson isn't exactly chopped liver. Randy Winn is headed the wrong way but would probably be a better value at 1/$1M than Byrd at 2/$15. With so many guys possible, what's the harm of waiting till February and seeing who will sign for $1m?

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In reply to by John Beasley

I would be in favor of a short-term/low dollar guy in CF IF there was a great CF on the horizon. Unfortunately, the Cubs don't have a great CF in the pipeline that will be ready in 2011 and the potential free agent market for CF for next year is non-existent.

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In reply to by Sweet Lou

Mo money mo problems. Paying a lot of money doesn't solve anything because there's nothing of quality to buy. Also, Carl Crawford will be a free agent next year. I'm not a professional scout but I have little doubt he could play CF, or at least play RF well enough to move Kosuke back for his last year.

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In reply to by John Beasley

I had forgotten about Crawford, although I think there's a good chance he'll either be extended by Tampa Bay, or traded and then extended. But you are correct. I don't think it makes sense to spend money/years on a CF this year just because they are available. Play Fuld (a cheap, albeit not good option)and pick someone up at the trade deadline or next off season.

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In reply to by Sweet Lou

What about some trade options? Not advocating any option or implying these are good options, but with the lack of CF options on the FA market and the amount of money it will take to land these guys, one may wonder what it would take to talk about some of these names.... 1. Chris Young-Arizona 2. Dexter Fowler-Colorado 3. Cody Ross-Florida 4. Grady Sizemore-Cleveland 5. Denard Span-Minnesota This is a decent mix of household names and young guys.

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In reply to by thedirtbag

Yes, just today I was wondering how in love the Rox were with Fowler. He's nothing special, but he would be better than Fuld & Reed.

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In reply to by Ryno

every indication is that they are still high on him. He didn't post great UZR/150 numbers, but I think most people are willing to give him some more time. There's still the expectations of a solid CF glove with an above average offensive game that combines speed with a dash of power.

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In reply to by thedirtbag

The most obvious guy would be Felix Pie, too bad he's not good enough to play for our manager. I probably could have signed on to a Tavares and $500K trade for Aaron Miles earlier in the off-season with him and Fukudome platooning in CF and batting leadoff.

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In reply to by thedirtbag

my own guess is that 1. Young - I think Arizona would listen, but they'd want something good for him based on potential, and I'm not sure there's enough there to justify dealing solid assets for. 2. Fowler - Don't think he's going anywhere. 3. Ross - I think the Marlins really like him a lot and cleared out a spot (Hermida trade) to make sure they could keep him. 4. Sizemore - Don't see him getting moved this offseason. 5. Span - Too valuable to them - don't see him getting moved. Realistically, I think the CF trade market might be something like Brett Gardner or Melky Cabrera from the Yankees, Vernon Wells from the Blue Jays, Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels, maybe Eric Young from the Rockies, Aaron Rowand from the Giants, Wily Taveras. Maybe Oakland listens on someone, although I doubt it. Not exactly an appealing lot.

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In reply to by toonsterwu

Willy Taveras. A guy who gets on base so little, that Dusty benched him. (shudder) I'd take Cabrera though, or EY the sequel.

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In reply to by toonsterwu

I think Fowler could be had (he would be very expensive, mind you) simply cause the Rox have a crapload of OF (Cargo, EY2, Fowler, Hawpe, Spilborghs and Smith). A couple more names to throw out would Jacoby Ellsbury (I see the Rsox adding another bat as their current projected lineup sucks for having baseball second highest payroll) and Shin Soo-Choo, with the Indians rebuliding and his MLB status past this season in doubt because of South Korean millitary policy they might want better assurances of a player being there past 2010.

After having lived with this like all of you, with some expectations for 2009, I can admire a guy who is a bit of a gambler and can tolerate some risk. Hendry has had some successes in this regard, and some terrific flops. What I cannot tolerate is that the Bradley risk, and the dominoes that unfolded last season due to the failure was just WAY over the top and set the the wheels in motion for the Cubs mighty under-achievement in 2009. Bradley was not totally to blame, obviously, but the fact that the team lost DeRosa, while acquiring Bradley to "make up for it", cost the team perhaps 4-5 wins - or more. CUBSTER and I were in the stands at the "throw the ball in the stands early" game, and I think right then - if not earlier - we realized that Hendry did a bad, bad thing.

I don't understand the hardon for Marlon Byrd.

Don't we have two CF's...K-Fuk and Soriano? Oh wait, nevermind.

I hope they pay this guy in gum... http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/cubs-problem-becomes-mariners-project "That said, fans of both teams should be happy with the trade of Bradley for Carlos Silva" okay...well, i'm sure SEA fans are happy. "What if Bradley misbehaves? The Mariners can release him. What if Silva can’t pitch anymore? The Cubs can release him." yeah, or you can use a cheat code by pressing up, down, triangle, square, square, start and replace any player with any other player on any other team. that's a pro-tip. "Who knows? At the very least, maybe Silva can help settle down countryman Carlos Zambrano." whatever...

Silva looks like a bag of doughnuts. Let's just hope Zambrano and Silva are not dining together frequently.

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In reply to by artskoe

So I mentioned this a long time ago, but I have a friend that is a friend of Samardzija. Say what you will about the reliability of the "friend of a friend" but I was told that the majority (call it over 80%, if you find a need to quantify) of current Cubs smoke pot. I know for a 100% fact that Samardzija does, though. All others are by speculation. Confident speculation, though.

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In reply to by kmokeefe

How do you define "smoke pot"? Like once a year at a party? That number wouldn't surprise me. Here's another number you can take to the bank. 90% of Cubs players have had greater than the legal limit of alcohol and gotten behind the wheel. It's the world we live in. As long as they're not killing anyone and posing for pictures with bongs at their orgies it doesn't bother me.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

No like nightly I repeatedly hear a story about Dempster pissing at a urinal...just facing the opposite direction...with his pants at his ankles Sounds more of a drunk than a high, not that I can say I'm an expert

from the Seattle Times webspace...poll at the bottom of their coverage of the bradley trade... Do you think trading Carlos Silva for Milton Bradley is a good move by the Mariners? Yes 93% (10,142 votes) No 7% (734 votes) Total Votes: 10,876

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In reply to by crunch

I live in Seattle and suddenly the Mariners have become more likeable than the Cubs...even with Bradley. The Byrd signing should even things out, though.

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In reply to by The Joe

Joe The - Do you, or anybody else for that matter, know what's going on in Seattle this offseason? I have no data, but I remember them being a relatively passive team, and they are wheeling and dealing so far this offseason. Was there an administrative change or did some money come off the books or something?

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In reply to by kmokeefe

Was there an administrative change or did some money come off the books or something? --- Both. New GM. Then Kenji Jojima went back to Japan, free agents Adrian Beltre, Erik Bedard, Russell Branyan. Maybe more that's just off the top of my head.

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In reply to by QuietMan

Yeah...all of that. I don't think anyone was expecting THIS, though. But people are mildly excited. Ok, It's Seattle, they're not that excited.

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In reply to by crunch

There were also people who were actually excited about Milton Bradley coming to the Cubs last January, too.

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In reply to by crunch

Wait until Milton blows his gasket a few times over home town boy (and washed up) Ken Griffey getting more ab's, he'll be run out of town.

it was posted earlier but if Silva's problem is chronic impingement of the shoulder he certainly could wind up on the DL, making him the 2010 version of Chad Fox. also read somewhere that the Cubs will be sending a trainer and some coaches to work with Silva after the new year (can't interfere with eating those christmas cookies)

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In reply to by Cubster

Doc -- I thought Silva had surgery on his shoulder, but it appears that is not the case. Is there anything that can be done for chronic shoulder impingement other than rest?

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In reply to by Sweet Lou

non surgical rxs include all the usual stuff (specific exercises, rest , Nsaids, cortisone, ultrasound) even changing the arm slot... Depends on where the impingement is happening

Matt Capps on espn radio with Bruce Levine this am... didn't expect much useful he could say but BL ended the interview saying (to Capps)that his sources are telling him Capps wife is pushing for him to sign with the Cubs. Capps said that Gorzellany's and Grabow's wives are all best friends and he would have to tear up all their credit cards if he came to Chicago (with his wife audibly laughing in the background)

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In reply to by Rob G.

Between now and opening day, and quietly. If the cubs have their way (that is to say Jimbo) it'll barely be a blip on the radar. He's supposed to provide "starting depth" because of Lilly though, which scares me...

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In reply to by Wes

"We had him 89 to 92 (mph) last night *in a winter league start) with a good sinker." From Hendry's press conference. Of course if it was really that good he probably wouldn't have gotten lit up. Lou should like him though, he doesn't walk people.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

his sinker = his fastball, fwiw. how it's breaking should be interesting, but the guy throws a sinker/changeup combo almost exclusively. he has a slider he rarely uses unless he's ahead in the count cuz his control over it is crap (unlike everything else he throws). i dunno crap about this supposed curve he's been working on, but he should have been working on it a decade ago.

awww...cubs finally took their "construction cams" down. they got the ice rink up @wrigley, btw.

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In reply to by Rob G.

great... how much f'n money/years does byrd really want? getting rid of bradley to pay MORE to have byrd + silva was already shaping up to be...well...just awesome. yeah.

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In reply to by crunch

Hopefully this means that Hendry doesn't have tunnel vision on Byrd. Leadoff or #2 hitter, to me, is more of a priority than the 5th spot, and Crisp or Morgan or probably a dozen other guys could fill that spot and play a good center field.

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In reply to by Rob G.

I'd love to get Morgan, but I don't think there's a chance in heck that the Nationals move him.

via ye olde world o' roto... "The Cubs are "not leaning toward" any specific candidate to be their new center fielder at this time, reports Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com."

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In reply to by Rob G.

Rodgers' 'contacts' are probably an Acer with a 14.4 KBS modem and a subscription to USA Today. Chapman does make some kind of sense in the "new owners make a splash, but do it with the system" sort of way, now that people aren't talking $50 million for him anymore.

Obviously we will not get Rowand,Mathews,or Wells

What will it take to trade Silva away? His contract figures to the Cubs are $8.5, $8.5, $-1M (is that really possible?) I read the comments above Matthews Jr and would be good with getting him for CF, he makes $11 in 2010 and $12 in 2011. LAA has Torii, Rivera, Willits, are interested in Bay and only view Matthews as a 4th OF. They are looking to trade him. Would LAA make a straight up trade for Silva to save $6 over two seasons (maybe Cubs pay buyout)? I assume they would simply release Silva upon his arrival. Then you'd be getting Matthews for $2.5 in 2010 and $3.5 in 2011. Maybe the Cubs have to send some cash to LA to make it easier for them to release Silva. I'm not really advocating this trade, or even that it's a realistic scenario. It's more a curiosity as to whether there's ANY trade scenario for Silva. If there is, I would rather trade Silva and get GMJ for two years than sign Byrd. I don't know who's the better player or better value, but I do know that if we get Byrd we still have Silva. This is depressing. Why did I do this to myself?

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In reply to by Jumbo

Don't worry too much about Silva making the rotation if he doesn't get hitters out. He was acquired to be released. The Cubs need a legitimate center fielder, which rules out Matthews (and should rule out Byrd - who essentially is Matthews 3 years ago), and a right fielder who crushes lefties, which also rules out Matthews. I don't think there's a good fit here.

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In reply to by Ryno

Mine too, I just saw the link and noticed that Bradley not giving the reporters what they wanted seemed to be a transgression in Sullivan's mind. It's a case of reporters making themselves the news, which I really detest. I'm most curious about who's going to play 8, platoon at 9 and be Marmol implosion insurance. I wouldn't mind if Valverde winds up falling into our lap on the cheap. I think Capps is due to bounce back, but you shouldn't pay a setup guy $8 million for two years having to hope for a rebound. We don't have any bad contracts to trade anymore (other than Soriano and Fukudome who we theoretically are keeping), but I wonder if we could send a good prospect to Cleveland to get Kerry Wood and $5 million back. Wood, I think, is enough of a team guy to help Marmol in the closer role, and I'm intrigued by the idea of him becoming a starter again in '11 or even next season if he's not needed in the pen.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

Wow TRN....that's actually not a bad idea. Wood struggled in the AL last season, but still has stuff to succeed. He's respected here. It could work.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

So many good little nuggets of info i missed during the season. April 23: Asked how his injured groin feels after game, Bradley cracks, "I feel like 30 million bucks" while walking away from reporters. Gee kinda confirms all he was about was money and nothing else. June 26: Tells Tribune he feels like he's "afloat on an island" because his teammates have isolated him: "They say all the right things, but it's just b.s." Later creates dugout scene after popout and gets into confrontation with manager Lou Piniella, who calls him "piece of (expletive)" and sends him home. So it took less than 3 months for his team-mates to get tired of the Milton Bradley experience? Talk about being the biggest dick in all of sports. No wonder Lou got up in his shit. Its gonna be fun to watch Milton call Ichiro a racist. Then the entire nation of Japan can be on Miltons shit list. Nothing like heading to Seattle so you can prove to millions of new people how much of a dick you are.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

*bangs head on table* ---- Macha said he got advice on handling Bradley from a good friend, Felipe Alou, his original manager in the Montreal organization. "I just think encouraging him, and a pat on the back here and there, was helpful," Macha said. "I don't think confrontation is a good way to go about having a relationship with him."

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In reply to by crunch

Bradley got along great with: ...Ken Macha (Oakland), but fought publicly with Oakland GM Billy Bean. He was traded to San Diego. ...Bud Black (San Diego), but had to be physically restrained from attacking an ump and was injured. Was not re-signed. ...Ron Washington (Texas), but had to be restrained from attacking an announcer from Kansas City and later admitted that he faked injuries toward the end of the season to protect his stats. Even in places where Bradley presumably "fit in" there were still problems. Acting like Bradley's problems were the fault of Hendry/his teammates/Piniella/the press/fans/racists/etc. is to completely ignore Bradley's history. Bradley's behavior is Bradley's responsibility.

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In reply to by Sweet Lou

You're reading too much E-Man. He said he asked out of games to protect his stats - something that players have done for 100 years, that's nothing new. Barry Bonds' manager intentionally sat him to help him win an MVP award. Ted Williams was told by his manager not to play to protect his .400 average etc etc.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

Yeah, and what did Ted Williams do? Refused his coach's offer and played both ends of a doubleheader and went 6-8 on the day. I sincerely hope that's the last time I ever have to see Milton Bradley compared to Ted Williams in any capacity other than having his head cut off and frozen.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

I think you were responding to me, but you said E-Man. If you were responding to me... I just want to make sure I understand what you are saying. When you say I am "reading too much" do you mean that I shouldn't believe what was printed in the newspaper in Texas? Do you mean that the reporters in Texas, just like the Chicago reporters, were out to get Bradley? Are you also saying that I should listen to you when you tell me what really happened and disregard what was written in the papers? I'm just trying to understand because you're interpretation of what happened in Texas is very different from what was written.

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In reply to by Sweet Lou

E-Man is a poster here. Can you find where a reporter in Dallas says that Bradley faked injuries? Bradley and Texas both knew that he came there on a make-good mercenary contract. Texas got what they wanted and Bradley got what he wanted. Being that Texas wasn't playing for anything is it really surprising that Bradley didn't feel the need to play in meaningless September games if he wasn't feeling 100%? Mission was already accomplished, and per the link, teammates in Texas didn't have a problem with him. Maybe some younger guys who hadn't been to the playoffs wanted him to risk his stats and injury to get them to 83 wins, but the vets knew what the deal was. Could Harden have made a couple starts at the end of 2009? Probably, but he didn't. The Cubs weren't having him back and he didn't want to have to come out of a start early entering free agency, so he didn't play, so it was no big deal. Now, don't read into that and think I support him doing the same thing with the Cubs. He had got his money and he signed a 3 year contract with the Cubs. If Bradley was really faking his injury in September last year, or exaggerating the severity of it or the likelihood of aggravating it, I hate it as much as the rest of you. What we do know is that Pinhead made a big deal earlier in the year about how Bradley needed to be 100% to play, so if he was hurt, if he was 98%, he was in his 'right' to say he's not ready. His fucktard manager already told him to do exactly that.

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In reply to by The Real Neal

From the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram:
Do you know anything about how Milton Bradley was perceived by his teammates, manager Ron Washington and the front office? I have read snippets over this year, mostly from national writers, to the effect he wore out his welcome with the Rangers. But other than maybe not wanting to tough through some injuries at the end of 2008, I never saw anything specific at the time. Do you think the Rangers would be open to having him back, if the Cubs eat a lot of salary? — Michael, Texarkana Bradley got along well with his teammates, and Washington still wishes he had a hitter with the plate discipline Bradley showed last year. But opinions cooled some in March, when he told Gil LeBreton that he could have played at times last year but opted to sit out to make his stats look better for potential suitors. That didn’t sit well some players and management, especially when Young was playing with broken fingers on each hand. Bradley pushed himself way down the wish list with those comments, and probably pushed himself off it completely.
Link: http://www.star-telegram.com/284/story/1634376-p2.html

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In reply to by Sweet Lou

Note To Rangers: Bring Back Milton Bradley deserves a long-term contract by Gil LeBreton POSTED: Sep 23, 2008 "He probably should have gone on the disabled list twice -- during a June stretch in which he missed six of 12 games and in early August, when he was out for 12 of 17. But Bradley is stubborn. Manager Ron Washington usually let Milton decide when Milton would play." ...now what?

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In reply to by crunch

I'd like to see an Uno game between Milton Bradley, Michael Barrett, and Ronnie Cedeno. Bradley and Barrett would fight over who is cheating them while Cedeno wouldn't know what is going on.

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In reply to by crunch

I'm not sure what that is supposed to prove, Crunch. Le Breton wrote in Sept. 2008 that Bradley should have gone on the DL because he missed games in June and early August 2008. However,Bradley told LeBreton in March 2009 that he could have played in those games, but instead opted to "sit out to make his stats look better for potential suitors." The article you quote says that Bradley missed "12 out of 17" games. It doesn't say that Bradley was injured. In his interview in March 2009, Bradley cleared up that issue.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

he plays through injuries and he "lies" to not play through others. what's worth more? does it matter that much? how much of a "lie" did he tell vs. what he was told to do and let do. there's a lot more to milton than questioning his desire to play, imo.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

"He probably should have gone on the disabled list twice -- during a June stretch in which he missed six of 12 games and in early August, when he was out for 12 of 17. But Bradley is stubborn. Manager Ron Washington usually let Milton decide when Milton would play." umm...

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

TRN -- What do you mean? Bradley himself admitted he wasn't injured. So yeah, people do dispute that he was injured.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

no, he didnt. there's a huge difference between "can play" and "injured" with a lot of middle ground in between depending on what's hobbling the player. didn't we go through this crap when everyone was screaming at dustbag about not playing t.walker enough? just because t.walker is on the bench doesn't mean he's in game shape...it also don't mean he needs 2 weeks of DL.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

Maybe it's just a matter of interpretation, but when a player says he is healthy enough to play, to me that means he's not injured. This isn't a matter of a guy needing a day off here and there because he's hurt. It's a matter of a player who admitted he was healthy enough to play, but chose not to in order to protect his stats. Big difference.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

Remember it was Lou who said that Bradley wasn't going to play unless he was 100%? Bradley, in his mind, was just following orders. You can't treat someone who's as quick to take offense as Bradley is like Lou did, then expect that the guy is going to do you favors. That's not how things work in Bradley's world (and in most people's world). But it's silly to sit by and decide that you know exactly how ready Bradley was to play. It could be he was 100%, it could be he was good enough, and it could be that he legitimately thought he needed another day off. To say or imply that you 100% know for certain, based on some quote he made 4 months previously doesn't really put you on the side of reason. But, really, I am sick of talking about Bradley and Lou. One of them is gone and 9 months from now the other will be.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

I thought we were talking about what Bradley did in Texas, not with the Cubs. And I'm not acting as if I know 100% for certain whether or not Bradley was injured. I'm simply taking the man at his word. He said he was healthy enough to play, but chose not to. We can argue the definition of "injured," but it's clear from Bradley's own words that he could have played, but didn't.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

"And I'm not acting as if I know 100% for certain whether or not Bradley was injured. I'm simply taking the man at his word." No, actually, you're putting words into his mouth, here's your quote: "later admitted that he faked injuries toward the end of the season to protect his stats" Bradley said he sat out games that he could have played in. He never said he wasn't injured. That's two totally separate things. That's why I used an example from this year, to show you the difference from being uninjured and being "able to play". You said before that you interpret "able to play" as "not being injured". Just because you choose to interpret it that way, it doesn't make it so. If we follow through with your logic, Soriano faked his injury, because he was able to play with his alleged injury for a good part of the season.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

It appears from the link that I included previously that the Rangers interpreted Bradley's words the same way I did. Otherwise, why would the team have taken exception to his comments? I'm comfortable with my interpretation. Considering the extensive evidence of Bradley's lack of character, I think my interpretation of his words is reasonable. BTW, my comments about Bradley faking injuries was only a very small part of my original comment. My point was that even in those places where Bradley was supposedly liked (Oakland, San Diego, Texas), he still had behavior issues.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

I can see why you'd think that. My take was that they had other players playing injured, so Bradley should have as well. I think that Young was supposed to be playing with broken fingers. Young was definitely playing with a big fat contract, though. That's why I pointed out that Guadardo didn't seem to share the the other players' opinion. He's a guy who's been around and knows the risks and what playing banged up can do to your season and your health and your next contract. Again, Bradley did the same thing that lots of players do. Harden is an example we had on the 2009 Cubs who did the same thing. They're not 'faking injuries', they're weighing how they feel versus the value the team is going to get out of them playing and the risk that it will hurt their FA value. As the season moved along, both players decided that the value of helping their team to two more wins wasn't personally worth the risk of serious injury or tanking their own numbers.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

Completely reusable comments about and from Bradley. Just insert the new names...
"I went into it with the idea of trying to keep him a _______,"_______said. "It was clearer and clearer there was no way to make this thing work. At every turn, I just got stopped. I got it from a lot of different places including inside the clubhouse, outside the clubhouse, people who have known him very well and have known him for a long time." ______ said he didn't speak with Bradley until ______, when he informed him of the trade in a brief conversation. Bradley said he hadn't thought much about _______. "I know I'm going to be successful regardless," he said. "I'm a no-nonsense guy. I laugh and joke with everybody, but when on the field, I'm all about winning. I'm not going out there to just go through the motions and have fun. I'm going out there to win."
The quotes above are from MB's exit from the Dodgers.

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

The defense of all things Bradley is truely amazing. But alot of you guys like to make fun of Brett Myers of the Phillies for punching his wife in the face or talking crap about Miguel Cabrera for what he did before his teams most important game. The fact is you never hear the same snide remarks towards wonder boy. Not much about Bradley choking his pregnant wife and the police responding to 3 domestic violence reports at his house. Bradley's wife, who was four months pregnant at the time, told officers she and her husband had argued about "relationship issues." Bradley, she said, grabbed her right hand and pushed it against her mouth, causing her to hit herself. The inside of her lip began to bleed, the crime report said. He then grabbed her cellular telephone from a bedroom table and threw it toward a wall. The phone hit a headboard, struck the wall and shattered into several pieces, the report said. Bradley picked up the phone and walked into the hallway, followed by his wife. "Victim said her husband turned around and used his right forearm and pushed her against the wall," an officer wrote. "Victim stated (Bradley's) forearm was against her throat and she was having a difficult time breathing." When Bradley let go of her, she ran to the bathroom and vomited. "Victim said her husband went around the house and picked up all the cell phones, house phones, her car keys and credit cards and left the location," the report said. A police officer said Bradley's wife was crying and upset when she answered the door. Her lip was bleeding. Officers found a scuff mark on the headboard and a small dent in the drywall above the bed from where the cellular telephone hit, the report said. Keenan, who also responded to the call and took pictures of the woman, said Bradley's wife had a cut lip. "Had (Bradley) been there we would have arrested him for spousal abuse," Keenan said. Instead, a report was taken and a domestic violence investigation was opened. His anger isn't just toward racist Cubs fans, umpires, or media. He will even choke his pregnant wife and run away when the Cops are called. He such a proud strong man to beat on a woman and run from the police. Such a man of character and honesty, a man you can depend on. A man you can take at his word. On the 3rd call to the house, the wife told the police that Milton repeatedly forced her to hit herself in the face with her own hand, but later changed her story. This happened in June, July, August or so of 2005. August was the same month he famously called Jeff Kent a racist and made this insane comment... "I was told in spring training I was the team leader by Paul DePodesta. By Jim Tracy. By Frank McCourt," Bradley said of the Dodgers' general manager, manager and owner. "Growing up in LA, I know how to deal with all types of people, and I do it on an everyday basis. But some people don't deal with all different types of people every day, and therefore don't know how to handle situations when they arise." Remember he is talking about Jeff Kent not being able to handle black people/communicate while Bradley is at home "communicating" to his black pregnant wife with his elbow to her throat and fleeing from the cops. Thats leadership for you people that can't recognize it. There was a happing ending to this story, he filed for divorce on Jan 10, 2006....3 weeks after the baby was born, sought joint custody and didn't want to pay spousal support. Your all class Milton.

[ ]

In reply to by MikeC

This kind of stuff happens all the time in the NFL and NBA. Did the Babe ever abuse women? All the time. Used to be called macho, now if you watch COPS you see false allegations just to get the man out of the house. Woman don't know how to grip a curve ball so they use the law to threaten, and get back at guys who have money and power and smoke illegal Cubans. Lou can use any excuse or all of the above as reasons for getting rid of a ball player that could have helped the team. Fact is, he and so many others never gave MB a chance. This is a Lou failure. Now MB will come back and tear the AL west up. You can save this and read it back to me in August.

[ ]

In reply to by artskoe

Your claim would have more credibility if this was the first (or second) time that Bradley had been shipped out of town because of his behavior. It's happened several times and neither Piniella nor Hendry were involved previously. Bradley had his chance with the Cubs and he blew it. Whatever he does in Seattle is inconsequential. He wore out his welcome in Chicago and it was better for him and the Cubs to move on.

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In reply to by artskoe

I have a REAL big problem with excusing a man's horrible behavior towards a (pregnant) woman just because others have been doing it over the years. Any man who hits his wife or another woman is a piece of garbage, without question, and that is elevated to an ENTIRELY new level when she is pregnant. It is pretty obvious to me that Milton Bradley is a shitty human being who happens to be able to play baseball pretty well. He needs some sort of anger management intervention, and I hope he gets it. I have no doubt that if he didn't have his athletic skill set, he would be a thug somewhere in LA. He is the MLB version of Ron Artest...

[ ]

In reply to by navigator

If Coco is about to get $5 mil per from the A's, what is Byrd asking for? It certainly has to be $7-8 mil per. I could tolerate Byrd on a one year deal, but giving him multiple years is just repeating the same Bradley mistake. I'd rather see them trade for a younger, less expensive CF with good defense and some speed. This team is in such need for speed (insert pun). Somebody here had mentioned Rajai Davis before. Davis probably isn't as good as his offensive numbers last year, but I'd rather bring him in than go after Byrd. Would Davis become available if Crisp signs in Oakland? For the right package I'm sure Beane would listen on anybody.

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In reply to by Paul Noce

They've got Ryan Sweeney too. The women folk would love that.

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In reply to by John Beasley

It's got some good points, but I don't think Hendry is thinking of shoving Gorzelanny to the bench in favor of Silva at #5. Gorzelanny gets a solid shot in my mind and if he's at all close to what he did at the end of last year, he'll be in the rotation. I think there was a quote somewhere from Hendry about Silva potentially being in a relief role, but I'm too sick to look for it.

so far 5/15.5 from Red Sox and 5/13M from Marlins... 6/21? I can't imagine he won't be at least a decent reliever right out of the gate.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I'd rather take the chance on him than spend any money on Byrd or Pods. Worst case, he and Samninja compete for most overpaid middle relievers with ridiculous fastballs in the majors.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

I don't think you start Chapman in the majors, probably AA. I agree he'd probably be a decent middle reliever, but you don't pay them $20 million. You sign him, groom him as a starter, and if he shows he has the command to succeed in AA and AAA you bring him up as a power setup guy for 2010 with an eye towards the big league rotation in 2011.

The Cubs should look beyond the 2010 season when they consider the acquisition of a centerfielder. After the 2010 season, Derrek Lee and Ted Lilly will be free agents. If Aramis Ramirez has a good 2010 season, he would be wise to opt out of his 2011 contract and look for a new multi-year deal. If the Cubs overpay for a mediocre veteran centerfielder on a multi-year contract while they are burdened by Carlos Silva’s contract, they may not have the cash to replace three key players after the 2010 season. Derrek Lee’ free agency may give the Cubs a chance to correct Hendry’s most serious roster construction mistake. Most good teams reserve either left field or first base for a left-hand middle of the order hitter because it is difficult to acquire such a hitter at another position. Over the years, the Cubs have tried a number of left-handed or switch-hitting players without finding a middle of the order hitter. Failed attempts include: Todd Hundley, Jeromy Burnitz, Todd Hollingsworth, Jacque Jones, Milton Bradley, and Kosuke Fukudome. Jim Edmonds was the only success.

[ ]

In reply to by Rick- Houston TX

There aren't really any good FA center fielders next off-season, and Lee and Ramirez will probably be atop the FA market for their positions, unless the Astros get crazy and don't pick up the option on Berkman, which you probably know isn't going to happen. Pena is due to be a FA first basemen too. I agree that it's really nice to have a LH hitting first basemen - it was one of the reasons I was upset when we traded Choi. We've been looking for LH power ever since McGriff left.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Are there any "untouchables" in Houston these days? I mean, are Berkman and Pence big time favorites there TRN?

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

The owner runs things and he's not a baseball man so it's hard to say who he considers untouchable. The GM, Wade, is essentially a yes man for the owner. The Astros will not trade anyone for prospects, they're in perpetual "win now" mode. The only time they'd make a deal like that is probably the August trade deadline, with an impeding FA, if they have absolutely no chance. Their series of 2nd half comebacks has convinced the fans and the ownership that they're always in it, no matter what the team looks like on the field. They probably would trade for ML talent, but not Berkman and probably not Pence. They're going to look at that outfield and Berkman, and their "big three" rotation and be convinced that they have a chance until they're mathematically eliminated. That all being said, they probably do have a chance if that rookie matures, Oswalt regains his form and the hitters hit. I don't think there's a 95 win team in the NL central, and if things break right I could see them winning 88 games. I could also see them winning 65 games.

Totally unrelated, but I was looking for a link to a Pinhead interview and saw where you asked about Cajuns being a protected class. "U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and authorized non-citizens are protected from discrimination on the basis of national origin, if the employer employs more than 4 employees." And then there's 'heightism' which isn't litigated against, but probably should be. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,905442,00.html

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Theo Epstein seems to agree, given his moves to ship Mike Lowell--and his awful 2009 UZR--off to the Rangers while Boston pays his salary.
Although it's a minor point in the article, I have to take exception to it. Lowell is not being traded because of his poor UZR rating. Lowell is a decent ballplayer who is not aging particularly well and Boston would like to move on without him. But to intimate that Theo Epstein wants to trade him because of a poor UZR rating is just inaccurate.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

They're also, theoretically moving or trading Ellsbury. I would be very surprised if the Red Sox haven't developed a their own system for evaluating defensive performance. If they really are keen to trade Ellsbury for Gonzalez, maybe the Cubs could get in on that and supply the Red Sox with some prospects the Padres like.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Ellsbury seems to be a good fit for the Cubs. I don't particularly care for any of the free agent options available. A trade may be the way to go.

[ ]

In reply to by Sweet Lou

Why in God's name would they trade Ellsbury? And why in God's name would we not try to trade for him if they really want to ditch him? He's a hell of a lot better CF option than any of the other names discussed this year.

[ ]

In reply to by Ryno

I think I've read some people state they think he's overvalued right now, that his bat isn't as good as appears, and I know there's been mixed scouting/saber messages as to his defensive ability. I presume it would cost something like Vitters, Castillo and one of Gray/Caridad/Berg/etc., which I think would be about right. Unless the Cubs are planning to after an impact guy like Crawford, it would certainly seem to be a wise move at this point. Hopefully he's not handcuffed to Lowell, but it's possible.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

Levine weighs in (no pun intended) on his ESPN Chicago blog, saying that there have been no substantive talks involving Zambrano. The Cubs need for a CF and the Yanks OF depth after acquiring Granderson seems to be fueling this speculation. Levine opines that the Cubs would need a Phil Hughes/Joba Chamberlain pitcher coming back, along with a Brett Gardner/Melkey Cabrera CF-type to even begin discussion. And for what it's worth, Levine reports that Z has been working out diligently in Chicago in the offseason and is reportedly in excellent condition.

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In reply to by Seamhead

Unless they got back two top trading chips, like both Phil Hughes and Joba, I might stop watching the Cubs as a result of this trade. We need starting pitchers right now, especially top of the rotation guys. A CF is more likely to hit the market later than an ace or #2 type pitcher.

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In reply to by Charlie

I like Z even when he's having a so-so year, for entertainment value alone. The Yanks would have to send us a Joe Pepitone/Jose Cardenal type for me to be happy giving up Z.

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In reply to by Charlie

lol... You're being serious, though, and that's the funny part. To us Zambrano is the crazy, gatorade-punching pitcher with sometimes lightening-good stuff. To everyone else in baseball, however, he's your run-of-the-mill high 3 ERA, 10-15 win strikeout pitcher. Whoopty-doo. No f-ing way Zambrano rakes Hughes and Joba. Hendry would get laughed straight the fuck out.

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In reply to by Ryno

Well, yeah, both Hughes and Joba is way too much. But either one of Hughes and Joba and an absolutely mediocre outfielder like Gardner or Cabrera does little to improve the team. I suppose that some would be happy with it, because Joba or Hughes could turn into a cheap ace--but they could also be #3-#5 pitchers with great stuff. Mostly I just have little to no interest in acquiring Melky or Gardner as a major part of a Zambrano trade. And I like watching Zambrano. He's worth Joba/Hughes + a real outfielder. The Yanks won't offer Joba for Z, however. Hughes I suppose is a possibility, but he's somewhat of a ?, isn't he?

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In reply to by Charlie

Joba or Hughes, Melky and a third prospect with yankees taking all of z's contract would be a pretty good deal. Then trade Lee and Ramirez since you're obviously rebuilding now, see if what they can get for Dempster and Fukudome, then probably Lilly at the deadline as well. Sadly they're still suck with Soriano at this point... of course none of this is happening, Cubs just need a few minor tweaks and they'll be back to 98 wins.

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In reply to by Rob G.

That would have been my one qualifier--if they plan to rebuild, sure, that deal makes plenty of sense. Clearly they are not planning on rebuilding.

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In reply to by Rob G.

In reality the 2010 Season is pretty much make or break with the current nucleus. Lilly, Lee and Aram are all Free Agents after 2010. All will be Type A Free Agents. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if they left and left us with the comp picks. Sure we will be down for a year or 2. However we will likely be much better off in 2012 if they are gone by 2011.

My concern is that Jim Hendry’s poor salary administration could finally become apparent in 2011. I envision a 2011 team featuring Matt Capps and John Grabow as overpaid set-up men, Carlo Silva as the overpaid fifth starter, Marlon Byrd as the overpaid centerfielder- and Pedro Feliz or Jeff Baker as the budget third baseman. The Cubs need to figure out how to incorporate some less expensive younger players before Ted Lilly, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez become free agents after then 2010 season.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).