Option-Less Players Dead to Cubs
Yet another rumor of the Cubs trying to move a player who is out of options. Some of our readers overheard on the radio that the Athletics and Rangers are having talks with the Cubs over Michael Wuertz. Moving Wuertz who is due to make $1.1M in 2009, would free up some salary and some space in the Cubs bullpen and make Kent Sterling a happy man. Under the assumption the Cubs carry 12 pitchers, their current staff would be:
Starters: Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden, Heilman
Relievers: Marmol, Gregg, Vizcaino, Wuertz*, Cotts*, Guzman*, Gaudin*
* players out of options
I'm guessing on Heilman being the 5th starter, but that wouldn't leave any room for the loser of the 5th starter battle (assuming Samardzija or Marshall are the other competitors), nor any of the non-roster invitees. And I think it would be wiser to try and move these guys before spring training rather than during. The other teams would probably prefer to have them working with their staff for the duration of camp and you don't risk a player getting hurt or sucking up joint so bad that they have almost no trade value and you have to cut them. There's the flip side where they pitch well and you still have to move them and could possibly get more, but there's not a lot of teams that have room on their 25-man roster by the end of spring training.
If the Cubs are dealing with the A's, can they get Sean Gallagher or Josh Donaldson back?
Comments