TCR Friday Notes
Looks like the cellphone minutes that have been accumulating between Orioles GM Jim Duquette and Jim Hendry will finally payoff. It probably won't land us Miguel Tejada, but it does look like we'll rid ourselves of Corey Patterson. Rumor has is that the 2 teams are close to a trade sending Patterson for a mid-level prospect. If the Cubs can just rid themselves of Patterson's salary, I'll consider it a good trade no matter who we get in return. It should free up a 40-man roster spot as well so that we can welcome in the Marquis Grissom era.
- Did Chuck LaMarr sign with the O's? If every rumor is to be believed they may have passed up on Prior, Manny Ramirez and possibly now Bobby Abreu. The latest Tejada rumor from Ken Rosenthal is that the Phillies are offering Bobby Abreu for Tejada, but the O's want a pitcher in the deal and I suppose they want one who, you know, can actually pitch. The Phils would move Tejada to third base. Seems like an awfully stupid trade if you're the Phillies. Tejada makes for one great shortstop, not so much as a 3rd basemen and your giving up an argubably better bat. Other then a boost in the clubhouse temperament, I'm not sure what the Phillies would gain in that deal, other then maybe a bit of payroll flexibility, although I'm guessing the O's would want the Phils to even up the money.
I just can't imagine why anyone would want to make a deal with Duquette and the O's by this point. Tejada's a superstar, but he's not the answer to life, the universe and everything. No matter what deal the O's strike, they'll still be the 4th best team in their division and very possibly the 5th if the D'Rays ever find some pitchers. The O's should be purging some teams minor league system for major league ready prospects and gaining the payroll flexibility to actually help them contend in a year or two, since contending this season is out of the question. Angelos must suffer from the same delusions that Tribco does, that it's better to trot out mediocrity versus actually developing a long-term strategy to win. Anyway, I'd love for Tejada to join the Cubs, but at this point, I don' think there will ever be a deal that would make the O's happy.
- Prior voiding his contract so that he can file for arbitration is a non-story. Agreed? Great, let's move on.
- The Cubs spring roster is at 53 at the moment and the following non-roster players have gotten invites.
OF Marquis Grissom
INF Augie Ojeda
OF Mike Restovich
P Bobby Brownlie
P Carmen Pignatiello
P Raul Valdez
P Randy Wells
C Dennis Anderson (Who the hell is he?)
C Jake Fox
INF Casey McGehee
INF Brandon Sing
OF Buck Coats
OF Adam Greenberg
I'm sure a few more will be on there way. The good news is, no Jose Macias anywhere on that list.
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