Cubs rumors

(Yeah, that headline really happened)

The Sun-Times is reporting that Jim Hendry has been working the phones the last month with Billy Beane and the A's to try and pry Rich Harden from them. Of course, the A's are just four games back in the wild card and six back in the AL West and have one of the better run differentials in the league. So being a seller isn't necessarily a foregone conclusion, and don't be surprised if this rumor lasts until July 31st.

No names were mentioned, but you'd have to imagine that Beane would like somthing similar to the six for two swap he pulled for Dan Haren.

The article also states the Cubs are looking for a lefty for the bullpen with Eyre spending more time on the disabled list than the roster to this point and Neal Cotts being Neal Cotts.

The recently released Jim Edmonds should clear waivers on Wednesday and it looks like the Cubs are going to bite. The move would likely send Felix Pie to the minors and give Edmonds the majority of playing time in a center field platoon with Reed Johnson.

So it's understandable that the Cubs want to upgrade center field right now. It seems to be the only weak spot in the lineup and some of our guys are certainly going to regress substantially from their early season success. But could the Cubs actually find someone to upgrade with?

A tale of the 2008 tape after the jump...

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Two quick notes from Gordon Wittenmeyer...

The Cubs are getting enough interest from other teams in outfielder Matt Murton that a deal might get done by the end of the weekend to keep the Cubs from having to send the .296 career hitter to the minors.

They're just making sure no injuries occur today and Murton will most likely be out of here.

The battle between lefties Sean Marshall and Carmen Pignatiello for Eyre's vacated spot is going down to the final day.

Manager Lou Piniella said before Friday's late game that each lefty would get an inning of work during the two-game set against Seattle.

It seems Lou really want to give Marshall every chance to win that spot, even though Pignatiello has easily outperformed him this spring.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Cubs and Tigers have had "general discussions" about getting the Tigers some bullpen help. The Cubs are, of course, in the market for a right-handed hitting, three-spot outfielder.

The Cubs have considered adding a right-handed hitter who is capable of playing centerfield. Whether coincidental or not, Brandon Inge is expected to start in center for Detroit this afternoon against Philadelphia.

I should note that the Tigers played the Astros today and Inge does not show up in the box score and I see no mentions of a split-squad game, so it's entirely possible that the writer is whacked. 

The article also mention Marcus Thames, but Leyland seems to like him, and he's not really suited for centerfield supposedly. 

Of course, the same could be said of Brandon Inge, who came up as a catcher and has played third base most of his career. He has played some outfield, including 20 games at center (most of those in 2004). But is this what the Cubs had in mind? 

Somehow I doubt it, but I did hear one of the local Detroit press guys on XM radio a few weeks back saying that Inge could TRULY play all eight positions on the diamond and excel at most of them. Unfortunately, Inge has stated his unwillingness to be a platoon player or semi-regular. Not to mention he had a truly awful season offensively last year(236/312/376) and has a rather hefty contract (signed through 2010 with over $19 MM left on his deal). But if the numbers could work and if the game was based on theory, he wouldn't be a bad player to have around. In reality, it's doubtful this rumor will go anywhere...which would put it up there with most of the Cubs offseason hot stove talk.

By way of Gordon Wittenmyer in the Sun-Times, Lou Piniella talks about the importance of finding days off for Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, et al.

Hmmm, sounds like what you could use, Lou, is a “super sub.”

Meanwhile the 26th Cub, Brian Roberts, showed up for Orioles camp and got to choose between discussing his as yet unrealized trade to the Cubs and the presence of his name in the Mitchell Report.

Have the Chicago/Baltimore talks cooled to the point that the supposed principals aren’t even thinking about it any more? Andy MacPhail claims he spoke to Roberts Tuesday morning and the subject didn’t even come up.

...we have rumors. 

On Saturday Texas Rangers observer Jamey Newberg of The Newberg Report reacted to this story at mlb.com regarding the Cubs' interest in 30-year-old outfielder Marlon Byrd and the possibility that Matt Murton could be headed for the Rangers.

Newberg theorizes that Murton could join David Murphy in a platoon tandem that would man left field for the Rangers. But Newberg believes the Rangers would have to package at least one solid prospect along with Byrd before the Cubs would bite.

"...Murton is probably out of position anywhere other than left.

"That defensive limitation is the only reason I can conceive of that the Cubs would entertain the idea of moving Murton for Byrd, who is adequate in center field. While both players can probably help a contending team in 2008, the four-year age difference would be significant for a team looking not so much at what sort of noise it can make this season but more at a longer-term fit, like Texas.

"Whether you believe Byrd's breakout in 2007 (.307/.355/.459, 70 RBI in two-thirds of a big league season, but .269/.310/.417 after the All-Star Break) was a mirage, it's hard to argue that at age 30 he's a player to build with (especially now that his ability to play center field is no longer pivotal here). On the other hand, with Chicago believing it can win now and wanting a right-handed hitter capable of sharing center field duties with 22-year-old lefthander Felix Pie, Byrd makes some sense. I just can't imagine the Cubs would trade Murton for him without demanding a legitimate prospect tossed in."