Any Team Can Have a Bad Century (Transactions)

2004-08-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Twins get: Justin Jones f/ Cubs
Red Sox get: Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz
Expos get: Alex Gonzalez, Brendan Harris, and Francis Beltran
Cubs get: Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton

Jim Hendry pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this one. For the last 2-3 weeks, word was Nomar was staying and the Cubs had their sights on Montreal's Orlando Cabrera. Even baseball guru, Peter Gammons, who is never wrong about these things (sarcasm) said he was 99% sure Nomar was staying in Boston until the end of this season. So, Saturday afternoon, Cubs nation was waiting to see what Hendry had given up to the 'Spos for Cabrera. Montreal was rumored to be asking for Angel Guzman and/or Felix Pie, along with the exchange of two .230s hitting SS. Obviously, Hendry was not gonna give up his top 2 prospects for an underachieving 2 month rental, so it was possible the Cubs would do nothing before the July 31 deadline.

Just after 5pm EST, it was announced that Nomar Garciaparra was coming to the Cubs in a 4-way deal. No other details were given, except that it was assumed the deal involved Matt Clement and perhaps, Derek Lowe. Not only did the Cubs not have to give up 1/5 of baseball's best rotation, but they got a 2-time batting champ, and perennial All-Star SS without giving up the 2 big named prospects rumored to be going for months.

Breakdown: Cubs obviously get a huge upgrade at SS. Nomar will hit over .300, and makes an inconsistent lineup potent from 1-8. The Cubs did give up 3 of their top 10 prospects. But another key in the deal was picking up Matt Murton. Murton was a 2003 supplemental draft pick by the Red Sox out of Georgia Tech (same school as Nomar). He was rated their 5th best prospect. Murton is a legit 4-tool player, who lacks only a strong throwing arm. He has a good batting eye and doesn't strike out much. He will hit for average, and is developing the power of a corner OF. Murton is currently 9th in the FSL in hitting at .301. He was elected an All-Star and won the league's HR derby over the Cubs, Brandon Sing.

Francis Beltran had the system's best fastball, and was being groomed as a possible closer of the future. After a dominant winter ball season, Beltran spent the majority of this season in the Cubs bullpen. He was used sparingly early on, but fought his way into pitching in close game situations where he started to flourish. Just the last couple weeks, Beltran started to falter and saw his ERA take a bit of a hit. Francis had a great K rate, but also had his share of control problems.

Justin Jones was rated by some as the system's best pitching prospect before the season. At 18 years old, he was dominant at class A- Lansing in 2003. He was hailed as the next great Cubs prospect, a projectable lefty with a good feel for 3 pitches and near pinpoint control. However, in the 2nd half of 2003, Jones ran into some arm problems, that he hasn't fully recovered from yet. His numbers were down while repeating Lansing, but the ceiling is still there for the 19-year old to be a top of the rotation type starter.

Brendan Harris probably hurt the most to lose. Jones is at least 3 years from the majors. Beltran had seemingly been passed by Jon Leicester, Todd Wellemeyer, and Ryan Dempster for one of the final spots in the bullpen. But Harris had a legit shot to be part of the 2005 Cubs. Harris has hit everywhere he has been, including the pitching dominated Florida State League in 2002, when he drew comparisons to Albert Pujols. Harris, though, is more in the mold of Michael Young or Marcus Giles, a doubles hitter with good patience, who makes contact, has decent speed, and surprising power. He has the versatility to adequately play 2B, SS, and 3B defensively, and would have been a great cheap option in the middle IF for 2005. At worst, Harris would have been the utility man for a Cubs team with a re-signed Todd Walker at 2B and a long-term answer at SS. Brendan showed in a brief callup that he had a great approach at the plate and will be a ML hitter someday soon.

2004-05-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

More Minor League Manuevering

The enigma that is Luis Montanez took another turn this week, as the Cubs sent the former #3 draft pick to extended spring training in Mesa. The Cubs apparently plan to convert Luis from middle IF to outfielder.

For some odd reason, the Cubs feel that Montanez (a very bad offensive middle IF) will be better suited to play corner OF, (because face it, he won't be able to play CF) where his bat will be even more of a liability.

As noted in the farm report, Ryan O'Malley was returned to Daytona to fill the roster spot left by Montanez.

Daytona will have to make another roster move in 2 days as #1 prospect Angel Guzman will make his season debut this Thursday in Daytona. Guzman will make one or 2 starts in Florida before joining the talented West Tennessee rotation.

2004-05-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

Again, sorry for the week off. There was a bunch of roster movement throughout the Cubs organization over the past 10 days.

Chicago-
4/30- Glendon Rusch's contract was purchased (spot vacated by Sanchez trade), he was promoted to Chicago and Mike Wuertz sent down to Iowa.
5/5- Alex Gonzalez went on the 15-day DL with a broken bone in his wrist.
5/6- Damian Jackson's contract was purchased after the Cubs moved Mark Prior from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. Jackson was promoted to Chicago to replace the injured Gonzalez.

Iowa-
5/5- Andy Pratt was placed on the disabled list. Bryan Corey was released and allowed to sign a contract in Japan. Ryan O'Malley was promoted from Daytona.
5/6- Matt Creighton promoted from West Tenn. RHP-David Manning signed as a free agent.
5/8- Ryan O'Malley returned to Daytona. Cubs received RHP- Shawn Sedlacek from the Mets for cash considerations and assigned him to Iowa.

West Tenn-
5/1- Scott Chiasson activated from the disabled list.
5/6- Former 1st round draft pick, Ben Christensen was released by the Cubs. Mike Dzurilla activated from the DL. Matt Creighton promoted to Iowa to make room.
5/8- Chadd Blasko was placed on the DL. Jordan Gerk promoted from Daytona.

Daytona-
5/5- Craig Green promoted from Mesa.

Lansing-
5/7- Justin Jones promoted from extended spring training. Carlos Mejia promoted from Mesa. Kyle Boyer and Ed Campusano sent to Mesa.

The injury to Alex doesn't hurt much on the surface, as he was the least productive Cub in the lineup, by far. But Martinez and Jackson are utility men at best. It's early in the season, but with Gonzalez out 6-8 weeks, I would love for Hendry to go after a cheap replacement and simply release the worthless, Jose Macias.

In the minors, it's good to see guys like Jones, Harris, and Chiasson coming back from injuries. All have important summers ahead of them. Sorry to see Big Ben go. He had #1 pick potential at one time, but elbow and shoulder surgery was too much to overcome. I wish him the best. The Mejia for Boyer swap is interesting. Boyer has been battling a hand injury after being hit by a pitch and hasn't been able to get the playing time to get his timing together.

2004-04-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

The Cubs trade LHR- Felix Sanchez to Detroit for LHS- Jon Connolly.

This trade seems like a case of Sanchez not developing as the Cubs would like. Sanchez has always had the arm, but never developed a serviceable offspeed pitch. Felix had a 7.71 ERA in 7 games for the AA-West Tenn DiamondJaxx. In Jon Connolly, the Cubs get crafty lefty with a brief, but successful minor league career. Here's the Baseball America scouting report on the newest Cub.

Connolly led the minors in ERA, and not just because he pitched at Fifth Third Ballpark. His ERA was 1.35 at home versus 1.51 on the road. While he didn't scare any hitters with his stuff, he has a good enough feel for pitching that scouts and managers give him a chance as a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Connolly's changeup, a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale, isn't just his only above-average pitch--it's his only average pitch. He throws 83-88 mph, and his 6-foot build doesn't figure to generate more velocity. His curveball is just a tick better than his fastball. But his ability to locate his pitches precisely where he wants and to change speeds is outstanding.

The key for this move is it clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the Cubs. It is expected that the news in tomorrow's transactions will be that Glendon Rusch is called up for this weekend's series in St. Louis to replace Michael Wuertz in the Cubs bullpen.

2004-04-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

In a minor move on Tuesday, the Cubs promoted Jermaine Van Buren to AA West Tennessee and cut Jose Cueto. Cueto allowed 11 runs and 11 hits, on 4 HRs in just 4 2/3 innings this year for the Jaxx. Van Buren's spot on the Lugnuts roster has not been filled.

2004-04-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

So, I was wrong! I said that Grudz's injury may have given Andy Pratt a couple more weeks on the roster....well, before yesterday's game the Cubs sent Pratt to AAA-Iowa and called up Francis Beltran. Beltran had been the closer in Iowa. He was a perfect 3 for 3 in saves with 3 strikeouts in over 3 1/3 spotless innings. Pratt will likely join the Iowa rotation. He walked 7 men and posted a 21+ ERA in just under 2 innings of work for the Cubs this season.

2004-04-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Injuries continue to pile up

The Cubs place 2B-Mark Grudzielanek on the 15-day DL with a partial tear to the achilles tendon. Jose Macias was taken off the disabled list to replace Grudz on the roster.

That damn achilles again! First Prior, now Grudzie. The Cubs believe he will be out just 2 more weeks, so it doesn't sound too serious. Grudz was the hottest Cub hitter, and probably had the best approach at the plate of anyone so far this season. Todd Walker should get the majority of the starts at 2B, with Ramon Martinez getting a shot vs. LHPs. Seven games into the season, and this is the 4th Cub to see time on the DL already. This injury probably spared a couple more weeks for Andy Pratt, who has proven to be not ready for this level. Hopefully, the Cubs can stay afloat for the first month or two. When this team is 100% healthy, it should still make its run.

2004-04-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

The Cubs 25-man roster is set!

The Cubs sent Jimmy Anderson to AAA-Iowa and purchased the contract of Mike Wuertz.

Wuertz is a great feel good story for the organization. He is a Cubs original draft pick in 1997's 11th round, who spent six years in the Cubs minor league system. He's not blessed with spectacular stuff, but obviously had the work ethic to make the ballclub as a non-roster invitee. His minor league numbers were less than spectacular as a starter. Wuertz started in all 140 of his outings before mid-season at Iowa last season. After manager Mike Quade moved him to the bullpen, Wuertz saw a boost in the velocity of his fastball and continued to improve his solid changeup. Since then, Mike has just thrown strikes, culminating with his spring success. Wuertz forced his way on the Cubs roster with a 20:3 K:BB ratio in 14.2 innings this spring. He has a 1.80 ERA and has given up just 10 hits.

In other roster news, fan favorite, Scott McClain has picked the Seibu Lions over the Iowa Cubs. McClain will return to play baseball in Japan, where he spent his last 3 seasons. I congratulate him on his wonderful spring, and wish him success in the Far East.

Yesterday, the Cubs also signed veteran IF, Benji Gil to a minor league contract and set him to AAA-Iowa.

So, your opening day Chicago Cubs will be:

OF-Sosa, Patterson, Alou, Hollandsworth, Goodwin
IF-Lee, Ramirez, Walker, Grudzielanek, Martinez, Gonzalez
C-Barrett, Bako
SP-Wood, Maddux, Clement, Zambrano, Mitre
RP-Borowski, Farnsworth, Hawkins, Mercker, Pratt, Wellemeyer, Wuertz
DL-Prior, Dempster, Macias

2004-04-02T07:52:00.001-08:00

Early Thursday, the Cubs sign LHP-Glendon Rusch and IF-Damian Jackson to minor league contracts and place them at AAA-Iowa. Also, Gary Glover was sent to minor league camp. After the game on Thursday, the Cubs sent Bryan Corey and Scott McClain to AAA-Iowa.

With the news from Mesa that Dusty Baker had decided to go with 12 pitchers, while awaiting the return of Jose Macias, you had to figure this day was coming for the man affectionately known as "Die Hard" on the NorthSide Baseball forums. Despite, McClain's leading the team this spring in HRs and RBIs, the Cubs felt with the uncertainty of the Mark Prior and Mike Remlinger injuries, they needed the extra arm in the pen in case of ineffectiveness of young pitchers, Sergio Mitre, Andy Pratt, and Todd Wellemeyer. With a near spectacular outing yesterday, veteran Jimmy Anderson kept himself alive in a battle with Mike Wuertz for the final roster slot.

As for the other moves....Corey had a pretty decent spring and looked pretty good at times, but didn't have much of a shot to make the roster. Glover had a chance to make the Iowa roster, but was roughed up down the stretch and may go the way of the waiver wire with the Rusch signing. Speaking of Rusch, he was released by the Rangers and given a shot with the Cubs. Rusch had a 3.23 ERA in the second half last year out of the bullpen, with 33 Ks, and just 9 walks. That stretch in the pen allowed him to give away the distinction of worst NL pitcher in 2003 to Shawn Estes. He looks to be insurance for the 5th starter and middle relief positions. Damian Jackson will join Rusch at Iowa, after being released by Colorado. This signing seems a little strange, as Jackson could have possibly taken his 2003 playoff experience to a major league roster as a few other teams were interested. The Cubs also have Macias coming back in a few weeks with Brendan Harris and newly acquired, Richard Lewis as insurance for the middle IF.

2004-03-26T09:26:00.000-08:00

Friday, March 26, 2004
TEAM
Chicago Cubs Assigned outfielder Trenidad Hubbard, catchers Casey Kopitzke and Fernando Lunar, outfielder Calvin Murray, infielder Bill Selby and pitcher Jamey Wright to minor league camp

My analysis: HO-HUM! Hubbard should be cut if he doesn't voluntarily retire. The rest should be in Iowa, although Wright better watch out too.

For those counting, that brings the NRI list down to 5. Scott McClain, Mike Wuertz, Jimmy Anderson, Gary Glover, and Bryan Corey. That leaves 29 players on the spring roster.

2004-03-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

It's official! The Cubs have given up on Juan Cruz. This afternoon, Cruz and Steve Smyth were traded to Atlanta for lefty Andy Pratt and minor league IF, Richard Lewis.

The book on Pratt: He is a 5'11" 160 LB, 24-year old LHP originally drafted in the 9th round by Texas. He is the son of Daytona Cubs pitching coach, Tom Pratt. He has been a starter for most of his 5 year minor league career (125 of 133 games). He had probably his best year last year at AAA-Richmond. He led the International League in strikeouts (161) and ranked eighth in ERA (3.40). Despite his lack of overwhelming size, Pratt has been quite the strikeout pitcher, averaging nearly 8.5 K/9. He throws a plus slider as his bread and butter, and a fastball that sits around 92-93 mph. However, he has had some problems with control which will probably keep him from being an effective ML starter. This spring, he was 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in five Grapefruit League games with Atlanta. He was competing for a spot in the Atlanta bullpen, and should be able to help the Cubs immediately in theirs.

The book on Lewis: He is a 6'1" 2B out of Georgia Tech, originally a 1st round (40th pick) pick. Lewis has potential as a leadoff man. He's just a career .255 hitter in the minors, but has a decent batting eye. However, he has very little power with just 12 HRs in over 1200 minor league ABs, and a career SLP of just .341. He has decent speed (66 SBs in 3 years) and plays solid defense. Like Smyth, he was probably more of a throw-in.

Now for my analysis....Since his 2001 debut, when he showed more flashes of the Pedro comparisons than not, it has been up-and-down for Juan Cruz. Cruz has aged 2 years, lost his rotation spot numerous times to the likes of Jason Bere and Shawn Estes, and been yo-yoed from majors to minors and from starter to bullpen. I go back and forth with "is Cruz a bust?" and "have the Cubs given him a shot?". The answer is probably a little of both. The Cubs went out and signed Greg Maddux to take away his shot at the rotation. And frankly, he has probably been passed by Guzman, Wellemeyer and Mitre; and is getting pressure from the next wave of prospects who will be in AA this year. Still, I believe the Cubs gave up on Juan a little too soon. The only times he has ever been handed the ball consistently, he was victimized by his defense as a starter and was one of the team's top relievers in the 2nd half of the dismal 2002 season.

This is an OK trade, I guess. Cruz really did need a change of scenery, and I guess it was probably naive to think the Cubs could get in return what his upside would be worth if he reached it. However, I question the type of player the Cubs got in return. The best the Cubs could hope for is that Pratt has a solid career as a lefty specialist out of the pen (LOOGY). I believe that this spring's fetish with LH pitching led to this move. Pratt may wind up better than Cruz, but I think this is a move to get a LHP for the sake of getting one. It is not a need. Even without Remlinger, the Cubs have Farnsy, Hawkins, Mercker, and Borowski who dominate LH hitters. Another guy who MIGHT be able to do that, to me, isn't worth going after when you have to give up someone who at least has the potential to be so much more.

We'll have to see what happens, though. So for now, I welcome Andy Pratt and Richard Lewis to the Cubs and wish Juan and Smyth the best of luck in the ATL.

2004-03-23T11:34:00.000-08:00

03/22/04 Optioned RHP Francis Beltran, OF Jason Dubois, OF Nic Jackson and OF David Kelton to Triple-A Iowa; reassigned IF Felix Martinez and LHP Juan Pena to minor league camp.

03/16/04 Optioned IF Brendan Harris, RHP Jonathan Leicester and LHP Felix Sanchez to Triple-A Iowa; optioned RHP Angel Guzman, LHP Renyel Pinto and IF Ronny Cedeno to Double-A West Tenn; optioned LHP Carlos Vasquez to Single-A Daytona; reassigned RHP Scott Chiasson and RHP John Foster to minor league camp.

I know I'm a little late (Vegas trip, YEAH!), but these are the most recent spring training roster moves. The most interesting thing, that I may be reading too much into, is Cedeno going to AA. Having Cedeno start at West Tenn is another step in the long line of the Cubs abuse of the talented, but raw middle IF. Ronny didn't handle low or high A very well offensively or defensively. Still a very young player, I don't see a valid reason to rush him....again. It's also interesting that the Cubs assigned those guys to minor league camp. I would guess that means they are borderline guys, maybe between Iowa and West Tenn or possibly guys that won't be the organization for much longer. If the latter is the case, I really wish the best for Scott Chiasson.

BTW, that Iowa team will be loaded with legitimate prospects for a change. It will be nice not to have to deal with the Trinidad Hubbards of the world.

2004-03-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, the Cubs signed Kerry Wood and Derrek Lee to 3-year contracts.

Woody's deal gives the Cubs payroll flexibility this season, lowering his base salary to $7M in 2004, it goes to $8.5M in 2005, and $11M in 2006. He also has a $3M signing bonus paid out at $1M per year. There is a mutual option for 2007 of $13.5M or a $3M buyout. The Cubs half of the option kicks in if Kerry pitches 400 innings combined from '05-'06.

Lee's deal also is payroll friendly for 2004, cutting his $6.9 salary to $5.5M this year, $7M in 2005, and $8M in 2006. He receives a $2M signing bonus spread out over the life of the contract.

Both are very good deals for the Cubs, as both will probably be bargains for the next 2 years, at least. It also solidifies the core of the team. Wood, Lee, Prior, Zambrano, Patterson, Hawkins are all around for next year (and all under 30). Ramirez, Sosa, Maddux, Borowski, Barrett, Farnsworth are all under Cubs control for 2005, leaving very few holes to fill for the first time in a long while.

2004-02-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

FINALLY!

Greg Maddux is back in Cubbie blue pinstripes as his agent, the notorious Scott Boras, and Jim Hendry agreed to terms. The terms appear to be a 3-year/$24M deal, with Maddux earning $6M for 2004, $9M for 2005, and with a vesting option that pays him $9M in 2006 if he meets certain incentives. The signing of Maddux gives the Cubs perhaps the most formidable rotation in all of baseball, certainly the National League. The future Hall of Famer joins Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Clement; a group that took the Cubs within 4 outs of their first World Series appearance in almost 48 years.

The Cubs also get the pleasure of seeing Maddux cement his place in history, by him getting his 300th win in a Cubs uniform. The milestone should be inevitable as Maddux has won at least 15 games (and thrown at least 199 innings) in the last 16 seasons.

The best thing, however, that comes from the Maddux signing is not that he will make the Cubs one of the best rotations in recent history, but that this saga IS FINALLY OVER! The longest big-name free agency is no longer a guessing game. It started in December with the assumption that Maddux wanted to be near his home(s) in Las Vegas and San Diego. But the Padres never made an offer because of lack of money, despite moving into a new stadium. The Dodgers ownership questions and already strong pitching staff didn't allow them to make an offer. The Angels decided to go with the younger, Bartolo Colon and Kelvin Escobar. The formal offers came from Baltimore, San Francisco, NY Mets, and the Cubs. Maddux turned down the Orioles very lucrative offer, stating that he wanted to remain in the NL. He also wanted to win, so the Mets weren't very serious contenders to his services. The Giants denied interest for months, before finally making an offer. The Cubs made the 1st offer that Boras had to actually think about, a 2-year, $12M deal. After hearing nothing for over a month, negotiations finally re-started with the Cubs upping their offer to $15M. At the last moment, another team entered the bidding. Yes, the ever present EVIL EMPIRE! Reports from ESPN stated as recently as Monday night that Maddux to the Yankees was all but done. I was already to post a "Maddux is a Sellout" article, being that Greg had turned down more money from New York 11 years ago to go to Atlanta. I was appalled that the seemingly smart, baseball purist would contribute to the league's 1st ever $200M payroll team. But it was all a farce as Maddux nor the Yankees never really considered each other as business partners.

Pitching may have already been the Cubs strength, but signing one of the game's best ever can never be a bad thing. I feel bad for Juan Cruz who still won't get his chance to prove himself, but this move puts the Cubs in the driver's seat to a WS appearance. With Maddux, the Cubs now have the pitching depth to make a mid-season deal to pick up missing pieces in case of injury (Alou, Sosa, Patterson) or ineffectiveness (Gonzalez, Barrett). If the pitching staff can stay healthy, we could be looking at a historic season in sports.

2003-12-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

Cubs sign Todd Walker to a 1yr. 1.75 mil deal.

A very good move, the Cubs needed some insurance for the probability of Grudzielanek regressing to his career numbers ('03 was his second best of 9 years). Walker will make a great platoon partner as he hits RHs at a .800 OPS clip, this allows eliminates the chance of Grudzielanek reaching his incentive clause for '05. There are some questions about Walker not being able to hit at home, despite being able to hit in the Metrodome, Cinergy, Fenway and the easy Coors field, I have seen no proof that going from Fenway to Wrigley will greatly impact his offensive numbers. Another concern, is his defense, which by all accounts was horrible in '03 and much worse than his career numbers, which were slightly below avg. to begin with. If Wallker can perform at the same level as his career numbers indicate, he will not be as much of a liability as expected. This move basically locks up the bench with Hollandsworth, Goodwin, Macias, Martinez, Bako, and Grudzielanek/Walker, which is a dramtic improvement over '03.

2003-12-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

Where to begin, I leave for a week and Hendry becomes extremely active after the Winter Meetings.

Cubs sign Todd Hollandsworth for 1 yr. at 1mil.

Hollandsworth is the ideal 4th OF for a team with a solid starting OF and post-season goals. His numbers throughout his career have been extremely avg., both offensively and defensively, can play all 3 OF spots (I assume Goodwin will likely play CF) and can play 1B. It is hard not to consider a player avg. when he has an EqA of .263/OPS+ of 99 and a rate that hovers around 100. He has avg. power, can hit for a decent avg., draw BBs at an ok pace and is relatively cheap for a player who will likely get a fair amount of stats, given the likely injury rate and Baker's tendency to rest positional players. He will likely be the 1st PH off the bench and will serve a key spot on the roster as a role player.

Cubs sign Kent Mercker to a 1 yr. 1.2mil deal.

Well, I was wondering how the Cubs would compensate the loss of Guthrie and the replace him with a player that is very similar, but 1 million cheaper and a couple years younger. His numbers in '03 were very similar to Guthrie's in '03. Mercker did better vs. RHs than LHs, a high amount of HRs for a reliever, but once he arrived in Atlanta, his HR ratio dropped dramatically. Also, like Guthrie he walks too many batters, but was able to maintain a higher amount of strikeouts unlike Guthrie. Likely the 5th option out of the pen and 1st option as the situational lefty (LOOGY), he will have a role out of the pen and will likely get 45IP next year.

Cubs re-sign Ramon Martinez to a 1yr 900K deal.

This was expected as it appears to be a match made in heaven, Martinez is the ultimate super-sub, has a great relationship with Dusty, and the Cubs needed that role to be filled. Above avg. offensively for a MI utility type player, he will likely see an increased role as Gonzalez or Grudzielanek will either struggle or be injured at some point next year. It was nice to get him signed for under 1mil. as he will likely be the 1st defensive option off the bench as well as the 2nd PH option (1st against LHs).

Cubs trade Wilton Chavez to Montreal for Jose Macias and sign Macias to a 1yr 750K deal.

The Cubs need the token utility player every off-season and instead of Augie Ojeda, this year it becomes Jose Macias who fills the role as the 6th OF and the 4th option as a MI. Like Ojeda, there is nothing to get excited about offensively, struggles to hit for avg., doesn't take a BB, and no power. Defensively, his value is in the fact he plays several positions more than how well he plays defensively. This would have been an ideal spot to acquire a player via Rule 5 and sit him in the role of the 25 player or a 6yr minor league FA. I'm not high on Wilton Chavez, his age increase basically deflated his ceiling and hasn't been productive enough to surpass more gifted pitching prospects. This has to do with keeping an inferior player on the 25 man roster, which is about par with Ojeda.

Cubs re-sign Paul Bako to a 1yr 865K deal.

Like Ramon, this was expected and as the back-up to a C coming off injuries, he will see a considerable amount of games behind the plate. Bako is a sound defensive player with a strong and accurate arm, he is the ideal back-up C. Minus his games vs. Cincy this year, he struggles offensively, with his inability to hit for avg, power, and his inability to draw BBs and strikeout at a rapid pace.

Cubs non-tender Randall Simon allowing him to become a FA.

Poor Simon, he hits well enough in Chicago to slightly deserve a return and possible consideration as a starter and then Derrek Lee falls into Hendry's lap. Once the Cubs acquired Lee, the writing was on the wall as far as the Cubs looking to trade Simon for anything. Unable to do so, they decided not to offer arbitration and eliminated the chances of him returning.

Cubs acquire Michael Barrett from Oakland for Damian Miller and 800K cash, the Cubs signed Michael Barrett to a 1yr. 1.55mil deal.

Interesting move, the Cubs save 700K, get a C that is entering the prime of his career and who has been courted by Hendry in the past. I've never been nearly as high as Hendry/Dick Pole as far as Barrett, he has been well below avg. for of his career offensively and defensively, and is coming off an injury prone '03. He definitely isn't worthy of being penciled in as the starting C next year and his true worth is his ability to play C and 3B as a back-up but, the Cubs gave up 2.35 to get him and it doubtful, he will sit on the bench. I am still holding out for Kendall or Pudge, but it remains doubtful the Cubs will pursue anyting as far as improving the Catchers. The ZiPS projections are not too promising for Barrett and will likely lead to a similar that plagued the Cubs last year as far as having dead weight in 7-8-9 spots in the order.

Mike Nannini is the PTBNL to complete the Derrek Lee for Hee Seop Choi trade.

I've been expecting Nannini to be traded for quite some time now, my expectations finally came true. I was shocked to see him included in this deal as I thought Florida was looking for a RH power pitcher and Nannini tops out at 90MPH. I had Nannini listed in the 20-25 range as far as Cubs' prospects, he has an avg. FB, a very sharp curve and an improving change-up. Nannini would have likely started out at Iowa after an impressive campaign in the SL and projects as a btm of the rotation starter.

Cubs sign Jamey Wright, Bill Selby, Gary Glover to minor league contracts.

I guess wishes can come true, I have wanted Jamey Wright on this team for quite some time and it finally happens. Like many who fall into tool traps, I can't help but notice Wright's 90MPH sinker, sharp slider, sharp curve, and a good change-up and see the potential that have GMs continuing to sign or trade for him. I think he has a legit shot as the 6th man out of the pen (long-relief) and like Clement will benefit from having Rothshild as his pitching coach. Also, he will finally get away some of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball. Like Clement/Cruz, he still has to be able to control the (+) movement and while he will never be a control pitcher has the chance to improve his BBs to the point where they do not ruin the remainder of his career. For Wright to become successful, he will have to keep the ball down, maintain a fair K/IP and lower the BBs. Oddly enough, I still project him as a btm of the rotation starter and an above avg. reliever.

As far as Glover and Selby, most likely they will be Iowa fill-ins, I think Glover ass the chance the stick on the ML roster of a team with poor pitching, which cause him to ask for his unconditional release if he does not make the 25 man roster.

2003-12-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

Cubs sign Mark Grudzielanek (2B) and Tom Goodwin (OF).

Not much of a surprise, Grudzielanek was not commanding a large share of the 2B demand and the Cubs needed a 2B. Expected to leadoff or hit 2nd, the Cubs are hoping he can repeat his numbers of '03 and prove he can once again he can improve over his career averages. They signed him only for 2.5mil with a team option after next year, which is plenty of insurance if he flops in '04, I question his ability to repeat his production in '04, I'd be thrilled to be proven wrong. Also, this will allow the Cubs financial flexibility near the all-star break with his low salary and the ability for the Cubs to use him as a one year stop-gap if Harris excels at Iowa.

Goodwin is an ideal 5th OF, athletic and the ability to be a pinch-runner will be his strong suits next year. Unless the Cubs get a substantially better 4th OF, this will end my doubts of the Cubs being overly cautious w/Patterson if he struggles at the beg. of '04. I do think they need a 4th OF, but that is for Alou/Sosa and the increased possibilities of them getting injured, which I think Kelton could step in, if they did get injured. I want Kelton at AAA to get 450ABs and cont. to develop as an OF.

Overall, it was two good moves, not every move has to be a blockbuster, they need to upgrade SS/C and hopefully the low salaries of Grudzielanek and Goodwin will increase the odds of getting Kendall or a SS.

2003-12-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

Cubs sign RH reliever LaTroy Hawkins to 3yr 11mil deal (chance to make 15 mil w/incentives).

Let the spending continue, there is no questioning the talent of LaTroy or the production last year, I do question the timing of the deal. Armed with a 98FB a nasty slider and a + curve, LaTroy has the talent to be one of the best and was last year. To go along with his great stuff, he has outstanding control and keeps the ball down allowing few HRs. He does well against LHs, allowing a sub .600OPS vs. them in' 03 and his second half stats were 4-1 2S 0.85ERA in 31.2IP and was the 11th best reliever in baseball last year. Early in his 30's, he is still young enough to not expect a rapid pace of decline (Remlinger) and considering the market partially established by the Yankees, his deal seems within reason for the terms of the contract.

I do wish the Cubs could have been able to wait about 5 more days, to keep the 1st rounder, but with the signing of Quantrill by the Yankees, there was still demand from NY despite the acquisition of Tom Gordon. The loss of the 1st rounder can be reduced if they are willing to allocate that potential 1.5-2mil later in the draft and select a player who has fallen b/c of signability questions like Sam Fuld last year (who the Cubs did not sign which still angers me).

As far as the bullpen, that gives them 3 very good relievers (Hawkins, Farnsworth, Borowski), 1 slightly above avg (Remlinger), and 2 "?". I have been pretty stubborn as far as who I want to fill the other 2 spots. I think Gabe White and Rincon are ideal LOOGYs and perfectly suited for that role, which Remlinger is no LOOGY and I would like to see them send Mitre and Welly to AAA. That leaves someone like Brad Clontz (sidearm RH) as who I want to fill the role as a situational RH who is a 6yr minor league FA and be signed for the minimum.

That creates a pen of:
Borowski
Hawkins
Farnsworth
Remlinger
Rincon/White
Clontz

That would obviously take the bullpen that was slightly below avg. to an above avg. pen with the price tag to prove it.

2003-11-26T18:45:00.000-08:00

The Cubs trade Hee Seop Choi (1B) and a PTBNL to Florida for Derrek Lee (1B).

The major acquisition of the off-season so far, Derrek Lee has the chance to be a major force in the middle of the Cubs line-up. Losing Choi adds validity of the Cubs' desire to win next year at the possible expense of following seasons, if the Cubs are unable to sign him long-term.

There is nothing wrong with Lee, who will enjoy his ABs the Friendly Confines much more than Pro Player Stadium and the 7-10 games in Cincy, Milwaukee, and Houston a great deal as well. Blessed with a powerful stroke, the ability to crush FBs, and the ability to draw BBs, he should have best season in the majors as he will finally get away from Florida, Jack McKeon mentioned today that Lee hit 12 balls that were XBHs at Pro Player Stadium that would have been HRs in any other park and his numbers show a steep jump in slg %, especially HRs away from Pro Player. His weaknesses is his inability to hit mid 90 FBs up and good breaking pitches. Lee is also the best defensive 1B in baseball and has above avg. speed for a 1B, but his SB% indicates he needs to do a better job of cutting down on CS.

Now that the pro and cons have been listed about Lee, it is worth listing them again.

Pros:
Very good power
Good FB hitter
Like to extend his arms
Good power to the opposite field
Very good of working the count and drawing BBs
Great defensively
Above avg. speed for a 1B

Cons:
Struggles against high FBs
Struggles against good breaking pitches outside of the zone
Will strikeout because of his ability to work the count

Now lets list the pros and cons of Choi:

Pros
Very good power
Good FB hitter
Likes to extend arms
Good power to the opp. field
Very good at working the count and drawing BBs
Above avg. defensively at 1B
More athletic than most 1B

Cons
Struggles against high FBs
Struggles against good breaking pitches
Will strikeout b/c of his patience

This is how I rate their tools for Lee in the present tense and Choi in the future, both are with the 20-80 scale, Choi is based on his OFP.

Hitting-60
Power-70
Fielding-80
Throwing-50
Running-55

Overall-63

This is my projection of Choi (OFP-Overall Future Potential)
Hitting-65
Power-75
Fielding-65
Throwing-45
Running-45

Overall-59

Conclusion: They are very similar, both in size and strengths and weaknesses, Lee is the basic model of what Choi's ceiling is likely going to end up being. Obviously, Lee is very talented and Choi is a great talent so it becomes a tough pill to swallow if they are unable to lock Lee long-term because his entering the stage of his career where his numbers begin to parallel for the next 4-5 years and will typically not rise or fall unless an injury or a flukish hot streal occurs. At this point, it favors the Cubs because Lee will outproduce Choi next year and it is not a guarantee Choi will reach his ceiling, but if the Cubs are unable to sign Lee, those draft pick(s) will not likely match the future production of Choi or the PTBNL it will favor Florida although, I hate the concept of a trade having to have a victory and a loss, this is not a war. Despite conflicting scouting reports on Choi and his ability to hit breaking pitches with substantial holes in his swing, I think he will develop into a quality major league player. On the subject of the PTBNL, I expect it to be a prospect in the 20-30 range who was protected from the Rule 5 draft (Nannini/Pignatiello). For me, it all depends on the contract situation of Lee, for me to say one side did better than the other, I think it did help both squads at their intended missions (Fla-cut salary/Chicago-improve the offense in 04').

2003-11-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

Cubs remove Steve Smyth (LHP), Nate Frese (SS), and Augie Ojeda (SS/Team Mascot) from the 40 man roster.

No real surprises in this group as Steve Smyth has been unable to repeat his '01 performance in the Southern League and has been unable to recover from shoulder surgery which dropped his velocity 5-6MPH. Steve did clear waivers and has a chance to be picked up another team and has a chance to stick as the 6th or 7th guy out of the bullpen.

Nate Frese has been around for ages and has been able to maintain a consistent amount of ABs when healthy because of the lack of good SS prospects. Time has caught up to him as he looks to repeat Iowa for another year, a slap hitter with a good glove, he has not been able to stay healthy, improve, or progress at Iowa. Like Smyth, he also cleared waivers, but does not have the same ceiling as Smyth.

Lastly, the loss of Augie from the Cubs, a fan favorite for his ability to overcome his small stature and maintain a presence at the upper levels of baseball. Good with the glove and non-existent with the bat, he was signed by Twins and might play a utility type role (him and Guzman at SS, is there any worse?) or more likely become a good roommate for someone in AAA.

2003-11-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

Cubs add Ronny Cedeno (SS), Jason Dubois (OF/1B), Reynel Pinto (LHP), Brendan Harris (IF) and Carlos Vasquez (LHP) to the 40 man roster.

Ronny Cedeno 21yo 6'0" 170LBs Bats:R Throws:R
2003' stats
(Daytona) .211avg 107G 380ABs 43R 80H 18DB 1TR 4HR 36RBIs 19SBs 6CS 21BB 82Ks .257OBP .295Slg

Career
.243avg 354G 1295AB 315H 65DB 15TR 11HR 106RBI 71SB 18CS 86BB 268Ks .295 OBP .342Slg

Cedeno has been the product of being pushed too quickly in a short amount of time, at the age of 18' after a successful campaign at Mesa, he was promoted to Lansing while skipping Boise. In a brief stint at Lansing he struggled at the age 18, which is not unusual as most 18yo cannot handle Low-A. There were some telling signs that he might not be able to handle Lansing, his aggressive (low BB/9 and fairly high K/AB)approach at the plate could be easier exploited by pitchers at Low-A who are more advanced than pitchers coming directly out of HS. Also, Cedeno has always had a low XBH that has actually increased despite his struggles which during the height of his production was at 25%, which does not indicate he was dominating the AZL like did at a similar age (Pie was 17). Which may indicate a large enough % of his hits were b/c of incorrect pitch locations and weaker defenses (positioning, ability to get a good jump, read off the bat, etc.) compared a more advanced league. The problems of the low XBH ratio and the inability to draw BBs still is present and his skills are still fairly raw. He is gifted, he shows good bat speed, ability to hit line drives when he makes a good read on the pitcher, great speed, strong arm, and quite flashy with the glove and has been very young for each of Leagues he has played at since his stint in Arizona. Like most players added to the 40 man roster with no chance of making a 25 man roster, I am unclear as to why they selected him over other poss. Rule 5 players who are closer to the majors with a higher ceiling, so I will have to defer to trusting the judgement of those responsible (Flieta) for those decisions.

Jason Dubois, Brendan Harris, Carlos Vasquez and Reynel Pinto
I will not include reports on them as they will mentioned in the prospect list at a future date. It was no surprise that Dubois, Harris, and Pinto were signed as Dubois had an outstanding AFL and thru his production throughout his career ahas earned a spot on the 40 man roster (I was disappointed he was left off last year). Harris is probably the Cubs second best positional prospect (best IF prospect) and the most likely to take over at 2B if the Cubs do sign a stop-gap in 04' or 3B if Ramirez leaves via FA. Long live the Colonial Conference as Billy Swoope continues to reel them in for the Cubs. Pinto has risen quickly over the 2 years and has a higher ceiling than most LHs in the system, including Pignatiello who is eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Vasquez was kept on the 40 man roster despite the injury late in '03 and has 3 pitches he can throw strike and should start at Daytona.

Cubs sign Rolando Garza (RHP), Gary Thomas (OF), and Yunior Cabrera (LHP)

Rolando Garza 24yo 6'4" 210LBs Bats:R Throws:R
2003' stats (Low-A and High-A combined)
41.2IP 32H 18ER 0HR 51BB 44K 17WP 3.93ERA

Career
4-4 6.04ERA 76IP 73H 51ER 90BBs 72Ks 4HRs

Drafted by the White Sox in 97' (9th rd) as a SS. In 1998, as a SS he ranked 2nd in the Arizona Rookie League in hits, 3rd in avg. (.354) and 5th in SBs. In 2000, they began experimenting with as a P and by 2001' he became a full-time reliever. Obviously, raw as a pitcher, he has had a decent H/IP and K/9 ratios and an outstanding job of keeping the ball in the yard. Obviously, command is the biggest concern as well as his age for someone struggling w/his command at High-A. I am unclear of what his pitches might be, I assume like most SS turned Ps he has a very string arm and with his low HR/9 he probably has a heavy FB but struggles with a secondary pitch. He has a difficult road ahead and appears to be a roster filler at this point at Daytona.

Gary Thomas 24yo 5'7" 175LBs Bats:R Throws:R
2003 Stats (High A)
.303avg 498ABs 151H 30DBs 3TRs 12HR 68RBIs 18HBP 22SB 7CS 41BB 83Ks .374obp .488slg

Career
.273avg 1768ABs 483H 79DBs 16TR 26HRs 98SBs 19CS 183BBs 304Ks .349obp .380slg

Drafted by Oakland in 97' (13th rd.). Thomas did have one of his best years in 03' and made significant strides with his power and continued to steal bases. Unfort., he did as a 23yo at High-A and after 6 years within the Oakland system. Also, Thomas had the benefit of California League which is one of the more hitter friendly leagues in the minors. He will have to prove he can continue to get XBH beyond the 23% of his total hits so far. Most likely he will be used as PH/PR/Defensive replacement at West Tenn., where he will get to see the other side of the spectrums as far as Park Factors.

Yunior Cabrera 24yo 6'0" 170LBs (LHP)
2003 Stats (Low-A)
3-5 3.16ERA 85.1IP 76H 6HR 36BB 81Ks

Career
23-18 3.32ERA 361.1IP 325H 17HR 185BBs 377Ks

Signed by the New York Mets out of the Domincan Republic in 97'. Has bounced around the DSL, Rookie Leagues, and Short-Season for most of his career. Has been productive for the most part has struggled with control, but 2003' was one of his best years as far as limiting his BBs and has done a good job of not allowing HRs. It is hard to project a 24yo that has only been productive at Low-A, but if he can capitalize and make the most of his chance at what will likely be Daytona as a LHP. But, it will have to be a quick rise if he gets the chance.