We know (or think we know) that Tampa Bay is one of the three teams.  Is Texas one?  The Rangers were linked to a possible Bradley trade, but only if the Cubs kicked in about $16 million.  Even after those reports, it was reported that Texas was out of the running because they still couldn’t afford Bradley.  Texas is apparently in receivership and can not make any roster moves without the approval of MLB.

Because Carrie didn’t bother to name the three teams interested in Bradley, I’m going to guess that Texas is one of them.  So who’s the third?

Could it be the Giants?  I’m still hoping for an Aaron Rowand for Bradley trade.  No, I don’t think Rowand is the perfect center fielder.  Far from it.  I just think he is the best player the Cubs can get for Bradley without having to pay someone a lot of money to take him.

Maybe the Braves are the third team.  I mentioned a possible Bradley for Derek Lowe trade previously.   You can never have too much pitching and Lowe would be a nice (albeit, expensive) addition to the rotation.

Are the Mets interested?  I doubt it, but they do want to move Luis Castillo and the Cubs need a second baseman.  Even so, I don’t think the Mets are interested and Bradley would definitely not survive in New York.

Who else might have an answer?  Hard to tell at this point, but we should know more next week.  Next time, it would be a lot easier if Muskat just told us.

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While in Indy, Hendry will be shopping for a centerfielder, a right handed reliever, and a right handed bat off the bench who can play the outfield.  That, according to our friend Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.  But wait, what about a second baseman.

I’ve noticed this recently that when writers list the Cubs’ needs, they don’t include a second baseman any more.  I don’t know if this is coming from the Cubs front office or if the writers are just making it up.  At the moment, it looks like Jeff Baker is the front runner to play second base, assuming Hendry doesn’t sign a free agent second baseman or trade for one.  That doesn’t seem like such a great plan to me.

Also, I’m guessing that Jeff Gray (obtained from Oakland in the Jake Fox/Aaron Miles trade) will serve as the right handed reliever.  So the bullpen is probably complete.

That leaves a center fielder and a right handed bench bat that can play the outfield.  Curtis Granderson rumors are still floating around.  He would be a good fit for the Cubs, so I’m sure Hendry and Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski will be talking in Indy. 

Mike Cameron is a potential free agent signing, provided he’ll sign a reasonable one-year contract.  Other teams also have an interest in Cameron, so his price may rise out of the Cubs price range.

Marlon Byrd is another name that is being linked to the Cubs.  Even though he had a career year last year with the help of hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo when both were with the Rangers, that doesn’t mean he’ll repeat it in the future.  I hope the Cubs pass on Byrd.

I don’t know who the Cubs might target to be the right handed bench bat who can also play center field, but didn’t they just trade away a guy (Jake Fox) who can fill that need?  Okay, Fox wasn’t the greated fielder, but he can hit. 

Trade activity at this year’s Winter Meetings is supposed to be hot and heavy.  Let’s hope Bradley is moved early in the meetings so Hendry can concentrate on some of the team’s other needs.

Gray is 28-years old and worked out of the bullpen for Oakland.  He compiled an 0-1 record and a 3.76 ERA in 24 relief appearances last year.  Right after the trade, I read that Gray is a hard thrower (92-94 mph), but has control issues.  However, according to Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald, Gray only allowed 4 walks in 26.1 innings.  In fact, in an interview with Bruce Levine from ESPN Chicago, Jim Hendry said “Gray throws a lot of strikes” and compared him to Angel Guzman.  Perhaps the initial reports were wrong?

According to MLB.com’s Jonathon Mayo (via Carrie Muskat of MLB.com), Morla is a 21-year old fireballer whose fastball is far and away his best pitch.  He also sports a decent curve that has improved over time.  Morla is a starter at the moment, but Mayo believes his future is in the bullpen.

Spencer is a powerful 1B-Of.  His offense is his strong suit, although he does have a very good outfield arm.  There was some thought earlier in his career that he might turn out to be a pitcher.  He threw in the 90′s in his few outings for Arizona State before being drafted.

This trade doesn’t excite me or anger me.  The Cubs didn’t lose much and they didn’t gain much.  It felt more like just rearranging the deck chairs.

However, the trade does raise one concern.  Fox appeared to be one of the Cubs better trade chips, especially if the trade was with an AL team.  So what now?  Fox is gone, the Cubs received very little value (at least immediate value), and they still have holes to fill.  I don’t want to make too big of a deal out of this.  It just seemed unnecessary.

Of course, there is another way to look at this.  Jake Fox really didn’t have a position with the Cubs.  His value is his bat, not his glove.  Plus, he’s out of minor league options, so trading him made sense.  I’m just not sure this trade was the right one.

Also, Aaron Miles was taking up roster space and really wasn’t expected to make a contribution to the 2010 team.  In fact, I had suggested trading or releasing him in an earlier post.  So getting anything back in return for Miles was yeoman’s work on Hendry’s part.  Perhaps Fox was the price the Cubs had to pay to move Miles (plus the $1.0 million).  In the end, the Cubs saved $1.7 million.  Not exactly a salary dump, but every little bit helps.

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There are some very odd rumors floating around out there on the Internets.  For instance, Evans Clinchy of NESN.com (Red Sox network) is reporting that the Cubs are making a run at Jason Bay.  That’s a new one.

DiamondLeung.com is reporting that La Presna (a newspaper in Nicaragua) is reporting that both the Cubs and Cards are players for Vicente Padilla.  The La Presna report supposedly comes from a source within the agency that represents Padilla.

At this time of year, I guess you get your rumors from where you can, but I don’t think either rumor makes sense.  First off, Jason Bay is a left fielder, a position the Cubs already have covered.  Could bodies be moved?  Sure, but that won’t help the second issue.  The Cubs can not afford Bay.  Various reports have suggested that Bay is looking at a multi-year deal in the $20 million/year range.  Unless Tom Ricketts opens his wallet really wide, the Cubs won’t even be sniffing Jason Bay.

Not that the Cubs couldn’t use another arm in the rotation, but I don’t see them pursuing Padilla.  He’s a good enough pitcher, but Texas traded him to the Dodgers last year in part because he was such a disruptive force in the locker room.  That’s the same Texas Rangers who said what a great guy Milton Bradley was while he was a Ranger.  After the Cubs experiment in bad team chemistry this past year, I don’t think they are going to be signing up Vicente Padilla for round two.

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The Winter Meetings start next week in Indianapolis.  Will the Cubs be players in what is expected to be a very active trade market or will the albatross that is Milton Bradley prevent them from making any moves not involving him?  My hope (and dare I say expectation) is that Jim Hendry is going to be able to get a deal done for Bradley at the Winter Meetings.  My guess is that it will involve three or four teams and will likely require a quiet room and several bottles of scotch.

The most likely trade partner for the Cubs appears to be Tampa Bay.  However, there are a lot of bad contracts out there.  Hopefully, Hendry can find a team with a contract they want to move and be able to make a deal that works for both teams.  In fact, that is my Christmas wish this year.  World peace can wait until next year.  Let’s get the Bradley deal done this Christmas.

Even though his slash line took a hit in 2009, Granderson hit a career high 30 homeruns, all the more impressive since it was done while playing in Detroit’s spacious ball yard.  Granderson appears to be a “buy low” opportunity.  His trade value is down from a year or two ago, but his potential remains high.

Chicago newspaper columnists are almost giddy with excitement over the potential of the Cubs trading for Granderson. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times was more subdued when he said ” given the ideal fit provided by the Chicago-area native (i.e. Granderson), conversations between the teams appear inevitable.”  Phil Rogers of the Tribune and ChicagoBreakingSports.com was much more excited.  The headline of his article, Cubs Must Go After Granderson, gives you an idea of where he stands on the subject.

Rogers praises Granderson’s on-field play and off-field involvement in the community.  He calls Detroit “crazy” for thinking about trading him, and then becomes almost apoplectic when he says “The Cubs should do absolutely everything to get him, if he is available. There’s no debate about this.”

Rogers then starts the trade talks by offering up Carlos Marmol and Starlin Castro.  I’m not very high on Marmol as a closer, but at the moment, he is the only one the Cubs have.  Also, I’m not ready to annoint Castro the second coming of Derek Jeter or Ozzie Smith, but he does appear the heir to the throne at shortstop.  Is this really the price that the Cubs want to pay for Granderson?

Thankfully, Phil Rogers’ trade offers do not obligate the Cubs in any way.  It is true that Granderson would be a good fit for the Cubs in center field.  I’m not sure where he would fit in the line up.  His numbers seem to be better suited for the middle-of-the-order than leadoff, but that’s an arguement for another day.  For now, let’s focus on what price the Cubs would have to pay to acquire Granderson.

First, let’s look at money.  Granderson is signed through 2012 and is owed a total of $23.75 million.  His contract also has a club option for 2013 for $13 million with a $2 million buyout.  All tolled, Granderson is guaranteed to make $25.75 million over the next four years.  He’s not cheap, but his contract is not outrageous either.

Next, who would the Cubs have to give up to get Granderson?  Rogers’ offer of Marmol and Castro is too high.  I wouldn’t make Castro untouchable, but for this deal, I’d take him off the table.  I’d be willing to trade Marmol, but only if the Cubs have a really good idea of who is going to replace him.  As I’ve stated previously, I don’t think the Cubs should go into 2010 counting on Marmol to be their closer, but at the moment, he’s the only one they have.

Other names could include Jake Fox, Micah Hoffpauir, Aaron Heilman, Mike Fontenot, and Aaron Miles (if they’ll take him).  A few of these guys are non-tender candidates, but they still have value.  Sean Marshall is another valuable trade chip.  He deserves a shot as a starter somewhere, but it appears that he’s not going to get that shot with the Cubs again this year.

The Cubs minor leagues have some interesting trade candidates.  Darwin Barney is one guy who is proving himself in the minors, but who will likely not have a place to play when he’s ready for the big leagues in a year or two.  J.R. Mathes led the Iowa Cubs in wins last year, but doesn’t appear to have a future on the big league staff.  Rather than let him rot in Iowa (no offense to the Great State of Iowa), why not use him as trade bait.

These are just a few options.  I don’t know what the Tigers would want in return for Granderson other than salary relief.  The Cubs have some valuable players they can send Detroit’s way.  The important thing now is to keep Phil Rogers away from the negotiations.

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Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago said in a radio interview that the Cubs will announce a Milton Bradley trade in the next 3-4 days.  He mentioned the Rangers, Rays, Mets and Tigers as possible trade partners for the Cubs.  

The Rangers are starting to not make sense to me if Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated is correct that the Rangers would only be willing to pay $5 million of the $21 million owed to Bradley over the next two years.  The Rays also do not make sense.  If the Cubs send Bradley to Tampa Bay for Pat Burrell, they will have to turn around and trade him, likely picking up a portion of his contract.

The Mets don’t make sense on a couple of levels.  First, although they would like to move Luis Castillo and his remaining two years and $12 million contract, they have already said that they are not interested in Bradley.  Also, New York isn’t exactly the quiet, laid-back small market Bradley needs.   The Cubs may have interest in Castillo, but a third team would probably have to get involved for a deal to work.

The Tigers could be interesting on several fronts.  First, I’ve already talked about Curtis Granderson.  The Cubs could use him, but there’s no way that the Tigers trade him straight up to the Cubs for Bradley.  Might the throw in Dontrelle Willis?  He has been largely ineffective for the Tigers and he is owed $12 million in 2010.  Jim Hendry likes his reclamation projects, but D-Train is awfully expensive.  Even so, I would rather pay Willis $12 million to play for the Cubs next year than I would to pay Texas $16 million over two years for Bradley not to play for the Cubs.

The Tigers also have some interest in trading Magglio Ordonez.  He is owed $18 million in 2010 and he has a vesting option for 2011 for $15 million.  The 2011 option vests if he starts 135 games or gets 540 plate appearances in 2010, or he gets 270 starts or 1080 plate appearances between 2009 and 2010.

Ordonez can still be a dangerous hitter, but he’s becoming more of a DH than an everyday position player.  In 2009, he played right field in 104 of the 131 games in which he played.  That number will likely go down in 2010.  Plus, the Cubs would really like to move Kosuke Fukudome back to right field.  Adding Ordonez wouldn’t allow that.

I don’t know where Milton Bradley is going to end up or who the Cubs might get for him, but it will sure be nice not talking about him anymore.  It will also be nice being able to move on with the off season.

Today, I want to pull it all together, make some predictions on what the Cubs will do to build their 2010 team, and list what I think the Cubs 25 man  roster will look like on opening day.

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I don’t expect the Cubs to make too many moves this offseason.  While I would love to see a big blockbuster trade and/or free agent signing, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. 

In the infield, I can see a free agent signing (although not a blockbuster) to fill the hole at second base.  A lot has been said about Jeff Baker taking over second base, but I don’t think the Cubs view him as a starter.  I personally would like to see him used as a super-sub, since he can play several positions.

We can be pretty sure that the second base job will not be given to Mike Fontenot or Aaron Miles.  Fontenot had his chance and didn’t take advantage of it.  Miles not only won’t be the starter at second, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs simply released him. 

There is a chance that Andres Blanco could take over at second.  Or, the Cubs may move Ryan Theriot to second and have Blanco play short.  I like Blanco and there’s part of me that would like to see him get a shot at a starting job.  Unfortunately for Andres, I don’t think that is going to happen.

That leaves a free agent, but who is it going to be?  I expect the Cubs to test the waters with Chone Figgins, but I don’t think they’ll get past preliminary discussions.  Figgins is coming off of a good year and his price is going to be too high.

Then I think they will turn their attention to Orlando Hudson.  Hudson made $3.38 million on a one-year contract last year while hitting .283/.357/.417 with 9 homeruns and 62 RBI.  However, he fell out of favor with the Dodgers at the end of the year and was replaced by Ronnie Belliard.  Both players are free agents, but I expect LA to re-sign Belliard and let Hudson walk. 

The Cubs will also probably take a look at Akinori Iwamura.  I expect the Rays to buy him out rather than exercising his $4.25 million option next year.  He’s an interesting player and I expect the Cubs to “kick the tires.” 

For what it’s worth, I think Iwamura would be a good fit for the Cubs.  He can hit at the top of the order, although he’s not a speed demon.  In three years with the Rays, Iwamura has hit .281/.354/.393.  For my money, Iwamura, who will be 31 years old next season, is the Cubs’ best option at second base.  That’s partly because Iwamura is also an accomplished third basemen, which will come in handy when/if Aramis Ramirez gets injured.  Even so, I don’t expect him to be a Cub in 2010.

In the end, I’m predicting that the Cubs will sign Hudson to a one or two year contract in the neighborhood of $5 million per year.  It wouldn’t surprise me if the Cubs signed Iwamura instead (or arranged for a trade with Tampa Bay before they decline his option), but I expect Hudson to be the Cubs second baseman next year.

The other infield positions will be filled by the current starters; Derrek Lee at first, Ryan Theriot at shortstop, and Aramis Ramirez at third.   Backups will include Jeff Baker, Micah Hoffpauir, Jake Fox, and either Mike Fontenot or Andres Blanco.  I expect Koyie Hill to return as the backup catcher.

In the outfield, we already know that Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome will take up two of the three positions.  I expect the third outfielder will come to the Cubs as part of a trade for Milton Bradley.  Names like Pat Burrell and Vernon Wells have been thrown around quite a bit.  I don’t think either has a future with the Cubs.  Instead, I expect Milton Bradley to be traded to San Francisco for Aaron Rowand. 

Rowand is signed through 2012 at $12 million per year.  Bradley is signed through 2011 and is owed a total of $21 million.  I expect the Cubs to agree to take on the extra year and $15 million on Rowand’s contract in order to get the Giants to agree to take on Bradley.  Bradley can take over for Randy Winn in right field for San Francisco.  Winn is a free agent at the end of the year and at age 36 next season, is unlikey to re-sign with the Giants.

Rowand, who will be 33 next year, may not be the player he once was, but he still plays a credible center field.  Acquiring him will allow the Cubs to move Fukudome back to right field where he is more comfortable and effective.  Also, Roward is probably not the middle-of-the-order run producing bat that Piniella covets, but he should do a decent job, especially if he can regain some of the pop he had in his bat in previous years.  Don’t get me wrong,  acquiring Aaron Rowand is not the perfect solution for the Cubs.  I just think it is what they are going to do.

Outfield backups will include Micah Hoffpauir, Jake Fox, Sam Fuld, and Jeff Baker.

We already know that, barring a big surprise, Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, and Randy Wells will be in the starting rotation.  I expect Tom Gorzelanny to snag the fifth starting spot.  I don’t think the Cubs will make any trades or sign any free agents that will impact the starting five.

In the bullpen, I expect to see Sean Marshall, John Grabow, Justin Berg, Esmailin Caridad, Angel Guzman, and Carlos Marmol.  Unfortunately, other than re-signing John Grabow, I don’t think the Cubs will make any moves to shore up the bullpen.  The reason I say “unfortunately” is because I feel strongly that the Cubs should replace Marmol as the closer.  He’s too undependable and the Cubs need dependabilty in the closer role.

The options to replace Marmol are very limited.  I spelled them out in a previous post.  My favorite option is to sign Ben Sheets to close (assuming Sheets would agree to close).  It would allow Sheets to work fewer innings as he recovers from the elbow surgery that kept him out of action in 2009.  Plus, if everything works out, he’ll be available for the starting rotation in 2011 when the Cubs are likely to lose Ted Lilly.  Of course, while I like the idea, I don’t expect it to happen.

You may have noticed that Jeff Samardjzia is nowhere to be found on the Cubs 2010 pitching staff.  That is because I expect the Cubs to keep him in triple-A all year where he can work on a third pitch.  The Cubs are doing everything they can to make Samardjzia into a starter.  But the truth is, he’s much better suited to be a relief pitcher.  I know neither he nor the Cubs want that, but I’m afraid that’s the case.  Perhaps another year in triple-A will help him become the starter he wants to be, but I expect the Cubs to come to the conclusion in the not too distant future that Samardjzia’s destiny  is in the bullpen. 

So, having said all of this, here is my projected roster for 2010:

Infield
1st — Derrek Lee
2nd — Orlando Hudson
SS — Ryan Theriot
3rd — Aramis Ramirez
C — Geovany Soto

Outfield
LF — Alfonso Soriano
CF — Aaron Rowand
RF — Kosuke Fukudome

Pitchers
SP — Carlos Zambrano
SP — Ted Lilly
SP — Ryan Dempster
SP — Randy Wells
SP — Tom Gorzelanny
RP — Sean Marshall
RP — John Grabow
RP — Angel Guzman
RP — Justin Berg
RP — Esmailin Caridad
CL — Carlos Marmol

Bench
Micah Hoffpauir
Sam Fuld
Jeff Baker
Andres Blanco/Mike Fontenot
Jake Fox
Koyie Hill

The 2010 Cubs, at least on paper, should be slightly better than the 2009 team.  If Ramirez annd Soto can stay healthy, and both Soriano and Soto can hit the way they have done in the past, the offense should be in good shape.  The starting rotation looks to be weaker than they were on opening day 2009 when the rotation included Rich Harden, but if Zambrano and Dempster can both stay healthy and rebound in 2010, the rotation should be just fine.

As I stated, I’m afraid that Carlos Marmol is going to be a weak link for this team.  If somehow Marmol can gain some control over his pitches, it will go a long way to helping the Cubs reach the post-season in 2010.

In the field, the Cubs would prefer to add a center fielder and move Kosuke Fukudome back to right field.  If that center fielder is a middle-of-the-order run producer, all the better.  The team will also be looking for a second baseman, unless they can find a good shortstop, which will force Ryan Theriot over to second base.

The starting pitching staff is pretty well set, but the bullpen is a bit in flux.  Will John Grabow re-sign?  More importantly, do the Cubs want to enter the 2010 season with Carlos Marmol as their closer?

Over the next few days, I’ll take a look at the team and give my thoughts on what the Cubs brain trust should do this offseason to get ready for 2010.  Today, I’ll start with the infield.

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First Base — There’s little doubt who will play first base next year.  Derrek Lee will be entering the final year of his contract in 2010 and there’s no reason to believe he’s going anywhere.  However, the question of who is going to back him up is a good one.  Lee has missed playing time over the past couple of years with a pinched nerve in his neck.  If the problem flares up again, who will play first base?

Within the organization, Micah Hoffpauir is the first guy that comes to mind.  Jake Fox is another.  Both guys are considered “offense-first” type of players, but I think both showed this past year that they can do a credible, if unspectacular, job in the field.  Although Fox is generally considered the more potent offensive threat, they put up very similar number in 2009.  Hoffpauir bats left-handed, which may carry more weight in the decision than it should.  Fox is more versatile in the field.

Another option is for the Cubs to sign a fairly low dollar free agent who could back up at first base and be a dependable bat off the bench.  Someone on the back side of their career that can accept a backup role and can be an additional veteran presence.  Someone in the mold of Tony Clark or Kevin Millar comes to mind.  The knock against bringing in someone like Clark or Millar is they probably won’t put up any better numbers than Hoffpauir or Fox, but they will probably cost more.  That’s a good point.  So unless you feel that the veteran presence is that important, stick with Hoffpauir or Fox and save your money.

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Second Base — We found out in 2009 that Mike Fontenot is not the answer to the second base question.  The Cubs also have Aaron Miles, Jeff Baker and Andres Blanco on the roster and all three can play second base.  Even so, I don’t think any of them is the answer the Cubs are looking for at second.

In my opinion, Aaron Miles does not have a role to play on the 2010 Cubs.  He needs to be traded or released.  I know that releasing him will cost some money, but keeping him on the team will waste a valuable roster spot.  If you can trade him, great, but be willing to release him if you have to.

I envision Jeff Baker playing the role of a poor man’s Mark DeRosa.  He impressed in his time with the Cubs last year and I can see him coming back in an expanded role.  I don’t foresee him as the everyday second baseman, but rather as a super sub.  He can play several positions and do a credible job at all of them.

Andres Blanco is an interesting player.  He’s known for his awesome defense, but what people don’t know is that his offense has improved since joining the Cubs.  My understanding is that Blanco battled injuries during the early part of his career and did not get the at-bats he so desperately needed.  Now that he is healthy, his offense is improving and is becoming a much larger part of his game.

Although it would not be my first choice, I could see a middle infield made up of Theriot and Blanco.  I’d prefer Blanco at short and Theriot at second, but the other way around could work as well.  In my opinion, the Cubs should only consider this if they can’t find a more suitable solution via free agency or a trade.

Some possible free agent targets the Cubs might consider are Chone Figgins, Orlando Hudson and Akinori Iwamura.  I’m almost certain that Figgins will be too expensive (four or five years at $10 million/year?).  Also, he’s somewhat of a hot commodity at the moment, so there will be considerable competition for him.

Hudson is a little more realistic, but considering that he was beaten out of his starting job with the Dodgers by Ronnie Belliard, the bloom is a bit off this rose.  Even so, Hudson put up respectable numbers in 2009 (.283/.357/.417, 9 HR, 62 RBI) and might be a good fit for the Cubs.  He’s neither the speed demon nor the middle-of-the-order run producer they want, but he’d likely do a better job than the in-house candidates.

Iwamura is an interesting possibility.  He’s currently with the Rays and they have an option on him for next year that will cost them $4.25 million.  The Ray are likely to opt for the buyout ($250,000) rather than pick up his option.  They have other less expense possibilities at second base, so Iwamura will likely be a free agent.

In 2009, Iwamura had a hitting line of .290/.355/.390 in 69 games.  Again, he’s not a speed demon or a middle-of-the-order run producer, but he could still be a nice addition to a Cubs team that had trouble getting on base this past year.

A couple of other free agent possibilities include Mark DeRosa and Freddie Sanchez.  I like both of these guys, but I don’t think either one makes sense.  DeRosa is going to be 35 years old and he’s coming off of wrist surgery.  He was once an integral part of the Cubs, but that ship has sailed. 

Sanchez is an interesting possibility.  San Francisco has a club option on Sanchez for $8 million with a $600,000 buyout.  Opinion has been that the Giants will opt for the buyout, but would like to sign him for less money.  Sanchez will be 32 in 2010 and will be coming off knee surgery.  He’s expected to be 100% healthy by Spring Training.

I like Sanchez and he interests me if the price is right.  Problem is, I don’t think the price will be right.

Another interesting free agent name is Placido Polanco, who will be 34 next season.  Polanco hit .285/.331/.396 with 10 homeruns and 72 RBI for Detroit in 2009.  He’s a career .303/.348/.414 hitter, but at least initially, the market seems to be soft for him.  He made $4.6 million last year.  If he is willing to take a pay cut, he’ll be in the Cubs financial ball park.  If not, he’ll be playing for someone else next year.

Potential trade targets include Kelly Johnson (Atlanta) and Brian Roberts (Baltimore).  Roberts would obviously cost the Cubs much more that Johnson.  In fact, the only way Roberts could conceivably end up with the Cubs is if he is part of a package involving Milton Bradley.  I’ve pushed the idea of a Milton Bradley and others package for Roberts and Luke Scott.  I don’t know if either Jim Hendry or Orioles GM Andy MacPhail have jumped on that bandwagon yet, but I’ll keep beating the drum.

Johnson doesn’t seem to bring anything to the table that Baker or Blanco couldn’t provide.  He’s the type of player that Hendry has shown an interest in in the past, but I don’t think he makes sense for the Cubs.

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Shortstop — Unless the Cubs make some sort of unexpected move, Ryan Theriot will be the starting shortstop in 2010.  Let’s face it, despite the call for an all-star caliber shortstop by many fans, Theriot has done a more than credible job during his tenure.  In 2009, he hit .284/.383/.369 with 7 homeruns and 54 RBI.  And he only made $500,000.  What a bargain.

Blaco is another guy that could conceivable take over short and push Theriot over to second.  Eventually, I think Starlin Castro will do this anyway, so maybe it’s a good idea to get Theriot started at second now. 

Although I don’t expect the Cubs to bring in a shortstop via trade or free agency, there are a couple of names out there to consider.  I don’t foresee the Cubs getting in on Marco Scutaro, but there is a small chance they could take a flyer on Orlando Cabrera or Miguel Tejada.  The reason I think these two guys may be on the Cubs radar is because I expect both to still be available at the end of the offseason for a relatively bargain price (ala Bobby Abreau last year).  It wouldn’t bother me to get a veteran shortstop for a year to hold the position for Starlin Castro in 2011.  However, I don’t expect it to happen.

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Third Base — With any luck, Aramis Ramirez will return healthy next year and will stay healthy all year.  He missed two months in 2009 with a shoulder separation and trying to fill his place in the lineup and in the field proved to be ctwo hallenges the Cubs were not up for.  So who will be Ramirez’ backup in 2010?

Jake Fox is one internal possibility.  He’s not going to win any Gold Gloves at third, but he did a better job there than many expected.  With some additional work, he might even be credible.

Jeff Baker is another guy that can fill in for Ramirez.  In fact, I never did quite understand why the Cubs didn’t give Baker more playing time at third in 2009 while Ramirez was injured.  As the team’s super sub, I would call on him to fill in at third when needed.  As such, I don’t foresee and moves to bring in a backup for Ramirez.

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Catcher — Who is the real Geovany Soto?  Did we see the real Soto in 2008 when he won NL Rookie of the Year honors and hit .285/.364/.504 with 26 homeruns and 62 RBI or was his .218/.321/381 with 11 homeruns and 47 RBI in 2009 the real Soto?  I wish I knew.  I think the Cubs feel the same way.

Soto’s performance in 2008 was a pleasant surprise.  His minor league numbers didn’t lead people to think he would hit as well in a full-time MLB role as he did.  Now, after his performance in 2009, people are asking whether or not 2008 was just a fluke.

I have little doubt that the Cubs will enter the 2010 season with Soto as their starting catcher.  However, I’m not convinced that they will stick with him for very long if he struggles at the plate the way he did in 2009.

The Cubs will not look to replace Soto via trade or free agency, but they may look into bringing back free agent catcher Henry Blanco to act as a mentor to Soto.  There is some thought that Soto struggled in 2009 without the same influence that Blanco provided in 2008.  Blanco will be 38 years old, so the Cubs should not expect too much out of him, but if he can play the role of mentor to Soto and give him a day off every once in a while, bringing Blanco back on a one-year deal may be a good investment.

Having said all of this, I think it is fair to ask, what about Koyie Hill?  Hill was a capable fill in for Soto while he was on the DL and during his offensive struggles.  He deserves to be brought back.  Unfortunately, things don’t always work out the way they should.  Since Hill is out of minor league options, he may be moved as part of a trade.

It would not bother me to see Hill brought back next year, but the more important issue is putting Soto in a situation where he can  succeed.  If bringing Henry Blanco back improves Soto’s chances of repeating 2008, by all means, bring Blanco back and trade Hill.

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That’s it for the infield.  Next, I’ll look at what needs to be done with the outfield.

I don’t have any particular interest in either team.  And yet, I sat transfixed in front of the television as the two teams battled back and forth.  And just as the regular season needed one additional game, that additional game needed extra innings to determine a winner.

The Twins won in 12 innings, but the more important point, at least for me, was how much I loved watching the game.  I didn’t have a rooting interest, so the outcome was less important to me than the gutsy play of both teams.  It was a great game and I loved every minute of it.  I’m just sorry it had to end so soon.

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The 29 other MLB owners gave their unanimous approval yesterday for the Ricketts Family to take over the Cubs.  The next step in the process is to take the Cubs through a quick, pre-packaged bankruptcy to make sure there are no liens or liabilities the parties are unaware of.  That should happen next week and the Rickettses should have complete control of the team by the end of October.

What will happen then?  Will Tom Ricketts want to make a big splash going into the family’s first season as owners?  Will he spend a lot of money (more than the $140 million +/- the team is already spending) or will he reign in the spending and go into rebuild mode (doubtful)?  There are a lot of moving pieces with the Cubs right now.  It should make for an interesting and exciting offseason.

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Two Chicago sportswriters have put together to-do lists for Jim Hendry.  Both writers agree that moving Milton Bradley will be job one in the offseason for Hendry, but Gordon Wiitenmyer of the Sun-Times seems to be a bit more positive about the situation than the Tribune’s Paul Sullivan. 

Among the things the writers have listed are:

• Trade Milton Bradley
• Get an RBI bat for the middle of the lineup
• Resign John  Grabow
• Resigning Reed Johnson (maybe)
• Retool the bench
• Add a lead-off hitter
• Get and keep Carlos Zambrano in shape

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Bruce Miles at the Daily Herald also is starting to think about next year.  He takes a look at the Cubs position players from 2009 and gives his thoughts on what he thinks is going to happen with each player and each position.

Miles is an astute writer who always seems to see through the haze to get the “real” story.  There are two particular passages from his article that give the Ying and Yang of this Cubs team:

3B Aramis Ramirez: Maybe once and for all, people will realize what a potent offensive force Ramirez is. His season was cut to 82 games because of the shoulder. He turned in a hitting line of .317/.389/.516 with 15 homers and 65 RBI.
Nuggets: You may or may not believe there are “clutch” hitters, but Ramirez batted .425 with runners in scoring position (37-for-87). He was 5-for-11 with the bases loaded.

IF Aaron Miles: Somebody has to be the worst player in baseball, or at least the worst veteran, and that dubious distinction may go to Miles, whose hitting line is .185/.224/.242. And to think he completed only the first year of a two-year, $4.9 million contract.
Nuggets: In Baseball Prospectus’ VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) system, Miles ranked 1,018th, at minus-13.4. At least he ranked ahead of Ronny Cedeno.

The thing that amazes me about Aramis Ramirez is that he missed half of the season and still managed to be a more potent offensive force than guys like Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley who played the vast majority of the season.  The thing that amazes me about Aaron Miles is that he received a two-year, $4.9 million contract last offseason.  Jim Hendry does love his scrappy little second baseman, doesn’t he?  It wouldn’t surprise me if Miles was released this winter.

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If you’re interested in a funny, irreverent, and perhaps completely inappropriate parody column from the frozen head of Ted Williams, then check out the FoxSports website.

Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times is also critical of Hendry.  Primarily, Hayes chastises Hendry for signing Bradley in the first place.  Hayes writes:

When I heard the Cubs were considering signing Bradley, I called a colleague who had spent a lot of time around the troubled outfielder in the past. I was told that Bradley is bright, sincere and passionate. I also learned that he could be moody and sour and that the black cloud that often hovers over him can produce lightning strikes, hurricane warnings and, in extreme cases, nuclear winters.

He continues:

It takes a unique player to excel in one of baseball’s most unique environments, and a cursory examination of Bradley’s history would have revealed that he was not that type of player, not by a long shot. I learned that after checking one reference. One.

As I’ve stated previously, signing Milton Bradley was a disaster waiting to happen.  His suspension is hopefully the end of the disaster.

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Not so fast there, partner.  Bradley’s suspension may not be the end of the disaster afterall.  As I reported previously, the MLBPA may be filing a grievance against the Cubs on Bradley’s behalf.  If they do, Bradley could return to the team before the end of the season.  Paul Sullivan of the Trib writes about the possibilities of Bradley returning before the close of the season:

 With a decided lack of support in the Cubs clubhouse, Bradley’s return could make for some awkward moments during in the final week of the season. The relationship seems unretrievably broken, and all the apologies in the world aren’t going to heal these self-inflicted wounds.

But, just for a second, imagine the possibilities of a Bradley comeback for the last week of the season:

If Ryan Dempster handed Bradley a mirror, would he laugh?

Would Lou Piniella even dare write Bradley’s name in the lineup? And if not, what if hitting coach Von Joshua asked him to pinch hit again?

How would Bradley deal with the media crush that would greet his arrival, making for another potential You Tube moment, like his “What else ya got?” performance last week.

And if Bradley was playing in right field in Wrigley Field in the final homestand, would it lead to a very ugly and perhaps dangerous atmosphere?

That last question really bothers me.  Bradley is a baseball player, not some sort of enemy military figure.  True, he’s a jerk of near epic proportions, but the man does not deserve to fear for his safety from a bunch of ill-mannered fans.  It’s a shame that the question even needs to be asked.

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The aforemention Dave Kaplan has some additional thoughts on Hendry’s future with the Cubs.  He thinks Hendry is the man who can turn around the team in 2010.  But first, he wants to describe some of his mistakes:

Taking two guys like (Kerry) Wood and (Mark) DeRosa who thrived in that environment and replacing them with a guy like Milton Bradley, who was extremely uncomfortable in that situation, was one of the biggest mistakes that Hendry and his staff made in their off season evaluations. Add in the fact that, as one player told me on Monday, Milton Bradley brought tension to the locker room from the first day he joined the team in spring training. No one felt comfortable around him and everyone tried unbelievably hard to make him feel welcome and accepted on the team.

Kaplan also chastises Hendry for bringing in Aaron Miles on a two-year deal when the Cubs already had Andres Blanco in the pipeline.  But in the end, Kaplan throws his support behind Hendry:

Barry Meister is another well known agent who has negotiated with Hendry for several of his clients, and he too likes working with the Cubs GM. “If indeed the Cubs are in recovery mode this off season and they are trying to fix their club then I believe that Jim Hendry is as good as it gets trying to fix a team on the fly,” Meister said.

Add in the fact that Hendry’s work ethic is legendary, and you have a guy who should be extremely motivated to turn around a team that had just about everything go wrong for it in 2009. Teams always want players in their contract year because their performance tends to improve. How about an executive who had a bad season and has new ownership coming in? Sounds to me like the perfect recipe for turning around the Chicago Cubs in 2010.

Hendry has done a lot of good things over the years.  I’ve been a supporter.  But I have to admit that this past off season was horrible for Hendry and the Cubs.  Do we really want the guy that screwed up a team that made it to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons be the guy who also fixes it?  At the moment, I have mixed emotions.  I still think that Hendry can get the job done, but he screwed up big time last year.

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The Astros fired manager Cecil Cooper.  Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle wrote about it here.

I’m not saying that Cooper didn’t deserve to be fired, but what did it accomplish firing him with just 14 games left in the season?  It seems the horse was out of the barn at that point.  Why not just let him stay until the end of the season and then give him the bad news.  Nothing was gained by firing him just before the season ended.

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I was going to write a post about why I hate ESPN Insider, and then I decided just to include it in this post, and then changed my mind once again.  For now, I’ll just say that I hate ESPN Insider and one of these days I’ll tell you why.

You would think that a team in the Cubs’ position would rally-up (a new term coined by me) and play better at this time of the year, especially against sub-.500 teams.  Instead, they continue to plod along like there’s no urgency to the situation.  It’s maddening to watch this group of overpaid underachievers just go through the motions every game.  Is it time to give up on this sorry team?  I don’t know yet.  Ask me tomorrow.

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According to Joe Strauss at the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Cardinals are set to sign John Smoltz to be their fifth starter.  An announcement and press conference will likely happen later today.

I personally don’t think Smoltz has the stuff to be a starter on a contending team, but the Cardinals obviously disagree.  There was talk about Smoltz becoming the set-up man for Ryan Franklin, but for now he’s being brought in to start.

Let’s face it, Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan have a way of making moves like this work.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Duncan spends a few days with Smoltz only to have Smoltz regain the prowess he showed in Atlanta.  That might be asking a little much, but you have to admit that Duncan is good, no matter how much you hate the fact.

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The other day, I commented that it doesn’t seem like Walt Jocketty and the Cincinnati Reds have any sort of plan for the future.  So John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer completely stole my idea and wrote an article about it.  That’s okay.  I don’t mind.  I’m just here to give.

Anyway, Fay obviously feels the same way I do, but because he has access to Walt Jocketty, he asked Jocketty what his plans are.  Here’s a little of what he said:

“The plan is . . . we have a plan, let’s put it at that. . . The plan is to try and develop quality young players and build a foundation for the organization for the long-term, not just the short-term.”

So how does that explain the acquisition of Scott Rolen?

“We’re also trying to be fair to our fans and be competitive as much as we could this year. I think we were until we were hit with a lot of injuries in the middle of July. We didn’t have the depth to compensate for it.”

The only problem with that is that the Reds got Rolen after the team was hit with injuries.  So Jocketty knew he didn’t have the depth to compete, but he got Rolen and his $10 million/year price tag any way.

It seems to me like Jocketty and the Reds really don’t have a plan.

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Jayson Stark at ESPN.com wrote a great piece about how the MLB draft is broken and how he proposes to fix it.  It really is a good article, but there’s one part that I’d like to focus on.

Most of the arguments being put forward for a revamped draft are presented from the owners perspective.  Teams are paying more for draft picks than ever before and the argument is that the owners need some new rules to save them from themselves.  There’s obvious truth to the argument, but I think the players union should be right there with the owners calling for change.

Too often, we think of the players union as nothing more than a foil for the desires of the owners.  But at least in this case, the interests of the owners and the players are aligned.  Think about it, the owners just spent millions upon millions of dollars to sign players that 1) have never played professional baseball, and 2) are not yet members of the union.  If I’m part of the union, I want that money (or a good chunk of it) being paid to my members, not some high school or college kid.

The players union should be breaking down Bud Selig’s door demanding change.  The draft, as currently structured, doesn’t work to the benefit of the players, the majority of the owners, or the game itself.  Changes should be made immediately.  There’s no need to wait until the next collective bargaining agreement.  If everyone involved in the CBA wants the change now, who’s left to complain?

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Bill Hall and his $9.5 million contract for 2010 were DFA’d earlier this week and the Brewers have until Friday to trade or release him.  I’m not suggesting that Bill Hall is the answer to the Cubs woes, but I do think he is a decent utility ball player.  The Brewers paid him like he’s a top-of-the-line starting player, but that’s not his fault.

The Cubs have trotted out the likes of  Aaron Miles, Ryan Freel, and Joey Gathright this year.  Hall is a better player than any of these suspects and the Cubs would have the added benefit of having Milwaukee pay the bulk of Hall’s salary in 2010. 

Hall can play a serviceable third base, shortstop, second, and outfield.  He’s the poor man’s Mark DeRosa.  Wouldn’t the Cubs be better off having Hall as a backup and bench player rather than Aaron Miles?  I think so.

You see, my relationship with the Cubs evolved over the years.  It started out innocently enough.  I was just a kid and they were my hometown team.  I learned the players names, memorized their numbers, and studied the statistics on the back of their baseball cards.  I was a fan and all I wanted was for the team to win.

As I grew older, my wish for a winning team became a little bit of an embarrassment.  It didn’t matter how many games I watched or how hard I wished for the victories, the Cubs just didn’t win.  They were pathetic and that seemed to reflect negatively on me.  I had become too personally involved and my happiness had become tied in to how well the Cubs were doing.  Unfortunately, they weren’t doing very well.

In college, I fell in with a group of guys, many of whom were Cardinals fans.  They were good guys, just horribly misguided.  Of course, when the Cardinals won the World Series in 1982, I had to ask myself, “who is the one that is really misguided?”  (My girlfriend at the time was also a Cardinals fan, so that didn’t help.) The 80′s were a difficult time for the Cubs (except 1984), just as the 70′s and 60′s had been.

Today, I am a full-fledged adult, complete with a wife, kids, and all of the assorted goodies that come along with growing up and getting older.  Unfortunately, I still have the personality glitch that I developed as a kid.  I’m still a Cubs fan and my personal happiness is still far too dependent on the trials and tribulations of the Cubs.  That’s why I’m an apologist.

You see, the Cubs have been a part of my life for a long time.  They’re almost like a member of the family who you stay in contact with, but who’s lifestyle you don’t like.  You love them, but you really wish they’d change.  And no matter what type of stupid, inappropriate thing they do, you just can’t seem to turn your back on them.  You give them the benefit of the doubt.  You’re sure that the next job or the next relationship is going to turn them around.  But when that doesn’t happen, your first inclination is to defend them, to justify their actions, to make excuses.  Such is the current state of my relationship with the Cubs.

But if I take a hard look, a really hard look, at the 2009 version of the Cubs and I allow myself to be objective, I know deep down that it isn’t injuries that have derailed their season.   Sure, the loss of Aramis Ramirez has hurt the team, but injuries happen to every team.  And the Cubs have the players that should be able to pick up the slack.  Alfonso Soriano, Milton Bradley and Derrek Lee should be able to carry a Ramirez-less team.  But they didn’t.  Instead, they folded at the very time the team needed them to step up.  Derrek Lee eventually came around, but it was too little too late.

You know, as long as I’m being objective, let me turn my attention to Jim Hendry.  Because if I’m going to be honest, I have to admit that this team is not well constructed.  For instance:

• Ryan Theriot is not an every day shortstop for a large market team.  Relying on him to be something other than what he is – a solid, if unspectacular player – was a mistake. 
• Mike Fontenot is not an everyday second baseman.  Thinking that he could replace the production, if not the leadership qualities, of Mark DeRosa was delusional.
• Signing Milton Bradley to a $10 million/year contract based strictly on his 2008 production, and turning a blind eye to his previous performance and behavioral issues was nothing short of wishful thinking.
• Abandoning center field to a platoon consisting of a) a guy who had a horrible 2008, and b) a guy that was released by the Toronto Blue Jays, simply because both guys were already on the team was completely wrongheaded.  You had a bunch of money to spend.  Couldn’t you get two good players for right and center field instead of just handing all of the money over to Milton Bradley?
• Shouldn’t a large market team that spends $140 million a year have some depth?  Of course they should.  Then how do you explain Aaron Miles?  Joey Gathright?  Ryan Freel?  Has there ever been a GM who spent so much money on such a shallow team?

I envy fair weather fans.  They don’t throw tirades about a team’s farm system.  They don’t spend their time going over box scores.  They don’t feel the need to purge their tortured soul because their team, the team that has disappointed them over and over again, just got swept.  They enjoy a normal life.  That must be nice. 

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I normally don’t pay a lot of attention when and for how much teams sign their draft picks.  But I have to admit to being a bit intrigued by the Stephen Strasburg saga.  From publish reports, it sounds like the Nationals have offered him $9.5 million and Strasburg and his agent, Scott Boras, are asking for $50 million.  The two sides have until Monday evening to get this worked out.

Strasburg is said to be the best pitcher to ever come out of college baseball.  By some accounts, he could be the ace of many MLB staffs right now, today.  But $50 million?  The most any team has ever paid a college player is $10.5 million.  The team?  The Cubs.  The player?  Mark Prior.  Ouch!

As Jayson Stark points out, Strasburg’s value will never be higher than it is right now.  Sure, he has the option of going back to college, or play independent ball, or going to Japan.  But what would he have to do at any of those stops to increase his value.  There really is nothing that can happen to make him worth more than he is right now.

Of course, the Nationals really could use someone like Strasborg, not just on the mound, but as a PR gesture to their embattled (or perhaps the better word is “ambivalent”) fans.  They lost out on #1 pick Aaron Crow last year.  a repeat of that scenario would just drive Nationals fans further underground.  The Nationals need Stephen Strasburg.

So will a deal get done?  Yeah, I think so.  Of course, I have nothing but my gut to back that up.  So as long as I’m just guessing, how much will Strasburg sign for?  I’m glad you asked.  It’s got to be for more than Prior signed for, right?  I’m guessing somewhere around $20 million.  To me, that seems like a figure the Nationals can live with, and it seems like a figure that Strasburg can’t turn down.  Of course, with Scott Boras involved, thinking about this logically is probably a waste of time.

Rich Harden earned the victory on Sunday by pitching 6.0 innings of one hit baseball.  The only hit he gave up was a first inning solo homerun to Joey Votto.  In his 6.0 inning stint, Harden struck out eight and didn’t allow any walks.

Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez, Milton Bradley, Alfonso Soriano and Koyie Hill all had two hits on the afternoon.  In fact, Milton Bradley was 2-for-2 with two singles and two walks.  I know it was just two hits and two walks, but the fact that he was on-base each of his plate appearances makes Sunday’s performasnce perhaps his best as a Cub. (Game video and interviews here)

The Astros visit Wrigley starting today for a four game set.  Carlos Zambrano (7-4) takes on Cubs killer Wandy Rodriguez (10-6) in the first match-up of the series.

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There are only five days left (including today) before we run up against the trade deadline.  It’s looking more and more like Roy Halladay will remain with Toronto.  Philadelphia made a push over the weekend, but they were rebuffed by the Blue Jays.  Toronto wants Kyle Drabek and JA Happ – Philadelphia’s two top pitching prospects – but Philly doesn’t want to part with them, at least not both.  It looks like Philly may be turning their attention to the less expensive Cliff Lee.

Both the Rangers and Angels remain interested in Halladay.  However, the Angels likely don’t have the prospects Toronto wants.  The Rangers have the prospects and the willingness to trade them, but it looks like they don’t have the payroll flexibility to take on Halladay’s contract.

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The Cardinals obtained Matt Holliday from the A’s in exchange for top prospect Brett Wallace and two other minor league prospects.  They previously obtained Mark DeRosa from Cleveland for pitching prospect Chris Perez and a PTBNL.  The PTBNL was named yesterday and it was Jess Todd.  According to MLB Trade Rumors, Todd was highly thought of in the Cardinals organization and Baseball America had him listed as the Cardinals #4 prospect.

The Cardinals are obviously going all in to win the NL Central this year.  They’re mortgaging their future and draining their farm system for a shot at the brass ring right now.  However, I’m not sure that they have the horses to get it done this year, and trading away so many of their top prospects is going to make it more difficult to win in years to come.

Milwaukee has been involved in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, but they are on the outside looking in.  Instead, they have turned their attention to Jerrod Washburn of the Seattle Mariners.  According to Tom Hardicourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Seattle is looking for a shortstop and the Brewers have two good ones in JJ Hardy and Alcides Escobar.  Trading away either one for a few months of Washburn would be a high price to pay, but the Brewers may think they have a leg up on re-signing him when he becomes a free agent at the end of the year since Washburn is a Wisconsin native.

Washburn could probably help the Brewers, but he’s no CC Sabathia.  If they are looking to catch that lightning in a bottle again, they’re probably in for disappointment.  Sabathia put the Brewers on his back last year after he was acquired from Cleveland, and he led them into the playoffs.  It’s doubtful that Washburn can do the same.

Houston, who is just 2.0 games behind the Cubs in third place, is unlikely to make any moves at the trade deadline.  In an interview with Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (and reported by MLB Trade Rumors), Houston GM Ed Wade said:

“We’re having conversations with clubs, but I don’t expect us to be doing much of anything,” Wade said. “The key components aren’t going to change, and that’s the economics and the talent in the system. Those things aren’t going to change overnight. If something makes sense we’ll pursue it, but there’s nothing going on now.”

That leaves the Cubs.  What are they going to do at the deadline?  Considering the ownership situation, don’t expect any blockbuster trades.  However, acquiring something less that Roy Halladay may be a possibility.

Jim Hendry is looking for a left-handed bullpen arm and George Sherrill of Baltimore is the most likely target.  He is a closer for the Orioles right now, but would probably be used as a LOOGY by the Cubs.  That would allow the Cubs to move Sean Marshall back into the rotation to sub for Ted Lilly while he’s on the DL.

Hendry may also be looking for a starting pitcher, especially since Lilly jumped on the DL.  Possibilities include Zach Duke and Tom Gorzelanny of the Pirates.

Speaking of the Pirates, might Freddie Sanchez be Chicago bound?  It’s a longshot, but the Mike Fontenot experiement at second base hasn’t gone so well and I’m sure Lou Piniella would feel more comfortable trotting Sanchez out to second every day instead of Fontenot (or Aaron Miles or Andres Blanco).

Is there any possibility of moving Bradley at the deadline?  I suppose anything is possible, but it’s unlikely.  I wouldn’t mind swapping bad contracts with the Angels for Gary Matthews, Jr. or Toronto for Vernon Wells.  I spoke about this previously here.

I understand that both Matthews and Wells are overpaid.  I also understand that they would cost the Cubs more than the Cubs are currently paying Bradley.  However, I see Bradley as a clubhouse cancer that is going to eat away at the team for the remainder of his contract.  Paying  to get rid of the cancer is a good idea and it just might bring back something useful.  For instance, either Matthews or Wells are better CF options than the Cubs currently have.  Putting either one in CF would allow Piniella to move Kosuke Fukudome back to his natural position in RF.

Having said all of this, it’s probably not going to happen.  Even if the Angels or Blue Jays were interested, the Cubs probably can’t take on the additional payroll at the moment.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t dream.