MLB: For you Cubs fans
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Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along a report about MLB teams, the Cubs included, watching Chunichi Dragons pitcher Wei-Yin Chen's last start. It's possible Chen will be a free agent after the season. The Taiwanese southpaw has a 1.45 ERA this year and would be in high demand
Cubs Start Talking Extension With Grabow
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [September 15 at 9:38am CST]
The Cubs have started discussing a two-year contract extension with John Grabow, according to ESPN.com's Bruce Levine. The lefty, who is scheduled to hit free agency after the season, would be a setup man to Carlos Marmol and occasional closer in the Chicago 'pen.
Grabow has allowed just 55 hits in 66 innings this year with the Pirates and Cubs. He has 53 strikeouts, but has walked 39 along the way. If the extensions to Trever Miller and Ryan Franklin are any indication of the market for relievers, Grabow, who made $2.3MM this year, could be in line for about $4MM over the course of the next two years.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney considers some of the problems the Cubs encountered this season and turns up some rumors along the way. Here they are:
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [September 15 at 9:38am CST]
The Cubs have started discussing a two-year contract extension with John Grabow, according to ESPN.com's Bruce Levine. The lefty, who is scheduled to hit free agency after the season, would be a setup man to Carlos Marmol and occasional closer in the Chicago 'pen.
Grabow has allowed just 55 hits in 66 innings this year with the Pirates and Cubs. He has 53 strikeouts, but has walked 39 along the way. If the extensions to Trever Miller and Ryan Franklin are any indication of the market for relievers, Grabow, who made $2.3MM this year, could be in line for about $4MM over the course of the next two years.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney considers some of the problems the Cubs encountered this season and turns up some rumors along the way. Here they are:
- Alfonso Soriano's contract is about as untradeable as they come, so what should the Cubs do about it? One talent evaluator believes the Cubs should make it clear to Soriano and Milton Bradley that Jake Fox and Micah Hoffpauir will play if either veteran falters.
- Christina Kahrl blames the Cubs for relying on older players to win.
- Could the speedy, versatile Chone Figgins be a fit for the Cubs? Jayson Stark wouldn't be surprised to see Figgins sign a three or four-year deal for $11-12MM per season. It's not known whether the Cubs can afford to take on another big contract.
- The Cubs should have the inside track when Rich Harden hits free agency after the season.
This person's top 30 cubs prospects
http://wrigleybound.com/2009/09/14/top-30-cubs-prospects-postseason-edition
http://wrigleybound.com/2009/09/14/top-30-cubs-prospects-postseason-edition
Naples, Fla., is making a push for the Cubs, which would make for a nice spring training rivalry with Boston. -- Boston Globe
At least the cubs have a winning record. Sux can't even get above .500 in the worst division in baseball
At least the Sox won the Series this year! So does that show that the Sox are a better club playing a in a better Division, or the the Cubs record is inflated because the NL is weak?
ESPN.com's Jayson Stark hears that the Cubs will likely try to move Milton Bradley for another "problem" player this offseason. Eric Byrnes, Pat Burrell and Bronson Arroyo haven't been discussed, but they are the kind of expensive player the Cubs might consider trading Bradley away for. There will likely be takers for the unpredictable outfielder, despite his year-long struggle in Chicago.
Stark hears that Bradley's teammate, Carlos Zambrano, is far less likely to be traded. Baseball men say the Cubs have never shown any interest in dealing the big righty, so he's likely to be their Opening Day starter once again in 2010.
Stark hears that Bradley's teammate, Carlos Zambrano, is far less likely to be traded. Baseball men say the Cubs have never shown any interest in dealing the big righty, so he's likely to be their Opening Day starter once again in 2010.
Padres GM Kevin Towers says he's open-minded about the possibility of bringing Milton Bradley back to San Diego, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. Towers hasn't yet spoken with Cubs GM Jim Hendry about the possibility of re-acquiring the 31-year-old, but the Padres have to take chances at times, so Bradley could fit.
"We could be in the market for an outfielder," Towers said. "I'm not saying it's necessarily Milton. But our experience with him was rather a positive one. It wasn't really a negative one."
The Padres' experience with Bradley wasn't without its negative episodes. Bradley injured his knee when manager Bud Black restrained him during an on-field argument. The bizarre turn of events ended Bradley's Padres career, over the course of which he posted an OPS of 1.004 in 42 games.
Earlier this afternoon, Jon Heyman of SI.com guessed that the Padres could be a fit for Bradley, who the Cubs have suspended for the remainder of the year. One obstacle the Cubs will encounter with any trading partner will be the $21MM remaining on Bradley's contract before the end of the 2011 season.
"We could be in the market for an outfielder," Towers said. "I'm not saying it's necessarily Milton. But our experience with him was rather a positive one. It wasn't really a negative one."
The Padres' experience with Bradley wasn't without its negative episodes. Bradley injured his knee when manager Bud Black restrained him during an on-field argument. The bizarre turn of events ended Bradley's Padres career, over the course of which he posted an OPS of 1.004 in 42 games.
Earlier this afternoon, Jon Heyman of SI.com guessed that the Padres could be a fit for Bradley, who the Cubs have suspended for the remainder of the year. One obstacle the Cubs will encounter with any trading partner will be the $21MM remaining on Bradley's contract before the end of the 2011 season.