Lukewarm Stove: Garza, Samardzija, Soto, Cespedes, Wright, Headley, DeJesus, Ogando

ESPN’s Bruce Levine had another chat yesterday, offering his thoughts on a range of Chicago Cubs’ topics, many of which add a little wood to the hot stove…

  • Levine suggests the Cubs could get two or three quality prospects in return for Carlos Marmol, and mentions the Red Sox and Angels as possible suitors.
  • Levine says a couple teams have reached out to the Cubs on Geovany Soto’s availability, including the Pirates (who tried to acquire Soto at the trade deadline) and Angels (whose interest in both Soto and Marmol was first reported here last week). The new front office doesn’t have a particular allegiance to any players, and that’s a part of the reason valuable players like Soto are available.
  • If Matt Garza is traded, Levine sees Jeff Samardzija moving to the rotation. I suspect the Cubs are going to give Jeff another chance to crack the rotation in 2012, regardless of what happens with Garza.
  • Additionally, Levine says there’s no way the Cubs move Garza without getting young pitching in return. Which, like, duh. He says the Rangers “definitely” have interest, and says that it would be nice to get 28-year-old pitcher Alexi Ogando as part of the return. Ogando, a converted reliever, isn’t even eligible for arbitration for another two years.
  • Levine doesn’t see the Cubs going after any high-priced position player free agents, except for Prince Fielder. On the pitching side, however, he could see the Cubs pursuing some expensive vets. The resources to add both a guy like Fielder and other pricey free agents are there, but it wasn’t the original plan to use the resources that way. Levine concedes that the CBA really changed things.
  • Relatedly, Levine doesn’t see Albert Pujols leaving St. Louis. I’m not sure I know anyone who does, Cubs rumors notwithstanding.
  • The Cubs are keeping their evaluation of 26-year-old Cuban star Yoenis Cespedes, whom all of Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and Jason McLeod have observed first-hand, to themselves. Making that information public – whether they liked what they saw, or didn’t like what they saw – can only hurt the Cubs.
  • Levine doesn’t think the Cubs could put together a package to land Mets’ third baseman David Wright, which is, to me, nuts. Wright is owed $15 million in 2012 (with a $16 million option for 2013, and a $1 million buyout), has dealt with repeated back issues, will soon be 29, and has suffered from a decline in defensive ability. None of that is to say he’s not a quality third baseman, one worth having on your team (he is). But the suggestion that he’s this over-the-top superstar whom the Cubs couldn’t possibly land with a package of prospects is, in my opinion, inaccurate. That all said, should the Cubs pursue Wright, even if they could land him? Nah.
  • As noted in last night’s rumor blowout, Levine mentions Chase Headley as a candiate for the Cubs at third base. Until/unless another option comes up, I’m firmly planting my flag on the Headley-is-my-top-3B-choice side of things.
  • Also noted in the rumor blowout, but not from Levine, David DeJesus is clearly on the Cubs’ radar, and could be the Cubs’ first move in free agency. Levine calls him the kind of player Theo and Jed usually look for, and could be a good rebound candidate in 2012. I’m inclined to agree, if the price is right. As I said last night, although his numbers weren’t where they usually are last year, DeJesus’s BABIP was unusually low, which tends to be an indication that a guy simply had an unlucky year.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Get ‘Em While They’re Down: Cubs vs Astros – Series Preview

    Cubs vs Astros — Splitting a four-gamer against the current, badly-struggling Miami Marlins is unquestionably a bad outcome, especially when one of those two losses was a win-in-hand that slipped away into the seats. But the typical, and maddeningly correct,...

    South Side Horror Show (and Campfire Milkshakes), Alzolay and Evolving Relief Roles, and Other Cubs Bullets

    It's going to be a really good year for Horror movies. Late Night with the Devil was good (just saw it the other night). And I've got my eyes on Long Legs, Cuckoo, The First Omen, Immaculate, MaXXXine, In a...

    Two NL Central Pitchers Down: Miley and Montas

    A couple injuries to note among other NL Central contenders, as each of the Brewers and Reds have taken a hit to their rotation. The presumption for now is short-term on each, but I suppose we'll see. First, you have...

    Brewers Pitcher Jakob Junis Taken Off Field in an Ambulance After Being Struck by BP Ball

    A very scary scene in Pittsburgh, where Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jakob Junis, currently on the IL with a shoulder impingement, took a batting practice ball off the neck and went down. Junis was apparently on the ground for a long...

    Nico Hoerner is Back to Being Nico Hoerner

    On April 9, I took an early look at Nico Hoerner's apparently evolving approach at the plate, which featured a lot more patience and a lot more big hacks. Effectively, it seemed like he was trying for a little more...

    MLBits: Spencer Strider Speaks (His and Other Pitcher Arm Injuries), Shohei Ohtani’s Latest Milestone, More

    There's been much debate about pitcher arm injuries lately, much of it sparked by Spencer Strider's season-ending Tommy John surgery, and Strider spoke to the media for the first time since the injury on Friday. Spencer Strider on pitcher arm...

    Chicago Cubs Sign Lefty Pitching Prospect Mitchell Tyranski

    A new signing popped up on the Chicago Cubs' transaction log: lefty Mitchell Tyranski. Tyranski, 26, put up a 3.83 ERA over 42.1 innings at High-A last year in the Dodgers organization, striking out 47 and walking 21. Were you...

    The Cubs Have TWO of the Early Front-Runners for NL Rookie of the Year

    We already dove deep into Shota Imanaga's latest impressive start against the Marlins yesterday. And there's been no shortage of love for Michael Busch this season either. But I do want to take this time to illustrate just how good...

    My Expectations and Realistic Hope for the Cubs VERY Tough Upcoming Schedule

    Even though Sunday ended in a loss for the Chicago Cubs, we did get some good news in the form of positive injury updates. Ian Happ (hamstring) was available off the bench and could be good to go tomorrow, when...

    Aaron Boone Just Got Ejected Despite Saying Literally Nothing

    I know that sometimes there is a history between an umpire and a manager. I know that sometimes a manager can subtly get under the skin of an umpire without doing much that we can see or hear. And I...

    Latest News

    Prioritizing the Carolina Panthers NFL Draft: Top 5 Positions to Address

    The Carolina Panthers have several positions to address in the 2024 NFL Draft after a rough 2-15 with rookie quarterback Bryce Young at the helm. Let's dive into the team's biggest needs heading into the draft as the team moves...

    Seattle Seahawks 1st Round Mock Draft: Seahawks Land Exciting Defensive Lineman

    The Seattle Seahawks head into the 2024 draft with the 16th overall pick. This Seattle Seahawks 1st round mock draft addresses a major need for them. After a season with some bright spots but overall inconsistency, the Seahawks have several...

    Dodgers vs. Nationals Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Los Angeles Dodgers (13-11) visit the Washington Nationals (10-11) on Tuesday to begin a three-game series, with the first pitch at 6:45 PM ET from Nationals Park. The Dodgers are listed as -216 favorites, while the underdog Nationals have...

    Braves vs. Marlins Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Atlanta Braves (15-6) are favorites (-252) on the moneyline when they square off against the Miami Marlins (6-18) Tuesday at 7:20 PM ET, live on BSSO.Max Fried starts for Atlanta while Trevor Rogers is Miami's starter for the contest.Braves...

    Phillies vs. Reds Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Philadelphia Phillies (15-8) will put their seven-game win streak to the test when they visit the Cincinnati Reds (12-10) Tuesday at 6:40 PM ET on NBCS-PH. Sportsbooks consider the Phillies -128 favorites to extend their streak, while the Reds...

    Yankees vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The New York Yankees (15-8) are set to take on the Oakland Athletics (9-14) Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET, airing on NBCS-CA. The Yankees are listed as -217 favorites by sportsbooks, while the underdog Athletics have +180 odds for the...

    Brewers vs. Pirates Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    The Milwaukee Brewers (14-7) are favorites (-115) on the moneyline when they square off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (12-11) Tuesday at 6:40 PM ET, live on SportsNet PT.Milwaukee's Wade Miley and Pittsburgh's Bailey Falter have been named the starters for...

    Rays vs. Tigers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    Amed Rosario (14 games) will look to add to his hitting streak when the Tampa Bay Rays (12-12) and Detroit Tigers (13-10) meet Tuesday at 6:50 PM ET, live on BSSUN from Tropicana Field. Rosario and the Rays are favored...

    Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks Probable Starting Pitchers – April 23

    The St. Louis Cardinals (10-13) host the Arizona Diamondbacks (11-13) for a home game at Busch Stadium on Tuesday. First pitch is at 7:45 PM ET.The probable pitchers are Steven Matz (1-1) for the Cardinals and Tommy Henry for the...

    Astros vs. Cubs Probable Starting Pitchers – April 23

    The Chicago Cubs (13-9) kick off a three-game series on Tuesday against the Houston Astros (7-16). The matchup begins at 7:40 PM ET at Wrigley Field.The probable starters are J.P. France (0-2) for the Astros and Jordan Wicks (0-2) for...

    more cubs news