Center Field Pickens Are Slim
If the Chicago Cubs are successful in their plan to move right fielder Milton Bradley, they will slide Kosuke Fukudome back to his natural position, right field. That will leave a hole in center field, that is currently the subject of certain OMGranderson rumors.
But Granderson, for all our pleading, must necessarily be considered a long-shot. The Tigers do not have to trade him; and even if they do trade him, there is no guarantee that he’s coming to the Cubs. So the team may have to fill that imminent center field void via free agency.
And that may be a scary proposition. Here are the possible center field free agents this offseason:
Rick Ankiel (30)
Rocco Baldelli (28)
Marlon Byrd (32)
Mike Cameron (37)
Endy Chavez (32)
Coco Crisp (30)
Darin Erstad (36)
Ryan Freel (34)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34)
Reed Johnson (33)
Andruw Jones (33)
Mark Kotsay (34)
Corey Patterson (30)
Scott Podsednik (34)
DeWayne Wise (32) (thanks to Muskat Ramblings for the list)
Now it’s easier to see why Jim Hendry is lasering in on Marlon Byrd. After Byrd and Cameron, there is not much to get excited about. A few high risk/high reward types, and a lot of garbage.
And I know we were all happy with how Jim Edmonds performed, but let’s hope Rick Ankiel isn’t the next Cardinal center field convert. The Cubs have been connected to him in a handful of rumors, by the way.
Chicago Cubs: Dumping Players, and the Measure of Regret
The All Star break marks the not-really-but-figurative mid-point of the season. It always seems like a good time to reflect on pre-season items, and how things have played out (read: cliche, but we’re doing it anyway). It is an easy time to look back with the benefit of hindsight … and regret.
The Chicago Cubs had a particularly active pre-season (and early season) in the transaction department, so a review of those moves and how they’ve played out is worth considering. Here, we’re going to focus on the guys that the Cubs moved out. Specifically, it is worth looking at all of the guys that the Cubs dumped like fat chicks before prom – and deciding the measure of regret. Player by player analysis, after the jump.
Cash, Ryan Freel to the Royals
When the Chicago Cubs designated Ryan Freel for assignment last week, no one actually expected it would result in a trade. Well, unless it was a trade in name only, and it was actually just the Cubs giving Freel to another team along with enough cash to cover his salary for the year above the pro-rated league minimum.
Well, that’s what happened. At least the Cubs get a PTBNL out of it.
The Royals acquired the 33-year-old utilityman Monday from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later. Freel has started at five positions in his career, playing the infield and outfield, and has a career .355 on-base percentage with 143 stolen bases.
“We can use him at every position other than shortstop, and his history shows that he has the ability to get on base and steal,” Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said. “He gives us a lot of options when it comes to moving guys around.” Daily Herald.
Hey, that’s what the Cubs thought, too.
Peace Out, Ryan Freel
The Chicago Cubs designated Ryan Freel for assignment yesterday, a move necessary to make room for newly-acquired Jeff Baker. Freel was fairly terrible as a Cub, so the move is not altogether surprising.
In a related story, the Tribune had this strange comment:
Baker gives the Cubs some right-handed pop off the bench, at little expense. Minor league pitcher Al Alburquerque is years from proving he can pitch at the major league level, and Baker is one of five Rockies players in history to hit home runs in three consecutive at-bats, a list that includes Comcast Sports Net analyst Todd Hollandsworth. Hardball.
Oh, well then. I mean, Alburquerque is years away, but Baker has hit home runs in three-consecutive at bats!
Reed Johnson to the DL, Ryan Freel to Chicago
Getting tough for the Cubs to catch a break, unless it’s the break of a femur or something.
The Chicago Cubs placed Reed Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with continued back problems, retroactive to June 21. In a corresponding move, the team activated Ryan Freel from the disabled list. Unfortunately, it’s a downgrade.
Neither is an every day starter, but Johnson has been an excellent backup and sometime platoon-mate for Kosuke Fukudome. Freel, on the other hand, has shown very little to merit any kind of excitement. Even the bench kind of excitement.
“It hasn’t improved the last two days,” manager Lou Piniella said of the back spasms that surfaced during the Cubs‚ flight to Atlanta on Sunday night. “That leads our people to believe it will linger into next week. We can’t continue to play short.”
Johnson is hitting .268 with 16 RBI, but had been in a 3-for-20 slide. He hasn’t played since Saturday. CHICAGO SUN-TIMES.
I wouldn’t be terribly worried about Johnson. I doubt the Cubs are too eager to make a decision with regards to Andres Blanco, and with Freel ready to come back, DL’ing Johnson conveniently defers that decision.
Cubs Stick With Absurd Number of Pitchers For Now
When Rich Harden returned from the disabled list this weekend, the Chicago Cubs sent down an infielder, despite the fact that the team already had 12 pitchers (more than the typical 11).
Well, it wasn’t a completely temporary thing. Lou Piniella says it’s going to stay that way for a little while.
”The big reason is all the extra innings we’ve had with our pitching, and a couple of them have a little tenderness,” manager Lou Piniella said, declining to specify who’s sore. ”We’re giving ourselves a little protection. But I don’t know how long we can stay this way.” CHICAGO SUN-TIMES.
How long, indeed. Hopefully it will only be until Ryan Freel returns from the disabled list later this week. Four extra position players – that’s all the Cubs have right now. Which is just crazy to me. Particularly when you consider there are a few of those 13 pitchers that Lou is loathe to use anyway. More on the bench/pitcher situation, after the jump
Ryan Freel Should Be Back Soon
Well, it’s not quite Aramis Ramirez, but it will have to do for now.
Ryan Freel is supposed to begin his minor-league rehab tonight for Class AAA Iowa. Freel has been on the DL since May 28 with a left-hamstring strain. It’ll be interesting to see what the Cubs do when Freel is ready. They’ve already sent Bobby Scales down when Aaron Miles returned. Andres Blanco may get sent out when Freel returned, but Scales and Blanco (not to mention Jake Fox) have been much more productive than Miles and Freel, in his short time here. DailyHerald.com Blogs.
I won’t criticize moving Blanco out for Freel, because for whatever reason, I like Ryan Freel on this team. I’ll criticize the hell out of that Aaron Miles deal, though.
Until he gets back on track, that is. And then I’ll say he’s a fine bench player who’s been forced to start, which is throwing everything off. I’m flexible like that.
Point in fact, though, the Cubs still have 13 pitchers. What are the odds they bring back Freel without sending out one of the pitchers?
The Cubs Now Have 13 Pitchers On the Roster
What the hell?
Cubs infielder Bobby Scales has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa in anticipation of activating starting pitcher Rich Harden off the disabled list for his start on Saturday, ESPNChicago.com’s Bruce Levine reported on Friday. ESPN Chicago.
This leaves the Chicago Cubs with 13 pitchers on the roster, and 12 positional players (11 and 14 are the more typical numbers). For a team that can’t score any runs, this is truly bizarre.
Presumably, this is simply a precursor to Ryan Freel’s return from the disabled list when Scales was going to have to go anyway. But still, I can’t figure out the order myself.
