Lukewarm Stove: Wells, Byrd, Garza, LaHair, Soto, Soriano, Soler

Bruce Levine held a chat yesterday, and, given the uptick in rumors over the last week, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that it netted enough rumory goodness to justify a Lukewarm Stove (in late March!). Surprised or not, I’m certainly pleased.

  • A number of teams have asked about Randy Wells, which is pretty understandable – when teams see a guy, fully capable of being a back-end starter on most MLB teams, who is about to be put in the bullpen, they’re going to come calling. It doesn’t mean they’ll offer a whole lot, mind you, but they’re going to ask – and, given that Wells makes just $2.71 million this year, he does have some trade value. Bruce thinks Wells has gotten the shaft this Spring by being on the outside looking in for a rotation spot, and suggests that a trade is more likely than shuffling Wells to the pen or to AAA.
  • Bruce doesn’t see a lot of depth in the Cubs’ outfield, so trading Marlon Byrd right now might not be a great idea if the Cubs don’t want Brett Jackson in the bigs right away. While I’m not suggesting Tony Campana or Dave Sappelt or Joe Mather are as good, overall, as Marlon Byrd, I have to ask: is the downgrade from Byrd to one of those three (or a platoon) really so severe that it’s worth holding onto Byrd to start the year if the Cubs get a good offer for him? I say no way. Trade Byrd for the best possible deal whenever it comes up, and sort out the details from there.
  • Bruce doesn’t think Bryan LaHair has the range for the outfield, and doesn’t think the Cubs will seriously consider moving LaHair there if/when Anthony Rizzo is ready for the bigs. (Which, if true, makes you wonder: what do the Cubs do if July rolls around and both LaHair and Rizzo are killing it? What if no team wants to trade for LaHair? Do the Cubs just keep Rizzo in AAA? Do they bench LaHair?)
  • Conversely, if LaHair struggles, Bruce could see the Cubs filling in with Jeff Baker and Joe Mather, rather than immediately calling up Anthony Rizzo.
  • Many teams remain interested in Matt Garza, but they would have to “gut their farm system” to acquire him. Bruce doesn’t have a good sense of whether the Cubs are serious about negotiating a long-term extension with Garza, because they’ve been very secretive about that issue. That said, Bruce still believes the Cubs will trade Garza by July 31 if they haven’t signed him to an extension by then.
  • Bruce doesn’t see the Cubs as willing to trade Geovany Soto until Steve Clevenger and/or Welington Castillo get a little more seasoning. Bruce also tabs Soto as a guy who’ll have a big season.
  • Alfonso Soriano’s big Spring isn’t enough to change teams’ minds about taking him and his $54 million over three years. Bruce thinks Soriano sticks with the Cubs all season.
  • Jorge Soler! Ever heard of him? On the reason things are taking so long with the Soler: “My opinion, MLB is concerned about media reports saying he already had offers from other teams. Soler is not able to sign with a team until he is cleared by MLB. It’s been a sensitive issue.” Bruce would have an interesting point if we weren’t still waiting on Soler’s residency in the DR. In other words, if Soler isn’t  yet a resident of the DR, there’s nothing MLB could be doing to slow the process down – Soler can’t apply for free agency until he’s a resident of the DR. If, on the other hand, Soler has achieved residency, it’s possible that MLB – concerned about the appearance of impropriety about its teams negotiating with a Cuban citizen – is slowing things down so that it can put some distance between a signing and those early reports about teams like the Cubs coming to an under-the-table agreement with Soler.
  • 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

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Latest News

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    How to Watch Braves vs. Phillies: Live Stream or on TV

    The Atlanta Braves, with Spencer Strider on the mound, take on the Philadelphia Phillies (who will counter with Zack Wheeler) in their opening game of the season, at 3:05 PM ET on Friday.Keep reading to find out all the details...

    Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    On Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, the New Orleans Pelicans play the Milwaukee Bucks, and Jonas Valančiūnas' 3-pointer prop for this clash requires just one trey.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the BucksJonas Valanciunas' over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

    What Would be the Best Draw for the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament?

    Nine games stand between the Chicago Bulls and the Play-In Tournament. I know ... yippie! Practically locked into the No. 9 seed, this puts them in line to host the No. 10 seed at the United Center in Round 1....

    Top 25 College Basketball Picks and Best Bets: March 28

    The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa State Cyclones hit the court in one of four games on the college basketball slate on Thursday that include a ranked team.How to Bet on Top 25 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Top 25 Games for...

    What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

    You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Arizona Diamondbacks begin their season as -226 favorites in a home tilt against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on ARID.Arizona's Zac Gallen and Colorado's Kyle Freeland have been named the starters for this contest.Diamondbacks...

    Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Seattle Mariners start their season as home favorites (-155) in a matchup with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on NESN from T-Mobile Park.Seattle's Luis Castillo and Boston's Brayan Bello have been named the...

    Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Cleveland Guardians look to start their season with a win as road favorites (-145) in a season-opening matchup with the Oakland Athletics. First pitch is on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET on NBCS-CA, live from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.Cleveland's Shane...

    more cubs news