Chasing Cubtober: Holiday Shopping Edition
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by LMedina86
With the holiday shopping season underway and the Winter Meetings beginning Dec. 3, now would be a good time for Chicago Cubs general manager to start working on what he wants for Christmas the 2008 season.
1. Acquire a left-handed hitting outfielder/on-base machine.
Since Billy Beane and Michael Lewis came into town with my favorite baseball book, [[Moneyball]], I’ve been all over the Cubs for not addressing the importance of on-base percentage. It looks like this year could be different.
According to several sources, the Cubs have identified their need for an OBP-minded, left-handed hitter to add balance to a power hitting, right-handed heavy line-up and Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome tops their list.
The free-agent pool seems shallow after Fukudome, and if that is the case the Cubs will likely explore the trade market to fill their need. Rumors have attached the Cubs to players that fit that bill such as Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew (career OBP, .390) and Washington Nationals outfielder Ryan Church (career OBP, .348)
2. Acquire a left-handed hitting middle infielder who posses speed and a solid OBP.
Though the move doesn’t seem to be popular with Cubs fans, Kaz Matsui has been targeted by the Cubs and could be given a three-year deal worth around $15 million. Matsui hit .288 and posted a .342 OBP and stole 32 bases for the 2007 National League champion Colorado Rockies.
Unfortunately, Matsui may have peaked in Colorado, where he hit .330 with a .381 OBP at Coors Field. However, he only hit .249 with a .304 OBP.
There is a popular theory going around that acquiring Matsui might be the type of ploy that could bring Fukudome to the Cubs. We’ll see if that works in the coming weeks.
3. Acquire another starting pitcher through free agency.
Again, you can never have too much pitching. The Cubs were linked to free agent starter Carlos Silva, but he would likely be out of the Cubs price range. The Cubs were also reportedly in the running for Japanese starter Hiroki Kuroda, but it looks like he wants to play for a west coast team like the Mariners.
4. Acquire another relief pitcher through free agency.
With Ryan Dempster’s move to the starting rotation official, the Cubs might look to add another reliever to their bullpen in 2008. Even though the Cubs had the third best bullpen in the NL, it would be a smart move, seeing that having a successful bullpen is a crapshoot from year-to-year.
The Cubs would be wise to add either Octavio Dotel or Eric Gagne to solidify their bullpen.
These things have been crossed off of Jim Hendry’s holiday to-do list:
1. Re-sign Kerry Wood.
For a while there, it looked like Kerry wouldn’t be returning to the Cubs. Even though he never talked contract details with any team besides the Cubs, Wood was being wooed by several teams including the Boston Red Sox.
Wood received a one-year deal worth $4.2 million and can make up to around $7 million if he reaches certain incentives. He will likely enter Spring Training as the people’s choice to be the closer in 2008.
2. Trade Jacque Jones.
The Cubs traded Jones to the Detroit Tigers for utility man Omar Infante. Infante will provide the Cubs with a versatile player who can play both the infield and outfield.
Everyone knew that a Jones trade was coming, especially since the Cubs tried trading him to the Marlins during the 2007 season. Though trading Jones does look suspect, knowing that the Cubs are looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder.
These are things the Cubs should do during the off-season that haven’t been mentioned:
1. Find an owner.
It’s almost 2008 and the Cubs aren’t even in the preliminary stages of finding a new owner. Sure, there have been lots of names mentioned of people who would be interest, but there has been no action. Finding an owner for the Cubs could bring stability to a front office that just lost their president to the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.
2. Acquire a starting pitcher via trade.
The trade market seems like a good place to find another quality starter. If the Cubs were a smart ballclub, they would contact the Oakland A’s while everyone else who is in the market for a frontline starter is trying to pry Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins.
Oakland might be entertaining offers for Joe Blanton, Rich Harden or Dan Haren and if that is the case, the Cubs should jump on it as soon as possible. I wonder if some of the youngsters the Cubs have interest A’s general manager Billy Beane.
3. Trade Ryan Dempster and/or Jason Marquis.
With the news that Dempster will be joining the rotation in 2008, his value couldn’t be higher. Dempster could theoretically fill a team’s need for a starting or relief pitcher at an affordable cost. Dempster is scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2008.
Marquis is another affordable starter and could be acquired a discounted price, seeing the rising cost of starting pitching. Marquis is scheduled to make $16.25 million over the next two years.
If the Cubs could acquire one of the Oakland pitchers, one of these two could be seen as expendable. And if the Cubs could somehow trade both, they would be freeing up $11.875 million in 2008 salary.
