Chasing Cubtober: Rewarding your own. Dempster to start. Turning Japanese & More!
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by LMedina86
The Cubs have a busy off-season ahead of them, but don’t expect something like last year’s free agent shopping spree.
The Cubs will likely focus first on rewarding two of their own free-agents, pitcher Kerry Wood and catcher Jason Kendall.
The Cubs would likely bring back Kendall if he would be willing to accept a back-up role. That would allow the Cubs to ease Geovany Soto into being the primary catcher in 2008. In 57 games as a Cub, Kendall posted a .362 on-base percentage, a stat the Cubs desperately need to improve.
As for Wood, it would likely take a two-year deal to retain him. He would probably go for under market value because of his loyalty to the Cubs. Wood was solid coming out of the bullpen last year. As a reliever, Wood has a 2.97 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 36.1 innings pitched.
The Cubs made news this week by saying Ryan Dempster would be moving to the starting rotation in 2008. That move was rumored to happen during the season when Carlos Marmol was brought up when Lou Piniella wanted hard-throwing strikeout pitchers in the bullpen.
This news comes with mixed emotions from Cubs fans. Dempster’s numbers aren’t wowing as a reliever or as a starter. As a starter, Dempster has a record of 51-58 with a 4.99 ERA. As a reliever, he recorded 87 saves and posted a 4.11 ERA.
The best thing the Cubs could do is trade Dempster, a popular sentiment among Cubs fans. Dempster’s value could boost with the news that he could be used as a starter or a reliever. More importantly the Cubs could open up $5.5 million by trading Dempster.
The Cubs will likely promote from within to fill the closer’s role. Internal options include Wood, Marmol and Bob Howry. There are several quality free agent options that could adequately fill the closer’s role such as Eric Gagne, Francisco Cordero and Mariano Rivera.
You can add Japanese left-handed closer Hitoki Iwase to that list. It looks like the Cubs are really focusing on importing major Japanese talent this off-season. They’ve reportedly shown interest in outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and infielder Kaz Matsui.
I’m not sure why there is interest in Matsui, other than to attract Japanese free agents to the Cubs. Adding Matsui wouldn’t necessarily improve the Cubs at the shortstop position. His career batting average is .272 and his on-base percentage is only .325. Since joining the Rockies in 2006, Matsui is only batting .256 away from Coors Field.
In other news, the Cubs may have a trading partner in Tampa Bay. The Cubs have an interest in Rays outfielder Carl Crawford, and the Rays might have an interest in shortstop Ronny Cedeno.
Manager Lou Piniella managed Crawford in Tampa Bay, and is the type of player Piniella would like patrolling center field next year. Crawford would be a nice addition to the line-up, fitting well in the number two spot where he sports a career .318 batting average.
It might take a king’s ransom to pry Crawford from Tampa Bay, but the Rays have a logjam in the outfield. A package would likely begin with Cedeno and starting pitcher Rich Hill.
Hill could be made expendable this off-season, especially in a blockbuster trade. The Cubs have plenty of rotation options with Dempster, Jason Marquis, Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Kevin Hart, top pitching prospect Donnie Veal, and the forgotten man Mark Prior possibly fighting rotation spots.
Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times believes the Cubs will look at free agent starter Carlos Silva. According to a Minnesota paper, the Cubs inquired about Silva around the trade deadline. Silva would fit as a number three starter, but will likely be looking for more money than Ted Lilly’s deal last year.
