No New Rumors...Yet

There have been no new rumors or news for the past few weeks. We promise we'll update as soon as things start heating back up, which they should by this weekend hopefully.
Stay tuned!

Happy New Years! Hopefully its a better one for the Cubs!

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Roberts Deal Pushed Back?

According to Rotoworld.com, Orioles president Andy MacPhail said a deal involiving Brian Roberts would be pushed back until after the New Year, or within the next 10 days. "Zero," MacPhail said when asked how much truth there was to the rumor. "You can put that one to rest. The likelihood of us doing anything between now and the new year is remote."

Despite being mentioned in the Mitchell report, it was reported Thursday that a deal was completed and Roberts would become a Chicago Cub. In return Cubs would send Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, and Matt Murton to the Orioles. A couple of weeks ago it seemed the Cubs were trying to put a package together for both, Brian Roberts and Erik Bedard, but that deal seemed to fall through.

I am more in favor of adding to the Roberts deal and trying to acquire Bedard, but if we have tried and we failed, I would be happy with just Roberts at second base next season.

Cubs Interested In So Taguchi?

According to a George Ofman report on 670 The Score out of Chicago, the Cubs are interested in So Taguchi. Taguchi batted .290 with 3 home runs and a .350 OBP. Taguchi was released after the Cardinals selected pitcher, Brian Barton, in the Rule 5 draft.

I wouldn't mind Taguchi as long as he is used s a situational starter and a backup. He wouldn't be that bad of a pick up, i'll just say i've seen worse moves than thi if we do pick him up.

Cubs Interested In Blanton?

According to MLB sources, the Cubs are one of four teams talking to the Athletics about Joe Blanton. The Cubs have been interested in adding an elite American League pitcher, which have led to the Cubs talking to the A's. The other teams interested are the Royals, Mets, and the Mariners. A paclage for Blanton would reportedly have to include Eric Patterson, Tyler Colvin, Sean Gallgher, Donald Veal, Jeff Samardzjia, and/or Matt Murton. This deal would seem unlikely because the Cubs are not budging on trading Colvin, Veal or Samardzjia, the main pieces of the trade.

I dont' really want to give that much up for one player when we can get Roberts and Bedard from the Orioles with virtually the same price.

Cubs Want Nathan?

According to MLBTradeRumors.com, the Cubs wouldn't mind exploring the possibilty of acquiring Joe Nathan of the Twins, if he is available. This is kind of odd considering we have Marmol, Howry, and Wood all lined up to be fighting for the closer position. According to George Ofman of WSCR radio 670 out of Chicago, the Twins would have an asking price of Marmol and another young prospect in return for the 33 year old righty.Nathan pitched in the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and pitched three innings with a 0.00 ERA .Nathan, a former all-star, went 4-2 with an ERA of 1.88 and 37 saves in 2007.
I have mixed feelings about this rumored deal. I don't like it because we are giving up a young stud in Marmol. On the other hand I wouldn't mind it if we can get him on an extension after the season is over, if we didn't resign him i think it would be a waste.

A Few Rumors...

• Since the Fukudome signing, the rumored trade for Brian Roberts is now a top priority. As you may, or may not already know, Roberts was in the Mitchell Report. Roberts trade value could possibly take a hit. According to Phil Rogers, the Cubs could put a package of Cedeno, Patterson, or Fontenot together for Roberts, and that if Gallagher was included in a package, the possibilty of having Bedard included in the deal would not be out of the question.


• The Mets have shown interest in Jason Marquis. A possible trade scenario could be Marquis for Endy Chavez. More of a roster dump than anything.


• Mark Prior is no longer a Chicago Cub. This is weird to say after all these years of hoping he would return to form. There is still a possibility he could resign with the team, if he doesn't get the offers he is wanting. I wouldn't be suprised to see him come crawling back.


• The Cubs have announced that Kosuke Fukudome will wear #1 next year for the Cubs and will have only the name, Kosuke, printed on the back of his jersey.

Fukudome Signs With Cubs

The long and nerve-wrecking wait is finally over! The Cubs have signed Kosuke Fukudome to a 4 year/$48 million contract, beating out the Padres and the White Sox. This is great news for the Cubs; the Cubs are finally putting together an outfield to contend. Fukudome will be in Chicago sometime next week to undergo a physical.

Its Official:Fukudome To MLB!

According to ESPN, Kosuke Fukudome has declined the contract offer from the Yomiuri Giants and will pursue a career in the MLB. The teams that are leading the pack for Fukudome are the Cubs, Padres, and the White Sox. I don't think it will take Fukudome too much time to decide which team he wants to play for. I expect his choice to come as early as tomarrow night. He is seeking a deal of 3 years and around $40 million, which is pretty managable for a player of his caliber.

Breaking News: Fukudome To MLB

UPDATE: Fukudomes agent, Joe Urbon, has said there isn't any truth to the rumor going around that Fukudome is coming to America, and that it was just an internet rumor. According to Urbon, "He's not going to decide until Tuesday, or Monday our time," Urbon said. "If he had made that decision, you would have seen it out of Japan by now." So this means no Fukudome in America or a Cubs uniform, yet.

According to FoxSports' Ken Rothensal, Kosuke Fukudome has made his decision to come to the MLB. Fukudome, 30, is set to announce that he is leaving Japan, the first step toward him signing a free-agent contract with a major-league club, hopefully the Cubs. The White Sox and the Padres seem to be the Cubs biggest competitors for Fukudome. A left-handed hitter, he had a .305 career batting average in Japan, averaging 29 homers between 2003 and '06. He appeared in only 81 games for the Chunichi Dragons last season due to a right-elbow injury that required surgery.

It was pretty obvious he was coming to America, but now it's official.
The Cubs and the White Sox seem to be the ones who will bid the highest. So it seems Fukudome will probably be coming to Chiacgo.

Cubs Acquire Tim Lahey In Rule 5 Draft

According to MLB.com the Cubs have acquired right-handed pitcher Tim Lahey in the Rule Five Draft. Lahey, a converted catcher, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays with number one overall pick in the 2007 Rule Five Draft. The Cubs sent cash consiederations for the strong right-hander. Lahey spent most of last season with the Minnesota Twins' Double-A New Britain team, posting an 8-4 record with 13 saves and a 3.45 ERA in 50 games. He struck out 56 and walked 33 over 78 1/3 innings. Lahey appeared in two games for Triple-A Rochester, totaling three innings. The Cubs lost players in the Draft too. They lost Randy Wells to the Blue Jays, and Adalberto Mendez to the Marlins.

Trading for Tim Lahey is a great move. I think we picked up a Carlos Marmol-esque pitcher for nearly nothing.

Another Winter Meetings Update

• According to Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus, Kosuke Fukudome will make his decision today. An unspecified team has apparently made Fukudome an offer that Carroll is confident that he cant refuse. Let hope the Cubs are that team!
• According to the Baltimore Sun, the Cubs are going hard after Orioles 2nd baseman Brian Roberts. A 3 player deal is on the table as of now. It has been speculated that this deal includes either Rich Hill or Sean Gallagher and another player in exchange for Roberts. Roberts would be a welcome aquisition and would likely move DeRosa over to shortstop. Roberts batted .290 last year with the Orioles while sporting a nice .377 OBP. The Orioles are already looking at Tadahito Iguchi to replace a potentially departing Roberts. This deal could hopefully get done very soon!

Lets get 'em done, Jim! More rumors coming soon!

Fukudome Narrows His Choices

According to Rotoworld.com, Kosuke Fukudome has narrowed his list of potential suitors down to the Cubs, Royals, and possibly the Padres, who have offered him a 3 year deal on Tuesday. The Royals have said before that they weren't interested in Fukudome, so that hopefully just leaves the Cubs and the Padres, who seem to be falling out of the race for Fukudome. Hopefully we can get a deal done as soon as today.

Winter Meetings Update

The Seattle Times has reported that Kosuke Fukudome is a near "lock" to sign with the Cubs, expected in the next few days. The Cubs are expected to top any offer another team gives Fukudome, including the Padres reported offer of 4 years/$40 million.

The Boston Globe has reported that Andy MacPhail and Jim Hendry spent a nice lunch together discussing the possibility of Erik Bedard in a Cubs uniform and possible the same scenario with Brian Roberts. Nothing has come with these rumors as of now.

If the Cubs happen to miss out on Fukudome, the Cubs will set their sights towards players such as Josh Hamilton and Raul Ibanez. Some have speculated Jonny Damon could end up with the Cubs.

ESPN has reported that the Cubs are interested in Chone Figgins. The Angels may want Aramis Ramirez in return, which is something the Cubs probably won't even consider doing.

The Pirates and the Cubs are reportedly talking about a trade that would send Nate McLouth in exchange for either Carmen Pignatiello or Neal Cotts. McLouth would provide a lefty bat off the bench for the Cubs and in my opinion, would be a nice aquisition.

The Cubs are apparently still in the run for Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda is reportedly seeking around a 5 year/$50 million contract. This will probably be way too much to pay "Mr. Complete Game". An unproven, 33 year old pitcher would probably never get this sort of contract. Expect more around a 4 year/$40 million contract.

• The Cubs will either sign or trade Mark Prior, and not non-tender him. While the trade talks with the Padres are cooling down a bit, talks with the Rangers are heating up.

More rumors coming soon!

Ohman and Infante Sent To Atlanta

The Cubs have traded Omar Infante and Will Ohman to the Atlanta Braves for right-handed pitcher Jose Ascanio.
Good move for the Cubs, I think. I think Hendry is freeing up space for something big. We'll have to wait and see!
Cubs have also been linked to Mark Teahen and Josh Hamilton in the past few hours.
More on this and more coming soon...

Winter Meetings Eve!

There is now official one calender day until the 2007 Winter Baseball Meetings will take place in Nashville. If you happen to be a Cubs fan, then you just might happen to be very excited about what these meetings could hold for the Cubs.

The Cubs are heading into the Winter Meetings ready for roster changes via trades. Lou Pinella told Bruce Levine of ESPN 1000, that the Cubs have laid the groundwork with several teams, and are looking at about 5 players they are interested in trading for. The Cubs may be looking at Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis of the Orioles, Carl Crawford, and possible a player such as Chone Figgins, if the Angels make a move for Miguel Cabrera. The Cubs have reportedly recieved a lot of interested in their young prospects, and while saying they will not ship them off for old veterans, will listen if the deal is in the Cubs best interest.

Hendry has also expressed his confidence in the Cubs in-house options in centerfield, saying that if the Cubs dont aquire a centerfielder during the winter meetings, the competition between Felix Pie and Sam Fuld will begin for a spot in the starting lineup on Opening Day. Angel Pagan is also in the mix, which I think is good news, and a better option than Sam Fuld is at the moment. Hendry has said he is extremely excited with Pie's progress this winter, and is the favorite for the job. I really hope Pie steps up and takes this job. He is really the best option right now.

And as for Mark Prior, the Padres seem to be very interest, probably more so than any other team in the league at this point, and are the front-runners for Prior. Prior has expressed interest in playing in San Diego and the Cubs have expressed interest in several of San Diego's prospects. I expect a deal to go down this week during the meetings, unfortunately. My stance on the subject is, why waste all of this time waiting on Prior, then trade him when he is finally going to be healthy enough to pitch? This makes no sense to me unless we get a guy like Khalil Greene, not a few low-A prospects who probably wont pan out.

Thats all for now. Much more to come from a hopefully busy Winter Meetings!

Cubs Show Interest In Santana?

The New York Times has named the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Angels as the front-runners for 2-time Cy Young Award winner, Johan Santana. The Times also informed us that an NL executive, who was not named, told them not to sleep on the Cubs, who have some young talent to offer in exchange for Santana, particularly by the name of Felix Pie. The Twins would love to aquire Pie, mainly because they are now in dire need of a centerfielder, with the absence of Torii Hunter.
It would take a little more than just Pie to pry Johan away from the Twins though. It would likely take Pie and 3 other mid to high level prospects, possibly Hill, Gallagher, Veal, or all three. Whether Hendry would be able to pull this trade off or not is unknown, but I would imagine if this trade were to happen, Hendry's first priority would be a long term extension, which could command close to $130 million over 5 or 6 years.

Cubs Interested In Joe Nathan?

According to Ken Rothensal, the Cubs would be a good fit for Joe Nathan.
Rothensal also suggests Rosenthal suggests the Brewers, Indians, Tigers, and Red Sox .The right hander went 4-2 with an ERA of 1.88 and 37 saves. I wouldn`t mind having Nathan on the Cubs. There is only two downsides to this. First we would have to give up a lot of talent to get him, and second we would only have him for one year. Otherwise i would love to have him.

Kaz Not Officially A Cub

Sorry about my post before. I heard the news on Prosportsdaily forums and the source sounded reliable. Now a report in Denver is saying that the report is false. Its my fault, sorry for misleading you.

BREAKING NEWS: Matsui Signs With Cubs

According to ESPN Radio in Denver, the Cubs have signed Kaz Matsui to a 3 year $14M deal. Matsui batted .288 with 4 homers and an OBP of .342. This is a good signing if he is only a bench player, but if he turns into an everyday player then it is a very bad signing. It is rumored that the Cubs wanted to sign Matsui in order to lure Kosuke Fukudome to Chicago. Hopefully this deal will lure him and we get Fukudome. More details later.

Kerry Wood Re-Signs With Cubs

According to ESPN1000,the Cubs have re-signed Kerry Wood to a 1 year deal at $4.2 MM with neither a player nor club option. Wood, the 1998 NL Rookie of the Year, can make an additional $3.45 million in performance bonuses based largely on games finished. He had a $1.75 million salary this year.

Wood,30,came back halfway through the season last year, and pitched great going, 1-1 with an ERA of 3.33 andd a WHIP of 1.27. Wood has a 72-57 career record with 3.67 ERA in part of nine seasons with the Cubs. He made an immediate impression when he struck out 20 Houston Astros in just his fifth major league start in 1998 and went 13-6 in that first season, helping the Cubs win the NL wild card.
"He threw tremendously well the last couple weeks of the season and certainly should go to camp with a great opportunity to pitch late in the game," Hendry said."He passed the test of holding up health-wise the last two months of the season, and our medical people feel that he's certainly still got something left in the tank," Hendry added.

This is great news for Cubs fans everywhere. Not only because the Cubs finally made a move, but they got "Kid K" back, an idol to Chicago Cubs fans. This is also a great move because now we have depth at the closer postion, Howry, Wood, and Marmol.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone is having a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Cubs Sign 6 Minor Leaguers

Baseball America has reported that the Cubs have signed 6 minor league players. The list includes RHP Cory Bailey, RHP Mike Smith, C J.D. Closser, C Danny Fatheree, SS Andres Blanco, OF Andres Torres. The most exciting out of the group may be Andres Torres. Torres, who was once considered one of the Tigers best prospects, batted .292 with an OBP of .363 last year within the Tigers organization. Torres is currently playing in Venezuela and could make a case to earn a roster spot during spring training next season.

Cubs Fans Rejoice!

Kaz Matsui appears to be nearing a deal with the Astros! This is great news for Cubs fans. If Matsui signs with Houston, the Cubs will be spared of having yet another middle infielder, and a mediocre one at that. Lets wait to see what the Cubs do now with Matsui, most likely, out of the picture.

McDonough Resigns

ESPN 1000 is reporting that Cubs president John McDonough has resigned to become the president of the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. McDonough joined the Cubs last October, after former president Andy MacPhail resigned to become the president of the Orioles. I dont know if this will affect the offseason or not, but Jim Hendry is expected to take over as GM/president. This most likely means the sale of the Cubs, which is expected to reach $1 billion, is moving along faster than expected.

Cubs After Luis Castillo?

According to Ken Rothensal, the Cubs are pursuing 2nd baseman Luis Castillo, in addition to Kaz Matsui. Castillo, who batted .301 last season with the Mets, is a switch-hitting, top of the order guy, which is what the Cubs are trying to find this offseason. He may be considered plan-B for the Cubs, if they happen to miss out on Matsui. Castillo would be a much better pickup than Matsui. Castillo has put up much better numbers over a longer period of time than Matsui has. Castillo has a career average of .294 and an OBP of .368, compared to Matsui's .272 career batting average and a .325 OBP. It seems like an obvious choice to me. Castillo would be a much better pickup than Matsui. Castillo has proven he can be an above average baseball player, which is something Kaz has not yet shown. I say dont take a chance on a player coming off his only good year, and sign a player that has had about 10 solid seasons. This, to me, should be a no-brainer. Lets see what Hendry decides to do.

Cubs Interested In Aaron Rowand?

Several reports have indicated that the Cubs are among the 10 teams interested in centerfielder Aaron Rowand. The Dodgers, White Sox, Rangers, Cubs, and Astros have all made contact with Rowand, but it appears the Dodgers are leading the pack. Rowand is reportedly seeking a contract that could reach up to $90 million over 6 years. Rowand had a breakout year last year with the Phillies, batting .309 with 27 hrs and an OBP of .374. Despite poor numbers in previous years, with batting averages hovering around .265, Rowand could be a good pickup for the Cubs, if they happen to miss out on Fukudome.

Cubs Nearing Deal With Kaz Matsui

According to David Kaplan of WGN Radio, the Cubs are nearing a deal with Kaz Matsui. Matsui batted .288 with 4 hrs last year with the Rockies. The deal could happen as soon as this weekend.

Cubs Involved In Possible Blockbuster Trade?

There is a possible 3-team trade brewing between the Cubs, Nationals, and the Red Sox. Here is the list of players involved and their potential teams.

Cubs get Ryan Church and JD Drew
Nats get CoCo Crisp, Matt Murton, and Ryan Dempster
Red Sox get Sean Marshall, Austin Kearns, Ronny Cedeno, and Will Ohman

More on this as it develops!

Update:Monroe Traded To Twins

Its official! Craig Monroe has been traded to the Twins for a player to be named later.
On another, unrelated note, Mark Prior and Angel Guzman has been taken off the 60-day disabled list.

Deal For Crawford Drawing Closer?

According to sources, the Cubs are putting a package of players together to send to the Rays, in exchange for Carl Crawford. More on this as it develops. Keep your fingers crossed Cubs fans!

Monroe To Twins?

A new trade rumor has surfaced that would send Craig Monroe to the Twins for a player to be named later. Monroe made $4.8 million last year while batting .219 with 12 hrs. with Detroit and Chicago, and is eligible for arbitration this offseason. This trade could be announced today. More on this rumor as it develops.

Jones Traded To Tigers For Omar Infante

The deal is now complete. The Cubs have traded Jacque Jones and "cash considerations" to the Tigers for infielder Omar Infante. The Cubs have expressed their desire for a more athletic outfield and for more versitility off their bench, and felt Infante fit the bill.

Jones For Infante Deal Nearing

According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, a deal is being finalized that would send Jacque Jones to the Tigers for 2nd baseman Omar Infante. The deal could be completed as early as tonight. Infante batted .271 in 66 games last year for the Tigers. The Cubs are looking to shed Jones $5.5 million option for '08, which is most likely the reason for the move. Infante is eligible for arbitration this offseason.

Cubs Closing In On Crawford?

A deal could be coming in the next few days that would send Carl Crawford to the Cubs in exchange for Ronny Cedeno, Rich Hill, and a prospect. The Rays are very interested in Cedeno and are looking for a young, MLB ready pitcher. This could mean Hill, Gallagher, or maybe even Marshall. Crawford batted .315 with 11 homeruns in 2007 with the newly named Rays, and .351 while batting in the 2 spot, which is where he would bat with the Cubs most likely. This trade needs to happen. Think of the possibilities!

Cubs Interested in Cuban Superstar?

Alexei Ramirez has officially signed with an agent and is planning to make the leap to the MLB. Ramirez batted .335 with 20 homeruns last year while playing in Cuba. He is primarily a shortstop, but can also play 2nd base, and most of the outfield. I think he could be a cheap, low risk signing for the Cubs as a super-utility player, either starting at one of those positions or off the bench. Even though Cuban ball has been compared to single-A ball, Ramirez could be worth the risk. I say we take a chance on him.

Jose Guillen to Cubs?

Despite the allegations of purchasing performance-enhancing drugs surrounding Guillen, he is still expected to get a large free agent contract, which could reach about 3 yr./40 mil. Teams that have shown interest include the Royals, Mets, and Orioles. If the Cubs happen to miss out on Fukudome, they are expected to aggressively pursue Guillen. Guillen batted .290 with 23 HR and 99 RBI last season with Seattle. Guillen would be an instant upgrade over the current outfield options for the Cubs, on both defence and offence, with an OBP of .353.

Wood To Be Resigned This Weekend?

Kerry Wood, who will turn 31 next June, can exclusively negotiate with the Cubs until Monday at midnight. If no deal is reached by then, he would also be free to talk to the other teams in the league. The Rangers have shown alot of interest in the right hander, as well as Dusty Baker and the Reds. The Cubs have made it known they would like to have Wood audition for the closer role along with Howry and Marmol.