Just as a quick aside...
As far as I can tell, the best thing about the Todd Hundley trade (besides getting Hundley 2 time zones away) is that I can finally spell Mark Grudzielanek's name without looking it up...
posted by Oleg at 5:01 PM
Firstly, since it's on my mind...some rumors from this hot stove league.
There is talk that the Cubs can get Jose Vidro and/or Javier Vazquez if they only take on Fernando Tatis's contract and give up some young, cheap talent. Kyle Farnsworth, Juan Cruz, Carlos Zambrano and Bobby Hill have been mentioned.
Tatis (702 slugging percentage + on-base percentage last year, 803 for his career) would be a free agent after this year (he has a team option that would probably not be picked up). If it takes taking on his salary, the Cubs could afford it -- about $6 mil in 2003.
Vidro (868 OPS last year, 833 career) is signed for $5.5 mil for 2003, 2004 at $7 mil. I think he's well worth the money, and then some.
I think that Vazquez (670 innings last 3 years, but ERAs in the 3.80 zone) is eligible for arbitration; espn.com lists his salary for 2002 at 4.75 mil. I think he would be a free agent after the year. His stats according to some of the baseballprospectus.com statistics, which are very statheady, would indicate that Vazquez is a pretty good pitcher. He was 'worth' about 2 wins more than someone a team could pick up off the scrap heap. An All-Star is about 5 wins better. Randy Johnson led the league with 9. Curt Schiling was second with 7.1. If he doesn't improve this year, and he took a step back after a breakout 2001, he could be let go to free agency. Either way, the Cubs could very much afford to take the chance. (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/current/snwlreport02.html).
Trading Hill or Zambrano or Cruz or Farnsworth cuts into the payroll flexibility this team has. However, it's not often you add talent like this, even at that price. It would mean that the Cubs could lose a lead-off hitter, without replacing him, but what the hell (they could bat Prior lead-off when he starts).
Of course it's easy to spend someone else's money. Adding these three players would add 11.5 plus what Vazquez would get in arbitration (maybe $6-6.5 mil). That would put the Cubs payroll at over $80 million dollars...far more than the Tribune would want to spend. They would lose a couple of those players, but they're young and inexpensive, which is precisely what makes them attractive to Montreal. They would most certainbly be forced to try and deal any parts of Eric Karros's or Mark Grudzielanek's salaries, which would be nearly-impossible. Or they could trade Matt Clement, the thinking being that they'd be upgrading with Vazquez anyway.
I would think this would be worth the risk.
I'm salivating at the chance for the Cubs to get Vazquez and/or Vidro.
Just my 2 cents...
(Contarct info came from http://www.bluemanc.demon.co.uk/baseball/mlbcontracts.htm)...
posted by Oleg at 7:57 PM
Hello...and welcome to my musings about the Cubs. Hopefully this can be informative...
To get started...
Outside of Wrigley Field, behind the right field bleachers is a big sign that stand on top of one of the apartment buildings. It says, 'AC945713'. It means After Championship...94 years since the last World Series championship (1908); 57 years since the last National League penant (1945); 13 years since the last division championship (1989). That sums up my frustration.
I read espn.com, baseballprospectus.com, and baseballamerica.com; among others. My statistics will generally come from these sources. All rumors are just that, rumors. I don't KNOW any more than anyone else.
posted by Oleg at 7:30 PM
