Catching up on Cubs Rumors

Just because I took a break for Christmas, doesn’t mean there weren’t any rumors surrounding the Cubs.

Here’s the latest:

Leading off, the Cubs lost out on reliever Matt Capps who signed a one-year deal to close for the Nationals.  Capps apparently preferred to close for the Nats than to work as a setup man for a “contender”.  There was also speculation that the Cubs could go after Kelvin Escobar to fill a bullpen role, however, Escobar signed with the Mets.  So, with the reliever options dwindling, Dave van Dyck suggests that the Cubs “could end up filling the role from within and spending more money on a center fielder”.   Mark’s Remarks -  The Cubs do have some relief options in the minors, but if they jerk Jeff Samardzija around again by trying to remake him into a reliever after working him as a starter late last year and over the winter, they will be making another mistake.  Choose a path for him and STICK WITH IT.

In the take it with a grain of salt department, there were rumors last week that the Yankees had inquired about trading for Carlos Zambrano, but balked at the Cubs’ asking price.  ESPN Chicago’s Bruce Levine refutes this report, saying that Zambrano has a full no-trade clause and his agent had not been contacted about a potential trade.  However, SI’s John Heyman Tweets that the Yankees definitely inquired and that Zambrano is available.  Heyman also Tweets that the Cubs would be interested in the Braves’ centerfielder Melky Cabrera (acquired recently from the Yankees), if the Braves were to make him available.  Mark’s Remarks – If you put 2 and 2 together, one can infer that the Yanks asked about Zambrano and that the Cubs probably asked for Cabrera (and more) in return.  So, the Cubs are at least listening to offers for Zambrano, however it remains to be seen if Zambrano would waive his no-trade clause.

Bruce Levine takes a look at some other players on the Cubs radar, including Marlon Byrd, Scott Podsednik, Ryan Spilborghs and Jose Contreras.  Mark’s Remarks - Byrd is the best centerfield option available on the free agent market and Spilborghs is an interesting, but most likely costly, trade option.  Pods is probably a fall-back option, at best.  I don’t see the Cubs pursing Contreras as Carlos Silva will probably be the team’s long reliever.

Finally, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, a 4-team salary dump involving the Cubs fell through.  The deal would have sent Milton Bradley to the Tampa Rays, Pat Burrell and Luis Castillo to the Cubs and Gary Mathews Jr. to the Mets.  The Cubs would have then had to move Pat Burrell.  Mark’s Remarks - Oh, what might have been!  The Cubs probably would have been better off with Castillo than Silva, but then we would have to wait longer for the eventual debut of Starlin Castro.

That should catch you up on the latest news and rumors.  I will take a look at my all-time starting 5 pitchers for the Cubs on Wednesday.

Tags: Carlos Silva, Carlos Zambrano, Gary Mathews Jr., Jeff Samardzija, Jose Contreras, Kelvin Escobar, Luis Castillo, Marlon Byrd, Matt Capps, melky cabrera, Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, Ryan Spilborghs, Scott Podsednik