Thoughts on the Chicago Cubs and other topics in baseball. E-mail Tom at: tomsmithcubs@ hotmail.com

 
LIEBER SIGNING DEADLINE: The Chicago Cubs have until 11:00 P.M. Central tomorow to offer arbitration or sign Jon Lieber to a contract. The Cubs are unlikely to offer arbitration. The Cubs want to protect themselves with any offer because Lieber will be out until around August after having "Tommy John" surgery. I have my doubts a deal will get done.
posted by Thomas at 6:59 PM

 
HENDRY ON WGN RADIO: Jim Hendry was on WGN Radio's SportsCentral tonight. Hendry denied he has had any talks with Montreal and Colorado about any trades that have been rumored. Hendry also made it clear that Eric Karros is going to be with the Cubs in 2003. During the phone-in portion, a minister phoned in to say he felt like his prayers had been answered. Oh Lord, feed the hungry; heal the sick; and please get Todd Hundley off the Cubs!

SPEAKING OF HUNDLEY...: No celebrations have appeared so far on DumpToddHundley.com. They are probably too stunned that we got our wish of Todd Hundley being dumped to post.


SITE NEWS: I said last night to expect some changes with the site. The site has a new look as all can tell. The old look was not horrible, but it had its drawbacks. The column where the blog posts appeared was too small for long posts. In addition, a new e-mail address has been added for responses to the blog. The e-mail address is tomsmithcubs@hotmail.com.
posted by Thomas at 8:34 PM

 
CUBS-DODGERS TRADE NEWS: Teddy Greenstein in the Chicago Tribune re-wrote his column from last night on the Cubs-Dodgers trade. Greenstein informs us Todd Hundley despised day games. Why did Hundley sign with the Cubs then? Was Hundley unaware of the 63 day games the Cubs play at Wrigley Field each year when he signed with Cubs? Greenstein then writes Hundley once complained about having to take batting practice at 11:00 A.M. on a Tuesday. Was Todd unaware the night before he had a day game the next day? Let us be glad Hundley is out of our hair.
posted by Thomas at 11:16 AM

 
SITE NEWS: Expect some changes soon with the site. I have added a new e-mail address where I can be reached. E-mail me at tomsmithcubs@hotmail.com.
posted by Thomas at 8:28 PM

 
KARROS EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO CHICAGO: As was reported earlier, the Los Angeles Times reported today that Eric Karros did not want to leave Los Angeles and come to the Chicago Cubs. But tonight the Chicago Tribune quotes Eric Karros as saying, "To have an opportunity to play in Chicago, I'm excited about it." I know he has to make some comment like this but hopefully it is the truth.
posted by Thomas at 7:45 PM

 
HUNDLEY TO L.A. IS A DONE DEAL!: According to ESPN.com the Chicago Cubs have traded catcher Todd Hundley and outfielder Chad Hermansen to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for first baseman Eric Karros, infielder Mark Grudzielanek, and $2 million. Hooray! Rob Neyer in his analysis thinks the Cubs are not sold on Bobby Hill and Hee Seop Choi. I do not think that is the case. Jim Hendry knew he had to get rid of Todd Hundley and took a great deal when it was presented to him. Hundley's poor defense was reason enough for the Cubs to not want him handling the team's young pitchers. Throw in Hundley's weak bat and surly attitude: he had to go. Now we will wait and see if Karros and Grudzielanek will be around long. I wish Harry was still around so we could hear him say, "Ground ball to Grud, Grudzie, ah, the G-Man, over to Hee Chop Suey at first."
posted by Thomas at 6:38 PM

 
CUBS NEWS: The Chicago Cubs have signed relief pitcher Mike Remlinger and are close to trading catcher Todd Hundley to the Los Angeles Dodgers for first baseman Eric Karros and infielder Mark Grudzielanek. So let us get started with the news.

CUBS SIGN REMLINGER: The Chicago Cubs have signed lefty relief pitcher Mike Remlinger to a three year contract. I have mixed feelings on this signing. I have long liked Remlinger; and we desperately need bullpen help from the left side. Remlinger should improve the Cubs' bullpen in 2003. That the Cubs improved the bullpen makes me happy; I am not dancing in the streets over the signing though. Remlinger will be 37 next year, and 39 when the contract expires; his best days may soon be behind him. I worry about paying $3.8 million to a 39 year old middle relief pitcher in 2005. The Cubs may not be serious contenders until 2004 and 2005. Will Remlinger still be valuable then? The other problem I have with the signing is we had to give up a second round draft pick to the Atlanta Braves for signing Remlinger. I do not like giving up high draft picks to sign marginal players unless the team is filling a final need for a World Series bound team. Signing a middle relief pitcher in Remlinger to improve the bullpen now at the expense of the future is bad short-term thinking.

MORE CUBS NEWS: The Chicago Sun-Times reported yesterday the Cubs will now turn their attention to signing Ivan Rodriguez. The Daily Herald reported yesterday the Cubs will look at bringing back Dan Plesac and Doug Glanville. I continue to oppose signing Ivan Rodriguez because of his injury problems the last few season and the fact he is at the point in his career when catchers start to go downhill. Plesac is still ok in his forties, but I wonder how much longer he will be ok. Glanville is a right handed hitting, low on-base guy who one would guess would platoon with left handed hitting, low on-base Corey Patterson in center field. I do not have a real problem with bringing Glanville back in a reserve/platoon roll.

CUBS-DODGERS TRADE TO BE: The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers are close to making a trade which would send catcher Todd Hundley to the Los Angeles Dodgers for first baseman Eric Karros and infielder Mark Grudzielanek. Getting rid of Hundley is glorious news; getting two players with some talent back makes this news even more glorious. In spite of this good news, my reaction to hearing the news was the same as Phil Rogers in the Chicago Tribune that with Hee Seop Choi slated to be at first and Bobby Hill slated to be at second, this trade does not make sense. I believed this has to be the front end of something else, but the word from the Chicago papers is that it is not. The Cubs plan on keeping Karros and Grudzilanek in reserve rolls. I am certain this is not going to please either player, especially Karros. According to the Los Angeles Times (registration required), Karros does not want to leave Los Angeles and does not want to come to the Cubs. Great. I have to believe the Cubs will be looking to trade Karros regardless of what some of the Chicago papers are saying. The Daily Herald reports otherwise. They have the Cubs sending Bobby Hill, Kyle Farnsworth, and Carlos Zambrano to Montreal/San Juan for 2B Jose Vidro, 3B Fernando Tatis, and P Javier Vazquez. Then the Cubs would ship Tatis and Karros to Colorado for LHP Denny Neagle and closer Jose Jimenez.

TRADE REACTIONS: Rick Morrissey in the Chicago Tribune likes the Hundley trade. Jay Mariotti at the Chicago Sun-Times is withholding judgement. As I stated earlier, I agree with Morrissey that getting rid of Hundley is glorious news; getting players with talent back is even more glorious. Mariotti whines about the Cubs trading salary problems with the Dodgers and not signing Jim Thome. The Cubs got the best deal they could get for Hundley, so be glad Jay.

SANDBERG NO SHOO-IN FOR HALL: In other news, Ron Rapoport in the Chicago Sun-Times writes Ryne Sandberg is no shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. Rapoport does not do any reporting informing us that some voters are not going to be voting for Sandberg; he just writes Joe Morgan is the only second baseman to have been elected to the Hall of Fame with a lifetime batting average below .300. From this Rapoport assumes the intentions of many voters and deduces Sandberg is not a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. If Rapoport is going to write Sandberg is not a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, he could have checked with Hall of Fame voters to see if his conclusion was correct.

CUBS RELEASE STYNES: The Chicago Cubs have released Chris Stynes. Not exactly earth shattering news.
posted by Thomas at 5:09 PM