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

 
WHITE SOX MAY WANT LIEBER: According to Paul Sullivan in today's Chicago Tribune the Chicago White Sox have interest in signing ex-Cub Jon Lieber. Sullivan mentions the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox may also be interested in Lieber. I would have to think either the St. Louis Cardinals or the Boston Red Sox would be more attractive to Lieber than the White Sox.
posted by Thomas at 5:36 PM

 
CUBS-LIEBER UNABLE TO COME TO DEAL: The Cubs and Jon Lieber could not come to an agreement on a new contract. The Cubs offered a one-year deal at $500,000 in 2003 with an club option in 2004 at a little over $3 million plus $4 million worth of incentives. I have no problem with the Cubs offer to Lieber. The Cubs wanted protection in case Lieber is not effective anymore. At the same time I do not fault Lieber for rejecting it. Lieber knows he probably will get a similar or better offer elsewhere. In the end no deal got done and it is too bad a deal could not get done because Lieber likely will be a quality pitcher in the future.

HENDRY'S CHRISTMAS LIST: The Chicago Sun-Times reports Jim Hendry may go after Montreal/San Juan Expos' pitcher Javier Vazquez at the upcoming Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. I would rather not trade a quality young pitcher, such as Carlos Zambrano, for another quality young pitcher. I would view such a trade as a lateral move which does not move us forward.
posted by Thomas at 7:48 PM