FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS SIGN RAFAEL FURCAL: Cubs GM Jim Hendry has made it little secret he covets free-agent Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal. Furcal's agent Tom Kinzer reportedly wants a five year, $50 million contract for Furcal stating, "There's only one Rafael Furcal available."
Actually it is not real hard to find someone who can hit .284, 12 home runs, 58 RBI, has .777 OPS, with 78 strikeouts. Furcal is not worth $7 million a year, let alone $10 million a year. Assuming the Cubs have a payroll of around $100 million a year, you do not use up around 1/10 of that on a slightly above average shortstop like Rafael Furcal.
Furcal is not a bad player, but he is not great player. If you are going to have Rafael Furcal on your team, he is manageable at most at about $6 million a year. Above that, if someone wants to give more to him, that is their problem if they want to overspend to get Furcal.
Even if the Cubs could get Furcal at that much lower figure than he wants, I still would not be desperate to sign him. Furcal twice has been convicted of drunk driving in Georgia and served jail time after the 2004 season for his second conviction. In his second drunk-driving arrest last year, Furcal already on probation for a previous DUI, was going 90 MPH, had a blood-alcohol level of .127 at 4:20 A.M.
Furcal's behavior tells me he is not disciplined in his personal life. The Cubs should know by now, players have to disciplined to play for the Cubs because of the large number of day games. With the numerous day games you cannot be out at 4:20 A.M. drunk and be a productive member of the Cubs.
Overspending for a slightly above average shortstop with a history of drunk driving is a bad business move for the Cubs. Let some other fool spend their money poorly on Rafael Furcal.
posted by Thomas at 6:33 AM
