The Red Sox have pulled off what looks like a great deal to land Adrian Gonzalez for four rather low level minor league prospects. Gonzalez is one of two franchise players believed to be available this off-season, the other being the free agent Cliff Lee.
The Padres GM worked in the Red Sox system, so you have to believe he knows their prospects, but on paper, you also have to think the Cubs might have matched or bettered this offer. So you have to figure the Cubs just cheaped out on the deal, which, of course, was only worth doing if you were committed to renegotiating the Gonzalez contract and offering in the neighborhood of $20 million per year and at least four years.
It is hard to believe a team that has a virtual license to print money and has the totally worthless Alfonso Soriano drawing down $18 million for the next four seasons couldn't pull the trigger on a real asset like Gonzalez. I rather suppose this gives us a clue to the future, at least as long as Jim Hendry is around.
The Cubs are supposedly still in on the Cliff Lee hunt, but given their failure to land Gonzalez, don't hold your breath on this one. I suppose the best you can hope for on the pitching front is Brandon Webb, who was a really good starting pitcher, and so has a great upside, but who is also damaged goods. That and Carlos Pena? Well, I've already said I'd pass on that one.
Either that or they actually think that the last six weeks of last year were real and they can pretty much stand pat. That's the worst case scenario, given the fact their offense in particular was really bad even during that stretch and they really won a third of those games based on Zambrano pitching a near shutout nearly every start.
I would like to see Ramirez move to first, or better yet, Tyler Colvin. Colvin just might be that lefty power hitter they're looking for.
ReplyDeleteI don't really see any first basemen on the free agent market worth signing.
I pretty much agree, though moving Ramirez to first just means you need a third baseman. I'm not sure why the Cubs don't just try Colvin. He has his weaknesses, but he is young enough to think he can improve his plate discipline and it is not as if guys like Pena are much better in that respect. It also eventually opens up the outfield for prospects like Brett Jackson who are more highly regarded.
ReplyDeleteThe really good first base free agents are available next year, Fielder, Pujols, and now, with the Gonzalez deal collapsing, Gonzalez. I can't see the Cards letting Pujols go and I can't see the Cubs paying a king's ransom to sign Fielder. Maybe they should revive their offers for Gonzalez now, but you have to think he must have wanted a ton of money and a ton of years for the Red Sox to have failed to land him to an extension.