Post Trade Deadline Quick Hits

Major League Baseball's trading deadline has passed. The Cubs were not as active as most of us hoped they would be. Click here for my assessment as well as the take of all the other writers on View From the Bleachers. Feel free to jump in with your take in the comments on this post and be sure to vote on our poll about the Kosuke trade on the right sidebar.

During the month of August teams can still trade players that first clear waivers. A year ago, the Cubs were active during the waiver season dealing both Mike Fontenot and Derrek Lee. Will Jim Hendry make a move during the month of August again in 2011? That and more trade deadline follow up in today's quick hits.

• Carrie Muskat reports that Hendry is not bother by the lack of moves at the deadline. He also said that August could be a busy month for him.


• Bruce Miles also chimed in on the possibility of moves in August.


• Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors took a look at why the Cubs didn't trade Carlos Pena.


• Aramis Ramirez will sit out tonight's game against the Pirates with a quad issue. He's day-to-day.


• Derrek Lee will be making his Buccos debut against the Cubs, the same team that he made his Braves debut against.


• Andrew Cashner threw off a mound again today and felt good. The target is an early September return, but he hopes to be back in three weeks.


• Paul Sullivan tweeted yesterday that Pena was happy he wasn't traded. Sully also said that Tyler Colvin will not get another shot at first base for the Cubs.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always.

Q Calls Out the Kids

Today the Cubs were blown out by the Phillies 9-1 to drop two of three. Mike Quade sparked conversation by throwing Starlin Castro under the buss in his postgame press conference. Here were some of his quotes via Bruce Miles.

“It was disappointing at the start,” said Quade, whose team fell to a season-low 21 games under .500 at 39-60. “I needed to talk to the kids in the middle of the diamond about that. Demp wasn’t as sharp as you wanted, but we set a bad tone. We’ve got to stop.
“Ball’s in the sun. They’re communicating. Cassie thought he had that all the way. I look at this whole game and look at that play. The sun’s been in the same damn spot for however long Wrigley Field’s been here. Those are the kinds of mistakes. There are certain you’ll accept.
“Those are two talented kids in the middle of the diamond. We make enough mistakes, and we need to clean them all up. But it’s so important for those guys to play well in the middle. Everything goes through there.”

How about the veterans Q?

"I think our veterans are doing a pretty damn good job. I see intensity from our center fielder, and Rami's playing really well. It doesn't mean we don't make some mistakes. I just know the value of the middle of the diamond. We've got two talented kids there that need to get better, and they've got 60-some games to prove that and to show that the rest of this season and go from there."

The Comcast Sports Net postgame team of David Kaplan and Todd Hollandswoth blew up after Quade's comments. They made great points, wondering how Q could throw Castro under the bus and claim that a missed fly made a difference in an eight run game.

Another interesting tidbit from Kaplan on WGN Sports Night,
"I think there are going to be a ton of changes coming to the North Side next year. I think they'll be a new general manager and a new field manager."

Carlos Pena made two errors on one play today. The Cubs have now committed an error in 9 straight game for the first time since 1987. They've also lost nine straight series.

Click here for my game recap on VFTB.

Singing the Cubbie Blues

The Cubs woes have continued this week with a dreadful sweep at the hands of the last place Pirates. The Cubs appear to be headed for the basement in the NL Central themselves, after going 1-5 in a six game home stretch against two of the other worst teams in the league. On the injury front, things have continued to get worse. Let's check in on some news and notes.

• Matt Garza threw 30 pitches in the side session today. If he does not suffer a setback, he could come off the DL and pitch against the Astros next Monday.


• Aramis Ramirez was hit in the lip today with a ground ball and left the game. He will need stitches for his lip but at least the injury was not more serious.


• Alfonso Soriano is the latest Cubs outfield to be placed on the disabled list. Tyler Colvin was called back up yesterday to try to help an outfield that currently has three of the four regulars disabled.


• Bruce Miles reports that Marlon Byrd chatted with reports today. Byrd says he is waiting for his fractures to heal and he plans to return in 4-6 weeks.


• Mike Quade has no plans of using a six man rotation, so either Doug Davis or Rodrigo Lopez will be removed when Garza returns.


• Tom Ricketts quickly walked away from a group of reports today when someone asked what was wrong with his team.


• According to Baseball Prospectus, the Cubs chances of making the playoffs are 1.1%.


• The Cubs have the ninth overall pick in the First Year Player Draft, which takes place next week.

Weekend Quick Hits Before 3 with LA

Here are the latest news and notes concerning the Cubbies!

• Starlin Castro is in the No. 3 slot in the lineup for the game against the Dodgers today. It is his second straight game in the spot.


• Ryan Dempster will pitch against his former Cubs team Ted Lilly on Saturday afternoon.


• Randy Hundley is scheduled to sing the 7th Inning Stretch today.


• Today is 22q Awareness Day at the ballpark, hosted by Ryan Dempster.


• According to the Tribune, Bud Selig is not concerned about the lack of attendance at Wrigley Field or in baseball in general.


• Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells are both set to start their throwing programs today. Wells is expected to return to the rotation sooner than Cashner.


• Bruce Miles tweets that the tarp is on the field at Wrigley. The weather forecast is iffy for today, but I would expect them to get the game in.


• Heading into action today, the Cubs and Brewers are tied for third in the NL Central, just 0.5 games out. The Reds and Cardinals are locked in the top spot. All five other teams in the division play under the lights tonight. It's only April, but the Cubs have a chance to move into first place this weekend.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Quick Hits with Spring Training Underway

A few news and notes from Cubs camp!

• The Cubs do not plan to make any roster cuts until March 16.
• The first full squad workout for minor leaugers will be March 10 and their first spring games will be March 19.
• Quade does not plan to hit his pitcher any spot other than ninth.
• Angel Guzman tossed 30 pitches in a side session on Sunday.
• The 13th annual toast to Harry Caray will take place tomorrow at 5:55 with a special tribute to Ron Santo. Coverage will be on ESPN 1000 for 3-6.
• Tyler Colvin is expected to play first base on either Thursday or Friday.
• Former Cub Bob Howry has retired after 13 seasons in the bigs.
• Bruce Miles wrote about Baseball Prospectus yesterday.
• The Cubs have dropped the first two Cactus League games. They play the Giants tomorrow on MLB.com.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Post Holiday Quick Hits

• Brandon Webb, who was being targeted by the Cubs, signed a one-year contract with the Rangers.
• Click to enjoy a great article on Ron Santo by Barry Rozner.
• Carrie Muskat has an update on former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior.
• Bruce Miles broke down his Hall of Fame ballot, which includes Lee Smith and eight others.
• Bruce Levine says that the Cubs are still in the mix for Matt Garza.
• Rick Sutcliffe is very interested in joining Pat Hughes in the WGN Radio booth. Mark Grace is not expected to leave Arizona, but Keith Moreland, Dave Otto and Randy Hundley are also in the mix.
• Andrew Cashner will have a shot at the Cubs rotation next season.
• Last week I broke down the Cubs schedule for April and May.
• According the Vineline, a special Ron Santo tribute will take place at the Cubs Convention.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted.

Weekend Roundup: There's Trouble Brewing on the North Side

Are the Cubs Getting Along?
Bleed Cubbie Blue, a usually reliable Cubs fan site ran by Al Yellon, reported yesterday that the Cubs are having major problems in the clubhouse. A "trusted" commenter on the site told Al that the Latin players, led by Ramirez and Zambrano, have separated themselves from the rest of the clubhouse. BCB also reported that Aramis Ramirez has totally shut down. They said that Rami refuses to practice and barley wanted to take the field for games.

Bruce Miles, a beat writer who actually sees what happens in the clubhouse everyday, gave his take on the clubhouse in the comments on his blog. "It's never fun after losses, but it's not a "bad" clubhouse by any stretch. Dempster, Lilly, Soriano and Byrd are all pretty good guys from a leadership or accountability standpoint. Soriano is always there after tough games, and he always talks. Howry and Marmol seem to be helping the young pitchers adapt."

Miles elaborated on specifically Ramirez- He took BP and fielding right up to the other day when he had to rest his hand, and he was talking in earnest with Rudy Jaramillo (contrary to other speculation). I asked another writer this question a minute ago: "Do we have a bad clubhouse here?" He said, "A bad clubhouse? What are you talking about?"

BCB is a great site, but I trust Miles and the other beat writers who are in the clubhouse on a daily basis.

Koyie's Done Losing
Last night, in an interview on Comcast Sports Net, Cubs' catcher Koyie Hill pointed out that he is fed up with the way this team is playing. Hill even went as far as to describe the Cubs as "one of the worst fundamental teams". Rarely do you see a guy rip his own club, but I like that fact that he's tired of losing. Hill is willing to step up and be honest. Soto hasn't done that poorly, but Koyie's a gamer it'd be great to see him the lineup on a daily basis.

All Isn't Well for Wells
Cubs pitcher Randy Wells appears to be suffering from the dreaded "sophomore slump". There were a few reports on various radio stations this morning that Randy was out late last night celebrating with the Chicago Blackhawks last night and was not well rested to pitch his 1:20 game today. Wells denied those reports. The Cubs righty has been struggling all year, especially in the first inning as of late. With Tom Gorzelanny pitching well in the Cubs bullpen, it could only be a mater of time before Wells and Gorzo switch roles.

Lou VS Stoney
Steve Stone started the argument between the Cubs manager and the White Sox broadcaster when he said, "Lou doesn't have a good grasp on what to do with young players," and made other comment about the way Piniella is managing this club. Today, when asked about Steve's comments, Sweet Lou fired back (to the Daily Herald) "And Steve Stone?" Piniella said. "He's got enough problems doing what he does with the White Sox. What job has he had in baseball besides talking on television or radio? What has he done? Why isn't he a farm director and bring some kids around? Why isn't he a general manager? Why hasn't he ever put the uniform on and been a pitching coach? Why hasn't he been a field manager?
"There's 30 teams out there that could use a guy's expertise like that. You know? I'm tired of some of these guys, I really am."

Steve made a joke out of the situation by saying "Lou's probably grumpy because he only went 3-11 against me with no RBIs."

That's all the controversies for today! On a final note, it was great to see Alfonso Soriano hit his 300th career homer today. Hopefully this will get him going, because when he's hot Sori can carry the club.

I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

The Eve of the Winter Meetings

Tomorrow is the first day of Baseball's Winter Meetings!

New Poll
First thing- we have a new poll up on the blog! We are continuing to form "The All Decade Cubs". This week's voting is for the best Cubs' short stop from the 2000s. Please vote based on performance in the last decade on the Chicago Cubs only. If there's anyone I forget to make an option that is noteworthy, let me know via comment or email at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com.

Piniella back in 2011?
Next up, Lou Piniella made some pretty big news at Redsfest this weekend. When he was asked about retiring after the 2010 season, he left the door open for a return in 2011. Quotes from the Sun-Times:

-''I don't know [what it would take to want to return]. I like to talk about our baseball team, our organization. I don't like to talk about myself. We'll see what happens. I enjoy what I do, and as long as the organization is pleased -- but let's see. I'm 66 years old. I'm no spring chicken.''

-'We'll see,'' Piniella said. ''But I'm really looking forward to this season, working with our new owner and his family and getting this team back on top again. I met [Ricketts] in Phoenix [at the Cubs' organization meetings] about a month ago, and I came away very impressed. This is what the Cubs needed, a guy who's been a Cub fan his whole life and who is competitive and has built a successful business, and now he wants to win with the Cubs. I'm looking forward to that transition.''

-''I've been doing this a long time, and sooner or later it's time to [retire],'' Piniella said. ''Look, I've been managing for I don't how many years -- 22, 23 years? We have new ownership over there. Let's just wait and see how things go.''

Interesting. If you're the Cubs, do you want Lou back after next season? Right now, I think it depends on how the Cubs do this season and if Piniella is still in to it this season.

First some rumors and then some more Winter Meetings talk:

• Lou expected to meet with Mike Cameron's agent at the meetings.
• Texas and Tampa are still the front runners for Bradley according to Wittenmyers' report.
• Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus tweeted that a signing of Cameron is waiting on the trade of Bradley. Milton being traded has been "imminent for 72 hours.
• Jon Heyman shot down Carroll's reports. Heyman says the Cubs are still not close to dealing Milton.
• He adds that the Giants and Padres have been mentioned as other possibile destinations for the Cubs' rightfielder with the Cubbies getting contracts such as Gary Matthews Jr., Aaron Roward, Jose Guillen, or Luis Castillo in return.
• Bruce Miles had a few interesting tidbit in his story previewing Indy. He says that the Cubs would like to trade Milton, move Kosuke to right, sign a center fielder like Cameron or Byrd, and add a right handed hitting outfielder who can play right field to platoon with Kosuke.
• Rick Ankiel is not high on the Cubs priority list according to Miles.
• Bruce says Hendry feels that the starting pitching is OK, even with Lilly out to start the season. However, Hendry would like to acquire a veteran right handed reliever to toss into the bullpen mix.
• Miles has arrived in Indianapolis, and the buzz is Milton Bradley.
• Signing Mike Cameron may be at the top of the Cubs wish list once Milton is gone, because the Granderson trade is unlikely right now.
• Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com said yesterday that "nothing is hot" right now on the Bradley front, but the Rays remain the front runner.
• Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella were a part of a large Cubs contingent that attended the Indianapolis Colts' game today.
• A Texas Source told Carrie Muskat that Bradley was a headache the first time around, and the Rangers may not want to deal with him again.
• No Jumbotron for Wrigley Field.
• Paul Sullivan sees Mike Cameron as a clubhouse leader "like Eric Karros in 2003 or Cliff Floyd in 2007".
• Sully says that what the Cubs need is a guy that lightens the mood inside the clubhouse.
• Cameron played for Piniella in Seattle.
• The Cubs are looking for a left handed hitting second baseman to platoon with Jeff Baker.
• Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the Cubs along with the Yankees, Mets, Orioles, Tigers, Red Sox, and Astros, are interested in relievers Rafael Soriano and/or Mike Gonzalez.
• Jim Hendry wouldn't mind keeping Lou in 2011, but he has not talked about a contract with Piniella yet.

What else is going on this week during the meetings?

• Monday, the Veterans Committee ballots will be unveiled. Ron Santo is not up for voting this year, but he will be back on the ballot in 2011. This year's announcement will be made at 9 AM CT tomorrow.
• On Tuesday, Cubscast is holding a #"Dawson4TheHall" event on Twitter at 1:20. Click for more.
• Bruce Levine will chat Cubs and White Sox Monday-Wednesday. He will have his normal chat at noon on Tuesday and special 45 minute chats on Monday and Wednesday nights.
• Speaking of Cubscast, they'll have a new episode Monday.
• The MLB Network will host Hot Stove live from the Winter Meetings Monday through Wednesday from 5-7 Pm CT.
• Baseball Tonight Hot Stove Special will be on ESPN2 Monday through Thursday from 4-5 PM CT this week.
• Thursday will be the Rule 5 Draft.

Everything Cubs Will Have Full Coverage

This very site will have full coverage of the meetings throughout the week. It's going to be a very busy week for me, so I'll do my best to post rumors as often as possible. I plan to update at least 3-4 times every day this week. There will be plenty of rumor and news posts, but there will be no usual posts such as Numbers Breakdowns, Cubs Fun & Games Tuesdays, Getting to Know the Cubs, and Winter Ball Reports. Wednesday night we'll have a Rule 5 Draft Preview, with a recap on Thursday night. Also, Thursday will be a very special day for this site, so stay tuned for that...

In Case You Missed It

There have been a lot of posts and news lately, so check these out to catch up:

• Bruce Miles Q&A
• Fox & Miles Traded to Oakland
• Friday Roundup
• Some Radio Recaps and More
• Cubs in Winter ball Updates

Past Years at the Meetings

How often are the Cubs active during Baseball's Winter Meetings?

• 2008- Lots of rumors surrounding Jake Peavy and more, but no action.
• 2007- trade Omar Infante and Will Ohman to the Braves for Jose Ascaino.
• 2006- Signed Ted Lilly, and traded Freddie Bynum
• 2005- Cubs acquired Juan Pierre for a package that included Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto.

How will Hendry fair this year? Stay tuned...

Frick & Spink Awards

In past years, the J.G. Tayler Spink Award (baseball writer) and the Ford C. Frick award (baseball broadcaster) winners are announced during the Winter Meetings.

This year, that is not the case. The Frick and Spinck awards will be announced later in the offseason. The Ford C. Frick Award voting is going on on Facebook right now. The top 3 from the fan voting will be placed on the final ballot. Former/current Cub broadcasters up for the award include:

• Thom Brennaman
• Chip Caray
• Pat Hughes
• Andy Masur
• Ron Santo
• Steve Stone
• Dewayne Staats
• Lou Boudreau
• Pat Flanagan
• Vince Lloyd
• Hector Molina

Well I hope you enjoyed are Winter Meetings Warm Up. This is one of the best weeks in the baseball offseason, so let's enjoy. Check back here for updates often!

Friday Roundup: Hendry on Sports Central, Crane Meets Media, Trade Reaction, and More

Post Trade Talk

• Yesterday the Cubs sent Jake Fox and Aaron Miles to Oakland for Jeff Gray and 2 prospects.
• Gray has been added to the Cubs 40 man roster, which now stands at 37.
• Jim Hendry "feels good about the two or three things the Cubs have done since the season ended.
• The Cubs head into the Winter Meetings still looking to tweak the bullpen according to Cubs.com.
• The Cubs like Jeff Gray's arm strength. Hendry compared him to Angel Guzman. Gray will compete for a spot in the bullpen in Mesa.
• Milton Bradley's contract is the next order of business. Van Dyck says that it will most likely be addressed at next week's winter meetings in Indianapolis.
• "Aaron will be better served going elsewhere after a very, very tough year for him," Jim said. Also, Fox will fit better on an AL team, where he can DH.
• Oakland took on $1.7 of the $2.7 million owed to Miles.
• Starlin Castro was not a factor in the trade.

HOF Ballot

Bruce Miles has received his Hall of Fame ballot, he will seriously consider voting for the following:

• Robby Alomar
• Barry Larkin
• Bert Blyleven
• Andre Dawson
• Jack Morris
• Mark McGwire
• Tim Raines
• Lee Smith
• Alan Trammell

Carrie Muksat's ballot is in as well. She has already checked Andre Dawson.

Levine talks to Hendry

• Hendry is still looking to trade Bradley.
• The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets are the top teams interested in Bradley.
• 3-4 teams could be involved in the deal for Milton.
• Luis Castillo and Pat Burrell are still being tossed around.
• The Cubs are looking for a left handed hitting center fielder and right handed platoon outfielder like Reed Johnson.
• The Cubs will seek guys like Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel, Mike Cameron, and Coco Crisp.
• J.J. Putz and Ben Sheets our options for the Cubbies.

Rehab Updates

Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal told Carrie Muskat that Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramiez, and Geovany Soto are sticking to their rehab routines and are making progress. Ted Lilly will be re-examined after Jan. 1, then start a rehab program is all goes well.

Off the Field Updates

Crane Kenney addressed some Cubs topics at Wrigley Field today.

• Don't expect a dramatic increase in ticket prices in 2010.
• The Cubs will have 700 new season tickets next year. There are about 120,000 people on the waiting list right now.
• The Cubs should have an announcement in January about whether they will keep their Spring Training in Arizona or move to Florida. Naples has become "a very viable option".
• There is currently some work being done to upgrade Wrigley.
• The Cubs are going to get the "triangle building" project going.
• An ice rink in the parking lot west of Wrigley is being built. It will open this winter.
• All Good news!!

Hendry with Kap

Cubs GM Jim Hendry joined David Kaplan on Sports Central to preview the Winter Meetings and talk Cubs baseball!:

• Hendry doesn't think it matters where the Winter Meetings are held.
• There are always scout or affiliate dinners at night.
• Having it in Vegas last year didn't really make sense, because Jim like to stay at the hotel the whole week.
• The Cubs are going to have 25-30 employees at the Meetings.
• There is a big meeting room next to the hotel room that Jim is staying in, and each guy from the organization will get an assignment as to what team to meet with.
• It's an action packed 4-5 days.
• Jim likes the meetings. "It's a fun time and a chance to get a lot done."
• Tom Ricketts has a lot of faith in him.
• The Cubs don't need a lot of different players to be much better next season.
• They are looking to make 2-3 good moves in the next couple months.
• Hendry would like to get a couple things done before the end of next week.
• Jim thinks trades are better for the game of baseball than free agent signings. He hopes that trades pick up in the next few weeks.
• Tom has been very friendly. The family have a lot on their plate right now on the business side.
• The top thing on the Cubs wish list is to be a little more creative instead of going out and buying a free agent. This winter is going to be more of an add here, subtract there type of thing.
• There is still a chance Reed Johnson returns. Jim loves Reed, and had nothing but good things to say about him.
• The Cubs would like to add some more depth to the bullpen. A veteran presence will help a young 'pen. Re-signing Grabow was a key move.
• "Who wouldn't want him," Jim said of Roy Halladay.

Miles Chat

Yesterday I chatted with Bruce Miles right here on this blog! In case you missed it, here's a recap of what he had to say:

• Bruce started his offseason with a vacation to Europe. Now he's getting ready for Indy.
• He expects the Milton Bradley trade to be done next week if the money issues can be worked out. There is no scenario where Bradley will be back with the Cubs right now.
• Texas or Tampa Bay seem like the best bets right now.
• The Cubs would love to move Kosuke to right field.
• Sam Fuld will compete in Spring Training, but probably not for the starter's job.
• In these days, there really is no offseason for any sport. You have to block out your vacation time and comp time and take it, according to Miles.
• Marlon Byrd and Mike Cameron are options the Cubs will explore.
• The Cubs will wait for the non-tender deadline to see if they can pick up a bargain or two.
• As far as the Rule 5 Draft, the Cubs protected everybody that they felt they needed to so they won't feel stung if they lose a player. It's hard to tell what players are at-risk of being lost by the Cubs.
• Miles likes Alan Trammel a lot as a possibility to take over as Cub manager in 2010 if Piniella retires.
• Bruce likes having a family own the team. It will be a welcome change.

Piniella at Redsfest

Lou Piniella was at the kick-off of the annual Redsfest this evening. What was he doing at a division rivals fan fest? Piniella was the manager of the 1990 World Champion Cincinnati Reds. This is the 20th anniversary of the team, and many of the members of that club have gathered at Duke Enegery Center this weekend.

"20 years, that's a long time isn't it. It almost seems like yesterday. It's seeing the player that got it done. Unfortunately, not all of them are here, but those that are, they bring back some pleasant memories. What a great group of young men. They were dedicated, talented, and got the job done." Lou told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.

"I'll tell you what, I enjoyed my 3 years in Cincinnati. Nice people, great fans. I didn't realize how big baseball is in Cincinnati until I got here," he added. Lou received a personal invite from owner/CEO Bob Castellini. The first night of the Redsfest was full of fun, similar to the Cubs Convention. Players signed autographs, there was wiffleball, kids could play video games, there was a rock climbing wall, and much more.

Oh and Dusty was there too...

"There's a lot of excitement," said manager Dusty Baker. "This is the most buzz I've seen in the city for a long time. From being in California in the winter, I've been watching the Bengals, UC football and basketball -- the town is buzzing and winning. I've been there before in Los Angeles and the Bay Area when we all won -- college and pro sports. I feel it happening. It's been coming. We're getting better."

Other Tidbits

• The Tigers appear unlikely to sent Granderson to the Cubs, according to one source (mlive.com)
• Be sure to check out the Dawon for the Hall Twitter Blitz. I'll have more on this next week.
• Henry Blanco has signed with the Mets.
• The Braves have signed Takashi Saito, whom we heard earlier this week that the Cubs were interested in.
• Baseball America ranks the Cubs farm system 18th.

It's been a busy week on the Cubs front...

much more to come this weekend as we get ready for the winter meetings, which start Monday in Indy.

Breaking News: Fox & Miles Traded

Jake Fox and Aaron Miles have been traded to the Oakland A's! Many Cubs fans were big fans of Fox, but he will be a better fit as a DH. The Cubs are happy to be rid of Miles. Now they can use Miles's roster spot for Andres Blanco, a new infielder, Mike Fontenot, or even Starlin Castro.

In return, the Cubs get pitcher Jeff Gray along with prospects Ronny Morla and Matt Spencer. In addition to Fox and Miles, the Cubs send $1 million to Oakland.

Jeff Gray

• Full Name: Jeffrey Michael Gray
• Age: 28
• Position: Pitcher
• B/T: Right/Right
• Teams: Oakland (2008-2009)
• MLB Debut: Sept. 8, 2008
• Drafted: by Oakland in 32nd round of the 2004 June amateur draft
• 0-1 with 4.35 ERA in 29 career MLB Games
• 21-20 with 3.38 ERA in 211 career minor league games

Ronny Morla

• Pitcher
• 21 years old
• B/T: Right/Right
• 3 years in minor league ball
• Low Class A Prospect
• 1-7 with a 4.86 ERA in 17 Games

Matt Spencer

• Outfielder
• Drafted by the Phillies in the 3rd round of the 2007 amateur draft
• Hit .294 with 9 homers and 62 RBIs in 93 games at AAA in 2009
• Hit .274 with 10 HR and 29 RBI in 30 games at AA in 2009
• Will be 22 years old in Jan.

Nice to see some Cubs news out there today! I do like this deal, even though I was a big fan of Jake Fox. More notes for tonight:

• Baseball's Winter Meetings are Monday through Thursday next week. Expect maybe another move by the Cubs!
• Today I had a Question and Answer with Bruce Miles from the Daily Herald to talk Cubs. Click here to check it out!
• Yesterday I updated a lot of rumors. (link)
• The Cubs would love to have Curtis Graderson in center field in 2010, says Phil Rodgers.
• Edwin Jackson is another Tiger on the Cubs radar.
• Muskat reports that Rudy Jaramillo is preparing for Chicago by taking a look at some video tapes.
• Chicago's Tribunes Poll: Who will the Cubs miss most? A) Harden B) Gregg C) Johnson
• Speaking of polls don't forget to vote on ours on the right sidebar.
• According to Zach Links of MLB Trade Rumors, the Cubs and Cardinals are in the lead to sign free agent pitcher Vicente Padilla.

With a trade and a chat today, I'll probably save this week's Winter Ball Report for a a slower day this weekend.

Bruce Miles Q&A

Thursday we have a surprise Cubs Question and Answer right here on Everything Cubs! Bruce Miles will join us to discuss the Winter Meetings, the Hot Stove, and Everything Cubs! The Chat will start at 4:15 CT, send questions to cubsblogmailbag@aol.com, comment with them, or just show up to the live chat and submit your questions for Bruce! Hope to see you at 4:15! Scroll down on the blog mainpage for more Cubs Updates!