Levine's Chat, Cubs Spring Training Schedule, and More

Bruce Levine had his weekly chat yesterday, so let's take a look at the Cub-related highlights:

• The Granderson situation is real, but the names haven't really been figured out.
• Texas and Tampa Bay are still the front runners for Milton Bradley.
• If the Cubs swap with Texas to get Bradley, it appears that they would receive Kevin Millwood. If they trade Bradley to the Rays, Pat Burrell would be coming back in the deal.
• Jim Hendry's top priority is "Bradley, Bradley, and Bradley." He should also sign John Grabow to a 2 year $7-7.5 M deal sometime before the Winter Meetings.
• Kevin Milwood would compete with Tom Gorzelanny, Sean Marshall, and Jeff Samardzija for spots in the rotation if he becomes a Cub.
• Levine hinted that Granderson may not be a part of a platoon if he comes to the Cubs. "I could live with Granderson hitting .200 against lefties and playing solid defense, letting someone else win the game that particular day or drive him in because of his speed on the bases."
• The Cubs like Sam Fuld, but they are concerned with making him the starting center fielder because of his lack of durability due to his diabetes.
• Carlos Marmol is the guy for the closer's role "for now".
• The Tigers are not interested in backup players like Fox, Hoffpauir, and Marshall in a Curtis Granderson trade. A package could include Vitters and 2-3 other prospects.
• Bradley's going to be moved, but it won't be an easy process.
• Don't expect Starlin Castro or Andrew Cashner to be included in any trades this offseason.
• Detriot is not interested in Milton Bradley.
• Levine thinks that the odds of Rich Harden returning to the Cubs are zero.
• Bruce likes the idea of the Cubs going after Ben Sheets.
• Grabow and Marmol are 1-2 at the back of the bullpen. The return of Heilman and/or Marshall to the bullpen is still up in the air.
• Esmailin Caridad and John Gaub will be given chances to make the pen in Spring Training.
• Levine has said many times that Orlando Hudson and Orlando Cabrera could be fits for the Cubs middle infield for a one year deal.
• Koyie Hill is the catching backup plan for now, but Bruce threw the name Pudge Rodrigez out there.
• They will not get both Marlon Byrd and Granderson and make Kosuke a 4th outfielder.
• Mark DeRosa is not a good fit for the Cubs.

Cubs Spring Training

The Cubs are one of the final Major League Baseball teams to announce their Spring Training Schedule, but now we have it! The Cubs will close Spring Training against the D'backs at Chase Field, they open March 4 VS Oakland, and they play the White Sox in Vegas March 12 & 13. The Cubs have 5 split squads and just 1 off day. They play 35 games. Here's the rest of the schedule:

• March 4 VS Oakland
• March 5 VS Arizona
• March 6 VS CWS
• March 7(ss) @CWS, VS LAD
• March 8 @Oak
• March 9 VS Mil
• March 10 VS SF
• March 11 @SD
• March 12 (ss) VS CWS in Las Vegas, @Mil in AZ
• March 13 (ss) VS CIN in AZ, VS CWS in Vegas
• March 14 @LAA
• March 15 @COL
• March 16 VS TEX
• March 17 Off Day
• March 18 @LAD
• March 19 @CWS
• March 20(ss) VS KC, @Oak
• March 21 VS CIN
• March 22 VS CLE
• March 23 @KC
• March 24 @TEX
• March 25 @Arizona
• March 26 VS OAK
• March 27 VS SD
• March 28 @SEA
• March 29 VS CIN
• March 30 VS SF
• March 31(ss) @MIL, VS LAA
• April 1 VS COL
• April 2/3 @Arizona (Chase Field)

Cubs Spring Training tickets go on sale Jan. 4.

Other Notes:

• Zack Greinke won the AL Cy Young.
• Mike Scioscia is the AL manager of the year, and Jim Tracy takes the award in the NL.
• The Cubs have donated $20K to the DR community.
• Tom Ricketts will have a chance to meet the other MLB owners at a private dinner tonight.
• The Ricketts family will meet with Florida officials after Thanksgiving weekend to discuss future Spring Training options for the Cubs.
• MLB.com's Q&A with Randy Wells.
• According to FOX Sports, the Cubs are one of 3 anonymous teams interested in Billy Wagner.
• The Cubs are reportedly a possible landing spot for Pedro Martinez.
• David Kaplan says the Cubs and Rangers are is serous talks about a trade that would ship Bradley to Texas.

That's it for now, I'll keep you posted as the Hot Stove season continues!

Day 1 of the Organizational Meetings Roundup

Notes from the Chicago Tribune:

• One player the Cubs are interested in is Akinori Iwamura. Iwamura is a left handed hitting second baseman.
• New Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts will introduce himself to the baseball operations department personnel at the meetings.
• He also will meet with Mesa city officials and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to talk about keeping Cubs Spring Training in Arizona. According to the Tribune, nothing will be decided this week.
• The meetings run today through Friday.
• Other things on the Cubs list: 1. Re-signing John Grabow in the 2 week window after the World Series, 2. Trying to find a lead-off hitter speed, and 3. trying to find a corner outfielder with power.

Bruce Levine's notes from Mesa:

• According to Bruce Levine, "plans are already in motion on the business front."
• Ricketts and family met the baseball side of the organization for the first time today.
• Tonight Tom will meet 90 people in baseball operations Tuesday night at the team's hotel in Mesa at a meet-and-great dinner.
• Tomorrow the Ricketts family will spend most of the day looking at possible sites for a new Cubs spring training home.
• On Thursday, the meetings will move to Ho-Ho-Kam Park, where the baseball operations people will have a lunch and watch top Cub prospects play in the Arizona Fall League.

Arizona Fall League All Star Rosters have been announced! The "Rising Stars Showcase" will be on the MLB Network on Saturday night. Josh Vitters, Starlin Castro, and Andrew Cashner are the 3 Cubs farm hands that were named to the team, but Cashner will not be able to participate. Looking forward to seeing Vitters and Castro playing on TV on Saturday!

Ricketts wants to keep the Cubs in the top 3 payrolls in baseball.

More from Mesa tomorrow...

Lots of Ricketts Talk on the Radio & Grabow Update

Some more good Ricketts links, Q&As, videos, and interviews.

• Tom Ricketts on NPR
• Entire Press Conference from Ricketts taking over the Cubs
• Ricketts joined Boers and Bernstein Friday
• Paul Sullivan joined Mully and Hanley on the Score today.
• Mike Murphy talked Cubs on the Danny Mac show last week.
• Crane Kenney and Tom Ricketts were on Talkin' Baseball with Bruce Levine Saturday.
• Sun-Times Q&A with Tom.
• Cubs.com Q&A with Ricketts.
• CBS 2 News Video, Tom takes Cubbie Questions

Some other Cubs notes:

• Bruce Levine on John Grabow: "The two sides are talking about a two-year deal for anywhere between a total of $6.5 million and $7.5 million. Grabow's people would like a vesting option for a third year added to the contract. "
• Neither Kevin Gregg nor Rich Harden is expected to return to the Cubs.
• The Cubs will have rights to negotiate with Harden, Gregg, Johnson, Fox, and Grabow until 10 days after the World Series, when they will become free agents and free to negotiate with any team.
• The Rangers are not ruling out the possibility of Milton Bradley returning to Texas.
• Carrie Muskat said in her Inbox that the Cubs are interested in Aroldis Chapman but he doesn't fit their budget.
• Phil Rodgers, on the other hand, says the Cubs "have the resources to compete for Chapman."
• TCR takes a look at Mike Cameron as a Cub offseason target.
• Andres Blanco still has to show Lou Piniella he can handle big league pitching according to Cubs.com.
• There seems to be very little chance of the Cubs staying at HoHoKam Park for Spring Training.

The Cubs have announced the following crowd-management employees for their 2009 awards:

• Ushers of the Year- Jan Awker and David Hamann
• Parker of the Year- Leslie Marie Huff
• Crows Control of the Year- Fred Pearson
• Supervisor of the Year- Joe Carter
• Rookie of the Year- Cindy Roy
• ADCDE Award- Jennifer Aparicio

What do Cubs do in the offseason to stay in shape? Vineline asked!

• Kosuke Fukudome- "I'll just relax for 7-10 days then start walking, then jogging, and then work up to running. I'll begin weight training, then start hitting."
• Jeff Samardzija- "I'll work out 4 times per week with weights and conditioning. Then I'll start throwing to get stretched out."
• Aramis Ramirez- "First, I will take a month off. After that, I'll be in the weight room at the gym 3 or 4 times a week and then start doing all the baseball stuff."
• Ryan Dempster- "I'll be running a lot. I have a personal trainer, and we will do a lot of agility training and some hill training also."

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

Organizational Meetings in Mesa

This week is the Cubs organizational meetings in Mesa. There are a few story lines to watch and things going on this week:

• Tom Ricketts will be at the organization meetings. Lots of media will follow him there.
• Ricketts will get his first look at Mesa. Since there's been talk of Cubs Spring Training moving to Naples, this is a big deal.
• The Arizona Fall League is in full swing. Jim Hendry is sure to check out a few games while he's there every year, and the Cubs people will get a look at guys like Castro, Cashner, and Vitters.
• Mr. Chicago Baseball Bruce Levine is down there, and I'd expect great reports from him all week long.

In the mean time, I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween and a great weekend. I also hope nobody forgot to set back their clocks yesterday. The good news: If you did forget, you didn't miss a Cubs game. That's not usually a problem with fall back if you know what I mean.

We'll have full coverage from the meetings all week long!

Ricketts Press Conference

• The Opening Statement: "After 3 long years, we're very happy to say, today, the Ricketts family owns the Chicago Cubs. Pete, Todd ,and Laura joined Tom on the stage. They are all brothers and sisters.
• All of the family members love the team, stadium and city.
• Tom thanked his parents, the league, the other baseball owners, Bud Selig, Crane Kenney, everyone who works for the Chicago Cubs, advisers that helped them, and most of all the Cubs fans.
• The family has 3 messages to their fans: 1. We're going to win the World Series. 2. The Cubs are going to do everything they can to improve Wrigley Field and keep Wrigley Field. 3. The family loves the city of Chicago, and they intend to give back to the city and surrounding areas.
• "There's a lot of work to do, but everyone needs to know we're here for the long term, and we're here to win."
• Tom thinks having a family owner helps because they have one goal: winning, and they intend to invest in the team, and they can make a long term commitment.
• In the short term, Tom will be looking at ways to improve a day at Wrigley. He mentioned improving restrooms and food. The bigger picture is to plan for the next year to save Wrigley. It's a big project that will be started soon.
• They are working on the triangle building.
• "Saying your going to win the World Series and winning the World Series are two different things. The only way you are going to do it is drafting and developing the right players to give the GM talent coming up every year to help put the best team on the field.
• Tom plans to have a team every year that will be in the postseason.
• The Cubs want to have world class Spring Training facilities. The Cubs are going to be open minded and look for the best solution. Wherever they can have the best situation, the Cubs will go. They've talked to Mesa and Naples.
• Nothing has been finalized, but slight increases on ticket prices and payroll are expected.
• The minor league system is the real key.
• August was painful on the field and in the deal. Watching the team on the field was disappointing and difficult for everyone. It is expected to be turned around in 2010.
• There has been no discussion on PSLs.
• The Ricketts are excited to get started in making decisions that will give us a winner.
• There are spots in the stadium where the Cubs can have a sponsor without effecting the fan experience. There will not be a dramatic increase in the amount of signs at Wrigley Field.
• Tom and his family will be seen around the stadium a lot. They are going to walk around, see folks, and be in the stands.
• He has not spent a lot of time with Lou, but they strongly believe he is the right guy.
• Criticism is part of the job.
• Tom encourages fans talking about the team as long as it doesn't get too personal.
• Renovation proposals that would force the team to leave Wrigley for a time have not been considered.
• They are looking for 1-2 more executives.
• The Ricketts have not considered changing the name of Wrigley Field. That will not be looked at closely.
• Tom thinks the Cubs have a team that can win the World Series next year.
• They intend to own the team for a generation.
• The family will let the manager and the GM do their jobs.
• Ryne Sandberg and Tom have not spoken yet.
• If Jim Hendry decides that the Cubs should eat some money on a certain player, then it would be considered seriously by the family.
• "It's not about how much we're spending, it's about what we're getting for those dollars."
• Pete says that they will make sure families can still afford to get into Wrigley Field.
• The previous owners have spent enough dollars to put the right team on the field.
• "There is not curse. There is no curse. There is no curse. We're not going to put up with that, let's get that behind us."
• There's a special feeling in the bleachers that is different according to Tom.

It should be an interesting winter!

Thursday Night Rumor Updates

With Ricketts taking control of the Cubs, lots of rumors and news notes the past few days. Let's get caught up:

• The press conference for the Ricketts family to take control will be tomorrow at Wrigley Field. Tom will answer questions from the media for the first time. He is expected to reveal long term and short term plans.
• Mesa, Arizona is making their pitch to keep Cubs' spring training there. Naples, Florida is also trying to get the Cubs there for spring camp.
• According to the Sun-Times, the payroll will be in the $143 million range next year. Anyone expecting a dramatic shift in philosophy will be up for a huge letdown.
• John Lackey, Fernando Rodney, and Chone Figgins are all seeking new homes.
• TCR takes a look at what they would ask Mr. Ricketts.
• Paul Sullivan says that the first order of business will be to get rid of Milton Bradley.
• Bruce Miles thinks the Cubs should pass on Gary Matthews Jr.
• There is a debate going on as to whether a giant hotel should be placed near Wrigley Field. Would this building take away from Wrigley?
• Mark DeRosa had his surgery on Monday to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. He's a free agent!
• The Cubs have expressed some interest in Aroldis Chapman according to MLB Trade Rumors.
• Cubs Convention tickets go on sale November 4 at 10am.
• TCR thinks Kelvin Escobar makes sense for the Cubs.
• MLB Trade Rumors' list of bad contracts includes Milton Bradley, Alfonso Soriano, and Aaron Miles.
• Orlando Hudson, Miguel Tejada, and J.J. Hardy have been mentioned by ESPN.com as second baseman that could interest the Cubs.
• Mike Ferrin of XM Radio thinks Tom Ricketts will be a hands on owner.
• Sam Zell's statement on the sale of the Cubs: "I think the team should be owned by somebody who is local, somebody who is really passionate about baseball," Zell said. "I happen to be local. I'm not passionate about baseball, so I wish them all the best of luck. And maybe we'll break the 101-year curse."

Bruce Levine has been busy! He hosted his "Talkin' Baseball" show on ESPN 1000 Saturday, has been posted on ESPNChicago.com, and had a chat Tuesday. Here's Bruce's latest:

• Ricketts will tell his baseball people at the Cubs organization meetings next Wednesday that the minor-league system is his number 1 priority.
• If the Cubs get Chone Figgins, second base would be his main spot, but he is versatile.
• Vlad Guerrero is not a fit for the Cubs.
• Trades may be the only vehicle for Jim Hendry to bring new players in.
• Bruce's sources tell him that the Cubs payroll is going to be the same $140M they had last year.
• Levine will look at Starlin Castro in the AFL next week.
• Jeff Baker will be a back-up second baseman, but the Cubs need another middle infielder.
• If anybody can fix Alfonso Soriano, it's Rudy Jaramillo.
• Adding Rudy was a good decision for the Cubs.
• Bruce is high on Figgins.
• Andrew Cashner could end up with the Cubs by the end of next season.
• There's a plan in place to upgrade the entire ballpark (Wrigley).
• He does not see the Cubs going after Chapman. They have zero money to spend on good-looking young pitchers who will get multi-year deals.
• The Cubs want the fan base to feel like there's a directions where the team will go.
• Levine gives it a 90% chance that Bradley will be traded.
• Derrek Lee would love to finish his career a Cub.
• A one year gamble on a high-energy guy like Orlando Hudson might not be a bad idea.
• Lou doesn't think Andres Blanco can hit, so Andres will only be a back-up in 2010.
• Washington is not a fit for Milton Bradley.
• Levine likes the idea of moving Theriot to second base and adding a short stop.
• Brining Florida in to the mix for Cubs Spring Training is a ply to get a better offer from Mesa.
• Fukudome made some nice improvements by using one of his former batting instructors when his mechanics fell apart this season. The problem for Japanese players is the 162-game schedule. There are only a few players like Ichiro and Hideki Matsui who proved they can stay strong throughout an entire major-league season.
• If the Cubs make any big deals this winter, Sean Marshall could be included.
• The Cubs have talked to the Blue Jays about a Wells for Bradley trade.
• Expect a slight raise in ticket prices next season.
• Hendry is working trades with Tampa Bay and 3-4 other teams about players with big contracts they would like to move.
• The Blue Jays will be looking to trade Roy Halladay at some point, but "Mr. Chicago Baseball" doesn't know if the Cubs will be involved.
• A Milton Bradley for Pat Burrell trade has been on the table for 3 weeks.

And now the latest from today's press conference about bringing the Cubs to Naples, Florida:

• Craig Bouchard, the chief executive officer of the club, met the media today at the Naples Bath & Tennis Club. About 30 people were there.
• The Cubs bring in about $52 million a year of revenue for Mesa, and they want that money to go to Collier County.
• Site selection would need to be 120 continuous acres for a 15,000 seat stadium, batting cages, pitching mounds, and a 4,000-space parking lot.
• The stadium would be an 11-month operation.
• Inside Naples city is out of the question.
• There is no anticipation of getting into a bidding process.
• "We're going to put our best foot out there and if we're the best, we'll win, and if we're not, we'll lose," Bouchard said.
• There are no cost estimates and no time lines yet.
• This type of decision will not be rushed.
• The most significant hurdle is the history in Arizona.
• Craig hopes to have a proposal to the Cubs within the next six months.
• Three land parcels have been identified as possible locations, they will not be named yet.

Tomorrow at 11 CT Ricketts will meet the media at Wrigley Field for the first time. The press conference will be broadcast live on WGN and CSN Chicago. I'll have a full recap of the days events posted sometime tomorrow night. Also, since there is so much going on in the Cubs world, we will hold off this week's winter ball updates until the weekend.

That's it (I know a lot!), for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Deal's Done & Spring Training News

The Ricketts family finally has officially closed the deal to buy the Chicago Cubs. The Ricketts take control of the team, Wrigley Field, and 25% of Comcast Sportsnet.

The team has been for sale since before the start of the 2007 season. I'm very glad to finally see the deal done!! Cubs.com had a nice Timeline of Cubs ownership.

Here's the Paul Sullivan write up that broke the story.

Friday will be the press conference at Wrigley Field, where we will get our first look at Ricketts' plans for the team this offseason, next year, and beyond. Tom is expected to be in Mesa for the organizational meetings in November. What move will be Tom's first as Cubs owner? We'll find out soon enough. Now that this 2.5 year saga is coming to a close, we can focus on winning a World Series.

According to the Naples Daily News, the groups trying to bring the Cubs' spring training to Naples have scheduled a press conference for Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Naples Tennis Club. “The Chicago Cubs are exploring Naples, Florida, as a potential spring training venue and have been working with Chicago-based Esmark and Naples-based Fifth Avenue Advisors in that regard,” Cubs CEO Crane Kenney confirmed in a statement. “Our site visits and discussions confirm that Collier County has a number of suitable locations for a world-class spring training facility.” Check out http://www.floridacubs.com/!

And according to the Tribune, the Cubs are exploring a move to Naples. They could build a 120-acre facility for the Cubs that includes a miniature version of Wrigley Field!

A few other notes:

• Heyman says the Mets have no interest in Bradley.
• Rajai Davis, Jeremy Hermida, and Kelly Johnson are 3 potential offseason targets according to the Cubs Reporter.
• Kerry Wood had a very interesting interview with Waddle & Silvy on ESPN 1000. I will post a recap along with other radio recaps tomorrow.
• Tuesday, November 19, 2009 Kerry Wood will join Children's Memorial Hospital as they celebrate the inaugural Champions for Children's event.
• "We'd have to see. Again, Chicago's my home. I had a great time here, but right now, I'm an Indian, and I'll go to Spring Training trying to help them win," Wood told Kap on Sports Central tonight.

It should be a fun week! I'll keep you posted throughout!

Jim Hendry on Talking Baseball, Ricketts to meet Media

Jim Hendry join Bruce Levine and Jonathan Hood this morning on ESPN Radio 1000 on Talking Baseball.

• The Cubs are very excited that they have who they fell is the best hitting coach in the game.
• Jim is happy to have Larry Rothschild as his pitching coach.
• Rudy instills a lot of confidence in players.
• The Rickets family loves baseball, they love Chicago, and they love the Cubs. Hendry thinks Ricketts is interested in doing the best thing for this organization for decades to come.
• When Hood asked what disappointed him most about 2009, Hendry said it was the fact that they didn't get into the playoffs.
• The expectations for the Cubs have been raised, and that's what the they wanted.
• Jim expects the Cubs to be back in playoff contention next year.
• As of now, Bradley is still a Cub. Once the organization meetings start, they will start to make those decisions.
• To lump everything on one player (Milton) is unfair.
• Jim has always been against instant replay for more than just boundary calls, however now he would lean towards doing what it takes to get the calls right.

After the Hendry interview, Bruce Levine said that Milton Bradley will not be back.

According to Bruce, the Cubs will be owned by the Ricketts Family and run by Tom Ricketts. The Cubs will close the final transition some time next week. The plan is for Ricketts to meet with the media and team advertisers by next Friday. At that time, it is assumed that Tom will also unveil his plan for the future.

More later...

Friday Afternoon Rumor Roundup

Let's Start with a few Radio Recaps

Rudy Jaramillo, the new Cubs hitting coach, was on Chicago Tribune Live with David Kaplan and company.

• Rudy says that the Cubs did the same thing as the Rangers this year as they went the other way after a great 2008 offensive season.
• He will be doing his homework this offseason about the players.
• When Sullivan said that Rudy is expected to turn this team around quickly, Rudy said, "That's my job."
• Jaramillo says this was the place he wanted to be, and he is blessed that it worked out.
• He came here to get it done, whatever it takes.
• Rudy says that Alfonso Soriano has always swung a big bat, and that is not the problem with him. He noticed that Alfonso's lower half needs some work.
• It depends on the situation whether the Cubs will be swinging at the first pitches a lot, or taking the ball.
• Texas led the league in seeing pitches last year.
• "I like to play the game... Moving the guys over, bunting, hit and run."

Next Todd Hollandsworth joined Kap, Sully, Casey Johnson, and Mark Carmen:

• Todd thinks Rudy is a great addition. Jaramillo is about bringing confidence, playing the mental game, and finding ways to build success. That's just what the Cubs need.
• Holly says Rudy is not a loud person, but he gets the job done.
• Paul asked if this guy could do something with Milton. Todd says that Rudy is fantastic at bringing confidence and changing swings. However, he doesn't think that Bradley is going to come back.
• Rudy is the best, but there is not a lot of attachment between him and Bradley.
• Jaramillo can't hit for these guys, but he can help.
• Todd thinks Alfonso Soriano will be helped the most by Rudy.
• Too many of the Cubs hitters fell into pot holes for a long period of time, and the hitting coach should have stepped in last year.

Ricketts Family's Wish List

David Kaplan noted last week on Chicago Tribune live that the Ricketts family will trade Bradley first, then possibly add another outfielder. Kap bets that the Cubs will be more family friendly once Tom takes over.

Second Base

When asked about the Cubs signing Mark DeRosa because he was such a popular player, Carrie Muskat of Cubs.com said, "If they signed players because they were popular, Mark Grace would still be starting at first. Never say never, but keep in mind, DeRosa will be 35, he'll be coming off wrist surgery and a .250 season in which he posted a .319 on-base percentage and struck out 121 times. DeRosa would love the chance to work again with new Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo again." Jeff Baker is the front runner to start at second next year according to Carrie.

Coaching Staff

The Cubs have signed Rudy Jaramillo to come in and help the Cubs hitting, and one other coach that is out that could really be a factor is pitching coach Dave Duncan. If any coach could really help this team, it would be Duncan. There has been lots of speculation on Duncan coming to the Cubs, but the team has already said that they will bring back to the rest of the coaching staff. Larry Rothschild is a good friend of Jim Hendry's and Lou's, so if the Cubs do part ways with him it will have to be ownership's decision.

Cubs Interested Chapman

Both the Cubs and White Sox are interested in Aroldis Chapman according to MLBTradeRumors.com. Chapman is a Cuban prospect who will arrive in New York to start a series of meetings with several GMs. He will likely demand a contract worth $40-$60MM.

Shocking Interest in Bradley

According to Ken Rosenthal, multiple teams are in contact with the Cubs about outfielder Milton Bradley. On source even said, "You would be shocked at the the level of interest." The Cubs are confident that they can pull of a trade for Milton. Jim Hendry says that the Rudy Jaramillo hiring has nothing to do with Milton Bradley.

Hawpe Not Being Shopped

Brad Hawpe may have been a fit for the Cubs, but the Rockies officials have denied that they are going to shop him.

Kelly Johnson a Fit?

Rob G. from the Cubs Reporter speculates that Kelly Johnson could be a Cub offseason target.

Rudy & Jim on Sports Central

Rudy Jaramillo and Jim Hendry joined David Kaplan on Sports Central last night for some Cubs talk. Rudy first:

• Jarmillo is still in town, enjoying himself.
• It was Rudy's choice to leave Texas.
• He has always been interested in the Cubs.
• Chicago is a great baseball town, the fans are great, and Rudy wanted to be a part of this organization.
• He is going to do everything he can to win these kids over quick.
• Jaramillo wants to get it done in a short amount of time.
• Rudy is happy to have this opportunity. Jim Hendry has been outstanding.

Then Jim Hendry:

• 30 different guys have called Rudy the best in the business according to Kaplan.
• Jim thinks that Jaramillo reputation is outstanding and speaks for itself.
• The players that have played under Rudy love him and respect him, as do his peers like coaches and managers.
• Other hitting coaches have called Jaramillo off the charts.
• The Cubs were having some meetings last week at Fitch Park to start the offseason plan, and during last Wednesdays' meeting it was announced that Jaramillo was not going back to Texas. The next morning, Jim got permission to talk to Rudy.
• This is Jim's life and job, so nobody gets more frustrated then him.
• The 2009 season never went how the Cubs expected it to.
• Last offseason, the Cubs felt they made the Cubs better. 95% of people picked the Cubs to win the division. However, the Cubs didn't factor in all the guys that wouldn't swing the bat well.
• August 7th the Cubs were tied for first place, but then things went south.
• Jim didn't feel gloom and doom until early September.
• It felt like the Cubs were 20 games out, even though it was just a few. Kap and Jim agree that the Cubs never really felt like they were going to the postseason this year.
• The expectations were so high in 2009, that when the Cubs weren't playing great the disappointment was great.
• Rudy and Jim didn't talk a lot of Milton Bradley on the telephone.
• Bradley seemed to be going on the upswing, but it just didn't work out last year.
• The Cubs knew there was some risk in signing Milton, but they took a calculated gamble. They thought the middle of the order was solid.
• The team is looking forward to having Tom Ricketts on board, and that is coming soon. It doesn't sound like they will start making moves until Ricketts takes over.
• Jim would like the Cubs to get a little better offensively. They would like to get a little faster, but they have a lot of in-house lead-off man candidates.
• Starlin Castro, "Is really good." Hendry is a big fan of the AFL and other instructional leagues.
• Castro is one of the premier guys in the industry, but the Cubs are not going to put a lot of pressure on the young man. Jim said, "Hopefully he'll be here sometime in 2010. Rudy will have a big hand in deciding when he's ready."
• Hendry thinks the Ricketts family wants to own the Cubs for a long time. Jim is looking forward to getting to know Tom.
• "I know we're going to be having a press conference here in the near future at Wrigley field. I think Tom is going to be a part of the organizational meetings in November," the Cubs GM said.

Scales to AAA

The Cubs have sent Bobby Scales to Iowa. The Cubs 40-man roster is now at 38. Is there a move on the way?

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

Cubs Rumors

• The Cubs could be interested in adding Aaron Heilman to their bullpen. The Mariners are looking for middle infield help and Ronny Cedeno could be traded in a deal for Heilman according to Bruce Levine.
• Levine also reported during Talking Baseball today that the Cubs could pursue Randy Wolf.
• The San Diego Union Tribune says that if Jake Peavy is traded he could skip the World Baseball Classic so he could train with his new club.
• The Cubs are hoping to get 25 starts from Rich Harden in 2009.
• Bruce said that Sean Marshall will be used as a "Super 6 Starter".
• Milton Bradley is not worried about receiving taunts from the Wrigley crowd like Jacque Jones and LaTroy Hawkins got.
• The Cubs may sign Henry Blanco to be the backup catcher once the ownership situation is resolved. The Cubs have talked about Henry been a coach in the organization once he retires.
• Barry Rozner of the Daily Herald believes that Tom Rickets might increase the Cubs budget, which would allow Jim Hendry to acquire Peavy if he becomes the owner.

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