Weekend Roundup: Looking for an Arm, Honoring a Legend, Making Some Cash & More

Pat Hughes Delivers
For any Cubs fan that missed it, Ron Santo's funeral is a must see. Bud Selig and Tom Ricketts both did a great job, but Pat Hughes delivered a fantastic eulogy that will never be forgotten. The full eulogy is available on Cubs.com, WGNRadio.com and CSNChicago.com. Ronnie was the greatest Cubs fan and I will never forget the impact he has made on my life.

Rule V Draft
The Cubs made a selection in the Rule Five Draft on Thursday, but then they immediately traded their pick to Texas. The team selected Mason Toban, a right handed pitcher in the Angels organization. They received cash in the deal and ended up making $50,000. The Cubs did not lose any players in the Major League portion, but two young pitchers were snatched away in the minor leauge portion. Ronny Morla was selected by the Mets and the Orioles picked Casey Lambert.

Cubs Connected to Garza and Webb
The Cubs are in search of an addition to their pitching staff, but their primary target is being debated by local media. Paul Sullivan reports that Brandon Webb is on the radar, but Matt Garza is not. Other outlets, such as Ed Price of AOL, think that Garza will be on the move, possibly to Chicago.

Wood on the Market
Dave Van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune joined David Kaplan on CTL Friday night. He spoke with Kerry Wood and was told that Woody wants to go somewhere where he can win a World Series. When Van Dyck asked the fire-baller about the Cubs, Wood just repeated that he wanted to go to a team that has a shot to win. Dave thinks that the White Sox would be a better fit for Wood than the Cubs at this point, but a return to the Yankees is a good possibility.

1-31 Radio & TV Recaps

First of all, Xavier Nady has now officially signed with the Cubs. Also, I've updated my Cubs early roster predictions.

Now, let's catch up on some TV and radio recaps relating to the Cubs.

Former Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson joined David Kaplan and company on Chicago Tribune Live on Tuesday after the Cubs signed Xavier Nady:

• Reed thinks the "door is pretty much closed" on his return to Chicago.
• He has nothing but respect for the organization and the city. There's nothing but good things to say about his experience with the Cubs.
• Johnson says that he's only gone on the DL twice because of his back in the last 3 years. In both those situations, he only took 15 days off. He does not see his back as an issue.
• He would still like to work his way back to Chicago in some way.
• Reed says that you pay your agent to take the responsibility of finding a team off you. Johnson is not doing anything differently than he would if he were signed with a team.
• The 2009 locker room chemistry was different. Part of that was the slow start and injuries. Winning cures all problems as far as chemistry is concerned.

After the injury, Dave Van Dyck says that he likes the move to sign Nady, but only if he recovers from his injury. Xavier brings a lot more pop to the bench then Reed would bring. Kap thinks that Nady could end up being the starting left fielder if Soriano doesn't play well. Van Dyck thinks that the Cubs are paying Soriano too much to sit him on the bench. The two Daves argued as to whether or not Nady will end up taking Sori's job.

On Wednesday, Andre Dawson joined CTL on CSN:

• The Hawk was not nervous before the decision as to what cap he should wear.
• The delay in the decision was that his preparation was against what the Hall decided.
• He respects the decision by the HOF, but he is obviously disappointed that he is not going in as a Cub.
• The cap issue was not the determining factor, but it was the Cub fans. Dawson thinks that had he retired as a Cub, it would be a no brainer, he would be wearing a Cub hat.
• Andre thinks that the Cubs fans are the ones who really embraced him, and Chicago was where his career really became a HOF career.
• Dawson doesn't think the cap decision will affect whether or not his number will be retired by the Cubs.
• The Hawk plans to do enough with his speech to make a point, but he wants to do it with class.

Jim Hendry talked about Xavier Nady on CSN:

• When you have a chance to get a guy like this, Jim doesn't think you worry about who's going to be playing where.
• A great doctor did the surgery, and Xavier's bat is expected to be ready to go to start the season.

Cubs TV broadcaster Len Kasper joined the Danny Mac show on 670 the Score on Thursday to talk Cubs:

• The Cubs discussed movie scenes and music first.
• Dan and Matt played a clip from Len singing at the annual Len and Bob Bash.
• Kasper confirmed that Nady prefers his first name to be pronounced eX-avier, not Zavier.
• Kasper likes the idea of platooning Nady and Kosuke. Len expects platoons in right field and second base this season.
• Nady and Tracy are very similar, because they will help backup the corner spots in the outfield and infield.
• If Ramirez or Soriano go down, the Cubs will have a backup plan.
• Len mentioned that Starlin Castro could be major league ready at some point during the 2010 season. We could see Theriot moving to second base if Castro comes up.
• Kasper expects better years out of Fontenot and Soto, and if Jeff Baker can play like he did last year he will be a good piece.
• Dan and Matt don't think the Cubs have had a good winter.
• Len thinks that the Cardinals are still the team to beat. They are basically the same team as last year.
• He doesn't think that it will take 97 to win this division, but if you can get up to 90 or 92 you could find yourself in the playoffs. The way baseball is built, you just have to find a way to get into the postseason, and you have a chance.

Earlier this month Ryan Dempster joined Boers and Bernstein:

• Demp has started a great foundation to help Di George Syndrome, which is the disease his daughter has.
• Riley cannot swallow, but the Dempsters are working on raising money and awareness.
• It's tough to watch a child go through what Riley is going through, but at the same thing it's amazing to see how strong the children are.
• Next the guys moved on to baseball. Boers and Bernstein wanted to revisit the Milton Bradley situation. Dempster thinks that a guy like Milton takes away from concentrating on baseball because you have to answer questions and issues that don't pertain to the game.
• Ryan wished Bradley nothing but the best in Seattle.
• The guys had a hard time understand how a guy like Milton really effects the team on the field. Dempster's answer was that it doesn't. Ryan thinks that as an individual you have to be prepared to help your team as much as you can on a daily basis. The lack of positivity from guys in the clubhouse was what they really bothered Ryan.
• Dempster thought that 2007 and 2008 were such great years in the clubhouse that anything else in '09 would be a disappointment.
• "You just have to go out there and try to have fun everyday."
• Ryan picks up a paper every once in awhile, but he's not a guy who's glued to his computer all winter reading baseball rumors. He likes to see moments like Andre Dawson being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
• He pointed out that the Cubs have a lot of the same players that they had in 2008, which he described as one of the best season's he's ever been a part of. The Cubs have lost some guys, but they gained some key people too.
• Soriano, Soto, and others have worked hard this offseason.
• Ryan never had the temptation to do steroids when he was on the way back from his injuries. "There's no substitute for hard work," he said.

Dave Van Dyck was with Mully and Hanley on 670 the Score last week:

• Van Dyck went from the Cubs to Cardinals to White Sox fan fests in the past few weeks.
• He thinks the White Sox fans are a little less rabid than the St. Louis and North Side fans.
• Dave says you get a little negativity and questioning from fans. At the Chicago fan fests fans ask questions, but at Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up most sessions have just the guests and the host talking.
• This was before the Xavier Nady signing, so the guys asked Dave who he would like A) Nady B) Gomes C) Dye. After joking about "D" non of the above, and saying that Reed Johnson he'd rather have Reed Johnson instead of Dye, Van Dyck says that Gomes would be fine.
• You'd like to get a pretty good player because all 3 of the Cubs' outfielders could go in slumps.

That's it for now!

More Byrd Reaction

Here the latest after the Cubs signing Marlon Byrd to a 3 year $15 million deal yesterday:

• Marlon Byrd has a good relationship with former Cub Milton Bradley calling him "a great guy".
• Byrd told the Chicago Sun-Times that the Chicago was a place he really wanted to go.
• According to Phil Rogers, Byrd is a fit with the Cubs, but he does make a right handed lineup even more right handed.
• The Chicago Tribune's poll tells us that 60% of voters are happy with the this signing.
• Carrie Muskat reports that Byrd's decision to sign with the Cubs was influenced by the fact that his hitting coach with Texas Rudy Jaramillo is now in Chicago.
• Keith Law of ESPN.com doesn't like the Byrd signing, saying that it was the latest in the series of outfield mistakes for Jim Hendry.
• Dave Cameron described Marlon as an average player.

Steve Stone joined Kaplan, Van Dyck, & Rogers to talk about the move yesterday on Chicago Tribune Live:

• Stone thinks he's a very solid center fielder.
• Byrd had a pretty good year last year offensively with Texas.
• Steve doesn't think he will bring speed or power, but he is a good guy and a solid player.
• The only problem with Marlon is that he is another right handed bat in a lineup loaded with right handed bats.
• If your team's real good, you can still win with only one left handed bat in the lineup (Kosuke).
• The Cubs "are in pretty good shape" to compete in the NL Central next year.
• If Matt Holiday stays in St. Louis, they could give the Cubs a problem next year.
• The money is not there for the Cubs to go out and get that left handed difference maker.

Next up, Cubs GM Jim Hendry joined the guys on CTL:

• Hendry said Marlon is a great teammate and a terrific guy in the clubhouse.
• Rudy has talked to Lou, Randy, and Jim since the first day Jaramillo was signed to try to get them to go after Byrd.
• Jim will leave it up to Lou where to bat Byrd in the lineup.
• There wasn't really a "big bat" center fielder available. The Cubs expect Marlon's numbers to be consistent.
• Lou is very happy that the Cubs got Byrd.
• The Cubs may still be a different club when they get to camp than they are today.
• Brett Jackson is a "fast track" guy and the Cubs are confident he is going to get to the big leagues.
• The Cubs brought Ty Colvin up sooner than they planned due to the injuries. James Adducci has a chance to be a good player as well.
• Jim says the Cubs have good outfielder coming, but they are not worried about 3 years down the road yet.
• Now that the center field thing is taken care of the Cubs will regroup.
• The Cubs would certainly like to add a bullpen arm.
• There are still a lot of good players out there, and Jim thinks they will still be there in a couple weeks.
• Hendry is still looking at someone who can hit off the bench and maybe help in the outfield against left handed pitching.
• The Cubs feel they got their defense a lot better by moving Kosuke to right field and plugging Byrd into center.

Dave Van Dyck pointed out that the Cubs have tried 6 different guys to replace Sammy Sosa in the outfielder since Slammin' Sammy left after the 2004 season. He listed Jeremy Burnitz, Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd, Kosuke, Milton Bradley, and Marlon Byrd. Rogers wonders what the Cubs have gotten out of the system with Byrd in center, Soriano in left, and Kosuke in right.

Paul Sullivan was on 670 the Score with Hub Arkush and Barry Rozner:

• Sully doesn't see this as a bad deal at all.
• It's hard to imagine the Cubs going in to the season with all these right handed bats in the lineup.
• Paul, Hub, and Barry made fun of the fact that Byrd said Chicago was where he wanted to go all along.
• Byrd does hit right handed pitching well.
• We've seen the Texas thing "too many times".
• Barry is a little nervous that Byrd was released by Washington before coming to Texas. He is unsure if Marlon can hit outside of Texas.
• Sullivan hopes that Byrd will turn out kind of like bringing DeRosa in from the Rangers.
• If Lou is going to keep Soriano 6th, Byrd could hit 5th.
• Right now, Theriot would be the lead off guy according to Paul, followed in the lineup by Fukudome, Lee, and Ramirez. So 5th or 6th is the "likely spot" for Marlon.
• The Cubs have a place down in the Dominican where Aramis and Alfonso are already working out.
• Surgery was not necessary for Aramis Ramirez.
• The Cubs do keep track of there players workouts by sending guys around to world in the offseason.
• Barry is surprised the Aramis didn't have surgery. Sully says Ramirez didn't want to get the surgery, he just wanted to rehab his arm. Rozner "guarantees" that the shoulder will dislocated again since it was not surgically repaired.
• Sullivan called the Marlon Byrd signing an OK move. He thinks Mike Cameron would have been a better fit.

Other Cub notes:

• Jim Hendry fully expects Carlos Zambrano to return next season.
• Carrie Muskat says "Will new ownership make a difference" is the number 1 question going into 2010.
• Carrie lists her favorite 10 Cub games of the decade.
• She posted on her blog that she sees the Opening Day lineup looking like this: Fukudome, Theriot, Lee, Ramirez, Byrd, Soriano, Soto, Fontenot. It's interested how Stone, Sullivan, and Muskat all think Byrd will be hitting fifth, I expected him lower in the order.
• Bruce Levine says Marlon will hit between 5th and 7th.
• The Chicago Tribune took a look at the best Chicago games of the decade.

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

More Trade Reaction

• Be sure to check out our recap of today's "Talkin' Baseball" on ESPN Radio 1000.
• Jim Hendry talked about the trade
• Paul Sullivan took a look at Bradley's rocky moments with the Cubs.
• The Cubs can move on to other problems, but according to Phil Rodgers it appears the budget won't allow the Cubs to make a big move.
• Aroldis Chapman is still drawing interest from the Cubs.
• Carlos Silva is expected to compete for the 5th starter's job or work in long relief according to Gordon Wittenmyer.
• Milton Bradley has said that he "has no interest in speaking about Chicago."
• Bruce Miles' story focused a lot on Bradley's teleconference.
• According to M's writer Greg Johns, the people in Seattle a very happy with the trade to dump Carlos Silva and add Milton.

Other Links and Notes:

• Ryan Dempster and the Cubs helped open the rink at Wrigley today.
• Carrie Muskat says that Chris Brady, the Mesa city manager was told in a meeting with the Cubs on Friday that the city is still a serious candidate for the team's Spring Training site.
• A Q&A with Ryan Theriot
• Al from BCB has more on the Mesa Spring Training situation.

David Kaplan, Dave Van Dyck, and Paul Sullivan talked about the Bradley trade on Chicago Tribune Live yesterday with Jim Hendry:

• Hendry is happy to have the whole Bradley thing behind him.
• It's no secret that Bradley never really achieved on the field, and had issues off the field that weren't tolerable.
• Jim takes full responsibility for the Bradley signing.
• The Cubs had other avenues that they could have taken, but in the long run this is a good deal for them because they got some cash back in the deal.
• He will look at the trade based on not only Silva's performance, but also based on the performance of the player that the Cubs get with the extra money they receive in the deal.
• When Paul congratulated him on the deal, Hendry said thanks but it's not something he thinks of as congratulations, but you have to move on and put it behind you.
• At the meetings, the president of Seattle told Sully that the M's were not looking at Bradley.
• Jim said that he first heard from the Mariners on Bradley 2 days ago.
• This week, two clubs that Hendry had not talked to all off season long (one being Seattle) contacted him this week.
• Van Dyck thinks that the Mariners kept Silva on the DL longer than he needed to be because he wasn't performing well.
• "He's not hurt, he's 30 years old, and maybe he just needs a change of scenery. This is a very good guy, a good team got, and he helps young pitcher," Hendry said of Carlos Silva.
• He'll be a candidate for the rotation and for the middle relief job.
• The Cubs have been keeping track of all their possibilities. They know they would like to move Kosuke back to right field.
• Jim is also looking to add a bullpen piece to go with Grabow and Marmol.
• They would also like to add a quality person or two to their bench, and they need a right handed bat who can play with Kosuke in right field.
• Reed Johnson is a guy that the Cubs will always consider for their baseball guy. Johnson is a great team guy, but he has had a tough time staying healthy.
• Jim certainly wouldn't rule out Reed coming back.

After Jim was off the phone, the guys talked more about the Cubs:

• They were surprised that this deal to Seattle got done as suddenly as it did.
• Van Dyck thinks that when they relized how big of a contract Jason Bay wanted, they decided that Bradley might be a better fit.
• Kap thinks that he will go out to the West Coast and have a great season.
• Dave thinks Ken Griffey Jr. will have a good impact on Bradley.

Todd Hollandsworth joined the guys next:

• The first thing Todd said was, "Christmas came to Chicago early."
• It was a good time to get Bradley out.
• Silva has a little up side and potential in the bullpen.
• Hollandsworth thinks that one person can have a huge impact on the clubhouse. Chicago's relationship with Bradley was not a good one.
• Todd believes that this could possibly be a very good situation for Carlos Silva, who is an innings eater and a ground ball pitcher.
• He thinks Carlos could be a fit in the bullpen.
• Bradley hurt the Cubs in the clubhouse and on the field. He was brought in to be the guy in between Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee.
• When Aramis got hurt, Milton needed to step it up. When the Cubs needed him the most, his game really started to turn south. A lot of things played off of that.
• Todd says that there's not a lot of pressure in Texas. The pressure in Chicago got to Bradley.
• Hollandsworth thinks that it was the best situation for both Silva and Bradley to go to a new place.

More CTR Cubs talk:

• Dave Van Dyck thinks that if Bradley would have signed for 1 year $8 million it might have all ended up differently.
• Kaplan thinks Lou Piniella has to come in with a little more edge next year. Sullivan says that they just need to hit.
• Kap thinks the manager has to hold people accountable.
• Van Dyck and Sullivan agree that the hitters not hitting was the key to the season, not Piniella's lack of fire.
• Dave pointed out that the Cubs won 97 games under Lou in 2008.
• Paul says that if you want to blame Piniella for something, blame him for sticking with Kevin Gregg too long and leaving Soriano as the lead-off man for too long.
• Frankie O. from Harry Caray's restaurant called it an awesome day. He said today the people at Harry Caray's were celebrating the trade of Bradley.
• Milton never endeared himself to Cub fans. He was the guy that the fans had a lot of resentment towards. Frankie says that this team needs to move towards winning. Cubs fans want to see what will happen next.
• People want to see if this Cubs team can hit next season.

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