Cubs Team Report

INSIDE PITCH

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry is trying to align his outfield pieces, but the puzzle is proving to be a difficult one.

Hendry’s first order of business still is to try to trade right fielder Milton Bradley(notes), and he had several feelers during the general managers meetings earlier this month.

The two years and $21 million left on Bradley’s contract are major stumbling blocks, as is Bradley’s troubled history.

All the while, reports began surfacing that the Cubs would have interest in outfielder Curtis Granderson(notes) if the Tigers put him on the trading block. Cubs front-office people acknowledge liking Granderson, but if top prospects such as shortstop Starlin Castro, third baseman Josh Vitters or right-handed pitcher Andrew Cashner make up any of the asking price, Hendry will say, “No, thank you.”

The Cubs would like to move Kosuke Fukudome(notes) from center field to right, his better position. Granderson could play center if the Cubs could get a deal done. Neither Granderson nor Fukudome hits left-handed pitching all that well, so field manager Lou Piniella would have to do plenty of mixing and matching when the Cubs go against a left-handed starting pitcher.

Hendry figures to be working the phone plenty between now and the winter meetings next month in Indianapolis.

NOTES, QUOTES

—lhp J  ohn Grabow and the Cubs agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal, something that GM Jim Hendry had been working on since the end of the season. Grabow, 30, came to the Cubs in a July 30 trade with Pittsburgh. He appeared in a career-high 75 games between the two clubs, going 3-0 with a 3.36 ERA overall. He figures to anchor the left side of the Chicago bullpen in the late innings.

• RHP Blake Parker, RHP Rafael Dolis, LHP John Gaub, C Wellington Castillo and OF James Adduci were added to the Cubs’ 40-man roster.

• RHP Aaron Heilman(notes) was dealt to the Diamondbacks for a pair of minor league prospects, RHP Scott Maine and 1B Ryne White. Heilman, 31, was an arbitration-eligible reliever who did not fit into the Cubs’ 2010 plans after a up-and-down 2009 season. The move saves the Cubs a few million dollars as they prepare for the winter meetings. Heilman was 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 relief appearances.

• 2B Mike Fontenot(notes) has been awarded “Super 2” status based on service time, and he will be arbitration-eligible this winter. The Cubs likely will tender Fontenot a contract even though he suffered a down year in 2009 after opening eyes in ’08. Fontenot’s batting average fell from .305 to .236, and he put up only a .301 on-base percentage. The Cubs thought that Fontenot could handle everyday chores in the field after they traded INF/OF Mark DeRosa(notes), but Fontenot wasn’t always up to it. With INF/OF Jeff Baker(notes) on the team, Fontenot can get more rest in 2010.

• RHP Randy Wells(notes) finished sixth in the balloting for NL Rookie of the Year after making a strong case for winning the award early in the season. As of now, Wells is the Cubs’ No. 3 starter behind RHPs Carlos Zambrano(notes) and Ryan Dempster(notes), what with LHP Ted Lilly(notes) set to open the season on the disabled list after undergoing shoulder surgery. Wells went 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA after his call-up in May and easily was the most pleasant surprise on the team. He worked a career-best 191 1/3 innings between Class AAA Iowa (Des Moines) and the Cubs, and there was some concern about his workload late in the year. Wells says he’ll be ready to go 200 innings next season.

• SS Ryan Theriot(notes) is in the Cubs’ plans to open the season at that position, but if minor league phenom Starlin Castro comes to camp and impresses, it’s possible Theriot eventually could move to second base. That’s a long way off, considering Castro has just one full year of pro ball in the United States under his belt. The Cubs would like Theriot to rebound from a season that saw his on-base percentage fall 44 points and his walks-to-strikeouts ratio get turned on its head the wrong way.

By The Numbers:   9—Hits OF Kosuke Fukudome had against left-handed pitching, over 55 at-bats, in 2009 (a .164 average).

Quote To Note:   “I’m looking forward to Indianapolis. I think it’ll be an exciting time for the game.”—GM Jim Hendry as he anticipates a flurry of trade activity at the winter meetings.

ROSTER REPORT

The Cubs completed their third consecutive above-.500 season for the first time since they did it six times in a row from 1967 to 1972. But it wasn’t good enough to get them into the playoffs, as they missed for the first time since 2006. The Cubs certainly aren’t in need of an overhaul. As manager Lou Piniella pointed out, they need better health and bounce-back seasons from a couple of key players in 2010.

Biggest Needs:   GM Jim Hendry first must find a taker for RF Milton Bradley, whom he suspended with two weeks left in the season because of behavior issues. Hendry might have to eat most of the $21 million Bradley has left on his $30 million deal, but at this point, it’s time to cut the losses. The Cubs then must find a hitter to bat in the middle of the lineup and produce runs.

Free Agents:   RHP Rich Harden(notes), RHP Kevin Gregg(notes), OF Reed Johnson(notes), RHP Chad Fox(notes), OF So Taguchi(notes) (released).

The Cubs got 26 starts out of Harden, who has had a history of shoulder problems. Gregg lost his job as closer to RHP Carlos Marmol(notes). Johnson, unlike Harden and Gregg, has a shot at coming back, but the Cubs have a host of young outfielders who can fill a backup role.

Arbitration-eligible:   INF Jeff Baker, LHP Neal Cotts(notes), INF Mike Fontenot, LHP Tom Gorzelanny(notes), RHP Angel Guzman(notes), RHP Aaron Heilman, C Koyie Hill(notes), RHP Carlos Marmol, LHP Sean Marshall(notes), SS Ryan Theriot.

The Cubs have not gone to an arbitration hearing in almost two decades. That could change with either Theriot or Marmol, or both. The Cubs figure to agree to terms with Hill, a dependable backup. They could non-tender Heilman and then offer him a contract at a lower rate than what he could get in arbitration.

In Limbo:   The Cubs still must find a taker for OF Milton Bradley, who has played for seven teams in nine years and has worn out his welcome almost everywhere.

Medical Watch:  

LF Alfonso Soriano(notes) (arthroscopic left knee surgery in September 2009) will rehab back home in the Dominican Republic. The Cubs are counting on Soriano for a strong comeback next year.

LHP Ted Lilly (left shoulder surgery in November 2009) won’t be ready to pitch until March, meaning he is likely to start the 2010 season on the disabled list.

3B Aramis Ramirez(notes) (dislocated left shoulder) played the second half with the aftereffects of the injury, which occurred in May. Ramirez maintains he does not need surgery, but he must work to strengthen the shoulder.

1B Derrek Lee(notes) (neck spasms) will use the winter to rest.