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According to a team press release, the Cubs have signed free-agent OF Reed Johnson to a one-year contract.
According to both Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports.com and Jayson Stark at ESPN.com, the Cubs had been expressing the most interest in Johnson.
Over the weekend, Omar Minaya told reporters that, while he and his staff will discuss Johnson, like with all available players, he is essentially content with Angel Pagan and Brady Clark.
Minaya planned to meet with team officials to discuss Johnson last night, according to Newsday.
posted this on the game thread, but its probably more appropriate here:
Well the word is that if the Cubs were able to sign Reed (which apparently they did) they would look to move Matt Murton, who they undervalue for some reason…I think he’d be a great pick up by Omar…Murton’s story is similar to Nady in the sense that he was undervalued and wasn’t given significant playing time with his former team, but has had produced when given the opportunity. For his career, Murton is a .296 hitter and has destroyed lefties, to the tune of .326/.399/.510 in about 300 AB’s. Last season, he was .319/.386/.505. Murton is also a plus defender, and capable of playing both left and right field. At 27 yrs old, one could reasonably expect similar performance over the next 2-3 seasons.
What does it take to get Murton? I’m not sure. Certainly any package would have to include a Gotay, as the Cubbies have been looking for a 2nd baseman. Beyond that, I’m not sure as I’m not too familiar with the Cubs’ needs. What I am sure of however, is that Murton would be the best fit of any player that has been mentioned thus far in this discussion.
Is there anyone who has a better idea of what the Cubs need?
The talk coming out of STL sports radio here is that Anthony Reyes will soon be traded to the Mets for a AA type prospect. It was reported on 1380 and 590 by one of the MLB.com contributors.
I like it. I think he would benefit from change of scenery and he’s a workhorse. Decent WHIP last year @ 1.35, but gave up a lot of homeruns that might not go out at Shea.
Where do you see that this guy is a workhorse???
His highest career innings total in a season is 107. He was 2-14 with a 6.02 ERA last year.
He is crap, pass on this guy and pick up Claudio Vargas who was just released by the Brewers.
They released Vargas? wow. he had a hell of a first half last year.
I agree on A. Reyes, crap pitcher. pass
I’ll take Murton though. I like Ravi3’s comparison to Nady. Makes sense. If Omar can turn Gotay into Murton that would be awesome
Yea Vargas was great in the first half last year and has had a real solid spring. I think Omar should jump at him ASAP
I saw 206 IP, but didn’t realize it was for his career….LOL, I’ll consider him a pony
You mean Anthony “I don’t like bending by cap, and I wear my socks up to my knees” Reyes? He has potential, but we better not be giving up anything of value for him.
I’m just glad we passed on Reed Johnson. What a waste of breath it was discussing this guy.
I guess you didn’t look at his splits.
I looked at his splits. But I also looked at the major back surgery he underwent. And the fact that he’s essentially Brady Clark.
Unrelated… Even though I think Rob Neyer sux, he may have finally gotten something right..
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview08/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=3310373
3 Mets in the top 7. I like it
Ravi this was posted on ESPN
CUBS AUDITIONING FOR ANOTHER BULLPEN SLOT (11:18 a.m. ET)
An injury in the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen will likely open up a roster spot. And no, it has nothing to do with Kerry Wood.
While it appears Wood is penciled in as the Cubs’ closer for 2008, Scott Eyre’s sore elbow has Chicago manager Lou Piniella looking for another arm to fill out his bullpen for Opening Day.
The candidates with just a week left of spring training? Rookie Carmen Pignatiello, lefty starter Sean Marshall and Les Walrond are in the mix for the job.
”Pignatiello helped himself,” Piniella told the Chicago Sun-Times. ”We’re going to start using the three of those kids in situations, just to look at them and see how they respond. I know it’s only spring training, but to them it’s a big deal because it could mean a major league job.”
so perhaps a package that includes Gotay, and/or a Jorge Sosa? Or maybe Sosa straight up?
Or, maybe it would be Anthony Reyes, who was alluded to be Shea bound by another poster….however, that sort of seems like one of those under the radar Omar moves which tend to work out well
The bench is much better this year. Unless reyes, beltran, or wright miss significant time this team is fine with their pitching.
remember newhan and julio franco were on the bench last year. marlon didn’t join until the second half
can anyone comfirm the a. reyes rumors? nothing about it on the STL mlb message board
I have been trying to find it, but cannot. I am in STL and I posted the original message about Reyes. It was chatter on a talk station around here, and is being discussed in my office. I have yet to see it anywhere in print.
This is the only thing that I could find that alluded to the A. Reyes story.
http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/
Murton could be interesting…wasn’t he part of a major trade for someone else, or am I making that up?
But remember Reed is basically replacing Pagan for the Cubs, who let about 27 outfielders go this offseason.
Nothing major. Just the eight player trade in which Boston sent hometown hero Nomar Garciaparra out of town in the middle of a pennant race.
Claudio Vargas was just released
I want Matt Murton on this team immediately.
Matt Murton is what the team is supposed to desire which is obviously a Righty bat with power that can play RF and 1B vs Lefties
I say go for it but errrrr for what?…………..I mean they won’t just give him away……..and is Gotay on waivers?……….he is playing right now
From what I understand, Omar is still planning to sit down (eventually) with Mets management to talk about Reed Johnson. Never mind that he’s already signed with the Cubs, Omar will get around to “kicking the tires” and “running it by” Mets Management.
And by the way, he’s also rumored to be getting very close to approaching Mets management about the possibility of sitting down and discussing Kyle Lohse.
But then, you know Omar — the original “I like the guys we have here” Omar. Never mind that “the guys we have here” are either injured, unproven or terrible,” Omar likes them. End of story.
I wonder why most of the time, my comments don’t show up.
Okay, so I sent this once and it didn’t show up, so here we go again.
From what I understand, Omar is still planning to sit down (eventually) with Mets management to talk about Reed Johnson. Never mind that he’s already signed with the Cubs, Omar will get around to “kicking the tires” and “running it by” Mets Management.
And by the way, he’s also rumored to be getting very close to approaching Mets management about the possibility of sitting down and discussing Kyle Lohse.
But then, you know Omar — the original “I like the guys we have here” Omar. Never mind that “the guys we have here” are either injured, unproven or terrible,” Omar likes them. End of story.
Amazing. My last comment showed up, but the one I was REALLY trying to post didn’t. I can’t figure this out. There is no objectionable content or anything at all offensive. This is maddening.
Did it have a link? Links flag posts for moderation, which means they turn up when Matt gets time to check them, and he seems to be a busy kind of guy.
Third time. Let’s give it a try:
From what I understand, Omar is still planning to sit down (eventually) with Mets management to talk about Reed Johnson. Never mind that he’s already signed with the Cubs, Omar will get around to “kicking the tires” and “running it by” Mets Management.
And by the way, he’s also rumored to be getting very close to approaching Mets management about the possibility of sitting down and discussing Kyle Lohse.
But then, you know Omar — the original “I like the guys we have here” Omar. Never mind that “the guys we have here” are either injured, unproven or terrible,” Omar likes them. End of story.
News Flash!
From what I understand, Omar is still planning to sit down (eventually) with Mets management to talk about Reed Johnson. Never mind that he’s already signed with the Cubs, Omar will get around to “kicking the tires” and “running it by” Mets Management.
And by the way, he’s also rumored to be getting very close to approaching Mets management about the possibility of sitting down and discussing Kyle Lohse.
But then, you know Omar — the original “I like the guys we have here” Omar. Never mind that “the guys we have here” are either injured, unproven or terrible,” Omar likes them.