Cubs' fun is only beginning
By Phil Rogers
Columnist
Chicago Tribune
Nov 20, 2002
Until further notice, business as usual has been suspended at Wrigley Field.
Dusty Baker, of course, was in town Tuesday for a little meet-and-greet function in the Stadium Club. Jim Thome will visit on Wednesday, quite possibly followed by Ivan Rodriguez before week's end.
And you're thinking, gosh, I didn't know there was a card show going on.
No, this is the Cubs doing the best they can to get ahead of those pesky Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Red Stockings in the National League Central standings.
Baker, catcher Damian Miller and luckless left-hander Mike Sirotka are thus far the only additions to the team that lost 95 games and got two managers fired this past season. But if the hiring of a manager fresh from the World Series wasn't enough to signal a turning of the page, then perhaps the latest revelations will do the job.
While the Cubs are speaking mostly through their actions these days, general manager Jim Hendry did acknowledge an increased commitment toward the elusive goal of sustained success.
"This franchise is ready to go in a new direction," Hendry said.
Sure it's ready. But is Tribune Co. committed enough to follow the acquisition of a three-time Manager of the Year with the signing of one or even two of the top free agents on the market?
We might not know for another month. But it's immediately clear Hendry and club President Andy MacPhail are willing at least to explore seriously some franchise-turning moves.
Unlike the much-discussed Jeff Kent or either of the Atlanta aces, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, Thome and Rodriguez would be terrific fits for Baker's team. It might be tough to fit them onto the same payroll as Sammy Sosa—Thome in particular—but there are a few things to keep in mind:
Hendry is keeping his cards close to his vests in regard to his budget, which could be an indication he has received approval to go beyond the 2002 base of about $75 million; there is a planned ticket price hike to be announced soon, and the Cubs always planned to increase their payroll if they could get their Wrigley Field expansion approved.
Rodriguez, like Baker, is represented by agent Jeff Moorad. He turns 31 at the end of the month and is three years' removed from an MVP season. While injuries have limited him in recent seasons—along with the Alex Rodriguez signing a reason Texas isn't likely to retain him—he's still a rare two-way threat.
Rodriguez, a career .305 hitter with at least 19 homers in seven straight seasons, had a 10-year streak of winning Gold Gloves ended this season. His percentage throwing out runners dropped from 60.3 (which is so good it's absurd) to 36.6 percent. Even at that, he allowed one stolen base every 32 innings.
Compare that to Todd Hundley (one every 11 innings) or even the newly acquired Miller (one every 18 innings). Factor in the extra bases runners who cannot advance because they take such small leads and it adds up to a lot of runs that aren't scored. One American League manager once estimated Rodriguez saves his team one run per game. That's high but we get the point.
Rodriguez is considered a health risk and deservedly so. He has been on the disabled list each of the last three seasons, often with back and knee problems. But is he more of a risk than Miller? The Arizona transplant is 2 years older and hasn't caught as many games as Rodriguez over the last three seasons.
At this point the price tag on Rodriguez is unknown. He could be a major bargain—say three years at $8 million per year.
Thome, who is coming off a 52-homer, 118-RBI season in Cleveland, has a standing offer of five years, $75 million from Philadelphia. But he grew up watching WGN and driving from Peoria to take in Cubs games in the '70s and '80s.
It's clear Thome would rather play here than risk getting treated like Scott Rolen in Philly. But how much of a discount would he offer? That will be what Hendry will try to ascertain when Thome and agent Pat Rooney pay a house call.
Thome is absolutely perfect for the Cubs. He's 32 and at the top of his game. He's used to ugly weather in April and May. No Lake Michigan wind is strong enough to stop the line drive homers he pounds to right field. He's an outstanding presence in a clubhouse badly in need of one.
Thome would leave 23-year-old first baseman Hee Seop Choi without a spot but that doesn't mean the Cubs' investment in him would be wasted. Hendry could deal him for a young prospect that is blocked elsewhere, such as Texas third baseman Hank Blalock, Toronto infielder Felipe Lopez or Boston third baseman Kevin Youklis. Cleveland's another team with possible interest.
It's a fluid marketplace. Colorado proves that by moving to acquire first baseman Erubiel Durazo, who it will have to deal elsewhere with Todd Helton in place.
While no one will get near discussing this, a Thome signing would bring an additional benefit. He would be insurance if Sosa decides to walk away after 2003. He also might strengthen the roster to a point where the Cubs could consider trading the future Hall of Famer if Baker encounters any unpleasant surprises in the first half of next season.
Or the Cubs simply could put Thome and Sosa together—with or without Rodriguez—and see if they make enough noise to scare the St. Louis Cardinals.
These are interesting times.
Copyright © 2002, The Chicago Tribune
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Dusty already making his pitch
BY MIKE KILEY
STAFF REPORTER
The Chicago Sun-Times
November 20, 2002
Here's what Cubs fans already know about manager Dusty Baker after only four days on the job.
He works fast, which is unique in a town used to waiting around for a dream to fall in its lap. And he thinks big, which is unusual for an organization whose record of success is tinier than an ant.
After Cubs officials steadfastly maintained they weren't interested in free-agent first baseman Jim Thome because he wasn't a fit financially or on the field, guess who's coming to Wrigley Field today for lunch?
Thome and agent Pat Rooney will visit with general manager Jim Hendry about whether the Cubs want to take a chance on the veteran slugger and put highly regarded rookie Hee Seop Choi on hold or trade him. It still seems much more likely that Choi will be the starting first baseman next season, but Baker already has shaken up a situation that has needed it for years by speaking with Thome about the Cubs. The Peoria native always has expressed a strong desire to play in a Cubs uniform.
"Thome and Rooney are well-aware of our situation with Hee Seop,'' Hendry said. "Pat still expressed a desire for Jim to talk with me. Out of respect for Jim as an outstanding player and my [close] relationship with Pat, we are going to have lunch.''
Baker said all the expected things about making the Cubs a winner at his introductory news conference Tuesday at Wrigley. But it's what he has done behind the scenes that means more than repeating promises other long-gone managers have made. Baker is working the phones along with Hendry, talking in recent days with Thome, free-agent left-handed reliever Mike Remlinger and free-agent second baseman Jeff Kent, a potential third baseman for the Cubs.
"I talked to Thome, and he's coming here,'' Baker said of the unexpected visit. "I talked to Remlinger. We can't afford all of them, but there is a possibility of some of them. Part of it is up to me, part of it is up to the budget and part of it is how it fits. There are a number of issues.''
Thome would have to want to play for the Cubs badly to end up in Chicago. The speculation is the Philadelphia Phillies, who have been very active this offseason, are willing to pay him $75million for five years. The Cleveland Indians also are interested in bringing him back. But if Thome wants to play for Baker and the Cubs so much that he would agree to sign for a bargain price--say, $9 million to $10 million a year for four years--maybe Hendry would think about a solution.
It's hard to believe Thome could make the transition to third base and be a dependable defensive presence there, but who knows what's going to transpire at first. If you listen to Baker for a while, you believe anything is possible--even Thome coming out of the blue and wearing Cubbie blue.
"It's being discussed,'' Baker said of Thome's status. "Whether with Choi it's even possible, I don't know. It's all in the talking stages. It's a long way from happening. When you are making a team, you weigh all options. I heard [free-agent catcher] Pudge Rodriguez's name, too. There is a possibility. But you can't sign everybody.''
Rodriguez is another name Cubs officials privately have downplayed as a pickup. He would cost a lot (another $10 million-a-year man) and seems risky with his spotty health record.
Baker also mentioned free agents David Bell and Bill Muel-ler, a former Cub, as people he would consider to play third base. But Thome's sudden emergence was staggering after he had not been mentioned at all.
"I don't want to start some big rumor or anything, but Thome [lives] two hours from here,'' Baker said. "I talked to him [Monday morning] before I came here. He called [new bench coach] Dick Pole. We talked about duck hunting, bird hunting and all kinds of stuff.''
Pole, hitting coach Gary Mat-thews and returning pitching coach Larry Rothschild are the only definites for Baker's coaching staff. Juan Lopez probably will be the bullpen coach, but Baker still is trying to decide on his first- and third-base coaches. Sonny Jackson and Gene Clines are among the people under consideration.
The Cubs have gotten mixed reviews from experts about whether Kent can make the transition from second to third. Bobby Hill is slated to be the Cubs' second baseman.
"Probably four or five days ago,'' Baker said of his last conversation with Kent. "We didn't even talk about the numbers. Jeff and mine's relationship goes deeper than that. It just depends on where Jeff fits.''
Baker also wondered if the right-handed-hitting Kent is what the Cubs need. He thought maybe a left-handed hitter would be important in the National League Central.
"Most of the tougher pitchers in the division are right-handed,'' he said. "Theoretically, you probably need a left-handed bat.''
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Cubs in for an attitude adjustment
The Chicago Sun-Times
November 20, 2002
In speaking with many former Cubs, from Billy Williams to Ron Santo to Shawon Dunston, Dusty Baker said he picked up a common thread.
"You've got to have pretty clean-living guys,'' Baker said in reference to all the day games the Cubs play. "You have to manufacture runs early in the year when it's cold. You've got to have a two-team philosophy. With one, you manufacture runs, hit-and-run, steal and pitch.''
Sammy Sosa praised Baker for being someone who wouldn't accept grief from players or anyone else. |
