Kuzul

Chicago Cubs’ owner Tom Ricketts has guaranteed the contract of Vice President of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita for four more years.

It’s not that Fleita isn’t a good baseball man, although I have my concerns. The bigger problem I have with this move is that it further handcuffs the next Cubs’ GM and seems hypocritical of other recent comments made by Ricketts.

‘‘The GM will be responsible for the baseball operations,’’ Ricketts recently told the media, ‘‘The results are his, and he owns them. They have to be able to have the freedom to hire the people they feel will give them results, including the field manager.”

Yet he guarantees the contract of Fleita for four more years? That just doesn’t make sense.

Ricketts continues to display just how clueless he is. Not only in regard to baseball, which is understandable since he doesn’t have a baseball background, but in business as well.

His business model states that the next GM needs to have the freedom to hire who he wants; in fact, Ricketts made it a point to say that he wanted fresh blood from outside the organization. Then he turns around and re-hires this guy to run his farm system for the next four years.

I didn’t have much faith in Ricketts before this move and this latest stunt only makes me question him even further.

If he wants to attract the best candidates, he should allow the new GM to pick his personnel, and the minor league director is one of the top moves a GM needs to make.

This move tells me that Ricketts is hiring an inexperienced GM, or a guy like Josh Byrnes or Ned Colletti, who need jobs badly. What other established GM would want a job where they can’t bring their own guys in with them?

Can you imagine a Brian Cashman or Theo Epstein coming to Chicago and being told who their personnel guy is going to be for the next four years? No, and that’s why it will not happen.

So what’s next, an extension for Manager Mike Quade? Someone needs to stop this owner before he does even more to ruin the future of this once proud ball club.

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No, not the team—that sale has already taken place and unfortunately we’re stuck with the Ricketts. We’re talking players here.

The Cubs have played 69 baseball games this season and, despite taking three out of four against the first place Milwaukee Brewers, have proven once again that this simply ain’t the year for the Northsiders. 

It is time to sell.

Sure, the division is immanently winnable, but not for the Cubs. It’s too obvious when you see the lack of fundamental play, the injuries and the lack of clutch hitting to continue buying what the Cubs are selling.

Oh, and speaking of selling, the time is now for GM Jim Hendry to start whispering in the ears of his general manager counterparts throughout MLB in an effort to lay the groundwork for a move by the All-Star break.

Look, it won’t be an easy task, to be sure. Expensive, long-term contracts and nonperforming ballplayers often do not make for attractive shopping if you’re a contending club looking to add that piece that puts you over the top.

But let’s take a look at the trade candidates one by one and determine why they should be moved, what the Cubs could realistically expect to get and who might be interested.

Carlos Zambrano

Usually, this kind of a trade is the classic “my bad contract for yours” type of deal. However, with starting pitching always at a premium, and Big Z pitching fairly well, I actually do think the Cubs can get a return for Zambrano’s services.

The choice would likely be between salary relief and/or prospects. For the Cubs to net any real players in this type of trade, they would have to pay much of the remaining salary owed to Zambrano.

Alternatively, they could dump the majority of what is owed on a team like the Yankees, for example, but then they would not get much, if anything, in return.

Zambrano is owed the remainder of his $17.875 million contract for 2011, plus another $18 million for next season and he also has a $19.25 million vesting player option.

The Yankees have said to have been scouting Big Z and he is said to be willing to waive his no-trade clause. With everything that has transpired between Zambrano and the Cubs, this may make sense for everyone.

Ryan Dempster

Dempster is Zambrano with the drama, and there are clubs said to be interested in the righthander.

He is owed what is left on his $13.5 million deal for this season, along with a $14 million player option for 2012.

Dempster has recovered nicely after starting the season in brutal fashion. If he can keep the gopher balls down he can be effective.

But there is likely no way he is moved as long as Hendry continues to play GM—though, once again, the Bombers have interest.

Kosuke Fukudome

Actually, Fukudome is not really a bad little ballplayer. The main problem is he signed a contract in which he was supposed to be a power hitting superstar and that simply was too much to expect.

But if you want a guy who has patience at the plate and plays adequate defense in right field with an accurate arm, he is your guy.

Fukudome is in the last year of a four-year contract that is paying him $13.5 million this season. As with most Hendry signees, he has no-trade protection.

A team like Boston might be interested if the Cubs tossed in salary relief.

Alfonso Soriano

This is a pipe dream, as there probably aren’t any teams willing to give up prospects or pay Soriano anywhere near what he is owed.

The Cubs would absolutely be thrilled to move Soriano and what’s left of the eight-year, $136 million albatross he signed in November of 2006, but it would have to be a team with deep pockets and poor baseball sense.

With his defense, it would have to be an AL team where he could DH and both Boston and the Yankees have those spots covered.

Marlon Byrd

Once Byrd is healthy, he should be fairly easy to move as he is a productive player with a manageable salary and a solid reputation.

The most likely scenario is Byrd going to a contending team that could use a veteran for the stretch run, although they can’t count on much power from him.

The Cubs could then call up Brett Jackson and get an early look at the guy who is probably going to be their center fielder next season anyway.

Aramis Ramirez

By all means, I’ve been suggesting that Hendry move this guy for years, but Ramirez simply doesn’t want to go anywhere.

I’d tell him that he has two choices—he could ride the bench in Chicago or he could accept a trade elsewhere. Since he’d like to build up his numbers for free agency, I’m sure he would change his tune.

However, with his power waning, I’m not sure any teams would be interested now. He can still hit when healthy, though he plays a lousy third base.

Carlos Marmol

What good is a closer when you’re not playing meaningful games?

Now, Marmol is very good when he has his command, but sometimes you have to give up something to get something in return and Marmol could be a valuable trade chip for the Cubs.

Move him to Boston for young fire-baller Daniel Bard and a good prospect and it’s a move that helps both clubs. The Sox will be looking for a closer once Jonathan Papelbon is eligible to leave via free agency after the season.

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In a surprise announcement Friday afternoon, Manny Ramirez shocked the baseball world by announcing his decision to retire from MLB, effective immediately.

The retirement was announced by MLB via the following statement (courtesy of ESPN.com news services)::

“Major League Baseball recently notified Manny Ramirez of an issue under Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” the statement said. “Rather than continue with the process under the Program, Ramirez has informed MLB that he is retiring as an active player. If Ramirez seeks reinstatement in the future, the process under the Drug Program will be completed. MLB will not have any further comment on this matter.”

Although the message is open to interpretation, it seems that Manny has once again tested positive for a banned substance and, rather than face the embarrassment of another suspension, has decided to walk away from the game. 

The real tragedy behind this story is what could have been, for Manny was one of the most colorful characters and best right-handed hitters of his generation. Yet, like many of his generation, his legacy will be forever tarnished by the stain of cheating.

There is no doubt that he would have been a first ballot Hall of Famer if he hadn’t been indicted by performance enhancing drugs. PED’s have ruined his legacy and, in an ironic way, have suddenly ended his career.

He has a .312 career batting average with 1,831 RBIs and 555 homers. Those are historic numbers, yet like Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro, he has a better chance of winning the lottery than getting a bust in baseball’s immortal shrine.

This is a subject that Bud Selig and MLB wishes would just go away, yet reminders rear their ugly heads once again. While the Bonds trial nauseatingly keeps the issue in the mainstream, along comes Manny to once again prove why they need a steroid wing in Cooperstown.

It raises the question of how do we know who did it and who did not? Just because a player wasn’t caught doesn’t necessarily mean that he was clean. 

Yet there will be players who do get into the HOF despite having used PED’s. For every Roger Clemens, there is that player that somehow escaped detection and enters the hallowed halls anyway.

One interesting question is whether or not the stain of PED’s will ever fade enough to someday allow the forgiveness necessary to allow these players into the Hall.

It may happen, but it may take a long time. Meanwhile, it’s a stain on an otherwise stellar resume.

For Manny, that stain may be indelible.

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You can’t tell a whole lot about a manager or a team from just one game, nor should anyone form any opinions based on such a small sample size. Still, Mike Quade did not have a great managerial debut for the Cubs.

For one thing, the Cubs were beaten by the long ball in their 6-3 loss to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. The offense contributed its share of hits, but didn’t produce the run support that you might expect when facing a team like the Bucs.

As a longtime, die-hard Cubs fan and critical observer, I have been squawking about all things Cubs since Bleacher Report first started. So, naturally, I have some thoughts. I’d like to share those thoughts with you.

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I know I’ve hardly been a beacon glowing in the otherwise dark night of the Chicago Cubs. In fact, you might say I’m much more of a realist than most Cubs fans.

Still, always looking at the grim realities can become downright boring and so, in an attempt to liven up my day, allow me to put on the ol’ rose-colored glasses and search out reasons to be hopeful that 2011 will be a better year than 2010 for us Cubs fans.

For one, it can’t be much worse. Sure, the season ended with a nice stretch run following the long overdue goodbye to Sweet Lou, but we all know that was too little, too late to save a dismal season.

But I truly feel that GM Jim Hendry, who would be collecting unemployment if I owned the team, did a pretty fair job this winter given what he had to work with. Now, most of the limitations in terms of payroll were the result of his own previously bad decisions, but at least he did the best he could at saving face.

Meanwhile, it also doesn’t hurt that the division is there for the taking, with the most improved team, Milwaukee, struggling with injuries to their two new starters. Meanwhile, the Cards missing their ace for the season and the Reds also facing some injuries.

So let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons why this could be a surprisingly good season for the Cubs.  

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According to ESPNDeportes.com, the Cubs are interested in recently released former Mets second baseman Luis Castillo. But while the potential acquisition of Castillo may not solve all of the Cubs’ woes, it may be worth a flier. 

On the surface, it’s easy to see why the Cubs would show interest in Castillo. He will come cheaply, with the Mets paying the majority of his remaining contract. Any team that signs him would be required to pay just the league minimum.

Meanwhile, both of the current Cubs’ options at second base do not thrill anyone.

Jeff Baker and Blake DeWitt may make nice utility players, but even that may be a bit of a stretch.

What’s not to like about Castillo?  

Well, he is said to be a negative guy in the clubhouse, one who requires a lot of attention and brings teammates down with his attitude. But that is hearsay and probably open to debate.

Plus, he’s 35 and coming off a season where he played in just 86 games and hit .235. He slugged a shockingly silly .267.

He can draw a walk, however, something the Cubs desperately need. He also can steal the occasional base, and won’t clog the bases when he does get on. In short, he might be better than what the Cubs currently have atop the batting order.

Defensively, Castillo is an upgrade as well, as his UZR/150 last season was solid in limited action. The Cubs defense has been awful this spring and could use the help.

But it’s a crapshoot. Players don’t usually get better at age 35, and it remains to be seen whether Castillo can even play a full season anyway.  And if he doesn’t hit, his OBP won’t be good enough to solve the team’s leadoff position quandary.

But the Cubs are supposed to be building for the future. What kind of future do they have with a guy like Castillo?  

Therein lies the rub.

For the Cubs aren’t really rebuilding.

No, that wouldn’t sell tickets. So Jim Hendry went out and acquired Kerry Wood, Matt Garza (who, while still young, does potentially take the place of a Cashner) and Carlos Pena.

Recognizing that, why not continue down this path and add yet another veteran?

Castillo’s numbers were likely impacted by a dismal .259 BABIP, so even at his age, one might expect a small rebound as his luck returns to normal.

FanGraphs has Castillo’s projected line for 2011 as .257/.345/.321. Not great, but probably better than what they would get from Bake and Blake.

Castillo’s ability to get on base should make him a plus-1 player according to the site, so it’s worth a shot to bring him in.

The Mets’ trash may just be the Cubs’ treasure.

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Ryan Dempster, who is no more than a number two or three on most contending teams, will be the Cubs opening day starter on April 1st at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. No, this is not an April Fool’s joke.

In truth, this decision by Mike Quade is less of an endorsement for Dempster as a true number one than it is recognition of the fact that the starter with the most talent is a head case.

Still, it is fitting that the manager the Cubs decided to hire, Quade, would tab another good guy and  consistent performer in Dempster. They both may lack celebrity qualities but both have earned their lot in life and baseball.

Quade was picked by Jim Hendry to manage a big market ballclub after years of celebrity names like Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella despite a resume that had never sniffed a big league manager’s office.

And he was picked over a Hall of Fame player and Cubs legend in Ryne Sandberg for the job. Recognizing that, it is easy to see the similarities in how a guy like Dempster was chosen over the bigger names on the Cubs staff.

If this is a precursor to how Quade is going to manage this club, then I’m all for it. If he is willing to look Zambrano’s ego in the eye and scoff at the notion of a seventh consecutive opening day starting assignment, then what he is really saying to the team carries much more weight. 

In truth, he is telling the rest of the team that he doesn’t care what your name is or how many zeroes are on your contract, you will be treated based on performance and nothing more.

How refreshing if that turns out to be true.

Carlos Zambrano may have finished 2010 with an 8-0 record, but that does not forgive the sins from the first part of the season. Big Z was a big baby who stomped around and held his breath until he turned blue in the face and guess what?

He still didn’t get what he wanted.

Look, that’s how you discipline children: you create consequences for their actions. Likewise, this is how you handle a bully: by standing up to him.

In one fell swoop, Quade did both.

No, Dempster isn’t a great pitcher but he is a solid clubhouse guy and teammate who gives his all and acts his age. Sure, he can be a clown, but in a good way.

He loosens the clubhouse; he does not try to tear it apart.

Meanwhile, Matt Garza is the new kid on the block and has to earn his stripes. He may very well end up being the Cubs top starter this year, but he doesn’t deserve the opening day start.

That job belongs to Ryan Dempster. And like Mike Quade, he’s earned it.

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I would love for nothing more than to be able to tell you that the Cubs are going to win the NL Central this season, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. But that just isn’t the case, of course.

Forget about the way the team finished last season for none of that matters, nor does it carry over into this season. Still, there is something gnawing at me that tells me this division is very winnable, despite the miserable 2010 season.

For one thing, Sweet Lou is no longer asleep at the wheel, and we have a manager who actually wants to do this and is even somewhat lucid.

For another, the moves made this offseason weren’t bad, considering the limited funds that Jim Hendry had to work with.

Look, no one expects the Cubs to win anything this year, which is exactly why they just might. Flying under the radar may just be the best place for this team to be.

But, there are a few “ifs” that need to come true for a winning season.  

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With the acquisition of Matt “oh no, we gave up way too much for him” Garza, the Cubs would appear to have the makings of a pretty good starting rotation for 2011, barring injuries and/or trades. But just who will bat leadoff in this lineup?

Let’s take a look at the candidates and see if anyone exists on the current roster. Hey, it had better, because the Cubs seem set at every position.

Kosuke Fukudome

Well, at least early in the season, this could work, as the overpaid Japanese import should have his usual hot start before falling off the map. He has patience, and let’s face it, on-base percentage is the number one criteria for a leadoff hitter.

But we don’t know if he will even be here come April. Jim Hendry would love to move his ridiculous contract. And even if they don’t trade him, there is a good chance that Tyler Colvin gets the brunt of the starts in right field anyway.

That is, at least until they come to the realization that Colvin is a fine fourth outfielder, but is not a starter. But I digress.

On the bases, Fukudome is not really a base stealer, though he has average to slightly above average speed, so he won’t clog the bases.

Alfonso Soriano

No. Been there, done that. Not going back.

Moving on…

Blake DeWitt

I mention DeWitt only because he is not a power hitter, and he seems likely to be the starter at second base this season. But it’s certainly not because he should bat leadoff.

For one, DeWitt has no speed and runs the bases like a man with a piano on his back. OK, he’s not that slow, but he won’t make anyone forget Lou Brock any time soon.

Furthermore, he gets on base to the tune of just a .335 clip in his career. He would need to hit much better than his .259 career average to even be considered at leadoff.

Geovany Soto

Hey, don’t laugh. I know he’s a catcher who runs like one, but speed isn’t everything at the top of the order. I don’t know if I’d have the guts to do it, but there are worse choices for the Cubs. Seriously.

Soto got on base almost 40 percent of the time last season. Now, this might hurt his legs, and catchers already face a tough workload on their aching knees, so this will not happen. But it’s out-of-the-box thinking anyway.

Starlin Castro

Castro would be acceptable as long as continues to hit for average. But if his average falls below the .300 mark, he just does not have the plate discipline to make this a good choice.

His .347 OBP was above the major league average of .325 last season, but he drew only 29 walks in 125 games last season.

Marlon Byrd

Hey, Byrd is the word. He doesn’t draw many walks either, nor does he steal bases, but he has above average speed and knows how to run the bases. He’s not a burner, but he makes up for it with his aggressive base-running.

Someone Else

If I was Jim Hendry, and again, thank God I am not, I wouldn’t be so sold on DeWitt as my second baseman. Or Jeff Baker, for that matter.

If there was an opportunity to acquire a second baseman who could hit leadoff, I’d do it. Unfortunately, it appears Hendry loves DeWitt and will give him every chance to be the starter in 2011.

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Bottom Line

The Cubs have no leadoff hitter on their current roster. But someone has to bat first, and someone will. My prediction is Castro, but who knows how long that will last.

Meanwhile, this will be a huge drag to the offense. But apparently Hendry doesn’t seem to think so.

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The Cubs acquired Matt Garza and two non-factor minor leaguers from the Rays, in case you’ve been living under a rock. While there has been much gnashing of teeth about whether the Cubs gave up too much in return for Garza, the real question is what will be the next move for Jim Hendry and the Cubs?

Thus far this winter, Hendry has acted in direct opposite to what owner Tom Ricketts said the direction of the team would be. Instead of player development, the Cubs have been acquiring veterans and trading away prospects.

Now, this doesn’t mean that acquiring Garza is a bad thing. In fact, I happen to really like Garza and to be fair, he is only 27 years old, so it’s not as if he’s going to be applying for AARP any time soon.

Still, it’s interesting how the Cubs have been careful to avoid the “rebuilding” tag. Ricketts paid a lot for this team, and is concerned about how the fans would accept a true rebuilding effort.

He wants butts in the seats, and no one can blame him for that. But it is a fact that Hendry has a lot of overpaid ballplayers and probably will try and move some payroll in order to pay the $6 million or so it will take for the Cubs to sign the arbitration-eligible Garza for 2011.

Hendry hasn’t gone to a hearing since he’s been the Cubs GM, so don’t look for him to start with Garza. But that may mean doing one or more of the following things.

First, he will likely try to move a starting pitcher.

To date, all of the speculation has been that Hendry will trade lefty Tom Gorzelanny. While that move may make sense from a depth and tradeability (is that even a word?) perspective, it will not net a huge payroll impact for the Cubs.

Gorz made only $800K last year. Meanwhile, Carlos Zambrano is owed at least $36 million with a 2013 vesting option for $19.25 million.

Recognizing that, could Hendry be looking to move Big Z?

Now this may surprise long-time readers, but I hope not.

Look, if the Cubs are truly “all in,” to borrow the White Sox 2011 marketing slogan,  they need a healthy and productive Zambrano. Plus he has that no-trade clause.

If the Cubs acquire Garza but move Zambrano, there is really no net gain. Therefore, the Carlos Pena experiment and the Kerry Wood flier would be all for naught.

Instead, if we can move Carlos Silva, by all means let’s do it.

Sure, moving Silva would require the Cubs paying part of his salary but it would be worth it. He is an awful pitcher who got lucky to start the season undefeated last year and cannot be counted on to help the rotation in 2011.

Other teams know this, however, and would much rather have Gorz, so that may be a pipe dream. Still, I would try if I were Hendry.

Otherwise, the Cubs should stick to the plan and go for the division in 2011. That is the only thing that makes sense after trading prospects for Garza.

Concurrent with a rotation move, I’m sure that Hendry has been trying to move Kosuke Fukudome and his outrageous $13.5 million salary.

There is no way any team pays him that much, but I’d rather see them get even a small amount of salary relief for Fukudome and play Tyler Colvin in right field than move Gorzelanny.

Trade or no trade, I would run the following five out to the mound: Zambrano, Garza, Dempster, Wells and Gorzelanny.

But then again, I’m not Jim Hendry. Thank God.

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