The Major League Baseball Winter meetings are just around the corner and big trades along with big names have already surfaced in what looks like to be a very active market this off season. While the Cubs were very active last off season, the Cubs might not have to do too much tinkering to get to a higher level than this year’s playoff participant. The Cubs have to fill a couple of holes in Right Field, Center Field, and a Starting Pitcher. The great thing about this Cubs team will be that the Cubs have already players who can fill those spots at a better than average level than   in recent years. Next week in Nashville, it’ll be up to Jim Hendry to find the necessary players to upgrade at certain areas to improve the overall team on the Chicago Cubs.
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According to ESPN radio the Cubs have signed Kerry Wood to a one year deal worth 4Million. Whether Wood is used as a starter, reliever, or closer, it shouldnt matter. This is a great signing for the Cubs.

 Wood passed on offers from the Brewers, Red Sox, and Padres according to MLBTradeRumors.com

What do you all think of the signing?

The rumors have been endless for the Chicago Cubs this offseason. Names that have been linked to the Cubs have been Carl Crawford, Kaz Matsui, Fukodome, Kuroda, A-rod, Schilling, and countless others. There was even a point when there was talk of Lou Pinella leaving the Cubs to manage the Yankees. Each time a rumor has come up, Cub fans have all reacted to message boards with contempt for the rumor or jubilation for the rumor as if the deals were etched in stone.

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Even though Tampa Bay Rays vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman said earlier this month that there are no untouchable players on the team, the rumors out of Chicago that he is about to pull the trigger on a deal that would move Carl Crawford to the Cubs is just that, a rumor. According to team officials, there is nothing in the works. It’s been reported the Cubs are willing to move Rich Hill, Eric Patterson and a prospect for Crawford, the Rays’ All-Star left fielder. Hill, a left-hander, was 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 32 starts last season for the National League Central Division champs. Patterson is an outfield prospect, who played in just seven games in 2007. There is also a rumor of a three-way deal involving the Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees. – Bradenton Herald… I dont know how happy I’d be to deal Hill, but lets not forget that he was only an 11-8 pitcher despite having a few great outtings…

Last week at Wrigley Field, a carefully worded letter was crafted and should be on its way to season-ticket holders explaining a price hike, perhaps on the average of 20 percent, with the best seats up 25 percent. As it stands, this would place the Cubs behind only Boston with the second-highest average ticket price in baseball. Big deal. If you can afford a $67 ticket, you can probably afford $84. If you can’t, you probably don’t care anyway. Sure, a hike is unpleasant but hardly worth noting compared to what’s coming. If you really want to get upset, think three letters: P-S-L. Yes, personal seat larceny, words the Bears made famous, are almost certainly coming to a Friendly Confines near you. Once the sale of the club goes through and the new owners find out how difficult it is to make money in Wrigley Field, they’ll search high, low and in between for every possible way to maximize revenue in the park, which will be 95 years old next season. Within a year or three, they’ll come to the conclusion that they need to institute the Permanent Seat License program, add stadium advertising everywhere, and you can only imagine what else. – Chicago Daily Herald…

Overall a slow day… I expect with the deals of Monroe and Jones that the Cubs will fill right field fairly soon, so be sure to keep an eye on the sports ticker…

According to Bruce Levine of ESPN radio (and MLBTradeRumors.com) the Cubs are preparing to make an offer for Tampa Bay Devil Rays star outfielder Carl Crawford.

MLBTR suggests that the Devil Rays would be interested in Ronny Cedeno and any deal for Crawford would also require some young pitching. While MLBTR suggests Marmol or Hill, I’d think that the Cubs would prefer to ship off Sean Marshall and Sean Gallagher/Donnie Veal.

At this point, as much as I like Donnie Veal, I wouldnt be upset if he was sent off to the Devil Rays if it meant that the Cubs would land a solid outfielder. Veal had a serious setback last season with a 4.97 ERA and I think that Crawford’s seasonal averages of 56 extra base hits and 55SB would look a lot better than anyone else the Cubs might take a shot at.

Oh, and he’s a career .296 hitter and he’s a lefty. Both are things that the Cubs could use in their order. With an outfield of Pie, Soriano, and Crawford the Cubs should have a pretty fast and talented outfield.

While on the topic, Jim Hendry has suggested that Sam Fuld and Felix Pie will battle it out for center field. Crawford would give the Cubs a great backup option with Murton sliding into right if needed.