The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired shortstop Cesar Izturis and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a player to be named.
What the hell is this supposed to do?
Izturis has hit .246 with no home runs and 8 RBI's for the Cubs. Jack Wilson, the Pirates' current shortstop, has hit .254 with 4 home runs and 28 RBI's. Both are mostly regarded to be powerless offensive players that are excellent defenders, though Izturis has a bit more speed.
Was this supposed to push Jack Wilson in some way, possibly give him the idea that his job is in danger?
Who knows?
At least he came cheap for the Pirates, unlike the Cubs.
The Cubs gave up Greg Maddux in return for him, a costly price when the Cubs should have pushed for more in return for their Hall of Famer.
Oh well. It's a questionable move on both parts, but I guess it's just Lou Pinella further pushing players he doesn't want out of the clubhouse.
Just in case you're wonder who's already fallen victim...
Matt Murton (LF) - It's almost sad to see what has happened to him. The Pirates should have asked for Murton too, while they were at it.
Jacque Jones (RF) - Chicago ####ked up. They should have sold high this off-season. They didn't. Now they're stuck with him and this situation could get ugly.
Michael Barrett (C) - Barrett has played better since leaving Chicago, even though he's now splitting time on a regular basis with Josh Bard.
Rumors are circulating that the Florida Marlins have obtained Cubs outfielder Jacque Jones.
So far, nothing has been confirmed yet, but apparently the Marlins' offical radio station is stating that the deal is done.
No idea what the terms were or what the other players exchanged were.
If the deal was done, Jones isn't a bad option. He can play centerfield fairly well and hits for some power. Plus, his contract is fairly reasonable, with $8.5 million left for this year and next year.
Most likely, the player returned to the Cubs will be a reliever, and not a solid prospect, with the Cubs kicking into some cash into the deal.
We'll see what develops, but if the deal is done, it'll look something like this:
The Chicago Cubs trade OF Jacque Jones and Cash Considerations To The Florida Marlins for a Player To Be Named Later
Update: South Florida Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez Has Confirmed That The Deal Is Pretty Much Done.
Update: Ken Rosenthal Just Confirmed The Deal, But Has Mentioned That The Deal Has Hit A Potential Snag Due To The Fact I Just Mentioned, Money.
Update: The Trade, According To ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago, is dead, vetoed by the Tribute Company, who balked at picking up most of Jones' salary.
Headed to the Gym right now, but I did see something that caught my eye.
On Baseball Prospectus, Nate Silver observes the current Cubs outfield situation. With Soriano being switched to left, Pie staying in center and some combination of Jacque Jones and Cliff Floyd in right, it's likely that the Cubs are going to demote Matt Murton.
Note to Jon Daniels. The Rangers have excess bullpen arms...and no left fielder beyond 2007. Go get us some Murton. He'd fit right in the offense. And, after Brad Wilkerson shows that he's capable of staying healthy, flip him for a prospect. Kill too birds with one stone.
I'm a long time Texas Rangers fan who has come to love baseball as a whole. I recently began this blog as a way for me to showcase my opinions, provide some analysis, and hopefully entertain those who happen to stumble upon my little soapbox online. I'll toss in an NFL, College, or NBA nugget every now and then. Enjoy the posts everyone, and yes, getting a little love in a Deadspin post was probably the highlight of the year, blogwise.
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