Kolb Goes to Braves Instead of Cubs
As noted by the Cubs Pundit, the Sporting News‘ Ken Rosenthal reports that “the Milwaukee Brewers have traded All-Star closer Dan Kolb to the Braves for Jose Capellan, the team’s top pitching prospect.” Jim Hendry had been interested in Kolb.
The Cubs Pundit asks, “Would the Cubs have traded their #1 pitching prospect for Danny Kolb?” The answer is most certainly no. The Pundit (apparently) views that as a bad thing. I think that to be an excellent thing. It’s too common for a previously little known relief pitcher to have a breakout year as a closer. Kolb himself is an example. So is Joe Borowski, who almost didn’t even make the team in 2003. The Cubs have enough in-house candidates to be the closer without trading a top starting pitching prospect for a very good but limited pitcher like Kolb. (The Cubs’ ace reliever – LaTroy Hawkins – finished with a VORP 75% higher than Kolb’s. That was due in part to Hawkins’ higher usage, but also in part to Hawkins’ better rate stats.) I know championship teams almost always have top notch closers (or ace relievers), but unlike most Cubs fans, I still believe Hawkins can be that guy.