The Cubs Chronicle

Yesterday, the Chicago Sun-Times (Mike Kiley, “Hendry choosing words carefully,” 1/18/2004) quoted Jim Hendry as saying, “We are going to give Ryan Dempster an opportunity to do [be the closer] in spring training, if nothing else changes. LaTroy Hawkins did a terrific job in the eighth last year and didn’t have quite as much luck in the ninth. In fairness to him, with Joe Borowski and Kyle Farnsworth being hurt, Hawk was put in a tough situation where he had to be overworked to a degree.”

In tomorrow’s Chicago Tribune (Dave Van Dyck, “Baker: Priority No. 1 is Sosa talk,” 1/20/2004), however, Dusty Baker is quoted as saying, “Everybody talks about Dempster, but we don’t know if he can do it; he never has done it. Joe Borowski might be healthy, we don’t know yet. And LaTroy Hawkins might be more experienced than last year. He certainly has the stuff. . . LaTroy will be better if he knows the league himself.”

“Everybody” is talking about Dempster as the closer because that’s what Baker’s boss is talking about. Baker and Hendry aren’t always on the same page, though, and this may be another example. On this issue, I think Baker will win out.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports today that “Cubs general manager Jim Hendry will meet in the next few days with Milwaukee Brewers counterpart Doug Melvin to discuss what it would take for the Brewers to part with closer Dan Kolb.” The Sun-Times also states that Kyle Farnsworth would likely be included in any trade for Kolb. (The interest in Kolb stems back at least a couple of weeks now.)

Whether the Cubs acquire Kolb or not, it appears likely the Cubs will trade Farnsworth to someone this offseason. Farnsworth rumors have been as rampant as Sosa trade rumors, without the national attention. Farnsworth is undoubtedly talented, but his inconsistency and his apparently not having the right attitude appear to have left him unwanted in Chicago.

If the Cubs do end up trading Farnsworth for another reliever, it will tell us at least three things.

First, Glendon Rusch—recently signed to a two-year contract—will be the 5th starter. The Cubs already have LaTroy Hawkins, Mike Remlinger, and Ryan Dempster slated for the bullpen in 2005. Todd Wellemeyer and Jon Leicester (leading the league in silent letters) will also likely be given spots in the bullpen. Add in Kolb and you have 6 relievers. And that’s even without a lefty specialist. The same Sun-Times article speculates that role could fall to Will Ohman, currently performing well in the Mexican League. 6 relievers (with Ohman possibly replacing Wellemeyer or Leicester in the pen) means no room for Rusch, which means he’s starting.

Second, Sergio Mitre, who struggled for the big league club last year, but who has been a very good minor league starter for four straight seasons at four different levels, appears to be headed to Iowa again. With Rusch out of the swingman role, Mitre could be the starter called up should one of the five starters go down with an injury.

Finally, it will mean that the Cubs will lose the player with the best nickname on the team.

As guessed, it didn’t take long at all for speculation to begin that the Cubs would seek to trade for Ugueth Urbina. From a report by Chris De Luca in today’s Chicago Sun-Times:

The top priority in acquiring a player is finding a closer. Percival was tops on their list – until he signed with the Tigers. Armando Benitez, already courted by the Indians, could be a backup option, though the Cubs are expected to pursue a trade with the Tigers for closer Ugueth Urbina.

One minute the Chicago Tribune reports that Troy Percival is coming to visit Chicago, the next the Sporting News‘ Ken Rosenthal reports that Percival has signed with the Detroit Tigers for 2 years, $12 million. (Tip via reader Michael C.)

Now that the Tigers have vastly overpaid for a good but limited relief pitcher, Rosenthal speculates that they may try to trade Ugueth Urbina, whose option for next year they have already picked up for $4M. How long before we see the first rumor that the Cubs and Tigers are working on a trade that would send Urbina to Chicago?

The Cubs exercised their option on Ryan Dempster today. The Cubs will pay $2M to Dempster in 2005.

The price tag is a bit steep for a middle reliever with a lifetime ERA 14% below adjusted league average (mostly as a starter) and 1.5 K/BB ratio. The Cubs, however, may make Dempster their closer, something that was reportedly considered this summer. The Chicago Tribune’s Dave van Dyck opines that if Dempster is made the closer, “he would be one of baseball’s best bargains” next year. I guess. Though there is not much in Dempster’s history—outside of his one good year as a starter in 2000—that suggests he will be a shutdown reliever. As I said in July, though, if Dempster were made the closer, it would free LaTroy Hawkins up to pitch in the often more crucial setup innings.

Dempster would be a better bargain if he won the 5th starter’s job and pitched effectively out of that role. That is also a possibility for 2005.