It's too speculative by half, but the Chicago Cubs have recalled outfielder Matt Murton, possibly as trade bait.
Wasn't there a bit of news about some Blue Jays pitcher, A.J. Burnett, who will become a free agent after this season, saying he'd love to play in Chicago? Now, this is why it's a bad idea as a fan to start pitching trade ideas (although that Seinfeld episode where an out-of-work George Costanza contemplating getting a job in sports, "like the general manager of a baseball team" should have cured you of the notion).
(UPDATE: Case in point -- on Jays Talk tonight, a caller asked J.P. Ricciardi if the Jays had talked with the Cubs about trading Burnett for their one good prospect who's not already in Chicago already, 18-year-old third baseman Josh Vitters. As if the Cubbies are going to sacrifice last year's No. 3 overall draft choice this soon.)
Murton would only give the Jays another well-rounded hitter who doesn't hit for power (although at least he's younger than Kevin Mench). The Cubs don't have a lot in the farm system that would make it worth the Jays' while to make a 3- or 4-for-1 trade. It's best to wait for the Cubbies to cut and run with Jeff Samardzija, the former Notre Dame wide receiver who got a jesus-big signing bonus to give up football and is now struggling with his control down in Double-A.
Incidentally, the Cubs are trying to get a David Eckstein error from last Saturday changed to a hit ... that would tack a few points on to Roy Halladay's ERA, since he gave up a three-run homer to the next batter.
(Meantime, the axe flashes at the top of its arc over the hards of John Gibbons and Godcciardi.)
Related:
Let there be blood in the streets... (John Brattain, Hardball Times)
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3 comments:
I was at the game were Eckstein was charged an error--it was borderlne. He had to range quite way to get his glove to the ball and we were surprised to see it scored an error.
Not to be pedantic, but Johnson hit the HR two batters later. The next batter (name escaping me) hit a bloop single down the 1B line. It all happened with two outs.
I was at the game were Eckstein was charged an error--it was borderlne. He had to range quite way to get his glove to the ball and we were surprised to see it scored an error.
Can't say I agree; that's an error ten times out of ten on my scoresheet. Nomenclature aside, though, it's a play Eckstein should have made (he ranged quite a way, yes, but if he were quicker, he wouldn't have had to rush himself and pathetically fallen to his knees), and, more importantly, a play McGlovin would have made.
But this team prefers to use its gloveman as a pinch-runner and pinch-bunter, so whatever. (I was going to say, at least it's not like Seattle's absurd lineup choices, but when you're comparing yourself to the Mariners in order to feel better...)
And don't worry, Neate, unlike those jokers from Queen's, this Waterloo-Laurier disagreement won't turn ugly...mostly because I just opened myself up to several UW jokes by using the world "ugly."
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