12/21/09 1:25 PM EST
Reed Johnson, center field, free agents, Ryne Sandberg and ivy are among the topics in this week's Inbox. E-mail your questions to cubsinbox@gmail.com, and please include your full name and hometown. Happy holidays to all.
What are the chances of the Cubs looking hard at re-signing Reed Johnson now that Mike Cameron is with the Red Sox? Reed was an absolute asset when healthy. How about finding what Jim Edmonds is up to these days? That's a left-handed bat who can platoon and help in center. If he still wants to play, maybe the price would be good. That way, Tyler Colvin would have time to develop and mature.– Nicky D., Port Washington, Wis.
You said it: Johnson was great when healthy. He could still come back to the Cubs, depending on who GM Jim Hendry is able to acquire. As for Edmonds, next time you're in St. Louis, check out his "15 Restaurant." Colvin does need more time. He fell behind after undergoing Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery at the end of the 2008 season. He sure looked good in center at the end of the '09 season with the Cubs.
With Milton Bradley out of the picture, are the Cubs planning on going after Scott Podsednik? I think it's a good gamble considering he had a good year this past season, and he would bring a leadoff hitter plus speed, which Lou Piniella wants.– Alex P., St. Louis Park, Minn.
When Podsednik is healthy, he can be really good offensively, as he was with the White Sox for most of 2009. But the Sox, looking to upgrade defensively, chose to go in a different direction and sign Juan Pierre. That should tell you something. Podsednik is a classic leadoff man, providing speed at the top of the order and the ability to steal bases. He also played more left than center. The next Cubs center fielder doesn't have to be the leadoff man. Free agent Marlon Byrd, whom the club is considering, would fit in the fifth spot of the order.
Ultimately, it may depend on which player fits better on the payroll.
Blayne S. from Russellville, Ark., asked why the Cubs aren't keeping Kosuke Fukudome in center and look for a right fielder. Fukudome was an excellent right fielder and average in center. The baseball cliche is you want to be strong up the middle, and the Cubs want to be better in center.
Why is there no talk about Orlando Hudson to fill — count 'em — two needs? He's a switch-hitting leadoff hitter who finds a way on base, steals one, gets bunted over and scores and is a definite upgrade defensively. Here's a lineup: Hudson, Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez. That's a lot of RBIs and runs. Why can't we lock him up for three years until Starlin Castro is ready?– Tommy M., LaSalle, Ill.
One, it's not going to take Castro that long. Two, the Cubs don't need any more players locked up to long-term deals (ex., Alfonso Soriano, Ramirez, Carlos Zambrano, Fukudome). The Cubs feel a combination of Mike Fontenot, Jeff Baker and Andres Blanco can do the job.
Why aren't the Cubs making any effort to get a big-name player? It seems like every other team is soaking up free agents and the Cubs are sitting back and watching. Why not spend the cash to get a key player or players and make a championship run now, not five years down the line with prospects who haven't proven themselves yet. Where's the logic?– Alan S., Oak Lawn, Ill.
Here's their mindset: The core of the team that won 97 games in 2008 is still in place. They're counting on better performances from Soriano, Fontenot, Zambrano and Geovany Soto. They don't expect Aramis Ramirez to miss two months. They had 15 players on the disabled list 18 times for a total of 584 games missed. The Cubs used the Opening Day lineup for three games. Three.
Hendry is making changes. He added Milton Bradley, Kevin Gregg, Aaron Heilman, Aaron Miles, and Joey Gathright prior to the 2009 season. They're all gone. But, Alan S., it's your turn to be GM. Which big-name free agent do you think the Cubs should sign — or should've signed?
With Sandberg moving up in the farm system, I remember the Peoria Chiefs played the other year at Wrigley. I was wondering if Sandberg is going to have the Iowa Cubs play at Wrigley for a game in 2010?– Matt M., Chicago
The Iowa Cubs played at Wrigley on Aug. 9 against the Las Vegas 51s. Sandberg and the Peoria Chiefs did so in July 2008. It would appear to be Double-A Tennessee's turn, but I haven't heard anything.
With many fans unable to get to Wrigley because they live outside Chicago, have the Cubs ever thought of selling clippings of the ivy? I know several fans (myself included) who would love to be able to grow some Wrigley ivy at home.– Daniel F., El Paso, Texas
I've tried to grow the ivy from seeds and clippings, and have failed. It's Boston ivy, so if you can find that in El Paso, good luck.