With the Cubs and White Sox struggling to keep afloat in their respective central divisions, both sides of town are drowning in trade rumors.
If either team makes a trade, will the deal make it better and keep it in contention? Should either dump salary and build for the future? And which players can bring back the most in return?
From a scout’s perspective, there are some precious pickings.
The Cubs have impending free agents Carlos Zambrano and Michael Barrett, who maybe should be traded as a package now that they are professing their brotherly love. And there’s Jacque Jones in the crowded outfield.
The Sox have impending free agents Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye and Tadahito Iguchi. And then there’s Joe Crede, who’s a free agent in another year but is fighting back problems.
According to scouts who keep voluminous files on all major-league players, Chicago could be a popular spot before the July 31 interleague trading deadline, even to the point where the Cubs and White Sox could be in “competition” with each other for teams looking for second-half help.
Here’s a rundown of what scouts, who have seen the players several times and for many years, tell their general managers:
Zambrano: “I love Zambrano’s size and youth,” one scout said. “His emotion? I think he wants to win and hates to lose. As a scout, those are the things I like to see. He’s a guy who does a lot of things well besides pitch. He swings the bat for a big guy, he’s fairly agile off the hill, one of the best athletes for his size. He can run and he can hit.”
Another scout said: “He’s very hyper and he needs to channel that. The pressure of the free-agent year affects him more than it does Buehrle.
“Would the fight lower his value? In some circles, yes, some circles no. Some teams don’t pay much credence to personality. I don’t think overall it would hurt him. But obviously his [future] money would eliminate everyone except a handful of teams.”
Buehrle: “I enjoy watching Buehrle pitch,” one of the scouts said. “He’d be a nice fit for a lot of teams. He gives you innings, has pitched in big games, fields his position, works quickly, has a good pickoff move, covers first base. I like his makeup.”
“Very complete pitcher,” another said. “Relies on his control and he has control of his emotions.”
Which of the two would scouts recommend to their general managers?
“Either one would bring multiple prospects or some major-leaguers,” one said. “Buehrle is the more complete pitcher. Personally, I would take him over Zambrano, although he doesn’t have as high an upside. He just has fewer questions than Zambrano. But I think more [teams] would take Zambrano first.
“Most would want Zambrano as a No. 1 pitcher. Buehrle is more a middle-of-the-order guy.”
Another scout said: “It would be very close. I would probably lean toward Zambrano because his stuff is better. He can be overpowering. But I would take either one in a heartbeat.”
Barrett: “He has been really disappointing defensively,” one scout said. “To some degree he is an offensive catcher. He does have power. He’s a gamer, plays hard and does things you like to see. I think he’s probably good in the clubhouse. But his lack of catching ability and pitch-calling is a concern at a position that’s so important.”
Fights with Zambrano and A.J. Pierzynski?
“Wouldn’t matter, I don’t think Barrett’s a bad kid,” he said.
One scout laughed: “It wouldn’t matter to me, because I know the personalities of the people he had conflicts with. He didn’t exactly get in a fight with Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine.”
Dye: “He’s a question because he’s an older player [age 33],” one said. “As a scout, you keep asking yourself if he’s slowing down. He is coming off a career year where, if the Sox would have won the pennant, he probably would have been the MVP. I still think he’s a dangerous hitter, has power and can drive in runs, but he doesn’t have a lot of range in the outfield.
“Dye has a lot of value and to some teams, a lot of value,” another said. “He’s a run producer and still a big-game player. He doesn’t run real well anymore and his range has declined, but I believe he has a lot of skills left.”
Crede: “I have a severe concern about his back,” one scout said. “Obviously, when you’re talking about a back, you’re talking about something very important to a baseball player. But he’s an underrated third baseman defensively, has great hands and a powerful, accurate arm.”
“His value has declined,” another said. “He isn’t having a good year and he has postponed surgery. He would have to start producing quickly, but two herniated discs are a red flag to a lot of people.”
Jones: “Pass,” one scout said bluntly. “I would have very little interest [in recommending him], although scouts aren’t in the money business. He has put up some decent numbers, although his defense is nothing great.”
“[The Cubs] would love to trade him,” another said, “but they would have almost no left-handed hitting. To me, he would have more value in the American League because he still has some offensive value. But we’re talking about [the Cubs] eating a sizable portion of his contract.”
Iguchi: “He’s worth something, but he would probably be a rent-a-player,” one said. “I would be surprised if he got traded because he’s probably more valuable to [the Sox] than anyone else.”
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dvandyck@tribune.com
