The Cubs will spend a combined $55 million on their 2009 rotation, and Jim Hendry acknowledges that some years a general manager has to be “more creative” than in other years.
With Ryan Dempster’s $52 million contract taken care of, Hendry is still trying to find a way to fit Padres ace Jake Peavy into the picture. The Cubs are the sole remaining bidders for Peavy, who could be the final piece of a dream rotation that already includes Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden and Ted Lilly.
“It’s going to take a while,” Padres GM Kevin Towers told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “They have a couple of players to pick from that we are interested in, but anything with them is going to potentially involve a third or a fourth team. We’re focusing only on [the Cubs].”
Hendry said the Cubs’ payroll will go up “slightly” in ’09, and their chances of winning won’t be stymied by the change in ownership or the current economic crunch.
“The company has really been great to me,” Hendry said. “Our payroll has certainly been [high] enough to win the last couple of years … and in the years we didn’t make the postseason and I was the general manager, we didn’t fail because we weren’t giving up payroll. Maybe I didn’t make good decisions, or we had some injuries during the year, but it was never because of a lack of payroll by the company. The same thing applies now.”
If the Cubs can’t get Peavy, they will turn to Plan B — 45-year-old free agent Randy Johnson, who would be a one-year fix. That obviously would push Jason Marquis to the bullpen, where he hasn’t fared well. Marquis is owed nearly $10 million in ’09, the final year of a three-year, $21 million deal, making him difficult to trade.
The Cubs also are interested in free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is seeking $10 million per year for three or four years after hitting .357 in 36 games for the Dodgers in 2008. Furcal’s agent said they have spoken to the Cubs, but it’s “nothing serious” yet.
“I think [their interest] will go according to how some things play out,” agent Paul Kinzer said. “Jim still likes Rafael, but I know they have other needs to fill.”
Furcal’s addition would solve the leadoff dilemma and allow them to move shortstop Ryan Theriot to second base, or be part of a trade package.
———-
What should Cubs do next?
Cast your vote and see what others think at chicagotribune.com/cubspoll
