According to ESPN Radio's Bruce Levine, the Cubs signed Milton Bradley to a three-year, $30MM contract "with some options in the deal." Ken Rosenthal has a similar story, noting that the two sides have to "work through language issues."
Bradley, 31 in April, had a monster .321/.436/.563 line this year for the Rangers, but he spent only 165 innings in the field. This is the first multiyear deal of his career. If he stays healthy, the switch-hitter will give the Cubs balance in the middle of their order.
The Rangers will get a supplemental pick for their loss.
The Cubs would've liked to send Jason Marquis home to New York (the Mets), but the Mets are addressing their needs one at a time and aren't looking at the fifth starter role yet. Sherman says the Rockies have long been fans of Marquis and like his bat. He could accumulate 80 plate appearances, I suppose.
First, the Peavy stuff: (thanks to Tim over at mlbtraderumors.com for putting all of this in one place, thereby making my morning after much easier)
Yahoo's Tim Brown asked Padres GM Kevin Towers whether the Cubs' talks for Jake Peavy might reopen now that they've freed up cash. Towers' reply: "Doubtful." To Tom Krasovic, Towers said, "The Cubs' most recent trades have no bearing or connections with us and the Cubs in a potential Peavy deal." Krasovic notes that one big factor for the Cubs remains getting approval from new ownership to add Peavy's $16MM salary to the 2010 payroll.
Mark DeRosa, who had been rumored to be a part of three- and four-team scenarios in the Jake Peavy trade talks is finally headed out of Chicago -- but not in a deal for the San Diego Padres' ace.
DeRosa has been traded to the Cleveland Indians for three players, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
Raise your hand if you had this on your wall as a kid.
So. . . the 2009 candidates for the HOF have been announced, and the top three returning vote getters are Jim Rice (kinda), Bert Blyleven (yes) and our own Andre Dawson (hell yes). Last year, Dawson got 65.9 percent of the vote, the closest he's come to the 75 percent he needs for induction.
Sammy Sosa has not ruled out playing for a Major League team in 2009, according to a report in the Dominican newspaper Listin Diario.
The 40-year-old last played in the big leagues in 2007, when he hit 21 homers and drove in 92 runs for the Rangers.
"I still don't have an offer, and I shouldn't be looking for offers out there," Sosa was quoted in the story as saying. "Any team who wants to sign me should have the initiative and make an offer."
Regular Season Record: 97-63
