The offseason so far

A division winner that loses in the first round of the playoff should always be looking to make some changes in the offseason, especially when you're the Cubs and you limped to an 85-win division title in baseball's worst division despite a historic spending spree in the 2006 offseason. There's still quite a ways to go in the 2007 offseason, of course, but it looks like the Cubs' biggest move has probably already been made, so let's look back and take stock on what's gone on so far.

November 3: Cubs exercise 2008 mutual option on Daryle Ward, decline options on Cliff Floyd and Steve Trachsel.

Good moves all around. Ward proved to be a surprisingly valuable bat off the bench in 2007, with a .436 OBP in 110 at-bats. He should continue to be a solid PH bat plus occasional fill-in for Derrek Lee or perhaps in right field. Floyd never lived up to expectations; due to injuries he racked up a mere 282 at-bats, and while his OBP was a pretty decent .373, he never really flashed the power you want out of a corner OF bat. Trachsel was a panic trade to begin with and probably has no business playing baseball ever again.

November 12: Cubs trade Jacque Jones to Detroit for Omar Infante and cash.

Despite spending a lot of early 2007 suffering through a logjam in the infield, the Cubs finally dumped Jones - whom they were prepared to give away for zero cents on the dollar in July - but received Infante in return, an average infield glove with a career OBP under .300. Shows you how much we wanted to show Jones the door, doesn't it?

November 13: Cubs trade Craig Monroe to Minnesota for PTBNL.

Even though the 2007 season ended with a second-half charge and playoff berth, little to none of that can be attributed to Hendry's in-season moves. Monroe was one of those guys who just didn't work out; he hit .204 as a Cub, showing none of the hits-lefties-well pop for which he was acquired but all of the getting-on-base problems he'd already displayed in Detroit, leading the Tigers to push him out the door. Good riddance.

November 26: Cubs sign Kerry Wood to one-year contract.

Wood apparently had better offers elsewhere but chose to stay in Chicago, which in my opinion is the difference between him and Mark Prior (about whom more anon). The one-year deal is nice for both sides; it keeps the Cubs from over-committing to Wood, while it lets Wood show he can stay healthy for a full season (if he can), which I'm not sure has ever happened. Hopefully he's a decent bullpen arm and possibly even challenges for the closer's job.

December 4: Cubs trade Omar Infante and Will Ohman to Atlanta for Jose Ascanio.

I hope Infante hadn't spent much time house-hunting. In effect, the Cubs rid themselves of the two most hated players on the roster - Jacque Jones and Ohman - for a single 22-year-old relief pitcher who sucked in 16 innings for the Braves last year and who's probably headed for Iowa anyway. Really it was just a matter of addition by subtraction. Ohman had been a career Cub (he made his first big league appearance in 2000!) despite never being very good - even his sub-3.00 ERA in 2005 really doesn't tell you the full story, and seeing him come into the game never failed to give me the shakes. Good luck, Atlanta.

December 6: Cubs acquire Tim Lahey from Tampa Bay for cash.

Whatever. Lahey was picked from Minnesota in the Rule V draft and the Cubs bought him off Tampa. He had a solid if unspectacular AA campaign at New Britain last year. Wa-hoo.

December 12: Cubs non-tender Mark Prior.

Prior made more than $3.5 million last year to do absolutely nothing, and a similar amount in 2006 to do practically nothing. For more than $7 million in the last two years, the Cubs got one win, six losses, and a 7.21 ERA out of Prior, and due to arbitration rules would have been forced to offer him a deal worth no less than $2.9 million or so for 2007, despite not knowing when he would be major-league ready or even if he would be major-league ready. Reportedly the Cubs offered to non-tender him, then offer a lower-paying deal with lots of performance incentives, which Prior wasn't too keen on.

Which kind of pisses me off. Here's a guy who the Cubs stuck by, letting him take his time with injuries, paying him millions for a lost 2007 season, and all they ask him is to take less up-front money in 2008, and make his money on the field. And guess what? He didn't want to do that. Frankly, this baffles me, because I'm not sure who's going to sign Prior to a contract of more than a year and more than maybe $1.5 million. Even the optimistic forecast says he won't be back until May, and it remains to be seen whether he can regain his 2005 form (11-7, 3.67), let alone his 2003 form (18-6, 2.43). I wasn't sitting at the table during the negotiations, but unless the Cubs suggested he play for free, walking away from the Cubs at this point in Prior's career just seems petty and selfish on his part. I wanted the Cubs to give him one more shot in 2008 because I was afraid he'd figure it out with some other team, but really, why should the Cubs pay him for another season that might end up being lost? It's time to do what columnists have been suggesting for years now and just move on. Thanks for 2003, Mark - except the last inning of it - and I'm sorry what Dusty Baker did to your arm, but don't let the Under Armour doors hit you on the way out.

December ?? - Cubs sign Kosuke Fukudome.

This one's not official pending a physical, but PECOTA projects a .401 OBP for him in 2008. Finally, a guy who can fucking get on base.