With the Winter Meetings set to hit Dallas next week, the Hot Stove is really starting to catch fire.
It should come as no surprise that many rumors have already begun circulating around the Cubs, who are expected to be among the more active teams at the meetings next week.
Much of that talk has focused more at who the Cubs could plan on getting rid of, rather than acquiring. While Matt Garza and Alfonso Soriano have taken center stage in any sort of trade discussion, it’s sounding more and more likely that the Cubs will acquire at least one major piece of their future next week.
Since the season ended and the Theo Epstein Era began at Wrigley, we’ve heard plenty of rumbling about the Cubs attempting to acquire San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley.
Those rumblings picked up with ESPN Chicago’s Bruce Levine making mention of the fact that he expected the Cubs to go hard after Headley, if not get a deal for him all locked up next week. He might not carry the firepower that Aramis Ramirez provided at the hot corner, but he’s a steady guy down there nonetheless.
As far as power numbers go, there would be a significant drop off from Aramis’ 26 homers last season. Headley hit just four last year (though Petco Park isn’t exactly a hitter’s paradise), but of course, the numbers go far beyond how many balls leave the yard. Headley is still a very capable hitter, posting a .289 average last season and really cutting down in his strikeouts.
Headley also represents the type of player this new regime wants to target. From a salary standpoint, he’s very affordable, though a package to get him might cost a couple of good prospects, and his defense is very sound. His WAR last season was 2, just as recent signee David DeJesus was with Oakland. He could add some swipes as well, with 13 stolen bases last year.
The other name that keeps popping up regularly is Ian Stewart. His numbers are a little more dicey, but he would likely cost significantly less than Headley would. But would it be worth it? He’s demonstrated good power numbers in years prior to 2011, but last season was definitely a year to forget.
Stewart lasted just 136 plate appearances with the Rockies, hitting just .156. In his best offensive season, as far as home runs and RBIs are concerned (2010), Stewart hit 25 homers and knocked in 70 runs, though he hit just .228. Interestingly enough, he was better away from Coors Field, hitting .235 on the road, as opposed to .221 at home.
As much potential as he might have at the dish, Stewart is not the defender that Headley is. Heck, he might not even be the defender Aramis Ramirez was last season. The one thing Stewart does have going for him, though, is how much it might take to acquire him.
The word is that the teams have already discussed a potential deal, with names like Blake DeWitt and Tyler Colvin being shopped. Talk about low risk. DeWitt had an opportunity to start at second base last year, but ended up bouncing all over the field and failing to find consistent playing time. Colvin was a pleasant surprise in 2010, before a poor 2011 brought his future with the Cubs into question, especially with the signing of DeJesus earlier this week.
It will be interesting to see which direction the Cubs attempt to go in, assuming one of these guys is the man for the job. Smart money says the Cubs would prefer Headley, given how much better his overall game is, but Stewart could come on the much cheaper side of things.
Either way, it’s getting more and more clear that the Cubs could have their third baseman by the time the Winter Meetings are done in Dallas.
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