FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports that Kaz Matsui is about to sign a three-year, $15M contract with the Houston Astros, even though the Cubs made him a similar offer. I understand that Matsui is a fine fielder (quite good, in fact, according to Baseball Prospectus' numbers), but a) he had just an 87 OPS+ last year; b) he has a 82 OPS+ for his career; c) he's 32; d) the most games he has played in a season in his four-year MLB career is 114; and e) the Cubs already carry second basemen like Tony LaRussa carries LOOGYs. As Wrigleyville says, the Astros are saving Jim Hendry here.

Meanwhile, a couple of the other division foes are signing Cubs' rejects to multi-million dollar contracts. The Brewers sign the catcher who lost his starting catcher on a playoff team to the guy just getting some filler time in September, for $4.25M no less. And the Cardinals may be smart, but they did just sign Cesar Izturis to be their starting shortstop.

Shawon Dunston is eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time this year. With a career adjusted OPS 5.5% below league average, he is not going to make it, or even come close. But he will be remembered. Writes Baseball Prospectus's Jim Baker (sub. req'd): "When somebody does something better than the very best people in his field, it's pretty jarring. Remember the first time you saw Dunston make a throw from shortstop? Didn't your eyes just about unhinge from their sockets? Dunston is already in the Arm Hall of Fame. It's one of the many satellite Halls of Fame located near but not in Cooperstown, New York."

Comcast sports net Chicago is re-airing a Cubs game from June 25:

Holiday Diamond Classics

"2007: Colorado Rockies at Chicago Cubs"

From June 25, 2007.

Sunday, December 9
6:00 pm - 9:30 pm, CSNCH

http://chicago.comcastsportsnet.com

Click here if you want the details on this game.

I'd like to see them air the September 10, 2007 game vs the Cardinals

and of course, the August 28, 2005 game vs. the Marlins.

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The Cubs have signed Kerry Wood to one-year, $4.2M contract, with incentives for games finished. He apparently turned down longer-term, more lucrative contracts to return to the Cubs. He is likely to be given the opportunity to close games in 2008. I am surprised by his return, but thankful. Wood is appreciative of the Cubs. At the same time, he has to be cognizant of the respect Cubs' fans have for him. Signings like this only continue to increase his high standing in Cubs' history.

http://tinyurl.com/2opmo4

I wonder if McDonough sees the handwriting on the wall. It's no secret who Selig wants to be the next owner of the Cubs, even though Selig will never admit it publicly, and what Selig wants, Selig usually gets eventually. I wonder if word has leaked out of the Canning camp that it intends to clean house if and when MLB approves them as the new owners. If this were the case, it would be logical for McDonough to start looking for greener pastures. As for Hendry, he is probably stuck without a parachute, but I really don't care. I just hope Piniella, his coaching staff and Wilken survive.

John Sickels names his to 20 Cubs' prospects. No one garners an A. The top two are 1st round draft pick Josh Vitters and 2008 catcher Geovany Soto.

Sam Fuld wins AFL’s Stinson Award

icecentricnews.com

Slowly, but surely, Jim Hendry is ridding the Cubs of his middling free agent acquisition mistakes. Neifi Perez to the Detroit Tigers. Glendon Rusch to injury. The latest is Jacque Jones to the Tigers (oh, how we love the Tigers). Ryan Dempster, Jason Marquis, and Scott Eyre: be ready.

The Cubs are also sending the Tigers some cash, though we do not yet know how much. It seems likely to be at least the $1.3M in signing bonus money Jones is due in January.

In exchange, the Cubs get Jose Macias (man, Derek, you're too quick with that joke). To be fair, Omar Infante is younger and probably better than Macias was when the Cubs acquired him in December 2003. He did, after all, post a 101 OPS+ as a full-time second baseman and 22-year-old in 2004. In any event, as the aforementioned Mr. Smart notes, something else could happen yet this offseason to make the acquisition of Infante make more sense.

Another Cubs Blog has posted the 2008 projections for the Chicago Cubs from the Bill James 2008 Handbook. The hitters' projections look pretty good from a power standpoint. About the only thing that would be really nice to have that is not there is someone to join Derrek Lee in the .390 OBA range.

The Sun-Times' Chris De Luca continues today the series of recent reports that the Cubs have substantial interest in Japanese 30-year-old outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. A Hundred Next Years has a correspondent in Japan who is not all that high on Fukudome.

There is a lot to digest in Phil Rogers' column in the Chicago Tribune today:

Ryan Dempster is again being told that he will enter the starting rotation. Jim Hendry cites the facts that Demspter won 15 games and went to the All-Star game as a starter. He doesn't mention that those events occurred 6 and 7 years ago, respectively.

But moving Dempster to the rotation frees the Cubs up to offer the closer's role to Kerry Wood as enticement for him to come back. That might work. If it doesn't, the Cubs have Bobby Howry and Carlos Marmol as closer options. Thankfully, Hendry sees the value Marmol offers in the role he played in 2007: "Ideally, I think you'd like to give Marmol another year doing what he did last year, when he could maybe come in and give you two innings at a time and get a little more experience." As Phil Bencomo at Cub Town notes, Wood, Howry, and Marmol are all better relievers than Dempster.

Of course, Sean Marshall is a better starter than Dempster. Sean Gallagher may be as well. But, if Hendry manages to get some team to take Jason Marquis and the $16M the Cubs owe him over the next two years off his hands, Dempster can fill the Marquis role in 2008, for better or worse. (Disclosure: I like Dempster and would love to see him succeed.)

In other news, "Hendry says Piniella will give Felix Pie a chance to become the regular center fielder next spring." At the same time, the Cubs are seeking a regular rightfielder. Neither of those developments bode well for Jacque Jones and Matt Murton.

Derek Smart says that Ryan Theriot should not be an everyday shortstop, but instead should play the super-sub role. And he is right. Barring a trade for Miguel Tejada (for whom the Cubs refused to trade Mark Prior straight up in Winter 2005), Ronny Cedeno should be given an even shot to win the job in spring training.

According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, Ron Mahay is the "the most coveted free-agent middle reliever." Who would have thought that when the Cubs released him after the 2002 season, after Mahay allowed 6 home runs in 14.2 innings for the big league club that year? Especially since Mahay was 31-years-old when the Cubs released him.

Curt Schilling has filed for free agency and listed the Chicago Cubs among 11 other teams for whom he would play in 2008. (Link via 1060west.) On the off chance that the Cubs and Schilling would come to terms on a 2008 contract, Schilling would bring more playoff mojo with him than any Cubs' player has had since Orval Overall (36 innings, 4 runs allowed in the 1907 and 1908 World Series).

The Bulls got outscored 16-7 in overtime to lose to the Nets in the season opener. Video here. May these Kobe Bryant negotiations end soon, and without him in a Bulls' uniform.