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Cubs general manager Jim Hendry entered the offseason with one goal above all others: to find a taker for mercurial outfielder Milton Bradley. That taker came Friday in the form of the Mariners. The Cubs took back an albatross from Seattle in Carlos Silva. In an incredibly ironic movement, the Mariners are reportedly sending money the Cubs' way in this trade -- most thought the Cubs would have to pay most of Bradley's salary in order to dump him. Bradley was Hendry's big prize last winter, but the result was nothing short of catastrophic for the Cubs in 2009, as their offense went from the best in the NL to slightly below average. Bradley posted his worst OPS since 2002 and butted heads with everyone from Lou Piniella to the Bleacher Bums.
Bradley has potential, as his .999 OPS in 2008 illustrated. That AL-leading total happened in the AL West, so it's a decent bet Bradley thrives in Seattle -- out of a major media spotlight and inserted into a run-producing position behind Ichiro Suzuki and Chone Figgins. Expect him to bat third behind those two and be forced to play left field. This move goes a long way to solidifying the Mariners' batting order, assuming Bradley stays healthy and sane (both big ifs). It also appears to make the rumored courtship of Jason Bay far less likely -- if it was ever likely in the first place.
The match with Silva and Bradley was a good one, as both teams were desperate to wash their hands of the situation. Silva made slightly more than $20 million in Seattle the past two seasons to go 5-18 with a 6.81 ERA in 36 appearances (34 starts). The 30-year-old right-hander signed a deal with the Mariners after 2007, when he had a 4.19 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. His upside is pretty limited, but there's a chance he improves with the league switch and a change of scenery.
The Cubs figure a starting rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Randy Wells and have a host of guys competing for the fifth spot -- including Silva, Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Samardzija and Sean Marshall. Also, Lilly will begin the season recovering from surgery, so there's an extra spot for the first month or so. The smart money is on Silva getting an initial shot in Lilly's absence -- so the Cubs can see if they've found lightning in a bottle.
Regardless, the Cubs offseason can now truly begin. They were handcuffed until Bradley was dealt.
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