ESPN’s Peter Gammons has a new blog entry up, with the focus on the Cubs’ desire to add a starting pitcher. Gammons talked to a Cubs official who said, "We almost certainly will do something. But we really don’t want to give up Sean Gallagher at this point."
Here’s a quick rundown of the candidates:
- C.C. Sabathia – Cubs don’t believe they have enough to get him.
- Rich Harden – Gammons doesn’t specifically say the Cubs are interested, just that they’re monitoring Oakland.
- Randy Wolf – The Cubs have interest, and Gammons says Wolf would waive his no-trade to go to a contender. Plus, Wolf treated the Cubs well when they courted him in the 2006-07 offseason. Gammons adds that the Padres still like Matt Murton. History has shown that Jim Hendry and Kevin Towers work well together on trades.
- A.J. Burnett – The Cubs "also keep looking" at him. Last Thursday, Gammons’ colleague Jayson Stark hadn’t found "any indication that the Cubs have even batted his name around."
- Aaron Cook – Gammons says the Cubs would love him, but Rockies’ GM Dan O’Dowd said earlier this month, "We’re not doing anything with Cookie."
- Bronson Arroyo, Kevin Millwood – Gammons says the Cubs have "kicked around" these names.