On Nady, Tracy, Nelson and the Hawk's cap
Chicago Cubs moves which I praise in their immediate wake don't often work out the way I hope (see the entire 2008-09 offseason for reference). That said, I'm ready to commend general maanger Jim Hendry on the pending addition of OF Xavier Nady.
I always thought Nady was an underrated right-handed hitter, especially during his time with Pittsburgh. He has a .280 career average with some power, and he's being counted on as nothing more than a fourth outfielder. Assuming the Cubs keep Sam Fuld — a guy who can play all three outfield spots well — Nady is a great fit. He can spell Alfonso Soriano if he slumps or gets hurt in left, and can platoon with the left-handed hitting Kosuke Fukodome in right. If something happens to CF Marlon Byrd, Fukodome can slide over to center and Nady can fill in in right. Otherwise he can spot start and pinch hit, and hopefully pulverize the baseball.
Giving former Arizona utilityman Chad Tracy a minor league deal also is a smart move. Tracy can play the same spots as the Cubs' current left-handed power hitter off the bench, Micah Hoffpauir — first base and both corner outfield spots. The thing is, Tracy can also play third base, which is huge for a team who has a right-handed star there (Aramis Ramirez) who is often hurt or needs days off. Tracy never became the player the Diamondbacks thought he would, and he hit just .237 last year, but he's got some pop and should at least be given a chance to steal Hoffpauir's job with the 25-man roster.
And there are rumors that Joe Nelson might fit as a right-handed late-inning reliever. Nelson was fantastic for Florida in 2008, recording 11 holds with a 2.00 ERA in 54 innings. He wasn't as great with Tampa Bay last year, with a 4.02 ERA and a worrisome 1.46 WHIP in 40 1/3 innings. Coming back to the National League wouldn't figure to hurt Nelson's effectiveness, but the thing is, the 2008 season was the one truly effective year that the 35-year-old has had at the highest level. I kind of doubt he'd be a signifcant improvement over Aaron Heilman or even Kevin Gregg from the 2009 Cubs.
In what is definitely bad news for the Cubs, Andre Dawson will not wear a Cubs hat on his Hall of Fame plaque. He'll instead wear the lid of the Montreal Expos, who are now known as the Washington Nationals. I know for a fact that my favorite player of all time is more upset about the Hall's decision than I am. He spent the majority of his career in Montreal — he probably should go in as an Expo. It is not as if Cubs fans can't celebrate his induction with as much gusto now than they'd be able to if he was entering with a "C" on his head.
