The man the Chicago Cubs are acquiring from the New York Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano, per ESPN, could easily become a fan favorite in the Windy City. Corey Black is a 21-year-old pitcher who throws a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s and also possesses a quality curveball, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Black stands just 5'11" and weighs 175 pounds, but the velocity he generates is what you would expect from a larger, more powerfully built presence on the mound. Per Mike Axisa of River Rave Blues, Black hit triple digits on the speed gun during ...
Edwin Jackson has a new home. The 29-year-old right-hander who spent the 2011 season with the Washington Nationals has reportedly signed with the Chicago Cubs. CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney has the latest:
#Cubs have signed Edwin Jackson (four years, $52 million) and Carlos Villanueva, pending physicals.— Patrick Mooney (@CSNMooney) December 20, 2012
Jackson is ideally a third starter at best. His career record is 70-71, with an ERA of 4.40, but he has shown some flashes of brilliance in his 10-year career.Jackson made the All-Star team in 2009 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He was 13-9 that season with an ERA of ...
The rumored deal floated by ESPN's Jim Bowden that Matt Garza could be traded to the San Diego Padres for first baseman Anthony Rizzo would be a great, first major player move by Theo Epstein.Garza is a solid pitcher, but Epstein is bringing the philosophy of aiming for greatness. On a great team, Garza is a third or fourth starter, for the Cubs in 2011, he was the ace of the staff.Moving Garza makes sense, especially for a prospect with the tools Anthony Rizzo has—a power hitting left-handed first basemen whom I could easily see in Cubbie blue for 10 ...
Albert Pujols is the greatest right-handed hitter I've ever seen, but he doesn't make the Chicago Cubs contenders. That goal won't be accomplished without first acquiring and developing the type of pitching required to compete on a daily basis.The Cubs had only one starter with an ERA below 4.00 and a staff that threw one shutout and only four complete games. That is a rotation that is void of a true ace. The top of the rotation must be stronger to make the Cubs serious.With Matt Garza as the ace, this is not a championship-caliber squad. As great as Pujols ...
