Brian Cashman “is believed to have inquired about Carlos Zambrano,” Mike Puma of the NY Post reported early this morning. Putting two and two together, the trade probably included either Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner.
A deal for Zambrano is unlikely because of the high asking price the Cubs have set, Puma said. More importantly, he said Cashman “will almost certainly add a starter by New Year's, according to a major league source.”
Mark Feinsand’s latest blog entry gives me the feeling it would be Phil Hughes who’d get the boot to the bullpen if they add a starter — not Joba Chamberlain. Hughes pitched just 86 innings last year and would most likely be on an innings limit as a starter, while Chamberlain pitched nearly twice that as a starter (which is actually pathetic, even with an innings limit).
The alternative free agent starters that have been floating around:
- Ben Sheets
- Justin Duchscherer
Jason Marquis- Joel Pineiro
- Jon Garland
- Aroldis Chapman (doubtful at his price)
So I guess from there, take your pick.
