Traitor!

It's a long walk from here, buddy

Alex Cintron, post-surgery noodle-arm and all, is headed to the North Side this season. It's kind of mean that the Cubs waited this long to sign him -- he probably had to get all of his belongings out of Chicago when he was cut by the Sox, just to have to move them all back. That is, if he's staying in Chicago...

When you think about it, the Cubs have absolutely no use for Cintron. They already have four wannabe SS/2B's (Theriot, DeRosa, Cedeno, Fontenot) -- what's the point of adding a 5th? Cintron is hardly a starter, and certainly not an upgrade over the "established" players at his position. What Cintron is, though, is a major-league ready player that the Cubs can throw into a certain Orioles trade.

The Cubs will likely make yet another effort to snag Brian Roberts from the O's (who are probably leaning back in their chairs and cackling over how far the Cubs are bending over to get him), and they'll probably be successful. Cintron was actually on their list of FA targets this offseason, but the Cubs would much rather pay his salary and trade him to the O's anyways. Roberts, when healthy, is a phenomenal player. I think the Cubs signed an entire extra team this offseason just to try and get him (how many pitchers do you they think can start in a season?).

So good luck to you Cubbies -- get Neal Cotts a temporary playmate, and then send your entire minor league roster to get a 2B who will surely get hurt when you need him most (joining A-Ram on his annual DL trip).

100 years...so close I can taste it!