The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting this morning that a source has confirmed the Cubs contacted the Cleveland Indians about Mark DeRosa. Most Cubs fans were disappointed when DeRosa was traded during the offseason, fearing his versatilty would be missed, along with his intelligence and leadership in the clubhouse. Their fears were well-founded when Aramis Ramirez went down with a shoulder injury early in the season and his platoon of replacements have been a dispoointment. Lou Pinella's impatience with Milton Bradley's antics ran out Friday afternoon when Pinella sent Bradley home like a naughty child after yet another temper tantrum in the sixth inning of a tied game agains cross-town rival, White Sox. DeRosa would have been a better bet in right field from the get-go, from his better batting average to his temperment.
There is a lot of interest in DeRosa from other teams and it is known that the Indians are looking for some young pitching in exchange for the versatile player. DeRosa was and still is an extremely popular in Chicago, not just for his demeanor but for his abililty to play almost every position except pitcher. Whether the Cubs would part with young pitching talent is a big question mark??