Alastair Ingram of the FenwayFaithReport.com reported that the Red Sox could in deed look to trade Daisuke Matsuzaka this off season. It’s no secret that the Red Sox haven’t been all that thrilled with the production they got from their 100 million dollar man (50 million for a posting fee), and could try and clear salary to make a run at not only Carl Crawford, but maybe Jason Werth as well. The Chicago Cubs are a team that has to be on the prowl for some starting pitching somewhere, and it’s likely Cliff Lee will not fit into any sort of budget- to even make him a contract offer. That could mean Chicago Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry could actively search the trade market because the Cubs are in dire need of some veteran starting pitching.
Why would Dice K fit in so well with the Cubs? Well- I think in terms of stuff…Dice K still has it. He’s got 3 different fastballs, 2 different kinds of breaking balls, and an above average change up. The problem with Dice K over the years has been attacking the zone with consistency. At times, he’ll fall in love with the corners, not get the benefit of the doubt, and fall behind. Anyone that follows baseball knows how difficult it is to pitch from behind all the time. I believe that stems from his days in Japan where the strike zone is a little bit bigger than an MLB strike zone, and that Dice K is still transitioning to the big leagues. Sure he’s lost a couple MPH on the fastball I was talking about earlier (now sitting around 92-93 instead of 95-96) but most guys do as they get older. Larry Rothschild is one of the best pitching coaches in all of baseball. He has been for quite some time. I believe that he could really help Dice K develop as a pitcher. You can be extremely successful throwing 92-93 with movement, so Dice K still has the advantage.
It wouldn’t hurt that Dice K would be throwing in the national league, which I think would really benefit him, but he has the potential to be a top 2 starter for this team. Assuming they don’t trade Zambrano, don’t trade for Greinke, they still need help from somewhere. Dice K could fit in. The transition to Chicago could also be easier on him if the Cubs don’t trade Kosuke Fukudome. An old foe from the Japan leagues could really lighten the load on Dice K as he makes his way to the north side.
The Cubs do have the pieces to get a deal done, but Dice K also has a no trade clause which will always make it tough. Either way- if he’s on the market…I expect the Cubs to make some sort of pitch. Whether it fans out? That remains to be seen.
