Chicago

On Thursday, the Kansas City Royals released first baseman Mike Jacobs.

Should the Chicago Cubs give Jacobs a call?

There are a couple reasons Jacobs intrigues me as a free agent, the biggest of which is that he would bring something the Cubs' bench currently lacks: power.

On Friday morning, the White Sox signed free agent reliever J.J. Putz to a one-year, $3 million deal. The contract reportedly has incentives that could make it worth as much as $6 million.

The Cubs were reportedly interested in Putz, among other teams, but have been handicapped by their inability to move Milton Bradley.

Putz likely replaces the departed Octavio Dotel in the Sox bullpen but could close if the Sox decide to move closer Bobby Jenks.

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One of the hottest rumors flying around Thursday at baseball's Winter Meetings is that the Boston Red Sox have agreed to trade third baseman Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for minor league catcher Max Ramirez.

Lowell, who has dealt with numerous injuries over the past few seasons, is set to make $12 million in 2010, while Ramirez's salary is substantially less; Ramirez made $402,000 last year.

With the dust still settling from the acquisition of Curtis Granderson in New York, the Yankees have some decisions to make about their 2010 outfield.

What happens to Melky Cabrera? Do they entertain the idea of bringing back Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui? Are they done adding outfielders?

This might be the perfect time for the Chicago Cubs to give the Bronx Bombers a call and ask about Nick Swisher's availability.

Is this heaven? No, Mr. Sandberg, it's Iowa!

Reports are that the Chicago Cubs have promoted Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg to the bench in Iowa as the manager of their Triple-A affiliate.

Somewhere, Joe Morgan is telling someone that Sandberg can't manage, either.

Baseball's Winter Meetings have begun, and there isn't a team with as clear-cut a mission this week as the Chicago Cubs: get rid of Milton Bradley.

It appears Cubs GM Jim Hendry will do everything in his power to unload the switch-hitting outfielder/designated hitter this week after the marriage between the volatile Bradley and the organization, and Cubs fans, went south in terribly public fashion.

Back in July, there were some people that thought the Cubs should have traded pitcher Rich Harden. I was among those that though Harden, having a good, healthy season, had arguably the highest trade value of his career and could have helped the future of the Cubs at the expense of a lost 2009 campaign.

Cubs GM Jim Hendry didn't agree; Harden stayed in Chicago.

Then, in August, we learned that the Minnesota Twins placed a waiver claim on Harden. Around the same time the Anaheim Angels won a waiver claim on, and paid a fairly steep price for, an underwhelming Scott Kazmir.

It was 103 years ago. To some, it seems as if it were yesterday. The 1906 Chicago Cubs won 116 games while losing a mere 36 for a .763 winning percentage.

There aren't many individuals who could name the 1906 Cubs lineup or pitching staff. How fleeting is fame.

Manager and First Baseman Frank Chance, the Peerless Leader

Success follows John McDonough wherever he goes.

McDonough, the current president of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, previously spent a quarter of a century as a rising executive with the Cubs. During that space of time, McDonough's revolutionary ideas changed the entire face of the Cubs' franchise.

From 1983 to 2007, the North Siders had nine winning seasons, as many as they had previously compiled since 1940. They attained the post-season five times, as many as they had made since 1919.