CHICAGO -- Mark Grace resisted sentimentality when the Cubs played the Phillies on September 28. There was speculation that it might be his final game at Wrigley Field in a Cubs uniform, yet he told anyone who asked that he expected to return next year.
It takes two to tango, however.
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| 2000 SEASON STATISTICS |
| GM |
HR |
RBI |
R |
OBP |
AVG |
| 143 |
11 |
82 |
75 |
.394 |
.280 |
|
|
While the Diamondbacks and a handful of other teams have contacted agent Barry Axelrod about signing the 36-year-old Grace for 2001 and beyond, the Cubs have left their popular first baseman hanging. Grace appears to have little choice but to sign elsewhere, most likely preceding Sammy Sosa's departure in a remarkable housecleaning by an unproductive franchise.
"We haven't cracked the 70-win barrier in two seasons now," said Cubs president/general manager Andy MacPhail. "Clearly the current formula is not working. That's no individual's fault. Since I'm in charge of the day-to-day operation, I'm going to change our priority to pitching. I've been clear about that since the season ended."
It's one thing for a baseball team to be old or to be bad. It's another thing entirely for that team to be old and bad, which has been the case with the Cubs the last two years.
Before MacPhail acquired Rondell White last July, third baseman Willie Greene was the only regular under 30 in the Cubs' lineup. Yet these veterans not only stumbled to a second consecutive last-place finish in the NL Central but saw their record fall to 100-169 since June 9, 1999. The .372 winning percentage makes this the worst extended period in franchise history.
MacPhail knows he is making a politically dangerous move by not re-signing Grace, who has 2,201 career hits over 13 seasons. But he believes the time is right to use less-expensive alternatives at first base while chasing Turk Wendell and other free-agent pitchers with the $5.3 million that Grace earned in 2000.
"It's like putting parts into an old car," a scout for a rival National League franchise said. "At what point do you just junk the car?"
For the record, MacPhail says he hasn't ruled Grace out of his 2001 plans. But Grace isn't interested in being a fallback possibility. His feelings have been wounded by MacPhail's indifference.
"To be honest, this has been the easiest decision I've ever had to make," said Grace, who hit .280 with 11 homers and 82 RBI last season, his first sub-.300 year since 1994. "[MacPhail has] made it crystal clear he doesn't want me around anymore. That takes a lot of the heartache out of it. Now, I just have to move on. When your boss doesn't want you back, you have to go get work elsewhere, and that's what I'm doing."
Grace, who was personally courted by Jerry Colangelo two weekends ago, has an offer on the table from the Diamondbacks. Axelrod says he has at least one offer elsewhere, possibly from Atlanta. Cleveland and Detroit expressed interest. The San Francisco called, asking if Grace would consider playing some outfield.
"I've asked myself a lot of questions and have had a lot of help from friends and family," Grace said in an interview with the Arlington (Ill.) Daily Herald. "I've got a couple or three years left in me. I said, 'Are the Cubs going to be a contender for the rest of my career?' My answer was no. If I'm going to win, I have to find somewhere else to go."
Twenty-one-year-old Korean Hee Seop Choi is the Cubs' first baseman of the future. He hit .298 with 25 homers and 95 RBI between Class A and AA last year, helping West Tenn win the Southern League championship, and was named one of the best prospects in the just-completed Arizona Fall League. But Choi is not the only intriguing first baseman in the organization.
With Grace gone, the Cubs can take a long look at 26-year-old overachiever Julio Zuleta. He has never been considered a top prospect, but has hit .312 with 68 homers and 309 RBI over the last three seasons. In 30 games (68 at-bats) over three stints with the Cubs last year, he hit .294 with three home runs.
While the right-handed-hitting Zuleta rarely started back-to-back games for Don Baylor, his OPS (on-base plus slugging) with the Cubs was higher than Grace's -- .886 to .823. He finished the season hitting .309 with 29 homers and 106 RBI in 137 games between Triple-A Iowa and the Cubs. Those are hitters' numbers.
"Based on his play the last few years, plus how he handled himself up here, he's earned the right to play here," MacPhail said. "How much he plays will be determined by Don Baylor and how well he plays. He's earned the opportunity to be a part of the ballclub."
Matt Stairs, acquired from Oakland last week, and Ross Gload (.302-31-107 between Double-A, Triple-A and the Cubs) provide left-handed options at first base.
Grace's contributions went beyond raw numbers. He is unparalleled as a clubhouse spokesman, often deflecting attention from Sosa and other teammates after losses. He's the type of veteran presence that brings leadership to a rebuilding team.
"We've done that and tried that," MacPhail said. "We've found we were still in last place. If you really want to get better, you're always going to have to take some chances -- improve the pitching, let younger players play. If we do have a position with some depth in the upper levels of the minors, it's first base."
Phil Rogers is the national baseball writer for the Chicago Tribune, which has a web site at www.chicagosports.com.
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