By Paul Sullivan @ Chicago Sports
During their feud with rooftop owners, the Cubs installed dark green wind screens on the back of the bleacher fences, partly obstructing the view of Wrigley Field for the 2002 season.

Two years into an agreement between the club and the local entrepreneurs, with the bleacher expansion project in full swing and less than four months before the 2006 home opener on April 7, relative peace reigns in Wrigleyville.

Not only are the Cubs trying to accommodate their neighbors, they have removed a metal gate from the wall and are leaving an open space in the right-field corner that offers passersby on Sheffield Avenue a free, ground-level view of the action.

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By Bruce Miles
Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2005

All was quiet on the Miguel Tejada front Monday, at least as far as the Cubs were concerned.

The superstar shortstop spent the weekend trying to make nice with the Baltimore Orioles after reportedly saying he wanted to be traded because he was tired of the losing situation there.

The Cubs still need a right fielder. General manager Jim Hendry hasn’t been able to swing a trade — Milton Bradley from the Los Angeles Dodgers seems a dim possibility now — so Hendry may turn to the free-agent market.

One name on Hendry’s radar screen is Jacque Jones, who has spent his seven-year career with the Minnesota Twins. Jones made $5 million this year, and Hendry has had recent exploratory talks with Jones’ agents.

The 30-year-old Jones’ numbers in 2005 were similar to those of Jeromy Burnitz, who played right field for the Cubs. In 142 games with the Twins, Jones batted .249 with 23 home runs, 73 RBI, an on-base percentage of .319 and 120 strikeouts in 523 at-bats.

Burnitz, 36, batted .258 with 24 homers, 87 RBI, an OBP of .322 and 109 strikeouts in 605 at-bats for the Cubs.

The Cubs have liked Jones in the past but never were able to pull off a trade with the Twins.

The Dodgers don’t seem inclined to move Bradley to the Cubs, and multiplayer trades with teams such as Tampa Bay (right fielder Aubrey Huff and shortstop Julio Lugo) and Texas (outfielder Kevin Mench) haven’t taken shape.

In other news, the Cubs will introduce new leadoff man Juan Pierre to the media Wednesday during a Wrigley Field news conference.

The Cubs obtained Pierre last week at the winter meetings in a trade with the Florida Marlins. Hendry gave up pitcher Sergio Mitre and pitching prospects Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto.

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are expected to land their leadoff man Wednesday, according to a high-ranking baseball official.
The Cubs, who lost in the bidding for free agent Rafael Furcal, reached agreement with the Florida Marlins late Tuesday on a trade that would reportedly net Chicago center fielder Juan Pierre in exchange for a package that includes right-hander Sergio Mitre and Double-A pitching prospects Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto.

The Texas Rangers were also in the final mix for Pierre, who batted .276 in 162 games with the Marlins in 2005.

Earlier Tuesday, Cubs GM Jim Hendry wouldn’t confirm that the Cubs were after Pierre, but did confirm that he met with the Marlins, who continue to unload players at a rapid-fire pace.

“If we’re fortunate that they will cooperate, we’ll be happy,” Hendry said.

And since the Marlins did, the Cubs should be, as Chicago’s leadoff spot was a problem in 2005. The team tried eight different players there, and they batted a collective .245.

In other news Tuesday, Hendry dismissed a rumor in which the Cubs were sending Mark Prior to Philadelphia for outfielder Bobby Abreu. Carlos Zambrano also is not on the trading block.

“Carlos Zambrano and Mark Prior are not going to be traded by the Chicago Cubs,” Hendry said.

Chicago Cubs

The Braves haven’t lost shortstop and leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal yet to the Cubs or any other team, according to the free agent’s representative. The team has continued to negotiate almost daily with Furcal.

Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, said Thursday Furcal is still talking with the Braves, Cubs and Dodgers. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry met with Kinzer and Furcal in Atlanta Sunday, and Kinzer met again with Braves officials Wednesday.

“We’re going to talk more,” Kinzer said Thursday of the negotiations with the Braves.

Asked to characterize the Braves’ chances to keep Furcal, Kinzer said “I would say there’s reasonable hope.”

Added Kinzer: “I’m based out of Atlanta. I’d love to keep him here. Ultimately it’s going to be his decision. There has not been a decision made.”

Braves general manager John Schuerholz says the team has continued to negotiate almost daily with Furcal.

“The talks are continuing,” Schuerholz said. “As long as we’re talking, that’s what the process is about.”

Furcal batted .284 with 12 homers, 58 RBIs and a career-best 46 stolen bases last season. He also ranked among the NL leaders with 11 triples.

Kinzer confirmed Thursday that Furcal has turned down bigger offers from other teams he would not name.

“There were more years and more money on the table from a few other teams,” Kinzer said.

“All along he’s wanted to go to a city he’s comfortable in, a city and team that he has a good comfort level with. Obviously he’s interested in his security for the future. So we’re going to sit down and look at all this.”

Furcal is friends with Cubs infielders Aramis Ramirez and Neifi Perez, and he has a long respect for the Dodgers based on that organization’s strong presence in his native Dominican Republic, Kinzer said.

Furcal has deep ties to Atlanta, where he was the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year.

Manager Bobby Cox and Braves management stuck with the shortstop when Furcal spent 13 days in jail and four weeks in an alcohol treatment center last winter following Furcal’s second conviction for drunken driving.

Furcal also has close friends on the team, including veteran Andruw Jones. Furcal and Jones sat courtside together at an Atlanta Hawks home game Wednesday night. Furcal would not answer questions about his free-agent decision.

“I wish he would come back,” Jones said recently. “I know a lot of teams want a guy like him on their team. People are going to offer money. I’m just saying, if the Braves don’t offer the right money, other teams are going to pick him up. If they don’t offer the right money, he’s probably not going to be back.”

Kinzer says he still hopes to have a deal before baseball’s winter meetings begin Monday in Dallas.

“We’re still hoping to have it done,” he said. “If it takes a little longer there’s no drop-dead date etched in stone. Everybody involved would like to have it done before the winter meetings.”

The Braves have Wilson Betemit ready as a possible replacement at shortstop. The 6-foot-3 Betemit has intriguing power potential, but he is not a leadoff hitter.

The Braves gained financial flexibility when third baseman Chipper Jones recently agreed to restructure his contract, reducing his salary from $17 million to $11 million in 2006.