If this is true, then the front office needs to be fired.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cubs rejected a trade offer that would have sent right-hander Edwin Jackson to the Braves for outfielder B.J. Upton. They were teammates while with the Rays a few years ago. The two
sides discussed the deal before the trade deadline in July.
A Jackson-for-Upton swap would be the epitome of a bad contract-for-bad
contract deal. Jackson is owed approximately $24 million through the
2016 season while Upton has roughly $49 million left on his deal, which
runs through 2017. Nightengale says Atlanta would have had to kick in
quite a bit of money to facilitate a trade.
Jackson, 30, is 6-14 with a 6.09 ERA in 26 starts and 139 innings for
the Cubs this year. He is 14-32 with a 5.47 ERA since signing a
four-year, $52 million contract prior to last season. Jackson was just
placed on the disabled list with a lat strain and there's been talk of
moving him to the bullpen.
The 30-year-old Upton is hitting .208/.282/.329 (71 OPS+) with nine home
runs and 18 stolen bases this year, which is better than the
.184/.268/.289 (54 OPS+) line he put up last season. The Braves gave
Upton a five-year, $72.25 million contract prior to 2013.
Apologists for the Cubs not pulling the trigger on the deal state that since the Cubs,
who have a ton of position player prospects on the way, the team don't need
someone like Upton clogging up payroll and a lineup spot. However, this is clearly not the case. The Cubs have no legitimate starting outfielder on the
roster; Upton would have been their best OF player this season. The Cubs have a
second baseman patrolling center field for the first time in his professional career. And if Upton does bounce back with a change of scenery, let the rookies "earn" a starting spot.
In my opinion, it is much easier to get a veteran hitter back on track than a pitcher that plain sucks. The Cubs regularly play players hitting under the Mendoza line so having Upton on the roster would not have been unusual. And if did not perform well, sit him on the pines like Schierholtz.
It is not that Jackson helped his cause by being an innings eater. He only averaged 5.3 IP/start. He led the majors in earned runs allowed. And he was brutal in the first two innings, leaving the Cubs well behind in games he started. Jackson amassed an unbelievably bad NEGATIVE 1.9 WAR this season.
If some other team wanted him, you trade him faster than lightning. Period.
But the Cubs failed to do so. A major error by the front office because there was no reason to keep him.
