Cubs Are Pretty Well Fuked

Today, Dave Kaplan posted on his blog that the Cubs are not being coy about their desire to trade Kosuke Fukudome.

"My sources tell me that Cubs GM Jim Hendry has offered to pick up the bulk of the remaining dollars on the 2010 commitment and half of the money in 2011 but so far has found no takers for the under performing right fielder."

With Kosuke owed ~$8 million this year and $14 million next year, that means that Hendry is willing to pay ~$15 million to free up the roster spot.  It also means that a trade partner would only have to pay one middling-to-below-average prospect and $7 million for a year and a half of Fukudome.  The problem is, Fukudome is a .6 WAR player right now, which is barely above what a team should expect from any random call-up from AAA.  Think Roosevelt Brown, Ozzie Timmons, Scott Bullett, or any of the other random outfielders the Cubs used to call up in the 90s.  Would you pay $7 million for any of those players? 

 
Neither would I. 
 
Let's face it, if Hendry isn't even getting interest from the Baltimore Orioles, who will take any Cubs outfield castoff (Patterson, Pie, Montanez, Sosa, and now Jake Fox), the outlook for moving Fukudome is pretty bleak.