Cubs sign Burnitz, pending Sosa trade

[Gertie]

From ESPN.com's rumor mill:

Feb. 2 - Jeromy Burnitz and the Cubs have neared an agreement on a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2006, The Associated Press reports. The deal won't be finalized until the Sammy Sosa trade is completed. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Cubs outbid the Pirates by giving the 35-year-old outfielder a guaranteed $5 million. Burnitz will make $4.5 million this season and get a $500,000 buyout for 2006 if the Cubs decline a $7 million option. The Pirates' best offer was believed to be for one-year and $3.75 million, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The Diamondbacks have taken a serious look at Burnitz as a center-field solution, Insider's Jerry Crasnick reports. Arizona GM Joe Garagiola, who has also been involved in trade talks for Oakland's Eric Byrnes and the Mets' Mike Cameron, spoke twice recently with Burnitz's agent.

[Soxfan#1]

Well magglio is out of the picture.

[stocker323]

I didn't think the Cubs had much interest in Maggs to begiin with, I think he'll end up on the Mets or in Detroit. As for Burnitz I think it just downgrades the Cubs more, they already haven't had a very good offseason and I doubt Burnitz can hit 30 plus homers again, now that he's not in Colorado, although I believe Wrigley is a hitter's park.

[Gertie]

Magglio's pretty much definitely Detroit-bound right now. No other team is willing to give him a huge multi-year deal, so his options are basically either to sign with the Tigers now, or wait it out and pray some other team gets desperate. My money's on option one.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

I hope Maggs signs with Detriot. I always liked Detriot. If he does, Detroit could be dangerous. hell, they could get to .500

[Joeroafan]

Tigers baby yea