Floyd, Trachsel file for free agency
Cubs pair joins list of players testing the open market
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com



Outfielder Cliff Floyd and pitcher Steve Trachsel on Wednesday joined the list of Cubs who have formally filed for free agency.

The Cubs have exclusive negotiating rights with Floyd, Trachsel, pitcher Kerry Wood and catcher Jason Kendall until Nov. 12, but players rarely negotiate during that window. Instead, they wait to hit the open market and listen to offers from all 30 teams.

Floyd, who turns 35 on Dec. 5, hit .284 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs in 282 at-bats for the Cubs. Floyd hit four of his nine home runs in September.

Floyd reportedly mulled retirement in August after the death of his father, but told the Chicago Sun Times in October that he would be open to returning to the Cubs for another season if the playing time was there. Last week, Floyd told the Palm Beach Post that he would also be open to returning to Florida, where he played from 1997-July 2002, winning a World Series.

But Floyd did not sound interested in riding the bench.

"I'm not going searching for an opportunity to make nobody's team," Floyd told the Sun Times. "That's not what I'm looking forward to doing.''

Floyd earned $3 million in 2007 on a one-year contract with the Cubs, his hometown team. He did not reach the incentives that would have triggered a 2008 option, and so he joined the 120 players through Wednesday night who had filed for free agency.

The Cubs acquired Trachsel at the end of August from Baltimore. He went 1-3 with an 8.31 ERA with Chicago. He was left off the roster for the NL Division Series.

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Good riddence to Trachsel.

The Cubs should consider resigning Wood, and as for Kendall, they should go after Jorge Posada instead and have Soto back him up.

And to Floyd. They need to get more production of their outfield next season.

They need to get more production as well with their pitchers, the infielders, the coaches, and throw the Beer guy in there as well for the hell of it...

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SideshowBob311: "Sadly enough, I think we're the "intelligent" portion of the sports radio fanbase".
"I make fun of whoever sucks, including me"- Harry 11/30/07

all the GMs are jumping now with the possibility to sign another crappy pitcher.