Chicago Cubs Baseball

Unlike the Arizona sun, the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles will not be settling in the west for the services of Brian Roberts. It appears the Cubs will have to return to sweet home Chicago for that.

At least according to Orioles’ GM Andy MacPhail.

“I think with each passing hour, at this point, it’s less and less likely. … The further we get this close into (the regular season), the greater likelihood that we’re going to start with what we have,” MacPhail said of the potential Roberts trade.

Which makes exactly two parties happy - the two with the most to lose. Oriole fans and current Chicago Cub second baseman Mark DeRosa.

Quick. Who’s the last two home grown players the Baltimore farm system has developed? If you named Cal Ripken and Roberts you are on your way to the baseball trivia hall of fame. And probably one of the main reasons behind MacPhail’s difficult decision.

Roberts is as close to a “Face of the Franchise” as the Orioles get these days. Unless, of course, you count Baltimore owner Peter Angelos.

That happens when your farm system develops one player every 20 years. If nothing, it says a whole lot about Orioles’ fans, and even more about the Baltimore franchise.

Which is another roadblock standing between Roberts and Cubbie blue. Apparently the switch-hitting second baseman has a higher asking price than Chicago GM Jim Hendry is willing to yield. Top Cub pitching prospect Donnie Veal has been mentioned in a possible Roberts’ deal, as has fellow pitchers Sean Gallagher and Jose Ceda as well as infielder Ronnie Cedeno.

As much as Roberts could bring to the lineup it does seem like a heavy price to pay when Hendry and Piniella both keep reminding Cubdom how much they like the makeup of the 2008 Cubs.

Fans anticipating Roberts in Chicago pin stripes shouldn’t despair. The trade for Roberts could still flip faster than a Lou Piniella lineup card given the right criteria.

Pssst. Spring training invitee and infielder Alex Cintron left Chicago Cubs baseball today to pursue free agency. If that isn’t a sign Roberts is on the way, I don’t what is.