Come To Think Of It...Teahen Not The Cubs Best Option To Fill Lefty Void

We know our Cubs desperately need a lefty hitting slugger to break up the right handed trio of Soriano, Lee and Ramirez. We also know that several names have been thrown out there, perhaps none more so than Kansas City Royals outfielder Mark Teahan.

But don't look for Teahan to be the answer. The reasons are many, though it may come down to a fall-back option for GM Jim Hendry if he can't find a more suitable deal somewhere else.

Teahan hit .255 last season with a pedestrian .313 on-base percentage. His career numbers are slightly better, yet at .268/.332/.421, he hasn't exactly set the world on fire.

Defensively, he has a strong arm, yet his range is limited. He is versatile, which Lou Piniella likes. Teahen has played all three outfield positions, and has even played a handful of games at first and third base.

But instead of settling for someone who has a limited upside, why not think big? After all, it's not my money, folks.

Here are some alternatives, along with a brief pro and con on each. For now, I am only focusing on outfielders.

Adam Dunn: Normally a leftfielder, Dunn would be forced to play right for the Cubs. He strikes out a ton, yet has offensive value because of his penchant for getting on base. His power is very consistent; in fact, he's hit exactly 40 homers in each of the last four seasons. His defense would definitely be a downgrade from Fukudome, and he won't come cheap. But as a free agent, he won't cost anything in terms of players and has seemingly drawn limited interest thus far, so his terms may be reasonable. Even so, he's likely too expensive for Hendry.

Raul Ibanez: Regarded as a class individual on and off the field, his defense is also not very good. But offensively, Ibanez has decent power, hits for average, and draws a fair share of walks. Lou seems to like him but he won't come cheap either. He'll be 37 next June so perhaps a two or three year deal will suffice to land him.

David DeJesus: Now here is an interesting alternative to Teahen. Another Kansas City outfielder, David hits for average and has a little more speed, though he's not fast so he isn't a typical leadoff hitter, even though KC has used him there. Not sure how available he truly is, and he wouldn't provide much power, but is definitely worth a look for Jim Hendry. His line last year was .307/.366/.452, though the soon-to-be 29 year old hit only 12 homers. He hit equally well against both left and right-handed pitchers last year, another plus. He also fits that athletic mold that Lou is always referring to, though his defense is not stellar. DeJesus had the highest average in baseball last year with runners in scoring position.

Brian Giles: I only mention his name because he has been linked by some writers as possibly being part of the Peavy trade. Giles doesn't appear to want to leave San Diego, having declined the opportunity to join the Red Sox late last year. However, for the short term, he might be the perfect fit for the Cubbies. He plays solid defense in right field, and though he doesn't have nearly the power he once displayed, leaving Petco field might help that a bit.  He gets on base, with a career .404 OBP. He will be 38 in January and would earn $11m if traded.

Milton Bradley: Say what you want about his character, there is no denying the man can hit. Despite some well-known issues both on and off the field over the years, Bradley had a relatively quiet monster season last year for Texas. Even recognizing that Texas is a hitters park, it would be exciting to see what he could do in Wrigley Field. He hits for both average and power, and gets on base, At .321/.436/.563, the switch hitter hit well against both left and right handed pitchers in 2008.  The free agent outfielder is not good defensively, however, and has had injury concerns over the years, making a long term investment somewhat risky. Hendry is probably not interested though he should be.

Bobby Abreu: Unlike Bradley, Abreu's name has been linked to the Cubs, likely because he's seemingly more willing to accept a shorter term deal. Abreu also hits for average and some power and will take a walk. This has become a theme of this article, but Abreu's defense is poor. He will be 35 at the start of the 2009 season and the Yankees don't appear all that interested in bringing him back.  His career average is .300 with an OBP of .405.

Though it's by no means an all-inclusive list, it's not a bad collection of candidates for the Cubs to chew on, come to think of it. Who are some other players you think the Cubs have a realistic shot at?