MILWAUKEE -- The Chicago Cubs made a pair of trades Tuesday,
getting outfielder Ben Grieve from the Milwaukee Brewers and
acquiring backup catcher Mike DiFelice from the Detroit Tigers.
The deals came on the final day for teams to obtain players and
have them be eligible for postseason rosters. The Cubs led the NL
wild-card race going into Tuesday night's game at Montreal.
"We just felt it was the right time to try do something, and it
also covers us if we're close enough to make the playoffs that we
might have some alternatives now that we didn't have before
today," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.
Chicago sent a minor league player to be named and cash to the
Brewers for Grieve, who recently returned to full strength after a
nagging calf injury cut into his playing time in right field. The
Cubs gave up a player to be named for DiFelice.
"I was surprised when they told me," Grieve said after packing
his bags at Miller Park. "I haven't been playing too much lately,
so I haven't been getting too many at-bats and I was surprised
someone even was watching me play."
Grieve, 28, hit .261 with seven home runs and 29 RBIss in 108
games for Milwaukee. He was 9-for-37 as a pinch-hitter, which will
be his role with the Cubs.
"Once I found out I was traded, I was glad it was the Chicago
Cubs," Grieve said. "It's pretty obvious that it's a pretty good
team to go to, it's right there in the playoff hunt still. They've
got 15-20 guys on their team that are pretty big names."
Including right fielder Sammy Sosa.
So where does that leave Grieve?
"On the bench," Grieve said with a laugh. "I probably will be
doing the same thing I was doing here: Maybe coming in late in the
game and pinch-hitting off a right-handed pitcher."
Grieve, not known for his defense, took his decreased playing
time in stride as Brady Clark became the Brewers' primary right
fielder.
"Brady's been playing well out in right field, playing good
defense, putting up good at-bats," Grieve said. "Everyone wants
to play and get at-bats, but I don't go home at night ticked off or
disappointed or anything like that. I'm sure a lot of guys would.
But stuff like that's out of my control. I don't worry about it. I
hope to see my name in the lineup everyday but when it's not, I
just go do my work."
Hendry said Grieve might join the Cubs in Montreal on Wednesday.
"We haven't finalized our plans with Ben," Hendry said.
"There's a possibility Ben will be there (Wednesday)."
DiFelice was told to meet the team in Florida, where it begins a
three-game series Friday.
"Mike's got a lot of experience," Hendry said. "He's been
with contending clubs before so he's great insurance if something
happens."
Grieve was the 1998 AL Rookie of the Year with Oakland, later
played for Tampa Bay and signed as a free agent with Milwaukee last
winter. He is a career .268 hitter with 117 home runs and 485 RBIss.
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Hendry called him about
1:30 p.m. and the deal was done within 90 minutes -- after the
Florida Marlins also expressed interest in Grieve.
"I said I wouldn't stand in Ben's way of going to a pennant
race at this time because we're going to be bringing up some
younger guys," Melvin said.
The Brewers recalled outfielder Dave Krynzel from Triple-A
Indianapolis to take Grieve's roster spot. He hit .276 with six
home runs and 26 RBIss in 69 games.
The Brewers' first-round pick in the 2000 draft got a go-ahead,
two-run single in the eighth inning Tuesday to lift Indianapolis
over Toledo 3-2. Krynzel, 22, who missed several months this season
after breaking his left foot with a foul ball in April, will be
making his major league debut. Melvin said he'll arrive in
Milwaukee on Wednesday.
DiFelice spent most the season with Triple-A Toledo, hitting
.270 with 36 RBIss in 64 games. He spent about a month with Detroit
and played 13 games, batting .136 with two RBIss in 22 at-bats.
DiFelice, 35, also has played with St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Arizona
and Kansas City. He is a career .240 hitter with 28 home runs and
157 RBIss.