National Treasure

No, you're not seeing double -- this isn't a repeat of my review of the Nicolas Cage movie.

Instead, this is a brief review of today's Mike Kiley article in the Sun-Times in which he states there is a new potential suitor for Sammy Sosa -- the Nationals.

It's hard to get used to saying that name for a major league team, considering that no one under the age of about 38 or so would remember the last time a major league franchise moved or changed names (not counting the Angels' change to "Anaheim" in 1997), also involving Washington.

Kiley writes that new Washington GM Jim Bowden wants to make a splash with the ballclub, and even with Sosa's woes, he's got a big name, and would probably help the franchise sell tickets.

In that sense, DC might be the best deal that Jim Hendry could make. Looking up and down the Nationals' roster, I can't see a single player that a) the Cubs would want and b) Bowden would want to deal.

Sure, I'd love for the Cubs to have Brad Wilkerson, but he's probably the Nats' (and isn't that a dumb shorted nickname?) best player, and he's barely paid more than the major league minimum. Further, there aren't really any prospects on the Washington 40-man roster that would interest me, and I'm not really that familiar with their farm system.

This actually could be a case where, if Bowden wants to make enough of a splash, he'd agree to accept most of Sosa's contract in exchange for a couple of prospects, the Cubs could eat a small amount of it, and then could go after Carlos Beltran. Of course, that would give the Cubs two outfield holes to fill. They'd have two choices:

1) try a platoon of Todd Hollandsworth and Jason Dubois for a year, if it works, keep it going, otherwise sign or trade for someone next offseason;

2) sign Magglio Ordonez for a year to an incentive-laden contract.

This idea intrigues me, and it ought to intrigue Sosa. The Nationals have, from their deals to date, put everyone on notice that they intend to contend soon, if not now, and for Sammy, it gives him what amounts to a big-market exposure in the nation's capital.

Do it, Jim Hendry, if you can.