CUBS CLOSE TO ACQUIRING MATT GARZA

According to the good folks over at MLBTRADERUMORS.COM the Chicago Cubs are nearing a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire potential ace Matt Garza for some used tires. Ok not really used tires but some minor leaguers. Here is the latest...

11:54am: The deal is not completely done yet, but it's heading in that direction, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

11:23am: Fernando Perez is going to the Cubs, according to Miles. The 27-year-old outfielder has a .234/.301/.351 line in 107 big league plate appearances. He hit .223/.280/.299 in 426 plate appearances at Triple-A last year.

10:45am: The Cubs and Rays have agreed to a trade that will send Matt Garza to Chicago, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. Chris Archer, Brandon Guyer, Robinson Chirinos, Hak-Ju Lee and Sam Fuld head to Tampa for Garza, a minor-league pitcher and a minor-league outfielder, Levine reports.

Garza, 27, posted a 3.91 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 35.8% ground ball rate in 204 2/3 innings for the Rays last year. He heads to arbitration for the second time this winter and is set to receive a raise from the $3.35MM salary he earned in 2010.

This would be a tremendous pickup for the Cubbies. Garza threw a no-hitter last season for the Rays and I can only imagine how he could dominate the NL Central when it comparison with the AL East. If Carlos Zambrano can rebound from psychoville and be a solid 2/3 along with Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, and Carlos Silva then the Cubs could legitimately compete for the water downed NL Central.