According to multiple sources, the Washington Nationals have traded three "mid-level" minor league prospects to the Chicago Cubs for 28 year old left handed pitcher Tom Gorzelanny.
Sources also have said two of the three prospects are OF Michael Burgess and RHP A.J. Morris.
Gorzelanny has pitched for the Pirates and Cubs in his six year Major League career, and has bounced between the rotation and bullpen most of his career. He owns a 4.69 ERA and 1.496 WHIP with a 6.6 Ks per nine innings, but also walks 4.1 per nine.
Gorzelanny became expendable to the Cubs after they traded for Matt Garza last week from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Burgess is a power hitting corner outfielder, and Morris a strong right-hander that projects as a No. 5 starter or bullpen arm.
This move might help the 2011 rotation, but Gorzelanny is not a long-term answer, and certainly a far cry from the "top of the rotation" starter GM Mike Rizzo wanted to acquire this off-season.
Gorzelanny is arbitration eligible and is due a raise from his $800,000 salary from last season.
He will compete with Livan Hernandez, John Lannan, Jason Marquis, Jordan Zimmermann, Yunesky Maya, Ross Detwiler, J.D. Martin, Garrett Mock and others for a position in the starting rotation in spring training.
We'll have more information and analysis as this deal becomes finalized.
I'll be interested to see how the arbitration numbers shake out because that could give a little insight as to why the Cubs are parting with him so soon. In a lot of ways, I'd almost hope the number is higher, suggesting that the Cubs are dumping a guy who they didn't want to battle with in arbitration instead of a guy that they wanted to dump because he didn't have a spot on their 25 and doesn't have options.