MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) -- The Chicago Cubs, desperate for a closer, got
reliever Antonio Alfonseca from the Florida Marlins in a six-player trade
Wednesday.

The Marlins sent Alfonseca and pitcher Matt Clement to the Cubs for pitcher
Julian Tavarez and three minor leaguers -- pitchers Jose Cueto and
Dontrelle Willis and catcher Ryan Jorgensen.

The Cubs had been searching for a closer since Tom Gordon tore a muscle
in his right shoulder March 5, an injury they originally said would sideline him
for three months. Chicago then tried without success to pry free agent Jeff
Shaw out of retirement.

Alfonseca, 30 next month, was 4-4 with 28 saves and a 3.06 ERA last
season. He was among the few players left from the Marlins team that won
the 1997 World Series.

Alfonseca led the majors with 45 saves in 2000.

Tavarez was 10-9 with a 4.52 ERA last season. After Gordon was hurt, the
Cubs had talked about possibly shifting him to the bullpen, a move that
Tavarez did not favor.

Will Tavarez now be Florida's closer? Anyone know? Please tell me quick!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by lawrenceterp:
Will Tavarez now be Florida's closer? Anyone know? Please tell me quick!</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I doubt it. He wants innings.....Look for him to be a long reliever/spot starter.

Is Clement going to start for the Cubbies?

Yeah I think he will

What's that???

All I see is a Red X

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />

LMAO! I'm RickHeel's stalker....following his PPPP trail around these "little boards"

<img border="0" alt="[Laughing]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughing]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughing]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughing]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />