Cubs have some valuable parts to sell

For all the criticism of the Cubs' bad contracts, they might be able to capitalize on a couple of veterans on their way out the door.

As they begin the process of selling off players, collecting prospects and banking cash for the future, the Cubs have marketable assets in Carlos Pena — who's hot — and Kosuke Fukudome — who has the top on-base percentage (.397) of any leadoff man in the game.

The 34-year-old Fukudome is at the end of his contract, is owed another $7 million for this season, and he's got no-trade protection, meaning he'd certainly ask for an extension before accepting a deal.

The 33-year-old Pena is owed about $7.5 million ($5 million deferred until January) and is an intriguing potential acquisition now that he's swinging the bat — with 5 homers and 8 RBI in his last six starts. He's also a terrific clubhouse guy with a great glove.

Left-handed reliever John Grabow, 32, has only $2.5 million left on his deal, so he will probably draw some interest from contending teams if he pitches well in July.

Kerry Wood, 34, is inexpensive (less than a million dollars remaining) and would be a hot commodity if the Cubs put him up for auction, but he didn't come home just to get traded.

On the other hand, if Wood went somewhere for two months he might have a chance at a ring, and the Cubs could always re-sign him after the season.

Plus, he could help the team in the process by getting the Cubs a prospect in return if he were willing to go somewhere for a short time.

Most of the other players coming off the payroll, or a year away from it, are less attractive because of sluggish performance, big salaries or no-trade clauses, so it would take more creativity to move them.

But in the case of someone like Pena — a signing that was criticized here — the Cubs have paid just a quarter of that $10 million thus far, and if they can steal a prospect or two in a trade, the Pena signing could wind up looking quite smart.

Riggleman out

Very odd situation with Jim Riggleman quitting as manager of Washington on Thursday. The Nats are playing their best ball ever and Riggleman is a terrific manager, but he had just three months and an option year left on his contract.

Mike Rizzo is also a first-class person and GM, and he's the one who brought in Riggleman, so this sounds like something that may have come from above, where perhaps ownership wants a bigger name managing the team next season.

It's a shame, but Riggleman has had to work on short deals with lousy teams his entire managerial career, from San Diego to Chicago to Washington, and it sounds like he just had enough of the short leash.

Sandberg available

If Rizzo needs name recognition, not to mention discipline and a good teacher for his very young and talented club, Ryne Sandberg's working about 30 minutes away by private jet.

Soriano saga

You can never be certain what's on a player's mind when he speaks, and there's more room for interpretation when there's a language barrier.

But Alfonso Soriano's a good guy and he's always handled the booing at Wrigley Field pretty well, understanding that when you're bad at baseball you're going to hear about it.

So his comments in the Sun-Times on Wednesday about Chicago fans booing didn't strike me as all that troubling.

Soriano may be a lot of things, but he's not a bad guy.

On the move

In April 2010, the White Sox signed pitcher Dylan Axelrod — nephew of agent Barry Axelrod — to a minor league, free-agent contract, probably for organizational depth.

But they may have found themselves a player. The 25-year-old Axelrod recently moved up to Triple-A Charlotte, where he's made 2 starts and allowed 2 earned runs in 13⅔ innings with 13 strikeouts against 2 walks and a 0.951 WHIP.

“He's dealing right now,” said Jake Peavy, who saw Axelrod at Charlotte. “He's throwing about 93 (mph) and locating. He's going to pitch in the big leagues.”

Smart move

Credit where it's due, it would have been tempting for Mike Quade to go another inning with Chris Carpenter on Wednesday night, but the kid had a good inning and it was wise to get him out of there and let him feel good about an outing.

Quade doesn't have much choice but to manage for today, given his position, but this was a clear case of managing for tomorrow.

Strasburg update

Nats GM Mike Rizzo said Stephen Strasburg's rehab from Tommy John surgery is on track so far and he expects the phenom to pitch for Washington late this season.

“He's doing great and we're going to get him some starts if all continues to go well,” Rizzo said. “The more innings we get him this year, the stronger he'll be next year.”

NFL talks

E-mailer the Last Bear Fan: “Amid the hand-wringing and number-crunching as the owners and players decide how to divvy up the pie, the one number I haven't heard in quite awhile is 18 — as in games. Looks like those fans the league and union profess to care so much about are going to continue to get jammed with paying for and watching two meaningless preseason home games — as if there was ever any doubt.”

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: “Derek Jeter just 6 squib grounders, shallow bloops away from 3,000 hits.”

And finally ...

NBC's Jimmy Fallon: “President Obama and John Boehner played golf against Joe Biden and they won $2. Just 7 trillion more rounds like this and we'll pay off that deficit in no time.”

brozner@dailyherald.com

Ÿ Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM.