Cubs, Nady seal deal
The Cubs finalized their one-year deal with free-agent outfielder Xavier Nady on Friday.
Nady, 31, reportedly will receive $3.3 million to come to the North Side. The former Yankees outfielder could earn up to $2 million in performance incentives based on games played.
Nady is coming off of a second Tommy John surgery that limited him to seven games in 2009, and he had to pass a physical before officially joining the Cubs. He combined for 25 home runs and 97 RBIs with the Pirates and Yankees in his last healthy season in 2008.
Nady (6-0, 180) bats and throws right-handed. He is a career .308 hitter against left-handed pitchers and a career .270 hitter against right-handed pitchers, and he has hit .304 in 28 games at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs expect Nady to platoon with Kosuke Fukudome in right field along with providing occasional breaks for Alfonso Soriano and Derrek Lee.
The Cubs also had interest in Jermaine Dye, Jonny Gomes and Reed Johnson for their fourth outfielder position. Those players appear to be out of the picture with Nady on board.
Nady, who lives in San Diego, already has made his mark on Cubs' history. According to the team, he is the first player in franchise history to have his first name begin with the letter "X."
-Tom Musick
