Major League Baseball threw a big party today with signings all over the place. I’m assuming it was to celebrate the 24th Anniversary of the Bears winning the Super Bowl.

The Cubs finally named their 4th outfielder – Xavier Nady. I’m sure Cubs fans are already brainstorming nicknames based around the letter “X”. What impresses me most about Nady is that his actual name is Xavier Clifford Nady VI. The SIXTH! So this season, I will refer to Nady as: Cliffy Six Nad. I checked Google, and nobody has beat me to that nickname. Cubs fans, it’s my honor to introduce to you, Cliffy Six Nad:

Perhaps female Cubs fans will finally have their replacement for Mark Derosa.  The biggest news in this signing is that Reed Johnson is good as gone.  Thanks for eating that fence in Toronto and robbing Prince Fielder, Reed.

In other news, the Cubs signed Chad Tracy.  Tracy will be 30 this year and has mainly played first base and third base in six season with Arizona.  He’s a left-handed hitter with some pop.  His most productive season was 2004, when he hit 27 homeruns and batted .308.

When the Cubs signed Marlon Byrd, I found humor in his Baseball-Reference.com profile stating that the most similar batter to Byrd was Reed Johnson.  Who is the most similar batter to Chad Tracy?  Xavier Nady.  Eighth most similar batter to Tracy?  Marlon Byrd.  Third most similar batter at age 29?  Milton Bradley.

Oh yeah, and the Cardinals signed Rich Hill.  It is now guaranteed that he will baffle the Cubs line-up and post a double-digit win total in 2010.

Filed under: Former Cubs, Infield, Management, Outfield