Winter Meetings Update
Here's the deal, I'll post updates at the top as I have time, since most are Twitter stories, just look at the Twitter box for the link if you must.
3:08 PM CST: Nick Cafardo says Red Sox offered 3/38 for Victorino, don't see the Cubs getting near that.
Dale Sveum had a press conference, said Matt Garza ready to start pitching by end of month and was impressed by Javier Baez's bat speed using the Gary Sheffield comp that's been thrown out a lot.
1:18 PM CST: Muskat scares the Cubs' world by tweeting that Cubs are looking at Yunielsky Betancourt for third base.
12:00 PM CST: Jerry Crasnick says Cubs checking in on Shane Victorino, Red Sox and Yankees as well. Indians seem to have the most interest though at the moment. Says Reds and Braves not so much with the interest and calls Phillies interest "tepid". Shane looking for a 3 to 4 year deal after seeing Upton and Pagan sign.
...and away we go.
- The big rumor this morning came from Jayson Stark where he mentioned the Cubs among one of four suitors for the recently traded Yunel Escobar (Rays, A's and Yankees were the other teams mentioned). I imagine the Cubs see him as a possible option at third base. Regardless of his past and potential future performance, he's the jack-ass that advertised homophobic slurs on his eye black, so hoping the Cubs just pass on this one.
The rest of the news is from yesterday.
- Jim Deshaies will be the new color guy for television, replacing Bob Brenly. The Internet seems to be cheering the move. The neanderthals seem to dislike it because he doesn't have any Cubs' ties. Good grief.
- Ian Stewart has received a clean bill of health on his wrist. I imagine he'll have a few suitors for around $2M a year.
- Some continued Cubs' interest in Brandon McCarthy.
- Dan Haren ends up going to the Nationals on a one year/$13M deal. Danny Knobler yesterday had an article confirming that the medicals were why the Cubs balked at the Haren/Marmol trade. Cubs apparently were still willing to do the deal, but wanted the Angels to chip in more cash and the teams couldn't hash out a deal before the deadline.
- Theo said the Cubs are looking for a right fielder because of the market and DeJesus will play center field. He's not opposed to a platoon in right or third base either.
"My right big toe is kind of sore, why do you ask?"
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Somewhere in the Cubs locker room, Bill Murray chimes in...
"an Army without leaders is like a foot without a big toe"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtbBmwgxKc0
I wonder how what converstion went.
"Hey Shawn, do you have anything that hurts?"
"My right big toe is kind of sore, why do you ask?"
i'm not sure the author of that report knows what "lights-out" reliever means.
if he means a reliever with spotty control that will throw 20+ pitches an inning in AAA is "lights-out" i wonder how high the praise goes for someone that deserves it.
he's got good velocity at least. he's worth taking a chance on.
s.camp on the DL (evidently sucking is an injury these days) with a "sprained right big toe" (no, seriously)...r.dolis up
File this under the banner of how's the Cubs organizational depth coming along...
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Must have stubbed that toe throwing the grand slam last night. How convenient.
per Roto...
But for 2013 the Cubs rotation depth is greatly improved.
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JB: I completely agree about the 2013 improvement.
In fact, the debacle that was 2012 was accelerated when Maholm/Dempster/Garza were gone which is a tough nut to crack for any team. If the trade deadline subtracts 2 starters this year from the Cubs they likely will have Villanueva and even Scott Baker should be ready by then...and if not then one AAA guy (Rusin, Vizcaino).
But for 2013 the Cubs rotation depth is greatly improved. Villanueva just shifted to the bullpen, Rusin is pitching well enough in Iowa that a half-dozen MLB teams would promote him today to their rotations, and this is all in spite of the total washout that is Scott Baker.
As for the Cardinals, they called up Tyler Lyons. His control will keep him in games, but I don't think he's about to embark a Hall of Fame career.
per mlbtr...StL starting lefty, Jaime Garcia to undergo shoulder labrum repair after seeing Dr. Andrews and is out for the rest of the year. Some quote about Andrews surprised to see how well Garcia was pitching given how large (40%) the labral tear is.
We can measure how far the Cubs system is working by injuries like this, just watch how well Garcia's replacement in the rotation does. In 2011-12 the Cubs would be bringing up Justin Germano, Jason Berken, Chris Volstad or Rodrigo Lopez. Webster had a pic of RodLo in its definition of hitting rock bottom.
Right thing to do, thanks 54 best LB in Bears history
Side note I was at Kerry Wood's & Urlacher's last games (Seattle )
Can't wait to get my Bulls opener tix
Urlacher retiring from NFL
http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/9301402/...
Cubs prioritize Vitters' development over Stewart
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130521&c...
Dave Duncan has took a leave of absence back in January 2012 (wife has cancer). So I don't know how much he's around these days.
Something to keep in mind about Michael Bowden, is that even if he clears waivers, he can refuse an Outright Assignment to the minors & elect free-ageny because he has been outrighted previously in his career.
JOHN B: Exactly. I think if the Cubs make a deal with the Rangers, it's Texas who would want some of the Cubs ISBP value, not the other-way around.
And remember too that the best 16-year old international prospects usually sign right at the start of the ISP on July 2nd, so there could be a flurry of trades on July 2 that would allow a club like the Rangers to add ISBP values that would enable them to sign the #1 Venezuelan or Dominican prospect.
JOHN B: 2012-13 International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) values ($2.9M per club) CANNOT be traded, and 2013-14 ISBP values (which are divided into 1/4 values of unequal amounts and which vary depending on the club's 2012 winning percentage ranking) cannot be traded until the start of the 2013-14 International Signing Period (ISP) on July 2nd. (The 2012-13 ISP closes on June 15th, and no international players can be signed during the period of time extending from June 16 to July 1.
Thank you. It sounds like the Cubs could maybe even be more logical sellers of an ISBP share than buyers. Packaging a share with Garza or Feldman might increase the eliteness of the in-system prospect(s) coming back to the Cubs.