Free Agents
Offseason Update: Questions facing NL Central Teams
Cubs pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in a week. What now appear to be the most urgent questions for each NL Central club?
Let's start with the home team and move down last year's standings.
Offseason Update: Shota Imanaga
1/11/24: The Cubs finalized their deal with Imanaga, settling on four years and an option for the fifth with some additional complexities. Today, they also traded Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris for DH/Corner IF Michael Busch and RP Yency Almonte. Busch looks to be competing with Morel, Mervis, and Wisdom for playing time, assuming none of them get traded before Spring Training. Catcher Brian Serven has been DFA'd to make room on the 40-man.
- Read more about Offseason Update: Shota Imanaga
- 233 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
2023-2024 Offseason Update Thread
December 16, 2023: The first six weeks of the offseason have yielded little action by the Cubs' front office. Two rumored targets, free agent Shohei Ohtani and former Rays starting Pitcher Tyler Glasnow, have found their way to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jeimer Candelario, who could have been a versatile contributor for the Cubs, has landed in the crowded Reds infield instead. Let's take a look at the options that remain.
- Read more about 2023-2024 Offseason Update Thread
- 146 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Cubs Offseason In Progress
The Chicago Cubs' front office finds itself charting the middle ground again in the aftermath of a 74-88 season. With the most-valued prospects not yet ready for prime time, Hoyer and company has continued to add in places via free agency but appears not to have been given a green light to spend like a real competitor. The Cubs biggest move so far has clearly been the addition of shortstop Dansby Swanson on a 7-year contract that will see him through his age 35 season.
- Read more about Cubs Offseason In Progress
- 154 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Update: Cubs sign Darvish to 6 year, $126m deal
Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Cubs signed Yu Darvish to a six year, $126m free agent contract. The year-by-year breakdown is not yet know, but the $21m AAV means the Cubs remain $11m under the 2018 Luxury tax cap, with only the back-up catcher spot remaining to be accounted for.
Giancarlo Stanton just took a $32m pay cut to play for the Yankees
by Moshe W.
Giancarlo Stanton was traded from the Florida Marlins to the Yankees. The move will cost him $32m because while Florida has no state income tax, New York city and state both do.
Morrow and Chatwood
by Moshe W.
Brandon Morrow and Tyler Chatwood have been added to the financial tracker. Morrow’s final contract numbers are $9m per year in 2018 & 2019, plus a vesting option in 2020 for $12m with a $3m buyout.
- Read more about Morrow and Chatwood
- 6 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Preparing for the 2012 Apocalypse
According to the Mayan calendar, the Cubs will win the World Series in 2012, causing an apocalypse about six weeks later.
So since it's getting late, here's a look ahead at what the Cubs roster might look like in about six months, and what the player payroll obligations will be going into the historic 2012 season.
This does not address potential free-agents the Cubs might pursue or players the Cubs might target in a trade, although it should give you some idea of how much the Cubs might have available to spend for free-agents.
- Read more about Preparing for the 2012 Apocalypse
- 60 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Backstop Backups
Time for that Player A, Player B, Player C contrivance, using the average of the five different 2009 projection systems available at FanGraphs.
Ave. | Obp. | Slg. | OPS | |
Player A |
.277 | .311 | .412 | .723 |
Player B |
.212 | .285 | .301 | .585 |
Player C |
.229 | .292 | .363 | .655 |
Player A also has 13 Gold Gloves, 12 All-star Game appearances, an MVP award and a World Series ring.
Player B also has... well... uh... A Funny Middle Name. He's 7 months younger than player A, too.
Player C also has... well... uh... A Funny First Name. And middle name. He's hurt just a bit in this comparsion because he's so incredibly anonymous that he didn't get included in Bill James' projection system, which usually has a tick or two higher offensive projections than the other four projection systems.
If you haven't figured it out yet...
- Read more about Backstop Backups
- 47 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Post-2008 Roster & Projected 2009 Organizational Depth Chart
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2008:
CHICAGO CUBS RESERVE LIST (40-MAN ROSTER) AS OF 10/7/08:
* bats or throws left
# bats both
NOTE: There are presently 40 players on the Cubs RESERVE LIST (40-man roster), plus two additional players on the 60-day DISABLED LIST (players on 60-day DL do not count against the roster limit)
Recent comments
crunch (view)
SF snags b.snell...2/62m
Cubster (view)
AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.
Arizona Phil (view)
The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24).
However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time).
Arizona Phil (view)
Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.
Arizona Phil (view)
For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024:
* bats or throws left
Angel Cepeda, INF
* Miguel Cruz, P
Yidel Diaz, C
* Albert Gutierrez, 1B
Fraiman Marte, P
Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B)
Derniche Valdez, INF
Edward Vargas, OF
Jeral Vizcaino, P
And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.
Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect.
F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season.
The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher).
Arizona Phil (view)
DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically.
Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).
Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day.
Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.
The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster
Arizona Phil (view)
Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required.
They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).
If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.
If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option).
Childersb3 (view)
Phil,
Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?
Arizona Phil (view)
In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!
And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).