Cubs Close the Book on Geovany Soto and Jeff Baker Trades

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 11:13am

RHP (acquired from TEX as the PTBNL in the trade in 2012) and RHP (acquired from DET for INF in August 2012) have been released.

The Cubs acquired RHP from TEX for Soto at the July 31st trade deadline in 2012, but Brigham was returned to the Rangers after the 2012 season as "damaged goods" (pre-existing elbow issue) and was replaced by Loux. But Brigham has continued to pitch and progress (he made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves last month), while Loux has been attempting (unsuccessfuly) to rehab from both post-2013 shoulder surgery and 2014 TJS.

The 26-year old Loux was healthy enough at Minor League Camp this past March that he was able to begin the 2015 season in the AAA Iowa starting rotation, but was placed on the I-Cubs 7-day DL with a right triceps strain in late April after only three starts. He was sent to Extended Spring Training (EXST) to rehab, where he threw in a couple of "sim" games and then started an intrasquad game on May 23rd. But Loux couldn't get his velocity up past 86 MPH, and was shut-down.

Carreno had shoulder surgery two years ago, and has since been unable to return to the mound full-time. He made a couple of brief, furtive attempts to pitch over the past couple of seasons (AZL in 2014 and three EXST "sim" games this season), but he had zero command and couldn't throw harder than 85 MPH. Now 24, Carreno was eligible to be a minor league free-agent (6YFA) post-2015, so his future with the Cubs was already cloudy (at best). 

Tags: 
Cubs Minor Leagues
Barret Loux
Marcelo Carreno
Jeff Baker
Geovany Soto

Comments

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 1:23pm  
a.russell since june 1st... .203/.295/.260 in 139 PA ow. the power outage has been drastic after an emerging may.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 1:28pm  
I can only assume that if La Stella was healthy he would be the starting second baseman.

Submitted by jacos  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 1:32pm  
growing pains hopefully he gets up to average by end of the year, and builds on it next year I don't think Lastella's glove is as good as Russell's, but I'm sure someone will show me stats to show I'm wrong.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 1:42pm  
Agreed, Russell is a long term solution at 2b or SS. That said, since the Cubs are fighting for a playoff spot I would think that they would rather have him work out his growing pains in the minor if they had a better alternative.

Submitted by jacos  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 1:50pm  
Maybe more of a platoon with Herrara, where Russell finds more success. I'm fine with him sticking, Fowler and Castro are the one's that need to step up.

Submitted by jacos  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 2:06pm  
Or According to Gammons "The Royals, Nationals, Cubs, Mets, Yankees and Pirates are all in the mix for Ben Zobrist at this time."

Submitted by WISCGRAD  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 2:14pm  

If they land Zobrist, perhaps Russell will go down for 6 weeks to get consistent at-bats and try to get his stroke back. He then comes back September 1 and you have him, Zobrist, and Herrera to mix and match in the infield for the stretch, with Baez and Alcantara potential additions as well.

Submitted by jacos  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 2:28pm  
Or Castro gets traded

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 2:31pm  
Fingers crossed.

Submitted by jacos  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 3:04pm  
Or your fingers will stay that way and you will never use chop sticks again

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 3:44pm  
Is that a thing?

Submitted by The E-Man  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 4:11pm  
I am not sure Alcantra will see action even in September. You for sure will see "CEASAR!", however.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 4:33pm  

I think if the Cubs do acquire Ben Zobrist from the A's, that Arismendy Alcantara and Dan Vogelbach will be going to Oakland. And if they do acquire Zobrist (a Joe Maddon guy from his Tampa Bay days), I would expect the Cubs to sign him to a two-year contract extension before he hits free-agency. 

And if the Cubs acquire Will Venable from San Diego, Junior Lake or Matt Szczur plus a mid-level pitching prospect (somebody like Black, Pineyro, or Tseng) will probably be the cost. And if they do acquire Venable, I suspect the Cubs will try and sign him to a contract extension before he hits free-agency, too. 

Submitted by The E-Man  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 5:40pm  
PHIL: Isn't Vogelbach Rule 5 eligible coming up? If so, we can all be sure the Cubs are working to include him in a deal.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 5:42pm  

E-MAN: Yes, Dan Vogelbach is Rule 5 Draft eligible post-2015. 

Submitted by billybucks  on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 2:31pm  
Only 2 XBH since June18 -- both doubles. Hopefully he gets it going in Cincy.

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  • Arizona Phil 5 hours 32 min ago (view)

    The Cubs have released RHRP (and their erstwhile closer) Brandon Morrow. There is no indication that they plan to re-sign him to another (different) 2020 minor league contract without the Article XX-B $100K retention bonus provision (as happened with Jason Kipnis last week).  

     
  • crunch 8 hours 59 min ago (view)

    rizzo takes another day off (lower back).  ross says the club is "exercising caution."

    klye ryan is expected to join the team tomorrow after some mysterious holdup.

     
  • Ryno 9 hours 36 min ago (view)

    Has anyone seen Darvish's pitch "The Supreme"?  Isn't it just a sinker?

     
  • Ryno 9 hours 44 min ago (view)

    In other words:  This lineup sucks.

     
  • Arizona Phil 10 hours 1 min ago (view)

    Jason Kipnis was released on June 29th and then he was re-signed to a new (different) 2020 minor league contract that does not require a $100K retention bonus if he is not added to the Cubs MLB Reserve List by 2020 MLB Opening Day (7/23).  

    Brandon Morrow remains on his original 2020 minor league contract which pays him a $100K retention bonus if he is not released by 7/18 or added to the Cubs MLB Reserve List by 7/23. 

     
  • Eric S 10 hours 6 min ago (view)

    There is that re Kimbrel - at worst, just another year on the books.

     July 1st is Bobby Bonilla Day - the day that check is cut and paid annually. 

     
  • Cubster 10 hours 12 min ago (view)

    On the bright side regarding Kimbrel. It doesn't have the lasting bad side as the Mets arrangement with Bobby Bonilla. Unless they want to re-negotiate Kimbrel's terms.

     
  • Eric S 11 hours 39 min ago (view)

    Yep

    Watching the last night's highlight clip was not encouraging either as discussed here:  https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2020/07/08/craig-kimbrels-intrasquad-performance-is-a-reminder-of-the-concerns-that-already-existed/

     
  • crunch 16 hours 15 min ago (view)

    i still can't believe this front office paid anyone 16m a year to throw 60-70ip...

     
  • Eric S 1 day 1 hour ago (view)

    Unfortunately, Kimbrel in Cub mid season form as well, giving up a two out, two run oppo homer to Willson. 

    Kimbrel Cub stats which I tried to bury but were dug up again: gave up a career high 9 home runs in only 20 2/3 inning, averaged a career high 9.1 hits allowed per 9 innings and served up a 6.53 ERA for his troubles. And no full spring training build up period again.  Still hopeful he's got something left in the tank this year and next but man, he's got my full attention going into the season

     
  • BobbyD 1 day 2 hours ago (view)

    Hmm. Never thought about it that way. Maybe it is a very stable genius? 

     
  • crunch 1 day 4 hours ago (view)

    maybe he's hoping it'll be bad enough to flip the population odometer over to 0 after humanity is wiped from the planet.  let's give him more time to see if he's right before we get too down on him.

     
  • crunch 1 day 4 hours ago (view)

    "Shohei Ohtani threw just 15 of his 50 pitches for strikes in an intrasquad game Tuesday.  Trent Rush had him at eight walks, a hit by pitch and six wild pitches before he was shut down for a day. "

    ow.

     
  • crunch 1 day 4 hours ago (view)

    anthony rizzo is in mid-season form.

    he sat out today with lower back tightness.

     
  • BobbyD 1 day 6 hours ago (view)

    Well, back in February (I think; that was about 17 years ago now), our diaper staining commander in his own mind declared we had 15 cases in the U.S. and that would quickly go to zero. 130k dead and rapidly rising now 4 months later I still have brain dead neighbors in SoCal saying if Biden gets elected we're screwed. I wonder what they think screwed looks like. 

     
  • crunch 1 day 13 hours ago (view)

    cubs taking full advantage of that "night games deal" with the wrigleyville neighborhood...almost all the home games will be night games.

    8 home day games, 6 on the weekend.

     
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