Cubs Clear Roster Slots in Preparation for Off-Season
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The Cubs have sent RHP James McDonald, INF Chris Valaika, IF-OF Josh Vitters, and OF Ryan Kalish outright to Iowa.
McDonald--who spent the entire 2014 season on the 60-day DL with a sore shoulder--elected to be a free-agent immediately (he was able to elect to be a FA because he has accrued more than three years of MLB Service Time). and Kalish and Valaika can elect free-agency right away, too (they have up to eight days to decide), because they both have been outrighted previously in their careers.
Vitters cannot elect to be a free-agent, but he will automatically be declared an MLB Rule 55 minor league six-year free-agent (6YFA) at 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the World Series unless he agrees to sign a 2015 minor league successor contract before then (possible but not likely... he will probably prefer to try his luck elsewhere). Kalish and Valaika will automatically be declared minor league 6YFA at that time, too, if for some reason they have not elected free-agency in the meantime.
All of the outrighted players can sign 2015 minor league contracts with the Cubs if they wish (with Valaika and Kalish being the most likely of the four to do so). Any player who signs a minor league contract prior to the Rule 5 Draft is eligible for selection (as was the case with Hector Rondon post-2012 and Marcos Mateo post-2013), although if any MLB club was interested enough in McDonald, Kalish, Valaika, or Vitters to select the player in the Rule 5 Draft, the club would have just claimed the player off waivers.
So the Cubs MLB Reserve List (40-man Roster) now stands at 37, but RHP Carlos Villanueva will automatically be declared an MLB Article XX-B free-agent at 9 AM (Eastern) tomorrow (or at 9 AM Eastern on Friday if the World Series ends after midnight Eastern). That will cut the roster down to 36. But then OF Justin Ruggiano and OF Ryan Sweeney must be reinstated from the 60-day DL no later than 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the World Series, so that will put the roster up to 38.
In addition, the Cubs must decide in the next few days whether to exercise their 2015 club options on LHSP Tsuyoshi Wada and RHRP Kyuji Fujikawa. (I would say Wada.. yes, and Fujikawa... no).
The Cubs also must decide by 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the World Series whether to add any of their potential minor league free-agents to the 40-man roster. They could try and sign the ones they want to keep to 2015 minor league successor contracts (probably for 40-man roster money plus an NRI to Spring Training), but it's a player option... if the player doesn't want to sign on the line which is dotted, the only way to be sure to retain the player for 2015 is to add him to the MLB 40-man roster.
RHPs Marcus Hatley, Starling Peralta, and Dae-Eun Rhee (plus LHRP Hunter Cervenka if he is eligible) are the potential minor league free-agents the Cubs would probably most want to retain post-2014, but again, preferably by signing the player to a 2015 minor league successor contract rather than by adding the player to the MLB 40-man roster. .
MLB RULE 55 CUBS MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENT POST-2014: (last updated 10-29-2014)
SIX-YEAR FREE-AGENT:
Lars Anderson, 1B
Jeffry Antigua, LHP
Alberto Cabrera, RHP
Marcelo Carreno, RHP
Lendy Castillo, RHP
Hunter Cervenka, LHP (see NOTE)
Charlie Cutler, C
Eduardo Figueroa, RHP
Luis Flores, C
Edgar Gonzalez, INF
Marcus Hatley, RHP
Ryan Kalish, OF
Marcos Mateo, RHP
Jonathon Mota, INF
Starling Peralta, RHP
Carlos Pimentel, RHP
Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP
Jose Rosario, RHP
Chris Valaika, INF
Josh Vitters, OF
NOTE: Hunter Cervenka will be eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA post-2014 if he signed a 2008 contract when he signed his "first contract" with the Boston Red Sox on 8-15-2008. However, if he was “Signed for Future Service“ (first contract was a 2009 contract), he will not be eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA until post-2015.
SECOND CONTRACT FA:
Jesus Arias, RHP (previously released by CLE)
Humberto Garcia, INF (previously released by CHW)
Yeiker Lovera, RHP (previously released by CLE)
Nate Maldonado, C (previously released by CHC)
Manny Ramirez, OF (previously released by TEX)
Brohiglyn Rivero, RHP (previously released by TB)
Julio Sanchez, RHP (previously released by COL)
Roberto Vahlis, C (previously released by TOR)
Recent comments
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Hagsag 4 min 39 sec ago (view)
Phil, when does the Instructional program begin? Are there pitchers in the pitching lab now?
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cubbies.4ever 11 hours 7 min ago (view)
Just to continue my conspiracy theory that Theo has a requirement you have TJS to pitch for the Cubs Trevor Megill had it in 2013. The Cubs must have a support group for pitchers who have had TJS.
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Arizona Phil 12 hours 43 min ago (view)
After losing two players off the Iowa reserve list in the Major League Phase and selecting four players in the AAA Phase, the Iowa reserve list has one slot open, so now would be an excellent time to try and outright C. D. Pelham to AAA.
Keep in mind that he can't elect free-agency if he's outrighted, and if he is outrighted, he won't be a minor league free-agent until post-2021.
And if he gets claimed off waivers? No big deal.
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Arizona Phil 13 hours 5 min ago (view)
LHSP Faustino Carrera and 2B Carlos Sepulveda were among the first players signed by the Cubs out of Mexico in 2014-15. The Cubs ended up signing more than two dozen more Mexican players over the next three years.
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Arizona Phil 13 hours 9 min ago (view)
Vimael Machin can play anywhere in the infield & outfield, but he also went through the catcher conversion program at post-2015 Instructs so he can even catch in a pinch, too. He could be a very useful 26th man.
Machin is bi-lingual (he is from Puerto Rico and went to college at Old Dominion), and was projected by the Cubs as a future coach or manager. He's a savvy & astute baseball guy.
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Arizona Phil 13 hours 22 min ago (view)
BRADSBEARD: Every year the Cubs convert two or three position players to pitcher (it was Galazin, Hughes, and Zardon in 2019), so it's very possible that Suiter will be given a chance to pitch.
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bradsbeard 14 hours 18 min ago (view)
Suiter, who pitched in HS and briefly in college and who doesn't appear to be much of a hitter, seems to me to be a good pitcher conversion candidate.
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Arizona Phil 15 hours 14 sec ago (view)
BTW, three of the four players selected by the Cubs in the AAA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (Stewart, Suiter, and Masters) will be minor league free-agents post-2020, and the fourth one (Vance Vizcaino) is a second-contract player (he was previously released by KC) so he could be a post-2020 minor league free-agent, too (TBD).
Incidentally, David Masters was selected by the Cubs after signing a minor league successor contract with the Nationals.
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Arizona Phil 15 hours 7 min ago (view)
So LHSP Brailyn Marquez, INF Christopher Morel, RHSP Cory Abbott, SS Aramis Ademan, RHSP Erich Uelmen, RHSP Keegan Thompson, and LHSP Brendon Little stand-out among the Cubs 2020 first-time Rule 5 Draft eligibles, and RHRP Oscar de la Cruz, LHSP Luis Lugo, and LHRP Jordan Minch are probably the ones to watch among the Cubs post-2020 free-agent eligibles.
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Arizona Phil 15 hours 7 min ago (view)
For those of you who like to plan ahead, AS THINGS STAND NOW here is how the Rule 5 Draft and minor league free-agency shape up for the Cubs post-2020:
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bradsbeard 21 hours 49 min ago (view)
You say that in jest, but just from the 2016 draft, which did not feature a first or second round pick, the Cubs drafted 4 players who were added to 40 man rosters this winter (Hatch, Miller, Rucker, Short) with Mekkes, Giambrone, and several others being potential mid-season additions.
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Dolorous Jon Lester 22 hours 5 min ago (view)
So I guess he's the first guy since Rondon we've taken in rule 5 with a shot at making the roster. That's kinda cool
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crunch 22 hours 11 min ago (view)
"Megill is a guy we tried to trade for, actually, prior to the Rule 5." - hoyer
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Dolorous Jon Lester 22 hours 21 min ago (view)
That's a bummer. He does what few on the big league club do: put the bat on the ball.
Also hate to lose Rucker. He's a perfect type to be on AAA shuttle and cheap middle relief at minimum.
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QuietMan 22 hours 21 min ago (view)
Good stuff indeed.
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crunch 22 hours 23 min ago (view)
A's trade for machin...probably not getting him back.
Comments
mlbtr is running with the
PREDICTION: Ricky Renteria
PREDICTION: Ricky Renteria will be given a contract extension and pay raise and will be promoted to the position of "Special Assistant to the GM."
If so it would be just to
They will offer, doubt he
this is shocking news
this is shocking news
...says no one.
Sounds like Renteria and Cubs worked it out nicely.
@jessespector "We fixed the
the cubs now have a "Cadillac
I heard they will be kicking
I thought they were worth
I wonder if Maddon will keep
I'm sure he will, I recall a
I'm sure he will, I recall a few stories when Cubs were trying to unload Milton Bradley and Rays were somewhat interested and that Maddon is a guy that can pretty much get along with anybody.
I guess anything is possible, but I imagine they would certainly try it for a year.
Maddon to also replace
watching billy butler run 1st
going to the bottom of the
Madison Bumgarner for manager
Madison Bumgarner for manager!!!
Well that was fun...
Speaking of.. guess who was
True, though you can say that
I thought it was funny
j.heyward 24.5...dude wut?
True. But Vitters brought to
Yeah, I am with you on that,
Ron Cey with a CAREER 53.5
Baseball is hard.
Given the Cubs' system and
with the trend of run scoring
with the trend of run scoring, it seems that having a good pitching staff is nearly an afterthought...
Cards win a WS a few years ago without Wainwright the whole year and Giants win with bad Lincecum and no Cain. Just get in the playoffs and hope for the best.
https://twitter.com/search?q=
List of 121 players who were
List of 121 players (including Cubs RHP Carlos Villanueva) who were declared MLB Article XX-B free agents this morning:
link
These players were automatically removed from their club's 40-man roster at 9 AM (Eastern) today. The club retains exclusive negotiating rights with the player through 11:59 PM (Eastern) Monday night, after which the player is free to sign with any club.
There are 32 additional players (including Cubs LHSP Tsuyoshi Wada and RHRP Kyuji Fujikawa) who could be declared MLB Article XX-B free-agents depending on whether a contract option is exercised or declined prior to the Monday deadline.
The club has until Monday to decide whether to extend a Qualifying Offer to the Article XX-B FA (so that the club will receive a compensatory draft pick if the player signs a major league contract with another club prior to the next Rule 4 Draft). If a QO is offered, the player then has seven days to decide whether to accept or decline the QO.
To be eligible to receive a Qualifying Offer from his former club, the Article XX-B FA must have spent the entire previous regular season on the MLB Active List (25-man roster) and/or MLB DL or other MLB Inactive List of that club. Players acquired in a trade during the MLB regular season are not eligible to receive a QO.
A Qualifying Offer must be a one-year guaranteed major league contract with a salary at least equal to the average salary of the 125 highest-paid MLB players in 2014 (which is/was $15.3M). If an Article XX-B accepts a QO, the player must be added back to his club's MLB 40-man roster immediately.
Also, an Article XX-B FA who signs a 2015 major league contract after the Monday deadline receives an automatic "no trade" right through next June 15th. However, if the Article XX-B FA either re-signs with his former club prior to the Monday deadline or signs a minor league contract at any time with any club, the player does not receive the automatic "no trade" right.
Nats exercised Denard Span's
Rob, can I formally request
you maddon, bro?
"Cubs Fire 'Happy', Get 'Mad'
Dude. Perfect. Long sustained
That was very bad.
Would you say the Cubs are
I'm not Mad, what About You?
ask in april.
Review of "Shark Sandwich"...
you can't print that!
AZ PHIL:
E-MAN: C. J. Edwards will
E-MAN: C. J. Edwards will continue to start in AAA and he could still eventually end up being a starter long-term, but I think it's likely that he projects initially as a late-inning reliever, along the lines of somebody like Neil Ramirez or Hector Rondon of the Cubs, or maybe Wade Davis of the Royals. That type of reliever. And then maybe as he matures Edwards could get slotted back into the starting rotation and be another Jake Arrieta, or he could stay in the bullpen and be very valuable there.
Exact same thing with Pierce Johnson. Edwards and Johnson have very similar upsides and both will probably break-in as relievers. They both have similar red flags, too, that being command/control. But when they throw strikes, Edwards and Johnson can be dominators.
Remember, we're not talking about just one or two more Brian Schlitters or Blake Parkers here. Edwards and Johnson have high-quality/high-leverage stuff, and both would probably throw even harder if they know they are pitching only one inning. It certainly helped Neil Ramirez and Justin Grimm. But with better command either Edwards and/or Johnson could be another Jake Arrieta. Or one or both could get traded.
As far as the pitchers who project as starters, I like Jen-Ho Tseng very much. I haven't seen him throw since Minor League Camp (he skipped Instructs because of an innings limit), but he was the best pitcher at Minor League Camp last March and so it was not a surprise to me that he had the year that he had at Kane County. But Tseng is more like Kyle Hendricks than he is like Edwards or Johnson. Tseng has outstanding command and is more durable (so far) than either Edwards or Johnson and projercts as a classic rotation starter. Whether he'll be a #1 or a #3 or a #5 or 4-A is TBD.
I saw Carson Sands pitch several times in the AZL and also at Instructs, and he has the repertoire you look for in a lefty starter. A plus-curve, a change-up he can throw for strikes, ansd a 91-92 MPH fastball with movement that occasionally touches 93. I guess a ceiing projection would be a Madison Bumgarner type, but that is true for a lot of guys after they first sign. But Sands is an outstanding young pitcher (so far).
Trevor Clifton has filthy stuff but he is more like Edwards and Johnson, with command being an issue. I believe Clifton and Sands will be in the starting rotation at Ft. Wayne next season. Jake Stinnett and Jeremy Null will likely be in the FW rotation, too. Stinnett is the classic RH starter with a plus-fastball, curve, and change-up. Null is 6'7 and he throws from a high-angle downward plane. Null's two-seam sinker is very good, but he also has a plus-slider. He's just a two-pitch pitcher right now, however, but if he can develpo a decent change-up he would be a definite MLB starter prospect. James Norwood throws 95-96 with a hard breaking ball, but he looks very raw for a college pitcher. He could be a "piggy-back" candidate at FW in 2015. LHP Justin Steele is another high-round LHSP from the 2014 draft class, and while he throws a bit harder than Sands, he is not as polished. I think Steele os more likely to be left behind at Extended Spring Training and then be the ace at Eugene.
Josh Conway has finally returned to full-time action after missing most of the last two seasons, first with TJS (before he was drafted, while he was at Coastal Carolina) and then the elbow fracture he sustained after slipping on a muddy mound at Maryvale (Brewers) while pitching at EXST in 2013. Conway has not got his fastball velocity back yet, and he is a slider first and fastball second type, with the change-up being very much a work-in-progress. So if he is just a "two-pitch pitcher" he'll end up in the bullpen (presuming he can get his fastball back to 93-94). Meanwhile he shoukld join Sands, Clifton, Stinnett, and Null in the starting rotation at FW in 2015 to get him more innings.
I am not as impressed with Erick Leal. I have seen him pitch literally dozens of times over the past two seasons (most recently at Instructs), and I have never seen him throw harder than 90 (and that's an outlier). His fastball sits consistemtly at 88-89, and it doesn't have movement. He is a curve-ball first pitcher.who uses the fastball to set-up the curve, but I'm not sure that will get him to MLB. He does not project as a reliever. It's strictly "starter or bust" for Leal, and he could be odd man out (relegated to "piggy-backing") if Sands, Clifton, Stinnett, Null, and Conway are indeed the starters at FW in 2015.
Tseng, Paul Blackburn, Duane Underwood, Daury Torrez, and Jonathan Martinez (acquired from LAD for Darwin Barney) will probably be the starters at Myrtle Beach, although LHP Tyler Ihrig was best pitcher at EXST this past season and did a nice job at Boise and KC. Ihrig could be the one lefty starter at MB, especially if Tseng jumps to AA.
LHP Rob Zastryzny developed nicely as a starter at Daytona and pitched better & better as the season wore on. He mixes & matches a lot, changing speeds on his fastball by manipulating his grip and arm angle. Tyler Skulina didn't develop like Zastryzny, fighting control problems and then getting hit hard too often when he did throw strikes. Skulina still could be a decent starter at AA or AAA, but he is at least one tick below Edwards and Johnson right now, although he should be in the Tennessee rotation in 2015.
Juan Carlos Paniagua is unhittable when he throws strikes, but he relies on a hard-to-command power-slider to get swings & misses. His 97 MPH fastball is very straight and he has difficulty throwing it for strikes, and although the Cubs used him as a starter at Daytona in 2014 to get him more innings, he projects as a late-inning reliever at AA Tennessee in 2015. He remiods me a lot of Pedro Strop.
As for the other starters who should get promoted to Tennessee in 2015, Tayler Scott is very hittable. His four-seamer tops out at 91, and his two seamer functions almost like a change-up at 84-85. Felix Pena is OK but nothing special, and so he will probably end up in the bullpen (middle-relief) when and if he gets to AAA (presuming he even gets that far while a Cub, since he can be a minor league FA post-2015).
The 2014 Tennessee starters beyond Edwards and Johnson aren't in the same class as the guys at the lower levels. Corey Black has major command issues and he projects as a "boom or bust" power reliever, not as a starter. Ivan Pineyro has continued to suffer from forearm tightness in the AFL (often a pre-cursor to TJS), but if healthy he would project as a AAA starter in 2015 and (if he can stay healthy) probably a starter at the MLB level.
So tio sumarize, the Cubs have several nice starting pitcher prospects, but most are at the lower levels.
Although he is not a starter, Cuban defector Armando Rivero has closer stuff, and I would say he has an excellent chance to win a job in the Cub bullpen in 2015. He is 27-years old and he was a closer in Serie Nacional (the Cuban major league) prior to defecting, so there is no reason to keep him at Iowa for another year if he pitches well in Spring Training.
I suspect the Cubs will park Arodys Vizcaino at Iowa for another season and develop him as a closer. He pitched on a rather limited schedule out of the bullpen in 2014, but the Cubs need to cut him loose in 2015 and see if he can handle the required demands and load of a late-inning reliever. After struggling upon getting promoted to Iowa from Tennessee, Vizcaino pitched "lights out" the last couple of weeks at Iowa prior to getting a September "cup of coffee" in Chicago.
The Cubs really need a good lefty reliever who can pitch reliably in the 7th & 8th innings. Wesley Wright is more of a #2 bullpen lefty. Zac Rosscup has the stuff to be a #1 lefty in the pen, but he struggles to throw strikes. Too bad the Cubs lost Jeff Beliveau off waivers a couple of years ago, because he is more what they need out of a LHRP. Hunter Cervenka is the only other lefty relief prospect above A-ball who projects as an MLB pitcher, although Sam Wilson could be the best one of all. Wilson should be the #1 lefty at FW in 2015, and he could get fast-tracked.
PHIL: Thanks - I feel like I
"I guess a ceiing projection
"Clifton and Sands will be in
VA PHIL: I still haven't
VA PHIL: I still haven't gotten used to the new Cubs affiliations. For some reason sometimes I confuse one Indiana MWL city with another. I guess that's why I'm not Indiana Phil.
It's official
Don't let the door hit you in
"We offered Rick a choice of
Then they'd have to send Olt
AZ Phil:
SONICWIND: The Cubs will
SONICWIND: The Cubs will continue to be under ISBP bonus restrictions (they cannot sign an international player subject to ISBP for more than a $250K bonus) until the start of the 2015-16 ISP on 7/2. Then they will get reset back to the same place they were at in the 2013-14 ISP when they signed Eloy Jimenez, Gleyber Torres, Jen-Ho Tseng and others... that is, UNLESS the long-proposed International Draft is implemented in the meantime.
The projected ISBP that each club will be assigned for the 2015-16 ISP has not been announced yet, but the Cubs will get the #9, 39, 69, and 99 slots.
I am not aware of the Cubs being linked to any of the top 2015 international prospects, but MLB has imposed new restrictions on clubs as far as working out prospects in advance at club facilities and making unofficial deals with players in advance, so I doubt that we will be hearing and reading as much about which teams are connected with which player as we have in the past.
And of course the Cubs are not under any limitations as far as how much of a bonus they can give to international players not subject to the ISBP limits (players 23 years or older who have spent all or parts of at least five seasons in an MLB-recognized foreign major league).
Joe Maddon the Zen Manager...
Joe Maddon the Zen Manager...(thanks to @TheBlogfines for the compilation)
Maddonini · Feb 16
My main purpose now is 2 create the message & make sure the players understand it. It's a casual pace. They don't need me lording over them.
@Maddonini · Apr 17
I promise you every team will have a moment like this. It's how you handle it. When you let it bother you that's when it gets more profound.
@Maddonini · May 21
I want the boys to enjoy the struggle so they can draw on the experience when it happens again because it will happen again. Stop & learn.
@Maddonini · May 24
Everyone is talking about it, but I don't mind the length of games. It is the silence between the notes that creates the music.
@Maddonini · Jun 24
As always I loved the effort, but it’s actual victories, not moral victories, that we’re looking for.
Ok everybody, what next?
lester, sheilds, scherzer..
Rasmus? Who put up a .298 OBP
this team has specialized in
The thing is, there isn't
it seems the cubs have
mlbtr has it's free agent
so they have the cubs
"Also Russell Martin and Dave
Sad but true...
r.kalish chooses to be a FA.
Brewers acquired 1B/DH Adam
Brewers acquired 1B/DH Adam Lind from the Blue Jays for RHP Marco Estrada. The 31-year-old has slashed .301/.366/.490 with 29 homers and 107 RBI over 239 games the past two seasons with the Jays and will add a nice left-handed power dimension to the middle of the Brewers lineup. He is a below-average defender at first base though, and should get plenty of days off against tough southpaws. Nov 1 - 2:22 PM
Nice pick-up for Brewers...Lind has trouble staying healthy, but getting off turf might help.
nice one for the brewers.
Cubs picked up Jacob Turner's
Cubs picked up Jacob Turner's 2015 option, $1M.
Ricketts buys 2 of the rooftop buildings.
Since Jacob Turner was not
Since Jacob Turner was not eligible to be an Article XX-B free-agent (he has just over two years of MLB Service Time), the only effect of having a club option was that the Cubs could have made Turner an "auto-renewal" player by declining the club option, and if he became an auto-renewal player the Cubs could have saved $200K by tendering Turner a guaranteed or non-guaranteed contract for no less than $800K (if maximum 20% pay cut), or non-tendered Turner and either offer him a contract for low base pay (no less than $500K) below $800K plus maybe a performance bonus, or maybe even a minor league conttract.
But the Cubs decided not to mess with Turner and just pay him the $1M.
Bottom line is Turner was not eligible to be FA if the club option was declined, unless the Cubs had decided to non-tender him and take the chance that he would not accept whatever salary terms the Cubs offered.
Contract sites say he gets
Contract sites say he gets $500k if he's in the minors and has the same option for next year ($1m/500k in minors). If I'm reading this right, Cubs would come out ahead most likely if he had a decent season this year and can just pay him $1m next year instead of arbitratiob cost. Seems like a decent low-risk bet to me, but a bet nonetheless.
Turner is out of minor league
Turner is out of minor league optiions, so the only way he gets the $500K in 2015 is if he gets outrighted.
He will be eligible for salary arbitration post-2015, so if he is indeed pre-signed for $1M in 2016, that's probably a good deal, especially if he has a good season.
I got the years messed up, he
I got the years messed up, he had the options for last year which Marlins picked up and this upcoming year (which Cubs picked up)... my bad.
If you can't beat 'em, buy
maddon to be announced on
Who?
http://www.sportsgrid.com/wp
So with the world's greatest
So with the world's greatest farm system, TheJedi and now the Maddening, the question is 3-peat, 6-peat or 8-peat?
I'd be good with Scherzer or
I'd be good with Scherzer or Lester, maybe Masterson if they feel he's fixable (or similar top tier potential at mid-tier prices) and a vet bat or two. Don't think they'll go after Martin myself, but I could be wrong.
Think a trade for Miguel Montero would make more sense, could use some lefties in that lineup. Be nice if they'd hurry up and get the DH in the NL already and they could sign Victor Martinez and see if he can catch 40-50% of the time.
I'd be happy with that
The universe owes us at least
Would hope they go for a
No way to know if Price or
No way to know if Price or Zimmermann would be around next year anyway...
Here's my prediction:
1 pitcher who's been
I'm oddly enjoying WSCR
Terry Boers is a Cub fan, and
That's also the only
They must be an acquired
Baseball America reports that
Baseball America reports that the Cubs have signed (re-signed) LHP Hunter Cervenka and LHP Jeffry Antigua to 2015 minor league successor contracts.
RHRP Marcus Hatley, RHSP Dae-Eun Rhee, and RHP Starling Peralta (probably the Cubs top three post-2014 minor league 6YFA) have apparently not yet signed 2015 minor league successor contracts.
The Cubs have until 5 PM (Eastern) today to decide whether to add any of their unsigned Rule 55 6YFA to the 40-man roster, if they are unable to entice the player to sign a 2015 minor league successor contract in the meantime. NOTE: The Cubs also must reinstate Ryan Sweeney and Justin Ruggiano from the 60-day DL by 5 PM (Eastern) today.
MLB RULE 55 CUBS MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS AT 5 PM (EASTERN) 11-3-2014: (updated 11-3-2014)
SIX-YEAR FREE-AGENT:
Lars Anderson, 1B
Alberto Cabrera, RHP
Marcelo Carreno, RHP
Lendy Castillo, RHP
Charlie Cutler, C
Eduardo Figueroa, RHP
Luis Flores, C
Edgar Gonzalez, INF
Marcus Hatley, RHP
Marcos Mateo, RHP
Jonathon Mota, INF
Starling Peralta, RHP
Carlos Pimentel, RHP
Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP
Jose Rosario, RHP
Chris Valaika, INF
Josh Vitters, OF
SECOND CONTRACT FA:
Jesus Arias, RHP (previously released by CLE)
Humberto Garcia, INF (previously released by CHW)
Yeiker Lovera, RHP (previously released by CLE)
Nate Maldonado, C (previously released by CHC)
Manny Ramirez, OF (previously released by TEX)
Brohiglyn Rivero, RHP (previously released by TB)
Julio Sanchez, RHP (previously released by COL)
Roberto Vahlis, C (previously released by TOR)
Once a player is declared an MLB Rule 55 minor league FA, the player can sign a major league or minor league contract with any club, including the player's former club.
Because Cervenka and Antigua signed 2015 minor league succsessor contracts, neither of them will be declared MLB Rule 55 minor league 6YFA this afternoon, although both will be eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft next month.
BTW, the last player the Cubs selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (RHP Hector Rondon from CLE in December 2012) and the last player the Cubs lost in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft (RHP Marcos Mateo to AZ in December 2013) were minor league 6YFA-eligibles who signed minor league successor contracts prior to becoming a 6YFA, so it would not be that much of a surprise if Cervenka gets plucked in the Rule 5 Draft next month.
A free-agent signed to a minor league contract or re-signed to a minor league successor contract prior to the Rule 5 Draft is eligible for selection.
The Cubs did not add any of
The Cubs did not add any of their MLB Rule 55 minor league free-agent eligibles to their 40-man roster prior to yesterday's 5 PM (Eastern) deadline, but six Rule 55 minor league FA eligibles from other organizations were added to their paremt club's MLB 40-man roster:
Wynton Bernard, OF (DET)
Enrique Burgos, RHRP (AZ)
Ed Easley, C (STL)
Tyler Ladendorf, 2B (OAK)
Paulo Orlando, OF (KC)
Carlos Perez, C (HOU)
Bernard was eligible to be a Rule 55 second-contract FA (he was previously released by SD), and the other five were eligible to be a Rule 55 six-year FA (6YFA).