Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-18-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Chicago - Des Moines Shuttle Not Always a Smooth Ride

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

Although it is not yet official, the Cubs have reportedly signed veteran RHRP Junichi Tazawa to a minor league contract. Because he was a post-2018 Article XX-B MLB free-agent, the 32-year old Tazawa will get a $100,000 retention bonus if he is not released at least five days prior to 2019 MLB Opening Day and added to an MLB 40-man roster by Opening Day, and he gets an automatic opt-out if he is not added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster by June 1st. And because he has Article XIX-A rights, if he were to be added to the MLB 25-man roster (and MLB 40-man roster) at some point in 2019, the Cubs would not be able to send him back to the minors without his pemission even if Outright Assignment Waivers are secured. (If he does not give his permission and the Cubs want to remove him from the 25-man roster, they could only release him or trade him, and if he is released, the Cubs would be on the hook for 100% of his salary as termination pay).     

In addition to signing Tazawa, the Cubs have also reportedly signed veteran RHRP George Kontos to a minor league contract (also not yet official). Because he has accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time, Kontos (like Tazawa) has Article XIX-A rights and thus cannot be sent to the minors without his permission. (FWIW, both Tazawa and Kontos are out of minor league options, but even if they did have options available they could not be optioned to the minors without their permission). So if Kontos is added to the Cubs MLB 25-man Active List roster at some point in 2019 and then the Cubs subsequently decide they are not able to keep him on the 25, they would not be able to outright him back to the minors without his permission. And if he does not give his permission, the Cubs could only trade him or release him, and if he were to be added to the 25-man roster (and 40-man roster) and then is is subsequently released, the Cubs would be on the hook for 100% of his remaining salary as termination pay. 

So players who have accrued at least five years of MLB Service Time (like Tazawa and Kontos) have Article XIX-A rights that make it a bit complicated to remove them from the 25-man roster (and 40-man roster) once the player is added. Assuming a player will cheerfully ride the "Chicago - Des Moines Shuttle" is a lot to expect of an Article XIX-A player, in that the player cannot be sent to the minors (by Optional or Outright Assignment) without his permission, and he gets 100% of his salary as termination pay if he is released. 

And further, a player who has accrued at least six years of MLB Service Time and who signs a minor league contract after being declared an Article XX-B  free-agent (like Tazawa) gets even more perks ($100K retention bonus if not released at least five days prior to MLB Opening Day and added to the MLB 40-man roster by Opening Day, and an automatic 6/1 opt-out if not added to the MLB 40-man roster by June 1st) that make retaining the player even beyond the conclusion of Spring Training somewhat problematic. 

A player who has not yet accrued five years of MLB Service Time but who has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time (or who qualifies as a "Super Two" player for salary arbitration) and/or who has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career has Article XX-D rights, which are different than Article XIX-A rights. Unlike a player with Article XIX-A rights, a player with Article XX-D rights does - NOT - have to give his permission before he can be sent to the minors, but he does have the right to elect free-agency immediately (or defer free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season for players who did not qualify as an Article XX-D player only by virtue of being a "Super Two" player) if he is sent outright to the minors (but if he is outrighted to the minors and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits the balance of his salary, and if he is sent outright to the minors and defers free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season but then is added back to an MLB 40-man roster prior to the conclusion of the MLB regular season, he cannot file for free-agency under Article XX-D). 

While Tazawa is the only free-agent with Article XX-B rights who was signed by the Cubs to a 2019 minor league contract and Tazawa and Kontos are the only two free-agents signed by the Cubs to 2019 minor league contracts who have Article XIX-A status, the Cubs have signed eight free-agents with Article XX-D status to 2019 minor league contracts, including C Francisco Arcia, INF Cristhian Adames, OF-1B Jim Adduci, RHSP Christian Bergman, INF Phillip Evans, RHRP Carlos Ramirez, RHRP Rob Scahill, and LHRP Mike Zagurski. Besides having the right to elect free-agency if outrighted, Adames, Bergman, Scahill, and Zagurski are also out of minor league options, so it will be even more-complicated to remove those four from the 25-man roster (and place them on the "Chicago - Des Moines Shuttle") if one or more of them are called-up at some point in 2019. (While Arcia, Adduci, Evans, and Ramirez have Article XX-D status so that they would have the right to elect free-agency if outrighted off the 40, each of them do have at least one minor league option left, so they can be optioned to the minors if the Cubs want to add one of them to the 25 only temporarily without the risk of having the player claimed off Outright Assignment Waivers or having the player elect free-agency if outrighted, or in the case of Tazawa and Kontos, putting the Cubs in the position of having to release the player just to get him off the 25-man roster).  

They weren't signed as free-agents, but Cubs minor leaguers OF Wynton Bernard, OF Johnny Field, OF Jacob Hannemann, LHRP Jerry Vasto, and LHRP Rob Zastryzny have Article XX-D rights (all five have been outrighted to the minors previously in their careers), so if added to the 40 at some point in 2019 they could get claimed off waivers or could elect free-agency if outrighted back to minors (all five do have at least one minor league option available, however), and while they do not have Article XX-D status and thus cannot elect free-agency if outrighted, both RHRP Allen Webster and LHRP Danny Hultzen are out of minor league options and thus (unlike Arcia, Adduci, Bernard, Evans, Field, Hannemann, Ramirez, Vasto, and Zastryzny) could not be optioned back to the minors should either of them be added to the 40 at some point in 2019.   

Bottom line is, it's not always easy and smooth to add a minor league player to the 25-man roster (and 40-man roster), especially if it's expected to be just a temporary move. The "Chicago- Des Moines Shuttle" is really designed for players who can be recalled from AAA and then optioned back without hassle, and so for Tazawa and Kontos (in particular), it would probably be just a one-way trip if one or both were to get called-up to Chicago in 2019.  

Tags
Cubs Roster Moves

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 01/31/2019 - 01:57 pm

2 weeks before ST...

harper, machado, keuchel, kimbrel, moosetacos, m.gonzalez still FAs.

i still don't understand why kimbrel turned down his QO...time will tell...

Submitted by Eric S on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 02:13 pm

Never heard of new Cubs reliever Tony Barnette until this afternoon. Rangers-Cubs pipeline still in business. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 02:21 pm

Unlike many of the veteran relief pitchers on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster, Tony Barnette has minor league options left (all three) - AND - he has accrued only 3+000 MLB Service Time, so he cannot decline an Optional Assignment to the minors should there be a roster crunch at the end of Spring Training.  

He also cannot decline an Outright Assignment, although he would be able to elect free-agency if he were to be outrighted.

So look for Barnette to be optioned to the minors (and - NOT - outrighted) if he does not make the Cubs Opening Day MLB 25-man roster. 

Otherwise, Morrow, Strop, Cishek, Brach, Kintzler, and Duensing cannot be sent to the minors without their consent. 

BTW, Barnette missed the last three months of the 2018 season with a lat strain, but he threw the ball very well in a private tryout with the Cubs in the Sloan Park bullpen in Mesa on Monday, and was subsequently offered a two-year contract by the Cubs (club option for 2020).

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 02:25 pm

Further on Tony Barnette:

Because he spent six seasons in a foreign major league (NPB), Barnette may have a "no trade" clause (full or partial) and/or "no minor league assignment" clause (optional and/or outright assignment) in his contract (TBD). He also could have a contractual right to elect free-agency when his contract expires even though he will have less than six years of MLB Service Time when the contract expires (again, TBD).  

None of these rights would be automatic. They would have to be specified in the contract. 

Hopefully the exact details of the contract will be revealed in the coming days. 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 02:36 pm

Further on Kendall Graveman: 

Even though he did not spend any time in a foreign major league, Graveman supposedly has a special contractual clause where he can request his release (or be non-tendered) post-2019 if the Cubs decline their $3M club option for 2020. It is unclear if that contractual clause would apply if Graveman's 2020 club option is exercised and the contract expires after the 2020 season. (Ordinarily he would be eligible for salary arbitration post-2019 if the 2020 club option is declined or post-2020 if the club option is exercised, and he would be eligible to be an MLB Article XX-B free-agent for the first time no earlier than post-2021). 

In either case (2020 club option is declined or 2020 club option is exercised and contract expires post-2020), he would be short of the six seasons of MLB Service Time necessary to qualify for free-agency as an Article XX-B player both post-2019 and post-2020, so the right to request his release and become a free-agent post-2019 (or post-2020?) would have to be a special provision of the contract. 

BTW, Graveman's 2019 salary is $575K (the MLB minimum salary), but it jumps to $2M if he spends at least one day on the MLB Active Roster in 2019. Graveman had TJS in July 2018, so it's possible that he could complete his rehab and be reinstated from the DL in September. 

Note that players who are rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery (but - ONLY - from TJS) can have their minor league rehab assignment extended by as much as 30 days (in the form of three ten-day extensions), so Graveman conceivably could spend as much as 60 days on a minor league rehab in 2019. 

Also, Graveman can be placed on the MLB 60-day DL as early as February 12th (the date Cubs pitchers & catchers report to Spring Training), should his slot on the 40 be needed for another player. 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 02:43 pm

Updated Barnette and Graveman contract details... 

Tony Barnette: $750K base salary in 2019 escalates to $1M (pro-rated) as soon as he spends one day on MLB Active List, with $75K roster bonus if 100 days spent on MLB Active List, $75K roster bonus if 125 days spent on MLB Active List, and $100K roster bonus if at least 155 days spent on MLB Active List in 2019, and $3M club option in 2020, with performance bonuses in both 2019 and 2020 that pay $50K if 40 games, $50K if 50 games, $75K if 60 games, and $75K if 70 games, and player option to elect free-agency as a vested international player when contract expires (either post-2019 if 2020 club option is declined or post-2020 if 2020 club option is exercised). 
NOTE: Still unknown if he has a "no minor league assignment" clause in his contract. 

Kendall Graveman: $575K base salary in 2019 escalates to $2M (pro-rated) if reinstated from DL prior to conclusion of MLB regular season, and $3M club option in 2020, with performance bonuses that pay $100K each for 15, 18, 21, 23, and 25 GS, and player option to request release if 2020 club option is declined. 
NOTE: Still unknown if he has a "no minor league assignment" clause in his contract.

So if all of the roster bonuses and performance bonuses are met, Barnette could make as much as $1.5M in 2019 and $3.25M in 2020, and Graveman could make as much as $3.5M in 2020.   

And because of the extensive roster bonuses and performance bonuses in place for both pitchers (especially Barnette), it would seem likely that both would have a "no minor league assignment" clause in their contracts, as a safeguard against the club optioning the player to the minors to avoid paying potential roster and performance bonuses. If so, this would make it much more likely that Barnette would be released prior to Opening Day if it becomes apparent that there is not room for him in the 2019 Cubs bullpen, because the Cubs would only be on the hook for the 2019 guaranteed money ($750K - offset by a pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum salary of $575K if he subsequenmtly signs with another club after being released) and none of the potential 2019 roster bonuses or 2019-20 performance bonuses or 2020 salary. 

So even if Brandon Morrow is out until May or even June, it could potentially come down to Barnette v. Duensing for the last slot in the pen in Spring Training (presuming Strop, Cishek, Edwards, Montgomery, Brach, Kintzler, and Chatwood have the other seven slots locked-up). 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 02:32 am

RHRP Brad Brach signing still not official, even though it was reported in the media eight or nine days ago.

Sometimes there is a delay in completing the physical, either because of a player's illness or weather or travel issues, but there is clearly a slot left open on the 40 for Brach.

So I would think the contract will probably be be filed with MLB early next week (presuming the physical and medicals are clean). 

[ ]

Submitted by bradsbeard on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 02:48 am

Sounds like the polar vortex held up Hagerty’s physical, so it might be holding up Brach’s as well? I also wonder if they are waiting until the last moment to add Brach, so if they have to make another addition they can delay adding that player until 2/12 when they can put Graveman on the DL. 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 02:15 am

BRADSBEARD: The delay in the Cubs filing the Brach contract with MLB is most-likely a matter of the physical being delayed by the weather or Brach could have had a bad case of the flu or something like that, but it is also conceivable that he has taken the physical, some pre-existing issue was discovered, and so now the Cubs are attempting to rework the deal. That does happen sometimes. It's not official until the contract is filed with MLB. 

Also, keep in mind that a club has twenty days to file a signed contract with the MLB office, so the Cubs could have signed Brach a week ago but have not yet filed the contract with MLB in order to keep a slot open on the 40 for a waiver claim or maybe a two-for-one trade. So they really don't have to wait until 2/12 to place Graveman on the 60-day DL to keep a slot open on the 40, because they can wait up to twenty days to actually file the Brach contract with MLB. Clubs usually don't wait that long, but it is an option, if necessary, especially when it gets close to the Spring Training reporting date for pitchers & catchers (when the 60-day DL will come into play). 

The thing is, the Cubs didn't wait twenty days to file Barnette's contract with MLB (and outright Clarkin), so I kind of doubt that the Cubs are trying to keep Brach's slot open until they can place Graveman on the 60-day DL on the off-chance they might want to make a waiver claim sometime in the next ten days. It's more likely that Brach's physical was simply delayed, probably because of the weather or an illness. 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 02:38 pm

Most likely Cubs ST NRI:

PITCHERS: Christian Bergman, Matt Carasiti, Ian Clarkin, George Kontos, Dakota Mekkes, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea, Rob Scahill, Junichi Tazawa, Jerry Vasto, Allen Webster, Mike Zagurski, and Rob Zastryzny   

CATCHERS: Miguel Amaya, Francisco Arcia, P. J. Higgins, Jhonny Pereda, and Ian Rice 

INFIELDERS: Cristhian Adames, Jim Adduci, Ryan Court, Trent Giambrone, Nico Hoerner, and Philip Evans 

OUTFIELDERS: Zach Borenstein, Jose Cardona, Johnny Field, Jacob Hannemann, and Evan Marzilli

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 02:57 am

HAGSAG: The Cubs typically have 36 pitchers, six catchers, twelve infielders, and ten outfielders (64 players total) in MLB camp, which means about 24 NRI. I have listed 29 NRI (which would mean there would be 39 pitchers and eight catchers in MLB Camp), but the Cubs signed an inordinate number of "4-A" (MLB/AAA borderline) guys this off-season, and so I could see a larger contingent of NRI than is typical.  

Submitted by erich081 on Fri, 02/15/2019 - 02:13 pm

Arizona Phil, with all the complications involved in rostering some of these veteran arms, does a guy like Mekkes have a better or worse shot at getting called up because he has options (assuming he continues pitching well)?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 02/16/2019 - 02:27 am

erich081: Dakota Mekkes is in a similar position as James Norwood this time last year, meaning he is Rule 5 Draft eligible after the season so adding him to the 40 could happen at any time, especially if the Cubs need a bullpen arm and Mekkes is pitching well at AAA Iowa.  

That said, the Cubs really need to determine during Spring Training which of their veteran NRI pen arms (Tazawa, Kontos, Scahill, Zagurski, Webster, Carasiti, and Ramirez) they want to stash at AAA (or at Extended Spring Training) and which ones they should cut-loose. I suppose it's possible that one or more could conceivably make the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster, but it's - FAR - more likely that the Cubs Opening Day starting rotation and bullpen will come 100% from pitchers who are already on the MLB 40-man roster. 

In fact, as things stand right now, it would appear to be a battle between Barnette, Cedeno, and Duensing just for the last slot in the bullpen, and that's with Brandon Morrow starting the season on the Injured List. Obviously that would change if one of more of the "locks" (besides Graveman and Morrow) starts the season on the Injured List, but it wouldn't cost the Cubs much to release Barnette and/or Cedeno (in particular) prior to Opening Day ($750K for Barnette and $225K for Cedeno), and Duensing would cost the Cubs $3.5M if he were to be released. Also, Cedeno has no minor league options left (plus he has Article XIX-A status so he can't be outrighted to the minors without their permission), and Barnette probably has Article XIX-A contractual rights as well (TBD) because of his six years of NPB service time. 

Strop, Cishek, Brach, Edwards, and Montgomery (presuming he isn't needed in the starting rotation) are virtual locks to be in the bullpen on Opening Day (of the five, only Edwards can be optioned to the minors), and Kintzler and Chatwood have Article XIX-A status so neither can be sent to the minors without the pitcher's permission and I can't see the Cubs releasing Kintzler ($5M guaranteed salary in 2019) or especially Chatwood (guaranteed $25.5M combined 2019-20) and eating their salaries unless they just totally blow-up in Spring Training.  

Of course the challenge for the Cubs brain-trust would be if at least two from amongst Barnette, Cedeno, and Duensing, and/or one or more of the NRI guys clearly (and I mean clearly) out-pitch Kintzler, Chatwood. or even Edwards in Cactus League games. Do the Cubs use performances in Spring Training games to determine who is on the Opening Day 25-man roster (especially in the bullpen), or do they basically just disregard Spring Training game performances and wait to see how Kintzler and Chatwood (and Edwards, too) pitch in April before making changes? 

Recent comments

  • Charlie (view)

    Tauchman obviously brings value to the roster as a 4th outfielder who can and should play frequently. Him appearing frequently at DH indicated that the team lacks a valuable DH. 

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.

    The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.

    I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical). 

     

    And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day. 

     

    That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled). 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Indeed they do TJW!

    For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.

    That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18.  We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
    But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
    I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
    Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
    I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
    Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
    With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

    My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
    It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
    I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
    We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
    But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.

    If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.

    Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

    Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose  that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.

    Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    That’s just kinda how it works though, for every team. No team plays their best guys all the time. No team is comprising of their best 26 even removing injuries.

    When baseball became a business, like REALLY a business, it became important to keep some of the vets happy, which in turn keeps agents happy and keeps the team with a good reputation among players and agents. No one wants to play for a team that has a bad reputation in the same way no one wants to work for a company that has a bad rep.

    Don’t get me wrong, I hate it too. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

    On that topic, I find it silly the Cubs brought up Canario to sit as much as he has. He’s going to get Velazquez’d, and it’s a shame.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Of course, McKinstry runs circles around $25 million man Javier Baez on that Tigers team. Guess who gets more playing time?

    But I digress…

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Seems like Jed was trying to corner the market on mediocre infielders with last names starting with "M" in acquiring Madrigal, Mastroboney and Zach McKinstry.  

     

    At least he hasn't given any of them a Bote-esque extension.  

  • Childersb3 (view)

    AZ Phil:
    Rookie ball (ACL) starts on May 4th. Do yo think Ramon and Rosario (maybe Delgado) stay in Mesa for the month of May, then go to MB if all goes "solid"?
     

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