Jim -

No, it doesn't. Starts with a "B."

Hey Jon does your last name start with a K? The whole math problem you came up with reminded me of someone I know.

I think Trevor is right. His incentives are in case he ends up starting because of injuries or ends up getting hot enough(or if murton stuggles) that he forces them to start him.

Or if they trade Jaque Jones. Having two guys too many on the 40 man roster makes me think that a trade could be at hand or there is two people that arent going to make the spring training roster that we think will. Probably Rusch and one of the youngster's

I think the idea is to compensate Floyd as a backup at first, but if someone gets hurt and he has to play everday then he should be paid as an everyday player (just like he was for the Mets prior to his injury.)

Hendry is going to play Murton for sure, but if something happens its nice to have a guy on the bench who used to be a regular LF starter.

I like the move if he is a bench player, or if he is going to platoon, he platoons with Jones (even though they are both left handed)

After the last couple of years with the injuries, I would rather have to many options than not enough. Will, I like the idea of setting ourselves up for the trade deadline.

I think (and hope) that this really does have nothing to do with Murton. At 3M he is a pretty cheap veteran backup. If he replaces Jones and does get to 7.5M then he's not much more than Jones and has more potential than Jones does.

I think that that the incentives will work against his PT. They made them high so they don't have to pay him so much to backup but is a great insurance policy if they can get rid of Jones.

I think another consideration is that they are putting themselves in a good situation come trade time in July. Having an extra left handed power bat, they will be able to get whatever they need in return to fill in any gaps if they are making a playoff run.

I guess i'm just trying to stay optimistic about him not platooning with Murton!...

I HOPE Jones is getting traded, because the incentives scare me in terms of Murton's playing time.

Somebody can check my math if they want, but the option becoming guaranteed at 425 ABs is an awfully high number. If we assume 4 ABs per game started (x) plus 1 AB per pinch-hit appearance (y), and that he plays (starts or pinch-hits) all 162 games the option is guaranteed at:

4x + y >= 425 and x+y = 162

My math comes out to 88 starts. That's scary for somebody's playing time; it's (obviously) more than half a season worth of starts. (For those who are interested, assuming 5 ABs per start brings it to 66 starts. Better, but still quite a bunch.) Obviously the 500 and 550 AB incentives make everything even more frightening.

Maybe it's just a REALLY HARD option to guarantee, but from the player's perspective he was probably given some assurance that it was fairly attainable. Making it doubly scary is the fact that the 550 AB incentive, even assuming the best-case of playing all 162 games and getting 5 ABs per start, comes out to roughly 100 starts--isn't that somewhere in the vicinity of what a player would get if he was the lefty in a left-right platoon?

Of the two options, I hope it's a precursor to a Jones trade and not seeing Murton ride the bench, but I fear, despite the Cubs' brass' statements, that it might be Murton.

It appears to me that they want Floyd to be an everyday player. 500-550 plate appearances a year are not for a bench player...

I hope Big Z is on the top of Jim Spendrys list of remaining to-dos.

Losing him would be the worst thing to happen to the Cubs in a long long time.

Jim...you are right on the "reports". That is the reason I mentioned what I read about Rusch in a comment and not in an article. Everything I heard this weekend was nothing but praise for Matt Murton...Hendry has said all off-season he is not going anywhere...

Sometimes the mainstream media can make up anything they want and get away with it.

Geen...you and I must have been typing at the same time. I agree with you on Pagan as well. I like his upside.

That report has Murton as trade bait. Do these people read anything before they come up with these "reports". I hope Rusch is OK health wise but don't want to see him on a mound at Wrigley unless it is in another teams colors. Getting Floyd definetly means that Jones is on his way out. I hope we actually get something for him.

Aaron and Jim...very good observations as always.

On Glendon Rusch, as you know the Cubs are on the hook for this year's salary. However I wonder if a 60-day DL might be the way they go. I read yesterday on FoxSports.com that he might not be off of his meds until September. That was the first time I had read a date so far off.... Please keep in mind that could be a member of the msm guessing as well.

Here is the link:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/teamReport?categoryId=71602&type=StrategyAndPersonnel

If Rusch is not able to play for an extended amount of time he can be moved to the 60 day dL and wont count against the 40 man. Jones or some other package for prospects (pitching) and that takes care of the 40 man. I would like to keep Jones if he can make some type of peace with the fans but I also want the switch hitting speedy Pagan on the team and want him to get some playing time. I will have to talk to Hendry and try to work this all out

Aaron:

I feel the same way as you. I believe Jones and possibly a young pitcher will be traded. If this does come to fruition I believe our OF will be:

Murton LF, ? CF, Soriano RF, with Pagan and Floyd coming of the bench and spot starting. I have a feeling that Hendry will get a stop gap CF. I also think that Rusch will be released or accept a minor league assignment (Since he is on the DL and collecting his Major League salary) Hendry has made only one trade this winter, he has more players than the 40 man roster allowed, something will happen.

this deal reeks of a Jones trade. They have to get rid of two spots. Does anyone know what they can do regarding Rusch? He's taking up a spot, and obviously he's not in their plans, so can we release him even if he's in a state of flux with his health? Anyone have a clue?

I really don't like this move if we don't trade Jones. We already have Ward. Essentially, we have an OF of Murton, Soriano, Jones, Floyd, Ward, and Pagan. That means that Blanco has another spot, and Theriot might/might not get the other roster spot. Does this make sense at all? You need at least one middle infield sub on your bench, and Cedeno or Theriot would fill that spot. If we don't trade Jones, Pagan is left in the cold, and I don't think that'd be a wise move, especially since he can play all 3 OF spots.

I agree with Nathananel. Floyd's career OBP is pretty decent also.

As long as they're using him as a bench player, and not as someone who's going to take up half of Matt Murton's starts, I think it's an awesome move.