Cubs Active at the Rule 5 Draft

By Neil on December 6, 2007 18 Vote 0 Votes

Cubs Draft Lahey....Lose Wells

The Tampa Bays Rays picked first in the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday morning. In a prearranged agreement with the Cubs, the Rays drafted Tim Lahey from the Minnesota Twins organization and sold him to the Cubs. Lahey was drafted out of Princeton in the 2004 as a catcher and was converted to a relief pitcher the following season. Lahey was 8-4 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in Double-A last year with 13 saves in 50 games.

Lahey must remain on the Cubs active 25-man roster the entire season or he will be returned to the Minnesota Twins.

Randy Wells was taken by the Toronto Blue Jays in Thursday's Rule 5 Draft.

Tim Lahey's Career Stats

Will update with more information on the Rule 5 Draft and on Tim Lahey

Austin

And: a $34 million extension given to Phil Nevin in November 2001 had been the previous biggest contract in club history.

Austin

I know the news is that the Padres made an offer that is said to be the 2-3rd largest in franchise history, which, of course means nothing when you have no measuring stick, so here:

The biggest offers the Padres ever made:

1. $52 million to Peavy (currently pending)

2. $30 million to Brian Giles in 2005

Also, they denied offering Kevin Brown a $60 million dollar contract before he signed with the Dodgers for $105 million.

So it's somewhere between $30-$52 milionl I'm assuming...closes to 30 I bet, which, in no means is overwhelming. I doubt Jim would have a problem competing with that!

Lew

Nathahael:

I like Tejada, but I liked him about a thousand times more when he was a free agent several years ago. And with the rumors about him needing a position change (likely 3B,) I like him less.

I think the only players the Cubs want to add are left handed bats, so I don't imagine Tejada would be on their wish list.

Nathanael

I know it's a long shot, but since Baltimore is trying to get rid of Tejada, and we're after Roberts, what if we got both? If we're really trying to win now, that would give us a potent offense. I don't know what I think about selling our future for a few years with these veterans, but it certainly would be intriguing. Imagine the following lineup:

1. Soriano (R)

2. Roberts (S)

3. Lee (R)

4. Fukodome (L)

5. Ramirez (R)

6. Tejada (R)

7. Soto (R)

8. Pie/Fuld (L)

That would be pretty awesome, and would allow Derosa to be used in the super utility role. What do you all think?

Dorasaga

I'm not too crazy for a lineup filled up with veterans-only without young hands working to grow. As much as he's a veteran, Fukudome is a risk, I still suggest.

Like said, Fuk's coming to Chi-town for a visit this coming week, and if he finally leaves Japan and embraces Chicago, he might need more time to adjust to a totally different ballpark--Wrigley. Then 2008 won't be his career year, and the 20 homers +850 OPS won't be coming immediate, i.e. his contribution is limited.

Getting the Roberts deal from the O's not only guarantees a high OBP guy with 20+ steal, we are also looking at a veteran whose BB/K improved every season (though he's struckout more than walked). Even if Fuk won't came or even if he came but failed, we still have Roberts getting on base.

Then we'll have spots to develop Theriot/Pie/Fuld while having DeRosa start more often to keep the lineup straight.

Lew

I agree, I feel the biggest contracts are more recent then the 1990's, so I think we're talking in the last 5 or 6 years.

The sad thing is that he's a bargain and figures to make about the same amount as the entire Florida Marlins team next year. But they don't sell tickets like the Cubs do.

Another note which may keep them from going crazy with a bid is that they did sign Milton Bradley today (I think somewhere between 3 and 4 million/year). So at least they have a backup plan if the Cubs get Fukudome.

Gary J

My assumption is that the biggest contracts are likely their current contracts. other than Gwynn I can't think of a premier player there in the last decade and that's what it would have taken to top $10 mil during that timeframe.

Just looked at http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/san-diego-padres.html

Looks like if you figure Peavy at 18... Maddux at 10... Giles at 10...

Even a "top 2 or 3 contract in franchise history" for the Padres might only be $10 or $11 million.

he he he - "only" $10 or $11 million. How jaded to the numbers I've become :-)

I would imagine $15 mil isn't out of the question - and with the salaries this off season that's not a bad price for his projected talent level either.

Lew

Gary J:

I think Peavy is going to make around 18 million per year on the new extension. I don't recall what Trevor Hoffman is making. But even knowing what I wrote above I've been wondering to myself whether or not that will be more than the 12-15 million the Cubs are apparently offering. I guess/hope we'll soon find out.

Gary J

hmmm.... interesting statement about the Pads and the "franchise history" thing.

Someone correct me, because I'm missing something I think.

The Pads just never seem to be in the bidding wars. Other than Maddux I can't think of a big name signing with them in recent history. And other than Hoffman and Gwynn I can't think of any players they've had as "franchise" type players that they've kept around. I know they're working on trying to keep peavy around, but other than that...

Just trying to figure what "top two or three contracts in franchise history" contracts means really when talking about the Padres

Lew

mlbtraderumors is saying the "Padres offered Fukudome one of the top two or three contracts in franchise history." they expect a decision tonight or tomorrow. Let the bidding war begin.

Gary J

Just a quick note - MLBTradeRumors has a note that the Cubs appear to be ready to go $12-15 million a year for Fukudome and that if wanted to play on the west coast (Padres) he'll have to accept a significantly smaller contract. Previous news has had the Pads offering in the neighborhood of $10 mil per

daverj

He's a decent prospect and my guess is that we could probably get him for one of our pitching prospects, but I'm not sure he's any better than Eric Patterson.

Lew

More on Emilio Bonifacio: This is his line with the Mobile BayBears (AA) last year:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB

132 551 84 157 21 5 2 40 194 38 105 41

CS OBP SLG AVG OPS E

13 .333 .352 .285 .685 21

Lew

One player I would like the Cubs to inquire about in a trade is Arizona's Emilio Bonifacio. He's a switch hitting 2B who I would argue is as speedy as anyone else you can name. He is still very young (22) and pretty green, but I would love to see him with the Cubs if the right deal came along.

Thoughts...?

jake

come on spendry sign him ive been checking on my phone all day at school for anthing on roberts or fuk!! and now i have to work so i wont know til 10:30 god!! waiting...waiting...