If The Ivy Could Talk - Cubs Rumors

10 days until pitchers and catchers officially report to Fitch Park ... The Cubs loaded the equipment truck Tuesday that is bound for Mesa. Several players are already at Fitch Park preparing for the start of Spring Training and the new arrivals include Matt Garza, David DeJesus, Dave Sappelt, Jeff Samardzija, Josh Vitters and Darwin Barney.

The Yoenis Cespedes tour began Tuesday. Cespedes acquired a visitor's visa and arrived in Miami Tuesday afternoon. Cespedes reportedly met with his agent, Adam Katz, Tuesday night to go over the next step of the process.

Yoenis Cespedes is expected to meet with the Marlins and tour their new park Wednesday. According to Jayson Stark, the Marlins have limits on the contract they are prepared to offer Cespedes. Miami is planning something spectacular but they are not sure it will be enough to sign him. David Samson told Jayson Stark the club could make an offer to Cespedes by the end of the day [Wednesday]. Samson admitted the Marlins want him but do not need him and said signing Cespedes could "put the cherry on top of a feverish off-season."

Cespedes has not received an OFAC unblocking license, which is required for him to sign a contract.

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal, other teams may visit Cespedes while he is in Miami. There have not been any reports, yet, that the Cubs may be one of the teams. Cespedes is expected to return to the Dominican Republic in a few days.

The Cubs updated their official roster Tuesday and announced several number changes. Among the changes ... Matt Garza switched from 17 to 22, Jason Jaramillo was issued no. 38, Joe Mather received no. 16, Tony Campana turned in Piniella's old number in favor of good ole no. 1 and Jeff Baker will wear no. 3 instead of his familiar no. 28, which went to Paul Maholm.

Here's the update ...

There are only 11 days before pitchers and catchers officially report to Fitch Park and the Cubs' new regime is not finished tweaking the roster.

After avoiding arbitration in January by agreeing to a one-year, $1.1 million contract for 2012, the Cubs designated Blake DeWitt for assignment Monday to make room on the 40-man roster for Adrian Cardenas. The offensive oriented utility man was a sandwich pick of the Phillies in 2006 and one of the top prospects in Oakland's organization after Billy Beane acquired him in the Joe Blanton deal in 2008. Cardenas has two minor league options left and is expected to compete for a spot on the Cubs' 25-man roster this spring.

The Cubs have not announced the signing of 19-year old lefty Gerardo Concepcion. Concepcion and the Cubs reportedly came to terms on a contract last week that could end up being worth as much as $8 million. If the reports are accurate and Concepcion agreed to a Major League deal, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer will have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Concepcion.

Here is the update ...

The countdown to pitchers and catchers officially reporting to Spring Training has begun. It is only 13 days before the first workout for Cubs' pitchers and catchers at Fitch Park. The first full squad workout is on February 24 and the Cubs' first Cactus League game against the A's is less than a month away (March 4) ... Cubs baseball is just around the corner.

The Cubs have more roster decisions to make in the near future. According to multiple reports, the contract Gerardo Concepcion agreed to is a Major League deal. Concepcion would have to be added to the 40-man roster once the deal is official. The Cubs will have to open a spot to add the southpaw to the big league roster.

The next seven to ten days should also see Yoenis Cespedes sign with a team. The Cubs are considered one of the front-runners to sign Cespedes as well as Jorge Soler, once Soler establishes residency in the Dominican Republic and MLB makes him eligible to begin negotiating with teams.

Here is the update on 'big game' Sunday ...

The Cubs crossed another task from their off-season to-do list Friday when they agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Matt Garza. The Cubs and Garza avoided arbitration just before his scheduled hearing in St. Petersburg. Garza had filed a $12.5 million salary arbitration number and the Cubs offered $7.95 million.

The two sides met just below the midway point and Garza inked a $9.5 million deal for the upcoming season that includes a $150,000 incentive package based on innings pitched. Garza receives $50,000 for reaching the 210-inning plateau and another $100,000 if he totals 220 innings in 2012.

With Garza under contract, the Cubs have signed all of their arbitration eligible players.

Lost in the news when the signing of Gerardo Concepcion was announced Thursday night was the Cubs inked lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith to a minor league deal. The Cubs have not announced the contract and whether or not the deal includes a non-roster invitation to Spring Training.

The Cubs did invite another pitcher to big league camp. According to Bruce Levine, Esmailin Caridad will be in camp on a non-roster invite. With the addition of Caridad, the Cubs NRI list currently has 22 players on it.

Here's the update ...

Matt Garza is the only arbitration eligible player that remains unsigned for the upcoming season. Garza filed a $12.5 million figure and the Cubs countered with a $7.95 million salary for 2012 ... and the sides appear to have two days to work out a deal to avoid an arbitration hearing.

According to a report from Phil Rogers, Matt Garza's hearing is set for Friday. The Cubs are hopeful a deal can be reached before going in front of an independent arbiter. The Cubs and Garza can still find a middle ground but if the two sides go to arbitration Garza will make either $12.5 million or $7.95 million for the upcoming season.

Matt Garza earned $5.95 million last season.

Matt Garza's house in Fresno County was broken into recently and one of the items that were stolen was Garza's 2008 American League Championship ring. The burglary happened between the afternoon of January 26 and late Tuesday morning.

Here's the update that includes the Cubs possible interest in signing Todd Coffey ...

The Cubs finally announced the list of players that will be in camp this spring on non-roster invitations. As the rosters are currently constructed (40-man and non-roster), the Cubs will have a total of 61 players in camp on February 24, the first full-squad workout of the spring.

Could the Theo Epstein compensation issue be coming to an end soon? According to a report from the Boston Globe, an outcome should occur soon. The Cubs and Red Sox have submitted names to Bud Selig and the Commissioner will soon make a ruling. According to the Globe, "the two sides had agreed that a significant player would change hands. That was the agreement in allowing Epstein to escape the year remaining on his contract and become the president of baseball operations for the Cubs."

Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington did not discuss the topic during a charity event Monday night at Fenway Park.

And, could Geovany Soto be on the Rays' radar?

Here's the update ...

What was expected to be another busy week for the Chicago Cubs turned out to be rather quiet. Many think the Cubs are focused on the three Cuban players that they've been linked to for a majority of the off-season.

Another one of their reported targets established residency in the Dominican Republic this past week and a day later was able to start negotiating with teams. Yoenis Cespedes cannot sign yet but it has been reported the Cubs are believed to have an offer on the table for the 26-year old outfielder.

Gerardo Concepcion established residency in Mexico and according to his agent the 18-year old southpaw could sign with an organization as early as this weekend. As for Jorge Soler, the 19-year old outfielder has not established residency in the Dominican Republic.

The Cubs officially added Kerry Wood to their 40-man roster and outrighted Manny Corpas to Triple-A Iowa. Corpas will still compete for a spot in Dale Sveum's bullpen as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training.

The Cubs were expected to announce their list of non-roster invitees to Spring Training last week. The team announced the signing of Bobby Scales (January 20) but did not release the list of players that will be competing for a spot on the big league team this spring. According to Bruce Levine (Talkin' Baseball, ESPN 1000), the Cubs are expected to announce a 15-player NRI list in the coming week.

Here is the update on the last Sunday in January with just 20 days before pitchers and catchers officially report to Spring Training ...

The Cubs are reportedly interested in a trio of Cuban players ... Yoenis Cespedes, Jorge Soler and Gerardo Concepcion. While they have been able to negotiate a deal with Concepcion, the 18-year old southpaw, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer can now officially negotiate a contract with Yoenis Cespedes.

A day after the news surfaced that Cespedes had established residency in the Dominican Republic, MLB teams were told on Wednesday they can start negotiating with Cespedes and his agent Adam Katz.

While teams can negotiate a deal with the outfielder, Yoenis Cespedes cannot sign a contract. Cespedes must obtain an unblocking license from the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) before he can sign. The license is required because he is a Cuban national who has established residency in another country.

Three of the top prospects in the Cubs' system made MLB.com's list of the best minor league players in the game. Brett Jackson (33) and Anthony Rizzo (37) were ranked in the top 50 and Javier Baez was ranked as the 62nd best prospect in the game.

Here is the update ...

The Cubs off-season has been very quiet of late but that could be changing soon.

The Cubs are expected to announce the non-roster invitees to Spring Training this week. The Cubs have signed several minor league free agents but have not officially announced a majority of those contracts that include non-roster invitations to big league camp. Plus, the Cubs have not cleared a roster space for Kerry Wood after announcing his new contract 10 days ago. The Cubs 40-man roster currently has 40 players on it with one contract pending.

The Cubs are expected to make a big run at both Yoenis Cespedes and Jorge Soler ... and it appears the bidding between the Cubs and Marlins for Cespedes could begin soon.

Reports from the Dominican Republic early Tuesday indicated that Cespedes would not be playing again in the Dominican this season. The report suggested the team (The Aguilas) was not happy with his performance (.143/.167/.257, 5-for-35 with 10 strikeouts, a hit by pitch, one home run and no walks) but it appears that Cespedes was asked not to play any longer by MLB teams that are interested in signing him.

Yoenis Cespedes has established residency in the Dominican Republic, the first step in becoming eligible to be signed ... and he may have already been granted free agency by the MLB front office.

Reminder alert ... MLB.com is unveiling their list of the top 50 prospects in the game on the MLB Network (9:00pm CST) Wednesday night. The top 100 prospects in the game will be available on MLB.com soon after the telecast.

Here is the update ... including more on Yoenis Cespedes.

The week following the convention was a busy seven days for the Chicago Cubs. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer avoided arbitration with six of the seven arbitration eligible players for the upcoming season ... only Matt Garza remains unsigned.

The Cubs continued to sign free agents to minor league contracts. News surfaced Friday that the Cubs had signed utility outfielder Matt Tolbert. Bruce Levine confirmed the signing of Tolbert to a minor league contract that includes an invite to big league camp. Tolbert joined Alfredo Amezaga, Joe Mather, Edgar Gonzalez, Jason Jaramillo and Rodrigo Lopez on the list of players that has signed a minor league contract with the Cubs that includes a NRI to Spring Training. The Cubs are expected to announce the full list of non-roster invitees to big league camp this week ... and both Brett Jackson and Trey McNutt should be among the prospects in the system that receive NRIs.

The Cubs have not announced the corresponding move in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Kerry Wood. The Cubs' big league roster currently stands at 40 players, with one contract pending.

The Cubs picked up a draft pick when Carlos Pena signed with the Rays. Matt Garza discussed his future, trade rumors and the Cubs on XM Radio and Jason McLeod spent a little time on ESPN 1000.

Here is the update ...