The Daily CCO: Javier Baez Goes Yard in Winter Ball and Other Cubs News and Rumors

Photo – @jorgejmuniz

Javier Baez returned to Santurce’s starting lineup on Sunday. Baez hit third and started at second base … and he had a good afternoon at the plate.

Javier Baez went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run homer and two strikeouts in Santurce’s 4-2 victory over San Juan. Baez doubled to left in the first and smacked a two-run homer to left in the third. Baez struck out swinging in the fifth and seventh innings.

After going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a sac fly RBI in his first game, Baez is 4-for-8 with a double, a home run, a walk and three strikeouts in his last two games. Baez is 4-for-11 in three games (.364/.385/.727/1.112).

Click Here for Complete Box Score
Javier Baez’s Player Page

Jon Lester

Jon Lester will be introduced Monday afternoon (1:00pm CST) during a press conference at Spiaggia Restaurant on Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago.

The Associated Press released additional information on Jon Lester’s contract Sunday. Lester is setting the Major League Baseball record for the largest signing bonus ($30 million) and biggest upfront payment. Lester will reportedly receive $15 million by April 1, 2015 with the other $5 million paid out in two installments of $2.5 million on Dec. 31, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2019. The final $10 million is due on Sept. 15, 2020.

Full Report from the Associated Press

Jon Lester’s Contract

Length – Six Years
Option – Vesting Option based on Innings Pitched in 2019 and 2020. Option becomes guaranteed if 200 innings are completed in 2020 or a combined 400 innings are completed in 2019 and 2020
Total Guaranteed Value – $155 million
Value of Vesting Option – $25 million with $10 million buyout
No-Trade Protection – Full No-Trade Clause
Signing Bonus – $30 million total – $20 paid upfront, $10 million spread over guaranteed six years of contract. According to the Associated Press, $15 million of the signing bonus is due by April 1. $2.5 million is due by Dec. 31, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2019 (total of $5 million). The remaining $10 million is due on Sept. 15, 2020.
Perks – Access to 25 hours of personal flights on a private plane per year

Ken Rosenthal reported last week, “the players union will consider present-day value of Jon Lester’s contract to be more than $155 million due to the signing bonus,” $20 million of the $30 million signing bonus is upfront. Phil Rogers confirmed the AAV of Lester’s contract is $25.83 million. Lester’s yearly salary is an average of $19.17 million after the $40 million attached to the signing bonus and buyout on vesting option are removed.

Travis Wood

With Jon Lester in the fold, the Cubs could explore moving some of the pitching depth for a position player. RHP Jacob Turner, LHP Felix Doubront and LHP Tsuyoshi Wada could find roles in the pen if they are not able to crack the rotation. But the Cubs are receiving calls on Travis Wood.

Multiple teams have shown interest in Wood. The Giants, Rangers and Phillies are among the teams that have been connected to Wood by the mainstream media.

Travis Wood is arbitration eligible for the second time and should see an increase in pay from the $3.9 million he made last year to around $5.2-5.7 million in 2015.

Click Here for Original Report from Dec. 11

Jung-Ho Kang

Korean SS Jung-Ho Kang is expected to be posted Monday, at least that is what his agent Alan Nero told Ken Rosenthal last week. Kang is drawing interest from several teams (Mets, Giants), the Cubs interest in Kang is unclear outside of scouting him earlier this fall.

And according to a report from Jeeho Yoo early Monday morning, KBO asked Major League Baseball to post Jung-Ho Kang.

Kang could be looking at a three-year, $24 million contract according to the New York Daily News, plus the $5-15 million posting fee.

Jung-Ho Kang put up good numbers in Korea but there are questions as to how much he would be able to hit in the majors, plus he will likely be moved off short to either second or third base.

The KBO (Korean Baseball League) uses the old posting system. Teams submit a blind bid and the team with the highest bid has a 30-day window to negotiate a contract with him. The posting fee is only due if the player signs.

News, Notes and Rumors

According to Comcast SportsNet, Jon Lester is the No. 1 starter Cubs can finally build around.

Monday (Dec. 15) is the deadline for the Cubs to finalize the trades last summer with the A’s and Red Sox. The Cubs have to send a player to Boston to complete the trade for LHP Felix Doubront. And the Cubs will receive a player from the A’s to complete the Jeff Samardzija–Jason Hammel deal.

Patrick Mooney posted why the Cubs think Jon Lester is worth the huge risk.

Weekend Headlines

The rumors kept swirling throughout the weekend as teams settled back in after returning from San Diego. The Cubs announced a new TV deal, Jason Hammel was made official and the Cubs reportedly met with OF Colby Rasmus.

Here are the headlines from the weekend, and it all started with the return of ramblings:

This Day In Cubstory

2012 – Cubs signed free agent Chang-Yong Lim

2006 – Cubs signed free agent Daryle Ward

2005 – Cubs signed free agents David Lee and Brian Reith

2003 – Cubs selected John Foster from the Brewers in the Rule 5 Draft

2003 – Royals selected Jason Szuminski from the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft

2003 – Cubs traded Damian Miller to Oakland for Michael Barrett

1999 – Cubs signed free agent Joe Girardi

1997 – Cubs selected Roosevelt Brown from the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft

1997 – Cubs selected Danny Young from the Pirates in the Minor League Draft

1997 – Oakland selected Javier Martinez from the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft

1984 – Cubs signed amateur free agent Dave Pavlas

1981 – Luis Montanez, born

1978 – Michael Wuertz, born

1976 – Aaron Miles, born

1963 – Cubs acquired Fred Norman from the Athletics for Nelson Mathews

1912 – Cubs traded Joe Tinker, Grover Lowdermilk and Harry Chapman to the Reds for Bert Humphries, Pete Knisely, Red Corriden, Art Phelan and Mike Mitchell.

1905 – Cubs traded Button Briggs, Doc Casey, Billy Maloney, Jack McCarthy and $2,000 to the Brooklyn Superbas for Jimmy Sheckard