It won’t be too much longer until Pat Hughes kicks off another season of Cubs’ baseball on the radio. His familiar welcome, ‘Cubs Baseball is on the Air’ will be heard for the first time on 670 The Score in just over a month.
The Cubs first broadcast of the spring on The Score is Saturday, March 5. Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer will call the action from Sloan Park when the Cubs host the Reds.
Mark Grote is returning for his second season as the pre- and post-game host. And he posted Tuesday night the Cubs’ new flagship has expanded the pre- and post-game shows.
Chris Bosio, Len Kasper and Bruce Levine have been added to the pre-game show that already featured The Joe Maddon Show. And the post-game show has been doubled for the season to include a call-in segment.
Pitchers and catchers report in 16 days, first full-squad work of the spring is in 21 days (Feb. 24) and the Cubs Cactus League opener (March 3) against the Brewers in Maryvale is in 29 days …
Greg Maddux
The Dodgers announced Tuesday the team hired Greg Maddux and Raul Ibanez as special assistants to Andrew Friedman and the baseball operations department.
Maddux and Ibanez “will assist in all aspects of baseball operations, including scouting, player development and working with the club’s players, both at the Major League and minor league levels.
Maddux has been linked to the Dodgers since he and Mike Maddux left the Rangers early in the off-season. Maddux was a special assistant to Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels for four years while his brother was the team’s pitching coach. Mike Maddux is now the pitching coach for the Washington Nationals under new manager Dusty Baker.
Greg Maddux actually finished his Hall of Fame career with the Dodgers. After Jim Hendry dealt Maddux to the Dodgers for Cesar Izturis in July 2006, Maddux signed as a free agent with the Padres the following December. Maddux re-signed with the Padres in November 2007 and was traded to the Dodgers on Aug. 19, 2008.
• Full Report from Dodgers.com
Brendan Ryan
Brendan Ryan agreed to terms on a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. The team announced the minor league deal with Ryan on Tuesday that includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
The Cubs acquired Ryan from the Yankees as the player to be named later in the deal that sent Starlin Castro to the Bronx for Adam Warren. Ryan was added to the 40-man roster on Dec. 17 to complete the trade.
Brendan Ryan was released on Dec. 23 and became a free agent. The Cubs are responsible for Ryan’s $1 million salary for the 2016 season.
Lazaro Armenteros
Jesse Sanchez reported Tuesday that the Braves have “expressed strong interest” in Lazarito Armenteros and have a workout scheduled with the 16-year old. David O’Brien confirmed the Braves are interested and have a private workout scheduled with him this Saturday.
Sanchez said the Braves “are among the teams making a strong push to sign him” and Lazarito is expected to sign with a team next week.
According to the report, Lazarito could receive “a signing bonus in the $15 million to $20 million range, but that number could rise if teams get into a bidding war.” Lazarito is subject to International signing guidelines. And the team that signs him would have to pay 100 percent tax on the overage of their International signing bonus pool. Basically, if Lazarito receives a $15 million signing bonus, he will cost the team $30 million.
News, Notes and Rumors
• Jake Arrieta plans to come back strong after Cy Young year according to a report from Comcast SportsNet. Patrick Mooney included in his report that Arrieta’s arbitration hearing is scheduled for mid-February but did not give a specific date.
• Jon Paul Morosi detailed a number of options to modify the qualifying offer system. The current system is broken, the MLBPA wants it changed and it will be addressed in negotiations for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
• According to Bruce Levine, the White Sox are kicking the tires on OF Andre Ethier.
• Brian Cashman told Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances when he acquired Aroldis Chapman that neither player would be traded. But according to a report from The Score, Miller would not have blamed the Yankees for dealing him. Miller feels at this point “it would have to be something pretty extreme” for them to trade him.
• Ben Badler reported on Major League Baseball banning Cuban team from Dominican Academies.
• The Brewers do not have a trade in the works for Jonathan Lucroy. Brewers’ GM David Stearns addressed the situation again Tuesday according to a report from Hardball Talk.
• According to a report from Jerry Crasnick, LHP Mark Buehrle is not planning to sign with a team but he’s not ready to officially retire from the game. Early in the off-season there were indications that Buehrle would either sign with the Cardinals or retire. Crasnick said the lefty is “leaving the door open for a possible comeback down the road.”
• The Twins signed OF Carlos Quentin to a minor league contract that includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training. Quentin announced his retirement last May. He can earn $750,000 if he makes the big league roster and his deal includes a June 1 opt-out.
• The Indians are concerned about their offense as Spring Training quickly approaches. Juan Uribe is among the hitters on their radar according to Paul Hoynes. Dexter Fowler is a “longshot” for the Indians because he would cost the Tribe their first round draft pick.
• Ken Rosenthal posted a report about new Diamondbacks’ infielder Jean Segura and detailed the struggles Segura was having while dealing with the death of his nine-month old son in July 2014. Those that know Segura believe a trade out of Milwaukee was what he needed to get his career back on track.
• The Pirates outrighted RHP Yoervis Medina to Triple-A after designating him for assignment on Jan. 19.
And last, but not least, those that did not see the Harry Caray special on MLB Network, make sure to catch it when the baseball channel shows it again. The Network did an excellent job, and it’s truly Must-See-TV for all Cubs fans.
This Day in Cubstory
2012 – The Cubs and Matt Garza agreed to terms on a one-year, $9.5 million contract to avoid arbitration.
2010 – Cubs signed free agent Kevin Millar
1975 – Billy Herman was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Herman played for the Cubs from 1931-41 and batted .309/.366/.417 with 346 doubles, 69 triples, 37 home runs and a .782 OPS. Herman ended his 15-year career with the Pirates in 1947 after amassing a .304/.367/.407 line with 486 doubles, 82 triples and 47 home runs for a .774 OPS. Herman was an All-Star from 1934-43 and finished top three in MVP voting in 1936, top four in 1935 and ended up in the top 10 in MVP voting in five separate seasons.
1947 – Joe Coleman, born
1935 – Don Kaiser, born
1916 – Phillies purchased Wilbur Good from the Cubs
1886 – Albert Spalding started a sporting goods company in Chicago for $800.
1880 – Newt Randall, born