The Cubs announced on Friday they signed former Diamondbacks and Rays' utility man Ryan Roberts to a minor league contract. The deal includes a non-roster invite to big league camp. Ryan Roberts, or TatMan, spent last season with the Tampa Bay Rays after he was traded to Tampa from Arizona during the 2012 season. … [Read more...]
Baseball’s Hot Stove is Heating Up and Other Cubs News, Notes and Rumors
The Winter Meetings are less than a week away and Monday was a good preview of what is expected to be a busy three days in Orlando throughout the game. There was more player movement on Monday and teams decided to part ways with several players prior to Monday’s deadline to tender contracts for the 2014 season. The Cubs trimmed their roster to 37 players when they decided not to offer contracts to RHP Daniel Bard, IF/OF Mat Gamel and RHP Chang-Yong Lim. The front office avoided arbitration … [Read more...]
Cubs Tender Contracts to Seven Players and Non-Tender Bard, Gamel and Lim
The Cubs tendered contracts to seven of the 11 arbitration eligible players prior to Monday’s deadline, and avoided arbitration with both George Kottaras and Donnie Murphy. The Cubs did not offer contracts to RHP Daniel Bard, IF/OF Mat Gamel and RHP Chang-Yong Lim. With Monday’s roster moves, the 40-man roster currently stands at 37 players. … [Read more...]
Time for the Cubs to Offer a Little Contract Tender-ness
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have roster decisions to make over the next 24 hours prior to Monday’s tender deadline. With the addition of George Kottaras, the Cubs now have a full 40-man roster and 11 players that are arbitration eligible for next season. With the recent report of the Cubs not willing to give up on Daniel Bard and Darwin Barney acknowledging that he and the team know what his arbitration number is and it will not take a third party to determine his salary for 2014, there are only … [Read more...]
Kris Bryant Wins AFL MVP and Cubs Continue to Explore Options
Weekend Update The Arizona Fall League wrapped up the 2013 season on Saturday with Mesa losing 2-0 to Surprise in the Championship game. But before the contest, Kris Bryant received the Joe Black Award for the Most Valuable Player in the Arizona Fall League. Bryant was impressive during the fall league and created quite the buzz. Bryant edged out Solar Sox teammate, C.J. Cron for the honor. Kris Bryant hit .364/.457/.727 with eight doubles and one triple. Bryant led the AFL in home runs with … [Read more...]
Cubs Listening on Samardzija? Looking to Extend Wood? And Other News and Notes
Two more of the Cubs’ off-season storylines have surfaced, even without a manager or a coaching staff in place. And both involve pitchers that were in the Cubs’ rotation a year ago. According to a report from Buster Olney, the Cubs and Diamondbacks will continue talking about a trade that would send Jeff Samardzija to Arizona. Rumors last July indicated the D-Backs called the Cubs about the availability of Jeff Samardzija and once Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer asked for Archie Bradley and Tyler … [Read more...]
Can’t Skip Over the Cubs Manager News and Other Notes
The Major League Baseball season will come to an end this week and once the last out of the Series is recorded the off-season officially begins and all 30 teams will start preparing for next season … and beyond. The Cubs’ front office will continue to focus on finding a new manager while addressing the coaching staff and player personnel. Scott Baker, Kevin Gregg, Matt Guerrier and Dioner Navarro will officially hit the free agent market after the Fall Classic which will open three spots … [Read more...]
Catching Up on Cubs Rumors and Other News and Notes
The Cubs off-season is just eight days old and the rumor mill is already heating up. The front office’s focus has reportedly been on Joe Girardi while searching for other qualified managerial candidates if Girardi decides to stay in the Bronx. But once Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer hire a new manager and the coaching staff is in place, the attention will turn to improving the big league roster. The Cubs are looking to add pitching this off-season and are expected to address bullpen that showed … [Read more...]
Yankees Won’t Allow the Cubs to Speak with Girardi
According to a report from Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the Yankees will not grant the Cubs permission to talk to Joe Girardi about managing the team if they ask. Feinsand reported the Yankees are not willing to give the Cubs a chance to lure Girardi away "while they are trying to hammer out a new deal to retain the manager." Reports Wednesday night and early Thursday morning suggested the Cubs are prepared to make Joe Girardi one of the two, if not the highest paid manager in … [Read more...]
From the Wire … Cubs Claim Mat Gamel Off Waivers from the Brewers
The Cubs announced on Thursday that they claimed infielder Mat Gamel off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Gamel has missed all of last season with a torn ACL after having his 2012 season cut short with the same injury. Gamel played in just 21 games in 2012 and put together a .246/.293/.348 line. The Cubs did not announce the corresponding roster move to add Mat Gamel to the 40-man roster. According to Bruce Miles, Gamel was transferred to the 60-day DL. So for now, the Cubs will not have … [Read more...]