The third week in November was anything but boring for the Chicago Cubs. From roster moves, to Larry Rothschild, to minor league comings and goings, to the Wrigleyville Classic, to the hot stove heating up ... it was a busy seven days on the North Side of Chicago. The Cubs made another addition to their minor league system on Saturday. According to a tweet from Carrie Muskat, the Cubs re-signed Bryan LaHair to a minor league contract. No official word yet, but the deal figures to have an … [Read more...]
Hendry Feels Good About Cubs Off-Season
Trucks loaded with the Cubs equipment depart on Tuesday from Wrigley Field for Fitch Park in Mesa ... pitchers and catchers report in eight days. According to a report in the Tribune, Jim Hendry feels "the club significantly improved" from a disappointing season a year ago. Hendry admitted, "We knew a couple of years ago this would be a year a lot of the contracts we did would restrict us." Hendry explained he "feels good" about the players he brought in and conceded the fact the Cubs need … [Read more...]
Cubs Convention Day Two: Meet Cubs Baseball Management
Lou Piniella, Jim Hendry and Randy Bush followed the Ricketts family on Saturday morning. Bob Sirott and Dave Eanet hosted the Meet Cubs Baseball Management session. The Cubs are not done adding players from what Jim Hendry indicated on Saturday morning. Hendry said the Cubs are not looking to add a free agent starter but a right-handed reliever to setup Carlos Marmol. From Greg Maddux to Marlon Byrd to Geovany Soto's weight loss to Rich Harden and Piniella's starting seven plus the Cubs … [Read more...]
From the Wire … Harden Agrees to Terms with Texas
According to multiple reports, the Texas Rangers agreed to terms on a one-year, $6.5 million contract (that includes $3.5 million in incentives) with Rich Harden on Wednesday. The one-year contract includes a club option for 2011 worth $11 million with a $1 million buyout. The Rangers also traded Kevin Millwood to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Trading Millwood ended all speculation the Cubs could have landed Millwood in a deal that included Milton Bradley. … [Read more...]
Is the Cubs Hot Stove Heating Up?
The countdown to the winter meetings has begun ... and the Cubs made a few waves on Tuesday. Rich Harden, Kevin Gregg and Reed Johnson were not offered salary arbitration and will likely be with another team in 2010. The Cubs could re-sign Reed Johnson but that depends on the moves they are able to make after unloading Milton Bradley. Some think the upcoming winter meetings will be filled with signings and trades ... will Jim Hendry and company be able to accomplish their biggest goal of the … [Read more...]
From the Wire … Harden and Gregg Not Offered Arbitration
According to a report from Cubs.com, Rich Harden and Kevin Gregg were not offered salary arbitration by the Cubs on Tuesday. Harden, a Type-B free agent, was claimed off waivers last season by the Twins but the Cubs pulled him back and did not deal him for prospects before the deadline. Both players were not expected to receive salary arbitration offers from the Cubs. … [Read more...]
To Offer or Not to Offer … That is the Cubs Question
It is December 1 and the next ten to fifteen days should be anything but boring throughout baseball. The Cubs have until 11:00pm C.S.T on Tuesday night to offer salary arbitration to their own free agents in order to receive draft pick compensation. Kevin Gregg and Rich Harden are not expected to receive offers from the Cubs before the deadline. While Gregg and Harden can still re-sign with the Cubs even if they are not offered salary arbitration. Of the Cubs four remaining free agents, Reed … [Read more...]
Cubs Week In Review
It is the calm before the proverbial storm throughout baseball. The Winter Meetings begin in one week (December 7 - December 10) in Indianapolis and there are several other important dates on the horizon. Tuesday (December 1) is the deadline for Major League clubs to offer arbitration to their existing free agents ... once those offers are made, teams will know exactly how much it will cost, outside of money, to sign players they have their eyes on. The Cubs have two players ranked as Type-A … [Read more...]
Millwood or Burrell for Bradley … or None of the Above for the Cubs
Zack Grienke became the first Kansas City Royal since Brett Saberhagen in 1985 to win the AL Cy Young award on Tuesday. The NL and AL Managers of the Year will be announced on Wednesday. In between the debate and the rumors surrounding Curtis Granderson there is Milton Bradley. By all accounts Milton Bradley's time with the Cubs is over but Jim Hendry must find a way out of the more than $21 million owed to Bradley over the next two years. Most feel Bradley will be dealt to either the Rangers … [Read more...]
Grabow and Fox File for Free Agency
According to a report from Cubs.com, John Grabow was the last of the Cubs possible free agents to file for free agency on Monday. Grabow joined Reed Johnson, Rich Harden, Kevin Gregg and Chad Fox as the five Cubs on the 2009 roster to file for free agency ... Chad Fox's announcement had not been made public before Monday. The Cubs are expected to re-sign John Grabow this week before he hits the market on Friday. A report over the weekend indicated the Cubs faxed John Grabow's agent an offer … [Read more...]