Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday that RHP Jason Motte passed his physical and his one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Cubs was done. Motte’s contract includes a $2.5 million incentives package based on games finished. The Cubs have not announced signing Jason Motte and will have to open a spot on the 40-man roster in order to officially add Motte. Jason Motte said his good-byes to the Cardinals fans and hello to the Cubs fans on Twitter. “Thank you for the warm welcome. Thanks to the … [Read more...]
Cubs Tender Contracts to Eight of Ten Arbitration Eligible Players, Non-Tender John Baker and Wesley Wright
The Cubs tendered contracts to eight of the ten players on the roster arbitration eligible for the 2015 season and the 22 players on the 40-man roster with 0-3 years (automatic renewal) of service time. Travis Wood was among the eight players tendered contracts for the 2015 season. The Cubs did not tender contracts to C John Baker and LHP Wesley Wright and both players are now free agents. With the two roster moves, the Cubs’ 40-man roster officially stands at 37 players. Jake Arrieta, … [Read more...]
Cubs Face Roster Decisions Prior to Non-Tender Deadline
To tender or not to tender, that’s the next question for the front office. Tuesday (11:00pm CST) is the deadline to tender contracts to players for the 2015 season. The Cubs have 10 players on the roster that are arbitration eligible for next year and 22 players with 0-3 years (automatic renewals) of service time the front office must decide whether or not to offer contracts to for next season. Players not tendered contracts become free agents. The deadline to exchange salary arbitration … [Read more...]
Cubs Happy with Hector Rondon Closing, Search for Bullpen Help Could Lead to Andrew Miller
Hector Rondon had a good season, and he was among the best in baseball in the second half. Plus the Cubs have options behind Rondon to close games which make the Cubs reported interest in David Robertson questionable at best. Signing a closer, or relievers, to a long-term contract seldom works out and is typically not the best use of a team’s financial resources. When asked Tuesday if the Cubs were looking for a closer this winter, Jed Hoyer said, “We feel really good about [Hector] … [Read more...]
Cubs Position Analysis – Relief Pitchers
In our final installment of the season in review series we take a look at the Cubs best asset from last season; relief pitching. Going into the year, the front office wasn't quite sure what they had in their bullpen. All they knew was they had a lot of young arms with some they had just acquired through trades and others already in the system that they wanted to see what they had in them. In what was supposed to be more of a rebuilding year, pitchers like Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Neil Ramirez … [Read more...]
Is Yankees’ Closer David Robertson on the Cubs radar?
The Cubs are expected to add at least one reliever to the roster this winter. And it was believed the front office was focused on a southpaw to join Wesley Wright in order to give new manager Joe Maddon a pair of lefties in his bullpen. At the end of the season it was suggested the Cubs could be looking for a proven right hander for the backend of the pen as well to mix in with the young power arms that were very good at the end of the year. “I think we can be selective when it comes to … [Read more...]
Cubs Prioritize Winning in the Pursuit and Hiring of Joe Maddon
The Cubs broke their silence Friday afternoon with two swift announcements about an hour apart. The team fired Rick Renteria and made the hiring of Joe Maddon official. The Cubs scheduled a press conference for Monday afternoon (2:00pm CST) at the Cubby Bear to introduce Joe Maddon as the 54th manager in franchise history. Theo Epstein, through a statement issued to the media, explained the front office’s decision to let Renteria go in favor of Maddon. Epstein said it was a difficult decision … [Read more...]
Cubs Year in Review – 2014
It took the Kansas City Royals 29 years to return to the playoffs this season and with a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, the baseball world is abuzz of the Royals. If anything, Cubs fans are jealous, but also hopeful that the current rebuild will do much of the same for their favorite team. Usually 73-89 is not something to celebrate, but when the season before your team almost lost 100 games, it’s somewhat of an accomplishment. Of course, every GM in baseball will tell you that the goal every … [Read more...]
The Daily CCO: It’s Opening Day in the Arizona Fall League and Other Cubs News and Rumors
The Arizona Fall League kicks off its season Tuesday afternoon and the Mesa Solar Sox open the 2014 fall league with a trip to Glendale to take on the Desert Dogs. Mesa’s first game begins at 2:35pm CDT (12:35pm MST). Several of the Cubs tops prospects including Addison Russell, C.J. Edwards and Dan Vogelbach will spend the next six weeks in Arizona facing some of the best young talent in the game. The Mesa Solar Sox play its home games in the AFL at Cubs Park and it was announced Monday … [Read more...]
Coghlan and Alcantara Power Cubs Comeback – Cubs 8, Dodgers 7
Game One Hundred Fifty-Five: Cubs 8, Dodgers 7 WP – Justin Grimm (5-2) LP – Brian Wilson (2-4, BS 4) Save – Hector Rondon (26) In what will be remembered as The Chris Coghlan Game, the young Cubs roster did not quit playing Saturday afternoon after the Dodgers jumped out to a big lead. The Cubs were down 6-1 by the third inning and the Dodgers took a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. The Cubs scored four runs in the seventh with Arismendy Alcantara delivering the big hit, a … [Read more...]