Cubs to sign Mabry

[Burtonbell]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051207&content_id=1278082&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[Derwood]

one foot out the door for macias?

 

bench:

 

blanco

cedeno/neifi

hairston?

mabry

???

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Link

 

How is this not official already? It seems like this happened a month ago...

[Derwood]

Link

 

How is this not official already? It seems like this happened a month ago...

 

They needed the Pierre trade to go through to open a spot on te 40-man

[CuseCubFan69]

Link

 

How is this not official already? It seems like this happened a month ago...

 

They needed the Pierre trade to go through to open a spot on te 40-man

 

And by waiting after the free agent arbitration deadline the Cubs don't lose a draft pick.

[Burtonbell]

Thanks guys, it makes so much sense now...

[JGalt73]

BP's Christina Kahrl on the Mabry pickup:

 

Picking at the margins for the crumbs of the free agent market, ideally you want to make sure you get crumbs, as in coffee cakes or silly comics, and not crums, as in Henry Blanco or Jose Macias, but the Cubs seem to keep getting the distinction between "desirable" and "not a bit" mixed up. Mabry's long enough in the tooth to be familiar with the responsibilities of a pinch-hitter, a more dangerous Lenny Harris, and unlike Lenny, actually able to fill in at any of the infield or outfield corners. The danger is that he might also be old enough to be taken entirely too seriously by Dusty Baker as a solution for one or the other of the Cubs' open outfield slots. If he gets regular playing time, he's a problem, but he's a decent bet at giving you a .400 SLG off of the bench, and there are worse reserves on this roster to complain about.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Link

 

How is this not official already? It seems like this happened a month ago...

 

They needed the Pierre trade to go through to open a spot on te 40-man

 

And by waiting after the free agent arbitration deadline the Cubs don't lose a draft pick.

 

I thought we wouldn't lose a pick by signing him? The trade clearing up a spot on the 40 man sounds familiar though.

[Burtonbell]

BP's Christina Kahrl on the Mabry pickup:

 

Picking at the margins for the crumbs of the free agent market, ideally you want to make sure you get crumbs, as in coffee cakes or silly comics, and not crums, as in Henry Blanco or Jose Macias, but the Cubs seem to keep getting the distinction between "desirable" and "not a bit" mixed up. Mabry's long enough in the tooth to be familiar with the responsibilities of a pinch-hitter, a more dangerous Lenny Harris, and unlike Lenny, actually able to fill in at any of the infield or outfield corners. The danger is that he might also be old enough to be taken entirely too seriously by Dusty Baker as a solution for one or the other of the Cubs' open outfield slots. If he gets regular playing time, he's a problem, but he's a decent bet at giving you a .400 SLG off of the bench, and there are worse reserves on this roster to complain about.

 

I really hate dusty...

[CuseCubFan69]

Link

 

How is this not official already? It seems like this happened a month ago...

 

They needed the Pierre trade to go through to open a spot on te 40-man

 

And by waiting after the free agent arbitration deadline the Cubs don't lose a draft pick.

 

I thought we wouldn't lose a pick by signing him? The trade clearing up a spot on the 40 man sounds familiar though.

 

I thought he was a type C guy? I may be wrong.

[somechick]

BP's Christina Kahrl on the Mabry pickup:

 

Picking at the margins for the crumbs of the free agent market, ideally you want to make sure you get crumbs, as in coffee cakes or silly comics, and not crums, as in Henry Blanco or Jose Macias, but the Cubs seem to keep getting the distinction between "desirable" and "not a bit" mixed up. Mabry's long enough in the tooth to be familiar with the responsibilities of a pinch-hitter, a more dangerous Lenny Harris, and unlike Lenny, actually able to fill in at any of the infield or outfield corners. The danger is that he might also be old enough to be taken entirely too seriously by Dusty Baker as a solution for one or the other of the Cubs' open outfield slots. If he gets regular playing time, he's a problem, but he's a decent bet at giving you a .400 SLG off of the bench, and there are worse reserves on this roster to complain about.

 

I swear, when I first read that, i thought it was gonna say actually able to fit into his uniform.

[otis89]

It's finally been confirmed.

 

From Rotoworld:

Cubs agreed to terms with infielder-outfielder John Mabry, who had been with the Cardinals, on a one-year, $1 million contract.

The deal was done last week, but the Cubs didn't want to remove another player from the 40-man roster. The Juan Pierre trade took care of their roster crunch for the moment. Mabry will serve as a backup at all four corners. He seems more likely to get playing time in left field, where Matt Murton is expected to be the primary starter, than anywhere else.

 

This better mean bye-bye Macias. Although that last sentence worries me a little.

Edited December 8, 2005 by otis89

[Andy]

It's impressive that the Cubs finally figured out that you needn't pay more than about 1.5M for bench players.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

It's impressive that the Cubs finally figured out that you needn't pay more than about 1.5M for bench players.

 

well, neifi is starting, so we're not overpaying. :twisted:

[otis89]

neifi is starting

 

Please. I never, ever want to hear those 3 words in that order again. Neifi is fine as a bench player, but as a starter... ](*,)

[Cubzfan64]

Anyone wanna guess when the first game of the 2006 season will include Mabry, Neifi and Macias in the starting lineup??

 

(I'm jesting.... I HOPE!!!)

[otis89]

Anyone wanna guess when the first game of the 2006 season will include Mabry, Neifi and Macias in the starting lineup??

 

(I'm jesting.... I HOPE!!!)

 

April 3. :roll: