Cubs sign RHP Brian Boehringer

[ThePenguin11]

Brian Boehringer - R - Cubs

 

Cubs signed RHP Brian Boehringer to a minor league contract.

Boehringer retired last season after an ugly stint at Triple-A Columbus. The 36-year-old reliever is unlikely to make it back to the majors with the Cubs. Feb. 25 - 6:47 pm et

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

meh

[Butterscup1679666578]

Ohh.

[ThePenguin11]

This move is sure have St. Louis worried. And to think all those other teams had a chance to sign Brian Boehringer and we got him.

[Roast]

YESSSSSS OMG FINALLY....

 

Oh, wait...Boehringer, not Giles.

 

Darn.

[Balsa]

36? Wow. Why waste the money?

[polosprt009]

36? Wow. Why waste the money?

 

My thoughts exactly

[erik316wttn]

I'll always remember where I was the day I heard that the Cubs signed Brian Boehringer, future Cy Young winner and World Series MVP.

 

I can gather my grandkids around one day and tell them how Brian (hereafter known as "The Savior") started 20 consecutive games in September, won 19 of them (he lost on one bad call by the home plate umpire), and won all 11 postseason games in route to a Cubs sweep of the World Series.

 

During the World Series parade, The Savior rescued a kitten from a tree, and delivered twelve babies. He also fought Chuck Norris to a draw.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Sarcasm duly noted, people.

 

But is Boehringer really worth any sarcasm? Nah...

[Neuby]

He replaces Jason S who left camp with a shoulder injury as roster filler.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Come on guys...he's a proven veteran.

[Backtobanks]

Come on guys...he's a proven veteran.

 

But can he catch the ball?

[TrueBlueCubFan]

He replaces Jason S who left camp with a shoulder injury as roster filler.

Exactly, unless the Cubs have extensive injuries to the BP, we may never see Boehringer in Chicago this year. Most likely, a minor league roster filler. No big deal.

[UMFan83]

Great he's a Dusty guy. Say hello to our new main setup man

 

"He's the only player I've ever had who checks books out of my library in my office," Baker said. "This guy can read a book in about 15 minutes I think. He checks them out. He takes the jacket off, leaves the jacket, then puts it back on when he comes back."

[NCCubFan]

Great he's a Dusty guy. Say hello to our new main setup man

Dempster better be looking over his shoulder.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

The Cubs have tons of starters in the minor league system, but look to have a shortage of relievers. Unless they are interested in converting some of their young starters to relief pitchers, they have space and the need for the Boehringers and Cliff Bartosh's of the world. They'll never see Chicago though.

 

BTW, someone brought up money, unless I'm mistaken a standard minor league deal like this one is usually $50,000 for AAA, though someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that.

[ThePenguin11]

For the record, when I posted this I wasn't trying to bash the move. Teams make these kinds of last minute, has-been-veteran-addition moves all the time. It's a pretty meaningless transaction in the ultimate scheme of things and my sarcasm wasn't meant to say that the Cubs are foolish, more so to make fun of Brian Boehringer and a pretty mundane transaction.

[goonys evil twin]

Unless they are interested in converting some of their young starters to relief pitchers

 

That's pretty much how relief pitchers become relief pitchers. It's really not a matter of wanting to convert guys, but the failed starters (and the Cubs will have plenty of those) need to go to the pen to have a chance for a career. I think Browlie needs this to happen ASAP if he wants to do anything.

[sethuel1]

Unless they are interested in converting some of their young starters to relief pitchers

 

That's pretty much how relief pitchers become relief pitchers. It's really not a matter of wanting to convert guys, but the failed starters (and the Cubs will have plenty of those) need to go to the pen to have a chance for a career. I think Browlie needs this to happen ASAP if he wants to do anything.

 

I think Brownlie needs to start taking the jackets off of books.

[Bull]

this checking out books thing...Classic example of Dusty saying nice things about a guy he doesn't actually plan on using, right??

 

 

right?!?! :(

[craig]

Probably heresy, but I think it's an interesting move. Costs nothing. Iowa may need a decent reliever. And the Cubs may too.

 

I assume the Wellemeyer should get traded, and may return an interesting prospect. (Perhaps better than what Cleveland was able to get for a Bartosh...). Once Wellemeyer is gone, then Novoa is about the only non-Guzman righty on options that you have on reserve at iowa. (Unless you want to bring up ryu or Marmol already to be the 12th pitcher who doesn't get any work, doesn't develop, and just gets rusty).

 

And Boehringer was a competent pitcher for some time. From 1997 through 2002, he missed one year to injury (2000, had a 5.74 ERA in 15 innings). But the other five years over that span, he had ERA's of 2.62, 4.36, 3.24, 3.65, and 3.39. If Wellemeyer or Novoa were able to do that as our 12th pitcher, we'd be thrilled.

 

Since that time Boehringer wasn't as good in 2003 and 2004, and skipped 2005. So, not too likely that at age 36 he's going to recover the stuff he had at his peak. But we know that relievers gets used and abused, often their arms get fried, and they often deteriorate as a result. So it's entirely plausible that 03 and 04 his arm was fried, that he took off 2005 for family reasons or whatever but in the process his arm recuperated and is healthy again. If so, you might luck out and have a perfectly acceptable 12th pitcher for nothing.

 

Likely? not at all. But not so unreasonable that spending a $50K minor league deal on it is a dumb idea.

[Shilzzz]

you guys don't think this is money well spent if all the guy does is help the younger pitchers in AAA learn how to pitch in the majors and nothing else?

[goonys evil twin]

you guys don't think this is money well spent if all the guy does is help the younger pitchers in AAA learn how to pitch in the majors and nothing else?

 

I don't think he would really be of value in that regard.

 

It's not an expensive gamble, although it doesn't really have any upside regardless.

[srbin84]

you guys don't think this is money well spent if all the guy does is help the younger pitchers in AAA learn how to pitch in the majors and nothing else?

 

I don't think he would really be of value in that regard.

 

It's not an expensive gamble, although it doesn't really have any upside regardless.

 

Yeah, plus if he continues to get shelled in AAA, I can't see why any of our young pitchers would put any stock in anything he has to say regarding pitching, nor would I want them too. If this was like Mussina in a few years or something like that, I would agree with you, but not this guy.

[Jake]

Holy Cynicism, Batman!

 

No one is expecting Boehringer to do anything drastic in the majors.

 

A guy like this is signed first of all to take a roster spot at AAA, so that anyone who bumps him there will have earned it, as opposed to getting a promotion becuase there's a spot.

 

Second of all, if there are enough injuries during the season, he can take a major league spot and pitch mop up.

 

In his three years in the Burgh, his first was stellar, which led to a two year contract. He was basically useless over those two years, spending most of the time on the DL.

 

Read Craig's post above. The signing makes a lot of sense.