Fox Sports: Ramirez SIGNS WITH CUBS!

[CubFanPhilly]

I think Hendry has to make his last-best offer by Saturday and move on if Ramirez doesn't bite. If he doesn't he loses all leverage in negotiations.

 

What leverage does he have now?

 

The only leverage Hendry has is the threat that he'll withdraw his offer. I'll admit, it's weak leverage considering Hendry's position, but you can't let the negotiations go on forever while other potential candidates are signed by other teams.

 

After Saturday Ramirez becomes an auction process.

 

Well, if you were Aram's agent, what would you advise him to do?

 

I'd tell him to pass on the Cubs' offer and play the FA market.

 

Unless I thought: 1) there was a chance it was the best offer he'd get; and 2) the Cubs threatened to withdraw it if the deadline passed.

 

But if Ramirez is at all serious about wanting to stay in Chicago it might not have to be the best possible offer- only in the neighborhood of what Soriano is looking for.

[jmajew]

I'd feel comfortable offering Ramirez a 6/93 deal with limited no-trade protection. I'd offer him full no trade proteaction in the first three years and then let him pick a list of six teams he cannot be traded to in the last three years.

 

That seems pretty fair to me. Would it be structured 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16?

[CubinNY]

I think Hendry has to make his last-best offer by Saturday and move on if Ramirez doesn't bite. If he doesn't he loses all leverage in negotiations.

 

What leverage does he have now?

 

The only leverage Hendry has is the threat that he'll withdraw his offer. I'll admit, it's weak leverage considering Hendry's position, but you can't let the negotiations go on forever while other potential candidates are signed by other teams.

 

After Saturday Ramirez becomes an auction process.

 

Well, if you were Aram's agent, what would you advise him to do?

 

I'd tell him to pass on the Cubs' offer and play the FA market.

 

Unless I thought: 1) there was a chance it was the best offer he'd get; and 2) the Cubs threatened to withdraw it if the deadline passed.

 

But if Ramirez is at all serious about wanting to stay in Chicago it might not have to be the best possible offer- only in the neighborhood of what Soriano is looking for.

 

This is going to take a long time. If I were Hendry I tell him to bring back the best offer he gets from another team and try and match it.

[jmajew]

ESPN Insider

 

Clock is ticking for Cubs

Nov 9 - Time is running out for the Cubs to re-sign Aramis Ramirez. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs GM Jim Hendry is looking for ways to keep Ramirez on the North Side, but his demands -- five years, $75 million -- might be too high.

Nov. 11 is the final day the Cubs have exclusive negotiating rights before the Angels and Dodgers lead a group of potential suitors for the free-agent third baseman. Because it's unlikely the Cubs will get into a bidding war, Ramirez probably will get a take-it-or-leave-it offer from the Cubs.

 

Ramirez, 28, is coming off a season in which he hit .291 with 38 home runs, 119 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage that ranked second among all major-league third basemen.

 

It bugs me that Hendry won't just give him 5/75 if that is what he wants. This is getting ridiculous. I can't believe Hendry won't give him that. Either the tribune is wrong in the price or Hendry is being way too stubborn.

[CubinNY]

ESPN Insider

 

Clock is ticking for Cubs

Nov 9 - Time is running out for the Cubs to re-sign Aramis Ramirez. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs GM Jim Hendry is looking for ways to keep Ramirez on the North Side, but his demands -- five years, $75 million -- might be too high.

Nov. 11 is the final day the Cubs have exclusive negotiating rights before the Angels and Dodgers lead a group of potential suitors for the free-agent third baseman. Because it's unlikely the Cubs will get into a bidding war, Ramirez probably will get a take-it-or-leave-it offer from the Cubs.

 

Ramirez, 28, is coming off a season in which he hit .291 with 38 home runs, 119 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage that ranked second among all major-league third basemen.

 

It bugs me that Hendry won't just give him 5/75 if that is what he wants. This is getting ridiculous. I can't believe Hendry won't give him that. Either the tribune is wrong in the price or Hendry is being way too stubborn.

 

Boy, I don't like Hendry. What benefit does a take-it-or-leave-it offer have for the Cubs.

 

Resigning Aramis only keeps the status que, loosing him means Hendry will have to replace another hole.

 

Why is it always one step forward, two steps back with the Cubs?

[Garwilly]

ESPN Insider

 

Clock is ticking for Cubs

Nov 9 - Time is running out for the Cubs to re-sign Aramis Ramirez. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs GM Jim Hendry is looking for ways to keep Ramirez on the North Side, but his demands -- five years, $75 million -- might be too high.

Nov. 11 is the final day the Cubs have exclusive negotiating rights before the Angels and Dodgers lead a group of potential suitors for the free-agent third baseman. Because it's unlikely the Cubs will get into a bidding war, Ramirez probably will get a take-it-or-leave-it offer from the Cubs.

 

Ramirez, 28, is coming off a season in which he hit .291 with 38 home runs, 119 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage that ranked second among all major-league third basemen.

 

It bugs me that Hendry won't just give him 5/75 if that is what he wants. This is getting ridiculous. I can't believe Hendry won't give him that. Either the tribune is wrong in the price or Hendry is being way too stubborn.

 

Boy, I don't like Hendry. What benefit does a take-it-or-leave-it offer have for the Cubs.

 

Resigning Aramis only keeps the status que, loosing him means Hendry will have to replace another hole.

 

Why is it always one step forward, two steps back with the Cubs?

 

Did I miss a step forward?

[goonys evil twin]

 

Resigning Aramis only keeps the status que, loosing him means Hendry will have to replace another hole.

 

Why is it always one step forward, two steps back with the Cubs?

 

Well, when you got lots of people who only count the steps forward, and don't pay any attention to the net steps taken, you end up looking good.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm not sure I like the take-it-or-leave-it stance either, but it could be Hendry's only leverage.

 

Right now, Ramirez is asking for more saying he can get it on the open market. If Hendry's offer is one that remains out there past Saturday, the Ramirez runs no risk in waiting until he can hear monetary offers from other teams.

 

On the other hand, if Hendry claims that his offer leaves the table once the FA period begins, Ramirez runs the risk of leaving money on the table, especially if he really wants to remain in Chicago.

 

It's a big game of chicken. Hendry is taking a huge risk playing it this way.

[abuck1220]

let's face it...over the past three years hendry has made overspending a habit. for once, i'd like to see him overspend on someone that's good.

[RichHillIsABeast]

Wow, the rumors don't sound so good all of a sudden.

[Sammy Sofa]

The rumored hang up is that Aramis wants 5/75? Good sweet Lord, Hendry, what's the hold up? We can dish small but juicy contracts to guys like Rusch and Neifi, give too long contracts to someone like Jacque and gobble up financial black holes like Izturs, but we can't spend it on someone who legitimately and repeatedly produces for the team in a big way?

 

If he gets away, short of a miracle or two, I'm giving up on this team until it's sold and/or Hendry gets fired.

[Sammy Sofa]

Wow, the rumors don't sound so good all of a sudden.

 

When did they sound good? Because I totally slept through that. I feel like they've just gone from "making me nervous" to "making me panic."

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Wow, the rumors don't sound so good all of a sudden.

 

When did they sound good? Because I totally slept through that. I feel like they've just gone from "making me nervous" to "making me panic."

 

They never sounded bad because one expected Aramis to opt out, etc.

 

We'll see how believable that ESPN Insider/Chicago Tribune bit is.

[UBlink]

So the take-it-or-leave-it approach says Hendry offers something, say 5/70, ARam says no thanks, I'll test the market. Upon testing the market, suppose the best offer he gets is 5/65. Hendry then says "ha ha I told you so" and lets him go to another team for less than he was willing to pay one week earlier.

 

That would be true genius.

[abuck1220]

The rumored hang up is that Aramis wants 5/75? Good sweet Lord, Hendry, what's the hold up? We can dish small but juicy contracts to guys like Rusch and Neifi, give too long contracts to someone like Jacque and gobble up financial black holes like Izturs, but we can't spend it on someone who legitimately and repeatedly produces for the team in a big way?

 

If he gets away, short of a miracle or two, I'm giving up on this team until it's sold and/or Hendry gets fired.

 

i swear, hendry has it in his mind to build a team based around a bunch of 2-3 year deals worth between 2 and 8 mil a year. that type of attitude is not going to build you anything. it's not gonna get you beltran, ramirez, drew or anybody like that.

 

yeah, sometimes those contracts will come back to haunt you in year 5 or whatever, but i'd rather have 4 good seasons/1 bad season from ramirez at 15 mil a year than a string of 5 bad seasons from john mabry, wes helms, tony graffanino, neifi perez, and gary gaetti at 2-3 mil a year.

[RichHillIsABeast]

Wow, the rumors don't sound so good all of a sudden.

 

When did they sound good? Because I totally slept through that. I feel like they've just gone from "making me nervous" to "making me panic."

 

Hendry was optimistic he would bring Ramirez back. He told Piniella the chances were good. Then came the radio reports suggesting a contract would be signed well before the 11th (obviously didn't come true). Miles said he expected it to come down to the deadline, but didn't seem to worried that Ramirez would get away, just that he thought the Cubs would get milked by Kinzer/Katz.

 

Now we get quotes from the agent that suggest the talks haven't even gotten serious b/c Hendry is busy. That doesn't sound like agent-speak trying to scare up the extra 1M or extra year out of a team.

[Tedward]

Miles said he expected it to come down to the deadline, but didn't seem to worried that Ramirez would get away, just that he thought the Cubs would get milked by Kinzer/Katz.

 

I don't recall Bruce saying he wasn't worried about Ramirez getting away. IIRC, he did say that it would come down to the deadline, but he thought it would be a 50/50 chance of the Cubs re-signing him.

[Wheelimus]

5/75 is incredibly fair. Pay it.

[CubFanPhilly]

5/75 is incredibly fair. Pay it.

 

Either 5/75 is completely off base or JH is a complete moron.

 

 

 

 

I've no idea which is the case here.

[Andy]

ESPN Insider

 

Clock is ticking for Cubs

Nov 9 - Time is running out for the Cubs to re-sign Aramis Ramirez. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs GM Jim Hendry is looking for ways to keep Ramirez on the North Side, but his demands -- five years, $75 million -- might be too high.

Nov. 11 is the final day the Cubs have exclusive negotiating rights before the Angels and Dodgers lead a group of potential suitors for the free-agent third baseman. Because it's unlikely the Cubs will get into a bidding war, Ramirez probably will get a take-it-or-leave-it offer from the Cubs.

 

Ramirez, 28, is coming off a season in which he hit .291 with 38 home runs, 119 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage that ranked second among all major-league third basemen.

 

It bugs me that Hendry won't just give him 5/75 if that is what he wants. This is getting ridiculous. I can't believe Hendry won't give him that. Either the tribune is wrong in the price or Hendry is being way too stubborn.

 

Boy, I don't like Hendry. What benefit does a take-it-or-leave-it offer have for the Cubs.

 

Resigning Aramis only keeps the status que, loosing him means Hendry will have to replace another hole.

 

Why is it always one step forward, two steps back with the Cubs?

 

Did I miss a step forward?

Our recent coaching hires would probably qualify.

[USSoccer]

5/$75, as others have noted, is a bloody bargain for a player of Aramis' age and performance.

 

If that's truly the number, and Hendry doesn't pay it, he's a colossal idiot, and if we then go out and sign mediocre crap to Jones-like contracts, I'm going to snap.

[soccer10k]

If Hendry passes on 5/75 for ARam, he can go fornicate himself.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

How many players make 17 million a year?

[Garwilly]

How many players make 17 million a year?

 

http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/salaries/top50

 

Eight

 

1. Alex Rodriguez, NYY $25,680,727

2. Rogers Clemens, HOU $22,000,000

3. Derek Jeter, NYY $20,600,000

4. Jason Giambi, NYY $20,428,571

5. Barry Bonds, SF $20,000,000

6. Jeff Bagwell, HOU $19,369,019

7. Mike Mussina, NYY $19,000,000

8. Manny Ramirez, BOS $18,279,238

[USSoccer]

How many players make 17 million a year?

 

5/$75m is only $15m per.