Re-sign Harden or let him walk?

[erik316wttn]

I first posed this question in the game thread, but this is a more appropriate forum for it.

 

If Harden is healthy the rest of the way and pitches like we all know he can, do we offer him a contract for next season, or just offer him arb, let him walk and take the draft picks?

 

Personally, I don't think anyone will offer him a huge deal simply because of his injury history, so if we can offer him a medium-high base (7-8 million per) with some reasonable incentives, maybe he'd take it. When he's on, he's one of the 10 best pitchers in baseball. Z, Harden, and Lilly are a hell of a 1-2-3.

[gflore34]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

[Outshined_One]

Offer him arbitration and offer him two years with an option for a third year based on health/IP. If he walks, someone else will scoop him up and forfeit their picks.

[Vanilla Ice]

I want to sign him back. There are a ton of starting pitchers on the market this year, so his price should hopefully be pushed down.

[Shilzzz]

If he takes arbitration, great. If not, great.

 

I mean, he's a 6 inning pitcher for the most part. Cashner can do that.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Again, you definitely offer arb, and if nothing else get some picks. If he takes it great, if not you get the picks.

 

Right now, we have Z, Lilly, Demp, and Wells in the rotation for 2010. Between Marshall, Gorzalanny, and Samardzjia, from a corporate point of view, you have a 5th starter and theres no need to pay for anything else. Id love for Hendry to make a move for Halladay however, but if Harden excepts arbitration, thats probably not going to happen. We can all dream of a rotation consisting of Halladay, Z, Harden, Lilly, and Demp, but its not realistic. A rotation of Z, Lilly, Demp, Wells, Gorz may not look particularly impressive, but it looks very solid. I guess it also depends on what Ricketts plans on doing as far as the payroll is concerned next year and what other needs they feel they want to fill.

[SouthSideRyan]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

[TruffleShuffle]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

[mcgoobs]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

3 years and $40 MM left on his contract along with a mediocre injury-filled season makes trading Dempster difficult.

[Vanilla Ice]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I don't think it'll happen, but I'd like to bring him back. Injury risk or not, I like Harden. I think in the end the Cubs will probably just offer arbitration, and Harden will sign elsewhere.

[Rob]

Offer him arbitration and offer him two years with an option for a third year based on health/IP. If he walks, someone else will scoop him up and forfeit their picks.

 

This.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Offer him arbitration and continue to try to work out a one year deal even if he declines.

[Butterscup1679666578]

The SP class is pretty weak next year. I think he can be brought back relatively cheap on an incentive-based contract, and I'd be all for it. We all know when on/healthy he's got the nastiest stuff in the league, and as long as his asking price isn't ludicrous, I think it'd be smart to bring him back and go with the same five we have now with Marshall and Gorz available to fill in when they all get hurt again.

[soapy]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic

 

what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

 

He doesn't spend most of the season on the DL.

 

You offer him arbitration. If he takes, great you have a solid pitcher who should give you a nice 140-150 innings if you take some precautions with how he is used. If he signs elsewhere, you get draft picks. I'd float the idea of a 1 year deal plus an option if he does throw 150+ innings next year. But I wouldn't have much, if any, interest in a bigger contract than that.

[Pushfrog98]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something?

[jersey cubs fan]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic

 

what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection.

 

I'd definitely entertain offers. Not sure you'd get much for one year of a 34 year old non ace pitcher. But they probably have to do something to free up money and bringing in more talent to the organization.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something?

 

How many of the top picks? At the very least, any 1st/2nd round pick should hold trade value in the first couple years of their professional career. Even if they never become big leaguers, they can be assets. The key is not offering them no-trade clauses.

[Pushfrog98]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something?

 

How many of the top picks? At the very least, any 1st/2nd round pick should hold trade value in the first couple years of their professional career. Even if they never become big leaguers, they can be assets. The key is not offering them no-trade clauses.

How many of our recent 1st/2nd rounders have we given no-trade clauses to? I know Samardzija, but outside of him, I don't know.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something?

 

How many of the top picks? At the very least, any 1st/2nd round pick should hold trade value in the first couple years of their professional career. Even if they never become big leaguers, they can be assets. The key is not offering them no-trade clauses.

How many of our recent 1st/2nd rounders have we given no-trade clauses to? I know Samardzija, but outside of him, I don't know.

 

None. And while it doesn't matter for the sake of this argument, Samardzija was a 5th rounder.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd let him walk, as illogical as it sounds this is the Cubs and should they re-sign him he'll spend most of the season on the DL, take the picks.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something?

 

How many of the top picks? At the very least, any 1st/2nd round pick should hold trade value in the first couple years of their professional career. Even if they never become big leaguers, they can be assets. The key is not offering them no-trade clauses.

How many of our recent 1st/2nd rounders have we given no-trade clauses to? I know Samardzija, but outside of him, I don't know.

 

I was just being sarcastic about the Samardzija thing. He wasn't even a 1st/2nd rounder but he was treated like one.

[nick23]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic

 

what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection.

We are still trying to win next year aren't we? Why in the world would you trade one of your top two starters?

[jersey cubs fan]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic

 

what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection.

We are still trying to win next year aren't we? Why in the world would you trade one of your top two starters?

 

Trying to win next year and every year after. Lilly will be 34 and on his walk year. I don't think I'd want him back for his next contract, which means it could be wise to use his value as an asset by trading him. They'd have to be comfortable with whatever 5-6 starters they'd have in place outside of him. And really I don't see anything coming of it, but I would definitely be open to discussions.

[SouthSideRyan]

I trade Dempster and re-sign Harden.

 

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract.

Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic

 

what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection.

We are still trying to win next year aren't we? Why in the world would you trade one of your top two starters?

 

Cause Harden's better.