Starting a Fire Sale

[swordsman]

I have not read all the pages of this thread but isn't it true that the Ricketts are likely to lower payroll when some of these contracts come off the books? I thought I heard that somewhere.

 

I haven't heard that at all. The only thing I've heard is that Ricketts promised all profits from the team would be invested back into the team, leading me to think a drop in payroll would be unlikely.

 

This is not the quote I saw and I guess you have to consider the source, but he does say that the farm system will be

 

Here is the article

 

Ultimately, Ricketts said during an interview on WSCR-AM (670) that although the Cubs have plenty of resources to pay for players, the farm system will be depended upon in the future as the main feeder system for the major league club.

 

How did you even put those two things together?

 

Now I'll have to find the source for my original comment.

 

I was just assuming that if you were going to rely on the farm team to feed the big league club, that you might not be handing out enormous contracts to those players hence reducing payroll. I know it is not a direct correlation or support for my original comment, but it seemed relevant.

[dew1679666265]

Now I'll have to find the source for my original comment.

 

I was just assuming that if you were going to rely on the farm team to feed the big league club, that you might not be handing out enormous contracts to those players hence reducing payroll. I know it is not a direct correlation or support for my original comment, but it seemed relevant.

 

Those good minor league players will eventually need to be paid, so relying on the farm doesn't necessarily mean decreasing payroll, just relying less on free agency.

 

Here's something not directly answering your question, but close, I think:

 

Ricketts wants the Cubs' payroll to remain in the top three in baseball and he plans on improving the food options and bathrooms at Wrigley Field.

 

And this:

 

Ricketts didn't know if every section would be affected by the increase, and also said that payroll will go up a bit too. Don't expect this team to go cheap, was the implication.

[swordsman]

Now I'll have to find the source for my original comment.

 

I was just assuming that if you were going to rely on the farm team to feed the big league club, that you might not be handing out enormous contracts to those players hence reducing payroll. I know it is not a direct correlation or support for my original comment, but it seemed relevant.

 

Those good minor league players will eventually need to be paid, so relying on the farm doesn't necessarily mean decreasing payroll, just relying less on free agency.

 

Here's something not directly answering your question, but close, I think:

 

Ricketts wants the Cubs' payroll to remain in the top three in baseball and he plans on improving the food options and bathrooms at Wrigley Field.

 

And this:

 

Ricketts didn't know if every section would be affected by the increase, and also said that payroll will go up a bit too. Don't expect this team to go cheap, was the implication.

 

Perhaps I am miss-remembering what I heard.

[dew1679666265]

Perhaps I am miss-remembering what I heard.

 

There was a lot of discussion about the "reliance on the farm system" quote before the season started, but I just don't see how it's an indication that he's going to decrease payroll.

[Guest]

If there's going to be a big reliance on the farm system, I wish we would have had Boston's draft.

[Guest]

Signing your first rounder to $500,000 less than slot doesn't sound like the way to invest in your farm system.

[mul21]

Well, this thread has drifted far away from the fire sale talk, but I was just told by a guy who I believe to be reliable that if the Cubs don't take 3 of 4 from the Reds this weekend that the fire sale will commence. No idea if the information is accurate, but he's not a guy who has any reason to BS about it. I guess we'll see what happens next week after they give away another series.

[Banedon]

Well, this thread has drifted far away from the fire sale talk, but I was just told by a guy who I believe to be reliable that if the Cubs don't take 3 of 4 from the Reds this weekend that the fire sale will commence. No idea if the information is accurate, but he's not a guy who has any reason to BS about it. I guess we'll see what happens next week after they give away another series.

 

That makes this Soriano quote funnier...

 

"It's too early, but I think we can be .500 against them in those four games," Soriano said. "We can't be like 1-3. It'd be ugly if we lost three games. It's better to win the first two and see what happens the last two."

 

I'd love to see what a Jim Hendry fire sale looks like. All those NTC's.

[Backtobanks]

Well, this thread has drifted far away from the fire sale talk, but I was just told by a guy who I believe to be reliable that if the Cubs don't take 3 of 4 from the Reds this weekend that the fire sale will commence. No idea if the information is accurate, but he's not a guy who has any reason to BS about it. I guess we'll see what happens next week after they give away another series.

 

That makes this Soriano quote funnier...

 

"It's too early, but I think we can be .500 against them in those four games," Soriano said. "We can't be like 1-3. It'd be ugly if we lost three games. It's better to win the first two and see what happens the last two."

 

I'd love to see what a Jim Hendry fire sale looks like. All those NTC's.

 

Nothing like hoping to split a series at home against a team that was picked to finish below you. That's a great way to gain ground on the leaders.

[inari]

A lot of people didn't pick the reds to finish below us, and if they did it's pretty clear they underestimated the reds. So... What's your point?

[Banedon]

A lot of people didn't pick the reds to finish below us, and if they did it's pretty clear they underestimated the reds. So... What's your point?

 

I think he was just saying that Soriano is setting the sights a bit low to be content with a split.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

A lot of people didn't pick the reds to finish below us, and if they did it's pretty clear they underestimated the reds. So... What's your point?

 

I think he was just saying that Soriano is setting the sights a bit low to be content with a split.

He's setting his sights a bit high for a split.

[Banedon]

A lot of people didn't pick the reds to finish below us, and if they did it's pretty clear they underestimated the reds. So... What's your point?

 

I think he was just saying that Soriano is setting the sights a bit low to be content with a split.

He's setting his sights a bit high for a split.

 

If he's trying to forecast what will happen realistically, sure. But as a goal, no.

[Clem Fandango]

I'd love to see what a Jim Hendry fire sale looks like. All those NTC's.

 

Trade the bench, fill with minor leaguers.

[inari]

A lot of people didn't pick the reds to finish below us, and if they did it's pretty clear they underestimated the reds. So... What's your point?

 

I think he was just saying that Soriano is setting the sights a bit low to be content with a split.

 

The problem is that he doesn't seem to even know the Reds are the team in first place right now.

[Guest]

The Cubs are in a real pickle.

 

I don't see how they get out of the mess Hendry created without some sort of a miracle.

[Clem Fandango]

In all seriousness though, I wonder if a lot of the players with NTC's would just outright waive their NTC if the Cubs declare a fire sale

[Guest]

I'd love to see what a Jim Hendry fire sale looks like. All those NTC's.

 

Ted Lilly for Cesar Izturis.

[dew1679666265]

The Cubs are in a real pickle.

 

I don't see how they get out of the mess Hendry created without some sort of a miracle.

 

Long term? Almost all the big contracts are set to expire by 2012 at the latest. Soriano and Z are the only contracts longer than that. There should be plenty of cap room after next season and certainly after 2012.

 

Short term, you're right. We probably won't be very good this year or next at this point.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'd love to see what a Jim Hendry fire sale looks like. All those NTC's.

 

Ted Lilly for Cesar Izturis.

 

Stoney approved

[lumafia]

In all seriousness though, I wonder if a lot of the players with NTC's would just outright waive their NTC if the Cubs declare a fire sale

 

The players that need to be moved the most are immovable based on their contract, not the NTC. The only player that we could trade that any other team would want right now is Ted Lilly. All the other guys with ridiculous contracts are performing horribly.

 

If you were to try to come up with a worst-case scenario for a major league team, the 2010 Cubs would be it.

[fromthestretch]

In all seriousness though, I wonder if a lot of the players with NTC's would just outright waive their NTC if the Cubs declare a fire sale

 

The players that need to be moved the most are immovable based on their contract, not the NTC. The only player that we could trade that any other team would want right now is Ted Lilly. All the other guys with ridiculous contracts are performing horribly.

 

If you were to try to come up with a worst-case scenario for a major league team, the 2010 Cubs would be it.

 

Not that I would expect them to make him available, but you don't think other teams would be interested in Dempster?

[Backtobanks]

A lot of people didn't pick the reds to finish below us, and if they did it's pretty clear they underestimated the reds. So... What's your point?

 

I think he was just saying that Soriano is setting the sights a bit low to be content with a split.

 

The problem is that he doesn't seem to even know the Reds are the team in first place right now.

 

I'm well aware of the fact the Reds are in 1st place, but it's not exactly like they're the 1927 Yankees. Everyone makes a big deal about how mediocre the NL Central is. For a player to hope for a split at home against the Reds just goes to show how lost this team is. The discussion about "firing Piniella" should be centered on the fact that this team that this team has no fire and doesn't seem to care.

[Guest]

The Cubs are in a real pickle.

 

I don't see how they get out of the mess Hendry created without some sort of a miracle.

 

Long term? Almost all the big contracts are set to expire by 2012 at the latest. Soriano and Z are the only contracts longer than that. There should be plenty of cap room after next season and certainly after 2012.

 

Short term, you're right. We probably won't be very good this year or next at this point.

2013 is a long time from now. A long time.

[CubColtPacer]

The Cubs are in a real pickle.

 

I don't see how they get out of the mess Hendry created without some sort of a miracle.

 

Long term? Almost all the big contracts are set to expire by 2012 at the latest. Soriano and Z are the only contracts longer than that. There should be plenty of cap room after next season and certainly after 2012.

 

Short term, you're right. We probably won't be very good this year or next at this point.

2013 is a long time from now. A long time.

 

He meant by 2012. That's only a year and a half of baseball away. After 2012 the Z contract also is off the books. Although he did miss that the Cubs will also have Byrd and likely Dempster in 2012 but the Cubs will almost certainly want both of them.

 

Last year at this time it was much worse than it is now. At that time, it was 18 months until some big contracts went away (Lee, Aramis, and Lilly) and those were 3 of the cornerstones of the team. Now the Cubs have gone a year without adding any big contracts and will have a whole lot of money coming off both this year and next year.

 

They have a whole lot of flexibility. They could win big by next year if they wanted to but it wouldn't be the smartest move. With smart moves they'll be ok next year and strong by 2012.