2011 Cubs picks and signings thread

[Scotti]

I could be wrong, but I think that was an actual contractual issue and not a "you're paying too much!" squash. Something about the payout structure not being allowed for minor league deals... which is why he ended up with a major league one the 2nd time around.

 

The deal could have been a two sport deal without the need for a MLB deal. Regardless, they could have done a MLB deal from the start which is fairly common. The uncommon thing about the deal was a fifth rounder getting ten million.

 

so you really think the cubs were trying to give him a $10m bonus straight up? i highly doubt that, considering that as far as i know, no team has given an amateur player an 8 figure bonus, and certainly not a 5th round draft pick.

 

Not only has it been done but the Cubs have given a 10.5 million bonus. The round is immaterial (see this draft). Regardless, it was reported as it happened.

[TruffleShuffle]

Not only has it been done but the Cubs have given a 10.5 million bonus.

 

where are you getting $10.5m from? the mark prior contract? that was not a bonus. the deal was $4m bonus and $10.5m overall contract value.

 

gerrit cole's $8m bonus is a record for a minor league contract.

 

i've never seen it reported that the cubs offered samardzija an 8 figure bonus. i think you're confusing overall contract value with bonus.

[seanhopper]

I wonder what the Cubs draft would have looked like if one of the tough signs (high bonus signs) like Bubba Starling had fallen to the Cubs. Would their spending on the rest of the draft change dramatically if they had to spend $7m+ round 1. I imagine by getting Baez, the Cubs completely changed to another plan they had for the rest of the draft.

[toonsterwu]

Cole got $8 million, Bell got $5 million. Pirates spent more on those 2 than I'd guess 80% of teams.

 

Did Hultzen really top Bell in terms of money? A bit surprised at that.

[wvcbxl]

so who are the two in the top 20 unsigned? dugas and lindgren?

 

Those two, and BA still has Andreoli (17th round) listed as unsigned.

[shnsajax]

I'm stunned that the Pirates signed Bell. He's going to be really good, maybe.

 

Really sucks, I was hoping to have him at Texas for the next 3 years.

[craig]

Are we confident that all of the deals have been reported? Obviously all the midnight attention is on the big guns. But are we certain that if Sam Howard or Tanner Kichler or some late-round guy had signed, that we'd know about it? The BA list doesn't have Lockhart showing, so the absence of listing for some guy who might have gotten $100-250 doesn't necessarily mean we mightn't have signed somebody else, maybe?

[Guest]

Are we confident that all of the deals have been reported? Obviously all the midnight attention is on the big guns. But are we certain that if Sam Howard or Tanner Kichler or some late-round guy had signed, that we'd know about it? The BA list doesn't have Lockhart showing, so the absence of listing for some guy who might have gotten $100-250 doesn't necessarily mean we mightn't have signed somebody else, maybe?

 

You're right, it's possible someone small has slipped through the cracks. BA does now list Lockhart but without a bonus.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Looking forward to hearing what KLaw has to say, assuming it's positive. I usually try and tune in to his podcast on Tuesdays; if he says anything about the Cubs' draft / signings, I'll be sure to post it here.

[Tedward]

Looking forward to hearing what KLaw has to say, assuming it's positive. I usually try and tune in to his podcast on Tuesdays; if he says anything about the Cubs' draft / signings, I'll be sure to post it here.

 

He has the Cubs listed as a deadline day winner. His article is now up on his blog at ESPN, if anyone has insider access...............

Edited August 16, 2011 by Tedward

[BleacherBadger]

You're welcome...........

 

Some other winners from deadline day:

 

 

 

Chicago Cubs

 

 

The Cubs took a bunch of tough-sign players who slipped not just on bonus demands but because of baseball concerns, from Dillon Maples' arm action to Shawon Dunston, Jr.'s disappointing performance this spring to Daniel Vogelbach's DH-ness to Trevor Gretzky's general rawness in all areas of the game. They spent the money to at least get those players in the bank, topping them off with first-round pick Javier Baez, who immediately becomes the system's best long-term prospect. Scouting director Tim Wilken has always marched to his own beat, but you won't find many scouts willing to bet against him, and he did go for major upside on those picks as well as earlier sign Zeke DeVoss. The club has had a horrible year on the field, magnified by the Carlos Zambrano fiasco but really just caused by a terrible roster and front-office delusions of grandeur, so this draft class has to be a bright spot for eternally-suffering Cubs fans.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=law_keith&id=6865694

[tfarks]

so this draft class has to be a bright spot for eternally-suffering Cubs fans.

 

He knows us so well.

[JimSorgi]

Keith Law is such an ass.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Hahaha, classic Law. He can't help but call the Cubs winners, but he writes about nothing but the flaws in the prospects and how bad the MLB team is.

[SouthSideRyan]

@keithlaw Cubs deal with Dillon Maples is $2.5MM guaranteed, not spread out over five years.

 

I thought there was no deal??

[craig]

Are we confident that all of the deals have been reported? Obviously all the midnight attention is on the big guns. But are we certain that if Sam Howard or Tanner Kichler or some late-round guy had signed, that we'd know about it? The BA list doesn't have Lockhart showing, so the absence of listing for some guy who might have gotten $100-250 doesn't necessarily mean we mightn't have signed somebody else, maybe?

 

You're right, it's possible someone small has slipped through the cracks. BA does now list Lockhart but without a bonus.

 

It still doesn't have Andreoli signed, either. So while it's doubtful that we signed anybody else, I'm still vaguely hoping that a Struck or Rhoderick secret signing might still emerge.

[Guest]

Are we confident that all of the deals have been reported? Obviously all the midnight attention is on the big guns. But are we certain that if Sam Howard or Tanner Kichler or some late-round guy had signed, that we'd know about it? The BA list doesn't have Lockhart showing, so the absence of listing for some guy who might have gotten $100-250 doesn't necessarily mean we mightn't have signed somebody else, maybe?

 

You're right, it's possible someone small has slipped through the cracks. BA does now list Lockhart but without a bonus.

 

It still doesn't have Andreoli signed, either. So while it's doubtful that we signed anybody else, I'm still vaguely hoping that a Struck or Rhoderick secret signing might still emerge.

 

The good news on Andreoli is that one of the Chicago beat writers confirmed that all but 2 of the top 20 signed (Dugas and Lindgren).

[Guest]

The 3 I hated seeing us not sign were, in order, are OF Brad Zimmer, RHP Ricky Jacquez and LHP Jake Lindgren.

 

Also, the Cubs still hold the rights to 37th rounder Steven Maxwell all the way to a week before next year's draft since he was drafted as a college senior.

[Guest]

A ray of sunshine for all of us. I applaud their effort. Hopefully the cubs found some gems.

[larhur]

So, what is the schedule as to who goes where, when and do we see them this year?

[Guest]

Wow, Daniel Lockhart got $395,000. Probably the craziest bonus the Cubs gave.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Wow, Daniel Lockhart got $395,000. Probably the craziest bonus the Cubs gave.

 

Wait, that guy got more than Scott and Gretzky, and almost as much as Zych? Wasn't he basically just a guy they drafted as a favor to his pops?

[Post Count Padder]

I'm thoroughly pleased with how this went. I thought there was a small chance we'd sign either Maples or Dunston; I didn't think we'd get both. That we got most of our big name picks signed is fantastic. I wonder how our prospect rankings will look now.

[craig]

Wow, Daniel Lockhart got $395,000. Probably the craziest bonus the Cubs gave.

 

Thanks, cal, very interesting. Speaks to how favorably the Cubs must have scouted him. I think he may be a somewhat undervalued prospect. I'll be curious to see how his career goes, defense-wise. If he's really a true SS in the pros, he's got a shot to be a very good-hitting SS. If he's a 2B, then maybe the bar needs to be a little higher for acceptable hitting.

[BeerHere]

How soon can draftees start playing? I think I remember seeing HS draftees play in Mesa the year they were drafted. Any chance we see Baez and VogelBOMB (I said it) in Mesa before the year is done?