Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[jersey cubs fan]

Do you really think it's just "speculation" that Zambrano is likely to be gone after the way he was handled this year?

 

Aramis himself doesn't expect to be back. I don't think those two things are anything short of likely, if not certainties.

 

They are on the Cubs. They are both above average. I don't know what else you want me to tell you.

[Sammy Sofa]

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Off the top of my head I'd say they were above average at 3B, SS, C, and 2-3 SP spots (Garza for sure and maybe Dempster and Z). Add Wilson and Pujols/Fielder to that (if you can obviously) and hopefully a 3B platoon can stay above average (shouldn't be hard given what we have in-house) and this team can be above average at most of its positions.

 

Then add in that the Cards and Brewers will fall off significantly without Pujols and Fielder and things get even better looking.

What about the fact that the Brewers will have Greinke for a full year (and not as unlucky) and the Cardinals will have Wainwright back? Not to mention the Reds. And calling Z "above average" is generous given his performance and the fact that he'll likely never pitch for the Cubs again. The Cubs may have a chance to be competitive next year, but a lot of things need to go right.

 

Wainwright is by no means a lock to come back as effective as he was pre-injury, you're essentially offsetting his optimum WAR by losing Pujols, plus Carpenter is a year older has plenty of injuries behind him, too.

[ctcf]

Not to interrupt but what's the latest on Theo actually coming here?

[squally1313]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

 

For now. He's nowhere near good enough to be making the money he is, but nowhere near bad enough to eat the rest of the contract and railroad him out of town for nothing. We'll see how he ages the rest of the way.

 

Skill level has absolutely nothing to do with contract.

[Guest]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

 

 

This is gonna take some real numbers gymnastics to prove to me that Soriano is somehow an above average LFer when he is OPSing a SLG heavy .759...I'm not sure all his OF assists are still negating his lack of overall ability as an outfielder, but maybe they are.

[Sammy Sofa]

Not to interrupt but what's the latest on Theo actually coming here?

 

Likely.

[Guest]

Do you really think it's just "speculation" that Zambrano is likely to be gone after the way he was handled this year?

 

Aramis himself doesn't expect to be back. I don't think those two things are anything short of likely, if not certainties.

 

They are on the Cubs. They are both above average. I don't know what else you want me to tell you.

 

 

Do you think it is not likely, if not a near certainty, that both are going to be gone?

 

And Aramis isn't really on the Cubs.

[Magnetic Curses]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

 

 

This is gonna take some real numbers gymnastics to prove to me that Soriano is somehow an above average LFer when he is OPSing a SLG heavy .759...I'm not sure all his OF assists are still negating his lack of overall ability as an outfielder, but maybe they are.

 

he was a 1.3 war player this year. a tick above average.

[Elrhino]

I've said from the beginning that it's only going to be monetary compensation. I'm sticking with that.

 

I'm thinking Vitters might be involved as "cosmetic" compensation that both sides could sell to their fanbases. He's a former Top 5 draft pick who had a decent year in AA despite being a tad young for the league. The Boston front office could sell that to general fans and media as a return for Theo, even if the scouts to project him to being anything special. Cub fans would be too excited about getting Theo to care either way.

[Little Slide Rooter]

How are the Cubs above average at only 2 or 3 spots? Garza, Dempster, Zambrano and Wells are all above average pitchers (don't start with the #1, #2 nonsense, a pitcher is a pitcher, an ace isn't a position). Ramirez and Castro are above average. Soto, Barney, Pena and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

Marshall and Marmol are above average, Samardzija is above average.

 

 

I don't think that the likelihood of Ramirez being here next year is very high at all and Zambrano is 99% gone with us pretty much guaranteed to pick up a significant chunk of the salary.

 

I don't really care about the speculation. As the Cubs currently stand they have more than 2-3 above average players. They can choose to get rid of some of those above average players if they want to, but they are Cubs.

 

 

Do you really think it's just "speculation" that Zambrano is likely to be gone after the way he was handled this year?

 

Aramis himself doesn't expect to be back. I don't think those two things are anything short of likely, if not certainties.

 

That was all before Epstein. Hopefully he's wise enough to know that Z is too valuable to railroad out of town with little to nothing to show for it. Aramis wants to play for a contender, well, now that Epstein is allegedly taking over, he may very well view the Cubs as such.

[squally1313]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

 

 

This is gonna take some real numbers gymnastics to prove to me that Soriano is somehow an above average LFer when he is OPSing a SLG heavy .759...I'm not sure all his OF assists are still negating his lack of overall ability as an outfielder, but maybe they are.

 

he was a 1.3 war player this year. a tick above average.

 

Is "Above Replacement" equivalent to "Above average"? I always kinda pictured an "average" team winning 81 games, while I thought I remembered somewhere that a team full of replacement players would win like 45.

[Guest]

I think the "average" player puts up something like a 2 WAR.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

National League average LFer in 2011: .259 .328 .421

Alfonso Soriano in 2011: .244 .289 .469

 

Throw in defense and baserunning, and you are going to have a hard time convincing me Soriano is above-average at this point in his career. Above replacement level? Sure.

[Laura]

Spate of interesting tweets from Buster Olney -- looks like Theo had some sort of buyout arrangement with the Red Sox that the Cubs will be taking on.

 

Buster_ESPN Buster Olney

BOS fully prepared for Epstein's departure. One member of BOS's ownership group telling friends he feels betrayed,but is resigned to change.

 

The Cubs have had a list of GM candidates, and Epstein's name was at the top of that list. Sources say he has met with CHC twice.

 

For Epstein, his salary wouldn't change much in shifting from Red Sox to Cubs, which speaks to his desire for the next job opportunity.

 

Epstein had negotiation conclusion bonus with BOS; Cubs assume that contractual obligation.

 

Cubs' final compensation to Epstein in duration of his contract closer to $20 million than $15 million, because of $3.5m conclusion bonus.

 

Sources: MLB has closely monitored Cubs' negotations with Epstein, given its concern over how his financial package would impact GM market.

 

https://twitter.com/#!/Buster_ESPN

[Magnetic Curses]

I think the "average" player puts up something like a 2 WAR.

 

ok, the last 2 years he's been 4.4

[Guest]

 

That was all before Epstein. Hopefully he's wise enough to know that Z is too valuable to railroad out of town with little to nothing to show for it. Aramis wants to play for a contender, well, now that Epstein is allegedly taking over, he may very well view the Cubs as such.

 

 

I don't even know that I'd want Aramis back, at this point, unless it was a super short-term deal.

[jersey cubs fan]

Do you really think it's just "speculation" that Zambrano is likely to be gone after the way he was handled this year?

 

Aramis himself doesn't expect to be back. I don't think those two things are anything short of likely, if not certainties.

 

They are on the Cubs. They are both above average. I don't know what else you want me to tell you.

 

 

Do you think it is not likely, if not a near certainty, that both are going to be gone?

 

And Aramis isn't really on the Cubs.

 

I was responding to an idiotic claim that the Cubs have only 2-3 above average players. Those are players on the Cubs. Ramirez's stance is clearly a negotiating tactic in response to the lack of a GM who will talk to him. Either of them may be gone. Pena may be gone. Doesn't make a difference.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

1.3 WAR placed him 11th among 20 qualified LFers this season. Edited October 12, 2011 by Hairyducked Idiot

[Little Slide Rooter]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

 

For now. He's nowhere near good enough to be making the money he is, but nowhere near bad enough to eat the rest of the contract and railroad him out of town for nothing. We'll see how he ages the rest of the way.

 

Skill level has absolutely nothing to do with contract.

 

That's basically how I feel about him and Z. They may not be worth the money they're making, but as long as we have to pay it anyway, were better off keeping them than letting them go elsewhere and replace them with Lou Montanez and Casey Coleman.

 

Z in particular. He essentially has his MLB future at stake on this season, more than your average pending free agent. This could be his last shot at another big contract, and if ever there's a year that he's going to keep focused and look like an 18 million dollar pitcher, this would be it and I'd prefer it be for us instead of The Marlins.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think the "average" player puts up something like a 2 WAR.

 

ok, the last 2 years he's been 4.4

 

What about the last three years?

[Butterscup1679666578]

 

That was all before Epstein. Hopefully he's wise enough to know that Z is too valuable to railroad out of town with little to nothing to show for it. Aramis wants to play for a contender, well, now that Epstein is allegedly taking over, he may very well view the Cubs as such.

 

 

I don't even know that I'd want Aramis back, at this point, unless it was a super short-term deal.

 

I'll take him on for two more years, max.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Spate of interesting tweets from Buster Olney -- looks like Theo had some sort of buyout arrangement with the Red Sox that the Cubs will be taking on.

 

 

I he's leaving on his own free will and terms, should anyone really owe him a buyout?

Edited October 12, 2011 by Little Slide Rooter

[BeerHere]

Spate of interesting tweets from Buster Olney -- looks like Theo had some sort of buyout arrangement with the Red Sox that the Cubs will be taking on.

 

Buster_ESPN Buster Olney

BOS fully prepared for Epstein's departure. One member of BOS's ownership group telling friends he feels betrayed,but is resigned to change.

 

The Cubs have had a list of GM candidates, and Epstein's name was at the top of that list. Sources say he has met with CHC twice.

 

For Epstein, his salary wouldn't change much in shifting from Red Sox to Cubs, which speaks to his desire for the next job opportunity.

 

Epstein had negotiation conclusion bonus with BOS; Cubs assume that contractual obligation.

 

Cubs' final compensation to Epstein in duration of his contract closer to $20 million than $15 million, because of $3.5m conclusion bonus.

 

Sources: MLB has closely monitored Cubs' negotations with Epstein, given its concern over how his financial package would impact GM market.

 

https://twitter.com/#!/Buster_ESPN

Interesting. Makes me wonder if the compensation to the Red Sox will be much at all considering that they had to pay his buyout. Maybe a mid-level prospect at best.

[Old Style]

FWIW, ESPN just sent a breaking news text that it was a done deal for 5 years and almost $20MM.

[Magnetic Curses]

I think the "average" player puts up something like a 2 WAR.

 

ok, the last 2 years he's been 4.4

 

What about the last three years?

 

how about 4?