Yankees Sign Masahiro Tanaka

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If you've got Wood/Edwin/Arrieta, with a Masterson/Scherzer/Bailey addition AND a top 50 prospect, Hendricks, CJ, PJ, along with a stopgap competing for the 5th spot, I disagree, I don't see that rotation sucking. If you prefer holding onto Shark here, instead of trading him, fine. You'd have Shark/Wood/Jackson/Arrieta and one of those 3. Whats wrong with that?

 

It only has two guys that I'm reasonably sure are above-average pitchers at the ages they'll be in 2015.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs have been awful for decades, why has it taken until now for them to finally see some results from their minor league system?

 

It hasn't. The late 1990s/early 2000s farm systems were quite productive.

But you had ownership that wasn't willing to spend to keep that talent. You're not going to see that with today's prospects.

 

Who could you possibly be talking about??

 

Wait, the previous ownership wasn't willing to spend?

[Guest]

The Cubs have been awful for decades, why has it taken until now for them to finally see some results from their minor league system?

 

It hasn't. The late 1990s/early 2000s farm systems were quite productive.

But you had ownership that wasn't willing to spend to keep that talent. You're not going to see that with today's prospects.

 

Who could you possibly be talking about??

 

Wait, the previous ownership wasn't willing to spend?

 

I think he just means Maddux? lol

 

But to be fair, the Trib didn't spend all that much for a long time.

[minnesotacubsfan]

There are too many really good to great prospects/young players right now for all of them to bust or disappoint. Some of them are going to be really, really good players. It would take awful luck for that not to be the case.

 

famous last words

 

Felix pie

[Backtobanks]

We can always hope that Tanaka's physical shows he needs TJS and when the Yankees hesitate, Tanaka decides to take our offer because he would possibly be ready to pitch when we're ready to compete.

[davell]

If you've got Wood/Edwin/Arrieta, with a Masterson/Scherzer/Bailey addition AND a top 50 prospect, Hendricks, CJ, PJ, along with a stopgap competing for the 5th spot, I disagree, I don't see that rotation sucking. If you prefer holding onto Shark here, instead of trading him, fine. You'd have Shark/Wood/Jackson/Arrieta and one of those 3. Whats wrong with that?

 

It only has two guys that I'm reasonably sure are above-average pitchers at the ages they'll be in 2015.

I get that Arrieta is a wild card. If he pitches WELL in 2014, I'm not sure if I'd be confident in him for the following year. I technically agree with your statement, but I'd bet that ONE of Wood or Jackson is, just not sure which one.

[UMFan83]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

Yankees and Masahiro Tanaka went back and forth numerous times before settling on 7/155 with opt-out. Other teams were in. Yanks blew away.

 

Cubs didn't have the highest offer?

[jersey cubs fan]

Wait, the previous ownership wasn't willing to spend?

 

They made Ryno the highest paid player in baseball. Before that everybody spent about $20m on their payrolls. It wasn't until the mid-to-late 90's when payrolls really started to shoot up with the Yankees/Orioles playing leapfrog. And the Cubs were consistently 10-12 until climbing to the top 5-6.

 

Cheapness was never the issue people claimed it was at the time. It was stupidity. Now they are no longer stupid but much more cheap.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

http://i.imgur.com/AbwqrqP.gif

[sneakypower]

OF - Sweeney - 2 wins

OF - Lake - -5 wins

OF - Ruggiano - 1 win

 

 

(but seriously, I can't see them trotting that out as the starting OF in 2015)

i fully expect Soler in by 2015

 

I cant imagine they dont resign shark now. Take that 20 mil posting fee and just add it to whatever you were going to give shark before. 5/80? Ok it's 5/100 now. Who cares at this point.

he's gone

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If you've got Wood/Edwin/Arrieta, with a Masterson/Scherzer/Bailey addition AND a top 50 prospect, Hendricks, CJ, PJ, along with a stopgap competing for the 5th spot, I disagree, I don't see that rotation sucking. If you prefer holding onto Shark here, instead of trading him, fine. You'd have Shark/Wood/Jackson/Arrieta and one of those 3. Whats wrong with that?

 

It only has two guys that I'm reasonably sure are above-average pitchers at the ages they'll be in 2015.

I get that Arrieta is a wild card. If he pitches WELL in 2014, I'm not sure if I'd be confident in him for the following year. I technically agree with your statement, but I'd bet that ONE of Wood or Jackson is, just not sure which one.

 

Arrieta sucks balls. He just does. He's 28 and has 2.7 career fWAR in 400+ IP.

 

Even if you get one of the two, that's barely an above-average rotation. The team you are describing is a great bet for 84 wins, which I'd take at this point, but is still likely finishing 3rd and out of the wild card game.

[MWV]

Cubs didn't have the highest offer?

 

http://affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/wp-content/uploads/monopoly_man_broke.jpg

#poortomricketts

[Guest]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

Yankees and Masahiro Tanaka went back and forth numerous times before settling on 7/155 with opt-out. Other teams were in. Yanks blew away.

 

Cubs didn't have the highest offer?

 

Passan was one of the ones not believing the Cubs offer was up there despite the rumblings. Better fits his narrative too (which I'm not meaning to imply is wrong).

[Guest]

 

Even if you get one of the two, that's barely an above-average rotation. The team you are describing is a great bet for 84 wins, which I'd take at this point, but is still likely finishing 3rd and out of the wild card game.

 

I'd take a team that projects to win 85 games when those key players are that young, though.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

Even if you get one of the two, that's barely an above-average rotation. The team you are describing is a great bet for 84 wins, which I'd take at this point, but is still likely finishing 3rd and out of the wild card game.

 

I'd take a team that projects to win 85 games when those key players are that young, though.

 

I don't get where Kyle is projecting 84 wins from that group

[abuck1220]

I cant imagine they dont resign shark now. Take that 20 mil posting fee and just add it to whatever you were going to give shark before. 5/80? Ok it's 5/100 now. Who cares at this point.

 

hasn't samardzija made it clear he's not enjoying being a participant in this "rebuild?"

[jersey cubs fan]

I cant imagine they dont resign shark now. Take that 20 mil posting fee and just add it to whatever you were going to give shark before. 5/80? Ok it's 5/100 now. Who cares at this point.

 

hasn't samardzija made it clear he's not enjoying being a participant in this "rebuild?"

 

I don't think he wants to resign and I don't think they want to resign him.

 

They can certainly afford to just go ahead and give him a lot more, but I don't think it happens.

[MWV]

hasn't samardzija made it clear he's not enjoying being a participant in this "rebuild?"

 

I think it has been communicated (I can't recall where) by his camp that he feels he should receive a bonus of sorts for sticking it out through the rebuilding process.

[Guest]

OF - Sweeney - 2 wins

OF - Lake - -5 wins

OF - Ruggiano - 1 win

 

 

(but seriously, I can't see them trotting that out as the starting OF in 2015)

i fully expect Soler in by 2015

I could definitely see that. Even Almora by midseason. I think he's gonna move fast.

 

I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on the rest of that post.

[davell]

 

Even if you get one of the two, that's barely an above-average rotation. The team you are describing is a great bet for 84 wins, which I'd take at this point, but is still likely finishing 3rd and out of the wild card game.

 

I'd take a team that projects to win 85 games when those key players are that young, though.

 

Exactly. Thats my point. You can make midseason deals to put you up higher or whatever too. I just don't think we were going to be much better than that, with or without Tanaka, heading into 2015.

 

Yeah, he's younger than the FA of next year by 3 years or so, but he costs the same and likely not any better. Sucks we lost a couple of years and likely a 2nd round pick next year, but my main point is losing Tanaka isn't THAT big of a deal, in the total scheme.

[bhogg]

I remember the 89 cubs having the best record in the NL and the lowest team salary in the NL (and possibly the majors).

 

they did start signing some guys in the 91-93 range, but spending money on Danny Jackson, Dave Smith, Jose Guzman, Greg hibbard and Steve Buechelle just doesn't get anyone worked up.

 

I contend their biggest screw up in the last 25-30 years was not giving Dallas Green and Jim Frey enough time to build the organization.

[Guest]

Samardzija isn't willing to take a discount to lock in future money now. No point overpaying on an extension now.

 

If the route is keeping him, we should let him pitch for 2 years and get a better idea of what he is and then pay him based on that.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'd "take it" too.

 

But no matter how you slice it, we're probably missing the playoffs the next two years, and even in the third year we're facing other teams with as much young talent as we have.

 

With Tanaka, that might not have been the case.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

Even if you get one of the two, that's barely an above-average rotation. The team you are describing is a great bet for 84 wins, which I'd take at this point, but is still likely finishing 3rd and out of the wild card game.

 

I'd take a team that projects to win 85 games when those key players are that young, though.

 

Exactly. Thats my point. You can make midseason deals to put you up higher or whatever too. I just don't think we were going to be much better than that, with or without Tanaka, heading into 2015.

 

Yeah, he's younger than the FA of next year by 3 years or so, but he costs the same and likely not any better. Sucks we lost a couple of years and likely a 2nd round pick next year, but my main point is losing Tanaka isn't THAT big of a deal, in the total scheme.

 

We did if the plan was to sign Tanaka this year and Masterson next

[Hairyducked Idiot]

 

I don't get where Kyle is projecting 84 wins from that group

 

That's *if* our prospects don't flail out, we keep Samardzija, trade for an outfielder and sign one of the top FA pitchers. Year 4 of the rebuild, that's our best case scenario if a lot of things go right.