Offseason Rumors

[rawaction]

Hanson? As in Tommy Hanson?

[Clem Fandango]

According to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, the Cubs are likely to tender a contract to second baseman Darwin Barney before Monday's deadline.

The 28-year-old is an extremely skilled defender, but is coming off a brutal season offensively where he slashed a meager .208/.266/.303 with seven homers, 41 RBI and four stolen bases. Still, the Cubs don't have a better option in house, and though due a raise, Barney will likely earn around $2 million in 2014, he remains an inexpensive option.

[Rob]

Hanson? As in Tommy Hanson?

 

He'd have to be under about $3 mil for me to even consider that one. He's been pretty atrocious the last couple years.

[Backtobanks]

Fun 3-way trade proposal from Schoenfield at ESPN:

 

Cubs, White Sox, Yankees

 

 

 

 

Cubs: Trade Mike Olt, C.J. Edwards, Jorge Soler, Dan Vogelbach, acquire Chris Sale, David Phelps

 

Yankees: Trade Gary Sanchez, Zoilo Almonte, Vidal Nuno, Phelps, acquire Addison Reed, Olt, Vogelbach

 

White Sox: Trade Sale, Reed, acquire Edwards, Soler, Sanchez, Almonte, Nuno

 

OK, OK, OK, the White Sox aren't going to trade Sale -- especially to their city rivals. But we can dream, right? And there's no denying the White Sox are a franchise in need of a reboot, with talent issues on the 40-man roster and in the minors. Sale is an enticing trade bait since he's signed through 2019 and would help get some talent to the South Side as the team rebuilds.

 

The Cubs have a deep list of prospects, but what they don't have is an ace. They give the White Sox their top pitching prospect in Edwards, who came over from the Rangers in the Matt Garza trade last summer. Edwards dominated Class A, allowing just 76 hits in 116.1 innings while striking out 155 -- and giving up just one home run. The White Sox also get Cuban outfielder Soler, a powerfully built 21-year-old who could reach the majors in 2015. Desperately in need of a catcher, from the Yankees the White Sox get Sanchez, the Yankees' top prospect who can be dealt with the signing of Brian McCann. Almonte and Nuno are cheap roster fillers who have some potential to contribute.

Olt and Vogelbach are blocked in Cubs land by Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, so they go to the Yankees. Olt can replace Alex Rodriguez at third base -- immediately -- and Vogelbach would give the Yankees a power-hitting prospect for first base or DH.

[UMFan83]

No thanks. Why eat up 1-2 pre-arb (or arb?) years of Sale when we're not going to be competitive next year and possibly the year after.

[Backtobanks]

No thanks. Why eat up 1-2 pre-arb (or arb?) years of Sale when we're not going to be competitive next year and possibly the year after.

 

Sometimes you make a deal like this in order to have a TOR guy available when you do need him. It's not much different than paying a FA for years after he will be productive in order to get him when you need him.

[Cubswin11]

No thanks. Why eat up 1-2 pre-arb (or arb?) years of Sale when we're not going to be competitive next year and possibly the year after.

He's signed through 2017 and has team options for 2018 and 2019. 3.5, 6, 9.15, 12, 12.5, 13.5 are the annual salaries 14-19. He no doubt has the talent of a TOR arm and that's a pretty nice contract he's under if he performs within reason of where he has the last two years, it's just there's a strong consensus among scouts/writers that his mechanics make him a ticking time bomb health wise that makes me a little bearish on him.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Cubswin11

[rawaction]

No thanks. Why eat up 1-2 pre-arb (or arb?) years of Sale when we're not going to be competitive next year and possibly the year after.

 

Sometimes you make a deal like this in order to have a TOR guy available when you do need him. It's not much different than paying a FA for years after he will be productive in order to get him when you need him.

 

No. You never make a deal like that.

[Guest]

Sale signed a long term extension that leaves him under control for 4 years plus two more reasonable team options(12.5 and 13.5 million) to make it 6 years as long as he's remotely healthy. The value of the players we're giving up is about right for Sale too.

 

Also, getting Sale (and a prety solid reliever) for zero players from the MLB roster would be a pretty huge boon to the short-term efforts to compete. Assume a static payroll and you could do something like sign Ellsbury, keep Samardzija, and trade Villanueva, and you're left with a team that projects about .500 for about 100 million.

[Guest]

Sale signed a long term extension that leaves him under control for 4 years plus two more reasonable team options(12.5 and 13.5 million) to make it 6 years as long as he's remotely healthy. The value of the players we're giving up is about right for Sale too.

 

Also, getting Sale (and a prety solid reliever) for zero players from the MLB roster would be a pretty huge boon to the short-term efforts to compete. Assume a static payroll and you could do something like sign Ellsbury, keep Samardzija, and trade Villanueva, and you're left with a team that projects about .500 for about 100 million.

 

I would subtract Soler and add Almora, assuming we sign Ellsbury.

 

That gives us:

 

Ellsbury

Alcantara

Bryant

Baez

Rizzo

Soler

Castro

Castillo

 

Sale

Shark

Wood

Jackson

Arrieta/Hendricks/Grimm

 

Phelps

Strop

Villanueva

Russell

Parker

whoever

 

as early as 2015. That's a team that can win the division and make a bid in the playoffs.

[Sammy Sofa]

[expletive] you all for tricking me into thinking this was a thing that might happen.

[Backtobanks]

No thanks. Why eat up 1-2 pre-arb (or arb?) years of Sale when we're not going to be competitive next year and possibly the year after.

 

Sometimes you make a deal like this in order to have a TOR guy available when you do need him. It's not much different than paying a FA for years after he will be productive in order to get him when you need him.

 

No. You never make a deal like that.

 

I've been saying all along that at some point you need to start adding players that will fill a need now and in the future. Waiting until 2016 to find whatever missing pieces you need assumes that the right players are available and we will outbid all of the other teams to acquire them.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

as early as 2015. That's a team that can win the division and make a bid in the playoffs.

 

Unless every single prospect making it to productive regular isn't a real thing. Then we might be in a bit of trouble still.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Rosenthal says Kazmir to the A's is "close"

[treebird]

Rosenthal says Kazmir to the A's is "close"

 

2/22

[Boris]

Seems like a perfect destination for Kaz.

[Guest]

Rosenthal says Kazmir to the A's is "close"

 

"two years, more than $16M" apparently.

 

I'd have given Kazmir that deal. I have a lot of faith in the FO's ability to fill out a rotation though, and it gives me a little more hope that they aren't going to be trading Samardzija for pieces that won't impact the 2014 team.

[rawaction]

Rosenthal says Kazmir to the A's is "close"

 

"two years, more than $16M" apparently.

 

I'd have given Kazmir that deal. I have a lot of faith in the FO's ability to fill out a rotation though, and it gives me a little more hope that they aren't going to be trading Samardzija for pieces that won't impact the 2014 team.

 

Damn, that was my guy. Was a big fan of going after Kazmir this year. Oh well.

[Guest]

I like what Oakland has done this offseason.

[Cubswin11]

I wonder if this makes any of Straily, Anderson or Milone available. I'd have interest in any of those 3 for a rotation spot, depending on acquisition cost.

[rawaction]

I wonder if this makes any of Straily, Anderson or Milone available. I'd have interest in any of those 3 for a rotation spot, depending on acquisition cost.

 

My first thought as well. Not sure what they'd be interested in though. Doesn't seem like they'd be interested in a prospect trade.

[Guest]

The A's are always interested in prospect trades, although I don't think the Cubs are a great match for a deal like that.

 

Anderson's a bit of a different story, I have to think his trade value is pretty much zero unless the A's eat money.

[rawaction]

The A's are always interested in prospect trades, although I don't think the Cubs are a great match for a deal like that.

 

Anderson's a bit of a different story, I have to think his trade value is pretty much zero unless the A's eat money.

 

I'd be willing to pay all Anderson's salary if they take back a nobody prospect.

[Guest]

I like what Oakland has done this offseason.

Me too.

[Cubswin11]

@Buster_ESPN

Oakland is said to be working through Brett Anderson trade possibilities; Seattle and Cleveland are among the interested teams.

 

Hopefully we are involved