The 2016 Bullpen

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

I'm with Theo where he said, and I quote "Our bullpen is currently better than mediocre, and that is how I like it. Starting pitcher FA ftw!"

[Guest]

With the events of the day, the bullpen now stands at:

 

Rondon

Strop

Grimm

Brothers

Richard

Ramirez

 

None of those guys can be sent down without going on waivers. Wood joins them if he survives the offseason, and if he doesn't I imagine that Hammel or someone else from the rotation might be bumped down to that spot anyway. That's 7 spots before considering Edwards, Rosscup, Patton, Acevedo, Medina, etc.

 

I honestly am a little surprised that Richard is back, especially after adding Brothers. I didn't think they valued LHRP that highly after how they handled Russell, Wright, and Coke. Maybe Richard is supposed to be the long man and he won't be in the same pen as Wood or Hammel, but if he is it's hard to see them adding another reliever unless there's an unexpected departure.

[davell]

Am I wrong in thinking we can still release Richard up until a certain date without having to pay him anything?

 

If I'm right, we locked him in to at least give us time to sort thru some more of the off season.

[weis21]

With the events of the day, the bullpen now stands at:

 

Rondon

Strop

Grimm

Brothers

Richard

Ramirez

 

None of those guys can be sent down without going on waivers.

 

Doesn't Brothers have options left? Though with him getting that contract I assume they intend him to be a piece in the pen.

[Guest]

With the events of the day, the bullpen now stands at:

 

Rondon

Strop

Grimm

Brothers

Richard

Ramirez

 

None of those guys can be sent down without going on waivers.

 

Doesn't Brothers have options left? Though with him getting that contract I assume they intend him to be a piece in the pen.

 

Brothers and Grimm both technically have an option left, but they have to go through optional assignment waivers because of their MLB service time. http://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-40-man-roster

 

Also, Optional Assignment Waivers must be secured before Jake Arrieta, Rex Brothers, Starlin Castro, Chris Coghlan, Justin Grimm, Jon Lester, Miguel Montero, Clayton Richard, and Anthony Rizzo can be optioned to the minors.

NOTE: Optional Assignment Waivers are revocable and so therefore the waiver request can be withdrawn if the player is claimed, so players are almost never claimed off Optional Assignment Waivers.

 

So it is theoretically possible to send those guys down, but it's not something to plan on having the flexibility to do.

[Stu]

Would be totally cool if Brothers becomes an 7th-8th inning thing and Grimm is good again. then we could have Brothers Grimm at the end of games.

[jersey cubs fan]

Would be totally cool if Brothers becomes an 7th-8th inning thing and Grimm is good again. then we could have Brothers Grimm at the end of games.

 

Totally

 

 

 

Cool

 

http://media.thedailytouch.com/2014/10/Im-Cool-gif.gif

[weis21]

Gotcha - thanks, TT!

[weis21]

Would be totally cool if Brothers becomes an 7th-8th inning thing and Grimm is good again. then we could have Brothers Grimm at the end of games.

Len is going to be super pissed that you stole his thunder. And so far in advance!

[Stu]

Would be totally cool if Brothers becomes an 7th-8th inning thing and Grimm is good again. then we could have Brothers Grimm at the end of games.

Len is going to be super pissed that you stole his thunder. And so far in advance!

 

 

I was thinking more JD, but I could see Len doing that.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm just glad to see NCCubFan is still lurking in the shadows.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Any word on Cahill? Is he looking for a place where he can start? I would think that ship may have sailed. But, maybe someone will give him that opportunity. I would love to have him back in the pen, if it doesn't cost too much. If he maintains the stuff he showed for us, he could be pretty nasty as a pen arm.

[KingCubsFan]

Any word on Cahill? Is he looking for a place where he can start? I would think that ship may have sailed. But, maybe someone will give him that opportunity. I would love to have him back in the pen, if it doesn't cost too much. If he maintains the stuff he showed for us, he could be pretty nasty as a pen arm.

My guess is he's going to wait as long as possible to try and get a rotation spot somewhere, and we'll have already filled up our bullpen by then.

[Guest]

Any word on Cahill? Is he looking for a place where he can start? I would think that ship may have sailed. But, maybe someone will give him that opportunity. I would love to have him back in the pen, if it doesn't cost too much. If he maintains the stuff he showed for us, he could be pretty nasty as a pen arm.

 

I saw a mention that the Pirates might be willing to give him a rotation spot.

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

If he's gonna get the chance to start 30 games then I don't think he's gonna be back, but it sounds like the Pirates are considering a couple options in that vein(Masterson, Fister) so maybe if they go elsewhere the rest of his market will be cooler. I think he could continue to be really good as a pen arm too.

[Guest]

Am I wrong in thinking we can still release Richard up until a certain date without having to pay him anything?

 

If I'm right, we locked him in to at least give us time to sort thru some more of the off season.

 

This sounds familiar, but I'm not sure if it applies to Richard. I'm not sure how to go about searching for it(which player was it in this situation this past spring?), so maybe someone else knows more.

[SouthSideRyan]

Am I wrong in thinking we can still release Richard up until a certain date without having to pay him anything?

 

If I'm right, we locked him in to at least give us time to sort thru some more of the off season.

 

This sounds familiar, but I'm not sure if it applies to Richard. I'm not sure how to go about searching for it(which player was it in this situation this past spring?), so maybe someone else knows more.

 

We cut Kottarras a couple years ago under this rule, paying him 1/6 of his salary. Padres did it with Todd Walker several years back as well. Can't remember the specifics. There's also a timeframe.

[Guest]

Am I wrong in thinking we can still release Richard up until a certain date without having to pay him anything?

 

If I'm right, we locked him in to at least give us time to sort thru some more of the off season.

 

This sounds familiar, but I'm not sure if it applies to Richard. I'm not sure how to go about searching for it(which player was it in this situation this past spring?), so maybe someone else knows more.

 

We cut Kottarras a couple years ago under this rule, paying him 1/6 of his salary. Padres did it with Todd Walker several years back as well. Can't remember the specifics. There's also a timeframe.

 

Walker and San Diego could not reach an agreement, so his arb case was heard, and he won it. Just found the article. San Diego offered 2.75 and Walker wanted more. Walker won for 3.95m and San Diego cut him. Looking at baseball-reference, Walker got paid $450k to play for Oakland that year, his final season. The article declaring he won his arbitration case was on Feb 21 of '07 and he was cut by the Padres on March 26.

[UMFan83]

https://twitter.com/evanpetzold/status/672936514649763840

[davell]

Jerry Crasnick ‏@jcrasnick 1m1 minute ago

 

#Cubs are actively exploring a trade for one of the top closers, baseball sources say.

 

WTF??????

[rawaction]

Jerry Crasnick ‏@jcrasnick 1m1 minute ago

 

#Cubs are actively exploring a trade for one of the top closers, baseball sources say.

 

WTF??????

 

Papelbon. Assholes are the new market efficiency.

[Cubswin11]

I wonder if the White Sox would consider moving Robertson? Just trying to think of guys who fit the "top closer" role and would be expected to be available

[Gilby]

[expletive] Theo and his love of all things Red Sox if that means Papelbon*. I doubt he's in the "top closer" category though.

 

*unless they're so desperate to get rid of him that Strasburg could be packaged with him

[Tryptamine]

Jerry Crasnick ‏@jcrasnick 1m1 minute ago

 

#Cubs are actively exploring a trade for one of the top closers, baseball sources say.

 

WTF??????

 

My first two thoughts were Britton and Chapman. Britton is due about 6.5M in arb this year and is under control for I believe 2 more years after that. He would take a significant piece to land though.

[rawaction]

[expletive] Theo and his love of all things Red Sox if that means Papelbon*. I doubt he's in the "top closer" category though.

 

*unless they're so desperate to get rid of him that Strasburg could be packaged with him

 

I think "top young starting pitcher" would be the headline rather than "top closer" if that was the case.

[SouthSideRyan]

And I'd think it would make more sense for them to release Papelbon rather than randomly diminish Strasburg's trade value