Cubs Sign Zobrist - 4/$56M

[bukie]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/how-the-cubs--plan-to-slow-play-ben-zobrist-s-free-agency-worked-to-perfection-052203117.html

I like the move, but it's not a salary dump when you add $56 million.

[Guest]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/how-the-cubs--plan-to-slow-play-ben-zobrist-s-free-agency-worked-to-perfection-052203117.html

I like the move, but it's not a salary dump when you add $56 million.

 

Huh?

 

Are you referring to this sentence?

 

Perhaps Chicago now uses the financial flexibility born of dumping the $38 million left on Castro's contract to go after Jason Heyward, who could conceivably play center for a year or two, or lock down right field and allow the Cubs to deal Soler.

 

You really can't make these moves without one another so it'd be really disingenous to call it "adding $56 million" when one doesn't happen without the other (which is 100% the case). And it's not hard to see how it clears a little salary for them when you consider what a bargain Warren is and what acquiring him allows them to do (and not to do).

 

That's not even to get into the likely (much) better value you're getting out of the Zobrist money than they were the Castro money. Between these two deals, they're getting more production for less money.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/how-the-cubs--plan-to-slow-play-ben-zobrist-s-free-agency-worked-to-perfection-052203117.html

I like the move, but it's not a salary dump when you add $56 million.

 

Huh?

 

Are you referring to this sentence?

 

Perhaps Chicago now uses the financial flexibility born of dumping the $38 million left on Castro's contract to go after Jason Heyward, who could conceivably play center for a year or two, or lock down right field and allow the Cubs to deal Soler.

 

You really can't make these moves without one another so it'd be really disingenous to call it "adding $56 million" when one doesn't happen without the other (which is 100% the case). And it's not hard to see how it clears a little salary for them when you consider what a bargain Warren is and what acquiring him allows them to do (and not to do).

 

That's not even to get into the likely (much) better value you're getting out of the Zobrist money than they were the Castro money. Between these two deals, they're getting more production for less money.

Saying "dumping $38 million" is far more disingenuous than pointing out that they added $56 million.

 

Castro had value. He was traded for value. Nothing was dumped.

[Guest]

The moves created payroll flexibility and added a little projected surplus value. Term it however you want.

[jersey cubs fan]

so I went from non-plussed when i heard about the signing to modestly happy with the moves now that the Castro trade seems to have brought back a decent enough arm. Still a little concerned with how much older this team is getting with these moves, but if they can pull off a Heyward signing this offseason would be amazing. Obviously they have the money, the question is if they are willing to spend it.

[Guest]

so I went from non-plussed when i heard about the signing to modestly happy with the moves now that the Castro trade seems to have brought back a decent enough arm. Still a little concerned with how much older this team is getting with these moves, but if they can pull off a Heyward signing this offseason would be amazing. Obviously they have the money, the question is if they are willing to spend it.

 

this is basically where I stood/stand as things played out yesterday.

[Guest]

Seconded. I'm still bummer about losing Castro from a fan perspective, but things generally make sense put all together, even if there is a bit more risk than I think being portrayed by some.

 

The big thing is that they have more to spend and plan to (whether it lines up and they can follow through is something else entirely)

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm just wrapping my head around the potential opening day depth chart: (*= non big league roster)

 

1B Rizzo (L)

2B Zobrist (S) LaStella (L)

SS Russell ®, Baez ®

3B Bryant ®

LF Schwarber (L), Coghlan (L)

CF I really have no idea, Baez, Bryant

RF Soler ®

C Montero (L) Ross ®, Schwarber

 

SP

Arrieta ®

Lester (L)

Lackey ®

Hammel ®

Hendricks ®

Warren ®

Wood (L)

Cahill ®

Richard (L)

 

Bullpen

Rondon ®

Strop ®

Grimm ®

Brothers (L)

Ramirez ®

Warren ®

Wood (L)

Cahill ®

Richard (L)

 

And damn, depending on who's in CF, this team could be anywhere from awesome to epic.

 

Needless to say, Javy or Soler could still be traded. And I can't imagine starting the season with 13 pitchers, so it's hard to tell who's going to be the odd man out. Ramirez seems like the logical choice, but there's also an awful lot of left handedness going in in there too, so Wood, Richard, or Brothers could easily be traded by the spring.

[BigSlick]

Wish we could have gotten a much younger Ben Zobrist but he's still playing his pants off and is a very good player to have on your team.

 

Had to look it up but was shocked to see he hasn't put in an OPS+ under 100 in the past 6 years, he's a damn good player.

[UMFan83]

If we added Heyward, I think it would break TT's projected Wins spreadsheet more than if you tried to add Bryan LaHair.

[Guest]

If we added Heyward, I think it would break TT's projected Wins spreadsheet more than if you tried to add Bryan LaHair.

 

You know what's really fun? I have a local copy of the sheet and I haven't even bothered with the wins stuff. I know we're going to be good, so the only variable I care about is if the salaries fit together.

[Guest]

If we added Heyward, I think it would break TT's projected Wins spreadsheet more than if you tried to add Bryan LaHair.

Do it

[Hairyducked Idiot]

We could replace Rizzo with LaHair right now and still be slightly better than the Cardinals or Pirates on paper.

[Guest]

We could replace Rizzo with LaHair right now and still be slightly better than the Cardinals or Pirates on paper.

When did the Heyward signing get confirmed?

[Guest]

We could replace Rizzo with LaHair right now and still be slightly better than the Cardinals or Pirates on paper.

When did the Heyward signing get confirmed?

http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&teamid=17

 

Read it and weep. With joy.

[Guest]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[JonJayCutler]

I still can't believe Bryan LaHair was an All-Star. I mean what the [expletive].

[Guest]

The latest rumor is that Zobrist turned down more money from the Nats and Giants.

[Guest]

The latest rumor is that Zobrist turned down more money from the Nats and Giants.

I saw that this morning, also.

[Guest]

http://www.csnchicago.com/page/livecubs

 

Presser coming up now at link

[davell]

I still can't believe Bryan LaHair was an All-Star. I mean what the [expletive].

 

When Theo took over, he had 3 stormtroopers, an ATST Driver, the captain that got choked out, a blind Rancor, and a fat Dewback. We're a fully functional Empire now though.

[Guest]

http://www.csnchicago.com/page/livecubs

 

Presser coming up now at link

Sweet - I should be able to watch. thx for the heads up.

[Guest]

theo too busy for this one. this is a jed and joe tier free agent.

[Guest]

Maddon and Jed with Zobrist.

[davell]

theo too busy for this one. this is a jed and joe tier free agent.

 

He's busy coming up with Hoyer's second Twitter post.