Who's gaga for Imanaga? - It's the Cubs! Cubs sign Imanaga per Heyman/Nightengale

[jersey cubs fan]

26 minutes ago, Jfoley89 said:

I honestly can't understand the rush to have a 17 million dollar #5 starter if we're not blowing past the luxury tax. This team has an army of league minimum arms fighting for the last spot. Spend money on bats 

If this guys ends up as the #5 then some dudes will probably be exceeding expectations. $17m is the cost of doing business if you want competent starting pitching capable actually being good. 

[Stratos]

11 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

With Imanaga in town for a physical and press conference later this week, will he also be sticking around for the Cubs Convention?

On one hand, that would seem to be a no-brainer.  He is a big signing and he is already here, so why not generate some buzz at the Convention?  On the other hand, that is possibly a very uncomfortable situation to throw a guy into when he is brand new to the country and (probably) doesn't speak English.

He just has to show up on a stage, wave, talk Japanese into a mic, and have the interpreter repeat it.  If someone just gave me 30 million dollars i'd do the Macarena on stage if they wanted me to LOL.

[Rob]

1 hour ago, Jfoley89 said:

I honestly can't understand the rush to have a 17 million dollar #5 starter if we're not blowing past the luxury tax. This team has an army of league minimum arms fighting for the last spot. Spend money on bats 

The Fangraphs Depth Chart predictions (which are admittedly trash) have him as our #2 starter behind Steele. I imagine it'll probably look similar when ZiPS comes out.

This also helps with the pen a bit, assuming some guys like Wesneski who might not make the rotation have a chance to see if their stuff plays up out of the bullpen.

[SOFNR]

I kind of assumed he was talking about Taillon as the $17 mil #5 starter.

Edited January 10, 2024 by SOFNR

[Jfoley89]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

If this guys ends up as the #5 then some dudes will probably be exceeding expectations. $17m is the cost of doing business if you want competent starting pitching capable actually being good. 

I'm referring to the people wanting to sign another starter to push Taillon into the 5 spot. Steele, Hendricks, Imanaga, Taillon, and the best of our youth, plus buying more bats, makes more sense than spending money on more starters. In theory we have Assad, Wicks, Brown, and Horton to fill the void at 5

[Jfoley89]

1 hour ago, SOFNR said:

I kind of assumed he was talking about Taillon as the $17 mil #5 starter.

Correct.  I could have been clearer

[Petrey10]

8 hours ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

I really hope Imanaga outperforms Yamamoto, aside from helping the team win those Dodgers fan tears would be satisfying after all the money they spent

Honestly I don’t. That’s a punk way out(not calling you one). I hope the dodgers crush everyone and makes these owners and gms spend some damn money. 

[s2obed]

Wow, $53m for 4 years? Are there injury concerns or?

[Jason Ross]

4 minutes ago, s2obed said:

Wow, $53m for 4 years? Are there injury concerns or?

Had surgery in 2020. Sounds like teams are concerned long term, but not short term.

[LBiittner]

4 minutes ago, s2obed said:

Wow, $53m for 4 years? Are there injury concerns or?

And the team can opt out early??? Wow. Sounds very team friendly

[s2obed]

1 minute ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Had surgery in 2020. Sounds like teams are concerned long term, but not short term.

Oh wow didn’t know. I remember reading not too long ago that he’d possibly get $100M or more.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, s2obed said:

Oh wow didn’t know. I remember reading not too long ago that he’d possibly get $100M or more.

Yeah, sounds like the shoulder concerns popped up more recently as teams dove into the medicals. That said he passed his physical with the Cubs (per Bob Nightengale) so it's official. 

[Jason Ross]

Full contract for those wondering.

[SOFNR]

7 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

And the team can opt out early??? Wow. Sounds very team friendly

I don't believe the team can opt out early. The Cubs would have an option to extend to 5/80 after 2 years, and if they didn't Imamaga could opt out. Same after 3 years. But if he doesn't opt out he'd stay for the full 4/53.

[SOFNR]

13 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Had surgery in 2020. Sounds like teams are concerned long term, but not short term.

That's the impression i've gotten as well. Pretty happy with that contract structure.  It could certainly blow up in their faces but it seems like a worthwhile risk at 4/53 given his upside. 

[LBiittner]

Yeah, you explained it better. 

But the Cubs could kinda test him by declining after year 2 or 3. 

Remember how everyone thought stroman would pick up his 3rd year after being injured last season?

[ToolDRT]

Was really into Imanaga but man did his market fall apart. Now I’m just scared why he ended up with this deal. This is quite light compared to projections. Makes me very nervous. 

[Bertz]

This is a pretty good deal for both sides and I wonder if we see this sort of thing more often for high variance guys.

If I read this right, then basically:

- If Shota's good or great it's 5/80

- If Shota's average-ish it's 2/30

- If Shota's bad/hurt it's 4/53

[Michael Busch Light]

Would 4 for 53 be essentially the Ted Lilly deal from 2007 or would it be less now considering inflation?

[Rob]

1 minute ago, Javy Bystro said:

Would 4 for 53 be essentially the Ted Lilly deal from 2007 or would it be less now considering inflation?

Less. That'd be more like 4/60 now.

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Bertz said:

This is a pretty good deal for both sides and I wonder if we see this sort of thing more often for high variance guys.

If I read this right, then basically:

- If Shota's good or great it's 5/80

- If Shota's average-ish it's 2/30

- If Shota's bad/hurt it's 4/53

So it is a 4 year deal at $53M, but his first 2 are a total of $30M. If the Cubs don’t up the ante to 5/$80 he can opt out. If he doesn’t the Cubs are on the hook for the last 2 an additional $23M for those last 2 years. Do I have that right? .

[jersey cubs fan]

1 hour ago, Jfoley89 said:

I'm referring to the people wanting to sign another starter to push Taillon into the 5 spot. Steele, Hendricks, Imanaga, Taillon, and the best of our youth, plus buying more bats, makes more sense than spending money on more starters. In theory we have Assad, Wicks, Brown, and Horton to fill the void at 5

Okay, well I guess that clear thing ups but I completely disagree with the sentiment. This team needs high end players. I have doubts about Steele repeating  and I have next to zero expectations for Hendricks in 2024. 
 

pushing disappointing players down the depth chat is a good thing. I don’t care how much they cost. 

[SOFNR]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

So it is a 4 year deal at $53M, but his first 2 are a total of $30M. If the Cubs don’t up the ante to 5/$80 he can opt out. If he doesn’t the Cubs are on the hook for the last 2 an additional $23M for those last 2 years. Do I have that right? .

Pretty much. Except if the Cubs don't grab the option after year 2, and he decides not to opt out, that same choice will come up again after year 3. 

[Jason Ross]

Imanaga has been staying in Chicago since Christmas. It's where his base of operations were. 

Per Jesse Rogers

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, SOFNR said:

Pretty much. Except if the Cubs don't grab the option after year 2, and he decides not to opt out, that same choice will come up again after year 3. 

Ok, so year 3 plays at $11.5? Then we repeat in the last year. Or they can go to 5 and add $38.5M for these 2 years. (Difference between what he earned first 3 and the $80m option.) So the Cubs get that option again after year 3 or does he only get the option to opt out of the last year?