Tatsuya Imai to the Astros

[CubinNY]

3 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Kaplan says he is hearing the Cubs aren’t seriously involved on Imai , unless it’s a shorter term deal .  

lolololol

[Tryptamine]

Is Dansby seriously going to be the last real contract this organization gives out? 

[mk49]

7 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Kaplan says he is hearing the Cubs aren’t seriously involved on Imai , unless it’s a shorter term deal .  

It would be funny, if Gallen is their #1 target after all.  

[CubUgly]

Just now, mk49 said:

It would be funny, if Gallen is their #1 target after all.  

I'd use another term, like disappointing. 

[mk49]

9 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Is Dansby seriously going to be the last real contract this organization gives out? 

Hope not.  What was the one before Dansby?  Darvish?

[Jason Ross]

I have a hard time believing the team is under some impression than Imai is signing a short term deal. That doesn't pass a sniff test. 

Either they have always been mostly out on him, and all of the reporting that they've been interested in him has been wrong, or that the team is actually interested in him on a longer deal. No one has thought Imai was signing a short term contract. His agent is Boras. 

Also of note; the Cubs were seemingly less excited about a short term deal with King. Any short term contract with Imai would obviously be opt out heavy and the Cubs basically punted that option per Sharma and Mooney around the WM.

Kaplan has connections to Crane Kenney but he also doesn't break news often about the Cubs. So hard to tell whether this is something we should place a lot of belief on or not a lot of belief in. 

[CubinNY]

3 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I have a hard time believing the team is under some impression than Imai is signing a short term deal. That doesn't pass a sniff test. 

Either they have always been mostly out on him, and all of the reporting that they've been interested in him has been wrong, or that the team is actually interested in him on a longer deal. No one has thought I'm making was signing a short term contract. His agent is Boras. 

Kaplan has connections to Crane Kenney but he also doesn't break news often about the Cubs. So hard to tell whether this is something we should place a lot of belief on or not a lot of belief in. 

Yes, I don't know if the rumor is true, but if it is, Tom and the sibs must be up to their eyes in real estate debt around Wrigley. It may be time for some more minority owner shares to be sold, hopefully not to PE, because, like the mob, they want their money back with interest on a timeline. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

4 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

It may be time for some more minority owner shares to be sold

Isn't that already part of the problem, that they are beholden to ROI for their minority partners?  Even if, hypothetically, the Ricketts family wanted to go spend crazy profits be damned, there are others with a stake in the game who wouldn't be happy with that.

[CubinNY]

10 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Isn't that already part of the problem, that they are beholden to ROI for their minority partners?  Even if, hypothetically, the Ricketts family wanted to go spend crazy profits be damned, there are others with a stake in the game who wouldn't be happy with that.

I don't know what the conditions are for minority owners. The only one I know for sure is the guy who owns the SB Cubs. I don't know that they've publicly stated how many there are and what percentage of the team they own. My general understanding is that minority owners don't have a say in how the team is run, but they may receive a guaranteed rate of return.  If I were the owner, I'd have a contract that each annual payment would reduce their ownership stake by a percentage until I owned the club again. 

 

Edit: After doing some reading, the minority owners aren't owning the Cubs; they own 5% of the LLC's shares, the Ricketts set up as a holding company. 

Edited December 23, 2025 by CubinNY

[Bertz]

On the one hand Kaplan's an idiot and hasn't shown to be consistently connected since Hendry left 

On the other hand the Athletic guys and Jesse Rogers have done some cold watering on this the past week too

On the other hand this is basically the same thing that happened with Imanaga

On the other hand trading for a SP is what makes the Bregman rumors easiest to reconcile

On the other hand that doesn't explain anything happening with Gallen

I suspect the Cubs want Imai but think he's worth much closer to $100M then $200M.  I also suspect Boras is not getting what he wants because none of the big boys are hot after him so we're just gonna deal with this dumb back and forth horsefeathers for another week.

[ILMindState]

You think Imai would be willing to take a bi-monthly contract?

[DrCub]

If the offseason continues to head in the direction the last few have, and the Cubs cheap out again, I’m done with this team.  

[Jason Ross]

In the Heyman podcast where he mentioned the Cubs as Okamoto-suitors, he guessed the Cubs would make one big deal this off-season and that prediction was Imai. 

It's probably just speculation but Heyman is also close to Boras. So TIFWIW 

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

In the Heyman podcast where he mentioned the Cubs as Okamoto-suitors, he guessed the Cubs would make one big deal this off-season and that prediction was Imai. 

It's probably just speculation but Heyman is also close to Boras. So TIFWIW 

The Ricketts Racket Episode 1: Oh My Imai

JED: Well, hey, Tom. Where've you been, eh?

TOM: I drove my limousine, my great Tesla, to the charging station and after that I--I don't know.

JED: You don't know?

TOM: I swear I don't know! The point is that after that, I--I--went and got a large money in a lawsuit by using a skilled lawyer to defend my... doings in the financial world. Securities, right? But aren't we supposed to be talking about baseball?

JED: About what?

TOM: About baseball, dimwit! About signing new people?! Players?!

JED: Huh? I didn't know we had to do that. I'm the President... Well, I think we can sign this 34-year-old pitcher. See? His velo is excellent--77. He throws a 4-seamer, and that's... well, it. Look at his Savant page. It's Dogdim Witthead, brother of The Honorable Charlie Morton.

TOM: Wow. *bows* Couldn't we just sign Charlie? He's cheap. His AAV is, like, $700K. You know, I like players who are going to be done in a few years. You gotta get 'em cheap!

JED: You're exactly right. So why are those fans bickering about this one Tatsuya Imai guy, who won't add anything to our team? He seems to be very diverse in terms of his repertoire, he can throw decently well, and his velo sounds jaw-dropping.

TOM: Sounds expensive. And the Yankees are interested, anyway.

JED: You're right, Tom. Words of wisdom. I didn't know that I'd be working with such a brilliant man as you. I guess the meeting's done.

TOM: Okay, but... wait. I have one thing.

JED: What is it, Tom?

TOM: Couldn't we just sign Jacob Webb?

JED: Who? What's his AAV?

TOM: $1.5 million. But, you know, he's 32, he relies heavily on his 4-seamer with an unremarkable velo, and---

JED: You're getting my juices flowing. Just sign him, already. The cheaper, the better!

Jed and Tom walk out of the office, glad that they made some progress today.

 

[Bertz]

36 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

In the Heyman podcast where he mentioned the Cubs as Okamoto-suitors, he guessed the Cubs would make one big deal this off-season and that prediction was Imai. 

It's probably just speculation but Heyman is also close to Boras. So TIFWIW 

That's fairly in line with what Trueblood said on Friday.  One signing of substance one trade of substance.

[Rcal10]

23 minutes ago, Bertz said:

That's fairly in line with what Trueblood said on Friday.  One signing of substance one trade of substance.

I think it is an either or, not both. Hoping for both. And if it is both I would think that’s a trade for a pitcher and maybe sign Okamoto. I don’t see Bregman as their significant FA signing. And if they sign Imai, I don’t see a significant trade for a bat. 

Edited December 23, 2025 by Rcal10

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

I think it is an either or, not both. Hoping for both. 

The Cubs have been connected with enough hitters and pitchers that I think it's probably a trade and a signing. One for each. 

[Post Count Padder]

3 hours ago, Dfan25 said:

Kaplan says he is hearing the Cubs aren’t seriously involved on Imai , unless it’s a shorter term deal .  

ffs

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Dfan25 said:

Kaplan says he is hearing the Cubs aren’t seriously involved on Imai , unless it’s a shorter term deal .  

I could see Hoyer offering 7-8 years but with options the last 2 or 3, but who knows, being that he'll be 28 in May, maybe he'll want to test the FA market again in 2-3 years and accept a shorter deal.

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, mk49 said:

It would be funny, if Gallen is their #1 target after all.  

He'd likely accept the kind of contract that would fit what they'd offer to stay under and give them belly room during season, something like 3-4 yrs at 18-20M per.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

The Cubs have been connected with enough hitters and pitchers that I think it's probably a trade and a signing. One for each. 

Wish I had your confidence. I don’t. I think it will be one more. Probably Gallen. Maybe a cheap bat who can play 3rd a little. But I wouldn’t call that 2 significant moves. 

[Cuzi]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Wish I had your confidence. I don’t. I think it will be one more. Probably Gallen. Maybe a cheap bat who can play 3rd a little. But I wouldn’t call that 2 significant moves. 

Put Hoyer on the first flight to Mars if the answer to losing Kyle Tucker is a bunch of fodder bullpen signings, failed MLB bats from Japan, and Gallen.

[Tryptamine]

I just don't get Hoyer. The division is there for the taking, the Brewers aren't going to go on a historically great 40+ game stretch again. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Bertz said:

That's fairly in line with what Trueblood said on Friday.  One signing of substance one trade of substance.

Who's Trueblood?

[Bertz]

9 minutes ago, The Cubs Dude said:

Who's Trueblood?

Matt Trueblood, the head writer on this website