LeftCoastCubFan

Thank you for catching my mistake on Silva. I corrected it. I use prorated bonuses for comparison purposes. USA today's database includes them as the union supplies them, and teams when they announce the budget also includes them.

There are 17 players under contract for 129.5 million (including prorated signing bonuses) Zambrano 18.9 Dempster 14.5 Garza 6.0 Silva 6.0 (11.5 reduced 5.5 for paid by M's prorated bonus not included)) Marmol 3.2 Marshall 1.6 Wood 1.5 Grabow 4.8 Samadzija 3.3 Soto 3.0 Hill 1.0 Pena 10.0 Jeff Baker 1.2 Ramirez 15.6 Soriano 19.0 Fukodome 14.5 Byrd 5.5 There are no arbitration eligible players remaining Other players are under cubs control edit #1: 12/8 for Pena and Baker edit #2: 1/18 for Garza/Marshall/Wood/Soto/Hill signings and Gorzallany trade edit #3: 2/15 for Marmol note 2/15: Figures include 5.4 million in prorated signing bonuses

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-13/baseball-curveballs-break-near-plate-only-in-batters-minds-study-says.html

Z would have to crashed his train to make it fitting

Interesting analysis: http://steroids-and-baseball.com/ SI Take on the above: http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/08/06/what-if-we-are-wrong-again-about-steroids/?eref=sihp

It won't be much of a fire sale. None of the AL west teams are going to take on the full 8 mil due Lee. He's also not a very good hitter right now. Unless he's on fire, we won't receive anything significant back. He won't be offered arbitration, so no draft picks. He's not blocking a prospect at first, so it really won't make much difference either way. Lilly will likely be offered arbitration if he isn't extended, so a trade only makes sense if it nets significant prospects. Fukodome, Zambrano, Soriano, and Silva are immovable due to contracts. In the offseason Fukodome and Silva could be moved in the offseason eating significant salary (or absorbing one), if they perform in the second half. Unless Ramirez has a monster second half he's not opting out after the year. We also don't know that money saved this year will go to next year's players expenses. I doubt it will as the payroll is higher than the Rickets would like this year. So no extra money and marginal prospect upgrades says to me that it doesn't really matter. I would say let it ride. Piniella is already likely gone. Missing the playoffs should also send Hendry packing. Let the next GM decide what to do to improve.

The Seattle take: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2011785415_milton_bradley_packed_up_left.html

Or a 36 year old. The new extension doesn't kick in until 2012.

USA Today has the figures up. $ 146,609,000 opening day payroll. http://content.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/teamdetail.aspx?year=2010&team=17

I don't believe Nady will be

More contract details up on Chicago Sports http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/03/contract-details-on-new-bears-taylor-manumaleuna.html

Kyle, is your last name Orton?

The Desmond Clark era should end today as he is due to be paid a 475k roster bonus soon

"Pop" Quiz, They all drink Dr Pepper

2.6

Also the Theriot arbitration is a factor. With only a small amount of money left, the 800k spread is a factor. Once it is resolved I can see a signing happening quickly (I don't expect Theriot to win)

You're welcome, LCCF. I was aware of the discrepancies you listed, I just don't know who to believe since one site says one thing and some other site says something else. If you can help clear that up for me, that would be much appreciated. I tend to trust Cot's, but do you have reason to think that Roto is more accurate? I went with the Seattle Times report on Silva just because it was written by what seemed to be a Mariners beat writer and I figured he ought to know. I certainly don't profess to know anything. Just trying to keep track of the numbers as best I can. I already added Soto and Wells in a previous post, but I wouldn't call Fuld a lock just yet. Regardless, for payroll purposes, whoever is filling that last bench spot is likely to be making close to what Fuld is, so six of one, half dozen of the other. Samardzija is a difficult one. Cotts does not have any details other then saying it’s a 5 year at 10 mil plus 2 option years to make it 16.5. There are no details on how it’s paid (nor could I find details other then RotoWorld with a Google search). Since he wasn’t on the opening day roster the last 2 years, he isn’t on USA Todays salary database to see what he’s been paid to date. Roto world is the only site with details. It shows 1.3/2.5/2.8/3/3.5 for 2009-2013. The figures for2012-2013 match the options info of 6.5 mil. 2009-2011 totals of 6.6 mil. That seems reasonable given a 2 mil signing bonus and a total of 1.4 mil over 2007-2008 in salary. I don’t believe RotoWorld would have made up the numbers, so IMHO 2.5 should be used for this year. If he makes the opening day roster it can be confirmed on USA Today. Silva is a bit easier. It’s just about how to apply signing bonuses. I’m not sure whether they are truly prorated or accounted for when paid (most seem to be paid equally over the contract but Sammy Sosa’s was lumped into the first year of his last contract), but I use USA Today as a sanity check. Cotts lists him as 7/11/11.5/11.5 for 4 years plus a 5 mil signing bonus. USA today shows salary and bonus totals of 8.25 and 12.25 over the first 2 years, which shows a quarter of the bonus being added to each year; so he should be 11.5 plus 1.25 for a total of 12.75. I don’t agree with Cotts on the Vizciano buyout being included in 2010. Once the Cubs released him, his entire salary and buyout became an expense to 2009 (regardless of when the liability is paid). It should not be included on your list.

Marmol Signed for 2.125 mil http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/02/cubs-avoid-arbitration-with-marmol.html

Marshall signed fo 950k http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/3336

Thank you for putting that all together. There a few minor differences I see. Carlos Silva should be at 12.75 mil, 11.5 in salary plus 1.25 prorated signing bonus. Samardzija should be at 2.5 mil. Cotts doesn’t have contract details but Rotoworld does http://www.rotoworld.com/Content/playerpages/player_previousnews.aspx?sport=mlb&id=4648 Vizciano’s buyout would have been paid in 2009 and should not be included in 2010 payroll 3 players under Cubs control seem to be locks to make the team. I would guess Soto renewed without a raise at 575k, Wells/Fuld at around 400k That leaves the Cubs with 2 spots on the 25 man roster to fill for a veteran right handed pitcher and a veteran right handed outfielder.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10475170

What would happen if she and Paul Sullivan had a baby?

The LA Times had the story of Steve Dalkowski this morning. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dalkowski19-2009jul19,0,5571688.story

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/06/piniella-voted-least-popular-manager-in-player-survey-.html

I'm ready to order a custom Cubs jersey with the number "0" and "Kickme" for the name. "Mental" would work too.