The Cubs big moves during the winter meetings were to sign two players that were non-tendered by their teams a week ago. This is a year!
The Cubs signed former Giants OF Nate Schierholtz to a one year, $2.25m deal plus incentives. He's an above-average defender, but has posted a .270/.319/.409 line over the past six seasons. Granted, a lot of that was in SF but that's pretty not good. He's penciled in as the starting RF, but he's not going to block the Cubs from acquiring someone if something better comes along. The funniest thing about the Schierholtz signing was Yankees fans/media saying that they "missed out" on him to be Nick Swisher's replacement. I don't even. Schierholtz is barely a starter on this sorry squad.
Given the complete lack of non-Youkilis options out there, the Cubs re-signed Ian Stewart to a one-year, $2m non-guaranteed deal with $500k in incentives. At least Stewart is the youngest of all the free agent 3b out there. Given how long I stuck with thinking Randy Wells was worth a damn, I'm okay with this deal. Aside from Youkilis, look at the other "top" FA third basemen who were out there
- Eric Chavez – signed by the DBacks, has seemingly been on the DL for the past ten seasons
- Chone Figgins – posted wOBA of .220 and .242 the past two seasons
- Jose Lopez – Lost his job to Chone Figgins
- Brandon Inge – as great at fielding as he is terrible at hitting
- Mark Reynolds – as great at hitting as he is terrible at fielding
- Casey McGehee – is who we thought he was when the Cubs released him
- Scott Rolen – 38, batting numbers fell off a cliff in 2011
- Jeff Keppinger – broke his leg this offseason
Youkilis is the only credible option out there, and has recieved several offers from other teams. Still, despite the bidding war one of the relatively credible offers was for 1/12. So not much.
Stewart's offer is guaranteed, so there's still a chance the Cubs could get someone else via trade. Or maybe Josh Vitters will be Transformed or something. You never know.
(dying laughing)
I can’t even remember what that’s from, but (dying laughing)
@ Suburban kid:
I just took it as standard beat writer lingo, but maybe there’s a story there.
So the Cubs are looking to suck at approximately the same level as last year, if I’m reading these signings correctly.
josh wrote:
I’m telling you, it’s going to be worse. They won’t be as good as they were to start the season last year and they’ll deal away anybody who is any good not named Rizzo or Castro.
105 losses.
@ Aisle424:
FALSE! The team and season has been saved:
@ Aisle424:
I keep waiting for the new OV article headlined “How Much Ass Will the Cubs Suck in 2013?”
When is that one going to be posted?
josh wrote:
I don’t think so. The Yellon vibe is strong with this one, but I could be wrong. It just seems like every stupid saying on OV can be traced back there.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/07/dale-sveum-says-starlin-castro-only-focuses-about-80-to-85-percent-of-the-time/
@ Suburban kid:
How much ass could this Cubs team suck if this Cubs team could suck ass?
@ Mish:
I read some of that article and then started kicking dirt around in the infield.
@ mikeakaleroy:
I had my back turned. Was there an article?
@ josh:
Soriano would like to have a word with you.
@ Aisle424:
What if they resign Ginger Funnyman Harry-Carray Impressions? Then they’ll be right on track for 102 losses.
Seriously, there is zilch going on with this team. Draft day will be the only time it’ll be worth tuning in.
@ josh:
There are 14 other teams in the National League, some of which have exciting players that one may wish to watch, including on days when they are slaying the Cubs.
@ Rice Cube:
Interleague is all next year too! So there are 14 teams better than the Cubs that you can watch.
@ josh:
Maybe that’s why we hired an announcer who has experiencing commentating on a 100+ loss team.
Suburban kid wrote:
THIS MUCH ASS
@ Rice Cube:
That’s probably what I’ll end up doing when I get bored. I couldn’t really get into any other teams last season. I tried, but I kept losing interest.
@ WaLi:
I may tune into the Jays until the make their inevitable decline, but even that’s no guarantee. I find baseball to be kind of boring when I don’t care about the team.
If anyone is interested in watching the Kyuji Fujikawa presser, it’s here:
http://www.csnchicago.com/live_cubs
@ Suburban kid:
I can’t remember either (dying laughing). I do feel pretty sure that it’s a Yellonism.
Having met him once in person and seen him again just now before the feed stopped, I have to say that Paul Sullivan is very very small.
/Ent
josh wrote:
Eat cocaine out of your brother’s butt?
Berselius wrote:
It could go either way.
@ Suburban kid:
(dying laughing) that is how I read it too.
@ Suburban kid:
Had it been purposeful porn, I think everyone would have stopped.
@ Aisle424:
Cubs lose.
Any news on terms?
WaLi wrote:
2 years/ $15.5 million is what I’ve seen. Pending physical, of course.
Is he a relief pitcher?
@ josh:
Would you ask Tom Petty that question?
That seems to be a great deal if healthy.
WaLi wrote:
testing
dmick89 wrote:
test quote
dmick89 wrote:
testing
@ dmick89:
test reply
dmick89 wrote:
test quote
dmick89 wrote:
test quote
@ Suburban kid:
test
candelario