Chicago Cubs HAVE to Surprise Nation

[CSF77]

Kazimer: K% 24.1 BB% 7.0% FIP 3.51
Hughes: K% 18.9 BB% 6.5 FIP 4.50

Tell ya Kazimer seems like a LH Shark.
Hughes is a step below both. Other words is value is around Ed Jackson value.

If they signed Kazimer the rotation would be: Wood, Shark, Kazimer, Jackson, Arreta
Hughes:

Wood, Shark, Jackson, Hughes, Arreta. I accually think he slots there. He is a good 4-5 starter even on the Cubs.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs interested in Masahiro Tanaka
Updated: November 11, 2013, 10:19 PM ET
By Jesse Rogers | ESPNChicago.com

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer says the team has interest in acquiring Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka after the right-hander went 24-0 in the regular season for Tohoku Rakuten this year.

Rakuten won the Nippon Professional Baseball championship as Tanaka saved the final game one day after losing his first decision of the year during the playoffs.

"We're going to be part of the process," Hoyer said Monday from the GM meetings in Orlando. "We've done our work on him and plan on being part of it."

The Cubs would have to win the right to negotiate with Tanaka but a new system is being negotiated before he or other Japanese players can sign with a major league team. Under the old system, a team would win the right to negotiate by submitting the highest blind bid, which would end up going to the Japanese team that lost its player. That system is being revamped as "posting" fees have skyrocketed. Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish was acquired after the Rangers won the bidding with a record $51.7 million posting fee.

One reported scenario has the major league team that wins the bid paying an average between the top two bids, while another suggestion is to abolish the bidding system entirely and wait until the Japanese players become free agents after nine years. It's unclear when the situation will be resolved.

Over the weekend, Cubs president Theo Epstein told a crowd of season-ticket holders that he wished "there was free agency for young players," as the Cubs are in a stated youth movement. Tanaka turned 25 on Nov.1 and fits the Cubs' needs as a top-of-the-rotation starter.

"It's rare these days," Hoyer said of a talent such as Tanaka being available. "They get posted at an age that is younger than the typical American free agent."

While it's likely the new system will bring the fees to acquire the rights to a player down, it's still going to cost the winning team a lot of money. Hoyer was asked whether the Cubs were serious about their pursuit.

"We wouldn't do it [scout him] for no reason," he replied.

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are two other teams reportedly interested in Tanaka.

 

[waldo7239117]

I just can't see anyway how Samardzija is in the rotation come opening day.

 

[chibears55]

i believe the cubs will go all out to land Tanaka..

i heard one way the bidding will go is to favor the player more is that the team (japan) gives their posting price and if teams are willing to match it then those teams will be able to sit and talk with the player and work out a contract..

 

[DewsSox79]

I say he is a yankee

 

[CSF77]

I say he is a yankee

If A-Rod gets a life long ban then his 86 mil left on his contract goes bye bye. If that happens I can see a major over haul and that cash would instead go to Cano.

I believe they have too many needs right now.

Dodgers are in the same boat. Ya they want him but they do not need him.

Cubs would be the fav's if the Ricketts grow some nutz. They have the 4th largest market. They have a payroll right now around 70 mil. If you really look at it they could add 100 mil if they had a good TV deal. Saying running a 130 mil payroll should be doable with what they have.

But again I feel the focus right now is not playing big market. They are looking to add profit to pay off debt owed.

If it was me I would go after J. Johnson or give up a 2nd round pick and get Ubaldo Jimenez. Then sign Kazimier. After that trade out Shark. That honestly nets a pretty decent rotation.

 

[chibears55]

But again I feel the focus right now is not playing big market. They are looking to add profit to pay off debt owed.

If it was me I would go after J. Johnson or give up a 2nd round pick and get Ubaldo Jimenez. Then sign Kazimier. After that trade out Shark. That honestly nets a pretty decent rotation.

epstein already came out and said they will not be big players in the FA market...

they need a back up catcher, maybe a reliever/closer, outfielder, and a starting pitcher

they may trade samardzija for a younger major league ready starter..
they will sign a veteran catcher to a 1 or 2 yr deal..
they will look for a set up/ closer reliever as back up to strop who will prob. get the closer job.
they will prob. sign a guy like bay, francour, diaz on a 1 or 2 yr deal to play LF

so, that leaves for one big splash to be made and thats to go all in for Tanaka..

i think their plan is by june/july is to have guys like baez, bryant, etc start to come up through the system and start adding to the core...

 

[CSF77]

They should change the rules where teams have to put up 50 mil to negotiate with the players. Then the player can shop the teams who put up the amount. The team he chooses pays the team. The rest get their bids back.

It makes the most sense

 

[Parade_Rain]

Yeah that will be the concern, but I just think the Cubs HAVE to land Tanaka anyway possible.

This is the type of thinking that gets teams into trouble.

 

[waldo7239117]

This is the type of thinking that gets teams into trouble.

Yeah, but a young SP won't be available for a while and it's a good time for the Cubs to make a splash. Yes, he'll cost a lot of money but they won't have to trade their farm that they have worked on so hard.

 

[CSF77]

Yankees GM Brian Cashman says he's looking to add "400 innings" to the rotation this winter, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers says he has scouted Masahiro Tanaka extensively and hopes to be in the mix for him, tweets ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

 

[CSF77]

The Rangers will not pursue Masahiro Tanaka or Matt Garza this offseason, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. "We’re not right now looking to give out a big multiyear deal for a starter," says GM Jon Daniels. Starting pitcher Matt Harrison, who missed most of the 2013 season due to injury, tells Wilson he "feel good" about returning to the Rangers' rotation in 2014. If he's healthy, the Rangers don't have a pronounced need for a starting pitcher, with Harrison, Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Martin Perez, Alexi Ogando and Nick Tepesch all in the fold.

 

[brett05]

They should change the rules where teams have to put up 50 mil to negotiate with the players. Then the player can shop the teams who put up the amount. The team he chooses pays the team. The rest get their bids back.

It makes the most sense

That's the same as open free agency really. Wont happen

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk

 

[CSF77]

That's the same as open free agency really. Wont happen

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk

it might. All the team wants is to have their control bought out. It could be a fixed value of it could be a one on on negation between MLB and the Nappon league where the leagues negotiate the posting cost and teams interested have to post. Then the player and his agent can have open negotiations with the teams fronting the fees. The cash would be held by a neutral party..ie teams would have to have the posting fee.

over all it would be a fair process where the players union in japan would approve of were their players are a part of the process.

 

[CSF77]

The system in place is an old model and needs to be moved away from. It gave the player no say so which is the hold up with the union. It was pissing off smaller markets where the big market teams could corner the market.

The only group that was reaping this was the team selling the player.

There needs to be a competitive balance here where smaller markets can have a chance.

Right now it is getting to the point you need to put up 100k just to talk to the guy. That just leaves markets like NYY and LAD in the lions seat and markets like Sea, Oak, even ATL and STL out in the cold.

 

[patg006]

Kazimer: K% 24.1 BB% 7.0% FIP 3.51
Hughes: K% 18.9 BB% 6.5 FIP 4.50

Tell ya Kazimer seems like a LH Shark.
Hughes is a step below both. Other words is value is around Ed Jackson value.

If they signed Kazimer the rotation would be: Wood, Shark, Kazimer, Jackson, Arreta
Hughes:

Wood, Shark, Jackson, Hughes, Arreta. I accually think he slots there. He is a good 4-5 starter even on the Cubs.

Been reading on twitter all day Royals had Kazmir's agent in talks for over 3 hours. Curious. Is Ervin Santana really gonna get his 100 mil?

 

[patg006]

Just another horribly written article by Waldo.

^I love this post so much I want to have sex with it.

 

[patg006]

Good for you! No one fucking gives a shit. If you don't have valid input, shut the fuck up and don't post at all.

Maybe if you didn't write like a complete dumbass, citing yourself as an 'unconfirmed source,' people would respect your opinion. Because that's what it is.....

 

[patg006]

I say he is a yankee

Me too. I think Yankees and Giants will be 2 top bidders with Yanks edging them out.

 

[waldo7239117]

Maybe if you didn't write like a complete dumbass, citing yourself as an 'unconfirmed source,' people would respect your opinion. Because that's what it is.....

For the 100th time, I didn't! Are you so damn ignorant you don't wanna listen? I don't have sources and only write-up what I see.