Cubs Sign Dioner Navarro

[Jntg4]

:clap:

If you have neither a farm or major league assets the only thing you can really do is rebuild thru the draft and possible "flip" type players. The cubs farm is not that great and the major league talent outside of garza (which value has dropped) is just not there to move to get young players back. As for just spending big, i mean this FA class is horrible and teams are going to overpay(jntg should see Torii Hunter). At the surface we see "big market" which is true, but there comes a time where the big market has to make changes. Also its not like the cubs havent been spending the last decade either. So yes, I pretty much agree with your take specifically for the cubs situation.

You must be pretty slow to not realize I was referencing d3a since I was already being compared to CO. Nice try.

Unless, of course, you are mocking someone else, since everything you stated is blatantly obvious, but I can't put a finger on what poster that would be, unless this is just an in general go along with it thing.

 

[MRubio52]

As an aside, we all know the Cardinals are going to be really effing good for years to come because they have an absolutely loaded farm system and already have top tier talent on the MLB squad, does anyone really think that spending high in a lost year is a good enough band aid to compete with St. Louis?

I don't.

 

[daddies3angels]

You must be pretty slow to not realize I was referencing d3a since I was already being compared to CO. Nice try.

Unless, of course, you are mocking someone else, since everything you stated is blatantly obvious, but I can't put a finger on what poster that would be, unless this is just an in general go along with it thing.

Im D4A now!! (how do i change my name on here?) lol

I agree have to have farm to help win but WHILE building up the farm which going to take 5+ yrs with new system in place where team Theo cant hord picks they might as well spend on 2-4 yr deals that will help keep the team from losing 90+ games. Watching piece of shit team like last year is no fun for anyone. Next year looks like its going to be the same. Again i agree 100% team needs to build farm. That is a 100% must but dont hurt the MLB team while doing so. They are Big Market so should be able to afford to have 110+ mil payroll by paying guys more yearly to keep them around 2-4 yr deals while building up farm. Thats my argument.

 

[Rice Cube]

Unless the payroll is going towards MVPs and Cy Young winners it's not gonna do much for this core. This isn't a video game where you can just hit reset.

 

[JosMin]

Unless the payroll is going towards MVPs and Cy Young winners it's not gonna do much for this core. This isn't a video game where you can just hit reset.

Well, unless you're the Red Sox or Marlins :lol:

Either way, I don't mind the signing. Ever since Navarro's slump in '09, he's only played in 132 games over the past three seasons. He didn't look too bad in his limited time with the Reds last year. If he's a reliable backup catcher, I guess it's not the end of the world.

 

[Rice Cube]

A couple other backups like Gerald Laird and David Ross had already been signed. It is entirely possible the Cubs tried them first before they had to overpay for Navarro before they really had to dig into the crap. It's Xavier Nady money, not Vernon Wells money.

 

[daddies3angels]

Unless the payroll is going towards MVPs and Cy Young winners it's not gonna do much for this core. This isn't a video game where you can just hit reset.

How many Cy Young and MVP go on the open market? Rarely happens. Also those type of players will cost 7+ yr deals. I agree giving out 7+ yr deals is just dumb. They need to go after all star type players and over pay on 3-4 yr deals WHILE building up the farm

 

[Rice Cube]

How many Cy Young and MVP go on the open market? Rarely happens. Also those type of players will cost 7+ yr deals. I agree giving out 7+ yr deals is just dumb. They need to go after all star type players and over pay on 3-4 yr deals WHILE building up the farm

That assumes that the players will actually take those deals. Or are actually available. Or are worth those deals. You've seen the same free agent lists.

 

[Rice Cube]

Muskat update:

The Cubs officially announced the signing of free agent catcher Dioner Navarro on Friday. He agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract that could pay him an additional $250,000 in performance bonuses. Navarro, 28, has played for the Yankees, Dodgers, Rays and Reds, batting .290 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 24 games last season with Cincinnati. He split the year between the Reds and their Triple-A Louisville team. The addition of Navarro gives the Cubs some experience at catcher behind Welington Castillo, who got his most extensive playing time last season, batting .265 in 52 games. Castillo is projected as the Cubs regular catcher next season.

A switch-hitter, Navarro batted .327 against right-handed pitching last season, and has averaged one extra-base hit per 11.3 at-bats against left-handed pitchers. He was a 2008 American League All-Star with the Rays — and also a teammate of Cubs pitcher Matt Garza in Tampa Bay. In ’08, he batted .295 and was the youngest starting catcher on an American League pennant winner since the Orioles’ Andy Etchebarren (23) in 1966. Navarro has thrown out 25.7 percent of baserunners looking to steal in his career (112-for-435), the 11th-best percentage of any catcher in the big leagues starting in 2004.

 

[waldo7239117]

The Chicago Cubs announced mid-week that they have signed catcher Dioner Navarro to a 1-year deal. Navarro will make 1.750 million with an extra 250K in performance bonuses. He's expected to back-up catcher Wellington Castillo.

Navarro is only 28-years old and will be the veteran presence the Cubs were looking for. The Cubs went into the off-season, looking for a veteran backstop and have presumably found one. Navarro played for the Cincinnati Reds last season, but only in 24 games. He spent most of the 2012 season for the Reds Triple A team. In 24 games for the Reds last season, he batted .290 with 2 HR, 12 rbi's, 2 walks and struck out 12 times.

Last season does not tell what Navarro brings to the table. Before the Reds, Navarro was the Tampa Bay Rays backstop and did have great seasons. He was actually an all-star for the Rays in 2008. Since then, Navarro stats fell and he eventually left the Rays after the 2010 season.

The Cubs may have overpaid for Navarro, but I really don't care. It's only 2 million and I don't think it matters. Who knows, maybe he'll come in and be a big burst behind the plate and to Castillo.

From the looks of it... Steve Clevenger will start the season in Triple A. I guess the Cubs saw enough of Clevenger and wanted to bring a veteran/mentor in to help Castillo. Of whom may be the Cubs future behind the plate.

Other news and notes:
*The Cubs re-sign RHP Blake Parker to a minor league deal and released 1B/OF Rebel Ridling.
*The Cubs also also sign C J.C. Boscan to a minor league deal.

http://www.chicitysports.com/2012/11/17/chicago-cubs-sign-c-dioner-navarro/

 

[Rice Cube]

David Ross got $6.2MM from the Red Sox for a two-year deal. Gerald Laird got a two-year deal as well but not sure how much. Relative to what they got I guess the Cubs got off cheap. For a similarly shitty catcher I looked at Jeff Mathis who got $1.5MM last season from Toronto, and then got two years at $3MM for the extension through 2014 before he got shipped off to Miami. So Navarro probably got paid about right.

 

[Rice Cube]

Word from MLBTR is that Laird got $3.3MM over two years which is slightly less per year than Navarro. However, multi-year deals usually involve a discount. Laird is a better catching option on paper but it is still just a couple mill.