Cubs Spring Training Discussion Thread

[CSF77]

2015 F/A SP list:

Starting Pitchers

Brett Anderson (27) - $12MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout
Josh Beckett (35)
Chad Billingsley (30) - $14MM club option with a $3MM buyout
Joe Blanton (34) - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
A.J. Burnett (38) - mutual option
Chris Capuano (36)
Bruce Chen (38) - $5.5MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Wei-Yin Chen (29) - $4.75MM club option with a $372K buyout
Kevin Correia (34)
Johnny Cueto (29) - $10MM club option with an $800K buyout
Jorge De La Rosa (34)
Ryan Dempster (38)
Gavin Floyd (32)
Yovani Gallardo (29) - $13MM club option with a $600K buyout
Jason Hammel (32)
J.A. Happ (32) - $6.7MM club option
Aaron Harang (37)
Dan Haren (34) - $10MM player option if 180 innings reached in 2014
Roberto Hernandez (34)
Luke Hochevar (31)
Hisashi Iwakuma (34) - $7MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Josh Johnson (31)
Kyle Kendrick (30)
Jon Lester (31)
Colby Lewis (35)
Paul Maholm (33)
Justin Masterson (30)
Brandon McCarthy (31)
Brandon Morrow (30) - $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Jeff Niemann (32)
Ross Ohlendorf (32)
Felipe Paulino (31) - $4MM club option with a $250K buyout
Jake Peavy (34)
Wandy Rodriguez (36)
Ervin Santana (32)
Joe Saunders (34)
Max Scherzer (30)
James Shields (33)
Carlos Villanueva (31)
Ryan Vogelsong (37)
Edinson Volquez (30)
Jerome Williams (33)

 

[CSF77]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...nsion-talks/hYRW4OOuRY3VUd5lX6I9fL/story.html

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox and lefthander Jon Lester have “hit the pause button,” according to general manager Ben Cherington, and tabled talks on a contract extension.

Lester, who will be a free agent after the season, has repeatedly voiced a willingness to stay with the Sox and take a hometown discount on the contract. But the sides have not been able to strike a deal.

“We felt like if we continued it would be a distraction. For right now it’s probably the best decision for both sides,” said Lester, who will start the season opener on Monday in Baltimore.

“I don’t know if disappointing is the right word. I think any time you go into a negotiation like this you have to prepare yourself for something not happening.”

Cherington and Lester stressed there was no particular animus between the sides. It was more an issue of timing.

“We’ve had a lot of good dialogue, shared information,” Cherington said Saturday. “Jon and [agent Seth Levinson] have made good arguments for their position. We understand their position. We feel like we have good arguments for our position. Our desire remains to keep him here.

“We weren’t able to find something that worked for everyone during this spring training. In the interest of allowing [Lester] to get ready for Monday, let the team get ready for Monday, we’ve kind of hit the pause button and hope that we can pick up the conversation again at some point.”

Said Lester: “It’s been — I don’t want to say pleasant because I don’t think any time you have a negotiation process it’s pleasant — but amicable is a good word.”

Levinson and his brother Sam also represent Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. They had talks with Cherington during spring training last season, but no deal was struck until July when Pedroia agreed to an eight-year extension worth $110 million.

“Pedey’s deal was a little bit different. I’m going into free agency,” Lester said. “This is a little bit different circumstance. We’re making sure that we cross our t’s and dot our i’s and they’re doing the same thing.”

With the market for starting pitchers sharply on the rise, making a deal for Lester was never going to be a simple process. The 30-year-old was 15-8 with a 3.75 ERA last season before going 4-1 in five postseason starts. Lester won two games in the World Series, allowing one earned run over 15 1/3 innings.

“Jon has put himself in a good position,” Cherington said. “He’s a very good starting pitcher. He’s been consistent and durable. He’s now a season away from free agency, so he’s put himself in a good position. We understand that and respect that. Again our desire remains to keep him here and we’ll continue to have an open mind on ways to do that. But we just couldn’t get to anything during this spring training.”

Cherington said the sides are willing to talk during the season, but no further talks have been scheduled at this point.

“I think both sides have been really receptive,” Lester said. “Our door is always open and I feel like their door is open.”

Lester said he remains committed to staying with the Red Sox.

“Yeah. This hasn’t changed anything. This hasn’t been a war of words and I’m sitting here pounding my fist and they’re screaming at us. This has been, I feel, very positive,” he said.

“I feel both sides have been very positive. The timeframe right now, we just couldn’t get the deal done. If it was the red zone, we’d still be talking. That would be ideal.”

For now, Lester will focus on pitching.

“I’ll go out there and make sure I don’t let my teammates down, I don’t let the front office down. I take responsibility for that,” he said. “Every year is the same mindset for me, I’m going to go out there and bust my butt for this organization.”

 

[dabynsky]

Didn't he get blown up one game? It happened to Rusin and he got demoted. Again promotions were given out based off of spring performance. Not based off of other factors. Think of as either pitcher is gone. They chose the more consistent one.

Rick noted that performance will dictate it and he did what he said. I find that refreshing.

If performance dictated promotions than Justin Grimm would not be in the bullpen right now.

 

[CSF77]

If performance dictated promotions than Justin Grimm would not be in the bullpen right now.

PHOENIX -- The Cubs finalized their 25-man roster and final slot in the bullpen on Saturday by adding right-hander Brian Schlitter and designating right-hander Alberto Cabrera for assignment, manager Rick Renteria said before their final exhibition game of the spring against the D-backs at Chase Field.

The moves will be made procedurally on Sunday and are effective for Monday's season opener at Pittsburgh.

"Schlit really did a great job this spring," Renteria said. "After we assigned him, he kept doing his job, still kept doing his thing. We'd bring him back and use him, so he stuck to it."

Schlitter was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA this spring, allowing 10 hits and two earned runs while walking only one and striking out nine in 8 2/3 innings over eight appearances.

Cabrera had looked sharp early. But in his last two outings, he struggled, including a game against the Angels on Tuesday, in which he gave up five runs on four hits over a third of an inning. Cabrera was 0-1 with 6.97 ERA in 10 1/3 innings covering 10 appearances and is out of options.

Schlitter joins a bullpen that includes closer Jose Veras, James Russell, Pedro Strop, Wesley Wright, Hector Rondon and Justin Grimm.

Renteria said he'll be able to use Schlitter in a multitude of ways.

"He obviously gives us a lot of flexibility," Renteria said. "He could be a multi-inning type guy. He has tremendous downward plane in his action. He's pretty good. So we would feel comfortable using him in any capacity."

 

[CSF77]

Grimm vs Cabara: Guessing it was a Theo's acquisition vs a Hendry's acquisition.

I don't see much upside in either.