Official: Cubs, Almora agree to contract

[dabynsky]

According to a tweet Soler and Almora are roommates in Mesa. Hopefully they will develop side by side over the next few seasons.

 

[Rice Cube]

According to a tweet Soler and Almora are roommates in Mesa. Hopefully they will develop side by side over the next few seasons.

Or Almora will impose sanctions on Soler because he's a Communist pig.

 

[2SeamHeat]

Or Almora will impose sanctions on Soler because he's a Communist pig.

Interesting.... as Almora's family is massively anti-Castro. Then again, maybe they'll embrace the guy who managed to escape.

 

[2SeamHeat]

Yeah I think there is a definite possibility that Baez, Soler and Almora will finish the year together, and hopefully progress through the system together from that point on.

I tend to think it's very possible that Soler and Almora will end up at Peoria by August, to play with Baez, DeVoss (who I think has a real shot if he can cut down the Ks and bring his BA back up), Cates, Burke, and Concepcion.

 

[2SeamHeat]

The lineup is going to get better from within. There actually is a lot of depth in the system in terms of hitting prospects. The issue is that there is no impact pitching in the system. The only guys with real shots at being more than a 3 have yet to throw in the system (Maples, Johnson, Blackburn, Underwood, Conway, etc.)

Hence why I think the FO needs to take serious consideration to reach into the pockets this winter. It's not often you find so many front-line SP options available in the FA market at the same time. It'll bring all of their asking prices down a bit, and all of them are still relatively young: Greinke (28), Edwin Jackson (28), Hamels (28), Marcum (30), Peavy (31 - good chance he will not have his $22M option exercised), Anibal Sanchez (28), Haren (32 - good possibility that his $15.5M option is not exercised). Of course, this market can suddenly vanish if certain trade candidates end up extended by their future teams. Landing two of these guys would be a goldmine... and give time for the younger prospects in the system to develop.

We have huge potential from positional players, and a lot to build around in those terms. We don't have much in terms of pitching.

 

[Rice Cube]

Interesting.... as Almora's family is massively anti-Castro. Then again, maybe they'll embrace the guy who managed to escape.

Bad joke, I know. Obviously there's a reason Soler decided to escape Cuba and get paid like capitalist swine

As for the signing of pitching free agents, if available, heck yeah, go for it. The top pick should be protected anyway.

 

[dabynsky]

Interesting.... as Almora's family is massively anti-Castro. Then again, maybe they'll embrace the guy who managed to escape.

Thanks I thought I read that Almora had Cuban ethnicity and glad to see some confirmation of it. If I had to guess, I think Almora's family would feel more the second statement towards a defector. It is a nice fit though given the talent, expectations, and background of the players.

Hence why I think the FO needs to take serious consideration to reach into the pockets this winter. It's not often you find so many front-line SP options available in the FA market at the same time. It'll bring all of their asking prices down a bit, and all of them are still relatively young: Greinke (28), Edwin Jackson (28), Hamels (28), Marcum (30), Peavy (31 - good chance he will not have his $22M option exercised), Anibal Sanchez (28), Haren (32 - good possibility that his $15.5M option is not exercised). Of course, this market can suddenly vanish if certain trade candidates end up extended by their future teams. Landing two of these guys would be a goldmine... and give time for the younger prospects in the system to develop.

We have huge potential from positional players, and a lot to build around in those terms. We don't have much in terms of pitching.

I've been making similar arguments. I though fully expect to be disappointed in the Cubs not persuing those arms particularly if it costs a draft pick.

 

[2SeamHeat]

I've been making similar arguments. I though fully expect to be disappointed in the Cubs not persuing those arms particularly if it costs a draft pick.

Top 10 picks of the first round are protected. This hasn't been changed in the CBA. An example of such was 2007 when Vitters was taken with the #3 pick, despite signing Soriano in the off season. The Nationals got a Comp-A pick (Josh Smoker) and the Cubs' 2nd rounder (Jordan Zimmerman).

So, if the Cubs went out and signed two top FA SPs.... they'd grant the other teams a Comp-A pick and lose their 2nd and 3rd round picks. I think I'd be OK with that. Also, the new CBA removes draft compensation for players traded during their contract season. So, for example, if Hamels and Greinke are traded this year and are signed by the Cubs this winter, the team will not lose any picks for them. Plus, the new CBA requires a qualifying offer to be made to departing FAs in order to secure draft pick compensation, not just the mere offer of arbitration. This requires a $12M offer or more. So, if Marcum is not offered $12M or more by the Brewers and is then signed by the Cubs, the Brewers will not receive draft pick compensation.

 

[Rice Cube]

Losing picks also means losing pool money though so I think that should be considered re: dabynsky's concern.

The loss of compensation may also be why guys are being retained until the offseason because the teams know that the prospect package coming back might suck relative to previous years.

 

[daddies3angels]

Told you Rice it needed its own thread :elephant:

 

[Rice Cube]

Told you Rice it needed its own thread :elephant:

Well aren't you special.

 

[2SeamHeat]

Losing picks also means losing pool money though so I think that should be considered re: dabynsky's concern.

The loss of compensation may also be why guys are being retained until the offseason because the teams know that the prospect package coming back might suck relative to previous years.

Valid points. I'd think that if you pay a ton for a rental this year (and in the years to come) that you'd do so knowing that you're going to have at least a good chance at extending them. So, if we see someone ship 3 high-rated prospects for Hamels, then we should probably assume that they believe they are going to extend him. It would be devastating to lose those kinds of spects, and then lose the guy you traded them for... and then get no compensation pick. However, I also think this is why someone like Garza has an inflated value. You don't have that same sort of risk involved with him right now. I suspect you'll see a lot of 1 top talent prospect and 1 middling prospect trades for guys like Hamels, Greinke, etc. Enough to merit giving them up over the potential of a comp pick form losing them after a qualifying offer is turned down, but not enough to hold high risk if the acquiring team loses them this winter.

As for the loss of picks, that's an interesting point. Sure, it'll cost you some to the pool.... but only for the value of that pick. If it's a 2nd or 3rd round pick, you lose that money. However, you aren't seeing a lot of guys sign for slot or higher below the 4th round this year. It's been 1-4 rounders that have typically overslotted... everyone else has either underslotted or pushed. So, it may not be that big of a deal... beyond losing the pick of course.

 

[Rice Cube]

You also have to wonder whether MLB will futz around with the CBA a bit to close that loophole such that teams aren't as able to do what they did this season in the draft in underslotting so many of the guys beyond the fourth round.

 

[2SeamHeat]

You also have to wonder whether MLB will futz around with the CBA a bit to close that loophole such that teams aren't as able to do what they did this season in the draft in underslotting so many of the guys beyond the fourth round.

With so many 1st rounders looking like they aren't going to sign, including a couple of big names... I'm sure that you'll see things changed a bit. GMs were complaining from the offset that the pools were too low overall to begin with. However, I'm sure the owners love not having to pay a lot now to gain top talent.... when they manage to gain top talent. This year was the dry run. I'm sure teams will find more loop holes for next year... and there will be adjustments.

 

[packfan]

:elephant:

 

[dabynsky]

Given the struggles to get this CBA agreed upon, I really doubt there will be much done to tweak the rule 4 draft until this agreement runs out. That said since none of us can find the slot requirements in the CBA perhaps it will be easier for MLB to change those.

As far as pitching goes, 2seam, I have been advocating the very same idea. That since there is a void in top of the rotation starting pitching, and those guys don't come onto the market very often (especially under 30 years old) that I hope the Cubs would be big players. I just am not certain that they will at this point given the state of the rest of the team. I definitely don't believe they would be willing to sacrifice draft picks at this point either given their view of prospects (that it is a numbers game and the goal is to shift the odds slightly in your favor to get a few more right than everyone else). I hope I am wrong about this because without that pitching that the system will be lucky to produce in 3 years it will be a long rebuild.

 

[Rice Cube]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120709&content_id=34773094&vkey=news_chc&c_id=chc

Duane Underwood still not officially signed according to this blurb and others.

 

[dabynsky]

Not worried about it. I am kind of hopeful that Soler and Almora get a little time in Boise together so I get to watch them before they move onto Peoria.

 

[Rice Cube]

I think Underwood will sign but just a bit weird that they would wait so long to announce it.

 

[dabynsky]

I think Underwood will sign but just a bit weird that they would wait so long to announce it.

Hmm, wondering if they have another signing that they are double and triple checking to make sure they aren't going to forfeit a pick before they announce Underwood. Probably just a technicality or something small holding it up right now, but just :thinking: aloud about why this might not be happen.