Shark!

[SilenceS]

Man, I know it was one game but Shark showed last night he is an ace in the making. His stuff was nasty! How many guys start the game throwin 97 and end it throwing 97 with tons of movement? There is not many. I remember when Cubs fans were screaming for Hendry to outright release him. That would have been a massive mistake and would have put this franchise back tremendously. The best part about him is he doesnt have much mileage on that arm and still learning to completely pitch. He is only going to get better. I think we can all agree that this guy should be fun to watch for years.

 

[CSF77]

Not surprised. When he has his A game he can match any pitcher.

 

[Boobaby1]

Man, I know it was one game but Shark showed last night he is an ace in the making. His stuff was nasty! How many guys start the game throwin 97 and end it throwing 97 with tons of movement? There is not many. I remember when Cubs fans were screaming for Hendry to outright release him. That would have been a massive mistake and would have put this franchise back tremendously. The best part about him is he doesnt have much mileage on that arm and still learning to completely pitch. He is only going to get better. I think we can all agree that this guy should be fun to watch for years.

In regards to Shark, I think Sveum pulled a boner last night in his post-game press conference. I noticed that he stated that "Shark threw like the ACE of the staff that he is".

If the Cubs plan on keeping Shark which in all probability they will, I would not extend to the media and Shark's agent any kind of comment like that. He very well could have stated that Shark is a gamer and still learning how to pitch effectively, we gave him plenty of run support, and thus we won the ballgame. That would have been enough.

Some might say what's the big deal? Well, with the frugality that has been going on to date, however many extra millions saved in his contractual agreement could go a long way in signing an additional piece or even two. If you strongly say he is your ACE, then he and his agent are going to demand that he be paid like one.

 

[patg006]

Boo, fantastic point.

I hope this offseason something gets done. Put it all to rest, have the front office be forthright in telling Jeff that 'we want you, we like what weve seen and dont want to risk this going down to the wire. What do you want?' And then in my perfect little world Ricketts opens up his pocketbook, Jeff (and Garza) get extended, and finally the media will look forward to the next player to speculate on.....vicious cycle of good players

 

[Willrust]

http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/2/...-jeff-samardzija-turned-down-5-year-extension

Cubs offered Samardzija a 5 year extension this past offseason. He turned it down. Why did he turn it down? We can all speculate. You could believe that the deal was cheap. You could also believe that Samardzija honestly wanted to prove to himself and everyone else that he is a #1. I say prove to himself, because I don't see Samardzija as a greedy guy.

A 5 year extension this past offseason would have bought his arbitration and 2 years of FA. If he continues at his current pace, he should see his 2nd year arbitration go up to 10M, and final year at 15-18M; if he keeps up the same pace and goes to arbitration. With that thinking, the Cubs should offer him a 6 year deal at 96M. That offer would be in line with the 5 year 80M that Verlander received in 2010. That would also make him a FA going into his age 35 season (2019 offseason/2020 season).

 

[Mr. Cub]

MUST KEEP SHARK. If he walks, Fuck these guys.

 

[CSF77]

In regards to Shark, I think Sveum pulled a boner last night in his post-game press conference. I noticed that he stated that "Shark threw like the ACE of the staff that he is".

If the Cubs plan on keeping Shark which in all probability they will, I would not extend to the media and Shark's agent any kind of comment like that. He very well could have stated that Shark is a gamer and still learning how to pitch effectively, we gave him plenty of run support, and thus we won the ballgame. That would have been enough.

Some might say what's the big deal? Well, with the frugality that has been going on to date, however many extra millions saved in his contractual agreement could go a long way in signing an additional piece or even two. If you strongly say he is your ACE, then he and his agent are going to demand that he be paid like one.

I'm not sure if this is a issue of how much they are willing to spend with Shark. I believe it has more to do with who do they want to invest the future into. Shark is a guy that they have been wanting to become a ace of the staff. They will spend fair market value. Shoot they paid market value on Jackson and offered market value on Sanchez.

The Garza extension will probley will be brought up but as good as he is he has a hard time getting into and past the 7th with heavy pitch counts in games. That has been his only hic-up in his career.

 

[CSF77]

http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/2/...-jeff-samardzija-turned-down-5-year-extension

Cubs offered Samardzija a 5 year extension this past offseason. He turned it down. Why did he turn it down? We can all speculate. You could believe that the deal was cheap. You could also believe that Samardzija honestly wanted to prove to himself and everyone else that he is a #1. I say prove to himself, because I don't see Samardzija as a greedy guy.

A 5 year extension this past offseason would have bought his arbitration and 2 years of FA. If he continues at his current pace, he should see his 2nd year arbitration go up to 10M, and final year at 15-18M; if he keeps up the same pace and goes to arbitration. With that thinking, the Cubs should offer him a 6 year deal at 96M. That offer would be in line with the 5 year 80M that Verlander received in 2010. That would also make him a FA going into his age 35 season (2019 offseason/2020 season).

He was coming off his first full season and that offer was a low-ball. He did the right thing and is proving his market value.

He has 2 years of arbitration left. I personally wouldn't let the Cubs dictate my market value.

 

[inactiveuser1]

(^^^)

 

[dabynsky]

Love Shark and the split finger. Pitchers will break your heart though.

I am hoping that he is here for a long time and is healthy, but I will wait and see. Either way, he isn't going anywhere in the next two years.

 

[CherokeeReds]

I think Sveum pulled a boner last night in his post-game press conference. I noticed that he stated that "Shark threw like the ACE of the staff that he is".

If the Cubs plan on keeping Shark which in all probability they will, I would not extend to the media and Shark's agent any kind of comment like that.

With all due respect, Boo, it should be pretty clear to any agents, media, or fans that Shark is the ace of the staff, regardless of what Sveum does or doesn't say.

 

[Boobaby1]

With all due respect, Boo, it should be pretty clear to any agents, media, or fans that Shark is the ace of the staff, regardless of what Sveum does or doesn't say.

What I am saying is you can say too much as a manager. It has nothing to do with him being the ACE of this staff, it has more to do with being paid like an ACE compared to others around the league.

Would he get an extension in your mind of an Adam Wainright, Cole Hamels, Justin Verlander, or Felix Hernandez using just these 4 as an example?

He is 12-19 over the last 1-1/3rd seasons and has roughly a 3.31 ERA.

It is grand canyon-esque the difference in salaries of ACES from all the teams around the league and would be very easy to overpay anybody, and a failed extension of Shark could easily cause a set-back in the progress of the team, and we don't need any of those.

The question might be what is his value monetarily to everyone, and be unbiased about it?

 

[kchicub08]

http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/2/...-jeff-samardzija-turned-down-5-year-extension

Cubs offered Samardzija a 5 year extension this past offseason. He turned it down. Why did he turn it down? We can all speculate. You could believe that the deal was cheap. You could also believe that Samardzija honestly wanted to prove to himself and everyone else that he is a #1. I say prove to himself, because I don't see Samardzija as a greedy guy.

A 5 year extension this past offseason would have bought his arbitration and 2 years of FA. If he continues at his current pace, he should see his 2nd year arbitration go up to 10M, and final year at 15-18M; if he keeps up the same pace and goes to arbitration. With that thinking, the Cubs should offer him a 6 year deal at 96M. That offer would be in line with the 5 year 80M that Verlander received in 2010. That would also make him a FA going into his age 35 season (2019 offseason/2020 season).

Do you truly believe he did it to "prove himself"? lolololol.... He was lowballed. It's a business on both sides.

Loyalty is gone

 

[SilenceS]

I dont think the Cubs low balled him. I think they gave him a contract that was fair on his production SO FAR. The difference here is Shark made a good bit of money from the Cubs already so he is not in a rush to sign. He can take the risk of regression because the money he made. The reward far outweighs the risk for Shark. He is confident in his ability. He knew if he progressed and had a better season. The contract offer goes way up. The Cubs would have much rather signed him last off season, but its business.

 

[Willrust]

Do you truly believe he did it to "prove himself"? lolololol.... He was lowballed. It's a business on both sides.

Loyalty is gone

If you don't believe me, take Shark at his own words:

One issue with any extension talks, though, is that Samardzija, as a guy who got a big league deal out of the draft, has already made quite a bit of money in his career. The usual leverage a team has over a first-time arbitration-eligible player (i.e., that first big-time payday) doesn’t really exist for the Cubs.

So when Samardzija told the media earlier today that he wasn’t quite ready to sign a long-term deal with the Cubs this past Fall, you can understand why.

“We were talking, and we both have the same interests in mind,” Samardzija said, per Carrie Muskat. “We both want me to be here, and we want to be a part of this team for a long time. When we feel we’re on the same page with that, then we’ll get it done. That was offseason talk, that’s what happened at the end of the year.

“I still haven’t proven myself to where I want to be as a player. I was happy with last year but I don’t want to stay there, I want to improve and get better. I think the more I show them that, the more comfortable they’ll be with getting a deal done. [Contract discussions are] not even close to the front of the burner right now. It’s so far on the back, it’s history, to tell you the truth …. It doesn’t make much sense to sit down and try to negotiate anything out when I don’t have a full season under my belt,” he said. “Now we’re just talking potential.”

http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/...samardzija-reportedly-turns-down-large-offer/

BTW, what exactly would you see as a decent offer to a guy that took 5 seasons to make the starting rotation, and was coming off his 1st season as a SP? The Cubs reportedly offered him 5 years at about 30M, but there were no specifics on the offer [option year(s), incentives and opt out(s)] As a comparison, here is Ubaldo Jimenez' contract history:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/american-league/cleveland-indians/

Ubaldo Jimenez rhp
4 years/$10M (2009-12), plus 2013-14 club options

4 years/$10M (2009-12), plus 2013-14 club options
signed extension with Colorado 1/27/09
09:$0.75M, 10:$1.25M, 11:$2.8M, 12:$4.2M, 13:$5.75M club option ($1M buyout), 14:$8M club option ($1M buyout)
2014 option only if 2013 option is exercised (may void 2014 if traded)
2013 option increases to:
$6.75M with 2012 Cy Young
$6.25M with 2nd or 3rd place in 2013 Cy Young vote
2014 option increases to:
$9M with 2013 Cy Young or 450 IP in 2012-13
$8.5M with 2nd or 3rd place in 2013 Cy Young vote
if traded, Jimenez may void 2014
performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 200, 210, 220, 230, 240 IP
award bonuses: $0.1M for Cy Young ($50,000 for 2nd-5th in vote); $0.1M each for MVP, WS MVP; $75,000 for LCS MVP; $25,000 each for Gold Glove, All-Star selection
acquired by Cleveland in trade from Colorado 7/30/11
Cleveland exercised 2013 option 10/31/12
1 year/$0.392M (2008)
split contract, $115,988 in minors
1 year/$0.381M (2007)
re-signed 2/07 (split contract, $60,000 in minors)
1 year (2006)
re-signed 2/06
signed by Colorado 2001 as amateur free agent from the Dominican Republic
agent: SFX
ML service: 5.087

That deal would have bought out his arbitration and 1st 2 years of FA and is obscenly less than what the Cubs reportedly offered Samardzija.

All that said, I again believe he wanted to prove that he is an ace.

 

[kchicub08]

Players say anything like that to the media.... I like Shark and hope he signs but like anyone will want fair market value

 

[Boobaby1]

Players say anything like that to the media.... I like Shark and hope he signs but like anyone will want fair market value

Exactly.

One issue with any extension talks, though, is that Samardzija, as a guy who got a big league deal out of the draft, has already made quite a bit of money in his career. The usual leverage a team has over a first-time arbitration-eligible player (i.e., that first big-time payday) doesn’t really exist for the Cubs.

So when Samardzija told the media earlier today that he wasn’t quite ready to sign a long-term deal with the Cubs this past Fall, you can understand why.

“We were talking, and we both have the same interests in mind,” Samardzija said, per Carrie Muskat. “We both want me to be here, and we want to be a part of this team for a long time. When we feel we’re on the same page with that, then we’ll get it done. That was offseason talk, that’s what happened at the end of the year.

“I still haven’t proven myself to where I want to be as a player. I was happy with last year but I don’t want to stay there, I want to improve and get better. I think the more I show them that, the more comfortable they’ll be with getting a deal done. [Contract discussions are] not even close to the front of the burner right now. It’s so far on the back, it’s history, to tell you the truth …. It doesn’t make much sense to sit down and try to negotiate anything out when I don’t have a full season under my belt,” he said. “Now we’re just talking potential.”

The hi-lited part tells me that he was not happy with the offer. If he was, he would have signed an extension already. What idiot wouldn't take the money if it was truly where he thought it should be?

All the rest of what he said is mumbo-jumbo and him specifying that he wants to get better as a pitcher naturally, because with that, comes bargaining power and a monster deal.

Shark's Notre Dame education went a long way because he is no dummy and knows how to work it. Of course, you can bet his agent had a lot to do with it also. Like someone stated earlier, it is a business on both ends.