Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Season Thread Vol: (17-17)

[CP1708]

UPDATE 3: And, sure enough, it’s done. The Cubs have sent Ruggiano to the Mariners for minor league righty Matt Brazis. The deal opens up a 40-man spot (presumably for Jason Motte), and saves the Cubs upwards of $2.5 to $3 million in salary. Brazis, 25, was the Mariners’ 28th round pick in 2012, and he’s been a dominant minor league reliever ever since. Keep in mind, pure minor league relievers usually have very limited ceilings, but Brazis has compiled an impressive 2.89 ERA and 10.9 K/9 (2.8 BB/9) over his minor league career. He spent 2014 split between High-A and AA. He’s an interesting minor league piece, and about what you’d expect to get for Ruggiano.

And now we see if, for example, a Jonny Gomes signing is around the corner, or if the Cubs will continue to explore other outfield options.

 

[CP1708]

At long last, the annual salary breakdown in Jon Lester’s $155 million deal with the Chicago Cubs is now available, courtesy of Jon Heyman. That means we can put the whole financial package together.

As reported, Lester gets a $30 million signing bonus, $15 million of which is payable before the 2015 season begins (which I suspect is a financial benefit not only for Lester, but also for the Cubs, as discussed previously). From there, $2.5 million is paid in 2018, $2.5 million is paid in 2019, and $10 million is paid in 2020.

For salary, Lester gets:

$15 million in 2015
$20 million in 2016
$20 million in 2017
$22.5 million in 2018
$22.5 million in 2019
$15 million in 2020
Then there’s the $25 million option for 2021, which will vest as a player option if Lester pitches 200 innings in 2020 or 400 innings in 2019 and 2020, combined. That option comes with a $10 million buyout, which adds up to the $155 million guarantee.

Including the bonus payments, each of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons will effectively be the most expensive, with $25 million paid out each year* (which you’d expect in a back-loaded contract, as these kinds of deals always tend to be).

The average annual value of the deal (AAV) is $25.833 million, and is simply $155 million divided by six years. This matters only to the extent the luxury tax cap ($189 million) comes into play for the Cubs during the course of Lester’s deal – for luxury tax purposes, a team’s payroll is the AAV of all of its contracts, not the actual amount it is paying in a given year.

Because the 2021 option is for $25 million with a $10 million buyout, it’ll actually be a mere $15 million decision for the Cubs. If Lester ages as well as Andy Pettitte did – which we discussed yesterday as a reasonable comp – the Cubs will be all too happy to pay that $15 million to get Lester back in 2021. Here’s hoping that’s what happens.

*(The answer to your question is, no, I don’t quite understand why the “signing bonus” is partly paid out much later than when Lester signs. I assume there are accounting and/or tax implications.)

One final point of discussion I forgot to add initially: the 2021 option is technically a mutual option, which is not likely to make a big difference down the road, but could. The way mutual options generally work for teams is something like this: the club decides if they want to pick up the option (here, it would be $25 million or a $10 million buyout). If they decide they do, then it’s up to the player if they want to agree, as well. If the player says yes, he gets the option rate – here, $25 million – but if he says no, then he doesn’t get the buyout.

So, in this situation, it’s hard to see the Cubs wanting Lester back for $25 million in 2021 in a situation where Lester is going to want to leave no matter what (even if he didn’t want to play one year for $25 million, the two sides could always work out a short extension). But, because it’s not inconceivable – maybe he’s been such a stud that he can get another huge contract, even at age 37 – it’s worth noting that the Cubs could wind up paying $10 million less on this deal if they pick up the option but Lester declines.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Well it's a bargain those first 3 years
Kinda intrigued at the Jonny Gomes mention.

 

[sportsjunkie]

Jonny Gomes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CP1708]

Looking ahead a lil bit, with the Cubs clearly wanting to look at adding OF depth either this year or next, I'm starting to think that the 9th pick we have in June will be a college outfielder.

Now, that piece may not be ready for a year or two, still, but it would become essentially a trade piece. I "think" they like the idea of Alcantara and Soler, and then someday either Almora or Bryant become the 3rd OFer. But adding yet another to the mix via the draft gives them a piece they could use in trade later, for a more polished outfielder, maybe move Alcantara back into the infield.


If I'm right, that has me looking towards guys like DJ Stewart, left handed hitter out of Florida St, or Skye Bolt, switch hitter out of North Carolina, or Steven Duggar left handed out of Clemson. Also, Joe McCarthy a big left handed guy out of Virginia.


For years we've kept expecting pitching, but with Lester now, and a 2015 signing likely as well, I think Theo stays adding quality bats, and one of these may be the guy at 9.

 

[CP1708]

View media item 1311734
Was hoping to get this in my mailbox yesterday, I got the regional cover with Kap on the cover.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'd be upset too if I had to see Kap on the cover of any publication.

Cubs still making moves......minor ones but still moving.
Claimed:
C - Ryan Lavarnway
OF - Shane Pertterson

And completed the Jason Motte deal.

 

[sportsjunkie]

David Ross to Cubs, two years, $5M.

 

[CP1708]

Sounds like Castillo is gonna get dealt then. No way we keep 3 catchers, not to mention they claimed that kid today too. (insurance I'm sure)

So we could see a trade at some point, not sure what he could net us tho. Maybe another outfielder?

 

[sportsjunkie]

Sounds like Castillo is gonna get dealt then. No way we keep 3 catchers, not to mention they claimed that kid today too. (insurance I'm sure)

So we could see a trade at some point, not sure what he could net us tho. Maybe another outfielder?

i think Castillo gets traded for a minor league Pitcher, maybe an outfielder.

 

[CP1708]

Borrowed from Pro in the MLB thread, Top 10 2015 Storylines

2. The Chicago Cubs

Wrigley Field is being renovated, and so is the team that inhabits it. The Cubs improved last season behind Anthony Rizzo and the first contributions from the wave of star prospects, but in 2015 the franchise appears poised to take a big step forward with new manager Joe Maddon, new ace Jon Lester and a player who is thought to be capable of monstrous offensive production in Kris Bryant, a 6-foot-5 slugger who mashed 78 extra-base hits in 138 games last season in the minors, with 86 walks and 162 strikeouts. Bryant probably will reach the big leagues sometime in mid-April, and later in the summer, shortstop Addison Russell will probably follow, although it’s unclear exactly what position he’ll play initially.

Maddon and president Theo Epstein have spoken openly of increased expectations for next season, and it’s not out of the question that the Cubs could play meaningful games in September, or vie for a playoff spot. If any of that materializes, well, prepare yourself for Cubs mania. The fan base, long starved for hope, is ready to emerge from its slumber.

#1 was the new commish.

 

[sportsjunkie]

Fellas, Spring training is around the corner. Let's Go

 

[CP1708]

Did the Cubs play a 2014 season? Did that happen?

With all that has happened during the offseason, forgive Cubs fans if they have flushed away thoughts of the team’s 73-89 season, their fifth straight fifth-place finish in the National League Central. It was a bridge year to the future, and in the offseason, the Cubs built a brand new bridge (and started rebuilding Wrigley Field).

Entering 2014, the Cubs believed they had building blocks for the lineup, starting with 24-year-old regulars Anthony Rizzo at first base and shortstop Starlin Castro. Both had struggled in 2013 but bounced back with strong seasons, as Rizzo hit 32 homers while Castro posted the highest OPS of his career (.777) and made his third all-star team.

The Cubs also saw the debuts of three key rookies. Last year’s No. 1, Javier Baez, swatted nine home runs as a second baseman but found out his all-or-nothing approach won’t work against big league pitchers, striking out 95 times in 213 at-bats while batting .169. Versatile Arismendy Alcantara had his moments but also struggled while settling in as the team’s new center fielder. Meanwhile righty Kyle Hendricks had the best rookie debut on the team and looks like a back-of-the-rotation option for when the team becomes competitive.

Now that looks like it could be in 2015, with two huge moves that sped up the organization’s timetable. They swooped in when Rays manager Joe Maddon had a two-week window to opt out of his contract, firing Rick Renteria after one season as Cubs manager to strike while Maddon was available. Second, team president Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod tapped into their Red Sox roots to sign Jon Lester to the largest contract in franchise history, a six-year, $155 million deal that gave the Cubs a new ace.

Lester ended 2014 playing for the Athletics with Jeff Samardzija, the Cubs’ ace the last two seasons who will be contributing indirectly on the North Side for years. Chicago traded him to the Athletics and got consecutive first-round picks in return, with hard-hitting shortstop Addison Russell (2012) and smooth-swinging outfielder Billy McKinney (2013).

Russell joins 2014 Minor League Player of the Year Kris Bryant, who hit 43 homers while reaching Triple-A, plus Baez in giving the Cubs an enviable group of athletic infielders with pop. The organization then added more impact talent through the draft, executing its plan perfectly. Chicago got perhaps the draft’s best hitter, catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber at No. 4 overall, for a below-slot bonus, then used the savings to sign three million-dollar high school pitchers, adding much-needed organizational pitching depth.

Adding Lester doesn’t mean the Cubs are contenders yet. But it does mean they don’t have to wait for a homegrown ace. When their young hitters are ready, Chicago will be ready, and if that happens in 2015, don’t be surprised.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Kris Bryant, 3b
2. Addison Russell, ss
3. Jorge Soler, of
4. Kyle Schwarber, c/of
5. C.J. Edwards, rhp
6. Billy McKinney, of
7. Albert Almora, of
8. Gleyber Torres, ss
9. Pierce Johnson, rhp
10. Duane Underwood, rhp

This is AFTER you pull off Baez, Alcantara, and Hendricks, and we still have the 9th pick in the draft coming in on top of these guys.

List also doesn't include Eloy Jimenez.

 

[CP1708]

Dear Cubs fans,

It’s time to discuss this Billy Goat Curse like adults. Let’s no longer let it lurk in the corner of our brains. Let’s discuss it. I am a 36-year-old man. I am not afraid of the dark. I am not afraid of a bogeyman living under my bed. I no longer believe in Santa Claus. I have also accepted the fact that I will never play professional sports, and I’ll never be as good as an actor as Robert De Niro was in The Deer Hunter. It was fun to believe in all of these fantasies, but I have simply outgrown them.

This brings us to the Billy Goat Curse …

Legend has it that a curse was placed on the Chicago Cubs in 1945, preventing them from winning a World Series. Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave a World Series game against the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field, because his goat, which he brought to the game, smelled like a goat, and it was bothering other fans. Now before we go any further, I need to say I agree with Cubs management. If I owned a business and someone brought a goat to that establishment and it was bothering other customers, I, too, would ask them to leave.

To make it even more personal, if someone brought a goat to the New Girl set — say, our sound guy, or our set PA — I can guarantee, with 100 percent certainty, that they would be turned around and asked to leave long before Zooey Deschanel ever caught sight of it.

But back to 1945. After his goat was banned from entering the stadium, Sianis was furious and declared, “The Cubs ain’t gonna win no more.” Was his English great? No. Does it matter? Probably not. On that day — October 7, 1945 — Sianis tied his pet goat to a stake in the parking lot and entered the stadium.

After the game, Sianis dispatched a telegram to team owner Philip K. Wrigley that read, “You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.” The Cubs lost that series against the Tigers. Sure, they were up two games in a seven-game series, but hell, things happen. It’s baseball. To say the Cubs lost that series because of a disgruntled bar owner seems far-fetched, no? Maybe it was the curse, or maybe it was Hal Newhouser’s pitching. Who am I to say? I am not God. I am just a man.

Cut to 1969. Late in the season, the Cubs had a record of 84-52. Pretty good, right? It was September 2 and they were in first place. To this day, the ’69 Cubs were my father’s favorite team, featuring the likes of Ernie Banks (you might remember him from his cameo in the great Windy City Heat), Ron Santo, Fergie Jenkins, and Billy Williams. The Cubs went on to lose 18 of their last 26 games, while the Mets went 23-7. It was one of the most astounding late-season collapses in history. The Mets won the National League East and would go on to win the World Series. That’s baseball, right? Wrong.

Some people, my father among them, believe that the reason the Cubs lost that year was the Billy Goat Curse. On September 9, 1969, the Cubs played the Mets at Shea Stadium. A big game. At one point, a black cat walked onto the field and approached Santo, who was standing in the on-deck circle. Yes, a black cat. I watch a ton of sports. I have never seen any cat on a baseball field, let alone a black one. But there it was. On the field.

Some say that cat was part of Sianis’s curse. It was there to jinx the Cubs. It worked. The Cubs started losing almost immediately after that damned black cat showed up.

Others believe that the Cubs blew their late-season lead because of more logical reasons. They said the players simply burned out because manager Leo Durocher didn’t believe in resting his best players — kind of like Tom Thibodeau. Either way, the Cubs lost, and their World Series drought continued.

If the ’69 team was my father’s Cubs team, the 2003 team were mine. I was 25 that year. Broke. I had bottomed out of NYC after getting dumped by a long-term girlfriend, and I decided to move in with my father. Quick backstory: My father wasn’t around when I was growing up. He was gone when I was 2 and rarely present until my early twenties. When I decided to move in with him, it was a strange decision. We were not close, but there we were — two Cubs fans, living in his condo in Lincoln Park, preparing for the start of the 2003 season. My father and I watched every game, and through that season grew close.

We were very superstitious. If Kerry Wood was pitching well and I was sitting on the left side of the couch, I didn’t move. If my father was near the fridge and we were rallying, then he stayed by that damn fridge until the half-inning was complete. We both believed, in our hearts, that this was the year the Cubs would finally win a World Series. We got into the playoffs, beat the Atlanta Braves, and went up against the Florida Marlins in the National League Championship Series.

Enter poor old Steve Bartman. God have mercy on his soul.

Steve, if you’re reading this, I sincerely apologize, for all Cubs fans and for myself. You see, Steve, I was drunk, in an apartment across the street from Wrigley during Game 6, and I too cursed at you. I opened the window and screamed horrible things at you. I blamed you for losing. This was my magical year. I had rekindled my relationship with my father watching the Cubs, and we were on the verge of winning it all. I thought you took that from me. I was wrong. We were all wrong. You did nothing wrong.

I am getting off track. I am getting emotional. Bottom line is this: The Cubs were five outs away from the World Series. The Cubs lost that game and then lost Game 7. I was in the bleachers for Game 7 with my brother and watched the Marlins storm the field. It broke my heart. I believed the Billy Goat Curse was real.

Now, its 2014. Times have changed. We have new owners, the Ricketts family, who are doing everything they can to win. They hired Theo Epstein, who brought a championship to Boston. They have established an incredible farm system and are attracting big-name free agents. Jon Lester! They are putting together a team that can soon contend for a World Series. It is not guaranteed we will win. This is, after all, baseball. Anything can happen.

This is where this piece becomes a letter to the fans.

Soon, we will be back contending for a World Series in Chicago. The magical summers in Wrigley Field will return. Eventually, sooner rather than later, we will be back in the playoffs. Playoff baseball is tense. The game turns into chess. Everything matters. We need to ready ourselves for those games. We can not be little children scared of a curse. We can not gasp when a player makes an error. I just heard Ryan Dempster say in an interview that players feel the anxiety from the fans, which means we are the curse. Not the players. Not the black cat or the billy goat. We are all Steve Bartman. We are the reason the players get tense. Like an overprotective parent who makes their children nervous, we, as fans, need to relax. We need to have faith that these Cubs, our Cubs, can and will win, if we let them.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

^


Been kinda pissed lately after seeing these clown HOF voters give Sammy 6%.
I just gotta come to terms with the fact that Sosa will never get in, hopefully the club retires his number soon.

 

[CP1708]

Yeah, I don't like it either, but it is what it is. He's attached to all the PED stuff, so until they start letting all of those guys in, he's gonna be stuck on the outside lookin in.

I want him to repair his relationship with the Cubs too, hang his 21 out in Right someday.

 

[CP1708]

It begins....

The Cubs finished last in the National League Central last year, losing 89 games. They have not had a .500 record since 2009, have not been to the playoffs since 2008, have not won a playoff series (or even game) since 2003, have not won the pennant since 1945, and have not won the World Series since 1908.

And, yes, Sporting News is picking them to win it all in 2015.

It’s not just because of "Back to the Future 2," when the Cubs were a 100-1 shot, and Marty McFly got the idea to go back in time and bet on sports results for which he already knew the outcome. In reality, the Cubs are much better than a 100-1 shot. At 12-1, they are tied with the Tigers as the bettors’ fifth choice behind the Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels and Nationals.

The addition of Jon Lester to the top of the rotation is huge for Chicago, as it means that Jake Arrieta slides into the No. 2 spot, followed by returning free agent Jason Hammel, and then some kind of mix of Kyle Hendricks, Travis Wood, Tsuyoshi Wada, Jacob Turner and Felix Doubront. The depth at the back end of the rotation should allow Chicago to put together a formidable starting five coming out of spring training. Competition is healthy, and you can never have too much pitching.

Likewise, the Cubs have some good things going on in the bullpen, led by Hector Rondon, Justin Grimm and Pedro Strop, with other intriguing arms like Neil Ramirez and a potentially rebounding Jason Motte.

The real reason to be excited, though, is the Cubs’ bountiful farm system, coupled with savvy trades, is starting to bear fruit for the lineup. First baseman Anthony Rizzo (acquired from the Padres when he was 22) and home-grown shortstop Starlin Castro are the cornerstones of the lineup, both legitimate stars entering their age-25 seasons. The fact that the Cubs were able to get significant action in the major leagues last year for Arismendy Alcantara, Jorge Soler and Javier Baez will help those players settle into their first full big-league campaigns. Eventually, Kris Bryant will be along as well.

Bryant is a slugging third baseman. The new manager of the Cubs, Joe Maddon, had a rookie third baseman join his team in April 2008. Evan Longoria was the Rookie of the Year and one of the big reasons that the Rays went from 96 losses the year before to 97 wins and the American League pennant.

Maddon does well with young teams because he does not put pressure on the players. He allows them to be themselves. There will be a lot of opportunities for the Cubs to feel pressure, including being picked by certain national outlets to win the World Series. Having a manager who is as cool, calm, and collected as there is in the game should make a difference.

The Cubs have the talent in place to make a quick jump in the standings. Once playoff time comes, it’s just about making the right plays at the right times and getting good pitching performances. Several teams are capable of winning the World Series this year — as the Giants and Royals both showed last year, if you get into the playoffs, you can make some noise. The Cubs are the pick to win the 2015 World Series because, after 107 years, they’re good enough to get there and, honestly, aren’t they due a couple of breaks?

 

[af1nike]

I don' think watching games on ABC will ever feel right

 

[sportsjunkie]

so in 2015 the cubs fans need to relax and have some fun.

 

[CP1708]

Patrick Mooney ‏@CSNMooney 2m2 minutes ago
Starlin Castro: “I started my career here. I don’t want to leave here (without) getting a ring. I want to win a championship here.” #Cubs

 

[sportsjunkie]

Did anyone hear Anthony Rizzo comments about Cubs going to playoff and winning World Series.

 

[meyer23]

Did anyone hear Anthony Rizzo comments about Cubs going to playoff and winning World Series.

Yes, on the Score yesterday. Love the enthusiasm but that was not the right thing to say.  

 

[secretzofwar]

Rizzo's the man. Bold call.

And shouting out Back to the Future

 

[sportsjunkie]

def a Bold move. Actions speak louder than words.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I like Rizzo's optimism
We need more attitudes like that.

In other news construction at Wrigley has hit a snag