Shawn Camp’s big ears and winning smile will be back on the Northside in 2013
In 2012, the Cubs needed a rubber-armed veteran to eat up bullpen innings, and Shawn Camp did so adequately. He was the Cubs’ only free agent this year, and we’d already heard that they were likely to re-sign him, and now they have.
The Cubs and reliever Shawn Camp have agreed to a one-year, $1.35 million contract that includes another $200,000 in possible incentives, the team announced Monday. Camp, who was the Cubs’ only free agent, returns to the team after appearing in a career-high 80 relief appearances. He finished tied for the Major League lead in appearances and ranked fifth in the National League with 77 2/3 innings.
I’d be shocked if he makes it through 2013 in one piece, but someone has to go out there and pitch in middle relief. It might as well be Shawn Camp. Shawn Camp is not the only free agent reliever the Cubs have in their sights. Right-handed Kyuki Fujikawa from Japan is said to be sparking the interest of the Cubs and other teams.
Fujikawa, considered among the top closers in Nippon Pro Baseball over the last decade, toured the facilities of Arizona and the Chicago Cubs in the last week. He is expected to also visit with the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers, both of whom have expressed interest.
(snip)
Fukijawa, 32, was 2-2 with 24 saves and a 1.32 ERA in 47 2/3 innings this season with Hanshin of the Japan Central League. Fujikawa is considered a power pitcher with a mid-90s mph fastball. He has averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings in his career.
If he’s touring facilities, the Cubs are probably at the bottom of his list. And I can’t see the Cubs offering more than the Dodgers or Angels for a 32-year-old Japanese reliever.
Carrie Muskat has an update for us on the vacant TV analyst job.
According to Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Dan Plesac told WGN on Friday that he’s withdrawing from consideration for the Cubs TV analyst job and will remain at MLB Network. There’s a new name in the mix: Astros broadcaster Jim Deshaies has reportedly interviewed for the Cubs TV analyst job, open after Bob Brenly left to join the Diamondbacks’ TV team.
Also, Doug Glanville is reportedly no longer being considered. The former big league outfielder is reportedly close to an extension with ESPN.
Carrie goes on to report one of his career highlights.
His last game was an abbreviated start on July 30, 1995, at Wrigley Field. He gave up six runs on five hits, including a first inning home run by Todd Zeile and another blast in the second by Jose Hernandez over 1 1/3 innings as the Cubs rolled to an 8-0 win over the Phillies.
And Deshaies has a place in the record books.
Deshaies reportedly holds the Major League record for most at-bats without an extra-base hit (373). Deshaies just completed his 15th season as color analyst for the Astros.
I can’t see Len Kasper letting either of those things go unnoticed should Deshaies get the job.
I am on board with Jim Deshaies getting the job. He’s actually pretty good in the games I’ve heard him work. In fact, he might be better than Brenly was. He and Len should work well together.
If Lou Piniella doesn’t get the job (and I haven’t heard anything that says he’s been been taken out of consideration), I vote for Deshaies.
MVP! MVP!
DeShaies is pretty good. I watched the Astros broadcast a few times this year due to the mlb.tv blackouts and generally liked the Astros guys. Milo Hamilton is terrible, but there’s no way they would have tried to get him.
No.
To Deshaies? Or you are agreeing that Milo Hamilton is an execrable asshat?
I’m guessing she’s saying no to Deshaies because she wants Lou Piniella.
No, she wants a certain White Sux catcher that is trying desperately to get out of town because of that.
Well, with his stats, he should feel at home covering the Cubs….
(I just could not resist that- I have nothing against the guy)
Some people (and you know who you are) think the Cubs are on the verge of a significant deal involving a number of young players.
Bruce Levine is the only one who’s making any comment on the matter…and he’s been pretty wrong about a lot of things lately.
The 40 man roster stands at 38 right now. Rosters are due tommorrow afternoon I believe. It’s been widely specualted were gonna add 3-4 prospects for protection from the Rule V draft. Something is gonna happen whether it be a DFA or trade.
I congratulate the Big 10 on getting shittier.
Maybe they’ll change the name when they get to 20.
Well…they’ll be up to fourteen now…so there shouldn’t be any conflict with the big 12.
Thats not very nice. Maryland is a great school.
Um…
ok.
If you say so.
Not that I really care…I really hate the Big 10.
For me, I just don’t see Maryland fitting the mold of a Big 10 school.
Rutgers, on the other hand, I think is a very good fit.
Other than the argument that schools need to grope for all the mega bucks they can get,and that argument is pathetic(to me), all this moving around of teams to other conferences is assinine.
San Diego State and Boise State in the Big East… PLEASE??!!!
Most of these conferences need a name change.
I don’t even understand how all this nonsense got started.
I do say so, so it must be true
and DC is a great place to visit for an away trip, not to mention the fall blue crab season perfectly coincides with college football
unfortunately I feel that UMD is probably better for leaving the ACC, a little weird personally to be pulled back into the midwest sports discussions, but its a great university with great traditions, I hope the Big Ten gives us a chance
Considering the athletic department’s financial problems over the last few years, moving to the big 10, with their big time TV deals is a huge plus for Maryland.
Moving to the DC market is very important for the big 10…and it will help with recruiting as well.
Overall, I just think Maryland is a school that, academically and athletically, isn’t up there with the other big 10 schools.
I’ll take the athletic criticism, the program is completely self sustaining with no tax payer money (evidently this is unusual) and has had to cut team in the last year because of the lack of money. I think this move will go a long way to improving the viability of the athletic department
but do not tell me that UMD cannot compete with the Big 10 in academics, thats just untrue.
Agreed. Maryland is a fantastic academic school, especially in the areas that a lot of the B10 schools excel (engineering, science, etc.).
thanks.
I have a feeling its this view of the school that is going to be the most difficult to overcome.
I’ll take your word for it on Maryland’s acedemics.
I should note that I’ve always felt that the Big 10′s good academics claim is more inside their heads than routed in reality. Most colleges and universities do a very good job, but I don’t think many (not all) the Big 10 schools are as good as they think they are…just like in athletics. HA!
Speaking as someone in academia, the B10′s academics claims are no joke. If you’re talking in terms of undergrad education I don’t think there’s necessarily a huge difference between most universities but from a research perspective B10 crushes all other academic groupings I can think of, except maybe the Ivies (though their focus is a little different). Wisconsin and Michigan are generally in the top 3 in terms of research funding, with only Johns Hopkins and its river of NIH money also in the mix.
I understand it for the monetary reasons, but it still feels weird to see it. ACC basketball is as big in the mid-atlantic as B10 football is in the midwest. This is like seeing Illinois bolt for the Big 12.
The difference betweeen ACC Basketball and B10 football is that ACC basketball is consistently good while B10 football only thinks it is consistently good.
I just wish the Big Ten could have stayed an all-Midwestern conference. I was mad when they allowed Penn St in, too. If they wanted to add more schools, they should have gone after Missouri and Iowa State. They’re much more Big Ten-ish.
Missouri and Iowa State are more Big Ten-ish in some ways…mainly location and fan type…but scholastically and, quite frankly, athletically, they don’t really belong.
I would agree with you that the Big 10 should have tried to stay more Midwestern oriented.
But what the hell do I know…I’m a Notre Dame fan.
Re:Notre Dame-my mother the Notre Dame fan called my brother the USC fan to rub in the loss to UCLA,and he responded by informing her that Sats game with Notre Dame will be their “bowl game”,and therefore USC will stomp ND. I’m trying to reassure my mom, but I’m real nervious because the game is at the Coliseum, and there are always bad calls for ND there….
Unless ND stays focused and keeps their heads out of their asses this game could be trouble.
I’m pulling for them big time.
I’m scared to death about this game on Saturday. Mainly, I still don’t believe the Notre Dame is as good as their record indicates. In fact…I was a bit upset that both K-State and Oregon lost…because in the event that the Irish do play for the National Championship, I didn’t want them to face Alabama.
I spent a lot of time on that campus in the mid-to late 80′s an into the early 90′s…which was the last time they were an elite program. It makes me feel like a kid again seeing the excitement around the football team.
they’ve had a lot of close calls.
They had a couple…the Stanford game and the game against Pitt….
There have been a couple of other games that were close too…but they pretty much dominated those games and the scores were closer than the game really was. (How cliche is that?)
Overall, their defense has been fantastic. Offensively, they are young and will likely be much better in the future.
Matt Barkley is hurt so ND might have an easy W.
I’m not taking anything for granted. If Oregon AND K-State could lose last week…anything could happen with ND this week.
I’m nervous as hell.
Completely disagree about Mizzou. It’s a great school both academically and athletically, and IU-Mizzou would have been a great basketball rivalry. In fact, Mizzou and Kansas were much more obvious candidates than Maryland or Rutgers.
The rant sports guys are getting all angry and defensive about people criticizing their recent posts.
I might have to post something about this too. These guys are pretty lame.
It’s probably driven more traffic to their site than anything before.
Link?
It’s on their twitter timelines. Since I’m not following any of them anymore (because I don’t feel they have anything interesting to say), I’m not going to look it up for you.
But they were beating up on WPBC today…that’s just wrong.
I like this web site.
My girlfriends are always here at the top of the page:
“We don’t like young men. We want you!”
ok.
That’s nice.
How do “they” know how old you are?