I kind of don’t even want to talk about “real ” baseball today. I’m having way too much fun soaking up the rays of having landed our man and imaging what the future could be like. I really don’t want to ruin that by talking about reality.
In that vein, here’s what ESPN has to say:
The Chicago Cubs won the bidding for Jorge Soler and agreed to terms with the 20-year-old Cuban outfielder, a source familiar with the situation told ESPNChicago.com’s Bruce Levine.
Soler will come to the U.S. and take a physical before signing a nine-year, $30 million contract, according to the source.
Soler has the option of opting out of the contract altogether during his arbitration-eligible years, which means that he could make far more than the $30 million guaranteed.
Year by year, through his arbitration years, he can weigh the dollar value in his agreed-upon salary versus what he might make in arbitration.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Soler is a projected right fielder with five-tool potential, according to scouting sources.
So . . there’s that. To see REAL LIVE FOOTAGE of Soler running and moving and doing things, go here.
Note: I’d really love to read what Keith Law has to say about this signing. Alas, I’m not renewing my Insider subscription just to do that. Sorry.
In “real” Cubs news, Geo Soto is on his way back from the DL. I guess I’m supposed to be happy about that? I’ll be happy if it means Koyie Hill is out of my sight forever:
MINNEAPOLIS — Geovany Soto, who has not played since May 16 because of a meniscus tear in his left knee, will begin his rehab assignment Monday with Triple-A Iowa.
Soto, who had arthroscopic surgery, said he expects to play three to five games with the Minor League team and could return to the Cubs this coming weekend against the Red Sox.
“It’s been tough, especially when you prepare the whole year to be out there,” Soto said.
Indeed.
And I just had to share this. This is NOT an Onion article.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Cubs return home after a less-than-productive road trip, but hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo says there has been no change in the work effort by the players.
“The approach is fine,” Jaramillo said Sunday. “Hopefully, we can get a hit with men in scoring position and it kind of rolls from there and good things happen.”
The Cubs went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Saturday in an 11-3 loss to the Twins.
Detriot comes to town tonight. First pitch at 7:05 pm on CSN.
Conan’s shout out to the Cubs: http://teamcoco.com/video/monologue-061112
Julie, you should snap up the domain name for Soler.com.
Rudy Jaramillo is so gone after this season.
I’m really hoping that Rudy is gone by the time Rizzo gets called up.
Right now if you look up “denial” in the dictionary, you see Rudy’s face…
At least he didn’t say that their timing is off. Again.
He’s been such a disappointment…
He’s used every excuse in the book, and seems to have little ability to adjust his approach. Every year since he has been here, the offense has under-performed.
Sure, maybe it is a lack of talent, but offensively, almost no player has improved here under his coaching leadership…with the possible exception of Marlon Byrd last year.
Sure the elements involved are different here in Chicago than they were in Texas, but after three years, you would have thought he would have learned to adjust to those elements and come up with variations on his approach.
Look, I’m not say Jaramillo is entirely to blame for the offense under-performing, but for the money the Cubs spent for him, he was expected to help this team actually meet expectations and possibly exceed them offensively. That didn’t happen.
As a result, everyone should realize two things…one, paying a lot of money for a hitting coach doesn’t work…and two, hitting coaches really don’t make that much of a difference.
Ok…looking at Carlos Pena’s stats for this year, it could be argued that Pena benefited from Jaramillo’s coaching last year too.
…just in time to leave the team…
I demand the return of Gerald Perry. The Cubs had the highest OBP in baseball when he was the hitting coach.
I wouldn’t mind Don Baylor returning…as long as he isn’t the manager.
he could teach them to take one for the team.
Do we really think Hill will be gone when Soto returns?
Yes?
My guess right now…the Soler signing does become official until Soto comes back…at which point Koyie is DFAd.
Do we have to DFA him? Can’t we just act like Victor Frankenstein and just pretend that this whole monster of a mistake never happened?
Wait, does this mean Koyie is coming back to kill Soler on the eve of his MLB debut?
On second though, I say we kill Koyie before things get out of control.
I don’t advocate the taking of another person’s life in any circumstance.
I think the Cubs should try to trade Koyie to the Orioles.
I don’t advocate the taking of a life either but some people just need to be shot.
Sending him to the Orioles is punishment enough.
In return for Brian Roberts?
punishment for who? the O’s are a contenda.
not even if they’re trying to kill ya?
I really hope that Soler does amazing things, and wins a World Series ring with the Cubs
however I have hoped this before and am now either mature or crushed and am hovering around cautious optimism
BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
RUDY JARAMILLO WAS FIRED TODAY!!!!!!
Seriously???
Yes.
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
HHAHAHAAAAHAHAH Thats better then shooting him!
BAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
(Sorry…this is just too damn funny.)
Theo reads this blog.
And reads all of my comments.
God help us
Doc’s pulled the long con on all of us, he’s really Theo Epstein.
hey…you be quiet.
What’s even better is that he is being replaced by James Rowson our minor league instructor who came from the Yankees last year
BAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
He didn’t get 2 weeks notice? Did they have a security guard stand next to him while he packed up his stuff? Did any of the Cubs say good-bye? DETAILSSSSS…….
I’m pretty sure that when he got back to Chicago and went to Wrigley this morning, he tried to go in to the stadium, but his security key card was deactivated and wouldn’t let him in.
He probably started shouted to anyone that could hear saying, “Hey, my security key card isn’t working! Can someone let me in?”
At that point, Theo stuck his head out the window at Wrigley and shout, “Hey, moron, can’t you take a fuckin’ hint? Get lost, jerk!”
Oh, and I totally called this on 06/07/12, when I said either a hitting or a pitching coach would be fired by the All-star break. You’re welcome…..
Then Rudy grabbed a bat and said “I’ll show you how to swing a fuckin’ bat!”
And promptly swung at Theo’s head and missed.
HAHAHHAAHHAHAA
BAAAAHAHAHA….
ok…I’m starting to calm down now. This was just too damn funny. Of all the days they could have fired him….lol.
It’s an early Father’s Day present to Cubs fans…
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
(Just checked the blog for the first time this afternoon.)