The Cubs entered the offseason with plenty of needs, not the least of which was starting pitching. Their first free agent signing just happens to be a starting pitcher, Scott Baker. He signed a one year contract yesterday worth $5.5 million, with an additional $1.5 million in possible performance bonuses. How did the Cubs get him at that price? He’s coming off Tommy John surgery.
“He’s put the work in to get himself on an excellent timetable so he’s got pretty much every day plotted out from here through Spring Training,” said Theo Epstein, Cubs president of baseball operations. “If things go perfectly, he’ll be stretched out to five or six innings for that first week of the season.”
The Cubs won’t rush Baker, who has pitched all or part of seven seasons with the Twins, from 2005-11, totaled 28 or more starts in three straight seasons, 2008-10.
Baker was already beginning to throw and said his plan is to use the Spring Training starts as part of his rehab process. He did get interest from other teams, including the Twins.
“It’s a big season for me personally coming off an injury,” Baker said. “I wanted somewhere where my family could enjoy and we could have a lot of fun and I could help the team be productive.”
So, lame starting pitchers are the new market inefficiency?
“You don’t set out looking for Tommy John guys,” Epstein said. “The reality is it’s not exactly a buyer’s market for pitching so you have to take your risks. Do you want to take a risk on a guy with bad makeup? Do you want to take a risk on a guy with bad command? Or do you want to take the risk on a guy you really believe in who is coming off Tommy John surgery and has appropriate value points? I think we’re very comfortable placing our bet on Scott Baker.”
I guess they are.
So what’s next on the horizon for the Cubs?
“We’re pursuing pitchers across the spectrum,” Epstein said, “some guys who would be classified as buy-low, others that might even be buy-high guys, or hopefully buy-high and stay there. Some one-year deals, some multi-year deals, some trades – we’re looking for pitchers who can step in and improve our rotation.
“If there are sound investments out there, whether they’re big or small, we’ll pursue them and try to sign them.”
Pitching, pitching, pitching. In case you were wondering what Marlon Byrd is up to this winter, wonder no more.
After being hit with a 50-game suspension for violating MLB’s drug program, Marlon Byrd is now playing for los Tomateros de Culiacan in the Mexican Winter League. Byrd was batting .333 in 26 games with nine home runs, four doubles and 21 RBIs. He’s played right field in all but one game and was batting third.
He’s the new king of the Mexican League.
awesome
Loria is a crazy sob!! Jays could make some noise next season. Looks likethe Marlins are wanting to unload Nolasco……he’s making 11.5 mil. If its a pure salary dump do we want any part of such a deal???
No…not a chance in hell.
Giving up prospects for a guy who has consistently underachieved (with the exception of one season) and is way overpaid is not a good idea.
As far a Loria…it’s going to be really funny when the Marlins are drawing 4,000 people for a nice Saturday afternoon game in the middle of July this year.
Don’t really matter if they draw 4000 or 400. Loria put the shaft to everyone and at the end of the day him and his cronies are getting paid.
Public paid for the park, baseball just added another 25 million bonus to his bankroll, and he don;t give 2 shits if the team wins or loses. I’m sure he knows the ins and outs to get by the rules of spending on the talent with the revenue sharing deal.
I’m not sure if anything can make him be accountable and Selig seems to love the SOB.
Easily the biggest asshole of an owner in baseball.
Sounds a lot like PK Wrigley.
Sadly…you’re probably right.
This is just priceless…
http://oldtimefamilybaseball.com/post/35708961682/marlins-unveil-new-marketing-slogan-go-f-yourself
Priceless and the truth…great read!
Every article I read today of the Marlins not only are critical of the franchise but categorically denigrate them with extreme prejudice.
And I would agree they deserve it.
For those of you who had dreams about the Cubs signing Torii Hunter…
It looks like he’s going to the Tigers. Sorry.
This offseason went from 0 to 60 quickly!
It was said that things would happen fast this offseason…
Most likely due to the new timetables set out in the new CBA.
The Tigers are making sure they don’t run out of bats again if they make another playoff run…
They definitely are make some guarantees for another AL championship with another chance to get swept in the World Series.
“You don’t start out looking for Tommy John guys . . . but at some point you realize you’re the Cubs and that’s where you end up.”
Thanks for fixing that quote.
yep.
Fortunately,as in ACL repairs, advancement in the procedures and techniques of Tommy John repairs have advanced to a point to where the elbow and knee is actually stronger than before the injury.
I’ve worked in surgery over 33 years and have assisted in hundreds of such procedures.
I’ve seen it progress from where it was a long difficult procedore using a graft from the patient to where the procedure is a little more than an hour using mostly cadaver graft as the replaced tendon or ligament.
One time while helping on an ACL replacement one of the doctors who was training to be an orthopedic surgeon asked the attending(head) surgeon how strong would the knee be after healing and rehab was over. The attending remarked that is should actually be stronger, maybe up to 30%.
Now obviously one doesn’t want to purposely replace the original anatomy with a graft but the advancements in this field have been amazing.
AND one quick remark: that conversation was over 15 years ago.
AND a correction: The joint itself as a whole does not gain strength but the graft replacement is stronger.
It will cost $2250 to repair my car from the accident with one of (according to my daughter) Santa’s reindeer yesterday…
I’m kinda pissed that it’s that much damage…
But I’m also kinda happy because that means the value of my car is more than that (or the insurance company would have totaled it) so when I trade it in, it will help me a bit more with a down payment.
Most of that estimate is ‘labor’($50/hr minimum) I am certain.
‘Value’?
Anymore ‘value’ is a rather nebulous point of view.
Regardless…if the insurance company didn’t consider $2250 enough for it to be considered “totaled”, I should at the very least be able to get that much when I trade it in.
That was a stupid statement by me. I shouldn’t say ‘most’ but ‘much’. There is a difference.
In the “You’ve got to be kidding ” catagory,because I bought Dodgers-Cubs tickets in 2012, I was sent “Dodgers Line Drives,” a booklet promoting the 2013 season. When the Cubs play the Dodgers next year, the giveaway will be a “Rick Monday ‘Flag-Saving’ bobblehead.” The min-plan description notes that Cubs game are included in all mini-plans…..
Scott Maine was claimed off waivers by the Marlins.
Poor guy.
Since its the off season and no one’s looking….
shouldn’t we send Guido and the boys over to have a chat with Soriano and straighten him about about where he REALLY wants to play?
I just want to see what happens if his agent gets an offer. Would he still be picky about the weather?
Apparently Ian Stewart feels a lot better after his phone call with Theo however Theo has yet to see Ian since he decided to rehab on his own. I get a funny feeling that this front office is not very happy with him and will probably non-tender his ass before spring training. Oops did I curse? Sorry bout that.
Matt Garza will be reevaluated this week so we should know much more about his road to recovery pretty soon. xoxo
Damn you and your fuckin cursing. You’re going to hell now.
I could care less about cursing. I don’t like blatant disrespect for women.
And you don’t like Dan Plesac.
Or red peppers.
I gave my apologies. And I like red peppers.
The worst
That’s just too much. Red peppers make the world a much better place.
Red Hot Chili Peppers? Not so much.