I don’t really know how to break this to you guys, but he’s back.
The Cubs re-signed third baseman Ian Stewart to a one-year contract on Thursday, less than a week after non-tendering him, according to USA Today. The deal is for $2 million and includes $500,000 in incentives.
The club has yet to confirm the deal, but Stewart tweeted: “Glad to be healthy and back with the Cubs. The support from the Cubs organization and the fans has been incredible. Thank you all so much.”
yaaaaaay?
On the other hand, as Doc pointed out yesterday, it’s a relief to know that Cubs will completely suck this far ahead of individual game ticket sales, so I don’t waste my money on games or merchandise. Honestly, if we’re going to cash it in this early, I’d much rather just see Vitters get an entire year at 3rd and see if he can turn it around. But then I’d miss Ian Stewart getting pissy with fans on Twitter, and how can we give THAT up?
In other news so exciting I can hardly stand it, the Cubs will introduce newly-acquired set-up man Kenji Fujikawa to the fans and press today:
A news conference has been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to announce his signing, which was reported last Saturday.
Fujikawa signed a two-year, $9 million deal with a vesting option for 2015. The Cubs’ brass declined to talk about Fujikawa at the winter meetings in Nashville because he wasn’t officially signed, though they reiterated Carlos Marmol is still their closer.
I hope the guys who sell t-shirts outside Wrigley are invited to the presser, because, you know, racists need to get a jump on the season, too.
And if you’ve been on the edge of your seat waiting for the results of the Rule V draft, wait no more!
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Cubs feel Hector Rondon not only is finally healthy but also could be a key part of the bullpen in 2013.
The Cubs selected Rondon, who was the Indians’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2009, with the second pick overall in the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at the Winter Meetings.
Rondon, 24, has been limited the last three seasons following right elbow UCL reconstruction surgery on Aug. 25, 2010. He fractured the same joint during winter ball in Venezuela in 2011.
Injured the last three seasons? Why, he’ll fit right in!
Alas, in the interest of fairness, I should add that Theo and Jed think Rondon is healthy:
The Cubs have been following him in Venezuela this winter, where he’s pitching for Leones del Caracas and had a 2-1 record and 3.71 ERA in 19 games, all in relief. He has struck out 11 and walked five over 17 innings. Hitters were batting .172 against him this winter.
“Coming up through the Cleveland organization, he was one of the top prospects,” said Cubs player development director Jason McLeod. “He’s always been a prolific strike thrower with great stuff. Now he’s missed the better part of three years with the elbow, and there’s obviously risk involved.”
But ALSO in the interest of fairness, I should add that the bit above came from cubs.com, who is hardly going print Jason saying “Fuck it, everyone on the board sucked, so we threw a pencil at the names and Rondon is who we came up with.”
So what now? Now, we wait. Wait to see if the Cubs can trick someone into taking Alfonso Soriano off our hands or giving us something decent for Carlos Marmol. Oh, and also for the Cubs Convention! Get your tickets now to see such Cubs stars as Scott Baker! Michael Bowden! Travis Wood! Luis Valbuena! Dave Sappelt! And many more!
We still have Michael Bowden?
Ugh.
We’re having a press conference for Fujikawa? Seriously?
We are having a press conference for a guy who is slated to be our setup man?
Where is Ian Stewart and Hector Rondon’s press conference?
GET EXCITED CUBS FANS!!!
You know Doc, I am beginning not to care anymore…The team the Cubs will field next year, will not be any better than last years club…I don’t know why I torture myself year, year, year expecting a different outcome, when I already know how it will turn out…
Low expectations are the key to surviving baseball season. I Expected 100 losses, and therefor was able to enjoy the wins
I know its not a popular opinion, but without the expectations of a win watching games can be enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, I’d pay more for a team that was winning, and probably go to more games (if I was local anyway)
although I’d prefer to watch good baseball, watching bad baseball is less fun
But, as a rule, LOHO is more fun when they are losing. It’s science.
Actually…I disagree with that. I think LOHO has a way of making losing seasons more enjoyable, but the losing seasons don’t make this place better. Back in 2007 and 2008 it was an absolute blast here when the team was doing well. Game threads were fricken awesome back then.
Yeah. This.
Well, THAT IS NOT MY FAULT!!!
I never blamed you. I blame you for a lot of things…but not that.
I blame Mark. He hasn’t said anything as good as “Oh Goddammit Jason Marquis” since . . well, since he said “Oh Goddammit Jason Marquis.”
That is easily the highlight of his life. He had no where to go but down from there.
bad Cubs teams are more fun with LOHO
I know I say this every year, but…
This team is gonna suck.
The cubs signed Andrew Carpenter. I’m not sure when the press conference will be to introduce him.
they should have press conferences for when we let players go too.
We can say good-bye.
Vitters needs to go back to A ball and learn to hit.
Typically, you send guys back to the minors so they can work on something while not torpedoing your team at the same time. This logic does not apply here. This team is going to lose with our without Vitters at 3rd. Might as well see if he can figure it out.
This is one of the few times I would agree with that strategy. Vitters has shown a habit for adapting to a situation after about a year of experience at almost every level. It might actually be the case in the big leagues too.
I probably would have forgotten about Ian Stewart (though I was pummeled yesterday as many people think he’s going to be good now that his wrist is better…we’ll see) and given Vitters the job going into spring training.
He was BADLY outmatched out there. He hit less than most of the pitchers.
His swing is slow and labored.
7 walks and 43 K’s means he has no clue what a strike is.
I see Zero talent in the kid. Time to move on.
I think he was overwhelmed. Much of the same could have been said about Rizzo in 2011. I’m not saying Vitters is as good as Rizzo, but I think that number of ABs for a 22 year old is not enough to judge him. He has eventually been successful at every level in the minor leagues to this point. I truly believe he has the potential to be a major leaguer. I’m not sure he’ll be a starter, but he could be a bench player.
Really, Vitters biggest problem, in my opinion (others may say differently) is his defense.
He hit .156 in his last year with the Rockies. Looks like a sure-fire winner to me.
You and I are in the same boat. I don’t buy this thing that his wrist has been a problem for 2 1/2 years and that’s why he sucked. I think it is more likely that he had a very good streak early in his career and the league scouted him and discovered some pretty significant holes in his swing and he was not capable of making the adjustments to succeed again.
The thing about those tweets is they seem incomprehensible to me. What the fuck is he trying to say in any of them?
He seems like a total moran.
Actually, there’s really no “seem” about it.
He tweets like an 11 year old.
But the kids “got his back”?
I love how Stewart tries to insult the guy taking issue with his gay slurs by telling him not to “get his panties in a wad.” Self-awareness, thy name is not Ian Stewart.
Ian “panties” Stewart does have a ring about it..
I think we have a new nickname. It’s been a while.
“Panty Wad”
Please out that in the LOHO lingo page. I love it.
I know you guys love it when I remind you that INDIANA IS THE NUMBER ONE COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM IN THE COUNTRY, but guess what else?
IU’S SOCCER TEAM IS IN THE FINAL FOUR RIGHT NOW.
Per Phil Rogers:
Cubs were bidding for Brandon McCarthy, who has agreed to 2-year, $15.5 million deal with AZ. They offered 2 yr deal heavy on bonuses
I wasn’t sure about McCarthy…but the more I had thought about it, the more I actually had hoped the Cubs would get him. Too late now, I guess.
I wish we could get that “who’s online” feature back.
Yeah.
Um…
You and I have an exciting life, spending Friday night in front of our computers ripping on Ian Stewart. We’re cool.