Marmol signs; Millar in the fold
The Cubs are getting set to announce that closer Carlos Marmol has signed a one-year contract worth $2.125 million, thus avoiding salary arbitration. They've also made the Kevin Millar deal official, signing the veteran first baseman to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training as a nonroster man.
Marmol was asking for $2.5 million in arbitration while the Cubs were offering $1.75 million. When the numbers first came out, it was clear Marmol and the Cubs were going to avoid a hearing. Same with Sean Marshall, who recently signed.
Not so with shortstop Ryan Theriot, who looks to be on a collision course with the Cubs for a hearing. Check out our mock trial:
http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/3380#new
We'll have more later in the day as I hope to talk with Jim Hendry.
would be signing either Pedro Martinez or John Smoltz and the Felipe Lopez. Both pitchers have some risk but still have relatively high upside and would definitely be short term deals, and Lopez would certainly upgrade the Cubs lineup, and give a solid option as a leadoff man.
i'd say 2011 with a new manager who knows these kids would be good for the trio you're talking about. it's the new owners plan for longevity.
I am not sure what the Cubs will do in 2011. Looks like a major transition year to me. I think they should be prepared to not spend money just because they have some off the books. Would be nice if Soriano had a really nice year and the Cubs could eat about half of what he has left and move him, and open that spot for Vitters.
I am hoping the 2012 lineup looks something like this, based on current team, prospects, and projected free agents. I hope we have some cash to fill in holes that don't work out.
SS/2b - Hak Ju Lee or Logan Watkins
2b/SS - Starlin Castro
1b - Adrian Gonzalez or Victor Martinez
3b - Aramis Ramirez or Vitters
CF - Brett Jackson
LF - Alfonso Soriano or Vitters if Soriano could be moved.
C - Soto
RF - Byrd/Kyler Burke
Rotation - Zambrano, Jay Jackson, Chris Carpenter, Dempster, Wells
Bullpen - Marmol, Cashner, Samardzija, Gaub, Cardidad, Grabow
think alike. Vitters is projected as the LF'er, Gonzalez would be awesome. he's the guy i've been talking up for 3 years. i know Lee is/has been good but that kid would own the city.
I missed the argument/discussion yesterday about Theriot but if i'm the Cubs I tell Theriot that if he wants 3.5 per, then he's going to have to sign a three year deal to get it. The last year and a half of the deal he can be a possible super utility guy, ala Craig Counsell.
If he doesn't agree to it then you settle in the middle this year and let him go before next season.
I would be happy to pay $3.5 mil for Theriot's expected production in 2010. It's 2011 and 2012 where I'm more reticent.
I'm not sure if this is his last year with arbitration or not so i kind of took a leap of faith there thinking it wasn't. No matter what he ends up with this year I'm guessing that he'll be looking for more than 3.5 next year whether it's as a FA or through arbitration.
The Cubs have a total of six years of service time control before Theriot becomes a free agent (unless they non-tender him). This is his first year of arbitration.
He'll be looking for more money than he's worth. Theriot is a sure thing non-tender after 2010. At least he would be in my organization.
I agree with this. You don't lock up mediocre, league average players to more than a year at a time. Especially when the strength of your minor leagues in middle infielders who should be better than him. That is how your team gets old and expensive.
Keep him this year, let Castro and Lee get another year of seasoning and evaluate next year. My hope is that the Cubs have Castro at SS as a starter in 2011, and can trade or non tender Theriot, getting a cheaper, more offensively potent player for 2nd base on a 1 or 2 year deal, and then Lee comes up and Castro moves to 2nd base.
I am hoping this is exactly the plan for Marlon Byrd as well. Keeping the spot warm for Jackson. When Jackson comes up, Byrd replaces Fukudome in RF for a year/year and a half, and then we will have a real CF and can get a real RF, or maybe we will have developed one by then.
I agree with what you are saying, it makes sense.
I can still see Hendry offering Theriot a 3 year deal but I think you are on the right track with your strategy. I'd sign up for your newsletter.
It's a little tough projecting rosters 2-4 years out. But as far as Theriot being worth the $3.4M he's asking for, my comment would be that Orlando Hudson is reportedly close to inking a one-year $5M deal with the Twins. Here's a gold glove defender who hits for a higher average, gets on base more often, and has about three times as much power as Theriot and he's only a couple years older. Nothing against The Riot....I like "spunky" players.....but if given the choice, I'd rather see the Cubs sign Hudson, come to terms with Theriot and then deal him (maybe package him with the other half of the Cajun Connection), and then watch the competition between Blanco and Castro unfold in March...maybe invite Darwin Barney to the party if that hasn't already happened, and look to snag up an inexpensive veteran SS in late March if necessary.
As it stands, the Cubs would be paying $4.5M for a starting middle IF of Theriot/Fontenot (if Theriot goes to arbitration and wins), which isn't going to win any gold gloves anytime soon. Compare this to about $5.5M for Hudson and Blanco/Castro. They would be much stronger defensively and would be adding another LH (switch-hitter) bat to the lineup, and Baker would truly be a backup at 2B, 3B, and possibly 1B depending upon how the rest of the roster shakes out, instead of being a platoon partner at 2B. More stability up the middle....that has a nice ring to it. Oh well, I'm probably just wasting my time because Hendry probably hasn't even looked into the possibility of signing Hudson.