The 2010 Cubs Free Agent and Roster Moves Thread: SAVEENG OUR KUBBEEZ!!11

[Powdered Toast Man]

Not only that, but do the Cubs even have $12MM (Figgins) + $5.5 MM (Lopez) to give these players?

[Richard Chuggar]

Not only that, but do the Cubs even have $12MM (Figgins) + $5.5 MM (Lopez) to give these players?

If only Al Gore had invented a way to look stuff like this up.

[Pre]

Someone with more free time than me today can run the exact numbers, but
in general the Cubs payroll is pretty much unchanged from last year.  So, it's
not like there's any cash freeing up from contracts.  That said, what the Cubs
can afford to pay out is entirely up to the owners.  I personally think they'll
be <$140 going into opening day (and they'd try and be less if they had any
real flexibility down), but theoretically they could add whatever contracts they
wanted to.

[Philberto]

Someone with more free time than me today can run the exact numbers, but
in general the Cubs payroll is pretty much unchanged from last year.  So, it's
not like there's any cash freeing up from contracts.  That said, what the Cubs
can afford to pay out is entirely up to the owners.  I personally think they'll
be <$140 going into opening day (and they'd try and be less if they had any
real flexibility down), but theoretically they could add whatever contracts they
wanted to.

Shawn Goldman (both ACB and BCB contributer) had this to say about "if" the Cubs basically kept the same roster.

Let's start with the 2009 roster. The Cubs have already committed ~$122,658,333 to 10 players from 2009 plus Luis Vizciano: Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Ryan Dempster, Derrek Lee, Ted Lilly, Milton Bradley, Jeff Samardzija, and Aaron Miles. Al projected a total of $10,175,000 in payouts to the following 12 players: Geovany Soto, Koyie Hill, Jeff Baker, Ryan Theriot, Andres Blanco, Sam Fuld, Jake Fox, John Grabow, Carlos Marmol, Angel Guzman, Randy Wells, and Sean Marshall. Fontenot made $430,000 in 2009 so let's say he makes an even $500,000 in 2010. Heilman made $1,625,000 in 2009. Since these guys usually get raises, he'll probably make around $1,750,000 in 2010. Finally, there's Rich Harden. Most of the estimates I've seen have him getting awarded something in the neighborhood of $10M by arbiters. If you add it all up, that's a total team salary of... $144,958,333. That's our budgeted payroll for 2010. Now, let's continue down this path and see how good we can expect the Cubs to be if they trot out the 2009 team again in 2010.

(That was only plan A, btw)

[Andy]

He uses Al Yellon's projection for the renewals/arbitration guys and refers to the payroll as "our payroll" so he's a double douche.

It's only "our" payroll if were paying it or getting paid by it.  It's definitely "their" payroll.

[BC]

It's only "our" payroll if were paying it or getting paid by it.  It's definitely "their" payroll.

With Aaron Fucking Miles on that payroll, he probably just assumed that all no-talent hacks could be included on the payroll of the Chicago Cubs.

[Eli]

Free agent pitcher John Grabow and the Chicago Cubs are close to agreeing on a two-year contract worth nearly $7.5 million for the left-handed pitcher.

Link.

According to Gordo's Twitter, it's now official.

$7.5 million for a mediocre middle reliever?  Nice choice, Jim.

[Armchair_QB]

Free agent pitcher John Grabow and the Chicago Cubs are close to agreeing on a two-year contract worth nearly $7.5 million for the left-handed pitcher.

Link.

According to Gordo's Twitter, it's now official.

$7.5 million for a mediocre middle reliever?  Nice choice, Jim.

I thought they were broke.

[BH]

Free agent pitcher John Grabow and the Chicago Cubs are close to agreeing on a two-year contract worth nearly $7.5 million for the left-handed pitcher.

Link.

According to Gordo's Twitter, it's now official.

$7.5 million for a mediocre middle reliever?  Nice choice, Jim.

I thought they were broke.

According to Fangraphs it's a waste of cash.

[Pre]

According to Fangraphs it's a waste of cash.

Forget fangraphs, this is a waste of cash in the According to Jim range.

[R-V]

Is this the part of the thread where Oleg defends Jim Hendry?

[Internet Apex]

This is the part where I post that I thought Grabow was pretty decent and that there weren't very many other left-handed options in the organization. So why not re-sign Grabow? Because Marshall's good? But I think they should possibly trade Marshall.

Please help!

[Chuck to Chuck]

Is this the part of the thread where Oleg defends Jim Hendry?

Can we skip to the part where Tom Ricketts et al defend Jim Hendry?

[Oleg]

Is this the part of the thread where Oleg defends Jim Hendry?

3.75MM for 40 IP of specialty bullpen work?  Fuck Hendry...

[Andy]

According to Fangraphs it's a waste of cash.

Forget fangraphs, this is a waste of cash in the According to Jim range.

I smell another hilarious Kurt Evans Photoshop in there someplace.