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

[Jon]

This morning, I saw this disturbing nugget here http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/chicago-cubs_112114177768677294.html

2009 payroll obligations for former players:

    * $3,187,432 (Luis Vizcaino) (plus $0.5M 2010 buyout)
    * $4,000,000 (est.) (Ryan Freel)

Can someone talk me out of throat punching myself over this.  The Cubs for the season are on the hook for over $7M for those two guys???   

That just doesn't seem possible.  Someone please tell me this isn't true.

Jesus Fucking Christ

Very helpful.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2839346

Yeah, he's owed through this season. I didn't know the Cubs took that money on though. It's off the books after this year regardless.

You should throat punch yourself because you have to watch that offense.

Looks like they didn't. Not that I'd expect the Ghost of LoneStar to look it up before rending his britches.

The deal is cash-neutral, according to one source. The Cubs will pay the balance of Gathright's $800,000 salary for 2009 with the O's paying the balance of Freel's — about $3.3 million.

That's fuckin' teamwork.

Thanks for the effort, RV.   

It seemed extremely odd that the Cubs would owe that much on Freel. 

Have you not seen the CONTRACTS HENDRY GIVES OUT LIKE CANDY?

Can't you stop thinking about food for like five fucking minutes, tubby?

[Lance Dicksons Arm]

This morning, I saw this disturbing nugget here http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/chicago-cubs_112114177768677294.html

2009 payroll obligations for former players:

   * $3,187,432 (Luis Vizcaino) (plus $0.5M 2010 buyout)
   * $4,000,000 (est.) (Ryan Freel)

Can someone talk me out of throat punching myself over this.  The Cubs for the season are on the hook for over $7M for those two guys???  

That just doesn't seem possible.  Someone please tell me this isn't true.

Jesus Fucking Christ

Very helpful.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2839346

Yeah, he's owed through this season. I didn't know the Cubs took that money on though. It's off the books after this year regardless.

You should throat punch yourself because you have to watch that offense.

Looks like they didn't. Not that I'd expect the Ghost of LoneStar to look it up before rending his britches.

The deal is cash-neutral, according to one source. The Cubs will pay the balance of Gathright's $800,000 salary for 2009 with the O's paying the balance of Freel's — about $3.3 million.

That's fuckin' teamwork.

Thanks for the effort, RV.    

It seemed extremely odd that the Cubs would owe that much on Freel.  

Have you not seen the CONTRACTS HENDRY GIVES OUT LIKE CANDY?

True.  Still, eating $4M on Ryan Freel would be retarded even by Jim Hendry standards.

[R-V]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

[Kermit, B.]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

One more Latin player to share your hate?

[R-V]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

Great, Chuck.

While I've got my GM beanie on, are the Brewers intent on dumping Hardy this offseason? The guy had an awful year, but he still plays very good defense, and was a top 5-ish shortstop in 2007 and 2008. I'd take a flyer on him.

Edited to add statfaggotry: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-and-service-time

[Chuck to Chuck]

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

One more Latin player to share your hate?

Neifi's coming back?

[BH]

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

One more Latin player to share your hate?

Neifi's coming back?

Have Chuck and Kurt been the same person all along? I don't get this.

[Jon]

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

One more Latin player to share your hate?

Neifi's coming back?

Have Chuck and Kurt been the same person all along? I don't get this.

So this whole time we've been a photoshop inside an autistic internet kid's snowglobe?

[Slaky]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

Great, Chuck.

While I've got my GM beanie on, are the Brewers intent on dumping Hardy this offseason? The guy had an awful year, but he still plays very good defense, and was a top 5-ish shortstop in 2007 and 2008. I'd take a flyer on him.

Edited to add statfaggotry: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-and-service-time

I would absolutely take a flyer on JJ Hardy. But the Theriot love is too strong. For Hardy to come here, Hendry probably has to go.

[R-V]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

Great, Chuck.

While I've got my GM beanie on, are the Brewers intent on dumping Hardy this offseason? The guy had an awful year, but he still plays very good defense, and was a top 5-ish shortstop in 2007 and 2008. I'd take a flyer on him.

Edited to add statfaggotry: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-and-service-time

I'd would absolutely take a flyer on JJ Hardy. But the Theriot love is too strong. For Hardy to come here, Hendry probably has to go.

It looks like a trade is the only way to improve at SS, unless Starlin Castro and/or Hak-Ju Lee can age 4 years during the offseason. Just look at this collection of old/shitty shortstops:

Orlando Cabrera (35)
Alex Cora (34)
Craig Counsell (39)
Bobby Crosby (30)
Adam Everett (33)
Chris Gomez (39)
Alex Gonzalez (32)
Khalil Greene (30)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34)
John McDonald (35)
Marco Scutaro (34)
Miguel Tejada (36)
Omar Vizquel (43)
Jack Wilson (32)

And second base is just as terrible.

[Dave B]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

Great, Chuck.

While I've got my GM beanie on, are the Brewers intent on dumping Hardy this offseason? The guy had an awful year, but he still plays very good defense, and was a top 5-ish shortstop in 2007 and 2008. I'd take a flyer on him.

Edited to add statfaggotry: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-and-service-time

I would absolutely take a flyer on JJ Hardy. But the Theriot love is too strong. For Hardy to come here, Hendry probably has to go.

Since Theriot is the root of all that is wrong with this team, replacing him with a guy who's been sent to the minors by a third-place team is BRILLIANT!!!

Of course, moving The Riot to 2B and playing Hardy at SS would be an interesting thought, but even the evil Theriot couldn't supplant the Baker/Fontenot/Miles/Blanco quartet!!!

[R-V]

Unless Marmol flips a switch and reverts to his 2007/2008 walk rates now that he's closer, I wouldn't mind signing Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez to close next year. I'm assuming they won't command giant Francisco Cordero-esque contracts since they don't have the gaudy save numbers that give boners to a large number of GMs, and they've both had some injury issues.

That could cut my Soriano hate by 50%.

Great, Chuck.

While I've got my GM beanie on, are the Brewers intent on dumping Hardy this offseason? The guy had an awful year, but he still plays very good defense, and was a top 5-ish shortstop in 2007 and 2008. I'd take a flyer on him.

Edited to add statfaggotry: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-and-service-time

I would absolutely take a flyer on JJ Hardy. But the Theriot love is too strong. For Hardy to come here, Hendry probably has to go.

Since Theriot is the root of all that is wrong with this team, replacing him with a guy who's been sent to the minors by a third-place team is BRILLIANT!!!

Of course, moving The Riot to 2B and playing Hardy at SS would be an interesting thought, but even the evil Theriot couldn't supplant the Baker/Fontenot/Miles/Blanco quartet!!!

Are you related to Theriot?

[Ghost of Dave Rosello]

Moving Theriot to second isn't the worst idea in the world assuming they could find an adult-sized human to play shortstop. But, judging by the list of free agent suck that is available finding a new SS doesn't look likely unless Hendry can find somebody willing to take the garbage contracts he has to peddle.

[Simmer]

Why wait until 2010 to fix this shit?  It'd only take one move to right the ship.

DFA Aaron Miles