FEBRUARY 18TH: DeWitt has apparently cleared waivers and has until Wednesday to decide whether to sign with the Cubs as a non-roster invitee, tweets Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.
FEBRUARY 6TH: The Cubs announced that they designated infielder Blake DeWitt for assignment. The move creates 40-man roster space for Adrian Cardenas, who the Cubs claimed from Oakland today.
DeWitt, 26, posted a .265/.305/.413 line in 243 plate appearances in 2011, playing left field, second base and third base. The 2004 first rounder owns a .260/.329/.385 career line in four seasons with the Dodgers and Cubs.
DeWitt and the Cubs had agreed to a $1.1MM salary for 2012 earlier in the offseason, avoiding arbitration. The Cubs could attempt to deal DeWitt, but if they release him, I expect they'll be responsible for one sixth of his salary (approximately $183K). He was arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason.
Sajju Shah
Dewitt, there is always room for you in Chavez Ravine. We just paid Mark Ellis $9M to do things worse than you did.
whatever
Bring him back to LA
BlueSkyLA
No thanks. He looked like he might be something special for about 15 days one spring. Now he looks like a utility player.
Gumby65
All the more reason to bring him back, actually…
BlueSkyLA
Yeah, that might have made some sense if he’d been available earlier, before the Hairston and Kennedy signings, but not today. Besides, he isn’t necessarily available even now.
melonis_rex
he’s better than Ellis, Kennedy, Hairston, and Uribe, with the potential to be a lot better.
melonis_rex
he’s better than Ellis, Kennedy, Hairston, and Uribe, with the potential to be a lot better.
BlueCatuli
And the children dance!!!!!!!
Dave 32
Well, i’d rather have him in St. Louis rather than Alex Cora. Maybe they can give him a minor league deal and have them fight it out instead.
Corey 2
I’d have to agree that he’d be better in St. Louis than Cora. I am guessing, at this point, he will land somewhere with a little more need at 2nd base though.
Mikey Roederer
Finally….This guy just was never able to put it all together..I would much rather have Cardenas than DeWitt
Snoochies8
they just claimed adrian cardenas….only to designate a better version of adrian cardenas for assignment
Lefty
I like Blake DeWitt…. give him a shot at second base for the O’s
Plus, his salary is quite reasonable.
Now this is the kind of gamble that Lefty likes! Not Manny Ramirez!
lefty177
what’s wrong with Roberts? Is he not cleared from his concussion last year yet?
Marty McBurney
He couldn’t even come to the O’s fanfest due to his concussion symptoms…how’s he going to play baseball…they need to treat him like Albert Belle and try to collect the insurance on his contract for the next two years….
mstrchef13
I was thinking the same thing. I’d rather have DeWitt as our emergency starting 2B than Andino.
CandyMaldonadoLand
Goodbye Kenny Loggins.
rockfordone
He will have a job in a couple of days. Good ball player. Just can’t play the outfield.
Awful – stick to second.
dudemanbro
bye bye, Franchise
Corey 2
Decent utility guy off the bench. He’ll land on 2 feet somewhere, for sure. I wish him the best as a Cubbie fan.
elchingen
Athletics should put in a claim so this goes full circle.
melonis_rex
Yes please.
Have him backing up the infield, or at the minimum, competing for a job in ST.
Tacho Bill
This guy has Pirate written all over him. He may as well order a Primanti’s and begin learning Pittsburghese.
thegrayrace
If for no other reason than being a former Dodger prospect… are any of Andy LaRoche, Delwyn Young or Xavier Paul still around?
Van_Wilder_0812
Thank you! Especially with what’s going on with the Burnett trade debacle. The biggest hold up is that the Yanks want Jones, which would put McGehee at first, leaving zero insurance at third if Pedro stinks it up again.
If the Bucs can snag DeWitt we have a backup infielder who won’t be a total hole in the field/lineup and Jones becomes more dispensable.
CaseyBlakeDeWitt
Bringing him back to LA would be awesome, but I’ll be rooting for him wherever he ends up (Colorado? I wouldn’t mind that reunion).
padresgm
DeWitt to San Diego for a Reliever im AA. Maybe Nick Vincent
jammin502
Maybe just DeWitt to San Diego as compensation for Jed Hoyer.
Tyler 20
this is kinda a head scratcher he wasnt that bad and wasnt all that expensive
touchmymonkey
Average player – ok 2B -less than ok but can fill in at 3B and corner OF – very cheap $$wise. Has Mets written all over it.
peazgrl1545
Tigs should pick him up… and release Ryan Raburn.
Running Scared
more like pick him up and release Inge.
JacksTigers
You’re forgetting that Raburn is the best left fielder on the team. Release Raburn? Are you serious?
C.I.F.O.R.
tigers are no longer using the term “fielder” , now its GIL (Guy in Left), GAT (Guy at Third) etc..
JacksTigers
Raburn is a very good left fielder on defense. Look it up.
jammin502
Maybe Selig decided DeWitt to Boston for Epstein compensation?
daveineg
Dewitt is only 26. While he’s best suited to back up, he’s a very useful player for a lot of teams. The Cubs are putting a lot of faith in Ian Stewart.
Mike
Dewitt is awful. its never a good sign when you ve played every position except CF, generally means u cant play any position well. below average BA, OBP, SLG. STINKS!!!
matthew07
As a baseball fan and Cubs fan, I wish Blake DeWitt the best. He wore a Cubs uniform. He played at Wrigley Field. He will always be remembered by Cubs fans (or, at least this one) as a guy that played for the Chicago Cubs. I love all current and former Cubs players, from Blake DeWitt to Milton Bradley to Andre Dawson. From those that parted early…RIP, to Kevin Foster and Rob Beck. They are all players and human beings that have touched upon our lives as Cubs fans. They offered a possibility of what seems impossible sometimes, a World Series. Though those expectations haven’t been fulfilled, all Cubs players (I suspect) want to bring the Cubs a World Series championship, no matter what ups and downs and controversies have occurred. I look forward to seeing all of the new Cubs, from the veterans to the rookies. The Cubs have a new front office and have made quite a few moves in the right direction. Will those moves, and future moves, bring them a championship? We’ll see. But putting the pieces together in a new way and really taking the time to build something is wonderful to watch. Baseball is a patience game. I, for one, am enjoying the pace of this latest change in the Chicago Cubs. Good luck to all current and former Cubs!
xcfan
Mariners should pick him up and dump Figgins.
SpfldCynic
I’d take him in KC over the Yunigma ANY day.