Jake Arrieta’s agreement on a one-year, $15.6375MM deal this week suggests his time with the Cubs could be reaching its end, Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago writes. Arrieta is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and his agent, Scott Boras, had previously said he and the Cubs would talk about an extension when the two sides discussed Arrieta’s 2017 salary this month. “The timeline is kind of coming to an end as far as as leading up to free agency,” Arrieta said yesterday. “I am here for one more year and I am going to enjoy every moment of it.” Still, he didn’t rule out the possibility that the two sides could still reach a deal. “If it happens, it happens. I don’t know where we stand. I really don’t. We do have some time to maybe work something out. If it doesn’t, I will become a free agent,” he said. Here’s more from out of Chicago.
- The Cubs have announced that they’ve hired David Ross as a special assistant to baseball operations. The 39-year-old Ross, of course, retired as a player after a strong 2016 season capped with a World Series Game 7 homer, and he’s beloved in Chicago. (He carried the World Series trophy at the beginning of this weekend’s Cubs Convention yesterday.) He’s looking forward to his new role, which seems open-ended — MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat writes that Ross will contribute in a variety of roles, including scouting, development and front-office work. “I don’t even know what I’m doing,” Ross says. “I feel like there’s a hall-of-fame front office and a relationship with guys who I have a bond with. They offered to help me grow in my baseball knowledge and try to learn different aspects of what goes on in the organization. I’m really going to be listening.”
- The Cubs recently lost out on Tyson Ross to the Rangers, but president of baseball operations Theo Epstein says the team still hopes to add starting pitching, as MLB.com’s Phil Rogers tweets. The Cubs “made it a difficult decision” for Ross, extending him an offer similar to the $6MM plus incentives he got from Texas, tweets CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney. Ross, formerly a top starter with the Padres, could have provided a strong back-end option for the Cubs provided he’d made a solid comeback from the shoulder troubles that cost him most of his 2016 season and resulted in surgery in October to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome.
There doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency on the part of Cubs management to extend Arrieta. Based on their track record I have to believe they know what they’re doing. I could see them dealing for a Chris Archer by the deadline, and letting Arrieta walk after the season.
They would have to per with major league assets to do so and I don’t see that happening while in win now mode. Also the cubs farm has taken hits over the last two years I don’t think they have the prospect power to pull an ace.
Neither do I. Now, if they had kept Torres instead of overpaying for Chapman they might have the pieces to get it done. As now of they’d had to sell the farm (Happ, Jimenez, Cease is what it would take at minimum) just to get the convo going.
We won the World Series, there was no overpay
They did win that WS w/Chapman…
I know it’s been said twice, but it can’t be overstated…any move that wins you a World Series is a good one. It is why the game is played.
He really wasn’t that great in the playoffs tho
He was the bullpen in the playoffs
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@ joemendoza23- If you’re trying to come off like a jerk, then congratulations. Only took over a century..
The Cubs don’t have the star depth in the farm that they had three years ago, but there are plenty of high impact prospects to swing a deal for an Archer type. Guys like Happ and Jimenez are top-tier prospects that the Cubs could offer if they really wanted to make a deal. There are some other good – but not elite – prospects like Candalario, Cease and Zagunis.
By taking hits you mean Russell contreras bryant Schwarber Carl Edwards jr Baez all coming up and raking?
Archer would cost them a lot of prospects, I have always said Sonny Gray is a perfect fit for the cubs. Maybe they do give Arrieta an extension with an opt out clause.
I really like Sonny as a fit for Chicago as well, but the price would be steep for Oakland’s franchise player. I mean, either would cost a combination of Happ and Jimenez, no?
I think for that they should look at Archer
I think one of Happ or Jimenez plus other pieces (Cease, De La Cruz etc)
X2
Cubs still need at least 2-3 starting pitching options before ST starts. Theo has been strangely inactive this offseason and is now left with a bunch of retreateds left on the open market. Very confusing…
Moron
Haha blanket insults instead of any substantial response? Typical fanboy… And I’m a Cubs fan too. Lol…
Their rotation is set. No one really thinks Montgomery will stay in the 5th spot the whole year with them probably adding something via trade but 2-3 pitching options? You don’t know what you’re talking about.
So teams should only go into the season with 5 starting options? They shouldn’t have any depth in case of injury? They shouldn’t be protecting against lackey and Arrieta leaving after 2017? Montgomery has less than 20 starts in his entire career. They need 2-3 more starting options. Look at how many starters the Dodgers had to use last year. The Cubs have been insanely lucky with injuries but don’t expect that to continue.
I wouldn’t be shocked if they traded for Quintana , or Sonny Gray. they will need 2-3 starters for next season. Maybe they do resign arrieta and give him an opt out clause
I think Gray would be more realistic than Quintana considering his price probably dropped substantially since 2015.
Gray’s huge falloff last season doesn’t scare you? Although, maybe he could be a buy low bargain.
If its a buy low option, gray could bounce back into his cy young form
If it’s a buy low option, there’s 20 teams with interest, driving up the price, making him not a buy low option.
That and the whole Oakland has no reason to sell low on him thing makes that a pretty unlikely scenario
Last year Beans was unwilling to give much of a discount on Sonny at all, despite him going from hero to zero.
Trust the kids in are minor Pitchers grade in A- Happ A Candilara b Jimenez A Edwards B Cease A don’t be like DBacks and trade your kids there a Year Away. Did good on holding on to Soler Still the time was right/ thanks Theo stick to the plan still and Hatch was great for a 3rd rounder nice job Jason McLiod
If the rotation were set why would no one really think Montgomery will stay. If you were set why would you add via trade? You prove your own point wrong you don’t know what your talking about . Look how the Cubs and Indians made the World Series pitching depth for the Indians and solid bat depth for the Cubs. Depth is key you have 4 starters and a binge long reliever trying to start the Cubs have a vulnerability and the front office knows it and that why they want and open acknowledge wanting more pitching.
You’re exactly right. Depth is the key in baseball. Look at what the Dodgers were able to put together while Kershaw was hurt. They had 8-10 good options behind him making his injury tolerable
The Cubs made it to the WS because they were the best team. They were also pretty healthy so depth wasn’t really an issue. The dodgers were pretty banged up. The depth was great but the stress the sp put on the pen throughout the year was evident and Maeda and Urias were clearly gassed. This was a terrible SP market and a high priced SP trade market. The Cubs aren’t operating in desperate mode. They broke their curse and can wait out the market until it becomes palatable.
Cahill got screwed he will be a all star for the Padres
Depth always proves which team is playoff ready the Cubs need more depth
Thank you. Crazy how it’s the Cubs fans that just don’t get it.
Cubs went pretty much the whole year without major injuries to their starting 5 last year. Thats almost impossible to do once let alone back to back years. Id expect them to circle back to travis wood as nothing much has been said about his market and he can start the year in the bullpen and spot start as necessary. Other options that seem likely to me would be pitchers similar to tyson ross who have a higher upside than most on the market but are dealing with injury concerns and are likely to receive a one year prove it deal like henderson alvarez. Long term solution is most likely someone in next years free agent crop. I doubt theyd trade major pieces for quintana or archer when they can just spend money next offseason considering arrieta will be off the books and most of their position players are on rookie deals.
They’ll resign wood now
Please don’t lump all Cub’s fan together like that. It does seem that the FO let off the gas this offseason, but Theo said that would happen back in ’15. Reading between the lines it seems they want to see what they have in Montgomery, Underwood, Brooks, Zastryzny, and whoever else steps up before the offseason. If it doesn’t work out then we will see the Cubs pretty active at the trade deadline
The plan is not done trust are kids pipeline still coming and give Szur a fair shot
Jed Hoyer has continually said that they are always looking for more starting pitching. At this point, I don’t think they are going to trade away blue chip games and try to find a #1 or #2. Montgomery and Zastrzny are likely to get a bunch of starts, especially with Maddon already tell us that they will use the six man rotation a little more this year, as they did last year, to cut down on starter innings.
Oddly, there is a guy still out there by the name of Jason Hammel, but at this point, you have to believe there is something in his medicals that is keeping him on the market. I would thing on Jan 15, there have to be 29 other teams that would need a #4 guy in their rotation.
I think the fact that most of the signings have been to the bullpen (and yes they are replacing guys) also eludes that they are trying to get as many arms for there aw Maddon pretty much confessed that he rode Rondon too hard in early August and that had to be a direct contributor to him falling out of usage down the stretch and in the playoffs. If he were more than 80% healthy he would have relieved a major burden from Chapman. Strop, as well.
There just has to be something wrong with Hammel’s medicals. He’s too good a pitcher to generate this little amount of interest.
I agree those two Rondon/Strope are still the best 1-2 in the league winning for those guys is between the ears
Less confusing if they go the trade route instead.
No
Need? Or the charter will be revoked?
They only have one more ‘open’ spot on the roster before injuries. Otherwise, somebody they added would have to be released in spring training.
They’re sitting at 95 win expectancy. They don’t need any thing else. Adding a SP would be a nice luxury, though.
I see Scott Kazmir as a potential fit
Not a terrible idea
I like Kazmir for a bounceback season, and I think the Dodgers are going to give him a shot at doing so before cutting bait. Compared to this year’s market, $32MM for the next two years is a lot to stomach.
I doubt it, he is taking up a spot in the rotation that a younger guy could have. I’m sure the Dodgers would trade him for a meh prospect and maybe even kick in some cash
Dodgers for the first time to many starters GM will Be like sharks in the water after Spring Training
Kazmir is hurt to much and gets 17m. Why is that a good option?
Charlie take this comment down
Cubs losing out on Ross was a huge blow to them. They’ll for sure turn and be aggressive in making a trade. No question — they’ll add another starter, if not 2 more arms. Sure, Montgomery is slated to be the #5, but that’s not really what they want to happen. They plan to roll with a 6-man rotation for much of the season, as well. But they don’t have that good lefty in the pen. They must, and will, add a lefty pen arm. Ultimately, Montgomery could be used in that “Andrew Miller role,” once a starter and LH pen are added. Watch it happen.
As far as Quintana, it won’t happen. The two match up perfectly, in terms of what each team wants and could part with. But Hahn *will not deal to the Cubs*
Sonny Gray would be a nice pick-up but Oakland probably wants to have him pitch again, to get a lot of his value back, and trade him in July. But the Cubs are trying for Doolittle as well. If they get both, it’d be a pretty solid answer, but expensive and unlikely.
How is missing out on ross a “huge blow”? He’s not gonna start the season and no one knows if he can even pitch yet.
Huge blow because that was their plan. Now it changes to being more aggressive in a trade. Losing Plan-A is considered a huge blow. How he performs is irrelevant to what the front office wanted to do this offseason.
What the front office wanted to do? If that was there plan, you really think they would have stopped at 6 mil? That’s less than they paid jon jay. You are exaggerating by a large margin.
Yes, it’s what they wanted to do. Isn’t that pretty well known anyway? He’s been linked to the Cubs for a long time, and they held out on any other heavier moves for a SP because he’s who they wanted to add foremost. In fact, Hoyer even said it today at the convention.
Which heavier moves? This was a terrible starting pitching market. Who did they even miss out on? Rich Hill? They wanted him at a cheap price to be sp depth. That is not a “huge blow”. You are again ignoring that they (likely) failed to beat 6m and some incentives, which is very little money, this isn’t some huge loss for them.
Yes, terrible market, that’s why it was a blow to miss out on Ross… He was the best available… This is exactly the point…
No one is saying Ross would be a prime target if there were better pitchers available. I’m not saying this is a blow to the Cubs 2017 rotation. Front office says they really missed out, because they lost their Plan A. The GM indeed said it himself. You are only arguing semantics… you don’t like the word “blow” because it means something much more to you. Again, they lost Plan A, and now need to scurry to Plan B. Call it whatever word you want.
Ross was not the top option. I’d rather watch Doug Davis pitch for the Cubs besides Ross and his arm
They did have an offer same if not better. But he picked the Rangers. Would 1MM more than Rangers bring him to the Cubs? I don’t know what he thinks. It’s possible the Cubs even did offer more. They’re not going to go out and beg him with a lot more and offer 9 guaranteed and 12 with incentives. That’d just be irresponsible. The heavier moves are the trades, because it’s obviously easier to use money than lose prospects, and the demands on SP in trade this winter have been almost ridiculous. Which again is why Ross was their top target.
mitt24, you mean YOUR top option then. That’s fine but I was talking about the Cubs FO..So who is your top choice?
Until they give up huge prospects for a sp, you can’t say that missing on ross is going to force them to make heavy moves. Missing out on a questionable starter like tyson ross doesn’t mean you then need go get a 1/2 type pitcher, they just aren’t at all comparable.
And if tyson ross is this big offseason plan for them, letting 3m get in the way of that for a team that just won the ws and has the money from that, is just stupid. 3m is almost nothing or the cubs. Again, they paid jon jay 8m to platoon in cf.
Your argument just doesn’t make any sense when you take context into consideration.
Now it’s “huge prospects.” Doesn’t have to be Happ and Jimenez; it could be Pierce Johnson or Eddy Martinez or anyone… It’s not even a “big offseason plan,” plan-A as in the rotation addition before they decided what else they had to do, which that plan-B would be more “expensive” in terms of using any prospect. but needing a better pitcher than they would have needed in trade, if they had Ross. Context is exactly why the argument makes sense.
Again, in your opinion Ross is questionable, that doesn’t mean a team thinks the same… *I personally*, think losing out on Ross and likely trading for a pitcher, maybe better, isn’t such a bad thing for them.
I wish people would stop saying the Sox won’t deal with the Cubs. That’s silly and simply not true. If the Cubs offered a package of prospects for Q that delivers value to the Sox, Hahn would make the deal.
since the cubs lost out on getting tyson ross, how about they sign doug fister
The Cubs should trade with the tigers. We will give you mike pelfrey for a case of old style. We might throw in anibal Sanchez if you sweeten the deal and give us 2 cases of old style and some Chicago beef
They’d be better off adding a ‘boring’ guy (Fiers or McHugh) at a more reasonable trade price.
Giving up Happ or Jimenez (who could have a $50-plus million dollar value) seems short-sighted. But then, I consider the Cubs contention window to be 8 + years.
Doolittle is expensive for what he is – above average but injury prone.
Need to look a Travis Wood back as LHRP
I wouldn’t re-sign Arrietta. Take the draft pick or picks. Arrietta seems like the type of guy who is going to get a contract that is impossible to live up to and his peripherals last year, while solid, weren’t ace like and at his age, decline probably isn’t too far off.
I’m pretty sure that draft pick compensation goes away next year. I think we will know by mid year the idea they have in plan with Arrieta. If they don’t think they are going to sign him, I am sure they will ride him as hard as they can and get as much out of him as they can. See Aroldis Chapman.
what they should do is sign wade davis long term because if not they will be trading their prospects again for another closer.
It seems like they’re grooming CJ to be their closer. Or they have rondon who was pretty good before injury. I’m less worried about closer than I am about them finding starters.
I’d also like to see Wade Davis pitch and not have more forearm problems before I ever considered extending him
I listen to their minor league games. If their offense only requires ten wins-above from the SPs over the next five or so seasons (to reach the mid/hiigh 90’s), I’m only concerned about the pitching if they trade pitching prospects to add Archer, or whoever.
If the offense stays on-point, Cease/Clifton/ODLC/Paulino/Albertos and others should be able to fill out the rotation on the cheap.
Trust the pipeline there still coming Pitchers also
Draft pick compensation does not go away, it’s just lower picks instead of a sandwich pick between round 1-2 like it used to be. Not sure what the exact compensation is though.
Assuming the Cubs break the luxury tax again, they would get a pick after the 4th round. If they don’t, they’d get a pick after the 2nd round.
Which is why they should try to stay below the penalty threshold.
Yes
Arrietta is a Boras client, when is the last time one of those negotiated an extension before hitting FA?
Doesn’t matter what the Cubs want, it matters what Boras wants and that’s to have his client on the open market & squeeze every dime he can for a late blooming pitcher that hasn’t a proven track record to elicit the kind of money he wants him to get as an “ace”.
I believe their best bet is to move him before the deadline & get something in return (i like a Sonny Gray swap). Because soon they’ll have to come up with the money for Rizzo and/or Bryant.
Last year when Stephen Strasburg extended with the nats. And why would the A’s ever trade Gray for Arrietta? If the cubs can’t/don’t want to afford him, you think the A’s can?
I think Stras was an interesting case he was guaranteed 175 and he’s had his long list of injury problems. So in a sense he was more fragile of a pitcher. I’m sure he would like to take Arrietta to the open market, but then again it’s going to be dependent on Arrietta. The A’s have no incentive to trade for Arrietta they wouldn’t even get draft picks in your trade scenario.
Strasburg has been quite fragile & he’s probably the only Boras client that they both knew their best bet was to extend if that offer came. As far as Gray, it was merely a mention, not an expectation…regardless anyone that could potentially trade for him would only get him as a rental.
I’d like to see them trade jon jay for mike trout. It’s not an expectation, just a mention. See it’s still dumb.
Real talk tho
I can see Jon Jay getting flipped for a B level prospect at the deadline when Almora is ready. Makes sense.
Almora is yet to have an impressive season with the bat in the minors, let alone the majors. I think we’ll be waiting on him for more than 3 months before he can generate enough value to start full time.
LOL
He wanted to stay, and told Boras to make it happen.
He is a ace but Boris will destroy us Cub fans like The Nationals look at them now very Avg mostly Boris being the jerk to hurt that team
Good thing Ross chose the team with the best system and clubhouse for him in Texas.
Yeah, the clubhouse is important for him since he spends so little time on the field.
With Jake Arietta more and more likely becoming a free agent following the 2017 season, Tyson Ross now off the board and Rays starter Drew Smyly recently being dealt perhaps the Cubs will put their “political” differences aside and enter the trade discussions involving Jose Quintana of the White Sox.
I still see a match between the Chicago teams even with the Cubs reluctant to part with any players off of their 2017 active MLB roster. Their two top prospects, Ian Happ and Eloy Jiminez would be a good starting point, each being among the top 23 in MLB.com’s 100 best prospect rankings. Happ, who is projected to be MLB ready later this season or in 2018 at either 2B or LF is an advanced college bat who is blocked by Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber on the North Side. Jiminez has an ETA of 2019 and projects to be a prototypical MLB right-fielder with a strong arm and plus power, traits the White Sox currently lack in their minor league system. Jiminez may also be blocked as a corner outfielder, even in 2019 with Jason Heyward unlikely to opt out of his 8 yrs/$184MM contract and Schwarber still manning LF on a regular basis. Jiminez doesn’t profile in CF with his size and average speed. The Cubs already view Albert Almore, Jr. as their everyday core regular at the position anyway.
Imo, Happ and Jiminez would be as good a fit with the White Sox as any of the elite prospects being reported as available in discussions with the Astros, Pirates and Braves. Those teams are offering more pitching which the Cubs can’t deal and the White Sox already have an abundance of in their minor league system. To seal a potential deal with the Cubs, perhaps switch-hitting third baseman Jeimer Candelario could be added to the mix. He’s currently rated #99 on MLB’s prospect list and is blocked on the Cubs roster by Kris Bryant. Candelario made a cameo debut with the Cubs last season and should be able to step into the 3B position once impending FA Todd Frazier is dealt by the summer trade deadline. Candelario trumps any of the current White Sox 3B prospects which include disappointing Matt Davidson and offensively challenged Trey Michalczewski.
It seems the only thing getting in the way of a trade involving the Cubs and White Sox is the fear of making an inter-city deal. This trade makes too much sense with the Cubs in need of a dependable and cheap long term quality addition to their rotation and the White Sox still lacking high potential offensive players in their farm system. Get over your fear and make it so, Theo and Rick!
If the cubs viewed almora as their everyday regular in cf already, they wouldn’t have paid jon jay 8m to platoon with him
There’s little doubt that the front office and most Cubs fans view Almora as the team’s “core” centerfielder for the long haul, which is exactly what I posted. This will be his first year on the opening day roster and his first full season as a semi-regular player with the Cubs. There is no need to install him as Dexter Fowler’s everyday replacement at this stage of his career.
Jon Jay provides insurance and depth to the CF position as well as an an option, along with Ben Zobrist, for Joe Maddon in the lead-off spot. Almora isn’t ready to assume the role of lead-off hitter yet and Zobrist won’t play 162 games at his age either. Almora and Jay also give the Cubs some added defensive insurance in LF late in ball games when Kyle Schwarber starts.
Not a bad trade idea. Btw, there are concerns about Almora’s hit tool. His ceiling might be a 4th outfielder.
Sure, Almora is no sure thing just like most prospects or young MLB talents. However, he already possesses a plus MLB glove for an important defensive position in CF and has also displayed good instincts for the game throughout his young professional career.
Every player on the Cubs who fits the prospect or young MLB talent category has some degree of question marks regarding his MLB potential or ceiling with the possible exception of Kris Bryant. Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez and Willson Contreras all look like safe bets for success right now but that wasn’t always the case. All-Star Anthony Rizzo was hardly a lock for success for an extended period of his young professional career, including his early seasons in MLB.
As a die-hard 61-year old Cub and White Sox fan, I have seen a multitude of CF’s come and go. Imo, Almora has a chance to be the equal or better than some outstanding defensive ones in Chicago like Jim Landis, Ken Berry, Chet Lemon and Lance Johnson who all played for the White Sox. Almora might already be better defensively than any Cub centerfielder I have seen. Bobby Dernier is the only one who I can think of with the Cubs and he wasn’t quite in the same class defensively as those White Sox mentioned, at least among those who were starting players.
Rick Monday was excellent in Center for the Cubs
He was a favorite of mine but was not considered a very good defensive outfielder, although he did cover a lot of ground in saving the American flag from being burned!
Interesting that you always say you are a Cubs and Sox fan but it sure always seems like you are a White Sox fan. Here again you claim the Cubs must put political differences aside.
But you offer no support for your comment. Yet it was all over the blogs and news a month or so ago that the White Sox had the problem. But you point fingers at the Cubs? Stop claiming to be a Cubs fan
I believe the very last sentence in my comment puts your argument to rest, “Get over your fear and make it so, Theo and Rick!
Btw-It was actually Rick Hahn who publicly dispelled the notion of the two clubs never wanting to deal with one another. There was so much controversy in Chicago regarding this story that he called the media to make this comment last December:
“To clarify any confusion regarding our stance on possible trading partners, we want to once again make it clear that our primary goal is to make our club better. We will consider any trade, with any team, that improves the Chicago White Sox.
“As I have said many times over the years, we are always open to discussing trades with all 29 other clubs. We even have completed trades within our division, despite facing these teams 19 times a year, and while trades between the Cubs and White Sox will always draw heightened scrutiny and attention, it makes no sense for us to ever eliminate any potential trading partners.”
The cubs lost out on Tyson Ross , so instead of trading prospects for another pitcher like Gray or Archer, why not sign Doug Fister.
Not a bad idea if the money is right.