The Cubs have signed right-hander Junichi Tazawa to a minor league contract, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports (Twitter link).
The move reunites Tazawa with Theo Epstein, who was the Red Sox general manager in December 2008 when Tazawa signed with Boston to begin his pro career (bypassing the Nippon Professional Baseball draft in order to go straight to North America). Tazawa was a sturdy member of Boston’s relief corps from 2012-16, though his performance dropped off after he signed a two-year, $12MM free agent deal with the Marlins prior to the 2017 season. The righty posted a 6.57 ERA over 75 1/3 innings in Miami, which led to his release last May.
Tazawa signed minors deals with the Tigers and Angels last season, getting back to the Majors for eight September games in an Angels uniform. All in all, it has been an ugly two years for Tazawa — a 6.16 ERA, 7.1 K/9, 1.74 K/BB rate, and 1.6 HR/9 over his last 83 1/3 frames. He has endured a big spike in his home run and hard-hit ball rates, as well as a decline in fastball velocity (92mph in 2018, down from 93mph in 2017 and an average of better than 94mph during his time in Boston).
Despite these recent struggles, there isn’t much risk for the Cubs in taking Tazawa to Spring Training to see if he has anything left in the tank. Chicago has been on the hunt for low-cost bullpen help this winter, looking for depth since incumbent closer Brandon Morrow could miss Opening Day in the wake of elbow surgery. Brad Brach signed a one-year, Major League deal with the team on Thursday, while the Cubs have also added the likes of Rob Scahill and George Kontos on minor league contracts.
Loved watching this dude pitch when he was on the Red Sox… him striking out Miggy in game 3 of the 2013 ALCS was one of the most clutch singular at bats for a pitcher I’d ever seen (runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs in the bottom of the 7th and it was the year he won the triple crown… next batter hit into a double play and Red Sox wound up winning 1-0).
Really a shame to see what Farrell’s overuse did to his career
Can’t blame Farrell for this guy’s spiral. If anything Farrell put him the best position to win. Dude was always mediocre. “Overuse” is an excuse for ending a season poorly but not sucking for years.
Actually, it’s pretty easy to overuse a pitcher one year and pretty much end his career. Look up the career of Mark Fidrych sometime.
Bring up Fydrich and someone will swear it was that mysterious bar fight which ruined his career.. I’m with u tho David.. Going from barely throwing to 200+ innings probably wasn’t much good for him..
Fydrich was not a good example. He was hurt and tried to pitch through it. Had he pitched more recently, his career may have been saved.
He clearly IMHO was used and abused by Farrell. Hope with rest he finds himself because he gave it everything he had in Boston. Wishing him nothing but the best.
Keith Foulke too. He pitched his butt off the the Red Sox in 04, and was. Ever the same
Also look at Mark Prior career for “overuse”. Dusty has even admitted that he used him the wrong way
Look at steroids for Mark Prior more than his overuse, but I agree with overuse as a secondary issue.
Huh? Any source for this at all?
Prior and Wood are case point 1 and 2 about Dusty’s disastrous overuse of his pitchers.
Prior hurt his shoulder in a fall during an infield rundown and was never the same. In fact, he was allowed to continue pitching that day. Baker is to blame for that, but it wasn’t over-use that ruined Prior.
Taz threw 75.1 including the playoffs in 2013, the very same playoffs that he struck out Miggy and performed so well. no signs of overuse there. He threw 63 the next year, and his innings declined the two following years. Where exactly was the overuse?
Going many days in a row. Warming up multiple times per game, warming but not getting in. Many ways to misuse a pitcher and not have it show up in stats. Farrell was guilty of all of the above and while he was a solid pitching coach, he seemed to lose it the longer he was a manager.
More of the same. Go get Bryce!!!!
These are appetizers, leading up to that main course you are craving .
I do. I think cubs have money to either spread around for relief or get Bryce. Since most relievers have gone off board and longer Bryce stays unsigned they will swoop in. No way they pay Hamels $20 mil for one year when could have had Monty start and Bryce in Of
Unless they can get Harper on a “team friendly/value” contract, which they won’t, it’s not going to happen.
Huge megadeals for a ton of years are not surprisingly, not very popular anymore. I wonder why…
Supposedly the Cubs don’t got much left in the bank and that’s why we’re seeing deals like this. Hoping to get some useful innings for cheap from somewhere. It can’t hurt.
Seriously though. I wonder how many people on this site actually follow baseball or just follow the superstar signing, “history being made”, top ten prospect, etc., ADD fest that ESPN makes it out to be.
You sound like media thinking they know Cubs/Ricketts money situation. Cubs didn’t sign heyward and darvish and chatwood morrow and everyone else not marking the calendar knowing when Harper is coming up . The call us before you sign with anyone indicates some interest . When you go to a poker game or auction does everyone show their hands?
you think so Mikel?
Dumpster diving Theo
Get a new line
No, actually well played. I’m guessing he out-trolled a troll.
That’s the first time I said it. The other Sox dude always says it.
Dumpster Divin’ Theo!
No way he makes the team
K.
For Cubs fan, they better hope he doesn’t. He’s was done the moment he signed that ridiculous contract with the Fish
Let’s not forget that Max Muncy, Joey Wendle, Derek Rodriguez etc., etc. were found last year by similar “dumpster diving”. You could probably put a roster of DFAs, minor league free agents, Rule 5 draft picks, etc. from last year and win more games than the Orioles did.
The cost? 40 x minimum wage, or about 27M, including benefits. Dere’s gold in dat dere “after market”…..
Ryan Brasier as well a MiLB contract last spring and it worked out tremendous. Can’t hurt to take a chance on these guys. Never know when the magic may come back for a guy like Taz who at 1 time, had a really nasty splitter.
‘dumpster diving’ is frankly just smart if you’re a big market team. Minimal cost, minimal risk, and if you get lucky it was a ‘genius’ find
Even if you cut 10 guys you gambled on ahead of him, because they didn’t cost you anything besides the baseball equivalent of pocket change
Agreed Bob. Suggests how bad the O’s were. Too bad because winning as a Sox fan just feels better when the team beats a good O’s club or one managed by BS. Have to say it, Buck is a brilliant baseball mind but if he’s not in your dugout, he can get be annoying.
Anibal Sanchez 2018 for example. 1yr 1mil
Iowa Cubs are going to have to have Eighties nights to honor all their players birthdays!
lol!!!
this is a total sign they are getting bryce harper. lol! I love how every deal is the best according to cubs fans. its awesome to watch.
I’m a cubs fan and I never said it’s a good signing. He won’t make the team and will never be heard from again.
K.
There’s not a single comment here that’s calling it a good move, so I’m not sure what you think you’re commenting on…
I think the overwhelming response even from Cubs fans can be summed up as ‘meh, can’t hurt’
This is what the Cubs have come to. Theo should have been checked after the Heyward signing. It’s easy to go out and buy the players that might get you the title but it’s 100x harder to keep it going and Theo has done a piss poor job of that. Now they’re so desperate for cheap players they kept the wife beater on the roster. I hope that title was worth it Cub’s fans because it’s probably going to be a another century before they sniff another one.
Well cubs fans will say one of two things. “The Cubs print money” or “good depth signing”
K.
downvoted
And the White Sux fans will say one of two things “I really wish my team was the Cubs right now” or “I really REALLY wish my team was the Cubs right now”.
The Cubs have ‘come to’ a 95-win team and that’s supposed to be shameful?
One World Series in my lifetime ? Yes totally worth it . If you aren’t a diehard cub fan you won’t understand and impossible to try and make you. If you are 30 years old you have never seen a Dodgers World Series . How much more will they throw at players? Trade for darvish and machado still haven’t won. Think a dodgers fan wouldn’t love to have just one ?
ps—the title was worth it…….it has increased the troll amount about 300 fold and has people actually commenting about Junichi Tazawa or George Kontos signings, completely concerned about the Ricketts’ money and the awful career of Theo Epstein. Here’s a short list of players they grabbed before or during the 2016 season: Jack Leathersich, Scott Barnes, Yoervis Medina, Edgar Olmos, Jesus Guzman, Kristopher Negron, Nick Greenwood, Aaron Crow, Manny Parra, Matt Clark, hey–Matt Murton, Giovanni Soto, Joel Peralta, yep actually, Lane Adams. The beat goes on—-pretty sure none of them got a ring and somehow the Cubs still won the World Series.
Exactly!
I purposely left Brian Matusz off the list. He pitched in one game, against the Mariners and got shelled. The Cubs came back and won on Lester’s squeeze bunt in the 12th. This was also the game that Strop and Travis Wood played shuttle between the mound and left field. I’m not 100% sure, but since Matusz was on the active roster (for that day), he may have received a ring.
Rayland Oh?
Downvoted times two
downvoted
The cubs got one freaking ring in 110 years. So what?
So that’s the point of spending money, to win a ring.
They spent a bunch of money, got what they wanted, now a bunch of idiots are trying to paint that as a bad thing because they can ‘only’ afford a 220 million dollar payroll for a team that’s clearly still one of the best in the league….
Cubs fans, the people who’s opinion the team actually cares about, are pretty content with that trade off.
K.
downvoted
Downvoted again
Other teams who spend like the Cubs do have something to show for it on the roster (stars who contribute). The Cubs do not.
themed, you can’t point out truth to delusional #Cubdrones. They consider that trolling.
A world series win and three straight NLCS appearances is ‘nothing to show for it’s
Your standards are either ridiculously high or meaninglessly subjective…
But cubs have a World Series ring and since 2016 only Astros and Red Sox as well
Ha ha that is funny
Oh it was worth it. Thank you for asking.
One measly ring but still long term losers. Always will be remembered as losers and whiners.
Most of the losing and whining seems to be coming from the south side these days…
and in some cases, St. Louis.
St Louis has a storied history of winners and always contending. Exactly opposite of the cubs bub.
And yet, still relevant enough to capture your attention. Must be doing something right.
One more then most
The entire Iowa Cubs roster will be AAAA middle relievers.
Dude is nasty in MLB the show
Pretty much, but that’s kinda what contending teams want at AAA, guys that can provide depth for injuries. Not many holes at all on the 25 man roster right now for a team that’s won more games than any team in the show the last 4 years.
It’s the team for misfit pitchers…
Meh, nothing to see here unless they catch lightning in the bottle. A depth piece that will end up at AAA.
Or they will cut him out of spring training