I know there were some other threads, but this is for what has actually happened and not what you want to happen.

So far Big Z has been removed from the restricted list and reinstated on the 40 man roster. I think this was just a paperwork move and the new GM will decide his fate.

Brian Schlitter was designated for assignment.

Justin Berg has been designated for assignment.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Mike Quade was scorned and laughed at by a group of minor leaguers on his way back to oblivion.

The Cubs have to make room on the 40 man roster to protect players form the rule 5 draft which takes place on Nov 20. Matt Szczur, Ryan Flaherty, Rebel Ridling and Josh Vitters (though it would be intersting to see if he would even be chosen) have to be added or they would be available for other teams to draft. There may be other playerss who need to be added. Schlitter and Berg were easy choices to go but they need to clear at least 2 more spots.

Who knows if these decisions have already been made and who made them but it would be nice if the new GM has a say on who is and who is not on the roster.

Szczur hasn't been around long enough has he?

Grabow and Reed can leave at any time.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Because of the way they structured the contract he has to be on the 40 man or he'll be considered a free agent. It may have been 'clean' but if it costs them a player it may not have been 'smart'.

Jim Hendry. His bad decisions will be felt for years.......


Szczur officially signed his new contract on March 18. After consulting the commissioner's office, the Cubs determined that the cleanest way to alter Szczur's bonus amount was to first release and then re-sign him to a new minor league deal. By signing him to a second contract, however, the Cubs triggered a provision that will make Szczur eligible for December's major league Rule 5 draft—but only if he's not a member of Chicago's 40-man roster.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/pro ... lications/

That is ridiculous. They can make room for him though.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

By Paul Sullivan

Tribune reporter

6:17 p.m. CDT, October 3, 2011
Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts declined to address rumors that Boston general manager Theo Epstein may be interested in leaving the Red Sox for the Cubs' GM vacancy.

“I don’t know; there’s a lot of good candidates out there," Ricketts told Fox Business Network when asked if Epstein was leaving for the Cubs. "We’re going to talk to a handful of them and I’m sure we’ll come up with the right fit for the team. Ultimately it will be the decision of myself and my family. Obviously we didn’t get it done on the field this year. It was a disappointing season for everyone, but, we’re going to get some new leadership.”

Epstein is conducting a managerial search in Boston. but reports that he may be interested in any offer from the Cubs have circulated in various news outlets, albeit without any named sources. He's considered the Cubs' top choice if he's available, though he has one year remaining on his contract in Boston.

Ricketts told the new channel that he was disappointed in the Cubs' 2011 season, which ended with a fifth-place finish and 71-91 record.

“Going to both this season and last season, we thought we had a team that would perform better than it turned out to perform," he said. "You can’t go back in time, you look forward, we have a lot of good things to build on and we’ll get there.”

Ricketts also reiterated what he told beat writers last week in San Diego- that he didn't care who won the World Series and isn't interested in watching the postseason without the Cubs in it.

“I don’t root for anyone," he said. "It’s hard to enjoy them now that we’re not in it.”

psullivan@tribune.com


Hey FanBoy, get to fucking work. "We're going to talk to a handful of them". WTF is that about you moron? Why don't you call Mark Cuban and see if he'll buy your lame ass out?

Is there a way Tom can hire bison burgers to be his new general manager? I think they have to be considered a frontrunner.

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Offseason Outlook: Chicago Cubs
By Tim Dierkes [October 5 at 11:46am CST]
The Cubs are at a crossroads this offseason, as they seek a new GM and face the temptation of adding more big free agent contracts.

Guaranteed Contracts

•Alfonso Soriano, LF: $54MM through 2014, full no-trade clause
•Carlos Zambrano, SP: $18MM through 2012, full no-trade clause
•Marlon Byrd, CF: $6.5MM through 2012
•Carlos Marmol, RP: $16.8MM through 2013
•Sean Marshall, RP: $3.1MM through 2012
Contract Options

•Aramis Ramirez, 3B: $16MM mutual option with $2MM buyout
•Ryan Dempster, SP: $14MM player option
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

•Randy Wells, SP: $2.2MM
•Blake DeWitt, 2B: $1.2MM
•Geovany Soto, C: $4MM
•Matt Garza, SP: $8.7MM
•Jeff Baker, UT IF/OF: $1.4MM
•Koyie Hill, C: $850K (non-tender candidate)
Free Agents

•Carlos Pena (Type B 1B), John Grabow (unranked RP), Kerry Wood (Type B RP), Rodrigo Lopez (unranked SP), Ramon Ortiz (unranked RP), Reed Johnson (unranked UT OF)
The Cubs were a $134MM disaster in 2011. Despite all their spending the team hasn't reached the playoffs since '08. This summer they fired longtime GM Jim Hendry, whose teams made the playoffs in three of nine seasons. Owner Tom Ricketts seeks a more analytically-inclined GM to craft the roster. His other criteria include a commitment to player development and a track record of success. Ricketts has pledged silence during the ongoing search, but reports suggest he's initially targeting current GMs such as Theo Epstein and Andrew Friedman. The job security of Mike Quade is in question as well, as a new GM may want to hire a new manager.

The new GM will have to spend free agent dollars wisely, which was often a problem for Hendry in recent years. A steady payroll for 2012 could give the Cubs a hefty $40MM to work with in 2012 salaries. The possibility of a quick turnaround tempts Ricketts, who referenced the Diamondbacks' success in a recent interview. The D'Backs were fairly restrained in free agency last winter, but the Cubs are in a position to throw around some cash in the coming months. The potential areas to upgrade are plentiful, with openings at the infield corners, right field, the rotation, and in the bullpen.

The Cubs may have to make a concession at third base. The opportunity to re-sign Ramirez - easily the best free agent third baseman available - to a below-market contract hasn't motivated them, and the team's offense will suffer without him. The first base market is appealing, with superstars Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder options to take up more than half of the Cubs' payroll flexibility. With such a clear rotation need, though, the Cubs could lower their sights at first base and re-sign Pena or pursue Michael Cuddyer. Cuddyer's versatility could be a nice match for the Cubs, who have openings at all his positions.

The Cubs appear intent on unloading Zambrano, whose performance is probably worth a few million dollars to some team. Chone Figgins could be a reasonable target given the Cubs' third base vacancy and the limited options at that position, though the Mariners would have to be willing to take another potential head case from the Cubs. Assuming Dempster returns, he'll join Garza and Wells in the rotation. If a quick fix is the goal the Cubs would be best-served by shopping in the high-end section of the market: C.C. Sabathia, C.J. Wilson, or Yu Darvish. On the other hand, signing any of the potential $100MM+ players this offseason would hardly break the Cubs' cycle of piling on burdensome contracts.

I can't picture the Cubs slashing payroll given their attendance and rabid fanbase, but I'm also not convinced they're going to come away with Pujols, Fielder, Sabathia, Wilson, or Darvish. With so many needs, the Cubs could easily spread their surplus among four or five veterans. Other big-market teams have shown an ability to contend and improve the farm system simultaneously, a strategy the Cubs appeared to finally initiate with a slew of over-slot signings in the June draft.