Another scoop from Bruce Levine.

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With Hamilton to the Angels, Cubs should try for one of the OFs. Trading one of them for Dickey is already being speculated.

Nah

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Theo and Co certainly don't have much patience with LH relievers with the news that Jeff Beliveau got DFA'd a couple days ago. Showed some potential esp. against lefties. Maybe he slips through waivers and they can keep him but doubtful.

Chicago Cubs Designate Jeff Beliveau for Assignment
Bleacher Nation
By Brett on December 13, 2012

In anticipation of impending roster madness, the Chicago Cubs today opened up one spot on the 40-man roster by designating lefty reliever Jeff Beliveau for assignment. Beliveau is removed immediately from the 40-man roster, and the Cubs will have 10 days to trade, waive, or release Beliveau. Assuming they don’t have a trade on the horizon, they’ll likely go the waive route, in an attempt to outright him back to Iowa.

Will he be claimed if waived? Hard to say. Two years ago, Beliveau broke out in the minors, and was the Cubs’ minor league pitcher of the year. He had a shot to make the club out of Spring Training last year, but didn’t quite get it done. Eventually he did make it up to the big club in July, and was thought to be in the mix to be one of the lefties in the pen in 2013. I’m sure the Cubs hope they can keep him, again, barring a trade. He certainly has good stuff.

Beliveau threw 17.2 innings for the Cubs last year, and struck out 17, which is swell. Unfortunately he walked 12, which is not. His control issues were the very thing that held him back in the minors, and the very thing he corralled in his breakout 2011 season.

If Beliveau is out of the picture, the Cubs’ left-handed relief depth is hilariously thin. It’s James Russell and … Travis Wood? Brooks Raley? Chris Rusin? All of those three are nominally starters, so we’ll have to see what’s what. I’d expect a veteran lefty on the way at some point.

The move technically takes the Cubs’ 40-man roster back down to 39, but they’ve still got to add both Nate Schierholtz and Ian Stewart. There is also the possibility that Chang-Yong Lim’s deal will require a 40-man spot.

Cubs have a whole lot of shit on the 40 man roster.

Exactly. Why expose Beliveau?

The problem is the 40-man is filled with prospects 2-3 years from being in the majors so they have to throw off guys like Beliveau. His ceiling is a lefty reliever, which are valuable. But if your ceiling is a reliever, you are probably always going to be exposed to being DFA'd.

They also have the Rule 5 guy and the recent waiver pickups which they seem to value very highly. Let's hope they know what they are doing. It just seems they are valuing guys from outside the organization over their own players and Beliveau is decent to potentially good as a cost controlled lefty.

I love it when you talk dirty....

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Eh

By Phil Rogers, Tribune Reporter
7:14 p.m. CST, December 18, 2012

After their near-miss at signing Anibal Sanchez a week ago, the Cubs may have shifted their focus toward adding Edwin Jackson.

According to Sirius XM and ESPN's Jim Bowden, the Cubs and Rangers are finalists for signing former White Sox right-handed Edwin Jackson. Bowden had previously said the Padres were in the lead for Jackson but said Tuesday night that they dropped out when Jackson and his agent, Scott Boras, demanded a fourth year.

Jackson, a regular in the Washington Nationals' rotation last year, turned 29 last September but has already pitched with seven teams, including six in the last five years. He's been a double-figure winner the last five years but never won more than 14 games. While his ERA was 4.03 last season, the metrics show he pitched better than that, lowering both his hit and walk rate. He became something of a scapegoat in the Nationals' Division Series loss to St. Louis but appeared headed for the free-agent market before allowing five runs in six playoff innings.

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I was wondering when they would get to Jackson. I'd give him 3 years for 18 million and a 5 million buyout for year four.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

He's asking for at least ten per year, and trying to get a four-year deal.

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He's a pretty solid pitcher. If Anibel Sanchez got $80M, this guy deserves at least half that.

I agree, but I'm not sure if I want the Cubs to be the team to give it to him. If you'll pardon the expression. I was laughing at the 18/3.

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40 mil? I think my offer is more "real world" but when I put it out there,I figured it was too low. I don't know if the Cubs should pay him that much.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

A poor idea. Jackson is one of the LEAST consistent pitchers ever. He has a crap start for every good one. The idea of giving this turd 40 million is absurd. Again....it's not time to throw around money on long term deals. 1-2 year deals for guys with considerable upside (to use in trades for young pitchers with even greater upside) is the angle they should continue to work. Not signing overpriced, underachieving guys like Jackson.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I have to agree. Jackson has been everywhere and never sticks. Stick with the plan and develop good young pitchers. Don't drop 40M on guys like this at this point.

If they needed a 4th/5th starter like Washington did to make a playoff run, then do it.

Not now.

Never get into a "bidding war" with another team when Boras is the agent. It is most likely that the other team has no interest and you are bidding against yourself. The best way to treat Boras clients is to determine a value internally, submit an offer and treat it as take it or leave it. Never negotiate with him.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Jon Heyman reports the Cubs have signed http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... ca01.shtml

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Excellent move here unless they paid extreme money which I doubt. Good guy to either start or relieve.

Cubs To Sign Carlos Villanueva
By Mike Axisa [December 19, 2012 at 5:44pm CST]
The Cubs have agreed to sign Carlos Villanueva, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are unknown. Villanueva is an SFX client.

Chicago has sought out rotation depth this offseason, and they've already signed Scott Baker and Scott Feldman as our Free Agent Tracker shows. They also made a run at Anibal Sanchez and are reportedly a final suitor for Edwin Jackson. Villanueva, Baker, and Feldman will join rotation incumbents Jeff Samardzija, Matt Garza, and Travis Wood.

Villanueva, 29, pitched to a 4.16 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 125 1/3 innings spread across 16 starts and 22 relief appearances for the Blue Jays last season. He's made 29 starts and 42 relief appearances over the last two seasons and has proven capable in both roles. Earlier this offseason we heard Villanueva was reportedly seeking the opportunity to make 30 starts next season, an opportunity the Cubs can provide.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Villanueva as the 29th best free agent on the market this offseason, predicting he would sign with the Royals. To see where you stand in our Free Agent Prediction Contest, check out our leaderboard.


Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/12/c ... klRAExw.99

In a report that should shock no one, the Villanueva deal is not done yet. The sides are still negotiating per Carrie Muskat.

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Paul Heyman is having a bad offseason breaking Cubs stories

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Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS
heard edwin jackson bidding was up to 4 yrs. believed close to $50M. @Ken_Rosenthal adds tribe as team in derby. #ejax

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I think his phone is the problem.

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More shit to throw against the wall in Spring Training:

December 19, 2012 By Neil Leave a Comment

Cubs Sign RHP Cory Wade to Minor League Contract

According to the transactions page on Cubs.com, the Cubs signed right-handed reliever Cory Wade to a minor league contract that includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training on December 13.

The 29-year old righty spent the last two seasons with the Yankees and was 1-1 record last year with a 6.46 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. In 39 games, Wade struck out 38, walked eight and surrendered 46 hits in 39 innings.

Cory Wade posted a 7-2 record with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 79 appearances over the last two seasons with the Yankees. Wade split time between the Bronx and Triple-A and in 78 2/3 innings he gave up 79 hits with 68 strikeouts and 16 walks.

Cory Wade’s Page on Baseball-Reference

Cory Wade joins Blake Parker, Jensen Lewis, J.C. Boscan, Edwin Maysonet, Brian Bogusevic, Alberto Gonzalez and Johermyn Chavez as players that have signed minor league contracts this off-season with the Cubs that includes non-roster invites to big league camp.

Pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park on February 10, a few days earlier this year due to the World Baseball Classic.

The full list of non-roster invitees to Spring Training should be released in early January.

Cubs reportedly offer 4/$52M to Jackson

Don't like it.

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