Signed

Signed, but won't be ready to pitch again until the 2nd half of the season. He was placed on the 60 day DL after being signed. At 41 you would think it's unlikely he will be a significant addition, but frequently guys add MPH to their pitches after having Tommy John surgery. He may come back better than he had been in a few years. Though not likely to be at his All-Star best, he may still be able to help, much like Fernanda Rodney did in 2015.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Thanks for verifying Nathan was signed.

My post was more about the fact that although he was signed, he will not be pitching anytime soon for the Cubs. Not for at least 2 months, if he is able to at that point, and does well enough in a minor league rehab stint, then perhaps we will see him in a Cubs uniform. I don't think it's a certainty by any means that will happen. But I do hope that the surgery went extremely well and he pitches with even more velocity than he had a few years back and can contribute. But to just post that he was signed and not mention he was placed immediately on the 60 day DL, may give people the impression he might be joining the bullpen soon. That is not the case.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I read somewhere that Joe Nathan is the Cubs new closer, and now i see it confirmed here that he is on the Cubs. Good move for them.

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Oh wait, this came from 312

Did. Not. Happen.

Nowhere has it been written that Joe Nathan is the Cubs new closer, except in your ridiculous post here.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Joe Nathan can easily be flipped as part of the Trout trade.

Alcantara
Vogelbach
J. Nathan
David Ross
and a PTBNL

Gets it done easily.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I assume they got him for almost nothing.....good gamble if he comes out at the end of the year and gets some of his prior dominance back.....

Putting the r next to the n, almost makes it look like an m to form Elmhurst Steve, but nobody was fooled by this post. Or maybe it was the total posts that people noticed. Or just the ridiculous post itself.....whatever

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Go Cubs!!!!

The Cubs made two roster moves Saturday. OF Matt Szczur was activated from the 15-day DL. To make room on the 25-man roster for Szczur, RHP Neil Ramirez was designated for assignment.

Neil Ramirez, 26, had no record and a 4.70 ERA (four earned runs in 7 2/3 innings) with a 1.17 WHIP and 3.05 FIP in eight relief appearances for the Cubs this season. The Cubs acquired Ramirez as the PTBNL in the Matt Garza deal with the Rangers on Aug. 23, 2013. The Cubs received RHP Justin Grimm, RHP Carl Edwards Jr., 3B Mike Olt and a PTBNL on July 22, 2013 from Texas for Matt Garza.

Finally, Jon Daniels and good dolphin can sleep at night. Then again, Grimm and ultimately Edwards Jr. might still give them nightmares in the future.

I am happy to hear that. I want sustained success, not going all in right now and mortgaging the future. I want something like the Atlanta Braves had, with 14 straight division titles and a World Series Championship mixed in. Montero is getting close to the end. Ross is even closer. Schwarber may never be a Catcher again....To trade Contreras would be crazy Schwarber has special offensive talent and Baez is a great insurance police for every position on the infield.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I like what Baez has done this year, but in no way shape or form should he be untouchable for trades.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Contreras s the only untouchable of the 3. Young catchers are hard to find.

Get Schwarber to the AL ASAP before he kills someone, or himself, in the outfield.

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A strong middle defensively of Baez/Russell/Almora for the next 5 years. If Baez isn't in a package for an ace pitcher then hold on to him.

Baez is not getting traded unless someone wants to blow them away with a mega deal. No worries.

From Ken Rosenthal.....

The Cubs have trade chips, but Javier Baez is not one of them.

In my latest Full Count video, I talked about how the Cubs are extremely reluctant to trade Kyle Schwarber -- they believe that after he returns from knee surgery next season he will emerge as one of the top 10 hitters in the game.

Javier Baez is not as mature a hitter as Schwarber at 23 -- he still walks too little, strikes out too much. But Baez's power potential from the right side is as intriguing as Schwarber's is from the left. And for different reasons, he would be nearly impossible for the Cubs to trade.

Willson Contreras, 24, fits into the same category as the team's catcher of the future, and even Albert Almora Jr., 22, might border on untouchable -- he figures to be the center fielder next season if Dexter Fowler departs as a free agent.

Yet, the Cubs are so deep in quality position prospects that they still are in position to acquire virtually anyone they want before the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline without breaking up their major-league club.

Two of those prospects, third baseman Jeimer Candelario and outfielder Mark Zagunis, recently jumped to Triple A. Two others, second baseman Ian Happ and shortstop Gleyber Torres, are at high A, and yet another, outfielder Eloy Jimenez, is at low A.

Theo was dumb last year to not trade "prospects" to try and win it all.

He won't be that dumb this year.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Erik Kramer just passed Orton in the rankings.

Bruce Levine
@MLBBruceLevine

LHP Gerardo Conception and RHP Spencer Patton promoted from Triple A . Clayton Richard to DL . Adam Warren to Triple A for start and return

These moves can't make them worse.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Concepcion is long forgotten name. One of the early international signings from The0 & Co. who was well on his way to busting out. Seems to have figured things out at least at the minor league level.

Clayton Richard had me longing for Wesley Wright.

Let Richard sit 15 days, then send him for a rehab assignment, that buys 3 weeks.....I guess they want to try to get him back to being a contributor again. Just glad to know he will not be coming into a game anytime soon.

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Go Cubs!!!!