9:39pm: The Red Sox were said to also have interest in Haren but it doesn't appear that they will trade for him either, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Meanwhile, a source tells Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter) that the deal is not necessarily dead but is unlikely at this point.
9:27pm: Marmol would have approved a trade to the Angels, but the Cubs pulled the deal off of the table, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Angels are still talking with other clubs about Haren as they close in on the 11pm CST deadline to exercise his $15.5MM option.
9:20pm: The trade will not take place, a Cubs source tells Carrie Muskat of MLB.com (via Twitter).
8:42pm: The deal will take place if Marmol agrees to join the Angels, a source told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
8:29pm: The two sides haven't agreed to a trade, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Cubs did ask Marmol if he would waive his no-trade clause to go to the Halos, but the Angels are still speaking with other clubs (Twitter link).
8:09pm: The Angels and Cubs may be waiting on MLB approval because of the money being exchanged, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
7:56pm: Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (via Twitter) hears that the deal has not been completed and the Angels are still active in discussions with more than one team.
6:49pm: The Cubs have acquired Dan Haren from the Angels in exchange for Carlos Marmol, confirms Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter). The deal was first reported by Yancen Pujols of El Caribe (via Twitter, Spanish link).
The deal brings an end to an eventful week of rumors surrounding Haren, who was unlikely to see his $15.5MM option exercised by the Angels. The Halos' deadline for picking up Haren's 2013 option is at 11pm CST and it's possible that it has been exercised as a part of the deal, but there is word on that yet. The Halos deadline for picking up the option is 11pm CST. We learned today that both the Cubs and Red Sox were in on the 32-year-old but Theo Epstein & Co. have apparently won out.
Marmol is entering the final year of his contract which will pay him $9.8MM. The 30-year-old turned in a 3.42 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 7.3 BB/9 through 61 appearances last season. Marmol has spent his entire seven-year big league career with the Cubs and has a 3.38 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 6.0 BB/9 during that stretch.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter) notes that the Angels could help close the gap in salary by contributing all or part of Haren's $3.5MM buyout.
I want to see the Cubs succeed so bad. They sat back and didn’t do anything last offseason…maybe different in year 2 of the theo era? There aren’t too many teams with a match for Hamilton…maybe the Cubs could be the sleeper?
Absolutely not. Theo has continually talked about building through the farm system and having a young core. They will compete in 2014 at the earliest. By that time Hamilton could very likely begin to see a decline.
Shocker! Great trade for the Cubs! I feel like the Angels could have gotten a better younger reliever for Haren.
Like Soriano maybe? Good Relievers aren’t hard to find.
marmol is good when he’s on. when he sets up the slider with the fastball, he’s unhittable. when he falls in love with the slider, he gets wild. i believe they put in a policy in which marmol had to buy the pitching coach or manager a case of wine every time he shook off the catcher, and after that he was at his best.
Horrible trade for the Angels
Angels are happy to get him off the roster without having to eat the buyout clause payment. Marmol almost looks like punishment with that walk rate. Haren was a shadow of his former self last year and that is now two consecutive years of decline. He might do a bit better running out against the NL lineups, but I am glad the O’s (DD) did not bite.
Pray tell how 2011 was a year of decline for him?
Haren had an off year last year. It happens to all but the most elite pitchers. To get a mere reliever for a workhorse with such a great track record, let alone one who can’t even handle the NL central anymore, is laughable.
Haren fared worse in the Senior Circuit.
Haren was still suitable as a backend starter on most teams. Struggled, but most teams would be happy having 170 innings, 4.33 in #5 slot. Marmol has really struggled over the past 2 years and has an xFIP over 4.00, and at $9.8M he is getting way overpaid for his performance.
Pretty pricey for a #5 SP – I don’t think Marmol is all that, wouldn’t want him on the O’s roster either.
But in essense he only costs $5.7M more than Marmol does. Marmol was getting overpaid and was a bad contract.
Yeah, I agree the Angels’ GM would have been hosed; just not convinced Haren is both healthy and destined to return to form.
Angels bullpen was a total disaster last year, Marmol actually improves it, that’s how bad it was. Angels are probably planning to go hard after Greinke (duh), maybe another starter, or they know something is up with Haren.
Yea, but you would think they would be able to get more than Marmol at $9.8M. The way he has performed for 2 years has been very poor. Hoyer got a great deal.
Not happy. Have fun with Weaver, Wilson, Richards, Williams and Ronald Frickin McDonald next season Angels… bah
It’s November…
Oh, that’s right because there are tons of top of the rotation quality pitchers available out there
…
I was really hoping the Padres could have gotten Haren. By the looks of things he probably would’ve cost them Gregerson, that would have been quite the interesting deal.
What the heck are the Angels thinking?
Improving the OBP of the rest of the AL West?
lol win
Hahaha. +1. Angels fans are in for a real treat
Good move for the Cubs. They trade an expensive relief arm for a solid middle of the rotation arm with possible upside.
Isn’t Haren the Cubs ace as of right now?
He will most likely be #3, but could move to #4 depending on who the 2nd SP they add.
That will change very soon my friend. If Haren is healthy he might well be your ace
Maybe the Haren of a few years ago, but watching him pitch last year and watching Samardzija and Garza, I have to say #3 for Haren.
I would definitely say yes. Their ace, Dempster, is gone…he would easily project as the ace in the rotation. Im pissed my Padres didnt go after Haren. I would have given up Luke Gregerson + a prospect such as Rymer Liriano + Nick Hundley (just get him out of SD PLEASE). Angels pulled the trigger way too soon if this is all true.
Garza-Haren-Shark with Wood and a Free Agent acquisition and the Cubs are going to be much better than last year. Glad Boston didn’t get him.
Why not just sign Soriano then? Could’ve gotten some depth instead + low level prospects for Haren
Angels probably didn’t want to give up a draft pick.
Why were the Padres not in on this…
What would your trade have been? Interested in seeing what Padre fans hypothetical trades would be
Cubs really didn’t give up much, especially since they probably wanted to unload marmol and his $9.8M salary.
Luke Gregerson for Dan Haren and cash would have been intriguing.
Nice! Basically financially neutral for the Cubs and get a more movable piece!
seriously?
Wow. Angels seem desperate to get rid of Haren.
Horrible trade by the Angels.
Well now nothing makes sense
Oh my..They figure Walden doesn’t walk enough late in the game, so bring in Marmol? Why not get Kevin Gregg also??
well played, theo
Edit – Poor Cubs fans. First Randall Delgado, now Haren. What a disappointment.
So who closes for the Cubs now? James Russell?
free agent i say they will go after Matt capps or Madson type
Edit #3 The deal is contingent on Marmol’s approval. Rosenthal had the final say amidst the confusion.
To answer TheoHoyer’s question:
The Cubs will likely pursue a closer via Free Agency.
Soriano as closer maybe for the Cubs?
If they are willing to spend.. I can see someone like Jonathon Broxton or Ryan Madson being a better fit. Similar bang for less buck.
doesn’t matter, can’t be any worse than Marmol.
Don’t think it really matters. Marmol has really struggled over the past 2 years, and don’t think their biggest concern is a closer, especially since they are not competing right now.
unless they’re betting on rebuilding his value and flipping him at the deadline, i don’t see how it makes a whole lot of sense for them. they’re not close to winning and marmol was one of their tradeable assets – i think most GMs in Hoyer’s position would have tried to get some sort of prospect for him.
They wanted to add 2 SP for 2013. They wanted Marmol gone.
Getting a SP slot filled while only adding $2-$5M in payroll is a steal.
if they traded him for a prospect they could have probably added 1 or 2 pitchers via FA for the $13m or so they are paying Haren.
Marmol has really struggled ever since he signed that contract extension. He was overpaid as it is for his performance over the past 2 years, now for a few million more they get a much better player.
Good thing Theo didn’t take Vernon Wells with him…… lol
Two Angels fans disliked this post
This deal for the cubs is fantastic. Marmol for $9.8M was way overpaid, I’m surprised angels even want to take that salary on, based on how he has performed over the past 2 years.
Even if Haren doesn’t return to form the cubs should still be able to get a decent prospect for him, more than they would get for Marmol at this point. Haren struggled, but he still was fine as a #4/#5 on most teams.
I though Angels wanted to upgrade the bullpen and save money to resign Greinke? This does neither.
I think it’s a fair deal we needed a bullpen pitcher and they needed a starter,next we need a suiter for wells( please dodgers take him )and a re up greinke
I really don’t get why the Angels would do this. 9.5 mil for Marmol is more palatable than 15.5 for Haren? Makes zero sense to me.
Take away the buyout and it is around $6M for Marmol. He actually was good after his rough start last year. Can’t say we are sad to see him go.
Welcome Dan Haren!!!
Scratch that, it looks like the Angels are sending $3.5M to Chicago since they would have had to pay that anyway.
Looks like Cubs get Haren for about $2.5M more than Marmol would have cost them.
Hoyer and Theo have worked their black magic by convincing the Angels this is a fair deal. WAY TO GO!……. wonder who they can get for Haren next July, haha. Thanks Angels, you took a problem off our hands and gave the Cubs excellent trade bait for prospects. Would’ve been smarter just buying him out for 3.5 mil and save the 12 mil to spend on FA relievers like Affeldt, Adams, Broxton, or Soria IMO. Marmol is wild garbage.
I think this is more of a salary dump to make room to sign for Zack Greinke.
the angels don’t dump any salary.
the angels held an option for haren. they could’ve declined the option and paid the 3.5MM buyout instead of paying marmol 9+MM
Except we don’t have any idea on the dollars involved. The Cubs could easily be paying the Angels to help off-set Marmol’s contract.
NO, the Angels are sending $3.5M to the Cubs, since they would have paid to release him that amount.
tony: do you have a source on this
Ken Rosenthal
he’s just hypothesizing on how to even the money, no confirmation from anything i can see
Would hope so. I honestly can see little use for marmol. Such a hit and miss reliever that you never know which guy will show up.. The guy who comes in and walks 3-4 in a row, or the one who actually has command and can be as nasty as anyone.
**if** Anaheim could actually fix the guy, get him to not blow up on the mound when he falls behind that 1st batter? he actually could be one of the better relievers around.
Marmol would be 3rd best in relief on the Angels this year. I don’t think anybody here even watches Angels baseball, so they have no clue what a trash fire their bullpen was.
Considering Marmol is owed close to $10M next season this isn’t much of a salary saver for the Angels. So I’m failing to see how this trade benefits them. Marmol is decent enough but he’s the wildest pitcher in the game.
weird move by the Angels?
Tony Reagins must have been retained as a consultant.
He is, actually.
Angels must have been desperate
Should have just kept Haren if this is the haul.
Love this trade for the Cubs. Hopefully, Haren can play really well in the first half and we can move him for a couple good prospects!!!
If the Angels are this financially smart, perhaps Sandy can get him to pick up Johan Santana too!
DiPoto just got FLEECED!
Who’s the Cubs’ closer now? Camp?
They will pick someone up that has been waiting for an opportunity to close. Then spin them off at the trade deadline for good value.
Like smart teams do. (Theo!)
Hello, Ryan Madson!
James Russell
Well, I agree Haren is a better player, but I don’t think it’s a slam dunk. Haren is old, his arm hasn’t been the same the last few years, and he’s on the last year of a deal that takes him to age 33. Marmol is still relatively young and his upside at this point in is career is leap years beyond anything we can reasonably expect from an aging Haren.
The Cubs are now contenders for not last place.
don’t get crazy.
i waited so long for this? woooow you have got to be kidding me. we shouldve just kept him
shhhshhhshhhshhshhh
Pirates should have dealt Hanrahan for Haren
hasty move. I have no great love for carlos marmol but he showed signs of being a very effective closer in the last half of the season and he could have gotten a better return than a guy who we HOPE pitches well enough after a down year to be flipped for prospects. Will the prospects Haren brings back next July be more than the prospects Marmol alone would have yielded in a trade? I don’t think so.
Haren has a much better chance of bringing back a significant prospect in a trade than Marmol. As much as it hurts me to say this, great trade for the Cubs.
Haren also has a much better chance of a flame out by the ASB. Hard to say this was a great deal for the Cubs, but it sure seems like a terrible deal by the Angels’ GM.
Haren is one of the game’s most consistent starters. A flame-out is not in his future.
I am dancing right now no more Marmol!
Hilarious when the Rangers will sign Greinke.
Wish Boston grabbed Haren. Oh well. I’m happy that it seems like Ortiz is staying.
I wish Boston would have grabbed Lackey 2.0 as well.
I also wish the Red Sox had picked up a 3.5+ WAR starting pitcher who has fallen out of favor with management due to some injury issues.
That is what you mean by John Lackey 2.0, isn’t it?
So if Theo were to hire Jerry DiPoto as an assistant GM at some point, his first order should be to trade away Dan Haren, as he is well versed in such maneuvers.
This saddens me a little. I was really hoping he would get traded to Boston. My hopes were really high.
Still, fantastic trade for the Cubs! Although I don’t see the point unless he signs long-term, because that team isn’t going anywhere for a while.
The point is to flip him for a prospect or two. Marmol would’ve brought back nothing, if Haren pitches well, could get something significant.
Look at Miami last year, solid pitcher (Sanchez) and average 2b(Infante) got em Turner and Brantly.
For a team rebuilding, that type of deal is ideal.
From the famous words of Popeye Doyle in The French Connection “Are you Bull …….. Me!” Carlos Marmol is a freaking disaster. I still remember his blown save against the Cardinal near the end of the 2011 season where he had the lead going into the 9th (2 to 1), I think. Between wild pitches, walks and a hit batter. He left the field 3 to 2. I was mad, I am quite certain Cubs fans were mad. Now Theo Epstein uses his Jedi “Mind Powers” over Dipoto to gain Haren. I would fire Dipoto immediately over this! This trade makes zero sense for the Angels. In fact if I were Mike Scioscia, I would challenge Dipoto to a fight!
This deal hinges entirely on the money being moved. If the Angels picked up Haren’s option and are paying the full freight of Marmol then it’s a boneheaded move. I have to think that the Cubs are kicking in some significant money to make this even out. Marmol should net out at no more than $6-7M.
As for Marmol – he was great in the 2nd half.1.52 ERA, 39K’s in 29 innings. Sure he walks people but there’s nothing wrong with those results. The Angels wanted another back of the bullpen guy.
Personally, I think they should have retained Haren at least until Greinke is situated. Given that they moved him for this package I really do think there is something fundamentally wrong with Haren.
I’m pretty sure that they moved Haren to clear payroll to make an attempt to re-sign Greinke.
but…what if they dont get grienke?
You are a big Angels fan, but think taking marmol is a huge mistake, especially if they want Anehim to pay most of both the players salaries.
I don’t really want Haren in Boston, but *if* Cherrington thinks he could help fit with Bucholz and lester, then Boston has far more workable BP pieces that actually pitch well than Marmol and none of them come with 10M price tags.
Certainly Aneheim would have to pay a huge portion of Haren’s contract, but Boston could send Aneheim a LH specialist so they could let Downs pitch more IP later in games (Hill or Breslow) give them a RH reliever along the lines of a Mortenson, Bard even if they wanted a project type.
If the Angels didn’t send any cash, I like it. They avoided the 3.5m they were stuck with so really it’s 6.5m for an experienced closer to add to the mix. Very nice end of the bullpen with Frieri, Walden, and Downs!
i would be laughing hard if the Angles dont get Zack and Dodgers do
Really? What an awful deal for the Angels. They could have signed a better reliever and for less than what Marmol will make in 2013.
Disappointed Jays didn’t get him.
so to all of those guys giving my comment negative earlyer look at me now!
i literary danced around my house!! happy days!
Buddy, that’s a little scary.
ive been waiting for marmol to leave. and i really wanted Haren so theres no reason not to dance! but now my girlfriend thinks im crazy now…
Neither of the Tweets linked to in this story say anything about Haren being part of the deal, only that Marmol is going to the Angels. Given the Haren to Cubs rumors today, it makes sense, but who confirmed that part?
It seems weird that people would dislike this comment. All you had to do was click on the links to see I was right. And now the deal is dead, so maybe there was something to the fact that neither of the tweets said anything about Haren.
7.3 walks per 9 innings pitched?? Good God, what are you thinking JeDi??????
he had back problems this year so his stats are off this year
his walk rates have always been high.
Wow Angels just showed there hand.
The Cubs were getting such a good deal here if it really was just Marmol for Haren. Wonder why it fell apart.
Had to be the money.. right?? Only way i could see this falling through
They must have visited MLBtraderumors and saw our reactions! LOL
Poor Cubs fans… first the Depmster for Delgado debacle. Now this… lol
Theo beats Ben to the deal. Sox could’ve used Haren :(
This deal better not go through! No logic in my mind…Doesn’t have more value than this?
Haren*
Hey now…
Carlos Marmol at $9.8M vs. Haren’s incremental cost of $12M … Between those two choices, the Angels made the wrong one.
But the best choice probably would have been to pay the buyout of $3.5M and not have taken on more salary.
Angels fans better hope that this deal isnt done, absolutely horrible trade.
I’m Ron Burgandy?
i love lamp.
Is it cheating if I changed my prediction to Cubs in the free agent contest after I saw this?
As long the angels aren’t putting money towards Haren it’s a decent deal. Sure marmol has his struggles, but he’ll be better park and he’ll be allowed to relax more park with better defense and catching. He’s an expensive arm, so if you figure in haren’s buyout and marmol improves, then this move will be a good one. I do think halos overpaid for bullpen help, but this is just the beginning of dipoto overpaying for bullpen help. Obviously savvy Theo knew this.
what were the Sox offering for Haren..Must be better than Mormol
A couple chicken legs and Bobby Valentine?
so stupid to trade haren unless they have a bad feeling on doctors reports about his injury. hes been a great pitcher and we need pitching. hope this deal doesnt go through
Angels can’t be paying any part of the 15.5 for this to make sense.
So um..we better get an actual closer in F/A and Johnson from the Marlins maybe?
…what?
not official yet…good news for all you Angels fans out there!
Rosenthal says the decision relies on Marmol now
Cubs fans are really gonna hate Marmol if he kills the deal.
He has already gone on the radio in the Domincan to discuss being traded to the Angels.
So he will be taking his talents to South Cal?
And his 3-0 counts….
So from the Cubs side, this will end up being Marmol for whoever they get for Haren at the trade deadline.
Mike DiGiovanna (Angels beat writer) is saying no deal on twitter.
I’d say it’s pretty fair, give or take a B prospect from the Cubs to the Angels with Marmol but oh well too late now, decent trade to keep the offseason going…
What?
No deal?
And the deal is off!
omg I love it.
For the Angels sake they better hope he rejects the trade. Marmol can blow a save without even giving up a single hit.
Marmols life is going to be miserable at Wrigley next year.
All Angels fans just lucked out BIG TIME.
Ironic that the Cubs can’t close the deal that ships Marmol away.
ironic? How?
Because Marmol is a closer who usually fails to close out games.
That is definitely ironic.
Wow. The Cubs pulled out of the deal? My only guess is the Angels were demanding the Cubs throw in a couple of million and they said no.
Apparently the Cubs pulled the trade off the table? I wonder if that means health concerns with Haren.
Wow, more silly of the Angels to make the trade, or more silly of the Cubs to back out?
The only way all of this makes sense is if the trade called for an unspecified amount of money the Cubs were supposed to give to the Angels and the Angels wanted too much.
That, or the Cubs did not like something on Haren’s medicals
Also possible which means shortly the Angels will buyout Haren and he’ll en up signing an incentive deal elsewhere.
Which means the Angels lose $3.5 million, lose Haren, and get nothing out of it since they can’t offer arbitration (or qualifying offer, whatever they call it) since that deadline is today to, isn’t it?
Well they could have exercised the buyout and then made a qualifying offer but that would have been silly since they’d risk paying him $16.8M instead of $15.5M. Which is not strictly relavent but it does make buyouts in contracts more strategic in the future.
But it does come down to if Haren has a medical issue then my bet is the Angels will bite the bullet and not risk having to absorb any more than $3.5M.
It’s close, but I would say Cubs. Angels may just really want to get rid of Haren, but you don’t see a thief give somebody their stuff back.
Boston still has a chance! Would be a great night if they can get him.
Maybe not… Lol. Oh well.
Too bad. I would’ve liked him a lot.
Really wish they could add him. Thinks can still change with some time to spare. Hopefully it does.
I agree hopefully it does. I am not sure I would want to give up Bard for him. Like I heard somewhere that was the asking price.
If its Bard no thanks. I have faith he can bounce back.
I thought April Fool’s Day was in April?
wow sox wouldn’t bite the bullet. shocker.
Ben is a thinker—Theo backed out–maybe my mentor knows something I don’t. I’ll back out too. Okay now we don’t have to trade anybody to get him he’s free except for CASH; now Ben says what should I do? TRY TO SIGN HIM BEN…
One year $12 M–you guys just gave Ortiz–$30 M over 2 years still recovering from an achilles injury.
i agree with u on it being safer to sign him in free agency than give up the trade pieces. i guess it’s the ortiz thing that annoys me. they’re fine giving a guy who seems to be part of the chemistry problem a 2 yr $30 mil deal. ownership around here doesn’t know how to work with the players the way other organizations do.
Admit it Zach, you’re just getting us all in the offseason mood.
Reports say that after the trade fell through, the Angels attempted to trade Jered Weaver to the New York Mets for Jon Rauch.
The Angels may have to bite the bullet and exercise the option—and then try again at the winter meetings…presuming that the Cubs didn’t see a red flag.
You maybe right. It’s hard to believe that they would let him go for nothing.
The Goat strikes again!
Why would the Cubs pull out of this deal
Maybe the Cubs knew nobody else was close to a trade. Might be able to get him cheaper in Free Agency on a 2-3 year deal. Very curious to see how this plays out in the next hour.
Haren’s option was declined. Now a free agent.
Why would the angels do this? You are trading a #2 starter for a set up man. You would be very very stupid if you turned this down. Worst case scenario, you could trade Haren for more than a set up man.
Clearly the moderator is a Cubs fan.