Recently retired right-hander Joel Hanrahan will rejoin the Pirates organization as a pitching coach for the team’s Class-A affiliate in West Virginia, writes MLB.com’s Adam Berry. The 35-year-old called it quits after he was unable to return to the Majors following his second career Tommy John surgery, but he’ll bring plenty of recent big league experience to dugout to help mentor the Pirates’ next wave of young arms. “I know he had great passion for pitching and for the game,” manager Clint Hurdle said to Berry and other reporters. “Really, the game got unplugged on him earlier than he wanted it to. He kept trying and it kept not working. That’s when I started thinking there might be a pilot light lit somewhere here.”
A bit more from the NL Central…
- Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang appeared in South Korean court today and admitted to his recent DUI charge, as Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reports. “I deeply regret what I have done,” said Kang, who had two prior DUI arrests. “If I can get one last chance, I will become an exemplary player to earn respect from everyone.” Korean prosecutors sought a fine of just over $13,000 U.S. dollars for Kang. As Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds, it’s not clear whether further punishment will be handed by the Pirates organization, though Kang has already agreed to appear to an MLB-recommended treatment program. The verdict hearing for Kang will be held on March 3.
- Both Jake Arrieta and Cubs GM Jed Hoyer spoke to ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers about the complicated factors that go into a a theoretical extension for Arrieta. The 2015 Cy Young winner was candid about the fact that he knows he’ll be paid handsomely next winter barring any form of injury or sudden decline. Arrieta again mentioned that there’s little reason for any player — himself or anyone else — to take a discount on a contract with free agency just six months away. Teammate Anthony Rizzo, too, weighed in on the matter and suggested that no one in the clubhouse would blame Arrieta for pursuing maximum dollars. “He has enough money to last him the rest of his life,” said Rizzo. “”What he gets a year from now is going to be icing on the cake. … But he’ll try to set the bar for the next guy just like the guy before us did.” The Cubs will soon have to try to find ways to retain as much of their young core as possible, with Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Kyle Hendricks all nearing arbitration. And, as Rogers notes, at some point the team will have to at least consider tearing up the remainder of Rizzo’s contract and attempting to make him a Cub for the remainder of his career.
- Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Reds skipper Bryan Price is extremely impressed by left-hander Wandy Peralta. The hard-throwing southpaw has a genuine opportunity to crack the team’s roster as a second left-handed option behind Tony Cingrani, whom the Reds prefer not to use in specialized matchups due to the fact that he can hold his own against righties. “On the days that we don’t have [Cingrani], it would be a really nice thing to be able to matchup a left-hander against some of the better left-handers in our division and in the National League,” Price said. The 25-year-old Peralta allowed seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in his MLB debut last season, though Buchanan details some tweaks he’s made to his repertoire over the summer. And Peralta did log a 2.33 ERA in 58 Triple-A innings last season, even if that impressive mark came with a less-encouraging 38-to-23 K/BB ratio.
Who’s going to be the Reds closer?
It looks to me like it will be a four man battle in Spring Training. It will be between Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen, Tony Cingrani and Drew Storen. Me personally, I think it will be between Lorenzen and Iglesias, with Iglesias getting the edge.
It’ll be a committee, probably driven by matchups. That is, unless Store looks like his old self this spring. That’s unlikely, though.
I always thought Cingrani would get it tbh
Didn’t Iglesias do a really good job as their closer last year?
There not gonna do anything anyways
‘Cept win the pennant! …okay, I’m not that big of a homer
If you’re asking for fantasy, nobody. It’ll be a committee. If you want a prediction, Iglesias seems to have the most talent for the role, barring a major comeback from Storen.
Arrieta isn’t taking an extension. Period.
And I don’t care if “He already has enough money to be set for life.” That line of thinking meant nothing to A-Rod, it meant nothing to Chapman and it will mean nothing to Arrieta. Come next offseason it’s open season on Jake.
No athlete should be shamed because “he wants the most money.” Millionaire athletes want as much as possible from their far wealthier owners.
Athletes are not a “fan” of the team they play for, they work for the team they play for, huge difference.
Pujols, Molina, Wainwright, Matt carpenter, Allen Craig, Carlos Martinez, all gave up more money to sign extensions with the cardinals and avoid testing the free agent market. It can and does happen.
Not really. They all were signed way more than 6 months before free agency and at deals close to the market at the time. When Pujols signed his extension, he was the youngest player to get $100mil, and there were less than 10 players in the league who got that much.
You can try to spin it, but they all signed to avoid free agency without testing market. Yes pujols got big contract, but conceivably could have gotten more from cards or other team by testing free agency. He later got greedy and went way over what was reasonable, was offended by $200 million offer and now plays for a team that is hamstrung by his albatross of a contract. My point is that sometimes players do accept reasonable offers to stay with team even though more money is possible. Loyalty and hometown discounts exist, just not with arrietta and the Cubs
None of these players are in the same type of situation as Arrieta. All of the Cardinals you named at the time of their first extensions were all at least 3 years away from free agency and none had ever had a season with even a $1 million salary. They traded away some potential future earnings for multiple years of guaranteed million dollar salaries. Young players who are multiple years away from free agency do this all the time for many different teams not because they have some deep down affinity for their current clubs, but because this is a real pay day that offsets the risks associated with being a professional athlete. At this point of Jake Arrieta’s career, he is one season away and has already earned $16 million in his career with a $15 million salary for this upcoming season. Completely different scenario than the players you mentioned when they signed their first extensions with the Cardinals.
Molina and Wainwright were both heading into the last year of their contract when they signed.
But yes, you are correct. These were not huge hometown discounts. Arrieta wants to maximize his earnings by testing free agency, absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Pujols was in same situation, one year from free agency he signed 6 year 100 million with club option for 2011. Top player at the time and could have demanded more in free agency. As cards 16 said Molina and waino same thing. Point is arrietta can choose money or Cubs greatness. If he leaves, three years as a cub, big deal. Pujols ultimately chose money as he would’ve went down as best cardinal ever with Musial had he finished his career here. Waino and Molina will be amongst top cards ever partly because is staying with team for less money. Arrietta is free to choose cubs greatness or money, but he must choose
Pujols signed his extension before the 2004 season. That is NOT “1 year away from free agency” for a guy whose rookie year was 2001..
I was talking about their first extensions. According to Cot’s, Wainwright signed his in March 08, with 2 years of service time. Molina signed his in Jan 08, with 3 years of service time.
As I said above, I was talking about their first extensions. According to Cot’s, Wainwright signed his in March 08, with 2 years of service time. Molina signed his in Jan 08, with 3 years of service time. Pujols signed his extension Feb 04, with 3 years of service time. All of these players at the time were at least 3 years away from free agency and all had career earnings of less than $2 million at the time of their extensions. Not so much home town discounts as much as taking guaranteed 8 figure contracts and life changing money.
Rookie year was 2000
No, rookie year was 2001.. He didn’t even play a single game in 2000.
I agree, with one exception: Pujols has to be at least 5 years older than he claims…
I don’t get this whole discussion. The Cubs can print money as well as any team in the league. My feeling is that they’ll sign him at whatever price and this implication they’d let him walk is a bargaining tactic…
This is his only chance at a huge pay day. If he signs an extension, that means they probably would have overpaid more than he would make on the open market.
Exactly. The Cubs are going to have to comically overpay to get Jake to extend. He’s represented by Scott Boras and there’s a reason Boras is so notorious. It’s because he’s the best at what he does.
But if he goes on the open market, the Cubs still have a better chance than most to sign him, right? They can pay and they’ll compete…
No wonder Rizzo openly supports Arrieta, be basically got conned into signing one of the most team friendly deals in recent history
conned, huh?
Exactly. There are no cons in baseball. It’s a game of millionaires and billionaires. Nobody is getting conned. Rizzo is getting paid handsomely. He chose a fine balance of risk and return. And at his pace, he will cash in nicely when he signs his next deal.
Rizzo will probably get another extension within the next 2 or so years. He’ll get that 100mil+ he earned and deserves. As will Bryant and Baez schwarber. They’ll all get bigger extensions within 2 to 5 years. Give Bryant 195mil now. Over 8 years. That’s just over 24mil aav.
bryant will get like 1 mil in 2017 and then we’ll go highish on his arbs and say 12/16/20/24. So that’s 5 years at 73, So you’re paying him 122 mil for 3 free agent years, or 40.67m/ yr
If the Cubs could sign KB for 8/$195M right now, it’d make good sense. It’d be akin to KB becoming a FA at age 30 (2022) and signing for 3/$122M. Heck, by 2022, I doubt $40.67M/yr would even be the highest average annual salary in MLB, and KB would probably still be worth it (his WAR-converted value was $52.7M in 2015 and $67.4M in 2016). In reality, however, if KB did become a FA in 2022 and was still performing at an elite level, Boras would probably shoot for around 7-10 yrs @ $30-40M/yr (plus opt-outs). I want to see KB in a Cubs uniform until he retires, but preferably while mitigating risk (avoiding mega long-term contracts well into the player’s late 30s) and paying KB well (but not breaking the bank to the team’s detriment).
And because of the whole extra year of control thing with Bryant. Boras is a greedy old man and wants Bryant out of Chicago. There’d be riots he he got to free agency. Those core players Rizzo Bryant baez Russell schwarber I can’t see Theo and jed doing everything possible to keep them on the cubs for a very long time.
Kang is a Scumbag. You can “deeply regret” your first DUI, but your third? Get real.
Hopefully this rehab isn’t just a PR move by him and he’s legitimately getting help. Alcoholism is a terrible disease
Alcoholism doesn’t have anything to do with a DUI though. I wouldn’t even care as much if he just drank every day and then only endangered himself, but he’s also showing terrible character and no concern for others.
He’s got the money to just take an über every single day for the rest of his life. No excuse for his repeated lack of regard for the lives of other people.
Do they even have uber there? I honestly don’t know.
Taxi’s are everywhere in Korea and cheap by our standards.
Get a life. A DUI does not equate to alcoholism. Hell, 3 DUIs do not equate to alcoholism. Poor decision making ability? Absolutely, but quit judging a man you don’t know.
Alcoholism or not, 3 DUIs is awful. How often do you think he had drive drunk to get CAUGHT 3 times? A lot, unless you’re THAT drunk. Alcoholism isn’t a stretch and extreme selfishness is all but guaranteed.
Lol “if I could get one last chance to not commit a 4th DUI. For real man I’ll be good this time, pinky swear.”
Lol exactly
Not only that, but he promises to be an exemplary PLAYER. What the hell does that have to do with DUIs? Why should a Korean court care about that? How about promising to be a better PERSON? It appears he’s forgotten that they’re two different things. PS – wouldn’t try this approach with a US court on the sexual assault charge, Mr. Kang.
Good point, but unfortunately, everyone knows it does matter. The better the athlete, the more they get away with.
Where will Arrieta sign next since there’s a lot of speculation that it won’t be the Cubs?
I don’t think the cubs resign him, he wants too much money and I think Jed and Theo want to use that money on bryant , rizzo , schwarber and others.
Why not trade arrieta before the trade deadline this summer if he’s gonna sign somewhere else. Get what you can for him.
Because having Arrieta in your rotation makes you a better team than not having him, and the Cubs are not in “rebuilding” mode. They are in “win another freaking WS” mode.
Nah, they won’t win another until 2124. I tried to get my goat into the last WS game at Wrigley, and totally got refused! CURSE!!
I would like to add in South Korea the legal limit is 0.05, I don’t know what his BAC was the first two times or the third. He obviously had to be above our 0.08 to wreck his car and then continue his journey home.
I’d say the Pirates should cut Kang, but the New England Patriots would just sign him and go on to win it all.
Oh, wait….wrong sport.
Certainly baseball’s world champion would never employ a person of such poor character, like say, a closer who was a known domestic abuser or something.
I found the first half of your comment witty and comical but confused about the 2nd half referencing the Cubs out of the blue.
Kang = bad guy
Fernandez = good guy
It frustrates me to no end the double standard here because one of them died he is absolved of all blame!
By the way, he is trying to mock the Cubs for picking up Chapman with his domestic abuse policies in comparison to how the Patriots have had their own bad guys in the past. It’s a silly comparison but I understand what he’s doing here.
It’s a waste not to have Iglesias as a starter, that’s where he belongs! Lorenzen should get some healthy looks for the rotation this spring as well. It all starts tomorrow…
Kang’s situation is irritating, asking for “one last chance” after being caught driving under the influence three times (he’s been caught three times, which means he’s done the DUI thing many times). Accountability. “One last chance,” it doesn’t take three tries to understand the danger of DUI. Grow up, Kang.
$13K fine for a third DUI…? Yeah, that’s a big deterrent. A leopard doesn’t change its spots….