As we approach the non-tender deadline and the Rule 5 draft, many of the 40-man roster changes may seem inconsequential from a league perspective. But for those players involved, a spot on a 40-man roster can be life-changing. As noted by Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper, a minor league player’s pay will jump from $2000 a month to at least $46,000 for the year once added to the 40-man. That’s a significant pay bump, but their potential for future earnings also gets a jolt as they receive an invite to spring camp and a longer look from major league coaches and executives. Even one day on the ML roster during the season will earn a player more in a week than he’d likely ever made in a month of minor league ball. Given the roster churn that happens over the course of a season and the high rate of injuries, a spot on the 40-man roster gives a player a pretty decent chance of making an appearance in the show. Feel free to take a moment this morning to reflect on baseball’s greater economic landscape, then follow up with a couple quick hits from around the league.
- The Cubs are in the market for pitching, but probably not the top names on the free agent market, per The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. The Cubs haven’t been able to put together a pitching staff like the one that took them to a World Series title in 2016, and they no longer have the financial leeway to make a big splash like they did with the signing of Jon Lester. Only Kyle Hendricks remains close to the guy he was in 2016 when Hendricks, Lester, and Jake Arrieta each put together seasons worthy of Cy Young consideration en route to the curse-breaking championship. The Cubs of today will have to hit on below-the-radar type acquisitions, as they did in acquiring Arrieta and Hendricks in the first place. Willson Contreras could fetch a noteworthy piece, but that’s a theoretical valuation that requires a trading partner willing to move the right young arm.
- While ardent fans are familiar with most of the names in the free agent pool, there are a few newcomers from Japanese professional baseball who remain relatively unknown commodities to American followers. Thankfully, Jason Coskrey of Baseball America provides scouting reports on a host of Japanese ballplayers who could find themselves on MLB rosters in the not-too-distant future. It’s a list that includes three players who have already been posted—Ryosuke Kikuchi, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, and Shun Yamaguchi—and Shogo Akiyama, an international free agent, all of whom are eligible to negotiate with big league clubs. Coskrey also names a number of players who could be next in line to make it stateside via the posting system or international free agency, including the famed Tetsuto Yamada. For those readers who are interested in familiarizing themselves with the newest influx of international talent to the MLB landscape, Coskrey’s piece is worth a look.
Why don’t the links to Baseball America work on my phone app? Is it because it’s a paid website?
Yup
Yup
It’s about time you upgrade from your iPhone 6s.
Try a Samsung flip phone…..
You know 5he iPhone 6s is the same phone as the iphone 7 through 11 right other than taking away physical button its the same exact phone.
Are you using your rotary phone, Jorge?
Dumpster div’in Theo!
Q: Who was the last whitesox GM to put together a team that made the playoffs in back to back years?
A: Trick question in 115yrs the whitesox have never gone to the playoffs in consecutive years.
I’ll take good old Dumpster Diving Theo and his just ended 4 yr run over whatever passes for a GM on the south side.
Ouch! You nailed him
Cub troll
I’m a troll for saying Theo and the Ricketts won’t spend money on top FAs? That organization makes billions off you people, yet you have no qualms about how they spend that money?
For the moment, the Ricketts regime is enhancing the value of the franchise by upgrading the shrine (crumbling in the latter days of Tribune Comp ownership) and buying up real estate around the ballpark in order to provide other amenities. They got the championship which seems sufficient to satisfy the bulk of the folks who buy the tickets while they essentially stand pat on the baseball team and build up the other assets of the franchise. To further that end, they shop for free agents at Big Lots instead of Niemann Marcus and keep the core of the championship team, aided and abetted by those fans who seem habitually to overrate Cubs’ players. They even bring in one of the component parts of the champions to manage. While the teams are not comparable, I am reminded of the late 70’s when the only question after a Cubs game was whether Dave Kingman hit one out.
You are aware the White Sox have a fan base worthy of calling Sioux Falls, SD their home city. They have always been a complete after thought in Chicago. And they always will be.
Nah, the after thought narrative is an invention by cubs fans. The reality is nobody cared about the cubs until the early 80s. They had a few good years with some good players then. They pissed away a few chances to win something (pissed the players away too). Those few good seasons won them a lot of buzz with the nationwide WGN coverage and Harry doing his thing. For actual Chicagoans (not transplanted suburbanites and wagon jumpers), the White Sox are still favored. Give it a few years, and the Sox will own that town again. A couple WS runs in short order, and a front office finally committed to building a winning organization without cutting corners will win Chicagoans and baseball fans from around the world.
Investments in that crumbling “shrine”, and the added real estate around the ballpark might be great for Ricketts family net worth, but it doesn’t affect the product on the field. If they had any sense (and balls), they’d move out of Wrigleyville and tell those idiots to get bent. Build a stadium worthy of a big league ballclub somewhere where you don’t need permission to add a big screen monitors (welcome to the 21st century). Wrigley Field doesn’t need a hotel, it needs a curator.
The Cubs have a top 5 payroll genius.
Of course the “infrastructure” investments don’t help the on-the-field product – they are simply intended to enhance the value of the franchise when the Ricketts crew sells out somewhere down the road.
Also there is a large contingent who will no longer support the Cubs based on the friends they keep.
Nationally, locally the North West Indiana White Sux have always been irrelevant. National media even keeps forgetting they won back in ‘05. It’s embarrassing really, but makes sense. The worst ratings of any World Series in the modern era. Their fans are obviously bitter and sad of always getting scraps from the media, fans, etc… the last time they signed a legit proven MLB free agent in his prime was over two decades ago. Just last year they got snubbed by Manny as he chose the F’n Padres over the White Sox. Not the Yanks, Red Sox, Cubs or Dodgers… the Padres.
So, of course they’re gonna troll. It’s so transparent that ANYTHING Cubs lives rent free in their heads. It would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.
@ ChiSoxCity You heed a hobby. I feel sorry for you.
Yes, Guaranteed Rate Field is a can’t miss destination in the city.
You need a lobotomy.
ChiSoxCity——-you hit the nail on the head about the Owner now making billions off their team yet refusing to inturn—— spend top dollars to acquire impact quality players on the field. That’s the reason fans pays exorbitantly high prices for tickets. To see quality players and to hopefully obtain another impact player for the next season. The Cardinals come to mind as the front runner in this area of discussion!!!
Can’t wait to see the Sox rebuild fail and end with absolutely nothing to show for it.
White Sox roster has a helluva lot more potential to win games in the future than the cubs. Let’s be honest, the cubs farm is dead and they are low on money to spend to make a splash in free agency. They are past there window. The central is so open that they could make the playoffs, but if there was a legit World Series contending team in the central than I don’t see them making the playoffs.
The cubs willingness to spend always gives them more potential than a team that doesn’t have that willingness year in year out. I do think the sox’s future looks bright, but I don’t think the cubs look so bad either
Willingness to spend on mediocre players? Right you are. That Heyward contract should make you sick as a cubs fan.
With every pop out and weak groundball to second, it does make this Cubs fan very ill. Ah, but he made “the speech.”
Lol nope
I would not call the Cubs system “dead” any longer. I would call it “young”. They have at least four guys who project very strongly as either 1 or 2 tier guys – Hoerner, Marquez, Amaya and Davis. And there are a lot of power arms in their system (Cruz, Jensen, Franklin, Gallardo, etc.) and a number of very solid guys like Short and Roederer as well. What they do lack is power bats. And out side of Nico Hoerner there is no immediate help on the way save perhaps Alzolay who could help in the pen right now. Everyone else is one to two years away. But it is not a system devoid of future big leaguers any longer. If they make even one trade this offseason for a couple of good prospects they will be a top 10 system again. And that could happen regardless just via other teams graduating players and the young guys in the Cubs’ system gaining experience. By no means does it remotely rival what they had back in 2014, but you’d be foolish to say that system is in nearly the same straights it was back in 2017 when they’d literally graduated or traded away almost every player with any potential value.
The lack of callups for quality arms or position players since Almora tells a different story. Ever since Theo cleaned house, the cubs’ farm system has been below average. It going to take some shrewd trades and tanking for a few years to get that turned around. Which, we all know the cubs won’t do. They’re in milk mode right now, and the cash cow’s looking mighty fat.
What part of their system is young can you not comprehend. It is laid out clearly for you and you brush right past it. Again, this ain’t 2017.
I’d rather have a playoff team then a ranked minor league club. These things are cyclical. Once the white Sox graduate their last few big prospects to the majors they to will drop in the rankings. Cubs management has done an amazing job and theres probably 26-27 teams that would love be in the cubs position the last 5 years
Uh, the cubs window closed two seasons ago. Bad trades have left them with a mediocre roster and a few average prospects. They’re stuck unless then blow past their imaginary salary cap, or blow the roster up and start over. Like the Giants, the cubs seem to have elected to milk the cash cow and do nothing significant to improve.
If the roster is truly mediocre and the window closed two years ago, put your money where your mouth is. 74 or fewer wins per you. Make the bet, NOW, as you claimed you were ready to do. Or do you really have that little actual conviction?
Scumbag
I’ve had the privilege of interviewing many prospects and the 40 man roster spot is a huge deal. A small stipend during spring training, a big pay bump, for the first time they make a livable wage.
Most of these guys are 5 years away from their signing bonus so all but the first round guys are broke, or have been for years.
the way I see it right now……here is my Pre Trade Meeting Week NL Central rankings with 2020 win totals…..
1 – Cubs (88)
2 – Reds (85)
3 – Cardinals (82)
4 – Brewers (77)
5 – Pirates (58)
I like it
I say the Reds win the NL Central this year
I do think the Reds are very close. They sign a bat or two and they could make some serious noise as the staff already looks pretty good.
That’s the same standings you posted for 2019.
I dont believe it. Cite link to prove it, otherwise this is just another factless comment in your long, long line of factless crap.
Show me any prediction post from this time last year that didn’t have the cubs winning it all or at least the Central. I’ll wait.
No one thought the Cards could win the Central but history tells the tale. No team had dominated the Central the last 20 years as the Cardinals have. You should be use to it by now.
Realistic. I don’t see one team that’s breaks 95+ wins. I also don’t see the cubs winning the central though because of there aging pitching staff and no one to make an impact in the rotation internally
With their bullpen and rotation, the cubs will be lucky to win 75 games. Not saying this because I’m a Sox fan, it’s just reality. Their roster has some good players like Baez and Contreras that I like, but it’s not a very good team right now. cubs fans aren’t realistic about the roster, as usual.
They’re still the favorite to win the division. they have 6 to 1 odds to win the world series. Sure its early but its top 5.
Following these two American League juggernauts are the Los Angeles Dodgers (+800), Atlanta Braves (+1200), Boston Red Sox (+1200), Cleveland Indians (+1500), Washington Nationals (+1500), Philadelphia Phillies (+2000), St. Louis Cardinals (+2200) and Chicago Cubs (+2500) to round out the top 10 teams on the Bovada oddsboard.
There’s no way the cubs win the division as currently constructed. Their bullpen is below average. The rotation is in rapid decline. They still don’t have a leadoff hitter, or quality contact hitters. And they have a rookie Skipper who’s probably going to lose his $### beforr mid-season. I just can’t see them winning many games with so many issues that Theo Epstein inexplicably refuses to address aggressively. Waiting for things to work themselves out just gets you fired in that business.
Great. How did that work out last as the favorites?
Scumbag
Are you willing to wager right now on the Cubs winning fewer than 75 games?
Sure, why not.
$200 We put it on deposit. Winner takes all $400. 75 or more I win. 74 or less you win.
Get back to me after the offseason. I want to see what the cubs do(don’t do) first. I might be willing to take your money then. $500?
LOL. So ChiSoxCity goes from “the Cubs will be lucky to win 75 games” to “sure, why not?” when asked to bet “right now” to “get back to me after the offseason”. IOW, you have zero courage in your convictions.
Oh ChiSoxCity what a wimp you turned out to be. All talk. No action. No conviction for your “thoughts” exposed as a pure troll!
Oh gcg15 you called out ChiSoxCity and the big tough talking ChiSoxCity ran for the hills! Like a typical troll.
I predicted 84 wins for the Cubs last off season. This year they will win 95.
The cubs win 95 games with Jon Lester… as a pitching coach? lol
Yes, because obviously this is no more than a 74 win team. LOL.
Hmm I’m a Cubs fan but I would put it like this
1 – Cardinals (88)
2 – Cubs (87)
3 _ Brewers (85)
4. – Reds (83)
5 – Pirates (55)
Lol. The Cardinals only getting 82 wins is some pretty heavy wishful thinking on your part
Tired of the Cubs don’t have money, it should be choose not to spend the money. They could sign cole, Strasburg and rendon with just beer profits
Just plain tired of the cubs.
2016 was the best year of all time for tools like you.
Comment of the Day! Themed is easily top 3 worst commenter on here. Thank you.
Agreed
There is probably close to 30 of these incendiary social outcasts. The comment sections would be so much better for mature analysis and debate if they disappeared.
cubs fans are such crybabies.
And you are in the top 5
Scumbag
Get use to your 3rd place and worse finishes for many years to come cub fans.
Owners need to make there profits though. To them baseball is a business. I’m not saying they don’t want to win, but the most important thing is the money.
They do have money. Jim Ricketts doesn’t want to give his son any money. Their payroll is like 360mil. They honestly could have Cole, Stras and Rendon if they really wanted to. They refuse to spend money. Their network is worth over 1 billion dollars alone. To say they are broke is stupid.
Like I said the main thing is money for the owners
The whole paragraph about the Cubs has nothing I didn’t already know.
That’s because every day they fill this site with garbage news from NY and Chicago to keep the fans appeased. Forget any team not in those markets. Wait breaking news a Yankee player was just spotted going into a restroom and what kind of impact will it have? “ Followed by “ Mookie Betts” and what some unknown team might give up to get him thou said team has no chance.
And you Yankees haters help to contribute to it by clicking and posting every single time. So it’s all on you.
Don’t forget LA
aaron judge was spotted at famous footwear. more to come
Chicago is a redheaded stepchild as far as the national media is concerned. That goes for this site as well.
Who were you calling crybabies earlier? Care to retract that stupid comment?
I strongly recommend a retraction….because you look like Themed.
You don’t like the term “crybaby”? Fine. cubs fans are overly sensitive about criticism of any kind from fans of other teams. I actually want the cubs to be better, though I prefer the White Sox. cubs fans don’t like to think or analyze. Not sure why they bother reading sites like this, to be frank.
Again, you want to wager on your prediction the Cubs can’t win 75 games next year?
Today, every panel on every network talks about the White Sox as the team to watch. I can’t tell you how refreshing this is. Decades of obscurity, even in our championship year when we wiped everyone out like it was nothing.
2020 is also the first “Field of Dreams” game in rural Iowa. Not Boston, not Cubs, not Dodgers, not Braves, not Astros.
Yankees vs. White Sox. Let’s f’n go!
Last year every panel on every network was talking about the Padres as the team to watch in 2019.
(And when discussing the NFL leading up to 2019, every panel on every network was talking about the Browns as the team to watch.)
The only “Field of Dreams” Padres players will see is when invited to Machado’s house to mow his lawn.
Kikuchi and Yamaguchi don’t belong in this conversation. Yamaguchi is a mediocre relief pitcher that doesn’t have a high K rate? Those are a dime a dozen here. Kikuchi is a 2B with a terrible batting average, OBP and no power or speed. You get the same value from signing Pete Kozma and Justin Miller.
Tsutsugo might get a minor league invite. Akiyama might actually do something in the majors.
Tetsuto Yomada is a 26 year old 2B that has 3 seasons of 30 homer 30 steals under his belt. .297/ .401/ .533 splits.
Japanese leagues play at a level somewhere between AA and AAA…..maybe.
If they really wanted to they could offer Cole and Strasburg a deal.. with 55 mil to spend this winter after arbitration contracts. they have plenty of money.
They have plenty of money ONLY if the owner allows it to be spent. Then the question becomes where the funds are directed – to the Heywards and Chatwoods of the world, or toward top FA’s. It seems the Ricketts’ may have some question about Mr. Epstein’s judgment when it comes to his expenditure of their money.
Trade Russell for Dylan Bundy
I don’t think anyone wants Addison Russell with his baggage.
I’m sure they have bellhops.
Any chance the Mets would trade to the Cubs Jake DeGrom for Bryant and Quintana?
I’m really tired of the trade Kris Bryant talk. Who’s going to play 3rd base if he’s gone? Ian Happ or David Bote? No thanks!
slide Baez over to 3B – sign didi for ss
The cubs are just better when Baez plays 2B. Anywhere is a waste of his ability as a playmaker.
*Anywhere else
Get ready for it. Bryant will be gone.