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Cubs Notes: Dempster, Garza

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Some links for Thursday afternoon as the Cubs host the Tigers at Wrigley Field…

  • Ryan Dempster and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein discussed potential trades yesterday, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reports. As many as ten teams have interest in Dempster, who earns $14MM this year and can block any trade. "We discussed a lot of things and obviously there are a lot of things being talked about," Dempster said. I looked at the right-hander’s trade value earlier today.
  • Matt Garza said he enjoys playing in Chicago but will embrace the challenge of pitching for another club if necessary, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports. "I just want to keep playing. It doesn’t matter where. I’ll pitch on the freaking moon," he said. "The AL East doesn't scare me a bit,” Garza added.
  • The Cubs designated catcher Koyie Hill for assignment earlier today, in case you missed it.

Cubs Designate Koyie Hill For Assignment

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The Cubs designated catcher Koyie Hill for assignment, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs activated Welington Castillo from the disabled list in a related move.

Hill appeared in 11 games for the Cubs this year, collecting six singles and a double in 39 plate appearances. The 33-year-old has experience in nine MLB seasons, but most of his professional career has been spent at the minor league level, where he has a .278 /.344/.410 batting line.

Trade Candidate: Ryan Dempster

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The Cubs, now 21-41, aren't going to win anything this year, and they’re reportedly willing to listen to trade offers on a variety of players. The Cubs’ front office members would consider a new contract for Ryan Dempster, but there’s no denying the obvious: the 35-year-old right-hander could just as easily be traded.

Ryan Dempster - Cubs (PW)

Teams will have interest in Dempster this summer. He has a 2.31 ERA, and while his peripheral stats suggest the ERA is not quite sustainable, he's been highly effective by most measures. He's striking hitters out (7.7 K/9) and owns a career-best walk rate (2.4 BB/9). Though his average fastball velocity has dropped below 90 mph, he continues to generate swings and misses (9.8% swinging strike rate). 

This year isn’t an anomaly, either. Only 16 pitchers have been more valuable in the past five years, according to FanGraphs’ version of wins above replacement. For context, the metric ranks Dempster alongside pitchers such as James Shields, Josh Beckett and Mark Buehrle for 2008-12.

Dempster’s contract status could complicate trade talks. He'll earn $14MM this season before hitting free agency, so his salary could deter some low-revenue suitors. If a trade is completed, the acquiring team won't be eligible to obtain draft pick compensation in 2013, so other interested teams may be reluctant to meet the Cubs' asking price. And Dempster has earned ten and five rights, so he can block any trade or demand compensation for being traded. All told, Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer, Dempster, and the pitcher’s representatives at LSW Baseball face an unusual situation.

The Dodgers are known to be interested in Dempster and others clubs are presumably eyeing him as well. The Braves, Yankees, Red Sox and Tigers are among the contenders that might seek rotation help between now and the end of July.

If Dempster agrees to waive his no-trade protection — and it sounds as though he’s open to the possibility — the Cubs will be positioned to demand valuable prospects or controllable young players in return. The trade market could include Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum seven weeks from now, but at the moment Dempster might be the top starter available and it’s an advantage the Cubs could look to exploit.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

NL Central Notes: Dempster, Cubs, Brewers, Appel

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Items out of the NL Central as Wednesday turns into Thursday..

  • Amid heavy trade talk, Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster had a long chat with Theo Epstein in the stands of Wrigley Field before today's game, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.  Dempster told Muskat that the two discussed an upcoming fundraiser.  Meanwhile, some execs believe that the hurler could be moved early, perhaps even before the All-Star break.
  • The Brewers expect to announce a number of draft signings by the end of the week, including a deal with second-round pick Tyrone Taylor, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.  Taylor is a center fielder out of Torrance High School in California.
  • Many of this year's top picks have already signed with their respective clubs and when all is said and done, Keith Law of ESPN.com (via Twitter) believes that Mark Appel is the only first round pick who may not sign.  The Pirates' eighth-overall pick was said to be in the mix to go No. 1 but asked for more than the Astros were willing to pay.

Quick Hits: Teahen, Soler, Ethier, Hamilton, Youkilis

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The Dodgers officially announced their five-year, $85MM extension with Andre Ethier this afternoon on a day that featured lots of draft news. Here are some of Tuesday’s non-draft-related links, starting in Los Angeles…

  • Mark Teahen can opt-out of his minor league contract with the Nationals if not called up by June 15th, MLBTR has learned. The 30-year-old has hit .293/.347/.404 with Washington's Triple-A affiliate while playing all four corner spots.
  • Jorge Soler is still in the process of securing a visa prior to officially signing with the Cubs, reports MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter). That could take about a week.
  • The Dodgers’ deal with Ethier could eliminate them from the Josh Hamilton sweepstakes after the season, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes (Twitterlinks). This could limit Hamilton’s leverage with the Rangers whenever the sides resume contract talks.
  • Olney points to the abundance of quality outfielders nearing free agency and suggests it makes sense for the players to accept deals now instead of waiting for what could be a buyer’s market.
  • There are no new developments in contract discussions between Cole Hamels and the Phillies or Zack Greinke and the Brewers, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
  • GM Sandy Alderson told Ken Davidoff of the New York Post that the Mets haven't drawn up plans to buy or sell this summer. Davidoff suggests that the Mets could decide to stay the course at the upcoming trade deadline.
  • One scout watched Kevin Youkilis play and wasn’t impressed, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). "For what he costs, he can't do anything," the scout said.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Cubs Notes: Jaramillo, LaHair, Dempster

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The Cubs, who rank 14th out of 16 NL teams in runs scored, announced that they replaced hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo with minor league hitting coordinator James Rowson. Here are some more Cubs-related notes and rumors…

  • President of baseball operations Theo Epstein confirmed that the Cubs are ready to start trading players to improve the organization's future, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports (on Twitter).
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com examines the rosters of potential sellers, including the Cubs. Most scouts believe Bryan LaHair has legitimate late-blooming power like Nelson Cruz and Jose Bautista, according to Bowden.
  • Some executives believe Ryan Dempster could be traded early, perhaps even before the All-Star break, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The Dodgers are interested in Dempster, who is in the last year of his contract.
  • An American League exec likes the looks of Dempster, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). "He's pitching well and he'd give you a good character guy/leader," the person said.
  • David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution lists off a number of reasons why the Braves may not pursue trades for veteran pitchers like Dempster this summer. The new collective bargaining agreement could impact the Braves’ interest in making a deal, and Kris Medlen gives them an additional internal candidate for the rotation.

Dodgers Interested In Ryan Dempster

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The Dodgers are "definitely interested" in Ryan Dempster, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs are expected to consider trade offers for Dempster, a free agent after the season.

As Knobler points out, the Dodgers were interested in Dempster two years ago, but the right-hander preferred to stay in Chicago. Dempster has full no-trade protection as a player with ten and five rights, yet he understands that the Cubs may look to move him for controllable players. The Cubs are open to retaining Dempster long-term and have discussed the possibility with the 35-year-old himself.

Dempster has started 11 games this year and owns a 2.31 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 74 innings. He'll earn $14MM this season before hitting free agency. If a trade is completed, the acquiring team won't be able to obtain draft pick compensation should Dempster sign elsewhere for the 2013 campaign.

Rosenthal On Phillies, Dempster, Soriano, Chavez

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Phillies general partner David Montgomery told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he’s not thinking about trading away established players since opportunity still exists for his 29-33 club. “Come August or something, maybe we feel differently,” Montgomery acknowledged, noting that the team’s current goal is to re-enter the playoff picture.

Here are more rumors and notes from Rosenthal…

  • Though the Cubs want to add talent, they are reluctant to start a long rebuilding process. Of all the Cubs, Ryan Dempster is most likely to be traded, according to Rosenthal. One general manager said the right-hander seems like a “classic Ned Colletti buy,” so don’t be surprised if the Dodgers show some interest in Dempster. 
  • Rosenthal speculates that the Indians could be a fit for Alfonso Soriano. Though the Cubs would be paying most of the outfielder’s salary in any trade, Soriano can still hit, especially against left-handers. Rival teams expect the Indians to be aggressive this summer, and they could use a right-handed bat like Soriano.
  • Teams aren’t sure that Wandy Rodriguez would succeed in the American League.
  • One person said there’s “no chance” the Red Sox could obtain prospects for Kevin Youkilis without paying most of his salary.
  • The Reds want to add a left-handed hitter, Rosenthal reports.
  • Though Eric Chavez can still play, preparing for games has become “a huge hurdle to climb physically.” The Yankees and White Sox were the only teams to show interest in the 34-year-old this past offseason, and he would have been content to retire if necessary.
  • Don’t be surprised if the Giants look to acquire a reliever, Rosenthal writes.
  • One executive wonders if the Orioles could trade Brian Matusz in a deal for a more established starter.

Cubs Win Bidding For Jorge Soler

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5:30pm: Heyman adds another caveat to Soler's deal (Twitter link). Soler will be allowed to opt out of the agreed-upon salaries and go to arbitration once he is eligible. That scenario would likely push the total value of the deal beyond $30MM.

1:48pm: Soler and the Cubs agreed to a nine-year deal worth approximately $30MM, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. At least three or four teams placed bids of $20MM plus, according to Heyman. Depending on how long Soler spends at the minor league level, the deal could cover all of his arbitration seasons and multiple free agent years. 

Soler can opt out of his yearly salaries and file for arbitration once eligible, ESPN.com's Keith Law reports. As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains, this means Soler could earn more than $30MM with the Cubs.

1:15pm: The Cubs won the bidding for Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (on Twitter). Many teams appeared to have interest in Soler, a top international prospect.

Soler has to sign by July 2 if he aims to maximize his earning potential and avoid spending restrictions imposed under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement. It's not clear what kind of bonus the Praver Shapiro Sports Management client will obtain from the Cubs, but a sum in excess of $15MM would not be surprising.

MLB declared Soler a free agent earlier this month after verifying his paperwork. The Phillies have since offered him a contract and the Astros, Pirates, Indians, Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays also appeared to have some level of interest in the 20-year-old.

Soler was an up-and-coming power hitter in Cuba before leaving the country, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. His calling card is right-handed power, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America, who considers him a top-50 prospect in MLB.

Quick Hits: LaRoche, Lee, Cubs

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Let’s not let the day’s biggest story — that the Cubs will sign Jorge Soler to a nine-year deal worth $30MM — overshadow some other notes and rumors from around MLB. Here are the latest links…

  • Yahoo’s Jeff Passan checks in on the players heading toward free agency, noting that the stock for players such as Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera and Andre Ethier is way up.
  • Derrek Lee would be open to returning for the “right opportunity,” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The Pirates could be interested in re-signing Lee, who joined the team in a midseason trade last year.
  • Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster and Bryan LaHair are all in play as the trade deadline nears, Rosenthal notes (on Twitter). The Cubs could look to supplement their core of young players by dealing established Major Leaguers for controllable players this summer.
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