Chicago Cubs News

[DravenX]

Cubs signed LHP Ted Lilly, who had been with the Blue Jays, to a four-year, $40 million contract.
Lilly receives a $4 million signing bonus, payable next month, and salaries of $5 million in 2007, $7 million in 2008 and $12 million in each of the final two years. He reportedly could have received $5 million more from the Jays, but Toronto became less attractive to him after Rod Barajas backed out of his deal and Gregg Zaun was re-signed to act as the club's primary catcher. The league switch should be very good for Lilly's numbers, but considering that he seems to have some shoulder troubles every year and still hasn't thrown 200 innings in a season, he's only so good of an investment in fantasy leagues. He makes more sense as a late-round pick in shallow mixed leagues than as a $14-$15 guy in NL-only leagues.

Cubs signed first baseman-outfielder Daryle Ward, who had been with the Braves, to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2008.
Ward is guaranteed $1.05 million. He'll replace John Mabry as the Cubs' top left-handed pinch-hitter and serve as a backup for Derrek Lee. Starts in the outfield should be few and far between, leaving him with no fantasy value unless Lee gets hurt.

Cubs signed RHP Jason Marquis, who had been with the Cardinals, to a three-year, $21 million contract.
All of those silly fools who thought Marquis would need to take a one-year deal in an attempt to rebuild his value clearly underestimated Cubs GM Jim Hendry. Marquis' strikeout rate plummeted even before his ERA skyrocketed last year, and he's hardly the groundball pitcher that he's often described as being. He can eat innings, and it's possible that he'll rebound to 2005 form. Still, there's just not enough upside here to justify this kind of contract, especially when we all know what his downside is. The Cubs will be assigning better bets to Iowa, assuming they don't just trade them for pennies on the dollar.

Source: RotoWorld

Not much going on with the Cubbies. The last one was from the 19th.

[love_that_reefer]

Now that's some old ass news.

[rockin500]

maybe even hendry was shocked into stopping spending after realizing he signed marquis to a dumbass contract...

[DravenX]

Here is something new.

Cubs agreed to terms with LHP Neal Cotts on a one-year, $825,000 contract.
Someone has a sense of humor, as the only incentive in the contract is a $150,000 bonus for being named World Series MVP. Cotts was arbitration eligible for the first time. The Cubs are still planning to stretch out the left-hander in spring training, but he's no higher than seventh on the starting pitching depth chart, making it likely that he'll return to the pen.

Source: RotoWorld

[DravenX]

Cubs invited INF-OF Mike Kinkade, RHP Sean Gallagher, RHP Adam Harben, LHP Ryan O'Malley, LHP Carmen Pignatiello, RHP Randy Wells, C Jake Fox, 3B Casey McGehee, 2B Eric Patterson, OF Tyler Colvin, OF Chris Walker to spring training.
Kinkade hit .328/.405/.444 at Triple-A Albuquerque last season. That he showed that little power in such a great environment for hitters isn't going to help him reemerge as a candidate for a bench spot in the majors. Still, he could be of some use.

Source: RotoWorld

[DravenX]

Cubs signed infielder Tomas Perez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Finally, someone to fill the void Neifi Perez's departure left on the Cubs. Tomas Perez's OPS has dropped six years running, bottoming out at 510 last year. He hit .212/.224/.286 while getting 241 at-bats for the Rays. The Cubs shouldn't be reduced to carrying him.

Source: RotoWorld

[DravenX]

The Cubs are continuing to shop Jacque Jones, who would prefer to move on after one year in Chicago.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella has been in contract with several of his new players since being hired, but Jones isn't one he has reached out to, seemingly another sign that the 31-year-old isn't in the team's plans for the future. If a Jones deal can be pulled off, the Cubs will likely sign Cliff Floyd with the money they free up. They could also pursue Darin Erstad or Steve Finley as center field help.

Cubs agreed to terms with LHP Will Ohman on a two-year, $2.5 million contract.
Ohman made $610,000 last year in his first year of arbitration. This will take him to free agency after 2008. Ohman has been looked at as a trade candidate with the Cubs adding Neal Cotts earlier this winter. This doesn't rule out a deal, but it looks like the Cubs are planning on keeping him. Lefties have hit just .173 and .158 against him the last two years.

Carlos Zambrano requested $15.5 million when arbitration figures were exchanged Tuesday. The Cubs submitted an $11.025 million figure.
Both Zambrano's request and the club's offer were the highest numbers traded this year. Zambrano is entering his last year in arbitration, and the Cubs are expected to try to sign him to a long-term deal this spring.

Source: RotoWorld

[HollywoodLeo]

Cubs sign Samardzija five-year, $10 million deal


Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has decided to forego a pro football career for that of a baseball pitcher -- and he'll be well-compensated for it.
Samardzija signed a five-year deal Friday to play baseball full-time, starting in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system, with the team holding options for 2012 and 2013.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2736354

[Dr.Funk]

Cubs have released Glendon Rusch.

[love_that_reefer]

Cubs have released Glendon Rusch.

He wouldn't have been ready til 2008 anyway. More importantly, the Cubs have signed Cliff Floyd to platoon with Murton.

[rockin500]

He wouldn't have been ready til 2008 anyway. More importantly, the Cubs have signed Cliff Floyd to platoon with Murton.

until he gets hurt again

[brewersfan19]

Not a Cub fan here, but it is about time they released him. He will be signed again. Lefty to come out of the pen. Gil Heredia ring a bell. Rusch is going to be the same kind of player!

[brewersfan19]

Side bar on Rusch:

Good- Saw him pitch a one-hitter against the Red Sox in '01, and it was a bunt single to Trot Nixon I believe in the first inning!!!


Bad- He SUCKED as a Brewer!! I mean it was like that dude for the Mets that lost like 17 games in a row, His name is drawing a blank in my head right now, but that is how bad he was with the Brewers!!!! He lost like 14 games in a row, or somewhere in that neighborhood.

[DravenX]

Cubs signed outfielder Cliff Floyd, who had been with the Mets, to a one-year, $3 million contract with a mutual option for 2008.
Floyd followed up a .273/.358/.505 season in 2005 by batting .244/.324/.407 in 332 at-bats in an injury-filled 2006. Since he'll remain a weak bet to stay healthy as an outfielder, the Cubs would be smart to sit him against the occasional right-hander in favor of Matt Murton. Murton will definitely play over him against lefties. Both players could end up receiving 350-400 at-bats.

Under the terms of his deal with the Cubs, Cliff Floyd could earn as much as $17.5 million over the next two years if he has 550 plate appearances each season.
He'd probably be worth it if he actually managed to hit the incentives. Floyd's mutual option for 2008 becomes guaranteed with 100 games started or 425 plate appearances this year, though he will be able to opt out if he wants. He's guaranteed $3 million in the deal and can make as much as $7.5 million this year if he reaches all of his incentives.

Source: RotoWorld

[brewersfan19]

Floyd is another signing by the Cubs that have lots of question marks!!! Health is the biggest ?!