Chicago Cubs 2018 Season

#976      
Dump him means to get rid of him outside of a trade. Couldn't they flat out release him?

I don't think rosters are frozen. For example, today, the Pirates sent a guy to AAA and the Blue Jays designated someone for assignment. Maybe during the WS rosters are frozen.

Rosters aren't "frozen" but its severely frowned upon by the MLB office to announce big news during playoff time. People usually squeeze in some managerial fires and small news before the playoffs start in earnest (like the ones announced this year), but big distracting news like "Cubs officially part ways with controversy-mired SS" probably won't be released until well after the WS.

I'm sure they'll try to pawn him off on a team in a trade throughout November, then end up not tendering a contract whenever arbitration starts in December. I really don't think he'll play for the Cubs again.
 
#977      

Deleted member 645583

D
Guest
On the lighter side, what happens when a season is over? Yeah, the players empty their lockers and go off to spend their millions. But do they meet with Theo and GM about their performance during the season? Exit interview? Accountability baby!
 
#978      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
On the lighter side, what happens when a season is over? Yeah, the players empty their lockers and go off to spend their millions. But do they meet with Theo and GM about their performance during the season? Exit interview? Accountability baby!

Yes, they had them Wednesday.
 
#979      
The Cubs don’t have to do anything to get rid of Russell. He’s entering his first year of arbitration. They just don’t tender him a contract and that’s that.

They could also severely lowball him. Like offer him veteran’s minimum for three years. And then decline to go to arbitration if he doesn’t sign it.
 
#980      
The Cubs don’t have to do anything to get rid of Russell. He’s entering his first year of arbitration. They just don’t tender him a contract and that’s that.

They could also severely lowball him. Like offer him veteran’s minimum for three years. And then decline to go to arbitration if he doesn’t sign it.
Does any of that provide some sort of benefit to the Cubs? Just curious, not trying to imply they should/could get anything for him.
 
#981      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Saw a report yesterday that the Cubs will bring back Hamels by picking up his option. If true, I wonder if that will now preclude them from attempting to sign Harper or Machado, since they want to be under the luxury tax cap?
 
#982      
Saw a report yesterday that the Cubs will bring back Hamels by picking up his option. If true, I wonder if that will now preclude them from attempting to sign Harper or Machado, since they want to be under the luxury tax cap?

Have you seen any report saying they want to stay under the tax for 2019? Everything I’ve read says they wanted to stay under the cap until 2018 so that they wouldn’t be subject to the multiple seasons penalty when they went over it in 2019.

The luxury tax is not a salary cap, and I think the Cubs fully expect to blow past it this offseason.
 
#983      

KBLEE

Montgomery, IL
Last I saw, they were still planning to start their own TV network after next season. The potential revenue impact of that is substantial and will allow for a large expansion in their payroll.
 
#984      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Have you seen any report saying they want to stay under the tax for 2019? Everything I’ve read says they wanted to stay under the cap until 2018 so that they wouldn’t be subject to the multiple seasons penalty when they went over it in 2019.

The luxury tax is not a salary cap, and I think the Cubs fully expect to blow past it this offseason.

So if they are over in 2019, what are the penalties? What is different about 2019 as compared to 2018? to answer your question, no, not recently. But if the rules are changing, maybe they are thinking differently. But that would mean that other teams are as well, like the Dodgers for example.

EDIT: Found this from mlb.com

A club exceeding the Competitive Balance Tax threshold for the first time must pay a 20 percent tax on all overages. A club exceeding the threshold for a second consecutive season will see that figure rise to 30 percent, and three or more straight seasons of exceeding the threshold comes with a 50 percent luxury tax. If a club dips below the luxury tax threshold for a season, the penalty level is reset. So, a club that exceeds the threshold for two straight seasons but then drops below that level would be back at 20 percent the next time it exceeds the threshold.
Clubs that exceed the threshold by $20 million to $40 million are also subject to a 12 percent surtax. Meanwhile, those who exceed it by more than $40 million are taxed at a 42.5 percent rate the first time and a 45 percent rate if they exceed it by more than $40 million again the following year(s).
Beginning in 2018, clubs that are $40 million or more above the threshold shall have their highest selection in the next Rule 4 Draft moved back 10 places unless the pick falls in the top six. In that case, the team will have its second-highest selection moved back 10 places instead.
 
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#985      
MLB trade rumors has their arb estimates at $40MM. Combined with the salaries on the books, league minimum guys, and the other stuff that counts towards the luxury tax, the Cubs are going to be around $188MM pre-free agency.

Hamels option puts them over the luxury tax if they take that. I don't think there's any way they're going to stay under this year, but getting one of Harper & Machado practically locks them into being over the luxury tax line for as long as their contracts run (assuming they get in the $30-$40MM/yr. range). So while it wouldn't be the most surprising thing in the world if they went over in 2019 & 2020, the only team that's locked themselves above the Luxury tax line for 3+ years in the recent past has been the Red Sox, so who knows if all of the big budget teams are even capable of it.
 
#986      
What is different about 2019 as compared to 2018? to answer your question, no, not recently. But if the rules are changing, maybe they are thinking differently. But that would mean that other teams are as well, like the Dodgers for example.

Right before the Cubs were sold to the Ricketts, Zell - the guy that took over the Tribune holdings - signed the Cubs to a below market TV deal. (That annoyingly has the Cubs bouncing around on four different channels in C-U.) That deal is up. The Cubs will be signing one of the most lucrative television deals in baseball sometime in the next four months. The public doesn’t know the details yet, but the Cubs are about to get an enormous bump in revenue. That’s what’s going to change this year.

You can sum up why the Dodgers desperately needed to get under the tax this year in two words: Clayton. Kershaw. Now they can dump a truck load of money on him after he opts out and not have to pay the multi-year penalty.
 
#988      
Bryant turns down extension

Completely not shocking. You don't have Boras as your agent to sign extensions like that. Really was just a preliminary round for future negotiations when he hits free agency.
I would like to see serious extensions offered to Hendricks and Javy though.
 
#989      
Bryant turns down extension

Completely not shocking. You don't have Boras as your agent to sign extensions like that. Really was just a preliminary round for future negotiations when he hits free agency.
I would like to see serious extensions offered to Hendricks and Javy though.

Not going to knock Bryant (his decision, his life), but to turn down a guaranteed contract of over $200 million is something I cannot, and will not ever, comprehend.
 
#992      
I would be shocked if Bryant ever signs a long term deal with the Cubs.

a) Because of the whole waiting to call him up for extra control thing.
and
b) We will already most likely be top 5 in payroll when it comes time. Though a lot can happen in that span (believe only Heyward, and maybe Darvish will still be under contract then

Obviously, would love him to be a life long Cub, but Boras is scum and will sweet talk Bryant into other avenues.
 
#993      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
I would be shocked if Bryant ever signs a long term deal with the Cubs.

a) Because of the whole waiting to call him up for extra control thing.
and
b) We will already most likely be top 5 in payroll when it comes time. Though a lot can happen in that span (believe only Heyward, and maybe Darvish will still be under contract then

Obviously, would love him to be a life long Cub, but Boras is scum and will sweet talk Bryant into other avenues.

I'd say it depends on if he wants to play somewhere closer his hometown. If he doesn't care, I could see him signing a long term deal. If, for example, Harper signs somewhere out west and Bryant doesn't sign a long term deal here, I could see him joining up with Harper out west. But who really knows? We will know more about Harper's future in a few months.
 
#994      
Bryant will be a free agent. He’ll sign with the team that offers him the most money. If that team is the Cubs, he’ll re-sign with the Cubs. It could be the Cubs; the Cubs are one of the richest teams in baseball and should be able to compete for whatever free agent they want.

Speculating luxury tax implications, etc. for when Bryant is a free agent is kind of silly since the current collective bargaining agreement will have expired by then and teams could be playing by a completely different set of rules.
 
#995      
Bryant will resign with the Cubs if they offer him the most money. Or at least within a rounding error if they Cubs have a better team around him than the other offers.