According to FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi, the Cubs are “more likely” to move Matt Garza at the trade deadline this summer than before the start of the regular season.
The Cubs clearly weren’t blown away by the offers they got for Garza this winter and will simply try again in July. Garza, 28, registered a 3.32 ERA and 197/63 K/BB ratio across 198 innings last season. He’s set to earn a $9.5 million salary in 2012.
Source: twitter.com
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Cubs and RHP Matt Garza avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $9.5 million contract.
The deal is under the $10.225 million midpoint, but it also contains performance bonuses that could push the total higher. The 28-year-old right-hander earned $5.95 million last season while posting a 3.32 ERA and 197/63 K/BB ratio in 198 innings. He remains under team control through 2013 but figures to be a prime trade candidate at the July deadline.
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Cubs signed LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith to a minor league contract.
The 29-year-old left-hander failed to reach the major leagues last year with Houston and had a brutal 6.75 ERA in 109 1/3 innings with the Mariners in 2010. He will function as organizational relief depth for the Cubs.
Source: twitter.com
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The Cubs and Matt Garza have an arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday.
Garza requested $12.5 million and was offered $7.95 million from the Cubs when arbitration figures were exchanged earlier this month. Despite the large gap between the two sides, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Cubs are still hopeful of reaching a settlement prior to a hearing.
Source: twitter.com
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Cubs signed LHP Trever Miller to a minor league contract.
The deal comes with an invitation to spring training, where Miller will get a shot at an Opening Day bullpen spot. If the 38-year-old left-handed specialist makes the team, he will earn a salary of $800,000.
Source: twitter.com
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Cubs prospect Brett Jackson thinks he’s ”big-league-ready,” but acknowledged that he ”still has some convincing to do” with the front office.
“My approach is I have a really great opportunity and I’m going to try as hard as I can to seize it,” Jackson said. “That being said, there are a lot of decisions outside my control. I think I’m big league ready and I’m 100 percent confident in my abilities.” The Cubs are not in any rush to promote prospects before their time, but Jackson has shown an impressive combination of speed and power in his first two full minor league seasons. It’s not unrealistic to think he could push Marlon Byrd or David DeJesus for a spot on the big league roster.
Source: chicagotribune.com
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Cubs signed INF Bobby Scales to a minor league contract.
It’s not clear whether he’ll receive an invite to spring training. Scales spent 2011 in Japan and hit pretty well, batting .280/.373/.456 with 18 homers over 600 plate appearances. He batted .248/.342/.401 over 158 plate appearances for the Cubs from 2009-2010. The 34-year-old will provide organizational depth.
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Cubs sent RHP Manny Corpas outright to Triple-A Iowa.
The Cubs signed Corpas in late-December, but he’ll now head to spring training as a non-roster invite. The 29-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2010.
Source: twitter.com
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Cubs signed INF Matt Tolbert to a minor league contract.
Tolbert batted just .198/.252/.266 in 226 plate appearances last season with the Twins. The 29-year-old will serve as organizational infield depth for the Cubs.
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Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the Rays and free agent first baseman Carlos Pena have agreed to terms.
Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reported earlier Friday that talks were progressing, and evidently a deal has been struck. Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it’s a great fit, as the Rays could use some more sock to their lineup and had a big hole at first base. Pena, 33, batted .225/.357/.462 with 28 home runs and 80 RBI across 606 plate appearances last season for the Cubs. He was also being pursued by the Indians.
Source: twitter.com
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