MLB: Cubs Bid on Darvish, Interested in Varitek, Wakefield?

cigaretteman

Well-Known Member
Nov 8, 2006
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/baseball/daisuke-matsuzaka-PESPT838354.topic
Daisuke Matsuzaka hasn't fulfilled the expectations that came with a $103 million commitment. But he helped Theo Epstein win a World Series ring in 2007, and he hasn't scared the Cubs' new president away from the high price of elite international talent.

The Cubs placed a qualifying bid for the rights to 25-year-old Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish before the Thursday afternoon deadline ending his posting period, according to major league sources. They are believed to be one of three to 10 teams that submitted bids, and along with everyone else will learn by Tuesday if theirs was the highest bid as well as if the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters have accepted it.





The team bidding highest then would be given a chance to sign Darvish, who is not a free agent. It would not have to pay for the right to talk to Darvish if it doesn't sign him.

Epstein knows the byzantine process well, having navigated it when the
Red Sox acquired the rights to Matsuzaka after the 2006 season.

An attempt to sign a Japanese ace in his prime may be only one of the ways that Epstein returns to his past this offseason. According to sources, the Cubs have a preliminary interest in free agents
Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, who combined to spend 32 seasons with the Red Sox.

Both could fill holes and play significant roles in 2012. But Darvish is someone who would make a statement for the aggressiveness of Epstein and Cubs Chairman
Tom Ricketts.

It's unclear, however, how serious the Cubs are about Darvish. Epstein has kept his position to himself, and declined comment Thursday.
Chicago Cubs: Chicago Cubs put bid in for Yu Darvish - chicagotribune.com
 
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Re: Cubs Bid on Darvish, Interested in Veritek, Wakefield?

Glad to see Epstein has no intention of changing the Cubs' approach to free agency. Namely, paying top dollar to athletes who are several years on the wrong side of their peak. And now he's adding the element of signing overvalued foreign talent.

Sincerely,

Every Cardinals fan
 
Re: Cubs Bid on Darvish, Interested in Veritek, Wakefield?

I'd love to see Votto crushing 450 foot homers off of Wakefield. Sign him up!
 
Re: Cubs Bid on Darvish, Interested in Veritek, Wakefield?

Glad to see Epstein has no intention of changing the Cubs' approach to free agency. Namely, paying top dollar to athletes who are several years on the wrong side of their peak. And now he's adding the element of signing overvalued foreign talent.

Sincerely,

Every Cardinals fan
What? It didn't say how much they were willing to fork over for Wakefield and Varitek. I'll betcha both are pretty cheap and can eat up innings (basically Wakefield's only purpose at this juncture).

And you know Darvish is overvalued how? Foreigners never pan out. :jimlad:
 
Re: Cubs Bid on Darvish, Interested in Veritek, Wakefield?

What? It didn't say how much they were willing to fork over for Wakefield and Varitek. I'll betcha both are pretty cheap and can eat up innings (basically Wakefield's only purpose at this juncture).

And you know Darvish is overvalued how? Foreigners never pan out. :jimlad:

sounds like you don't know much about baseball.

Japanese pitchers don't really ever work out. Japanese infielders are even worse. You might get lucky with a bullpen guy, because they they have deceitful deliveries that can confuse MLB hitters for one at bat. Ichiro is the exception, not the rule.

and Wakefield and Varetek are both guys that have seen there better days. Teck might be better suited to take on a back up role and be more of a second bench coach than anything, but with his ego he will refuse to take a minor league deal or anything less than what he thinks he is worth, even though he is a guy with a .700 OPS.
If Wakefields knuckler isn't dancing, he gets SHELLED. and it is working less and less....
 
Varitek?:SLEEP::SLEEP:

Imports?:SLEEP:

Wakefield? Thought he was 46.:SLEEP:

Sounds like the V-2 Cubs will come roaring back in a few years.
 
As a Red Sox fan I hate to see Wakefield leave. However, him and tek are way way way past their primes. Wakefield would probably do a decent job at Middle releif and they would both come cheap. Tek adds great leadership but his prime is way over. I doubt he could play a full season with no injuries at this point. I just wish Epstein would have taken Carl Crawford and Jon Lackey with him to the cubs.
 
Cubs have some decisions to make at catcher right now. Stick with Soto or give Castillo and Clevenger a look. I'd be fine exploring trades for Soto and signing Varitek as insurance if you strike a deal using him and Castillo behind the plate and grooming Clevenger at AAA Iowa.

Wakefield I don't see, unless he comes cheap and has to compete for the #5 job he's way past his prime to have an impact on this team that has too many holes.

I think they are holding out to go after Cespedes in free agency and trade Byrd if they are able to sign him. Right now here's what things are looking like.

1B LaHair (possibly in a platoon?)
2B Barney
SS Castro
3B Stewart
C Soto
LF Soriano
CF Byrd
RF DeJesus

Rotation:
Garza
Dempster
Zambrano
Wells
Battle for 5th or possible FA signing?

A lot can still change, I think if you see any significant moves other than maybe signing Cespedes and a decent pitcher for the rotation it's going to come via trade with Soto and Marmol the likely trade bait. I think this team is looking at a youth movement and trying to stockpile assets for future trades down the line to fill in the holes. I hate that they may suck again in 2012 but considering they have not made any big splashes so far says a lot because if they were planning to compete in 2012 they'd be in on some of the bigger free agents you'd think.
 
As a Red Sox fan I hate to see Wakefield leave. However, him and tek are way way way past their primes. Wakefield would probably do a decent job at Middle releif and they would both come cheap. Tek adds great leadership but his prime is way over. I doubt he could play a full season with no injuries at this point. I just wish Epstein would have taken Carl Crawford and Jon Lackey with him to the cubs.

No, its time for Wake to go. Let Theo take him. I will miss Varitek more, but he is past his prime as well. Amen on Crawford and Lackey.
 

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