Ken Rosenthal
@Ken_Rosenthal
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3m
BREAKING: #Cubs in agreement with free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel, pending physical, sources tell The Athletic.
Kimbrel to Cubs
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Ken Rosenthal
@Ken_Rosenthal
·
3m
BREAKING: #Cubs in agreement with free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel, pending physical, sources tell The Athletic.
Good for Craig. Good for Theo. Glad we didn’t do a deal like that. That first year’s $15m is for basically half a season.
Before anyone else says it, allow me to say that Kimbrel never would’ve accepted this deal from the Sox.
Had they offered it.
Which they didn’t.
Had they offered it.
Which they didn’t.
It’ll be more like $9 or 10 million this year and probably $30ish over the next two.
Well they should have. That's less than Davis, Chapman, Melancon and Jansen make, and taking the proration into account it's less than Britton.
Per Jeff Passan’s twitter
Craig Kimbrel's deal with the Chicago Cubs is for three years and $43 million and includes a fourth-year option, sources tell ESPN. He'll receive $10 million this season and $16 million in 2020 and 2021. There is a $1 million buyout on a club/vesting option for the fourth year.
Craig Kimbrel's deal with the Chicago Cubs is for three years and $43 million and includes a fourth-year option, sources tell ESPN. He'll receive $10 million this season and $16 million in 2020 and 2021. There is a $1 million buyout on a club/vesting option for the fourth year.
My question is why? On both counts.
Why wouldn't the Sox offer it at this point to stabilize their bullpen?
And why wouldn't Kimbrel accept at this point?
I think the Sox were turned off by Kimbrel not being able to adapt to pitching whenever. They want their best relievers to face the best batters whether that's in the 8th, 9th or 10th.
Current sox payroll is $226,265,429 if they go above $246M this year they get docked 10 spots in the 2020 draft again.. I wouldn't want the sox to make that gamble again, given where we currently are in the standings....
It's not payroll, it is AAV and they are at $239.7M according to cots. If they were at $226M, they would have added in the offseason presumably (although it would have had to be one year deals as they are concerned about the 2020 cap too).
If the Red Sox we’re going to pay Kimbrel $15m they would have done so in February or March. They are not even worth discussing right now as teams at the point were waiting for draft compensation to go away.
Why does Zobrist marital problems and leave negate his salary on the Cubs payroll cap calculation?
He's on the restricted list, so he's not getting paid and that money will not count against the luxury tax.
Here's an article about the marital woes: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.tennessean.com/amp/3680470002
Well at least this timeTheo didn't give away a top prospect for 30 innings of a "Proven Closer". I guess that's an improvement.
Wait, Zobrist took a leave of absence because his wife was cheating on him?
How is playing baseball for millions of dollars in front of passionate fans not a better distraction than sitting at home and being sad and not getting paid?
How is playing baseball for millions of dollars in front of passionate fans not a better distraction than sitting at home and being sad and not getting paid?
Maybe he wants to work on his marriage. Spending half your time thousands of miles away from your spouse is probably pretty bad for that.
Maybe he’s depressed about it.
They have three young kids. Maybe he wants to be around them more during this tough time.
I mean, I would weigh those things just slightly more heavily than “passionate fans” who don’t really care about him and a couple million more dollars.
He filed for legal separation from her days after officially taking the leave of absence on the same day she filed for divorce. If they wanted to work on the marriage, they didn't really have much time to give it a go. I can see the kids argument, though, and good on him if that's the reason.
People withdraw petitions and requests like that all the time. His filing said that he didn’t know if the marriage was salvageable.
It’s weird to opine incredulously on the right kind of therapy or approach for a failing marriage. Especially when, “Just do what you’ve been doing the whole time you’ve been married,” is the alternative.
I mean, fuck the fans. Fuck the extra couple million.
It’s weird to opine incredulously on the right kind of therapy or approach for a failing marriage. Especially when, “Just do what you’ve been doing the whole time you’ve been married,” is the alternative.
I mean, fuck the fans. Fuck the extra couple million.
If this was their reason, then I think it's silly. Just move everyone currently in the bullpen down the pecking order and let Kimbrel pitch the 9th. Use Barnes, Brasier, Workman and Walden in the 6-8th innings picking and choosing matchups you like. Instead, we have Barnes, Brasier, Workman and Walden pitching the 6-9th innings and no Kimbrel. I know, they had a budget, but it still stings to see him sign a completely reasonable deal elsewhere.
Clearly, Zobrist should’ve checked in with SoSH for marital advice.
I’m a pretty good looking, smart....funny..., desirable kinda guy. Let me work on this
Why should the 9th be exempt from the "choosing matchups" gameplan? We've seen the way Barnes has been deployed this year...focusing his efforts on the iron of the opposing order whenever possible. Why can't Kimbrel be used in a similar manner? Isn't his skill wasted when he's saved for the 9th inning to face 6-7-8 instead of going in the 8th against 3-4-5? Wouldn't it be harder to sell the other pitchers on the match-up philosophy if the highest paid guy in the pen is exempt from it so he can rack up the one stat that they're trying to argue is unimportant?
It seems that this was/is a case of DD (or the collective brain trust) deciding to part with CK based on valuation. They were left with a bit of a tough call, as it appeared his elite skills were starting to slip right as he was due for a big payday. I still believe the Sox made the right call. I think they got the best of Kimbrel’s prime, and chose not to pay a premium for past performance.
While it’s likely the bullpen would be better with Kimbrel, it’s not what has held the Sox back so far. They may need more arms before the season is done, but I’m guessing there will be much better value than signing up for 3/43 for a guy likely on the downside.
While it’s likely the bullpen would be better with Kimbrel, it’s not what has held the Sox back so far. They may need more arms before the season is done, but I’m guessing there will be much better value than signing up for 3/43 for a guy likely on the downside.
^^ This ^^
I think with a perfect closer the team would have 3 more wins than they do.
This is not the problem
I think with a perfect closer the team would have 3 more wins than they do.
This is not the problem
They’re ready to spend a little bit to make a run over the next few years. Payroll at $60m right now.
If saved for the 9th, then your highest-paid reliever is often pitching in not highest-leverage situations. That seems to be a bad use of monetary resources.
Kimbrel on decision to sign with Cubs over Rays.
Ouch.
“One thing that’s important to me … as well is being able to play in front of a fan base that is as passionate about this game as I am. I did get to experience that in Boston. And it’d be hard to leave that kind of passion each and every night, especially in the role that I am. I’m a very adrenaline-based player. And knowing that each and every night that the seats are going to be full, that definitely played a huge part in this decision.”
Ouch.
“One thing that’s important to me … as well is being able to play in front of a fan base that is as passionate about this game as I am. I did get to experience that in Boston. And it’d be hard to leave that kind of passion each and every night, especially in the role that I am. I’m a very adrenaline-based player. And knowing that each and every night that the seats are going to be full, that definitely played a huge part in this decision.”
Tampa Bay's 25 fans are going to boo the shit out of him next time he comes to play at the Trop or whatever the hell it's called nowadays.
2019 save #1 for Kimbrel. But not before 9th inning, double, walk, potential winning run comes to the plate.
Exhale Cubs fans, you're gonna have a lot of these.
Exhale Cubs fans, you're gonna have a lot of these.