Cub sign reliever Steve Cishek

[reillymcshane]

2-years, $12-14M

 

Relievers are coming off the board at breakneck speed.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/12/cubs-to-sign-steve-cishek.html

[coolhandluke121]

Let them do their thing. Personally I think there's a good chance that some trio of Williams, Houser, Barnes, Baker, and/or Drake average more WAR than most of these relievers getting $5m+ per year. I don't know which of those 3 are going to be good, but if the Brewers figure it out within a couple months of opening day, they'll be glad they sat this out.

[MadThinker88]

Early reports its a 2 year deal in the $12 to $14 Million range (assuming that is total value & not per year)..

[TURBO]

The more the Cubs improve their roster, the more it is becoming apparent that we just will not be competing for the division crown in the upcoming season.

 

This is not meant as a negative post, or me wanting to go out and make ridiculous trades or free agent signings to keep up, just an observation.

 

I prefer to stay the course of our current rebuilding plan, so this is not meant as a complaint.

[patrickgpe]

he got the same amount of money as Swarzkyk, i would have rather have signed Chisek. another good signing by the cubs.

[DR28]

Come on Stearns!!

[monty57]

Not a bad addition, and it makes the Cubs better, but isn't he basically a "situational righty" with his delivery? That's quite a bit to pay for a guy who you might not want to bring in if a lefty is coming up in the inning.

[StearnsFTW]

he got the same amount of money as Swarzkyk, i would have rather have signed Chisek. another good signing by the cubs.

 

The Cubs have signed two very risky bullpen arms. I'm a little surprised by who they've gone after. There isn't really a guy in that bullpen that is rock-solid by any stretch. That bullpen could be either very good or very bad.

 

I liked the Chatwood signing for them though.

[Warning Track Power]

Without looking at the dollar amounts, the Cubs offseason to date was exactly what I would have wanted the Brewers to do to begin the offseason. A rotation of Anderson-Davies-Chatwood-Woodruff-Hader and a back-end of Knebel, Morrow, Cishek would have looked real nice.

 

Looking at the dollar amounts though, I think the Brewers are in better shape without having spent those dollars because, as I said in a different thread, the difference in performance between Woodruff-Hader in the rotation and a Adrian Houser and Taylor Williams in the bullpen is not likely worth the additional $30ish million owed Chatwood, Morrow and Cishek.

[coolhandluke121]

The more the Cubs improve their roster, the more it is becoming rampant that we just will not be competing for the division crown in the upcoming season.

 

This is not meant as a negative post, or me wanting to go out and make ridiculous trades or free agent signings to keep up, just an observation.

 

I prefer to stay the course of our current rebuilding plan, so this is not meant as a complaint.

 

Now that's what I call perspective. Looking forward to the Brewers laughing at these other teams real soon, if not this year.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Theo is buying up everything in sight because unless he trades from and weakens their mlb position player roster to shore up pitching there's nothing left on their farm worth a damn...

 

The last thing a small market team should do is outbid large market teams for veteran relievers.

[brewmann04]

you know the cubs and Cards are going to be adding DS has to be very careful on making mves

[CheezWizHed]

Theo is buying up everything in sight because unless he trades from and weakens their mlb position player roster to shore up pitching there's nothing left on their farm worth a damn...

 

The last thing a small market team should do is outbid large market teams for veteran relievers.

 

I was going to say the same thing. This is really the Cub's only option...

[bill hAll Star]

The more the Cubs improve their roster, the more it is becoming rampant that we just will not be competing for the division crown in the upcoming season.

 

This is not meant as a negative post, or me wanting to go out and make ridiculous trades or free agent signings to keep up, just an observation.

 

I prefer to stay the course of our current rebuilding plan, so this is not meant as a complaint.

 

Now that's what I call perspective. Looking forward to the Brewers laughing at these other teams real soon, if not this year.

 

We may laugh someday, but my issue is that I feel like the Cubs have been biding their time at around $170 million/year the last several years and will strike on Harper or Keuchel and pay a little tax for one year and then the payroll will slide back down again in years following that. Zobrist is gone after 2019 and Lester's deal goes down. Heyward's drops down next year. They have a lot of arbitration to pay for guys but they can squeeze a mega-contract in there.

 

They essentially can bring back their entire current roster in 2019 for $170-175ish. They may not even have to go over the tax threshold to squeeze one of those guys in. It's true that Bryant/Rizzo/Hendricks/a lot of the rest of the gang is coming due after 2020 or 2021, but that is a pretty long ways off.

 

I'm sure the Harper or Keuchel contract may look bad in 2022, but while I'm very patient on the Brewers and totally am on board with Stearns not going in on this year and just letting this play out over the next few years, I'd wish the Cubs would open the door up for us just a little bit more, a little bit earlier.

 

I'm sure somebody will come in and tell me they don't think this year's Cubs team looks as good on paper due to some regression and guys like Arrieta/Davis being replaced with guys with a lot of risk, but I do think on the whole that the Cubs will field a 90+ win team in general for the next several years with maybe 100 again if and when they make their big splash after this coming season.

[reillymcshane]

The one thing that the Cubs are doing with signing these relievers is avoiding long term contracts. Everything is two years - except Chatwood - which is three.

 

One of the nice things about signing relievers - even to decent sized contracts - is that they aren't long-term drags on your salary structure. It's why I would be fine with Milwaukee adding one or two guys at this price and term. We can afford them now, and they won't be around in a couple of years to muck up your salary structure.

 

I thought we'd sign someone from the second tier of relievers (tier one being Davis and Holland) - but most of those guys are gone. Tony Watson and Addison Reed are the two main relief arms left outside of the big closer types. Reed is going to cost the most - probably $10M a year - so I don't know if we'd splurge on a guy like that when we passed on other effective, but cheaper, arms. Watson would make sense if the team was serious about putting Hader in the rotation.

[jerichoholicninja]

One of the nice things about signing relievers - even to decent sized contracts - is that they aren't long-term drags on your salary structure. It's why I would be fine with Milwaukee adding one or two guys at this price and term. We can afford them now, and they won't be around in a couple of years to muck up your salary structure.

 

Which is why I don't understand the militant like stance some here are taking towards signing one. You don't get a prize for winning with the cheapest players possible.

[KeithStone53151]

One of the nice things about signing relievers - even to decent sized contracts - is that they aren't long-term drags on your salary structure. It's why I would be fine with Milwaukee adding one or two guys at this price and term. We can afford them now, and they won't be around in a couple of years to muck up your salary structure.

 

Which is why I don't understand the militant like stance some here are taking towards signing one. You don't get a prize for winning with the cheapest players possible.

 

Agreed, we absolutely need to make value signings in some areas. But unless Stearns has something cooking up his sleeves with our remaining spending power, we should be more involved in this free agent relief market.

[TJseven7]

he got the same amount of money as Swarzkyk, i would have rather have signed Chisek. another good signing by the cubs.

 

The Cubs have signed two very risky bullpen arms. I'm a little surprised by who they've gone after. There isn't really a guy in that bullpen that is rock-solid by any stretch. That bullpen could be either very good or very bad.

 

I liked the Chatwood signing for them though.

 

Why is cishek risky? Guys had 7 years without 1 over 3.6. 60 ip on average career era at 2.73. Dudes one of the more stable mid level rhps on the market. This is one of the guys i REALLY wanted. At swarzak price that's a good addition. I'd rather believe he'll repeat his success an 8 and 9th time than swarzak not regress his a 2nd time.

 

Id rather the cubs swing big at the best available than eat up a fiscally responsible pen arm like this. Big market buying up all the guys in our market doesn't do us any favors.

[TJseven7]

One of the nice things about signing relievers - even to decent sized contracts - is that they aren't long-term drags on your salary structure. It's why I would be fine with Milwaukee adding one or two guys at this price and term. We can afford them now, and they won't be around in a couple of years to muck up your salary structure.

 

Which is why I don't understand the militant like stance some here are taking towards signing one. You don't get a prize for winning with the cheapest players possible.

 

Agreed, we absolutely need to make value signings in some areas. But unless Stearns has something cooking up his sleeves with our remaining spending power, we should be more involved in this free agent relief market.

 

+100.. he spoke of our "buying power" being a great asset to us and I keep wondering ok its only an asset if you are buying... who is he after? Even if we aren't contending in 2018 and 2019... cishek can be sold off in either year for prospects at this price.

[LouisEly]

The more the Cubs improve their roster, the more it is becoming apparent that we just will not be competing for the division crown in the upcoming season.

 

This is not meant as a negative post, or me wanting to go out and make ridiculous trades or free agent signings to keep up, just an observation.

 

I prefer to stay the course of our current rebuilding plan, so this is not meant as a complaint.

Cubs are taking on a lot of risk though. Giving this kind of money to FA relievers might keep them from spending on top-line starters (Arrieta, etc.). That's a good thing - decrease the quality of their starting pitching actually gives the Brewers a better chance.

[SRB]

I'm surprised the Cubs aren't spending their money on starting pitching. They're rotation is not very good and Chatwood is not the answer. I expect them to win the NL Central, but I would have thought they'd be planning for the playoffs. Not a lot of prospects to add a SP via midseason trade.

[bill hAll Star]

I'm surprised the Cubs aren't spending their money on starting pitching. They're rotation is not very good and Chatwood is not the answer. I expect them to win the NL Central, but I would have thought they'd be planning for the playoffs. Not a lot of prospects to add a SP via midseason trade.

 

They also signed Drew Smyly and are probably looking into another deal.

[TURBO]

It's been said a million times before, but the playing field is completely uneven when some teams can go out and buy whoever they want or need, and others simply can't.

 

It's ridiculous.

[FVBrewerFan]

And if that's not enough, the Cubs will get a starter at the trade deadline next season.

 

We're all worried that not signing a relief pitcher is somehow preventing a WS title in 2018. Let's get real. This team can surprise again, with or without adding a reliever. What they can't do is make a legit run at the title.

 

Stick to the plan. Build a great young team while maintaining a great farm system. That way you become a sustainable contender, and can even afford to go for broke once or twice without literally giving away the farm.

 

Trading a few prospects is fine. In fact likely necessary given the 40 man roster crunch next year. So trade a couple for an arm? Sure, why not. But that's superfluous. Cubs, Dodgers, Nats are all in not to mention some AL teams. If the Brewers signed Mariano Rivera in his prime it would not be nearly enough.

 

Some young talent has arrived. More will arrive next year. That will be the foundation, there are no shortcuts.

[brewmann04]

good move by the cubs we have to remember we can't compete money wise with the big biys