By Dave van Dyck
The Cubs are not expected to offer salary arbitration to their three free agents today, which means they will not receive compensation for losing pitcher Rich Harden.
The story was first reported by David Kaplan on Chicagonow.com.
Harden ($7million), reliever Kevin Gregg ($4.2 million) and outfielder Reed Johnson ($3 million) will play elsewhere next season. If they had been offered arbitration, they could have accepted and played next season for whatever an impartial arbitrator decided. The Cubs felt none of them was worth the almost-certain raise that would be coming.
The Cubs are not expected to offer salary arbitration to their three free agents today, which means they will not receive compensation for losing pitcher Rich Harden.
The story was first reported by David Kaplan on Chicagonow.com.
Harden ($7million), reliever Kevin Gregg ($4.2 million) and outfielder Reed Johnson ($3 million) will play elsewhere next season. If they had been offered arbitration, they could have accepted and played next season for whatever an impartial arbitrator decided. The Cubs felt none of them was worth the almost-certain raise that would be coming.
The Cubs will be looking for someone to replace Johnson, who has
been sidelined by injuries for long parts of his career, and Gregg, who
lost his closer's role to Carlos Marmol late last season.
Baseball's annual winter meetings, which usually produce trades and free-agent signings, start Monday in Indianapolis.
Baseball's annual winter meetings, which usually produce trades and free-agent signings, start Monday in Indianapolis.
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CYMONGER on December 1, 2009 12:33 PM
YOU'RE A WOMAN YOUR OPINION IS IRRELEVANT.
DID U REALLY say such an old school ridiculous statement!? You are a small minded a$$ and likely just jealous of Reed & Mark because they have a million times more class than you ever will!
[[willie on December 1, 2009 1:34 PM
The point I made is that the Cubs don't have an unlimited budget, like the Yankees do. That being said, two-thirds of the Cubs' budget is consumed by unproductive or often-injured superstars. You simply can't win with that type of model. The reality of aging players and bad judgment by Hendry got them into this mess. The Rangers tried for years to emulate the Yankees, but it never worked. They now have a very young, talented team that are on the cusp of being good for a long time. Can they overcome the Angels and their history of incompetence? Only time will tell.
BTW, I follow many of the teams, not just my beloved Cubbies. So, Scott my friend, leave the histrionics at the door, ok?]]
Well then the Cubs aren't following the "Yankees model". If they were they would be spending without a care until they won or they go bankrupt. And I don't think the Cubs "model" is to sign hurt superstars either. And I don't think the "Rangers model" is the best way to do things in baseball either. Not only have they never won a playoff series, but they actually wouldn't mind bringing Milton Bradley back. Any "model" that says bring in Milton Bradley is not a "model" to follow.
I would say most teams follow the "model" of trying to bring in the best players they can that fit within their budget, which is different on every team. Believe it or not, both the Rangers and the Cubs practice that "model". Good luck to your Rangers and their "model" this year!
Clyder1 wrote on December 1, 2009 7:40 PM
["Not offering Harden arbitration was just plain stupid. But Hendry can offer outrageous money to Soriano & Bradley.
Using Gregg's money toward Harden would have made sense.
The Twins, Red Sox & Yankees want Harden, but the Cubs don't."]
Clyder1, man I hope you are kidding.. Because if you are not you may have to be nominated for most retarded poster of the month..
So you're telling us it would be a good idea to offer arbitration to a guy who earned $7 million in 2009 and couldn't pitch more than the 5 inning he averaged as a starter per start???? In arbitration he is pretty much guaranteed a raise over the previous year, so you think Harden deserves to be paid $9 million dollars to be a 5th starter and only pitch 5 innings in any game he starts for the Cubs??? Hell Harden wants the Cubs to offer ARB, he knows there is no way in hell he is going to make next year, what he made last year as a free agent, not is this economy with his crappy numbers…
The only reason any team is interested in Rich Harden is he IS A FREE AGENT in a small free agent market… If this guy gets an offer from any team more than $5 million the GM should be fired immediately. You though Jason Marquis was over paid???!!! At least Marquis pitched 200 innings every year, which is all you really hope for out of the 5th spot in the rotation.
Harden is no longer fit to be a starting pitcher; he can’t throw enough innings over the duration of the season, or go long enough in any start to benefit the team he pitches for. He hinders his team by wearing down the bullpen, the bullpen he should be sitting in, waiting to be called in as a middle reliever.
motojones wrote-
"The cubs gave up their top pitching prospect for Kevin Gregg in a trade last year. I cant remember the guys name but I remember peter gammons was saying the cubs will regret doing that and the trade made no sense whaatsoever."
While Jose Ceda may have been the top prospect at the time in the Cubs system, that doesn't mean he was all that good. He was actually traded to the Cubs from the Padres for Todd Walker in 2006. I thought the Gregg trade was a horrible trade as well, mainly because Gregg is a stiff! But Ceda was extremely raw, even in 2008 when he was traded to the Marlins, which explains why he is on his third team at the age of 22.
Furthermore Ceda was hurt while with the Cubs in 2008 and never played an inning within the Marlins system having missed the entire 2009 season with a right shoulder injury. He was ranked #10 in 2008 as the 10th best prospect in the Marlins system, but currently is not listed in any top category for the Fish on BA.com.
In hindsight the trade is a wash, Gregg blew for the Cubs and Jose Ceda is still a very raw prospect with arm issues, and an uncertain future...
Harden was one of the guys that could have put the Cubs over the top if they could have gotten into contention...
It's good to see that Soriano's contract--which you dorks all wanted at the time--has claimed yet another victim.
Hi Mandy darling!
Miss ya!
Hey Doubleday, why are picking on the Yankees? We spend the 3rd most money in baseball, the difference, we spend it STUPIDLY! How many players in the past 12 months has Hendry traded of and then gotten rid of them for players who are no longer with us-getting nothing in return! Now does everyone understand why Hendry is so popular with other GMs and speak highly of him, they don't want him to be let go. Rickets won't make a bit of difference as long as Hendry is around to spend stupidly and trade like an idiot.
Baseball needs a salary cap. Or at least start another league for the Yankees.
Not offering Harden arbitration was just plain stupid. But Hendry can offer outrageous money to Soriano & Bradley.
Using Gregg's money toward Harden would have made sense.
The Twins, Red Sox & Yankees want Harden, but the Cubs don't. I guess that's why we are always so much better than them! Hendry's boy Samardzija will be given a spot and isn't anywhere ready. This one will really come back to bite us but Hendry doesn't care, he is concentrating on trying to fix his Bradley screwup. Fix the screwup we made in signing Hendry first.
The cubs gave up their top pitching prospect for kevin gregg in a trade last year.I cant remember the guys name but I remember peter gammons was saying the cubs will regret doing that and the trade made no sense whaatsoever.I specifically remember gammons saying gregg had the highest Era for any reliever and blew the most saves with florida in 2008.He was dead on.Brilliant trade hendry,it made perfect sense now this bum walks and we get absolutely nothing and the same hole needs to be filled.What a genius
Hendry, that fat-worthless-tub-of-lard, has to make up for his Milton Bradley love fest by dumping expendable payroll. The Cubs get zero for these players...kinda like what they're going to get for Bradley. Nice work Jimbo.
Harden? Why would we want him, he just does not suck enough to be a Cubs or acts like a tool which would also make him a Cub. Boy I can not wait for spring training. This is going to be another train wreck of a season, no MLB package for me this year. I live Mesa and like going to the spring training games but I am thinking of helping them back there bags for Florida. This team is being run like the Bears or a typical Chicago team! Bears, Cubs all the same crap different day!!
Yes the Twins inquired about Harden and the Cubs could not work out a deal for him. But how is not offering him arbitration better? heck even to trade to the Twins for a low level prospect is getting something back. Hendry is a bum GM that absolutely must be let go! Did the Cubs get Gregg via trade? If so, here is another example of Hendry sending a player to another team to get a player and then simply letting thet player (Gregg) go without getting anything back. So Gregg is yet another one and done player with nothing to show for him. HENDRY IS A FREAGIN IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I will not purchase any tickets to see the Cubs at Wrigley until this guy is gone. Would rather give the Brewers my money. i still see the Cubs and I am helping a small market team in the process. Is there a firehendry.com website? If so, sign me up.
People...
the cards only want to resign DeRosa as a back up. What the heck is all the hoopla over this guy. I believe he is a free agent. No need to pry him away. If they want him all they have to do is sign him. If you value him as a backup go ahead and sign him... Don't overpay for this guy
I highly dislike how this article fails to mention Chad fox leaving also. I mean he was the cubs go-to-guy....
While they need a new GM, the reality is that Hendry's hands are tied with unproductive no-trade contracts, and until they expire, there's not much that can be done. Now if they had some talent in the farm system that could somehow challenge these guys, then that might be a different story.
Everyone knew there would be no playoffs this past summer, pretty early on too. I wish some trades would have been made. Another bad Hendry move. This should be his last year.
The point I made is that the Cubs don't have an unlimited budget, like the Yankees do. That being said, two-thirds of the Cubs' budget is consumed by unproductive or often-injured superstars. You simply can't win with that type of model. The reality of aging players and bad judgment by Hendry got them into this mess. The Rangers tried for years to emulate the Yankees, but it never worked. They now have a very young, talented team that are on the cusp of being good for a long time. Can they overcome the Angels and their history of incompetence? Only time will tell.
BTW, I follow many of the teams, not just my beloved Cubbies. So, Scott my friend, leave the histrionics at the door, ok?
Stop overrating reed johnson he is an injury prone average player.The Cubs claimed him after toronto CUT HIM.Stop overrating sam fuld and mark derosa.They aint that good either.especially derosa nobody heard of this guy until he signed with the cubs
[[Willie on December 1, 2009 1:13 PM
Good moves....by a lousy GM. Hendry's baseball model doesn't work. One or two unproductive or injured superstars (read that as Soriano), and down the tube they go. The Yankees model doesn't work. They need to follow the model the Rangers use. Trade the high price talent for a bunch of guys on the brink. And don't agree to no-trade contracts. What a chump.]]
The "Yankees model" doesn't work??? Follow the "Rangers model"??? Yup, that "Yankees model" really gave the Yankees trouble this year. No wait.......I'm not going to be sarcastic anymore because your post just hurts my head too much! What on Earth are you talking about? The Yankees won the freakin World Series this year and the Rangers didn't even make the playoffs. There have been some stupid stupid stupid things said on here....but you sir, have probably just typed the single most stupid comment I have ever read. Please stop following baseball and sports all together!
Good moves....by a lousy GM. Hendry's baseball model doesn't work. One or two unproductive or injured superstars (read that as Soriano), and down the tube they go. The Yankees model doesn't work. They need to follow the model the Rangers use. Trade the high price talent for a bunch of guys on the brink. And don't agree to no-trade contracts. What a chump.
When were the Cubs about to trade Harden to the Twins? The Twins claimed him on waivers so they tried to work out a trade. The Twins didn't want to give up a top prospect since Harden is injury-prone and was in the final year of his contract. That was it! There was no trade on the table, no take it or leave it deal from the Twins to the Cubs. How you people get Hendry refused any and all offers for Harden is beyond me! I cannot wait until next year when you dopes rewrite history and tell us all how the Tigers were begging the Cubs to take Granderson off of their hands, but it was evil Jim Hendry who said he would never ever ever ever trade for Granderson in a million years.
Good moves....by a lousy GM. Hendry's baseball model doesn't work. One or two unproductive or injured superstars (read that as Soriano), and down the tube they go. The Yankees model doesn't work. They need to follow the model the Rangers use. Trade the high price talent for a bunch of guys on the brink. And don't agree to no-trade contracts. What a chump.
Reed Mantle will be missed ?!?! Great fielder with a lot of heart yet was hurt half the season. He is replaceable and for a younger better Sam "fuld" Mantle who can fill his role a little better I think. And Kevin "homerun" Gregg looked like he was getting paid by other teams by the way he pitched and gave up the long ball. Rich "Big Baby" Harden good pitcher bad arm he kinda reminds me of me Great pitcher had horrible arm problems from the age of 15 on. Maybe the cubs can give me 5 million. All those players are replaceable. and Gregg should just retire.
Who cares if Reed is gone...he's a guy...he should be able to be replaced very easily...
The one thing that really pisses me off...is why would the cubs not trade Harden last year at the deadline...they could have gotten at least something in return....but no...the mighty cubs had to pander to the idiot fan base that thought there was still a chance at the playoffs come the deadline....
Lets hope over the next 3-5 years this team develops a real plan that leads to a title...not one that leads to more overpriced tickets over paid players and under performing teams.....
"they will be playing elsewhere next year"
this is just wrong, do your homework. The cubs can still sign any of these players as a free agent, just as any other team can. Though, the only likely player to do this is RJ
These are good moves. You can't count on either of them to play a whole season. Reed's hustle will be missed (maybe Sam Fuld will step up now)
Gregg and Johnson can go. Neither of them are worth what they would make if and when the accepted arbitration. The Cubs can pick up less injury prone CF Coco Crisp for what Johnson would make in arbitration.
An estimated 9 to 10 mil for oft-injured Harden if he had accepted arbitration would have been a bad move too.
But since Hendry knew this was coming and Harden was arb eligible, he(as SS suggests) should have traded Harden to the Twins back in July. Now the guy walks and he gets nothing.
Missing Reed Johnson, try to pry back DeRosa. The total IQ of cub fans remains below double-dgits.
Gregg will play elsewhere in 2010? Who would take him?
Um...why didn't they take the offers they had on Harden at the trade deadline? Oh yea...they were going to make a playoff push. HA!
And Reed Johnson was the only guy on the team with any heart...so now that's gone.
These moves brought to you by the same people who bring you "Samardzija is UNTOUCHABLE in the Peavy trade talks" and "The DeRosa/Bradley Chronicles"
Way to go Hendry. Can you non-tender yourself?
You let Harden go even though you could have had him one more year, so what starting pitcher are you going to sign to take his place? And when are you going to get serious about getting rid of Bradley so you can get a legitimate outfielder who has power and/or can leadoff?
All of these will work, especially letting Gregg go. Anyway the Cubs can pry Mark DeRosa back from the Cardinals?
I'll miss Reed Johnson. However, he was hurt quite a bit and missed a lot of games. Probably not a bad decision in the long run.
HORRIBLE idea to let Reed go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!