The Rundown–12/16/16: Various Signings, Cubs Move On, Craig Sager Will Be Missed
Here are today’s headlines for the Cubs and around the league:
- The Rockies signed Mike Dunn to a 3 year deal worth $19M that also comes with a 4th year option (rumored to be worth $6M).
- Dunn was with the Marlins last year and had very respectable numbers (3.40 ERA with 8.1 K/9) that he turned into a rather huge payday.
- He has made just under $9M in his career thus far, but now will make almost 3 times that in the next 4 years. LHP are extremely valuable and Dunn hit the market at the right time.
- The Phillies signed Odubel Herrera to a 5 year extension worth $30.5M with 2 option years added on (worth $11.5M and $12.5M).
- This is great for both sides, though these deals seem to favor the team more than the player. It gives the team cost certainty while also providing security for the player, but if Herrera turns into a monster he could have potentially left a ton of money on the table while also giving up his prime years of free agency.
- Herrera was worth 3.8 WAR last season (4 WAR his first season), when he slashed .286/.361/.420 with 15 HR’s and 25 SB’s as a 24 year old.
- The Marlins signed Junichi Tazawa to a 2 year deal worth $12M after they missed out of big money closers Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen.
- Tazawa has spent his entire career with the Red Sox ad has kinda fallen off the past couple years after some pretty good seasons between 2012-2014, but could still be a strong addition to the Marlins pen in front of closer AJ Ramos.
- Apparently the Cubs and Tigers could not find a match for lefty Justin Wilson and both teams have “moved on to other things.”
- Wilson would have been a decent addition and he would have come with 2 years of control, but that may have been enough to push the price higher than the Cubs wanted to pay.
- I’m intrigued by the wording here; this bullpen construction has been fun to follow this winter and I look forward to seeing who they add next.
- Aroldis Chapman tweeted a thank you to the fans of Chicago for the support given during his time there.
- I had mixed feelings when Chapman was added and his attitude in Chicago at times was a little questionable, but I appreciated how hard he worked during the playoffs and that he never made excuses.
- There is no way the Cubs are world champs today if he isn’t added in July and for that I will look on his tenure with the Cubs as favorable. That said, I’m much happier with Wade Davis (who appears to be a great teammate) being the closer going forward.
- In sad news, Cubs’ super fan and NBA analyst/sideline reporter Craig Sager lost his battle with leukemia yesterday.
- After it was announced in March of this year that his cancer was no longer in remission, Sager was able to work his first ever NBA Finals in June and also threw out a ceremonial first pitch during the Cubs “Conquer Cancer Day.”
- Sager was 65 years old and his loss will be greatly felt by his family and the entire sporting world.
