Carlos Pena (B) has decided not to accept the Cubs’ arbitration offer, tweets SI’s Jon Heyman. Cubs president Theo Epstein recently told reporters he did not expect Pena to accept, as he’s likely to find a multiyear deal on the open market.
In the past, arbitration rules meant that the decision to not offer or not accept arbitration meant that the player could not resign until May 1st. This changed a few years ago. Pena can resign w/ the Cubs even though arbitration was rejected.
I really doubt the Cubs will bring him back. When he signs with another team, the Cubs will get a supplemental pick. So, even if the Cubs signed Fielder, and gave up their own 2nd round pick, their draft slotting will be better than if they resign Pena.
Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that the Cubs could land free agent first baseman Prince Fielder with a “Ryan Howard-type offer.”
Howard signed a five-year, $125 million extension with the Phillies last April. If the Cubs could land Fielder, who is a better player and only 27, especially in the same offseason where Albert Pujols gets over $200 million, it would be quite a coup. We have to imagine, though, that other bidders (Mariners?) would be willing to offer more than that. Olney also hints that the Brewers might not be out of it yet.
===
we can outbid the Mariners but that doesn't mean we should.
5 years $125 million would be a contract the Cubs can handle. I wouldn’t go beyond five years though (maybe six but only if that is the deal-breaker to not getting this done).
with a three year out clause. That would be the best approach to spur some enthusiasm which is sadly lacking while at the same time giving Fielder an opportunity to re-test the market in a few years. This has been the modus operandi for some top free agents of late. It may work again.
I DO NOT WANT Fielder in 8 years on my team unless he really surprises me with his skills at age 35, 36. I would think that he would be an albatross contract at that point. And if it is a mutual out, then, why would you have it at all?
a player option. If they aren’t worth the deal, you are stuck with them because they will opt in. If you took the risk and signed them to the deal and they play well, they will opt out and become a free agent. The team carries all the risk, and they are guaranteed to get screwed. I cannot imagine a smart GM giving the player an option year after 6 years, it’s just terrible business, imo.
but you have to give (player option in year 6) to get (team/mutual option in 7 and 8). And as we saw with Rami it is possible to have the player say no
8 years net of 185MM.
2012-15 @ 25MM (100MM guaranteed)
Opt out clause at the end of 2015.
2016-2018 @ 22.5MM per year. (45MM)
Mutual option for ‘19/’20
2019-2020 @ 20MM per year. (40MM)
He’d be only 31/32 at the end of his 4 years guaranteed. I would suspect he would opt out to try to land a 6-8 year deal after that for another 160-180MM in the AL for a team that he can play 1B and DH on.
Fielder will be in Cubbie Blue for the next 5-6 years. I stand by that. Look for a $110M-$130M deal in that time span. And I think it’ll be a very, Merry Christmas for the portly young man ex-1B of the Brewers.
…as it is right now. If the Cubs could get him for five years, it’s almost a no-brainer. But I think he wants eight, so they’re going to have to meet in the middle somehow — preferably with option years.
I don't think the Cubs get Fielder
I think Pena will be the Cubs 1b for 2 more years
Cubbiegoon - December 7, 2011
how Pena turned down arbitration
Ivy Walls - December 7, 2011
You can still re-sign a player even if he doesn't accept arbitration
Pena is free to sign with other teams now. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t still sign with the Cubs too.
SouthernCub - December 7, 2011
Carlos Pena (B) has decided not to accept the Cubs’ arbitration offer, tweets SI’s Jon Heyman. Cubs president Theo Epstein recently told reporters he did not expect Pena to accept, as he’s likely to find a multiyear deal on the open market.
Superman - December 7, 2011
Right
I didn’t say he’s likely to return. Just that it’s still possible.
SouthernCub - December 7, 2011
Correct
In the past, arbitration rules meant that the decision to not offer or not accept arbitration meant that the player could not resign until May 1st. This changed a few years ago. Pena can resign w/ the Cubs even though arbitration was rejected.
dmlichte - December 7, 2011
That said, I don't think he's likely to return
SouthernCub - December 7, 2011
Resigning Pena will "cost" the Cubs a pick
I really doubt the Cubs will bring him back. When he signs with another team, the Cubs will get a supplemental pick. So, even if the Cubs signed Fielder, and gave up their own 2nd round pick, their draft slotting will be better than if they resign Pena.
WGNstatic - December 7, 2011
barf
Dcr18 - December 7, 2011
This just in...
Prince Fielder’s friend has also confirmed that the soon to be ex-Brewers slugger also likes long walks on the beach, rainbows and ice cream cones.
DKT - December 7, 2011
Many, many ice cream cones.
mrcubsfan - December 7, 2011 via mobile
Via rotoworld
Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that the Cubs could land free agent first baseman Prince Fielder with a “Ryan Howard-type offer.”
Howard signed a five-year, $125 million extension with the Phillies last April. If the Cubs could land Fielder, who is a better player and only 27, especially in the same offseason where Albert Pujols gets over $200 million, it would be quite a coup. We have to imagine, though, that other bidders (Mariners?) would be willing to offer more than that. Olney also hints that the Brewers might not be out of it yet.
===
If this happens, I eat crow.
Chanman25 - December 7, 2011
We simply have to be able to outbid the freaking Seattle Mariners
And I’d be willing to give Fielder insane dollars if it meant only five years.
Nunyabidness - December 7, 2011
we can outbid the Mariners but that doesn't mean we should.
5 years $125 million would be a contract the Cubs can handle. I wouldn’t go beyond five years though (maybe six but only if that is the deal-breaker to not getting this done).
CubFanInChina - December 7, 2011
6 x 25 seems to be what the market will bear for Prince
and I could see the Cubs doing that. Just my two cents.
cubzfan - December 7, 2011
only 149,999,999,998 cents left to go.
bdlugz - December 7, 2011
At that price I think prince might be worth it.
Trade graza for prospects. Trade for Ian Stewart. Ship out Soriano. And pray for some bounce back seasons from many guys.
You never know.
BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness - December 7, 2011
If I'm signing prince, I'd want to hold on to garza, too.
D98 - December 7, 2011
Unless..
You also grab Darvish, which further dries up the market for good SP and drives up Garza’s value.
EcoGeek - December 8, 2011
You'd be better off trying to corner the market on frozen orange juice...
ballhawk - December 8, 2011
You left part of that out. Try to remember what.
Think hard…concentrate.
:)
Shanghai Badger - December 8, 2011
Pork is used to make bacon...
…like in a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.
daver - December 8, 2011
Hello, Security?
Merry Christmas!
DKT - December 8, 2011
...
ballhawk - December 8, 2011
I swear that's one of the funniest moments in the movie.
daver - December 8, 2011
the whole movie is amazing
Hammer - December 8, 2011
unfortunately, the above picture doesn't do justice to the sheer beauty of Billy Ray's smirk in that scene
ballhawk - December 8, 2011
Give him eight to ten years
with a three year out clause. That would be the best approach to spur some enthusiasm which is sadly lacking while at the same time giving Fielder an opportunity to re-test the market in a few years. This has been the modus operandi for some top free agents of late. It may work again.
fsw1972 - December 7, 2011
Only if it is a MUTUAL out clause
I DO NOT WANT Fielder in 8 years on my team unless he really surprises me with his skills at age 35, 36. I would think that he would be an albatross contract at that point. And if it is a mutual out, then, why would you have it at all?
Archie - December 7, 2011
i have said it before
i would offer 5 guaranteed and the last three as follows
6 player option
7 mutual option
8 team option
Cubbie-Tim - December 7, 2011
I don't understand offering
a player option. If they aren’t worth the deal, you are stuck with them because they will opt in. If you took the risk and signed them to the deal and they play well, they will opt out and become a free agent. The team carries all the risk, and they are guaranteed to get screwed. I cannot imagine a smart GM giving the player an option year after 6 years, it’s just terrible business, imo.
tomas21 - December 7, 2011
i agree
but you have to give (player option in year 6) to get (team/mutual option in 7 and 8). And as we saw with Rami it is possible to have the player say no
Cubbie-Tim - December 7, 2011
An 8 year deal
ton anyone is franchise Russian Roulette. Giving it to an overweight player who might need to DH in 4 or 5 years is just irresponsible.
And an out clause? No free agent is going to sign a deal where the team gets the out clause, and only Jim Hendry gives players out clauses.
tomas21 - December 7, 2011
Hmm...
8 years net of 185MM.
2012-15 @ 25MM (100MM guaranteed)
Opt out clause at the end of 2015.
2016-2018 @ 22.5MM per year. (45MM)
Mutual option for ‘19/’20
2019-2020 @ 20MM per year. (40MM)
He’d be only 31/32 at the end of his 4 years guaranteed. I would suspect he would opt out to try to land a 6-8 year deal after that for another 160-180MM in the AL for a team that he can play 1B and DH on.
ubercubsfan - December 7, 2011
Five years max
and put a damn weight clause in there. Fat ass.
Worf - December 7, 2011
i wouldnt mind going 6...he would be 33
and then add two years of team option with higher amount.
Geo4MVP - December 7, 2011
He's going to age in fat people years
Worf - December 7, 2011
sorry but your extreme opinions on the two
of them are goofy. You’re obsessed with one and hate the other. It doesnt make sense.
Hammer - December 7, 2011
One is good
One is fat
Worf - December 8, 2011
Two are good.
One is fat.
Dcr18 - December 8, 2011
SO Prince is no good??
Also – Albert is not a little guy himself. By 42 he may be the one with a bourbon soaked marinara shirt.
Hammer - December 8, 2011
Rule of thumb
However many years a player wants, give him less. If they aren’t willing to bet on themselves, you sure as heck shouldn’t be willing to either.
tomas21 - December 7, 2011
Only if you sign a no-profanity clause. Potty mouth.
ballhawk - December 7, 2011
No censoring The Worf.
ubercubsfan - December 7, 2011
you cannot stop the Worf
you can only hope to contain him
Cubbie-Tim - December 7, 2011
rec'd :)
cooliogirl47 - December 7, 2011
He is very easy to distract, however...
eths - December 8, 2011
I'd hit it
Worf - December 8, 2011
So ONLY 5 years to a 27 year old
but ZOMG give 10 years to Pujols because he baseballs God??
confused??
(btw – Id bet their height and weight are close)
Hammer - December 7, 2011
looked it up
no way Albert is only 230 NOT A CHANCE
Hammer - December 7, 2011
The best reason to believe that this could actually happen...
…is that Phil Rogers said on CTL last night that the Cubs weren’t interested.
That being said, would the runs he contributes with his bat neutralize the 40+ errors Castro is likely to make with him as first baseman?
bluekoolaide - December 7, 2011
I'm still in the group of making Castro learn to throw the ball right rather than catering to his defensive/throwing problems.
ubercubsfan - December 7, 2011
He might learn to throw it better
when he knows he can’t just throw it in the general vicinity of first base.
LT - December 7, 2011
Though, wouldn't Fielder make a big target to throw to? lol
ubercubsfan - December 7, 2011
Wow. I never realized how easy it is to correct defensive problems.
Smooth sailing from here on in!
bluekoolaide - December 7, 2011
I'd bet Castro makes under 30 with Prince at first.
He made big strides on defense last year and should continue those improvements in 2012, even if he does have a lesser defensive 1B.
Dcr18 - December 7, 2011
I think Prince has so many so called "Teams of Interest"
that Boras will run this out and squeeze years and coin to the max. IMO it will have to be 8 years and about 175M. Just my take.
Grockcubs - December 7, 2011
Round about 30 or so.
eths - December 8, 2011
5 years and $125M...
…that would still give Fielder the chance to sign a 2nd BIG contract when this one expires. Boras probably doesn’t let him think of that tho.
Easy Ed - December 7, 2011
No, unfortunately.
Really 3 players on the market. Reyes, Albert and Prince. Boras will jack up the price and years, no question.
Grockcubs - December 7, 2011
Prince FIelder’s mother’s sister’s nephew told my Dad’s sister’s niece he was going to sign with the Cubs.
(Of course Prince is his mother’s sister’s nephew and I am my Dad’s sister’s niece)
puckishcubsfan - December 8, 2011
Prince told you?
Do tell.
Al Yellon - December 8, 2011
I was kidding
I was kidding
puckishcubsfan - December 8, 2011
Did you just watch Ferris Buellers Day Off?
blackhawk24 - December 8, 2011
I've been thinking and saying to guys here a work
Fielder will be in Cubbie Blue for the next 5-6 years. I stand by that. Look for a $110M-$130M deal in that time span. And I think it’ll be a very, Merry Christmas for the portly young man ex-1B of the Brewers.
blackhawk24 - December 8, 2011
More of Phil Rogers crap, here he goes again
why doesn’t the Enquirer hire this guy? It’s shameful he has a job for a major paper. I swear he just dreams 95% of the stuff he writes.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-your-morning-phil-agonz-cj-two-dankses-20111208,0,2637175.story
MikeJW - December 8, 2011
You would think Fielder would want to sign a shorter contract
if he did 4 years = 100+ million – he’d be 31 and in line for another huge payday.
Hookers or Cake - December 8, 2011
The market may not be as good for him...
…as it is right now. If the Cubs could get him for five years, it’s almost a no-brainer. But I think he wants eight, so they’re going to have to meet in the middle somehow — preferably with option years.
daver - December 8, 2011
Gammons
tweeting that “Cubs don’t have the cash to sign Fielder”
plenz - December 8, 2011
Peter Gammons
Couldn’t buy a clue with a Platinum Card…
I have yet to see anything his fevered dreams come up with come close to true…
Endrick - December 8, 2011
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