Results tagged ‘ Ian Stewart ’
12/21 Holiday spending
Did you stay in your holiday shopping budget? The Cubs have been busy spending recently. Here’s a breakdown on their offseason shopping spree so far:
OF Nate Schierholtz – one year, $2.25 million
3B Ian Stewart – one year, $2 million
P Scott Baker – one year, $5.5 million
P Shawn Camp – one year, $1.35 million
P Scott Feldman – one year, $6 million
P Kyuji Fujikawa – two years, $9.5 million
C Dioner Navarro – one year, $1.75 million
The Cubs have yet to finalize deals with Carlos Villanueva (two years, $10 million) and Edwin Jackson (four years, $52 million).
– Carrie Muskat
12/17 Stewart, Lim sign
The Cubs finalized their deal with Ian Stewart on Monday, signing the third baseman to a one-year, $2 million deal that includes $500,000 in incentives. The money is a slight drop from the $2.2375 million Stewart, 27, made last year, and also is non-guaranteed. Stewart was limited to 55 games before eventually undergoing season-ending wrist surgery July 10. He batted .201 with five home runs and 17 RBIs, then went on the disabled list June 14.
To make room for Stewart on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated left-hander Jeff Beliveau for assignment. Beliveau made his Major League debut last season, going 1-0 with a 4.58 ERA in 22 appearances for the Cubs.
* The Cubs also announced Monday their Minor League deal with Korean pitcher Chang-Yong Lim is now official. Lim, 36, has pitched the last 17 seasons in Korea (1996-2007) and Japan (2008-12). He also helped Korea win the bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the silver medal in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The right-hander, nicknamed “Mister Zero,” joined the Yakult Swallows in Japan in 2008 and recorded 128 saves with a 2.09 ERA in 238 relief appearances. He posted at least 28 saves in four-straight seasons from 2008-11, including three seasons of 30 saves or more. His 2012 season ended after nine relief appearances because he needed Tommy John ligament replacement surgery, his second, from which he is currently rehabbing. Lim received a $100,000 signing bonus, and will receive monthly Minor League salaries for up to the next two seasons, unless his contract is purchased.
– Carrie Muskat
12/11 Garza, Stewart updates
The offseason is going well for Matt Garza and Ian Stewart. Garza, shut down after 18 starts because of an elbow problem, started throwing on Monday, and happily announced his progress. The Cubs pitcher tweeted: “1st day throwing the baseball! Felt great, #keepitslow! Looking forward to day#2 #GoCubsGo”
Meanwhile, Stewart is taking his offseason workouts to another level. He’s working this week with Hall of Famer Rod Carew, and tweeted on Monday: “Wrist is good, no pain when I swing.” Stewart needed wrist surgery, and had to be shut down. He has agreed to terms on a new deal with the Cubs, which has yet to be officially announced.
– Carrie Muskat
12/7 Ian Stewart returns
One year ago on the last day of the Winter Meetings, the Cubs made a deal to acquire Ian Stewart from the Rockies. One year later, Stewart received a new deal with the Cubs. The third baseman has reportedly agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract. The money is a slight drop from the $2.2375 million Stewart made last year, but he has a chance to make another $500,000 in incentives. The money also is non-guaranteed, so if he isn’t healthy after undergoing wrist surgery, the Cubs are not obligated. The Cubs did talk to free agent infielder Jeff Keppinger about playing third, but he signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the White Sox. The free agent market was thin, and the Cubs did like Stewart enough last year to trade Tyler Colvin and DJ LeMahieu to the Rockies for him.
– Carrie Muskat
12/5 Cubs still on lookout
It’s Day 3 of the Winter Meetings, and the Cubs still don’t have a third baseman. The team did talk to representatives of free agents Jeff Keppinger and Eric Chavez, who both signed on Wednesday with new teams. They were more interested in Keppinger, who signed a three-year $12 million deal with the White Sox. GM Jed Hoyer said they have offers out to other free agent third baseman as they try to find the right match.
“It’s a super-charged market in a lot of different areas,” Hoyer said. “We’re still on the lookout. We have a number of irons in the fire as far as third base. We’re confident we’ll land someone we feel good about. It certainly is a position of scarcity.”
The Cubs could platoon, which isn’t a perfect situation, but one they’ll consider. The team is still in contact with Ian Stewart’s agent Larry Reynolds. Stewart is coming back from left wrist surgery, and opted to rehab at home rather than stay with the team. That isn’t an issue, Hoyer said.
“We feel we have a good relationship with him,” Hoyer said. “He went through a tough time with his wrist. We have no issues with how he handled himself.”
– Carrie Muskat
12/4 Third base options
The Cubs have talked to Ian Stewart as well as his agent Larry Reynolds to make sure the third baseman knows that they’d like to have him return to the team. Stewart was non-tendered last Friday, and now is a free agent. He missed most of last season after needing surgery on his left wrist. Because the market for third basemen is so weak, Stewart is now a hot item. The Yankees are in the mix following the news that Alex Rodriguez will need hip surgery. Think players aren’t aware of the market? Free agent Casey McGehee was in the lobby of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel on Tuesday to talk to teams.
“[The Yankees] have a need,” Cubs GM Jed Hoyer said Tuesday. “The question is how long they have a need for.”
Because Rodriguez was expected back at some point in the season, the Yankees may not want to commit long-term to a player. That will determine how aggressive they are. The Yankees reportedly have interest in free agent Jeff Keppinger, and CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman says the infielder is looking for around $12 million over three years. Keppinger is recovering from a significant injury of his own, a broken fibula.
Stewart is aware of the Cubs’ interest in him.
“We’ve been really clear with him,” Hoyer said. “He knows how we feel about him. He knows we want to bring him back.”
– Carrie Muskat
12/3 Looking for Mike Schmidt
It’s good to be a free agent third baseman right now. The Yankees joined the crowded market Monday with the news that Alex Rodriguez needed hip surgery. The Cubs also are in line, and Theo Epstein says they may “have to be creative” to fill the spot.
“[We might have to] rely on players who haven’t held down that position over 150 games in a the big leagues or rely on a platoon or rely on someone who is more of a middle of the field player who can provide plus defense over at third,” Epstein said Monday at the Winter Meetings in Nashville. “There are not a lot of obvious fits of every day third basemen in trade or free agents available right now. When that happens, you don’t throw in the white towel but try to be creative to piece it together.”
The Cubs are still talking to Ian Stewart, who was non-tendered on Friday. Now a free agent, Stewart is considering his options. Stewart batted .201 in 55 games last season, and missed most of the year because of left wrist surgery. Luis Valbuena filled in, and is another option for the Cubs for 2013, possessing all the right attributes, Epstein said. Valbuena batted .219, but was faring better in the Venezuelan Winter League, batting .325. The Cubs also could consider a platoon at third base, which is something Epstein favors. Having two players who can start at third helps the team’s bench, plus gives the manager more versatility. The Cubs also are considering other infielders who might not have been full-time third basemen because the free agent market is a little thin there.
“It’d be good to be Mike Schmidt right about now,” Epstein said.
They could use the Hall of Famer. Cubs third basemen combined to bat .201 last season, worst in the National League.
– Carrie Muskat
12/3 Third base options
The market for third basemen just got more interesting. The Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez will have surgery on his left hip, and was expected to miss three to six months. The Cubs join a long list of teams looking for a third baseman unless they decide to re-sign Ian Stewart. The risk with Stewart is that he’s coming off left wrist surgery. Stewart batted .201 in 55 games last season before he was shut down and recently began doing baseball activities. Could he return to his 2009 form when he hit 25 home runs for the Rockies?
Stewart was non-tendered by the Cubs on Friday and is a free agent. Among the other free agent third basemen on the market are Garrett Atkins, Jeff Baker, Josh Bell, Geoff Blum, Sean Burroughs, Eric Chavez, Mark DeRosa, Chone Figgins, Jack Hannahan, Wes Helms, Brandon Inge, Mike Lamb, Jose Lopez, Casey McGehee, Placido Polanco, Cody Ransom, Mark Reynolds, Brandon Snyder, Ty Wigginton, and Kevin Youkilis.
– Carrie Muskat
11/30 Cubs non-tender Stewart
The Cubs non-tendered Ian Stewart on Friday, but hope to re-sign the third baseman, who missed most of last season after needing wrist surgery. The Cubs did tender contracts to right-handed pitchers Matt Garza and Jeff Samardzija, left-handed pitcher James Russell, and infielder Luis Valbuena. Garza, Samardzija, Russell, Valbuena and Stewart were arbitration eligible. In addition, 14 players from the Cubs’ 40-man roster were tendered 2013 contracts on Friday. Besides Stewart, the Cubs also non-tendered right-handed pitchers Zach Putnam and Jaye Chapman. Putnam and Chapman were not eligible for arbitration.
Chapman was acquired from the Braves in the Paul Maholm deal. He compiled a 3.52 ERA in 40 games for Triple-A Gwinnett, striking out 60 and walking 29 over 53 2/3 innings. He gave up eight runs on 11 hits and seven walks over 9 1/3 innings in eight games with Triple-A Iowa, and was promoted to the Cubs in September. In 14 games, he struck out 12 and walked 10 over 12 innings, giving up five earned runs in 14 games for a 3.75 ERA.
Putnam, whom the Cubs claimed off waivers from the Rockies on Nov. 2, spent most of the season at Triple-A Colorado Springs, and gave up 28 earned runs on 73 hits and 27 walks over 60 2/3 innings, striking out 49. He was 12-for-17 in save situations. Putnam was originally drafted by the Indians in the fifth round in 2008, then dealt to the Rockies in January this year.
The Cubs also announced pitcher Casey Coleman, who was designated for assignment earlier this week to make room on the 40-man roster for pitcher Scott Feldman, has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Iowa. With the moves, the Cubs’ 40-man roster now stands at 37.
The deadline to tender an arbitration eligible player was 11 p.m. CT Friday. Players who are non-tendered become free agents. The Cubs needed to make the moves to open up roster space.
– Carrie Muskat
11/30 Cubs face tough decisions
The Cubs have to make decisions today regarding their arbitration eligible players, and GM Jed Hoyer said they will likely non-tender some of them. However, he added that the Cubs hope to be able to keep all of the players and sign them to Minor League contracts. The list includes:
3B Ian Stewart ($2.237 million in 2012)
RHP Matt Garza ($9.5 million in 2012)
RHP Jeff Samardzija ($2.64 million in 2012)
LHP James Russell ($512,500 in 2012)
IF Luis Valbuena ($495,200 in 2012)
Both Stewart and Garza are coming off seasons cut short by injuries.
“We’re still having conversations with a number of players’ agents,” Hoyer said Friday. “It’s very likely we’ll have a couple non-tenders. I think we’ll see ourselves below 40 [on the roster] when we get into tomorrow. It’s also difficult to speculate which players those might be.”
The Cubs are currently at 40 on the roster. The deadline to make a decision regarding whether to tender the arbitration eligible players is 11 p.m. CT.
If a player is non-tendered, he becomes a free agent.
“I think it’s fair to say whenever the list comes out of the guys we do non-tender, that all of the guys we’ll end up non-tendering are guys we hope to get back,” Hoyer said. “We do have some hard decisions to make but we don’t want to lose any of the guys we may cut loose. If we do have to take them off the roster, I hope we can work out deals to keep them.”
– Carrie Muskat
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