MLBTR reports that the Cubs have nine players eligible for arbitration this off season. The site projects that if the Cubs keep all nine players, the cost would be around $21.5 million.
The top tier arb players are starting pitchers Jeff Samaradzija and Travis Wood. Wood had a much better season than Samardzija, but the Shark has an extra year of service time so he will get paid more.
Samardzija made $2.64 million last season. He is 28 years old. He is under team control to 2016. It is estimated that he will get approximately 85 percent raise to close to $5 million for 2014. The question is whether the Cubs really want to extend him. I don't think Samardzija wants to stay a Cub long term. He is frustrated with the way the major league roster has been constructed to lose more than win. There is also an outside chance that Samardzija would be traded at the winter meetings.
Wood made the major league minimum last season ($528k). He is 26 years old. It is estimated that he will get a big boost to $3.6 million for next year. Wood is also another candidate to buy out his arbitration years like the Cubs did for Castro and Rizzo.
Others pitchers expected to be tendered a contract include front office favorite Daniel Bard, picked up off waivers from Boston. Though Bard did little this season, if the team thinks he can be a solid bullpen player, it will cost around $1.9 million. Petro Strop may be groomed for a closer role, and he is expected to receive $1 million next year. James Russell is also on the list. He was overworked this season and his performance suffered the same way as Shaun Camp did two years ago. It would seem that the Cubs would pay $1.7 million to keep the lefty specialist in 2014.
On the position side, the enigma that is Darwin Barney is up for renewal. He is a plus defender but an awful hitter. At a projected $2.1 million, the Cubs may sign him with the prospect of trading him in the off-season package. Luis Valbuena and Donnie Moore probably need to be re-signed just so there is a warm body at third base on opening day. The duo will cost around $2.5 million to keep. However, it would not be surprising that the Cubs only keep one of them. Darnell McDonald will not be offered arbitration since he does not fit into any rebuilding plans.
The most expensive person may be Nate Schierholtz. MLBTR projects him to make $3.8 million, but with career high in HRs (21), RBI (68), solid average (.301) and 1.4 WAR on a bad team makes him more valuable. At 29, Schierholtz may still be considered a platoon RF for most teams. If he projects as a starter, he could make $5 million next season. There will probably be some interest in trading him in the off-season, but since he is not blocking any prospect at the moment, and he is a free agent in 2015, the Cubs could afford to keep him.
