MLBTR reports that the Cubs have signed outfielder Ryan Sweeney
to a two-year, $3.5MM contract, according to Bob Nightengale of USA
Today. Sweeney will earn $1.5MM in 2014 and again in 2015. The Cubs hold
a $2.5MM option on Sweeney for the 2016 season that contains a $500K
buyout.
Sweeney, 29, had a slash line .266/.324/.448 with six
homers in 212 plate appearances in 2013. He had a 0.4 WAR. He missed nearly 60 games due to a
broken rib that he suffered when colliding with the outfield wall to
make a catch.
In 8 pro seasons, he has .278 BA, 20 HR, 204 RBI, 6.3 career WAR. He is to prototypical journeyman bench outfielder.
What this signals is that the Cubs are not going to upgrade their outfield positions this off season with the signing of a major free agent like Jacob Ellsbury or Shin-Soo Choo.
The 2014 outfield free agent class (age) includes:
Jason Bay (35)
Austin Kearns (34)
Nate McLouth (32)
Mike Morse (32)
David Murphy (32)
Laynce Nix (33)
Juan Pierre (36)
Grady Sizemore (31)
Delmon Young (28)
Rick Ankiel (34)
Rajai Davis (33)
Jacoby Ellsbury (30)
Curtis Granderson (33)
Andres Torres (36)
Carlos Beltran (37)
Marlon Byrd (36)
Shin-Soo Choo (31)
Nelson Cruz (33)
Jeff Francoeur (30)
Corey Hart (32)
Grady Sizemore (31)
It also shows that the the two year deal means that Sweeney will not be blocking any prospect promotion for the next two years. That means the major league rebuild will be pushed back another year. The roster revamp will begin more likely in 2017.
Showing posts with label Sweeney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sweeney. Show all posts
October 8, 2013
May 6, 2013
OLD RAGS FROM THE ATTIC
Baseball is full of sentimentalists. They hold on to history. The problem is when general managers hold on to players who are just bad. One way to keep them in the hope bin is put them in the minors in an attempt to turn around a career.
The Sun-Times reported that Ian Stewart has been optioned to Iowa, where he was making a muck of his rehab assignment. This means Stewart is a minor leaguer. Luis Valbuena and Cody Ransom are the Cubs third basemen for this season. Stewart has been packed away to the Cub attic.
Dave Sappelt is also being optioned to that AAA purgatory. It is reported that the Cubs will promote outfielder Ryan Sweeney to replace Sappelt. This puts another left handed hitting outfielder on the roster, leaving Soriano and Hairston the two right handed OF bats. Sweeney has a Boston connection so it is no surprise he was called up.
The Sun-Times reported that Ian Stewart has been optioned to Iowa, where he was making a muck of his rehab assignment. This means Stewart is a minor leaguer. Luis Valbuena and Cody Ransom are the Cubs third basemen for this season. Stewart has been packed away to the Cub attic.
Dave Sappelt is also being optioned to that AAA purgatory. It is reported that the Cubs will promote outfielder Ryan Sweeney to replace Sappelt. This puts another left handed hitting outfielder on the roster, leaving Soriano and Hairston the two right handed OF bats. Sweeney has a Boston connection so it is no surprise he was called up.
April 3, 2013
THE DAY AFTER
After the Samardzija victory on opening day, the Cubs made one small move. Ex-Red Sox outfielder Ryan Sweeney was signed to a minor league deal.
Sweeney, 28, has played for the White Sox, A's and Red Sox. He has a career .280 BA, 14 HR and 185 RBI in 6 MLB seasons.
Sweeney is another journeyman flier that Epstein brings from his old roster lists.
It does show that the Cubs talent pool continues to be weak at the upper levels of the system and on the major league roster. At this point, Sweeney is the same commodity talent as Hairston, Sappelt or DeJesus.
Also, the media reaction to the Cubs first victory of the season was on the high side. People thought the core of the team played well. The "core" means the principal young talent on the squad who are the building blocks of the future: Castro, Rizzo, Wellington Castillo and Samardzija. One could add Russell in that discussion, too. But that makes only five core players on a roster of 25 (20%). So the Cubs are still playing as a AAAA team compared to other major league rosters.
GM Hoyer stressed the fact that the Cubs had to get off to a fast start this year. But the next four starts will be commanded by .500 to sub-.500 pitchers. Without an explosive offense, the Cubs will get down to their projected seasonal winning percentage quickly.
Sweeney, 28, has played for the White Sox, A's and Red Sox. He has a career .280 BA, 14 HR and 185 RBI in 6 MLB seasons.
Sweeney is another journeyman flier that Epstein brings from his old roster lists.
It does show that the Cubs talent pool continues to be weak at the upper levels of the system and on the major league roster. At this point, Sweeney is the same commodity talent as Hairston, Sappelt or DeJesus.
Also, the media reaction to the Cubs first victory of the season was on the high side. People thought the core of the team played well. The "core" means the principal young talent on the squad who are the building blocks of the future: Castro, Rizzo, Wellington Castillo and Samardzija. One could add Russell in that discussion, too. But that makes only five core players on a roster of 25 (20%). So the Cubs are still playing as a AAAA team compared to other major league rosters.
GM Hoyer stressed the fact that the Cubs had to get off to a fast start this year. But the next four starts will be commanded by .500 to sub-.500 pitchers. Without an explosive offense, the Cubs will get down to their projected seasonal winning percentage quickly.
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