Cubs to sign Jeremy Jeffress

[UMFan83]

Fits the theme of players who have been good relatively recently but sucked in their most recent season thus could be had at a major discount.

Also it kind of seems like they've decided to keep the core and try it one more time.

[Bertz]

I'm wondering if this, Souza, and the Gennett rumor all in succession means they have more clarity on their salary commitments for the year. We should probably expect a trade (Q?) soon.

[The Logan]

[Insert joke about legal weed]

[Sammy Sofa]

Aaron Miles 2020.

[champaignchris]

I know what I hate and I don’t hate this.

[Brian]

I wonder if this contract, or something very similar is what they offered Strop? They got the indication his other offers were better so they gave it Jeffress.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Mildly concerning velocity drop last year, but on the whole this looks like as much true stability that a FA reliever can bring for less than a million. Not a ton, but probably worthwhile given how many wild cards they've stacked up at the end of the pen.

[Backtobanks]

I'm wondering if this, Souza, and the Gennett rumor all in succession means they have more clarity on their salary commitments for the year. We should probably expect a trade (Q?) soon.

Ricketts won a scratch off ticket last week.

[Cubswin11]

He horsefeathering sucks and is washed up. Can’t imagine Strop took much more. Jeffress has also never been good outside of his time with the cheating Brewers.

[ConstableRabbit]

He horsefeathering sucks and is washed up. Can’t imagine Strop took much more. Jeffress has also never been good outside of his time with the cheating Brewers.

The Cubs know Strop better than anyone and he wanted to come back. That the Cubs didn’t sign him but did sign Jeffers probably says more about what they think about his arm than anything.

[Cubswin11]

He horsefeathering sucks and is washed up. Can’t imagine Strop took much more. Jeffress has also never been good outside of his time with the cheating Brewers.

The Cubs know Strop better than anyone and he wanted to come back. That the Cubs didn’t sign him but did sign Jeffers probably says more about what they think about his arm than anything.

I’m not giving the medical staff the benefit of doubt that they made the right decision here based on health. Jeffress had shoulder and hip injuries last year.

[Brian]

[The_Achiever]

He really was nasty in 2018.

[Bertz]

Jeffress projects to a 3.54 ERA via ZiPS and a 4.24 ERA via Steamer. I'm not any more worried about his performance than I would be any other non-star reliever.

That being said this is a slightly weird fit in that it basically eliminates the minor league optionability of the bullpen. We now have:

Kimbrel
Jeffress
Sadler
Underwood
Mills
Megill

Locked into the roster for contract reasons, and Wick as locks for the start of the season for performance reasons. Now, none of these guys save Kimbrel would be all that painful to get rid of, but it seems weird given the "throw it against the wall and see what sticks" nature of the pen to not really have an ability to shuttle guys back and forth. There's also Hultzen and Morrow, who once they're up they have to stay up.

I wonder if Underwood is about to get DFAd. That would also address the 40 man issue at hand (once Souza's official the roster is at 41).

[Cubswin11]

Jeffress projects to a 3.54 ERA via ZiPS and a 4.24 ERA via Steamer. I'm not any more worried about his performance than I would be any other non-star reliever.

That being said this is a slightly weird fit in that it basically eliminates the minor league optionability of the bullpen. We now have:

Kimbrel
Jeffress
Sadler
Underwood
Mills
Megill

Locked into the roster for contract reasons, and Wick as locks for the start of the season for performance reasons. Now, none of these guys save Kimbrel would be all that painful to get rid of, but it seems weird given the "throw it against the wall and see what sticks" nature of the pen to not really have an ability to shuttle guys back and forth. There's also Hultzen and Morrow, who once they're up they have to stay up.

I wonder if Underwood is about to get DFAd. That would also address the 40 man issue at hand (once Souza's official the roster is at 41).

The 40-man is at 39. They snuck Pelham through waivers the other day. I think Underwood doesn’t make it through spring and would guess one of the horsefeathers against the wall guys takes his spot. I also think Ryan is a likely lock to make the pen.

[Brian]

Yeah it's at 39 with Jeffress and Souza to be added, so someone is coming off in the next couple of days.

[Post Count Padder]

Eh, it's fine. Pretty cheap and if he is close to his 2018 numbers, it's a steal. Surprised it's a MLB deal though. And still bummed about no Strop.

[Bertz]

Jeffress projects to a 3.54 ERA via ZiPS and a 4.24 ERA via Steamer. I'm not any more worried about his performance than I would be any other non-star reliever.

That being said this is a slightly weird fit in that it basically eliminates the minor league optionability of the bullpen. We now have:

Kimbrel
Jeffress
Sadler
Underwood
Mills
Megill

Locked into the roster for contract reasons, and Wick as locks for the start of the season for performance reasons. Now, none of these guys save Kimbrel would be all that painful to get rid of, but it seems weird given the "throw it against the wall and see what sticks" nature of the pen to not really have an ability to shuttle guys back and forth. There's also Hultzen and Morrow, who once they're up they have to stay up.

I wonder if Underwood is about to get DFAd. That would also address the 40 man issue at hand (once Souza's official the roster is at 41).

The 40-man is at 39. They snuck Pelham through waivers the other day. I think Underwood doesn’t make it through spring and would guess one of the horsefeathers against the wall guys takes his spot. I also think Ryan is a likely lock to make the pen.

Ah, I meant to have Ryan in there as a lock with Wick (you can tell from how awkwardly worded that sentence is ). But yeah like Brian said it's 39 before Souza and Jeffress, so someone has to go. I'd guess Underwood as the worst combination of expendable and lacking minor league options, but it could be someone else. I also wonder if we're about to see a Q trade, and that the team is finally spending money because they finally know exactly how much they have available.

[ConstableRabbit]

He horsefeathering sucks and is washed up. Can’t imagine Strop took much more. Jeffress has also never been good outside of his time with the cheating Brewers.

The Cubs know Strop better than anyone and he wanted to come back. That the Cubs didn’t sign him but did sign Jeffers probably says more about what they think about his arm than anything.

I’m not giving the medical staff the benefit of doubt that they made the right decision here based on health. Jeffress had shoulder and hip injuries last year.

If you're critical of the medical staff I can only imagine how frustrated Theo and Jed are. With that said, they had a lot of info on him. If he was willing to sign for the same money and he went somewhere else, there must be something there.

Full disclosure: I love Strop as much as anyone and am sad he's not back.

[Cubswin11]

Jeffress projects to a 3.54 ERA via ZiPS and a 4.24 ERA via Steamer. I'm not any more worried about his performance than I would be any other non-star reliever.

That being said this is a slightly weird fit in that it basically eliminates the minor league optionability of the bullpen. We now have:

Kimbrel
Jeffress
Sadler
Underwood
Mills
Megill

Locked into the roster for contract reasons, and Wick as locks for the start of the season for performance reasons. Now, none of these guys save Kimbrel would be all that painful to get rid of, but it seems weird given the "throw it against the wall and see what sticks" nature of the pen to not really have an ability to shuttle guys back and forth. There's also Hultzen and Morrow, who once they're up they have to stay up.

I wonder if Underwood is about to get DFAd. That would also address the 40 man issue at hand (once Souza's official the roster is at 41).

The 40-man is at 39. They snuck Pelham through waivers the other day. I think Underwood doesn’t make it through spring and would guess one of the horsefeathers against the wall guys takes his spot. I also think Ryan is a likely lock to make the pen.

Ah, I meant to have Ryan in there as a lock with Wick (you can tell from how awkwardly worded that sentence is ). But yeah like Brian said it's 39 before Souza and Jeffress, so someone has to go. I'd guess Underwood as the worst combination of expendable and lacking minor league options, but it could be someone else. I also wonder if we're about to see a Q trade, and that the team is finally spending money because they finally know exactly how much they have available.

Norwood or Underwood I think would be the two pitchers most likely cut to make room. If it’s a position player I’d guess Robel. But yeah always possible a trade is coming.

[Sammy Sofa]

If you're critical of the medical staff I can only imagine how frustrated Theo and Jed are.

Those poor, helpless lads.

[Cubswin11]

If you're critical of the medical staff I can only imagine how frustrated Theo and Jed are.

Hmmm, yes if only there was something they could do about it

[MWV]

Yeah it's at 39 with Jeffress and Souza to be added, so someone is coming off in the next couple of days.

Bryant.

[ConstableRabbit]

If you're critical of the medical staff I can only imagine how frustrated Theo and Jed are.

Hmmm, yes if only there was something they could do about it

One thing that they probably are not going to do is trust that staff 100% about Strop, who they'd love to have bounce back if he was able to.

[David]

Apparently this guy was his agent





And he liked this Tweet: