Cashner Set to Sign with Cubs

by Brett Taylor on Jul 7, 2008 6:46 AM CDT

Cashner will sign (MICHAEL CLEMENTS)

According to Scout, first round pick Andrew Cashner of TCU is going to sign with the Cubs later this week. Not that there was a huge amount of doubt that he would eventually sign, still, I am relieved. Although I would love it if he was able to burst through the minors and help us later this year, I doubt it. And, of course, I can't imagine that the Cubs drafted him with any designs that he would help us this year.

It's amazing how, after the draft went down, the pick looked good. But now, weeks after the draft and after certain members of the bullpen have fallen off the map, the pick looks like pure genius.

Cashner will get a little more than $1.5 mill as a signing bonus.

The article reports that the Cubs have also signed second-round pick Aaron Shafer out of Witchita State.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I should also say

that Cashner, himself, hopes he pitches in relief so that he can “move up faster” in the Cubs system. I tend to agree with him, if that’s the way he feels most comfortable and can really let it loose.

Chicago Cubs Humor and Parody at The Cubs Brickyard

by Brett Taylor on Jul 7, 2008 6:47 AM CDT reply actions

Sabathia trade, negated.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by daver on Jul 7, 2008 10:03 AM CDT reply actions

The baseball draft gurus

say that Cashner could help the Cubs during this play-off chase, if they absolutely needed an arm.

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Jul 7, 2008 10:30 AM CDT reply actions

Good article in this month's Vine Line

on Cashner. Hopefully what they say about him actually comes true and we don’t end up with another “you know who”.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~Earl Wilson

by tucsoncubsfan on Jul 7, 2008 10:37 AM CDT reply actions

what the heck

if he does well in the minors, bring him up. He could replace Chad Fox. :P

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 7, 2008 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

This is a great signing....

from all the scouting reports I have read, he is a MLB bullpen ready pitcher NOW. His scouting video shows a more-than-nasty wicked slider and he is, as I said, a power arm. So, now do we adjust the bullpen and call our starters a 6 inning staff? We could EASILY make 6 inning pitchers out of Marshall and (although he MIGHT make 6 innings on a good night already!) Marquis, which would be the equivalent of adding a starter. What do y’all think? Stupid? Workable idea?

by crazymountain on Jul 7, 2008 11:44 AM CDT reply actions

cashner

heres a question—-with the emergence of marmol and now getting cashner(who we dont know about yet) do the cubs sign kerry wood to a big money 3-4 year deal??? lidge just got 37.5 over 3,k-rod i’m sure will get 20+ over 4-5 years,gagne got a ridiculous contract, rauch will be a FA and should see a good payday,etc? kerry is a cub icon in my eyes but his arm is always an issue. do we sign him or let him go and spend big money on the likes of k-rod? do we let him go and try in house options?

Dear SBnation, We need our own server here at BCB seeing how its became very slow due to enormous amounts of traffic. P.S. Impeach Bud Selig!!!

by cubsluver22 on Jul 7, 2008 12:56 PM CDT reply actions

I'd sign Wood...

Even if you were to try one of the two at closer, Wood has already put up some great stats as a closer so he’d be more of a security option.

Jim Edmonds has seriously become my favorite player. WHAT'S HAPPENING????

by Cub Style on Jul 7, 2008 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions

No

Kerry Wood’s right arm is in very tenous shape. Will never know when it goes kablooey again. But it could at any moment. He still has structural problems inside that arm and shoulder. I would strictly focus on 1 year contracts.

Diehard: All right, Hendry, let's see how you improve the ballclub mid-season.
Hendry: What coordinates, sir?
Diehard: [annoyed] Coordinates?
Hendry: Yes, sir, they determine where the the ballclub is...
Diehard: Soldier, the Cubs have spent a lot of money teaching you to fire off a trade. Now set and fire.

by MDBNIU on Jul 7, 2008 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions

what do you care

about a pitcher’s past injury struggles?

by ecbc on Jul 7, 2008 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions

it's what

brewers fans do.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 7, 2008 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions

LOL, so you wouldn't sign Woody...

...but you’d sign Harden. Nice.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by daver on Jul 7, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Of course you sign Woody.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 7, 2008 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions

You have to sign Wood

not signing a top 3 closer would be a huge mistake. He is fine throwing limited innings for the season.

by careyrd on Jul 7, 2008 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions

You sign him...

...but you sign him to another 1 year deal. It would be horribly misguided to give Wood a multi-year deal given the tattered condition of his right arm and shoulder. He didn’t have surgery last year, rather patiently rehabbed his way back into the mix. He even had doctors who advised against him trying to make a comeback.

by MDBNIU on Jul 7, 2008 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions

and like you

they were wrong.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 7, 2008 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm Curious, Doctor...

... when was the last time you examined Kerry Wood’s arm to be able to describe it as tattered and tenuous?

Santo Forever!

by BeerCub on Jul 7, 2008 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions

My role isn't to educate the inferior minded and ill informed

Do your homework on the subject.

Get Rich Harden, Tim Hudson or AJ Burnett RIGHT NOW !!! No more living in denial and rationalizing away the holes on this pitching staff. No more Luvable Loser syndrome getting in the way of gunning for a World Series.

by MDBNIU on Jul 7, 2008 7:32 PM CDT up reply actions

our homework

indicates that Kerry Wood is a closer who is growing into the role and is dominating at times.

You know NOTHING about Kerry Wood that the rest of us don’t know. I’d wager, in fact, that you know LESS, because of your inability to recognize when you’re wrong.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 7, 2008 7:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Once again George Costanza adds zero

Just jab after jab at informed and well thought out posts by the baseball knowledge superior. Seriously, WHAT have you added to the discussion? Ever.

by MDBNIU on Jul 7, 2008 10:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Well informed?

Oh, tell us, sensei… what KNOWLEDGE do you have of Kerry Wood that the rest of us don’t? Speak to us of your thoughtful conversations with Lou, you’re stern talkings-to with Hendry.

Oh, SHED YOUR KNOWLEDGE UPON US LIKE GOD’S OWN DANDRUFF! SHEER GLEE!

Go ‘way now, Newman…

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 7, 2008 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions

So, you won't educate yourself MDBNIU?

You are such an arrogant asshole….

by crazymountain on Jul 7, 2008 9:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Rewind his medical history over the past three seasons

Kerry Wood’s right arm is held on with duct tape and baling wire. He deferred having yet another round of invasive surgery in deference to rest and rehab, which resulted in his return in August of last year. No question Kerry has been a great story this year. But it would be a fool’s exercise to extend a lucrative multi-year contract offer his way. Not with his arm history. A couple years ago there were members of the medical staff that advised Wood to hang it up.

by MDBNIU on Jul 7, 2008 10:21 PM CDT up reply actions

If you sit and think about it for a moment

I’m sure you can come up with a pretty sizable list of athletes who had several seasons filled with injury, and were hence labeled injury prone… then managed to stay healthy for a while afterwards, and perform at a top level.

There’s nothing in the book that says Kerry can’t do it. And there’s no reason why we shouldn’t make an effort to keep him.

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Jul 7, 2008 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions

at any price??

a lidge deal???

Dear SBnation, We need our own server here at BCB seeing how its became very slow due to enormous amounts of traffic. P.S. Impeach Bud Selig!!!

by cubsluver22 on Jul 7, 2008 2:19 PM CDT reply actions

Sign Wood now

Don’t wait till the offseason when he has a chance to sit back and reflect on the closers market and see the likes of KRod getting his $15 million per. Actually KRod won’t get that much imo, but still. The point is, offer Wood 3 years, $30 million. If he takes it (and why shouldn’t he given his history?) you’ve got yourself a high end closer below market and he’s not signed for too long. Marmol is great, and he’ll still be great in three years barring injury. Wood can close, Marmol can set up, and when Marmol is getting ready to hit the market you transition him to the closers role and Wood to a setup role where by then they’ll each be better suited. Marmol will be getting the closers job after having plenty of experience and by then he’ll have a track record to base it off of, not one good season. Now that is a plan, something that most teams don’t think through or follow. And after three years if things haven’t worked out like you’d hoped then you adjust. No point in adjusting now and letting Wood walk and signing KRod or someone else to more than it would take to sign Kerry when Kerry can do the job just as well. Stick to the plan.

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey

by pageian on Jul 7, 2008 5:41 PM CDT reply actions