Harden, Johnson File For Free Agency

No jokes about the headline, please. And no surprise here, either.

Comments

Where is GREGG?

I wish he would file ASAP.
FYI Cub fans guess who is a type A this year ? Our old friend LaTroy Hawkins ( who is probably going to stay with
the Astros).

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 9:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Just out of curiosity...

… what happens if an eligible free agent doesn’t file? Does he then remain property of the team he’s currently on?

I don’t think this has ever happened, but what would be the result? Anyone know?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Nov 7, 2009 9:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not really sure

Then again, Gregg may just retire and stop causing every team he pitches for to spend a fortune on antacids.

And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.

by Ace Venom on Nov 7, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Gregg is going to be an interesting sell during FA

linky

Johnson, Harden, John Grabow, Kevin Gregg, and Chad Fox all are potential free agents, and were simply waiting for the World Series to end to file. A player must file within 15 days after the World Series is over. The Cubs will retain exclusive negotiating rights during that 15-day period.

Gregg and Grabow were classified as Type A free agents, which means if another team were to sign them, the Cubs would receive a first-round pick as compensation. That’s the case unless the signing team is selecting from picks No. 1-15, and in that case, the Cubs would receive a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

Harden was classified as a Type B free agent, and the Cubs would receive a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

The Cubs only receive compensation if the player signs elsewhere before Dec. 1 or is offered arbitration and declines.

Johnson was not classified as Type A or B.

I added the bold, and I still cannot believe I am reading it right

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 7, 2009 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

and assume nobody on BCB is in favor of offering Gregg arbitration. Wish him luck and tell him how much easier it will be for him to sign since no team will have to give up picks for him ( probably won’t get much of a deal anyway but just tell him that).

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 6:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm definitely on ...

… the “no arb for Gregg” list. Do NOT want him back under ANY circumstances.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Nov 8, 2009 8:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

GE ITDON EJI M

"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver

by wrigleyrocker12 on Nov 7, 2009 10:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Good Lord, please find a way to put Gregg on the D'Backs.

Or some other annoying team. Please.

This LaToya news infuriates me.

by chilango2 on Nov 7, 2009 10:43 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hawkins has been lights out this year.

It helps when the manager uses him as set guy rather then trying to make him a closer.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 1:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

or a GM

signing him to close games.

by socalbob on Nov 7, 2009 4:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry that is dead wrong

Hawkins was NOT signed to close games . He was signed to be an elite set up man. Unfortunately Borowski went down and Dusty decided to make him a closer a job which he had totally sucked at the last time he had tried it. I think Dusty killed Hawkins who was one of the best set up men in baseball. I mean if you want to blame Hendry for letting it drag out and not trying to find another closer at the deadline there might be some truth to it but Hendry did not sign Hawkins as a closer.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bingo

Hawkins repeatedly failed as a closer in Minnesota and was signed here to be a set-up man. Dusty felt he had no other options and put Hawkins in the closer situation. Yes, he took a top notch set-up man and turned him into crap.

by dmlichte on Nov 7, 2009 5:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ryan Dempster could have closed at the end of 2004.

He came back that year and made 23 pretty decent relief appearances. He’d have been no worse than Hawkins.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Nov 7, 2009 5:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Gregg is also a type A

what drugs are the people making this decision on?

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 7, 2009 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

isnt ryan howard type b?

"hey

by jesus christos on Nov 7, 2009 6:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He is not an FA but if he were he would be an "A"

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 7:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

oh

thought i read a few months ago that howard would be a type b

"hey

by jesus christos on Nov 7, 2009 8:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He had hit over 90 home runs and has almost 300 RBIs over the last two seasons

There may be a few oddities in the Elias rankings but they are not THAT crazy. Keep in mind that the status is determined by combined stats over the last two seasons which can explain some of the freakish ones.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 9:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

There may be a few oddities in the Elias rankings but they are not THAT crazy.

they arent. just looked up his ranking and hes an A. i guess im the crazy one

"hey

by jesus christos on Nov 7, 2009 9:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Harden will draw lots of attention

I suspect he will have teams lining up to offer a 2 or 3 year contract in a price range that the Cubs can justify. Harden is too good of a pitcher and pitching is always, always, always in demand. Even in a sour economic environment.

The big prize this winter is John Lackey. And me thinks he is headed to the Yankees.

"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)

by BLou on Nov 7, 2009 6:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Did you mean Cubs can or can't justify ?

I certainly don’t see the Cubs offering him a 2 to 3 contract and I would be VERY surprised if any one does unless it is one that vests with IP.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Nov 7, 2009 7:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't be too surprised

Harden could be one of those free agents that a random team takes a big gamble on. I really hope it’s not an NL Central team though, because I think Harden has some good years ahead of him.

by ak123 on Nov 8, 2009 12:07 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

he has many godo seasons IMO

his biggest problem is that he cannot get thru 6 innings on a consistant basis

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 8, 2009 9:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If I were a gm I'd go for Harden

Seems silly the way these FA’s are classified. I know there is a lot of stuff at work, but I think most gm’s are always willing to roll the dice on a starter. Back-up outfielders and bullpen help are easy to find. I would think the classification system would take something like starter over reliever, or starting position player over reserve into the equation. Of all the Cubs fa’s Harden is the most likely to get a good, multi-year deal.

by Nibbles on Nov 8, 2009 9:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs