Max Ramirez has cleared waivers and been outrighted to the Minor League camp

Comments

FWIW

This puts MaxRam off the 40-man roster. That roster stands at 37. It will be 38 when Reed Johnson is added, probably tomorrow.

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by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2011 1:15 PM CDT reply actions

AA or AAA?

by jerry morales rules on Mar 30, 2011 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

My guess is AAA...

…. backing up Beef and playing some 1B and DH’ing.

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by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2011 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions

It is Iowa

According to this:
http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-cubs-catcher-ramirez-sent-to-iowa-20110330,0,1728023.story

by ZeoBandit on Mar 30, 2011 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm glad the Cubs have this flexibility

Should Hill be painful, they have a backup plan right in AAA.

by jerry morales rules on Mar 30, 2011 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions

they may have the flexibility

But would they be smart enough to use it?

Excuse me, do these effectively hide my thunder?

by jasperthepilot on Mar 30, 2011 8:00 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Evidentally not.

"The trouble is not that players have sex the night before a game. It's that they stay out all night looking for it." - Casey Stengal

by Easy Ed on Mar 30, 2011 11:18 PM CDT up reply actions

What evidence indicates that?

"What do you think, I just dunked my whole career?" Jordan asked Henderson after making a 3.
"You’ve got to miss eventually," Henderson told him.
"That’s what Cleveland said," replied Jordan

by MRubio52 on Mar 31, 2011 8:35 AM CDT up reply actions

I bet MaxRam

will be called up, if not before, during Interleague Play for DH purposes. I only say this if he’s getting a lot of AB’s as a DH. He could split time with Soto b/w catching and DH.

by alabamacubbie on Mar 30, 2011 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not saying this won't happen, but I seriously hope that we have a better DH than MaxRam.

It would get Soto out from behind the plate for a while, which would be nice.

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by D98 on Mar 30, 2011 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah I do too, but he would probably be a better DH

Hill first and foremost. Possibly even Reed Johnson, Baker, or Barney. He would probably be about the same as Barney though in being a DH. Colvin would be the best bet for DH while using Kosuke for his defense.

by alabamacubbie on Mar 30, 2011 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions

*than Hill first and foremost.

by alabamacubbie on Mar 30, 2011 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Beef is definitely a catcher for the future

But if there’s a call up needed, I hope it’s Ramirez. Give Beef a chance to start and learn how to handle pitchers better in AAA, possibly getting a good feel for them if he does get called up later.

"Baseball is almost the only orderly thing in a very unorderly world. If you get three strikes, even the best lawyer in the world can't get you off." ~ Bill Veeck

by Musicdude10 on Mar 31, 2011 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Pleasantly surprised

Hopefully he and Castillo both rake at AAA and put pressure on the organization to dump Hill mid-season.

by Dcr18 on Mar 30, 2011 1:27 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

I am surprised also, I never thought he would make it through.

A potential overall weakness in depth to a strength.

by jpeters407 on Mar 30, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Hmpf.

That’s somewhat surprising … I think. In any case, it seems like good news from a depth perspective.

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by daver on Mar 30, 2011 1:35 PM CDT reply actions

Love it.

We obviously have a logjam at catcher in the system, but that’s a better problem to have than the opposite situation. Hendry’s gamble paid off, and we get to have our cake and eat it too.

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by D98 on Mar 30, 2011 1:36 PM CDT reply actions

But we don't get our Beef.

At least for now.

by jpeters407 on Mar 30, 2011 4:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Where's the Beef?

by alabamacubbie on Mar 30, 2011 4:47 PM CDT up reply actions

the apocolypse

has been averted…whew, thank god Ted Lilly stepped in and scared anyone who was going to claim him.

by hansman1982 on Mar 30, 2011 2:01 PM CDT reply actions

Luis Castillo let go by Phillies

No, I do not think that the Cubs should “kick the tires”. Just stating it for those who thought it would be a good idea.

by jerry morales rules on Mar 30, 2011 2:07 PM CDT reply actions

That didn't take long

by timh815 on Mar 30, 2011 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions

It's not really a surprise, is it?

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by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2011 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions

no. not really

by timh815 on Mar 30, 2011 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

It was just as surprising that the Phils

even considered Castillo in the first place. I think that tells you how worried they are about Utley.

I am a traveler of both time and space to be where I have been. Robert Plant 1975

by cmpody on Mar 30, 2011 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Agree.

I wonder how they’re going to handle it.

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by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2011 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Not at all...The Cubs best option is barney....who is better than castillo at this point!!

by TJ11 on Mar 30, 2011 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions

No

never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...

by wrigleyrocker12 on Mar 31, 2011 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions

OMG!!!

Max is the greatest backup catcher ever! WS next up.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Mar 30, 2011 2:54 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Did Silva clear waivers? Did anybody pick up our worn out parts?

We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.

by mrcubsfan on Mar 30, 2011 3:43 PM CDT reply actions

According to Ken Rosenthal...

…Silva cleared waivers yesterday. But I’m a little confused — I thought the Cubs released him unconditionally. Does a player who is released still go through waivers? And, if so, why?

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by daver on Mar 30, 2011 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions

yes, they go through waivers.

it gives the teams a chance to claim them (not that anyone would want Silva). If another player making less was waived (let’s say Shark), it would give Pittsburgh a chance to claim him before the Yankees, but they would be on the hook for his $

Bob Brenly on Leo Nunez "Dan Uggla just saved Nunez’ life because Koyie would break him into a million pieces"

by Zakh on Mar 30, 2011 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks for the info!

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by daver on Mar 31, 2011 9:53 AM CDT up reply actions

"placed on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release"

the only rationale that I can think of is this: by going through the waiver process, it allows the lesser teams the first opportunity to claim him. In reality, this is a complete waste of time, as there was 0.00 chance that any team would claim Silva and that contract. But apparently there is no method to avoid this pointless exercise.

ask not what the Cubs can do for you - ask what you can do for the Cubs.

by holy mackeral on Mar 30, 2011 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Ah, I understand it better now.

I thought he had simply been released immediately. Obviously, no one was going to claim him with that salary. I’m guessing his career is over.

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by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2011 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Is there no way he can play for the minimum this year?

Or at any point in the future? Or is he sort of screwed?

Yes'm

by OrangeGore on Mar 30, 2011 6:28 PM CDT up reply actions

oops, nevermind.

Yes'm

by OrangeGore on Mar 30, 2011 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions

If a team happens to

come knocking on Mr. Silva’s door sometime in May or something and they decide to sign him, they can sign him for whatever they want, correct? What the Cubs are paying him has nothing to do with what a future suitor for Carlos this summer would have to pay, right?

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." ~Alvin Dark

by DamonBerryhillsMitt on Mar 30, 2011 4:40 PM CDT reply actions

they would have to pay him the minimum (or pro-rated portion)

Cubs would get that portion back/credited against the contract amount

by doofus cubs guy on Mar 30, 2011 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Ok

Carlos is “stuck” playing for the minimum with any new team because he’s collecting from the Cubs?

If the Yankees called him a month into the season, he can’t say that he’ll only come back if they pay him, say, $1.75 million or anything like that?

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." ~Alvin Dark

by DamonBerryhillsMitt on Mar 30, 2011 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, no. He's under contract for 2011 for $11.5M

He’s going to get that money, from the Cubs if he sits at home watching TV…. but if he signs with someone else, he’s still going to get the $11.5M – just 400K or whatever will come from the new team.

He has nothing to gain from saying he wants NYY to pay $1.75M – the Cubs would be offset by that amount and Silva would still get his $11.5M. So it’s in Silva’s interest for the new team to pay as little as possible.

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by D98 on Mar 30, 2011 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions

I gotcha

Makes sense to me now. Thanks!

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." ~Alvin Dark

by DamonBerryhillsMitt on Mar 30, 2011 5:28 PM CDT up reply actions

if Silva really wants to continue, and if there is a team that wants him,

he would sign for the major league minimum of approx $400k. The Cubs obligation would decrease by whatever that team paid. In reality, Silva would probably have to go to the minors for a couple of weeks, and if brought up, that team would then pay the pro rata share of the minimum. It is possible, if the fat boy really wants to pitch.

ask not what the Cubs can do for you - ask what you can do for the Cubs.

by holy mackeral on Mar 30, 2011 9:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Question on rebate to Cubs

If a team signed Silva to the ML minimum of $400k and then cut him a month later, would the Cubs be off the hook for the whole $400k or just one month’s portion of the $400k?

by ChuckC1968 on Mar 30, 2011 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions

good question. I think that the new team is responsible for that $400k

for the remainder of the season, regardlesss. and if they release him and he signs with somebody else….. I don’t know what happens.

ask not what the Cubs can do for you - ask what you can do for the Cubs.

by holy mackeral on Apr 1, 2011 12:43 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe now it will be easier replacing Hill

The Cubs shouldn’t have an excuse for keeping Hill now. I’d rather have the guy hitting over .600 playing everyday in Iowa Then I’d rather have the other guy hitting over .400 playing backup catcher, 1B, and PH when possible. I’d also rather have Hill serving Old Style in the stands.

by alabamacubbie on Mar 30, 2011 4:43 PM CDT reply actions

Ramirez really isn't that much of a hitter

His career BA is scarcely different to Hill’s, although he has more power and gets on more often, so his career OPS+ is better. It’s still well below the league average, though (87 in the majors). Also, he actually throws opposing runners less effectively (18% career, 17% last year) than Hill does (28% career, 18% last year).

“The other guy hitting over .400” may be accurate over his mighty total of 22 ST plate appearances, but it makes him out to be far more than he is. He’s, you know… not very good, and it’s scarcely a miracle that he cleared waivers.

by Limey Cub Fan Jay on Mar 30, 2011 7:32 PM CDT reply actions

Out. He throws them out. Sometimes

He doesn’t physically throw opposing runners. Sentence construction fail. Sorry.

by Limey Cub Fan Jay on Mar 30, 2011 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions

you have obviously never seen an angry max ramirez

He's my Hossa
HO-HO-HO-HO-HOSSA

by jesus christos on Mar 30, 2011 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Well... this makes me dead wrong... kinda like my NCAA bracket :)

I thought Ramirez would get claimed for sure… if not the Astros, I thought he go back to the BoSox (who ended up trading for Rockies catcher Mike McKenry)

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Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)

by SackMan on Mar 30, 2011 8:49 PM CDT reply actions

I'm surprised the Astros didn't bite,

but probably most teams have their rosters set and didn’t want to cut a player who already made the team at this point for a backup catcher they couldn’t send back to the minors if they had to.

I’m glad he got through, and I suppose after cutting Hill, this was the next best possible scenario. At the least this gives us an extra trade chip. Or maybe he is a solid backup catcher or an extra bat off the bench later in the season.

by Bradsbeard on Mar 30, 2011 9:03 PM CDT reply actions