Chicago Cubs Offseason: Cubs, Red Sox Agree To Terms On Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer Compensation

Frustrated by the emergence of a right elbow injury that's ultimately required surgery on reliever Chris Carpenter, the pitcher acquired from the Chicago Cubs as part of the compensation for Theo Epstein, the Boston Red Sox don't consider talks about the compensation to be over now.

According to a source that's spoken with Michael Silverman of the Boston Globe, folks in Boston don't see the negotiations for Epstein's compensation to be over:

The club is weighing its options about what to do next, said the source. This raises the specter that the Red Sox believe the possibility exists that Carpenter was injured when he was traded to them on Feb. 21. A baseball source indicated that the teams agree that that there was no intent or prior knowledge by the Cubs that misled the Red Sox about Carpenter’s condition.

In addition to receiving Carpenter, the Red Sox swapped first baseman Jair Bogaerts for Cubs pitcher Aaron Kurcz. Neither of the pitchers that Boston received would be considered a top prospect, but there's never been a precedent for teams receiving that kind of return for executives.

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The Chicago Cubs have hopefully closed the final chapter of the Theo Epstein compensation talks. According to Adam Hoge of CBS Sports, the Boston Red Sox have sent 18-year-old 1B Jair Bogaerts to Chicago:

#RedSox send 1B prospect Jair Bogaerts to #Cubs to complete Theo Epstein compensation.

— Adam Hoge (@AdamHogeCBS) March 29, 2012

Bogaerts played in 46 Rookie League games in 2011, hitting an impressive .291/.392/.411 slash with 2 home runs. With only two rookie-league seasons under his belt, Bogaerts is likely years away from reaching the majors.

The Cubs previously sent prospect C+ SP Christopher Carpenter to the Red Sox after weeks of debate between the two franchises. Epstein left the Red Sox organization before the conclusion of his contract, but the unprecedented transition resulted in protracted compensation talks that eventually had to be settled with the help of commissioner Bud Selig.

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According to Carrie Muskat of Cubs.com, the Chicago Cubs have signed reliever RHP Shawn Camp to a minor league deal:

#Cubs sign RHP Shawn [Camp] to Minor League deal. He's at HoHoKam today

— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) March 26, 2012

Camp previously played for the Seattle Mariners, earned $750,000 on a major league deal. His 2011 season did go as well as hoped, though, as the then-35-year-old pitching 66.1 inning with his highest ERA (4.21) of the last three years as well as the lowest strikeout rate (11.0%) of his career.

With almost 500 innings under his belt, the veteran Camp adds extra depth to a projected Cubs bullpen already bolstered with former starters such as Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, James Russell and possibly Casey Coleman.

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The Chicago Cubs have claimed 28-year-old RHP Frankie De La Cruz from the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal:

#Brewers RHP Frankie De La Cruz was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.

— Tom (@Haudricourt) March 16, 2012

De La Cruz has pitched 32.0 innings in the major leagues since 2007, and spent most of the 2011 season in Triple-A. The long-time starter and swing man pitcher compiled 137.0 IP in the minors last year, earning a 3.88 ERA and 4.16 FIP. In the majors, De La Cruz pitched 13.0 innings in relief, earning a 2.77 ERA and 3.26 FIP.

The Cubs mark the fifth organization De La Cruz has played for since 2007.

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The Chicago Cubs signed 24 of their players on Monday, according to ESPN Chicago. The players were all under team control still, meaning the signings were not free agent acquisitions, but rather just 1-year, pre-arbitration contracts.

ESPN Chicago has the details:

The minimum salary this season is $480,000 with five Cubs players agreeing to deals over $500,000. Those players are Jeff Samardzija ($2.64 million), James Russell ($512,000), Starlin Castro ($567,000), Darwin Barney ($500,000) and Travis Wood ($505,000).

--snip--

The full list of players who agreed to deals Monday:

Right-handed pitchers: Alberto Cabrera, Lendy Castillo, Casey Coleman, Rafael Dolis, Marcos Mateo, Samardzija and Casey Weathers.

Left-handed pitchers: Jeff Beliveau, John Gaub, Scott Maine, Russell and T. Wood.

Catchers: Welington Castillo and Steve Clevenger.

Infielders: Barney, Adrian Cardenas, Castro, Bryan LaHair, Junior Lake, Anthony Rizzo and Josh Vitters.

Outfielders: Tony Campana, Dave Sappelt and Matt Szczur.

The two most notable signees are SS Starlin Castro and RP Jeff Samardzija. Castro, now a veteran of two full MLB seasons, becomes arbitration eligible after the 2012 season, meaning his salary should increase exponentially at that time. Samardzija, meanwhile, signed a major-league contract out of college and recently re-worked his contract with the Cubs following his seemingly permanent relegation to relief duty.

The Cubs started their 2012 season with Sunday's spring training game against the Oakland Athletics, and they will begin the season at home on Thursday, April 5, taking on the Washington Nationals.

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The Chicago Cubs expect to have outfielders Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd in the starting lineup on Opening Day, as Cubs GM Jed Hoyer told ESPN's Jim Bowden on Wednesday. Both have been in trade rumors during the offseason as the Cubs retool under new management, but it appears that they're both staying put for now.

Soriano, 36, was more heavily discussed in rumors this offseason given his massive price tag and declining performance. While the slugger still has legitimate power, hitting 50 homers combined over the past two seasons, he's no longer a good runner, he's not a particularly good defender and his on-base skills have devolved from mediocre to downright awful. Over the next three seasons he's owed $54 million, so Chicago would need to eat a significant portion of that figure.

Byrd, on the other hand, hasn't been brought up nearly as much despite having the organization's top prospect emerging behind him. The 34-year-old has played well as the full-time center fielder for Chicago over the past two years, but he makes $6.5 million in 2012 and isn't exactly a good first-division starter. He likely would garner more interest than Soriano on the open market, although power is always at a premium.

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Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer told ESPN's Jim Bowden on Wednesday that the Boston Red Sox will receive the "slightly better player" in the future trade of yet-to-be-named players that will finally complete the compensation for Theo Epstein's move to Chicago.

The Red Sox have already received relief pitcher Chris Carpenter from the Cubs as part of the compensation for allowing Epstein to leave Boston despite still being under contract, but the two sides also agreed to swap players at a future date to complete the deal.

While it's still unclear when that move will take place, it's been said that the deal should happen before Spring Training is over. At this point, names that could be going either way in the trade haven't been publicly discussed yet, but it's reasonable to assume that major pieces won't be on the move.

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The Chicago Cubs have a pair of top prospects on the cusp of reaching the majors, and 2012 may be the year they finally stick at the major league level.

Outfielder Brett Jackson, who played in Double-A and Triple-A in 2011, may well earn some considerable playing time in 2012. According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors, however, Jackson's callup may not occur until mid June at the soonest. Nicholson-Smith reports that Jackson -- if called up sooner than mid-to-late June, would be eligible for Super Two arbitration, meaning his cost to the Cubs would rise considerably.

If the Cubs call him up in late April, they will still have Jackson under team control through 2018, but if he comes up any sooner or starts the season with the team, he would only be under control until 2017. If the Cubs are already out of contention by mid June, it seems likely they would begin to look towards calling up Jackson, and given his service time issues, it seems likely they would have little else standing in their way at that point.

The other Cubs prospect likely for mid-season callup is 1B Anthony Rizzo. Though the Cubs have already committed to 1B Bryan LaHair for the starting role, Rizzo will lose Super Two eligibility around late August, meaning a September callup may well be in his future.

Rizzo played a little with the San Diego Padres in 2011, giving him 0.068 years of service time, according to Nicholson-Smith, so the soonest the Cubs are likely to call him up appears to be sometime in July when he at least will earn an additional year of team control.

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With his earth-shattering 2010 season behind, the Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol will look to improve upon his non-shattering 2011 season when he posted a more pedestrian 4.01 ERA and 3.54 FIP -- and had a particularly a rough second half of the season when his walks increased, his strikeouts decreased and his effectiveness generally dissipated:

David Kaplan of CSN Chicago reports that Marmol came to camp lighter and looking to improve:

"I lost about 15 pounds this winter through my workouts and I really didn’t have to change my diet much because I eat healthy, lots of chicken and vegetables," he said.

Marmol apparently spent the winter doing cardio workouts, lifting weights and -- naturally -- riding horses. According to pitching coach Chris Bosio, Marmol will feature a new pitching approach in addition to a new belt size:

"We have tweaked his approach and his pitch selection some by having him use his fastball and curveball more and setting up that great slider. Carlos has all of the tools to be a great pitcher and we have to all work together to get him back to where he was. Not many teams have a bullpen that feature a Carlos Marmol and a Kerry Wood and we are very fortunate to have them in ours. Carlos has looked great so far in camp and I am looking for him to have a big year for us," Bosio said.

Marmol and the Cubs begin their season with their first Spring Training exhibition on Sunday, March 4.

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Last December, the star shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, 22-year-old Starlin Castro, came under public scrutiny when a Chicago woman accused him of committing sexual assault at his apartment. Castro spoke with the media (video) for the first time since the incident, which has not involved any charges as of yet. The Dominican Republic native declined to discuss the specifics of the matter, but instead offered some of the lessons he learned:

"...[You’ve] got to be careful because there are a lot of bad people in the world."

Castro ultimately claims his focus at the moment is on his job:

"I cooperated with the police and talking about that," he said. "I don’t have (anything) to say about that. I’m ready to play baseball and am practicing very hard."

Fellow teammates LF Alfonso Soriano and CF Marlon Byrd came to Castro's defense:

"He never felt down because he told me he did nothing wrong," Soriano said. "I believe him. if you know you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about."

--snip--

"I think he understands now that he's 'Starlin Castro,'" Byrd said. "That's a big name right now, and it's going around the world. Somebody that young (being on a) Sports Illustrated cover, playing on the Chicago Cubs, already an All-Star... He just has to be very, very careful."

The Cubs have begun their Spring Training in earnest, with the position players reporting Friday and the whole team executing its first full workout on Saturday, Feb. 25. Castro and company will play their first game March 4 against the Oakland Athletics.

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The Chicago Cubs, having pillaged GMs from both the Boston Red Sox and the San Diego Padres in the 2012 offseason, reportedly settled the terms of their second offseason compensation matter, this time agreeing on a group of low level prospects in exchange for GM Jed Hoyer, according to Scot Miller of CBS Sports:

List of 12 or so plyrs Cubs & Padres have agreed on re. compensation. 1 player will come from that list later in spring.

— Scott Miller (@ScottMCBS) February 23, 2012

Compensation from #Cubs to #Padres for Hoyer will be low-level minor leaguer aand probably happen late spring. Will be b4 opening day.

— Scott Miller (@ScottMCBS) February 23, 2012

The Cubs acquired the then-Padres-GM Jed Hoyer from San Diego shortly after they had consummated a contract to bring then-Red-Sox-GM Theo Epstein in as the team's President of Baseball Operations.

Chicago -- with assistance from the league commissioner, Bud Selig -- complete their compensation package to the Red Sox on Tuesday, sending once-top-prospect SP Chris Carpenter and a player to be named later to Boston. The Hoyer compensation is widely believed to be even less impressive.

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The Chicago Cubs have confirmed they will send 26-year-old right handed pitcher Chris Carpenter to the Boston Red Sox as compensation for Theo Epstein. The deal also includes an exchange of players to be named later, which is expected to be decided by April 15. The Cubs selected the 6'4" Carpenter in the third round of the 2008 amateur draft, and since then he has posted a 21-19 record with a 3.62 ERA and 7.62 SO/9 in 96 games across the minor league system.

Baseball America ranked Carpenter as the No. 13 prospect in the Cubs' system, while John Sickels of SB Nation's Minor League Ball blog ranked the 26 year old pitching prospect as the No. 14 overall player in the Cubs' system, and had this to say:

14) Chris Carpenter, RHP, Grade C+: Power arm pitched poorly in Triple-A bullpen due to command issues but looked much better in Arizona Fall League. Dominant when his command is working.

Epstein, the current President of Baseball Operations for the Cubs, was released from the final year of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and allowed to leave for Chicago, but it took months to figure out the compensation. Now the Cubs will turn to the issue of providing the San Diego Padres compensation for GM Jed Hoyer.

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Another day, another promise that the dispute between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox over the compensation due for Theo Epstein is nearing a resolution. Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com is reporting that the Cubs and Red Sox are close to a deal to send 'one quality minor leaguer ' to Boston. In his article, he also cites a source saying the player will be 'a legitimate big-league prospect,' and here is the original tweet :

Theo compensation deal 'close,' with Sox receiving one quality minor leaguer in return from Cubs, according to MLB source.

— Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) February 21, 2012

Epstein, the current President of Baseball Operations for the Cubs, was released from the final year of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and allowed to leave for Chicago in exchange for some compensation, but the issue exact for of the exact consideration in the deal has still not been resolved. MLB commissioner Bud Selig first involved himself in the process several weeks ago when the two organizations failed to reach an agreement on their own.

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Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago is reporting that the Chicago Cubs infielder Blake DeWitt will stay with the Cubs heading into the 2012 season:

Blake DeWitt accepted assignment and will be in #Cubs camp as non-roster player.

— Patrick Mooney (@CSNMooney) February 20, 2012

The 4-year veteran DeWitt came to the Cubs in the Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot trade in 2010. He has collected 1213 PAs over his career, own a .260/.329/.385 slash to go with 21 homers.

DeWitt was removed from the 40 man roster after the Cubs took INF Adrian Cardenas off waivers from the Oakland Athletics in early February. DeWitt has a Spring Training invite, meaning he may be able to win a starting job, but in all likelihood will start the season in Triple-A Iowa.

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Infielder Blake DeWitt must decide on whether he'll accept an outright assignment off of the Chicago Cubs' 40-man roster or become a free agent by Wednesday, according to Doug Padilla of ESPN Chicago. The former Dodger was designated for assignment last month after the Cubs claimed infielder Adrian Cardenas off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.

After being designated for assignment in January, the 26-year-old went unclaimed on waivers. By accepted the outright assignment, DeWitt will be removed from Chicago's 40-man roster, but he'll still receive the one-year, $1.1 million contract that both sides agreed upon to avoid arbitration weeks ago.

By choosing to become a free agent, DeWitt would forfeit the contract with the Cubs and become eligible to sign with any of the 30 MLB teams. Generally speaking, teams don't expect him to be able to command something similar to the $1.1 million that he agreed to receive from Chicago, so he'll likely accept the outright assignment.

Even while being removed from the 40-man roster, DeWitt would still be invited to Spring Training with an opportunity to make the Opening Day roster.

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MLB Trade Rumors and the Chicago Sun-Times are reporting the Chicago Cubs have interest in extending RHP Matt Garza:

‘‘We focused really hard on getting the one-year number done a few weeks ago,’’ general manager Jed Hoyer said of the $9.5 million deal struck the day of Garza’s scheduled arbitration hearing. ‘‘We didn’t have any kind of long-term discussions before that, but certainly there was some dialogue about possibly having some long-term discussions at some point maybe this spring. . . . I think we probably will sit down and talk.’’ (Sun-Times)

The Cubs acquired Matt Garza in the 2011 trade that sent top minor league prospects SS Hak-Ju Lee and SP Chris Archer to the Tampa Bay Rays, but with the Cubs in rebuilding mode, rumors have swirled about the Cubs potentially seeking a trading partner for the 28-year-old hurler.

Garza, a six-year veteran, is arbitration eligible and settled to terms with the Cubs for a $9.5 million, 1-year contract. He emerged as the Cubs' ace in 2011, pitching 198 innings of 3.32 ERA, 2.95 FIP ball.

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The Chicago Cubs should have Theo Epstein and company around for the long haul, but they're one of nine teams that doesn't have a single dollar committed to player salaries for the 2015 season and beyond. The numbers were calculated byKen Davidoff of Newsday, who has figures for all 30 organizations.

Along with the Cubs, the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners have avoided committing any money for the 2015 season and beyond. Signing Jorge Soler would likely change that, though.

Most of those teams don't expect to compete in 2012, so they don't have long-term contracts with veteran players. No team has more money committed for 2015 than the Los Angeles Angels, who have Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Howie Kendrick and Jered Weaver under contract.

The other teams with more than $100 million committed for 2015 and beyond are the Rockies (Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez), Tigers (Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera), Red Sox (Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Clay Buchholz), Yankees (Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixiera, CC Sabathia), Dodgers (Matt Kemp) and Brewers (Ryan Braun).

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Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe is reporting the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox may be finishing their compensation deal within the immediate future:

A Red Sox official indicated he expects comp decision on Theo Epstein "very soon."

— Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) February 16, 2012

Epstein served as the general manager for the Red Sox from 2002 through 2011, but left the team after the Cubs fired longtime general manager Jim Hendry. In October, 2011, the Cubs acquired Epstein from the Red Sox for compensation to be determined late.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig elected to help resolve the issue. The Red Sox are reportedly expecting a significant player in return, while the Cubs appear to be offering only lower-ceiling prospects.

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The Chicago Cubs finished the 2011 MLB season with 71-91 record, good for 5th place in the NL Central Division. They promptly underwent a massive personnel overhaul in the offseason, hiring former Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and former San Diegos Padres GM Jed Hoyer.

The team has since traded for an almost entirely new pitching staff and begun to transition into a defense-focused team. Their reporting schedule looks as follows:

The Cubs will get their first look at the new rotation on Saturday, a rotation expected to look like this:

Project Starting Rotation

1) Ryan Dempster
2) Matt Garza
3) Travis Wood
4) Chris Volstad
5) Paul Maholm

The team will also have open competition between Randy Wells, Casey Coleman and a number of other potential starters for the fifth starter and long man roles. Meanwhile, the team should have a trio of new faces in their starting lineup:

Projected Cubs Lineup

C Geovany Soto
1B Bryan LaHair
2B Darwin Barney
3B Ian Stewart
SS Starlin Castro
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF Marlon Byrd
RF David DeJesus

And here's a gander at the first week of Cactus League schedule for the Cubs:

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The Chicago Cubs released pitcher Robinson Lopez on Wednesday in a somewhat surprising move, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. The Cubs acquired Lopez in the 2010 deal that sent Derrek Lee to Atlanta, and at the time he was viewed as a solid young prospect.

Lopez still doesn't turn 21 until March, but Jim Callis of Baseball America noted that his "fastball and slider really went backward last year." When he was acquired from Atlanta, he was mostly viewed as an intriguing live arm that would need substantial time to develop, but it appears that his progress is going in the wrong direction.

Mostly a starter in 2009 and 2010, Lopez made 26 appearances in 2011 but just four of them were starts. In 69 innings with Single-A Peoria, he posted a 5.35 ERA with 35 strikeouts and 30 walks. The lack of strikeouts definitely reflects a decline in quality of raw stuff.

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After passing on Cuban OF Yoenis Cespedes, the Chicago Cubs are reportedly in the lead for Jorge Soler, a fellow Cuban OF prospect, albeit one that is younger and further away from the majors. Soler would immediately improve what is seen by most as a middling Cubs farm system, but according to SB Nation's Grant Brisbee there's an even better reason for why Chicago, and other teams across baseball, should be going hard after Soler:

The Cuban free agent Jorge Soler has not agreed to terms with the Chicago Cubs, reports David Kaplan of CSN Chicago:

...[A]ccording to a highly placed source, talk of [Soler] already agreeing to a deal with the Cubs are not accurate and the reports from the Dominican Republic of a four-year deal for 27.5 million dollars with Chicago are ludicrous.

Word broke Thursday night that the Cubs had a four-year, $27 million contract prepared for when Soler finished the paperwork to officially become an MLB a free agent; however, it appears the competition for the Cuban star is still unfinished.

Kaplan lists the Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and Miami Marlins among the teams pursuing Soler. The 19-year-old outfielder is widely believe to be the last remaining top free agent in a strong 2012 Latin American class.

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The Chicago Cubs missed out on Cuban outfield Yoenis Cespedes today when the 26-year old signed a four-year deal with the Oakland Athletics, but it appears the Northsiders are very close to signing the other big prize free agent in Cuba: 19-year old outfielder Jorge Soler.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting Soler will sign a three or four-year contract for around $27 million. The 6-foot-3, 200 lbs. outfield is thought to have five-tool potential.

Related: Yoenis Cespedes Rumors: Cuban OF To Sign With Oakland Athletics, According To Report

Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein has been busy answering questions about Soler on Twitter for the last 10 minutes. Here's what we gleamed: Goldstein believes Soler with be the Cubs' No. 1 overall prospect. Goldstein also thinks Soler will be in the minors for about three years. Goldstein added that if Soler was in the 2011 MLB draft, he would have been a top 10 selection.

Earlier this offseason, the Cubs signed 19-year old Cuban pitcher Gerardo Concepcion.

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According to ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine, the Chicago Cubs are thinking about offering a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training to pitcher Ramon Ortiz.

Ortiz split time between Triple-A Iowa and the Cubs in 2011. He was 1-2 with a 4.36 ERA with Chicago (22 games) and 6-3 with a 4.26 ERA at Iowa (16 games).

Ortiz compiled a 4.86 ERA in 33.3 innings as a reliever for the Cubs in 2011. He also started 16 games at triple-A Iowa, striking out 80 batters in 99.3 innings.

Related: 2012 Cubs Offseason: GM Jed Hoyer Says Matt Garza Extension Is Still A Possibility

In 11 major league seasons, Ortiz is 86-84 with a 4.93 ERA.

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The Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox have submitted their arguments to league commissioner Bud Selig for the compensation debate, according CBS's Jon Heyman:

#cubs and #redsox have submitted briefs regarding theo compensation, decision could come this week. #theo

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 13, 2012

Selig's office will act as an arbiter in the ongoing compensation negotiations. Last October, the Chicago Cubs acquired then-Boston-GM Theo Epstein from the Red Sox, agreeing to offer Boston some form of compensation. The two teams are reportedly far apart, as the Red Sox anticipate an MLB player, while the Cubs appear to want to give much smaller compensation -- a low-level prospect or cash.

The MLB commissioner elected to intervene in January, reportedly asking for lists of players the teams would be willing to offer for fair compensation..

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Despite rumors that the heavy frontrunners for Cuban OF Yoenis Cespedes were the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs, reports Monday morning suggest that Cespedes has agreed on a contract with the Oakland Athletics.

In a radio appearance during The Carmen, Jurko & Harry Show on ESPN 1000 on Friday, Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer spoke about various aspects of the roster heading into the 2012 MLB season. After stating his belief that Alfonso Soriano will most likely start the regular season with Chicago, Hoyer moved on to discuss the future of staff ace Matt Garza with the team:

"It was a long (arbitration) process, but we talked to Matt a number of times since and we're happy we didn't have to go into a hearing room with him," Hoyer said. "He's a great pitcher and a guy we're going to talk to him about being part of our future, for sure. We need more guys like Matt, not less, and if we can work something out we'll certainly have those discussions."

quotes via ESPNChicago.com.

Related: 2012 MLB Trade Rumors: Chicago Cubs Expected To Trade Matt Garza Before Deadline

The Cubs and ace pitcher Matt Garza reached a one-year, $9.5 million deal with undisclosed performance bonuses back on February 3, and according to Fan Graphs Garza produced 5.0 Wins Above Replacement in 2011 for an estimated $22.7 million in value. The 28-year old right handed pitcher will serve as the number one starter for the Cubs' staff in 2012.

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Chicago Cubs veteran outfielder Alfonso Soriano has been a major name in Cubs trade rumors throughout the offseason, and while the team has spoken with several other clubs about a deal, they haven't gotten anything done yet. In a radio appearance, Cubs general manager said he thinks Soriano will most likely start the regular season with Chicago. He also expressed hope that Soriano will get on base more often and improve his defense this year.

"I think that's unlikely (that he'll start the season with another team)," Hoyer said on "The Carmen, Jurko & Harry Show" on ESPN 1000. "Our hope certainly ... I know Sori's been working really hard this offseason ... our hope is obviously you want him to get on base a little more. The power was there last year, the RBIs were there. Obviously it really comes down to defense and we're hoping with some better conditioning and some better health, that he can be a little better out there.

Related: 2012 MLB Trade Rumors: Chicago Cubs Expected To Trade Matt Garza Before Deadline

Soriano hit .244/.289/.469 with 26 HR and 88 RBI in 2011.

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The latest news on the 2012 MLB free agency front is that former starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, right-hander Rich Harden, has undergone shoulder surgery and will miss the 2012 MLB season. In a recent interview, the free agent confessed his injury problems began in 2007 when he tore his right shoulder capsule, according Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, while unsuccessfully trying to field a ball in early 2007:

"If you look at those injuries, [the April 15, 2007, game against the Yankees is] definitely where they came from," Harden said. "Yes, I've been injured a lot, but nobody really knew what I'd been dealing with for five years. Every day, just to play catch, I had to re-train my body to throw. I was pushing the ball. I'd start the game throwing 86-87 mph and that was max effort."

Harden came to the Chicago Cubs in 2008 in a July trade that sent Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, and others to the Oakland Athletics. In his season and a half with the Cubs, Harden pitched 212 innings, sporting a 3.31 ERA. He started only 26 games in 2009, his only full season with the Cubs, missing 38 days with a shoulder strain.

According to Harden, he pitched both Cubs seasons with his shoulder injury. World famous shoulder doctor, Dr. James Andrews, performed the surgery, but was shocked at how long Harden had played with the damage:

"Dr. Andrews sounded pretty surprised when he got in there about how I made it this long without surgery," Harden said.

Harden is apparently open to pitching in relief in 2013, which he did briefly in 2010 with the Texas Rangers.

For more on the offseason, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more from around baseball, head over to Baseball Nation. To keep track of all rumors and happenings in the game, check out MLB Daily Dish.

Cuban OF Yoenis Cespedes arrived at Miami International Airport on Tuesday in anticipation of being courted by the Miami Marlins, and apparently the interest isn't one sided. Cespedes told reporters that he would enjoy suiting up for the Marlins and even hopes to play in Miami.

The Chicago Cubs are working to increase their presence in the Dominican Republic by building a new 50-acre baseball training facility.

Among the features of the complex, which will be finished in 12 to 18 months, are four fields, a weight room, a cafeteria, meetings rooms and a large classroom. The dormitory can house up to 80 players and staff.

Team chairman Tom Ricketts traveled to the Dominican Republic to discuss the facility and tour the construction grounds. The Cubs are beefing up the scouting and player development in the region because they feel that is one area that has been lacking in the past.

Related: 2012 Cubs Offseason: Chicago Claims Adrian Cardenas Off Waivers From Oakland

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The Chicago Cubs made a minor move on Monday afternoon, claiming infielder Adrian Cardenas off waivers. Chicago designated Blake DeWitt for assignment in order to make room for Cardenas.

#Cubs designate IF Blake DeWitt for assignment , claim IF Adrian Cardenas off waivers from Oakland.

— Bruce Miles (@BruceMiles2112) February 6, 2012

The 24-year-old Cardenas hit .314/.374/.418 for Oakland's triple-A affiliate last season and has a .303/.368/.413 line in six minor league seasons.

Related: Cubs DFA Blake DeWitt

Those are respectable numbers, and Cardenas is still young, which leads to the question of why he was available in the first place. Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein says defense is a major reason:

Instead of handing Adrian Cardenas a job in Chicago, maybe we should wonder why he was available. He's a really bad infielder.

— Kevin Goldstein (@Kevin_Goldstein) February 6, 2012

For more on the offseason, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of the Cubs, visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. For more from around baseball, head over to Baseball Nation, and to keep track of all rumors and happenings in the game, check out MLB Daily Dish.

The latest murmur around the MLB is that the Chicago Cubs may not find a trade partner for starting pitcher Matt Garza before opening day:

One exec believes #Cubs more likely to move Matt Garza at the deadline than before Opening Day.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 5, 2012

The Cubs are reportedly shopping the 28-year-old righty, having previously come near to trading him in the recent past. Garza is widely believe to be the final major trade chip remaining on a Cubs roster well on its way to rebuilding.

In January 2011, the Cubs then-GM Jim Hendry traded for Matt Garza, who proceeded to have a career year, pitching 198 innings whil a 3.32 ERA and 2.95 FIP. The arbitration-eligible Garza recently signed a 1-year, $9.5M deal with the Cubs.

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The Chicago Cubs offseason has not been one of particularly sparkling acquisitions or breath-taking trades, but that does not six-time All-Star Curt Schilling from predicting the team has built a foundation for success. According to ESPN Chicago, Schilling spoke on the Waddle & Silvy show, soundly praising the handiwork of Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein:

"I would feel very comfortable putting a very large chunk of money that [a World Series title] would happen in the next five to 10 years..."

Schilling went on to explain how Epstein's business intelligent and baseball innovations taught Schilling lessons he then later transferred to his own personal business dealings.

"He understands the human element to this. A lot of what I learned from and about Theo I've taken into my company and tried to help my company grow. Theo gets it, and it's not lost on the people who played for him. He's the only general manager I ever played around who fit into the clubhouse..."

A long-time pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Schilling finished his career with the Boston Red Sox under Epstein, wining two World Series with the club in 2004 and 2007.

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The Chicago Cubs and ace pitcher Matt Garza reached a one-year, $9.5 million deal with undisclosed performance bonuses to narrowly avoid the MLB arbitration process, as announced by Garza's agent on Twitter. The star pitcher was the last unsigned player on the Cubs' roster, and the two parties had submitted competing $12.5 million and $7.95 million bids for the arbitration process while preparing for a ruling from the MLB. Instead, the deal they reached marks a near mid-point compromise between the two offers that slightly favors the Cubs, but might end up favoring Garza if he hits those unspecified performance bonuses.

The deal marks a big upgrade over Garza's $5.95 million salary in 2011, but still comes in under his estimated value according to Fan Graphs -- he produced 5.0 Wins Above Replacement in 2011 for an estimated $22.7 million in value. The 28-year old right handed pitcher will serve as the number starter for the Cubs' staff in 2012. In two weeks the team's pitchers and catchers are due to report to Mesa, AZ to begin workouts.

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The Chicago Cubs and pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith have agreed to a minor league contract, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Rowland-Smith didn't pitch in the majors in 2011, but he appeared consistently with the Seattle Mariners from 2007-2010.

In 2011, Rowland-Smith was in the Houston Astros organization. He pitched 104 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City, posting a 6.19 ERA with 87 strikeouts and 41 walks. He was similarly brutal with the Mariners in 2010, posting a 6.75 ERA in 109 innings with Seattle.

He was far better in the previous three years, though, posting a combined 3.62 ERA over 253 innings while splitting time between the bullpen and the starting rotation. The Cubs presumably don't expect much from him, but he's some interesting minor league fodder that could eventually be useful in a variety of roles.

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The Chicago Cubs have agreed to sign Cuban left-hander Gerardo Concepcion to a $7 million contract with incentives that could potentially push the payout to $8 million, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. The contract, which was originally reported by Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald, will become official once he passes a physical.

Concepcion, 18, was declared a free agent last week after defecting from Cuba a few months ago. He established residency in Mexico last month and was heavily coveted by numerous teams, including the Blue Jays, Yankees, White Sox, Royals, Phillies, Giants and Rangers.

As the Cubs try to rebuild the organization under a new baseball operations team led by Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod, these are the kinds of moves that we can expect from the club. They're building for the future, and while Concepcion is years away from hitting the majors, he's got substantial potential.

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The Chicago Cubs are prepping for the rapidly-approaching 2012 Spring Training and have finalized their list of non-roster invitees. According to the official Vine Line blog, the Cubs will welcome the following players to camp:

Pitchers

RHP

Marco Carrillo
Manuel Corpas
Jay Jackson
Rodrigo Lopez
Trey McNutt
Blake Parker
Dae-Eun Rhee

LHP

Trever Miller
Chris Rusin

Catchers

Michael Brenly
Jason Jaramillo
Blake Lalli

Infielders

Afredo Amezaga
Edgar Gonzalez
Jonathan Mota
Bobby Scales
Matt Tolbert

Outfielders

James Adduci
Jae-Hoon Ha
Brett Jackson
Joe Mather

Though the list features a number of top prospects in Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt and Jay Jackson, the non-roster invitees most likely to make the team probably include relievers Manuel Corpas and Trever Miller, as well as infield utilityman Bobby Scales.

Corpas signed with Cubs after spending the first portion of his career with the Colorado Rockies. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery, but could be a potential strength in the bullpen if his velocity and health can hold. Miller is a LOOGY -- lefty one out only guy -- who the clubs thinks may still have something left in his age 39 season.

Scales is a long-time minor league veteran who has played the majority of his last few seasons with the Cubs, making his major league debut at age 31 in Wrigley Field. He spent half of the 2011 season in Japan, where he DH'd and hit above league average. His strong patience and defensive flexibility puts him in competition with Edgar Gonzalez and Matt Tolbert for the backup infielders position.

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Former Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry had found a new home and will become a special assistant to New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. Hendry saddled the Cubs with long-term contracts and fading assets without ever reaching a World Series during his nine-year tenure as general manager in Chicago, but his teams did win three division titles -- in 2003, 2007 and 2008 -- and came oh-so-close to a World Series berth in 2003 before falling to the Marlins in a crushing seven-game NLCS failure.

Hendry's exact role and responsibility as a special assistant with the Yankees has not yet been defined, and may never fit a traditional definition, but the MLB front office veteran will no doubt put his broad experience as a farm director, scouting director, assistant GM and GM to good use with the Yankees.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs have moved forward with President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer, who have spent much of their first offseason trying to unwind some of Hendry's myopic moves.

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Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein was released from the final year of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and allowed to join the Cubs in exchange for some compensation, but the issue exact for of the consideration has still not been resolved. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe is reporting that "league sources have indicated an outcome should occur soon" as each team has submitted a list of player names to MLB Commissioner Bug Selig, who will make the final ruling.

What will Theo cost the Cubs? Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times lists an unnamed American League GM who has speculated the team will have to part with a "significant" player in the end. Epstein remained hush on the subject when recent asked, saying only: "I don't think it's appropriate for me to talk about it. No one has really talked much about it. Probably a better question for MLB."

As for Red Sox fans, the wait has already been too long. SB Nation's Red Sox blog, Over The Monster, captures the sentiment well:

..there are rumors that Bud will compensate the Red Soxto the tune of, as a source told the Globe's Nick Carfardo, "a significant player." The Chicago Tribune is reporting the two teams have made lists (and checked them twice) of players they'd be willing to part with/receive and passed them on to the commissioner's office. If there is a single player in common on those lists I'll eat dirty socks for a week. For his part, the Tribune quotes Selig as saying he wants to move, "as expeditiously as possible." So this whole issue should be behind us somewhere around President Bieber's second term.

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The start of Chicago Cubs spring training is right around the corner, and on Monday afternoon the team announced that 21 players not on the current roster have been invited to camp.

Related: Cubs Issue 21 Non-Roster Invitations To Spring Training

The list includes some promising prospects mixed in with some of the guys the Cubs signed to minor league deals during the offseason. Bleed Cubbie Blue has the breakdown:

Nine pitchers: righthanders Marco Carrillo, Manuel Corpas, Jay Jackson, Rodrigo Lopez, Trey McNutt, Blake Parker and Dae-Eun Rhee and lefthanders Trever Miller and Chris Rusin

Three catchers: Michael Brenly, Jason Jaramillo and Blake Lalli

Five infielders: Alfredo Amezaga, Edgar Gonzalez, Jonathan Mota, Bobby Scales and Matt Tolbert

Four outfielders: James Adduci, Jae-Hoon Ha, Brett Jackson and Joe Mather

Pitchers and catchers report to Cubs camp on Feb. 18 and everyone else joins them on Feb. 23

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Chicago Cubs be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Visit Baseball Nation for more news and notes around the league.

According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors, the Chicago Cubs have finalized deals to bring in two veteran and versatile infielders on minor league contracts.

The Cubs announced on Monday they had signed 2B/RF Edgar Gonzalez and 2B/3B Matt Tolbert. Gonzalez, a 33-year-old California native, spent the 2011 season playing for the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. He finished the season with 14 homers, 14 steals and a solid .315/.378/.457 slash on 564 PAs. In his two seasons in the majors, Gonzalez has managed a .255/.312/.381 slash on 522 PAs. Edgar has played every position except center field, catcher and pitcher.

Tolbert played the 2011 season coming off the bench for the Minnesota Twins. He joins the Cubs after spending the entirety of his career with the Twins, putting up a rough .230/.288/.319 slash through 680 PAs. The versatile Tolbert has played first base, second, third, shortstop and even one inning in right field. He will be 30 years old during the 2012 season.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the MLB, visit Baseball Nation, home of Rob Neyer, Carson Cistulli and Craig Robinson.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has announced the return of former Chicago Cubs infielder Bobby Scales to the northside of Chicago.

The 34-year-old scale began in the MLB as a 21-year-old minor leaguer in 1999, but did not get a callup until he completed 10 years in the minors. Scales returns to the Cubs after spending half a season with the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's NPB league.

In Japan, Scales hit .261/.328/.394 with 9 home runs -- above average numbers for a league starved for offense. In 13 minor leagues seasons, Scales has amassed 95 homers while hitting .282/.377/.432. His above average walk rate (often near 14%) may make him a strong candidate for a bench role on a Cubs team reinventing itself under Theo Epstein.

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According to Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald, the Chicago Cubs have outrighted RHP Manuel Corpas off the team's 40-man roster, meaning the Cubs would likely mean to make a corresponding move to put Corpas back on the roster if he wins a spot out of training camp.

Corpas, a once-highly-touted reliever with the Colorado Rockies, missed the entirety of 2011 with Tommy John surgery. The Cubs signed Corpas last December with the hope he could contribute to the club in 2012. The 29-year-old Corpas sports a 3.93 ERA and 3.82 FIP through 286 MLB innings.

The Cubs 2012 Spring Training games being on March 4 with an afternoon game against the Oakland Athletics.

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All 30 MLB clubs have been notified that Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been declared a free agent by MLB, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Cespedes recently established residency in the Dominican Republic after defecting from Cuba, allowing him to become eligible to sign with MLB teams.

Cespedes, 26, has been described as an impressive athlete with a combination of power and speed. He recently played a few games in the Dominican Winter League, but he didn't play particularly well after taking so much time off from live pitching. He's been described as a center fielder, but some teams have reportedly shown interest in moving him to a corner.

Among the teams showing the most interest have been the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins according to reports. Detroit may not be showing the same amount of interest after committing $214 million to Prince Fielder this week, though.

For more on the offseason, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more from around baseball, head over to Baseball Nation. To keep track of all rumors and happenings in the game, check out MLB Daily Dish.

Star Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who is now baseball's marquee free agent, has established residency in the Dominican Republic, which will allow him to officially become a free agent and negotiate with MLB teams. Once MLB receives proof of Cespedes' residency, it will notify all teams that they can begin formal negotiations with the outfielder.

According to the Tribune's Phil Rogers, the Chicago Cubs are one of the frontrunners for Cuban free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

Fielder signing takes #tigers out on Cespedes, w/#cubs and #marlins the frontrunners. #whitesox cld load up to get Jorge Soler.

— Phil Rogers (@ChiTribRogers) January 24, 2012

Cespedes defected from Cuba and recently established residency in the Dominican Republic, and now much wait for Major League Baseball to officially declare him a free agent. Once that happens, offers are expected to start heading his way quickly.

Related: MLB Hot Stove 2012: Chicago Cubs Among Teams Interested In Cuban Pitcher Gerardo Concepcion

Cespedes hit .333/.424/.667 with 33 home runs and 99 RBI in the Cuban League last season and has been one of the top sluggers in that league for several years.

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Carlos Pena signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays recently, and because he was classified as a Type-B free agent, the Chicago Cubs get a "sandwich" pick in the 2012 MLB draft as compensation. That means the Cubs have added a draft pick between the first and second rounds, and according to Baseball America's Jim Callis, that pick is currently No. 54.

Right now, it's pick No. 54. @rhickey66: What pick did #Cubs get for Pena? #mlbdraft

— Jim Callis (@jimcallisBA) January 24, 2012

Related: MLB Free Agency 2012: Chicago Cubs To Receive Draft Pick Compensation For Carlos Peña

The Cubs have four picks in the top 68 of the 2012 draft, which could help Theo Epstein's rebuilding project get off to a solid start.

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Lefthanded pitcher Gerardo Concepcion defected from Cuba last summer and was declared a free agent last week; since then, he has received interest from a number of major league teams, including the Chicago Cubs. (Via.)

Related: MLB Offseason 2012: Dale Sveum Doesn't Think Chicago Cubs Are Rebuilding

And according to that report, the Cubs have shown quite a bit of interest. Some background information on Concepcion:

Concepcion, who was named Rookie of the Year in the Cuban Serie Nacional in 2010-11 after posting a 10-3 record and a 3.36 ERA in 21 games with Industriales de la Habana, defected from Cuba last June during the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands. He later established residency in Mexico and was declared a free agent last week.

Concepcion's agent says the pitcher is likely to sign a contract in the next couple of weeks.

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With the Tampa Bay Rays' recent signing of 1B Carlos Peña to a one-year, $7.25 million deal, the Chicago Cubs are in line to receive draft pick compensation.

The 33 -- soon to be 34 -- year-old will be returning to the team that has employed him the most in his 11-year MLB career, and because he was a Type-B free agent and is leaving the Windy City, the Chicago Cubs will receive a sandwich pick in the 2012 MLB amateur draft.

Sandwich pick are picks, so to speak, "sandwiched" between two rounds, typically the first and the second round. Because the Elias Sports Bureau rates Peña as a Type B free agent, the Cubs will receive the pick without actually costing the Rays any picks. Peña was also a Type B free agent in 2011 when the Cubs signed him to a one-year, $10 million deal.

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The new manager of the Chicago Cubs, former Milwaukee Brewers coach Dale Sveum, spoke with CSN Chicago recently, discussing the 2012 Cubs season:

The Cubs' latest hire has continued to suggest the team is not in a rebuilding mode, despite trading away -- or allowing to leave via free agency -- some of the team's top contributors from the 2011 season:

[The roster has] so many guys that have service time in the big leagues... It's more of building than rebuilding. We're just building a team.

The 2012 Cubs roster will have a markedly different appearance with veterans 1B Carlos Pena, 3B Aramis Ramirez, SP Carlos Zambrano and RP Sean Marshall all leaving, as well as prospects such as OF Tyler Colvin and 2B D.J. LeMahieu. In their place, a collection of young, not-quite-prospects -- including 3B Ian Stewart, SP Travis Wood and 1B Bryan LaHair --- will look to push the Cubs into contention.

Sveum insists the Cubs are not rebuilding given that players like SS Starlin Castro and LaHair are not without histories of success. Still, Sveum says the main goal is to create long-term competitiveness:

[You want to be] a team that can win 90 ball games every year. Some you might win 100, you might win 89 and get to the playoffs. If you do that for such a long period of time... your chances of winning a World Series obviously increase a lot.

The Cubs will begin Spring Training on February 12 when the team's pitchers and catchers report to camp.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Chicago Cubs be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Visit Baseball Nation for more news and notes around the league.

After one season with Chicago Cubs, free-agent first baseman and designated hitter Carlos Peña has agreed to terms on a one-year, $7.25M contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Peña hit .225/.357/.463 with 28 home runs and 80 RBI in his only season with the Cubs, and after turning down salary arbitration earlier in the offseason he now returns to the franchise where he has had his most success as a professional player.

Heyman also said the Indians were hoping to add the slugger, but he wanted to return to the Rays. It likely had more to do with opportunity than money. Just like the Cubs, the Indians have a young prospect in place at first base (Matt LaPorta), while the Rays can take Peña and plug him in at first base and in the middle of the lineup from day one. For his career, the 33-year old Peña has hit .239/.352/.486 over 11 MLB seasons.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Chicago Cubs be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Visit Baseball Nation for more news and notes around the league.

The Chicago Cubs added some pitching depth to the organization on Thursday by signing Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league deal.

#Cubs have signed P Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, according to Fernando Ballesteros.

— José F. Rivera (@josefriveraespn) January 19, 2012

Lopez started 16 games for the Cubs in 2011, going 6-6 with a 4.42 ERA. He spent 2010 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he was just 7-16 with a 5.00 ERA. In 10 major league seasons, the majority of which were spent with the Baltimore Orioles, Lopez has a 4.82 ERA.

More: Cubs Sign Jason Jaramillo

Bleed Cubbie Blue's Al Yellon isn't excited about this move, going so far as to say he hopes Garza is released at the end of spring training.

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The salary for which Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza filed was initially reported to be $10.225 million, which as Jon Heyman clarified Thursday, is actually the midpoint between the two sides. Garza filed for $12.5 million.

garza actually filed at $12.5M, w/ #cubs at $7.95M. misread chart. the $10.225M was midpoint (seemed like weird filing #)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 19, 2012

What Garza is asking for would more than double his 2011 salary of $5.95 million, and while he's not likely to be awarded such a hefty raise, there is a good chance he'll be worth that much money to the Chicago Cubs in 2012.

More: Cubs Estimated 2012 Payroll

According to FanGraphs, Garza has been worth over $12 million in three of the last four seasons.

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The Chicago Cubs have signed free agent catcher Jason Jaramillo to a minor league contract, according to Tim Dierkes of MLBTR. It had previously been reported by Dierkes that the two sides were nearing a deal, but now he's reporting that the agreement has been completed.

Jaramillo, 29, has spent the past three years in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He's appeared in 119 games with the Pirates, posting a .237/.295/.327 line over 366 plate appearances. His numbers were better while spending 2011 in Triple-A, posting a .276/.368/.373 line in 155 PA's, but he's never shown much pop even for his position.

The Cubs' current plan at catcher has Geovany Soto starting and rookie Welington Castillo backing him up, but Jaramillo gives them an additional option and some depth given that they don't have much beyond those two.

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Cuban left-handed pitcher Gerardo Concepcion has been granted free agency and can now negotiate with any of the 30 MLB teams, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox are reportedly among the teams showing interest, in addition to the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies.

Concepcion, 18, has established residency in Mexico and is currently training in the Dominican Republic, according to his agent Jaime Torres. Concepcion defected from Cuba last summer during the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands, the same event that allowed Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman to defect from Cuba back in 2009. He already has a training session scheduled with the Yankees this week.

During the 2010-2011 season in the Cuban Serie Nacional, the top amateur league in the nation, Hernandez went 10-3 while posting a 3.36 ERA over 21 games (including 16 starts) for Industriales de la Habana.

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With new President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein essentially overhauling the Chicago Cubs' organization, fans understandably are curious to hear his thoughts on the club's past, present and future. Considering that he's the man essentially making the decisions, his opinions on these matters are pretty close to reflecting the opinions of the organization itself,

Recently, Epstein sat down to discuss some Cubs-related matters with Gail Fischer of CSN Chicago. Among the things discussed was the possibility of a Matt Garza trade, but Epstein simply reiterated his appreciation for Garza as a pitcher:

I'm a big Matt Garza fan. I think he's pretty special. There aren't too many top-of-the-rotation starters in Major League Baseball, let alone ones who can pitch in big markets and in tough divisions, and I think that he's one of them. So, yeah, there's a lot to like about Matt Garza and we appreciate that, and I see him as a big part of what we have now and as a big part of our future.

But even after the praise, Epstein still noted that it's a situation that will need to be resolved somewhat soon.

The reality is that he has two years left on his contract, so at some point it's gonna make sense to try to turn that short-term asset that those two years represent into longer-term assets. That could very well be by reaching a contract extension, either now or next year or when his contract is up. It doesn't have to be through a trade necessarily.

So at this point, it seems like the Cubs are still trying to figure out the best course of action with their top pitcher. And speaking of a guy that was once viewed as Chicago's top pitcher, Epstein also spoke a little about Carlos Zambrano:

In this situation, the deeper I dug, the more I discovered that the [relationship] was probably irreparable, that there had been so many violations of trust, including physical altercations and walking out on the team, things that there's just no place in baseball for.

Ultimately, it seems like Epstein just didn't believe that the Cubs' clubhouse would ever be welcome to Zambrano again. After the numerous bridges that Big Z burned in Chicago over the years, that's probably a conclusion that he shares with many.

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According to Chicago Cubs beat writer Carrie Muskat, the team has agreed to terms with six arbitration-eligible players.

[Blake] DeWitt signed for $1.1 million; [Geovany] Soto $4.3 million; [Ian] Stewart $2.237 mill; [Jeff] Baker $1.375 mill; [Randy] Wells $2.705; [Chris] Volstad $2.655 million. #Cubs

— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) January 18, 2012

So the Cubs avoid arbitration proceedings with these players, but they have not yet come to terms with starting pitcher Matt Garza, who filed for a $10.225 million salary for the 2012 season. The Cubs' initial offer to Garza was for $7.95 million.

More: Matt Garza Arbitration: Pitcher Files For $10.225 Million

Garza, who has been the topic of some trade rumors during the offseason, is coming off perhaps his best season as a starter.

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According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, Matt Garza has filed for a 2012 salary of $10.225 million in his arbitration case, while the Chicago Cubs' offer came a little under $8 million.

Garza files at $10.225M, cubs at $7.95M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 17, 2012

Garza, who made $5.95 million last season, posted the lowest ERA of his career in 2011 and won 10 games with the Cubs. According to FanGraphs, that performance was worth well over $20 million dollars, so the Cubs may be getting a bargain no matter what they agree to pay Garza.

More: Geovany Soto Signs 1-Year Contract With Chicago Cubs, Avoids Arbitration

Garza has a career 3.83 ERA and has won 52 games over the course of six major-league seasons.

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The Chicago Cubs have reportedly signed Geovany Soto to a 1-year deal worth $4.3M, thereby avoiding arbitration with the 7-year pro.

Since taking over the starting catching duties for the Cubs in 2008, Soto has hit a strong .254/.347/.452 slash to go with his 71 career homers. Despite battling various injuries over the past three years, Soto managed to hit 17 homers in 474 plate appearances in 2011. However, he has missed time for a variety of issues -- such as his recurring knee and shoulder problems -- and has taken four trips to the 15-Day DL since 2009.

Soto won the 2008 Rookie of Year award as a 25-year-old after seven seasons in the Cubs' minor league system. Having acrued over four years of service time at the major league level, Soto became arbitration eligible for the first time in 2012 and is slated to become a free agent in 2014.

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Yoeni Céspedes, a 26-year old star Cuban outfielder who defected from Cuba and is currently playing for the Cibao Eagles in the Dominican League, is a hot commodity right now. He has drawn interest from multiple MLB teams, including the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians, but Céspedes recently revealed that the Chicago Cubs have shown the most interest of any team so far. Then again, the process is far from over, as Céspedes himself recently told DiarioLibre.com:

"I've eaten a few times with them and talked a lot, but that does not mean it is safe for me to come to sign with them. I'm just telling it like it is, they have shown more interest than others."

The young slugger cannot officially sign with an MLB team until he secures residence in the Dominican Republic, so there is certainly still time for the market to shift, but at the moment Theo Epstein has the Chicago Cubs on the top of Céspedes' mind. That can only be a good thing for the organization. The Cubs recently sent sending vice president of scouting and player development, Jason McLeod, to the Dominican to watch Cespedes play, so they must like what they see, even though he opened play with just 2 hits in his first 19 plate appearances in the Dominican League.

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The Chicago Cubs surprised their fans at the 2012 Cubs Convention on Friday evening when they introduced reliever Kerry Wood and announced that the club had re-signed the veteran, much to the crowd's delight.

Kerry Wood has agreed to a deal who stay with the Cubs. Insane ovation at the Cubs Convention as the great Pat Hughes announces the deal.

— David Kaplan (@thekapman) January 13, 2012

Wood's deal is for one year and $3 million, and there is a club option for 2013. A deal between the two sides had been discussed for a while, though the organization was a bit coy about it in the days leading up to the convention.

Wood had a 3.35 ERA in 51 innings for the Cubs last season.

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Chicago Cubs President of Basball Operations Theo Epstein has been active since taking control of organizational operations several months ago, and has not been afraid to shake up the roster, but he insists the Matt Garza trade rumors are nothing more than a product of the media at the moment. The Cubs acquired Garza via trade approximately one year ago from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for several top prospects as a part of former GM Jim Hendry's plans, but now the Cubs have reversed paths and focused more on collecting prospects than shipping them out under Esptein's direction. However, Patrick Mooney of CSN-Chicago relays some key quotes from Epstein on the Garza chatter:

"Let's try to downplay this. I can truly say more has happened in the media with this than has happened in reality. It's not been an everyday (thing). There's no attempt to shop him. As we do with all our players, we're going to weigh all our options to see what's best for the Cubs. I think very highly of Matt Garza. I think he's a top-of-the-rotation-type guy and I'm looking forward to him being on the mound for us this season"

The market could still shift on Garza and present Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein with a deal they simply can't refuse, but at the moment there is no need for the Cubs to panic and make a deal just to make one. If nothing comes along worthwhile, Epstein seems perfectly content to keep Garza at the top of his rotation to open the 2012 season.

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The Milwaukee Brewers have claimed shortstop Jeff Bianchi off waivers from the Chicago Cubs, as the team announced on its official Twitter feed. The move pushes Milwaukee's 40-man roster count up to 39, while the claim frees up a spot on Chicago's 40-man roster for the recently-signed Paul Maholm.

Bianchi, 25, has spent his entire career in the Kansas City Royals organization. He was emerging as a pretty good prospect in that farm system before Tommy John surgery knocked out his entire 2010 season. He came back in 2011 to spend the entire year with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, posting a .259/.320/.333 line with 20 steals in 119 games.

A second-round pick in 2005, Bianchi offers the Brewers some additional depth for their infield. Milwaukee's starting infield is set after acquiring Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez, but he'll compete with the likes of Taylor Green, Cesar Izturis, Eric Farris, Brooks Conrad and others to get a bench role.

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The Chicago Cubs and free agent pitcher Kerry Wood are closing in on a one-year contract that includes an option for the 2013 season, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Wood would presumably return to fill his role as the set-up man to closer Carlos Marmol, who could use some help with Sean Marshall's departure.

Wood, 34, has spent essentially his entire career in a Cubs uniform. He pitched 51 innings for Chicago last season, posting a 3.35 ERA with 57 strikeouts. Even at his advancing age, he still sits in the mid-90's with his fastball and can reach a bit higher than that occasionally.

The Philadelphia Phillies are another team that's been tied to Wood, but the general assumption has been that the Cubs are the favorites to sign him. Wood gave the Cubs a hometown discount to return to Chicago last year, and while he's said that he wants a raise, it's likely the kind of money that the Cubs can afford.

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The Chicago Cubs have been wheeling and dealing lately as they try to rebuild the organization under the new management trio of Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod. One of the most important moves that they've made since taking over in Chicago is the recent trade with the San Diego Padres that resulted in first baseman Anthony Rizzo becoming a Cub.

And as Cliff Corcoran writes for SI.com, it appears that the Cubs may have acquired the first centerpiece of their new rebuilding effort:

The 22-year-old Rizzo now becomes the centerpiece of the Cubs' rebuilding. Rizzo, a career .296/.366/.514 hitter in the minors who hit .331/.404/.652 in 413 plate appearances for Triple-A Tuscon last year, could be back up by mid-season and still projects as a classic big-bat first baseman who will benefit from the move from Petco Park to Wrigley Field and could anchor the Cubs' lineup for the rest of the decade.

(Click here to read the whole article)

Corcoran notes that the expectation is for 29-year-old Bryan LaHair to open the season as the first baseman for the Cubs, but Rizzo will surely see playing time in the majors at some point in 2012.

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Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told Carrie Muskat of MLB.com that the club isn't trying to shop ace pitcher Matt Garza. This counters numerous previous reports regarding his availability, with many describing the Cubs' serious interest in trying to acquire some long-term assets in exchange for their best pitcher.

While Epstein doesn't say that the team refuses to discuss Garza in trades, the comments seem to implicate that Garza's apparent availability might have been overstated. With the Cubs essentially looking at a rebuilding effort, Garza has been viewed as the team's most valuable asset in trade talks with other teams. Coming off an exceptional 2011, he's probably the best pitcher left on the market right now.

But it appears that while he may be on the market, Chicago may need to be blown away to actually make a move. Previous reports mentioned the Cubs' "huge asking price" on Garza, so it's possible that Epstein will only consider deals for the pitcher if he considers them to be particularly strong.

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CBS Sports' Jon Heyman spoke to an individual in the Chicago Cubs organization who indicated that Alfonso Soriano's contract is a major reason why he expects Soriano to be with Chicago on opening day:

according to #cubs person, likely they start year with soriano in left field. should be in AL, but big $ to work out

Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein are considering all options as they work to re-make the Chicago Cubs organization, and they've reportedly spoken to as many as eight American League clubs about a deal for Alfonso Soriano.

While Soriano is still a useful power hitter, he is owed $54 million over the next three seasons, and potential trade partners most likely will want some cash from the Cubs. Soriano will be 38 in the final year of his contract.

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In what might be a first in Cubs history, a player has announced he signed with the Cubs via twitter before the team's beat writer or media has reported it.

Late Monday evening former Pirates pitcher and Cubs nemesis Paul Maholm announced on his Twitter account that he had signed a one-year deal to pitch with the Chicago Cubs.

Maholm posted the following message to his fans and also announced he would be attending the annual Cubs Convention.

"I hope to get to continue some things when I visit during the year and start some great things as I start my Cubs career," Maholm tweeted in a message to Pirates fans.

The Cubs confirmed that Maholm signed a one-year deal worth $4.25 million and an option for 2013

The former Pirate is 53-73 in his career with a respectable ERA of 4.36.

The Maholm signing is the third new starter the Cubs have brought in this offseason. The Cubs obtained Travis Wood in the Sean Marshall trade and Chris Volstad in the Carlos Zambrano trade.

Signing Maholm could protect the Cubs rotation should they decide to move Matt Garza.

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According to CSN Chicago's David Kaplan, the Chicago Cubs are "down the road" in discussions with the Detroit Tigers that would send starting pitcher Matt Garza to the motor city for prospects:

Cubs president Theo Epstein has made no secret of the fact that he is looking to overhaul not only the Cubs major league roster but the minor league system as well after finding the talent pool in the higher minor league levels of the system relatively barren. The Tigers have a handful of top-end prospects and appear to be willing to meet the Cubs asking price of multiple highly-regarded prospects.

Garza increased his value in 2011 with a strong season in Chicago and now it appears he may be the next player out the door in Theo Epstein's overhaul effort.

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The Philadelphia Philles have free agent reliever Kerry Wood on their radar, and they could be an alternative to the Chicago Cubs should the reliever choose to sign elsewhere, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. The general assumption around the sport has been that Chicago is Wood's top choice, but the Cubs' apparent rebuilding effort could convince the longtime Cub to look elsewhere for employment.

If Wood is interested in leaving Chicago to sign with a contender, the Phillies would certainly make some sense as a suitor. They're still looking for bullpen help even after signing closer Jonathan Papelbon, and could use Wood as a set-up man. Even at age 34, Wood was effective in a relief role for the Cubs last season, posting a 3.35 ERA over 51 innings. His command is occasionally shaky, but he can still sit in the mid-90's with his heater.

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Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said Friday that the club is still in the market for starting pitching:

"We're not finished acquiring starting pitchers," Hoyer said on Friday. "We want to have as much depth as possible.

"At this point, we're still very much in the process of gathering as many quality arms as we can, and we'll put those pieces in place as we get closer to Spring Training," he said.

Hoyer also indicated that the team is still negotiating with pitcher Kerry Wood, and that they've made it "very clear" that they would like Wood with the Cubs in 2012.

Wood struck out 57 batters in 51 innings pitched for the Cubs in 2011.

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The Chicago Cubs continued to make off-season moves Friday, making a trade for first basemen Anthony Rizzo and right-handed pitcher Zach Cates from the San Diego Padres, who acquired right-handed pitcher Andrew Cashner and outfield Kyun-Min Na in exchanged. The news was broke by FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal via Twitter.

Here's a brief scouting report on Rizzo via HardBallTalk.com's D.J. Short (Dec. 17):

"Rizzo, who was acquired from the Red Sox in the Adrian Gonzalez trade last December," writes Short, "made his major league debut this past season and batted just .141 with one home run and 46 strikeouts in 128 at-bats. However, it’s way too soon to call the 22-year-old a bust, as many still like him for his patience and power potential. In fact, Baseball America ranked him as the organization’s top prospect earlier this week. Of course, it’s possible new GM Josh Byrnes views him differently than Jed Hoyer did."

Meanwhile, Cates, 22, was the Padres third-round pick (91st overall) in the 2010 MLB Draft.

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The Chicago Cubs dealt Carlos Zambrano on Thursday, and there is speculation that outfielder Alfonso Soriano could be the next man out the door.

In discussing Soriano, Theo Epstein reiterated what he has maintained since coming to Chicago: that the club will listen to potential deals for anyone:

"At some point in the future, if there's a transaction that makes sense with any of our players that puts the Cubs in a better position moving forward, we are going to pursue it. But in respect to Alfonso, he has power and is an offensive contributor. We can work with him to get the best out of him and see where that takes us."

The Cubs have spoken to at least eight American League teams about Soriano over the last six weeks, according to ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine.

Soriano is owed $54 million over the next three seasons.

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The Chicago Cubs sent Carlos Zambrano and $15 million to the Miami Marlins for Chris Volstad on Wednesday, and it appears that the Cubs will not have to pay Volstad's salary in 2012. According to this report from CSN Chicago, the Marlins have agreed to "send cash to the Cubs in the amount of money Chris Volstad receives via arbitration or an arbitration settlement."

The deal still cost Chicago a lot of money, but Theo Epstein deemed it important to deal Zambrano, who had burned a lot of bridges in the Cubs clubhouse and could have created additional issues down the road.

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Now, that starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano has been traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Chris Volstad and some cash, FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is slowly leaking out more details of the deal via Twitter.

According to Rosenthal, Zambrano, 30, had to waive his no-trade clause and his $19.25 million option for 2013 that would have kicked in if he finished in the top four of the CY Young vote. Zambrano also needed to give back 24 days worth of salary from his 30-game suspension that he served during the summer after he reportedly retired after a bad outing.

There's a bit of incentive for Zambrano to do well for the Marlins, who will pay the right-hander $100,000 bonus if he wins Comeback Player of the Year in 20012. What also could help Miami is that fact that Zambrano is a free agent after next season.

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The Chicago Cubs have agreed to trade pitcher Carlos Zambrano to the Miami Marlins in exchange for pitcher Chris Volstad, according to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago. Juan C. Rodriguez of the Miami Sun-Sentinel adds that the Cubs are paying $15.5 million of the remaining $18 million on Zambrano's contract, which runs through next season. The deal is still pending the approval of the commissioner's office given that the transaction involves more than $1 million.

Zambrano, 30, joins a Miami rotation with Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco. The Marlins are paying little to acquire him other than Volstad, given that removing Volstad's salary from their payroll essentially offsets what they'll add by having to compensate Big Z.

For the Cubs, Volstad gives them a cheap, young starting pitcher with at least a touch of upside. MLBTR projects Volstad's 2012 salary at $2.7 million, which isn't a whole lot to pay to a 25-year-old with three years of starting experience under his belt. With a career ERA of 4.59, Volstad isn't exactly an impact player, but he's sure to be useful and could even develop into a solid mid-rotation starter.

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The Chicago Cubs have discussed acquiring pitcher Chris Volstad from the Miami Marlins in exchange for pitcher Carlos Zambrano, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. It had already been reported that the Marlins are close to a deal that will send Zambrano to Miami, but acquiring Volstad would give Chicago an immediate replacement for Big Z in the starting rotation.

Volstad, 25, has made at least 29 starts for the Marlins in each of the past three seasons. He uses his height (6-foot-8) to get lots of grounders, but he's never missed many bats or had great command. He did show some improvement in those latter two areas in 2011, though, striking out 117 and walking 49 in 165 innings. MLBTR projects Volstad's 2012 salary through arbitration at $2.6 million, which isn't that high of a figure for a back-of-the-rotation starter.

The Marlins wouldn't have room for Volstad in their rotation if they acquire Zambrano given that they already have Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco. By including him in the deal, Miami would be free of his salary, while Chicago would probably be thrilled to actually walk away from the trade with something remotely useful.

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The Chicago Cubs are close to completing a deal that will send right-handed pitcher Carlos Zambrano to the Miami Marlins, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal adds that Zambrano still needs to waive his no-trade clause, although he's presumably willing to play for fellow Venezuela native Ozzie Guillen.

Presumably, the Cubs will need to eat a significant portion of Zambrano's $18 million salary for 2012. The 30-year-old hasn't been a dominant starting pitcher in years, most recently posting a 4.82 ERA over 145 innings for the Cubs in 2011. He's also had numerous incidents with the team over the years, culminating with his placement on the disqualified list in August 2011 for a post-game tirade.

The Marlins are now looking at a projected 2012 rotation of Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Anibal Sanchez, Ricky Nolasco and Zambrano, with Chris Volstad as the sixth starter or possible trade bait. They likely won't have to give up much for Zambrano in terms of prospects or money, so this is a somewhat high-upside/low-risk move for them as long as Ozzie can keep Big Z in line.

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The Detroit Tigers aren't planning on trading pitcher Jacob Turner, the team's top prospect, any time soon, as GM Dave Dombrowski told Lynn Henning of The Detroit News on Wednesday. Turner has recently been the focus of numerous rumors given Detroit's apparent interest in acquiring a new starting pitcher for 2012, but Dombrowski says that the team has no interest in moving Turner.

We are not looking to trade Jacob Turner. We love the guy. But I have received calls from clubs wondering if we would be interested in certain players because they have interest in our players. And he is a guy they ask about immediately because he is held in such high esteem. We are not looking to trade Jacob Turner by any means.

This would presumably qualify as a major wrench in possible discussions between the Tigers and the Chicago Cubs about starting pitcher Matt Garza. It had previously been reported that the Tigers could offer Turner to the Cubs in a possible deal for Garza, but Dombrowki said that no such offers have been made.

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The Chicago Cubs and free agent second baseman Edgar Gonzalez have agreed to a minor league contract, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Gonzalez is the older brother of Boston Red Sox star Adrian Gonzalez, with his only big league appearances coming as a member of the San Diego Padres.

Last season, Gonzalez spent the year with the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The 33-year-old posted a strong .315/.378/.457 line with 14 homers and 14 steals in 137 games, flashing a solid understanding of the strike zone and some decent pop. He was obviously much older than most of his opponents, though, and doesn't really qualify as much more than some emergency depth for a team that's currently banking on Darwin Barney to be a starter.

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The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Joe Mather, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. Mather has spent time over the past three seasons with the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals, but for the most part he's been Triple-A depth for a few different organizations.

Mather, 29, spent the 2011 season split between the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies. He never appeared in the majors for Colorado, but he had 83 plate appearances with Atlanta. Over 294 career plate appearances since 2008, Mather has hit a combined .228/.283/.384, looking mostly overmatched by big league pitching.

He's been much better in the minors, though, posting a .269/.346/.460 line in 332 games for a few different Triple-A clubs. While he's unlikely to contribute much in the majors, he does the team some additional depth and an adequate utility player.

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The New York Yankees are one of the teams that's shown interest in acquiring starting pitcher Matt Garza from the Chicago Cubs, but Jack Curry of the YES Network is reporting that they're not interested at Chicago's current asking price. According to Curry, the Cubs have asked for Jesus Montero and one of New York's top pitching prospects, either Manny Banuelos or Dellin Betances.

That's a massive demand, one that includes arguably the game's top MLB-ready hitting prospect in addition to a top-100 pitching prospect. The Yankees understandably aren't interested in giving up that kind of value for Garza, a very talented pitcher but one that's only under control for two somewhat costly seasons. The Yankees can easily take in the roughly $20 million that Garza will command through arbitration over 2012 and 2013, but not if it means giving up Montero as well as Banuelos or Betances.

For now, the Yankees and Cubs will likely look elsewhere for matches. Edwin Jackson has been rumored as a potential target for the Yankees, while the Red Sox, Marlins, Tigers and Blue Jays are among the other teams that have been rumored to be interested in Garza.

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The Chicago Cubs have officially re-signed reserve outfielder Reed Johnson to a one-year deal worth $1.15 million in 2012, according to the Tribune's Paul Sullivan. Johnson played in 111 games for the Cubs last season and provided a solid bat off the bench; he hit .309/.348/.467 with 22 doubles.

Johnson has spent three of the last four seasons with Chicago, with a brief detour to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010. He began his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he spent five seasons. Johnson, who turned 35 in December, is a lifetime .283/.341/.413 hitter with 178 doubles, 59 home runs and 349 RBI.

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We can add another team to the list of suitors for Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports is reporting that the Miami Marlins have shown serious interest in the Cubs' top pitcher. The Marlins were in pursuit of former Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez before the A's traded him to Washington, so it appears that they're not entirely satisfied with their current rotation.

The Marlins are one of many teams that are reportedly interested in Garza. Rosenthal notes that the Cubs continue to speak with multiple teams, including the Marlins and the Detroit Tigers, who could potentially have the upper hand if they're willing to include top prospect Jacob Turner in offers.

Sources told Rosenthal that Marlins top prospect Christian Yelich was a key target of the A's in Gio Gonzalez trade talks, and he'll likely be Chicago's top target in discussions. Players that the Marlins are reportedly willing to move in trades include first baseman Gaby Sanchez, third baseman Matt Dominguez, outfielder Chris Coghlan and relief pitcher Jose Ceda.

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According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, the Chicago Cubs have signed two Cuban prospects, Yasiel Balaguert and Carlos Martinez.

Balaguert, a 19-year-old outfielder, has impressed at multiple youth events, including the 2010 World Junior Championship and the 2009 World Youth Championship in Taiwan, and can play multiple outfield positions. Baseball America describes Balaguert as an outfielder with "modest tools, a strong, thick-bodied frame (6 feet, 190 pounds) that he will have to keep in check..."

Carlos Martinez is a right handed pitcher and likely a relief prospect in the Cubs system. The 20-year-old playing in Cuba from 2009 through 2010, and BA describes him as having a "thick-bodied frame at around 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with a fastball that parks in the low 90s."

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The Chicago Cubs are beginning to re-shape their roster under new management, and that has them listening on basically everyone. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Cubs continue to talk with teams about starting pitcher Matt Garza and are prioritizing young starting pitching in any possible deal.

Heyman adds that executives believe that the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees have the pieces to get a deal done, while Jim Bowden of ESPN is reporting that the Cubs and Blue Jays are still discussing Garza trade. Toronto appears to be one of the more aggressive teams on the premium pitching market, as they reportedly were pursuing both Gio Gonzalez and Mat Latos before those two pitchers were traded to other teams.

Given that Garza is under control for two years while coming off a strong campaign, the Cubs are presumably commanding a big return for their top pitcher. Top young pitchers on the Blue Jays include Kyle Drabek, Henderson Alvarez and Drew Hutchison, while the Yankees' top young pitchers include Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances.

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The Chicago Cubs announced the signing of 29-year old relief pitcher Manny Corpas on Monday and did not disclose the terms of the deal, but now Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is reporting Corpas has received a non-guaranteed split contract that could be worth up to $1.9 million, including incentives. Heyman broke down the deal on Twitter:

corpas gets $1M base from #cubs while in bigs on big-league deal plus up to 700K for days on active roster, 200K incentives

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 27, 2011

Corpas spent his last five MLB seasons with the Colorado Rockies and went 12-16 with 34 saves and a 3.93 ERA with the Rockies before the team released him after the 2010 season. Although he spent time in the Texas Rangers organization last season, he did not pitch in 2011 for the Rangers. If healthy, Corpas can help out the back end of the Cubs bullpen, so this looks like a low-risk, high-reward move by Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. If Corpas is unable to pitch, the team can always ditch him or send him to the minors and pay him less than his major league base pay under the split contract.

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The Cubs announced the signing of pitchers Andy Sonnanstine and Manny Corpas on Monday afternoon:

Cubs have agreed to terms RHP Manny Corpas and RHP Andy Sonnanstine on non-guaranteed split contracts for the 2012 season.

Sonnanstine spent the last five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he was used in both starting and relief pitching roles -- he started 32 games for the club in 2008 but has spent the bulk of the last two seasons in the bullpen. In 2011 he posted a 5.55 ERA, striking out 12 and walking 12 in 35.7 innings pitched. He also pitched 56 innings for the Durham Bulls, which is Tampa's AAA affiliate.

Corpas missed 2011 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he spent the five years prior with the Colorado Rockies. He has a career 3.93 ERA in the majors with 286 innings pitched.

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The Chicago Cubs are nearing a deal with catcher Jason Jaramillo, according MLB Trade Rumors. Jaramillo spent the last three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization after being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies the 2nd round of the 2004 amateur draft.

In his three MLB seasons, Jaramillo has amassed 366 PAs with 4 homers and a .235/.293/.327 slash. The former Pirates catcher also missed 49 games with a right elbow injury in 2011.

Released by the Pirates following their acquisition of Erik Badard, Jaramillo earned about $420,000 in 2011. If the Cubs do indeed come to terms with the 29 year old, Jaramillo should replace C Koyie Hill as the backup catcher behind C Geovany Soto.

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The Chicago Cubs traded relief pitcher Sean Marshall to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday for three players, and Theo Epstein says the club probably isn't done making moves:

"I don't think we are done," Cubs president Theo Epstein said Friday after trading Sean Marshall to the Cincinnati Reds. "I do think we still need to build more depth on the starting pitching front, both in the big leagues and minor leagues.

"But it doesn't happen overnight. You have to make sacrifices. Just like moving Sean Marshall, who was certainly an asset for the 2012 club."

It's been widely speculated that starter Matt Garza could be a prime trade target. Epstein said Garza is "the type of pitcher you want to build around" while acknowledging that the Cubs are in a situation where they're listening to offers for anyone on the roster.

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The Chicago Cubs have officially announced a trade that will send relief pitcher Sean Marshall to the Cincinnati Red in exchange for Travis Wood, Dave Sappelt and Ronald Torreyes. Details of the trade broke earlier today, but it didn't take the Cubs long to announce the deal via their official twitter account:

#Cubs acquire LHP Travis Wood, OF Dave Sappelt & INF Ronald Torreyes from #Reds for LHP Sean Marshall.

— Chicago Cubs (@CubsInsider) December 23, 2011

Marshall is a 29 year-old pitcher converted by the Cubs from a starter to a reliever in 2010, who has been very effective out of the bullpen and has posted a 2.45 ERA over 150 innings in the last two seasons combined. The Cubs may look to replace Marshall in the bullpen with prospect and the organization's 2011 minor league pitcher of the year, Jeff Beliveau. The 24-year old pitcher produced  a combined 6-2 record with five saves and a 1.57 ERA in 53 relief appearances between Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee in 2011.

Travis Wood is a 25-year-old left-handed starting pitcher who split the past two seasons between Cincinnati and the organization's Triple-A affiliate. He posted a 4.84 ERA in 106 innings with the Reds in 2011, but was much better in 102 innings with the Reds in 2010, posting a 3.51 ERA. He was named the 2009 Minor League Pitcher of the Year in the Reds' organization and the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher as well after posting a 13-5 record and a 1.77 ERA. It is projected with with his current service time he will not reach free agency until 2016.  Here is what Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue has to say about the deal with Wood as the primary return:

I like the Sean Marshall deal. Travis Wood isn't a No. 1 starter, but he could become a solid No. 3, and at age 25 does have upside. And the Cubs haven't had a regular LH starter since Ted Lilly was sent to the Dodgers a year and a half ago. With two prospects coming in the deal, it looks like a win for the Cubs. I was a fan of Marshall's, but this is the perfect time to deal a guy like that. The angst I've heard from some Cubs fans about Marshall's departure is misplaced.    

Wood likely became expendable for the Reds after the team acquired starting pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres last Saturday. In an interesting connection, Wood actually made his major league debut against the Cubs at Wrigley field on July 1, 2010, a game in which he gave up only two hits over seven innings.

Sappelt is a 24-year old outfielder and former 9th-round pick in the 2008 amateur draft who stands 5'9" and hits right-handed. In 33 games with the Reds in 2011, he hit .243/.289/.318. In 74 games played in 2011 for the organization's Triple-A affiliate, he hit .313/.377/.458. As for Torreyes, he is a 19-year old infielder who hit  .356/.398/.457 in Single-A ball over 67 games in 2011.

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On Wednesday the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds agreed in principle to a trade that would send Sean Marshall to Cincinnati for a package centered around Reds left-handed pitcher Travis Wood. Now we know the full details of the trade, as the Cubs will trade Sean Marshall for Travis Wood, Dave Sappelt and Ronald Torreyes in a deal announced later on Friday, according to Keith Law. Here is the exact tweet:

Cubs to receive Travis Wood, Dave Sappelt, and Ronald Torreyes for Sean Marshall. Deal to be announced later today.

— keithlaw (@keithlaw) December 23, 2011

Marshall is a 29 year-old pitcher converted by the Cubs from a starter to a reliever in 2010, who has been very effective out of the bullpen and has posted a 2.45 ERA over 150 innings in the last two seasons combined. His 5.0 WAR figure over that time period is the highest WAR of any reliever in the game, according to FanGraphs.

Travis Wood is a 25-year-old left-handed starting pitcher who split the past two seasons between Cincinnati and the organization's Triple-A affiliate. He posted a 4.84 ERA in 106 innings with the Reds in 2011, but was much better in 102 innings with the Reds in 2010, posting a 3.51 ERA. Here is what Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue has to say about the deal with Wood as the primary return:

I like the Sean Marshall deal. Travis Wood isn't a No. 1 starter, but he could become a solid No. 3, and at age 25 does have upside. And the Cubs haven't had a regular LH starter since Ted Lilly was sent to the Dodgers a year and a half ago. With two prospects coming in the deal, it looks like a win for the Cubs. I was a fan of Marshall's, but this is the perfect time to deal a guy like that. The angst I've heard from some Cubs fans about Marshall's departure is misplaced.    

Sappelt is a 24-year old outfielder and former 9th-round pick in the 2008 amateur draft who stands 5'9" and hits right-handed. In 33 games with the Reds in 2011, he hit .243/.289/.318. In 74 games played in 2011 for the organization's Triple-A affiliate, he hit .313/.377/.458. As for Torreyes, he is a 19-year old infielder who hit  .356/.398/.457 in Single-A ball over 67 games in 2011.

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The Chicago Cubs as we've known them over the past few seasons could look very different very soon. Over the past few years, the Cubs have already changed ownership regimes, and subsequently, managements, and now it appears that an overhaul of the Major League roster is coming, as well. According to David Kaplan of CSN Chicago, the team is planning to commit to a full rebuild:

After speaking with several baseball sources over the past few days I am hearing that a complete and total rebuild of the Cubs is more likely than ever to take place during the remainder of the off-season.

While this news isn't necessarily a huge surprise, the Cubs' direction under new President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein hasn't really been totally established yet. Kaplan confirms that the team is going to trade Sean Marshall to the Cincinnati Reds for a three-player package based around Travis Wood, but the Cubs have also spent some money this offseason to acquire outfielder David DeJesus and third baseman Ian Stewart. 

Those acquisitions have only costed limited money, though, so it appears that the team is moving forward with a rebuilding effort. While the team is likely to keep prized young shortstop Starlin Castro, older players like Matt Garza, Marlon Byrd, Carlos Marmol, Geovany Soto, Alfonso Soriano, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Carlos Zambrano and Jeff Samardzija could be considered trade candidates at this point. Obviously the degrees of interest in each of these players will vary widely, as Garza will likely command major interest but players like Soriano and Zambrano could see few, if any, suitors.

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The Chicago Cubs have agreed to sign free agent reliever Manny Corpas to a one-year, Major League contract, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Corpas has spent his entire career with the Colorado Rockies but will be moving to Chicago to offer them some depth as they're expected to finish off a trade of Sean Marshall to Cincinnati soon. 

Corpas, 29, has been up with the Rockies for the past few seasons. He was one of the key arms in the Colorado bullpen in 2007 and 2008, but he struggled in 2009 and ended up having Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2010 season. He didn't pitch last season while rehabbing from the injury, but apparently the Cubs think that he's healthy enough to warrant a spot on their 40-man roster.

In his last appearances on the mound, Corpas posted a 4.62 ERA over 62 innings with the Rockies. His 4.19 FIP was slightly better, but he hasn't been particularly effective since the 2007 season. In that breakout season, Corpas posted a 2.08 ERA in 78 innings and eventually spent some time in the closer's role, saving 19 of 22 opportunities. He's really struggled in the role since then, though, converting just 15 of 30 save opportunities.

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The Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds have agreed in principle to a four-player deal that will send Sean Marshall to Cincinnati, according to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago. The Cubs will receive lefty starter Travis Wood and two minor leaguers in exchange for Marshall, and the deal is pending physicals.

Marshall, 29, has spent his entire career with the Cubs. Once a starter, Marshall was converted to relief full-time in 2010 and immediately broke out as one of the top relievers in the National League. Over the past two seasons, Marshall has posted a 2.45 ERA over 150 innings. His 5.0 WAR figure over that time period is the highest WAR of any reliever in the game, according to FanGraphs.

It's unclear who the Cubs will receive at this point other than Wood, a 25-year-old lefty pitcher that's split the past two seasons between Cincinnati and Triple-A. He posted a 4.84 ERA in 106 innings with the Reds in 2011, but was much better in 102 innings with the Reds in 2010, posting a 3.51 ERA in that stint. His fastball generally sits in the upper 80's to lower 90's, but he has a good mix of pitches.

Whether the Cubs decide to place Wood in the rotation or try him out in the bullpen is uncertain, but their desire to add some cost-controlled pitching is understandable. 

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The Chicago Cubs have poked around a few options to bolster their starting rotation, and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick is reporting that they've spoken with free agent Jeff Francis about a possible deal. Francis likely wouldn't command much money and could fill a hole in the back of Chicago's rotation in the short-term.

Francis, 30, spent last season with the Kansas City Royals after signing a one-year deal as a free agent. Like many expected, he proved to be a solid investment, posting a 4.82 ERA in 31 starts. While that ERA may seem underwhelming, his 4.10 FIP indicates that he pitched a bit better than the superficial on-field results would indicate. 

The soft-tossing lefty doesn't miss many bats with a fastball that averaged less than 85 miles per hour last season, but he has superb command and rarely hands out free passes. Improved defense from the Cubs would make Francis a better fit given how much he depends on the guys behind him, though.

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As the Cubs pursue more high profile names like Prince Fielder and Anthony Rizzo, they went ahead and signed a valuable member of the bench. According to Fox's Ken Rosenthal, outfielder Reed Johnson and the Cubs agreed to a one-year deal on Wednesday, pending the completion of a physical.

The terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but Johnson was once again one of the team's lone bright spots last season, primarily coming off of the bench. The outfielder hit .309/.348/.467 in the 111 games for the Cubs, and he also split his time between all three outfield positions. The Cubs will look a bit new next season in Theo Epstein's first year, but Johnson will remain.

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The Chicago Cubs are discussing a deal with the Cincinnati Reds involving left-handed relief pitcher Sean Marshall, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The duo adds that the Cubs appear to be targeting Reds starter Travis Wood in the deal, which makes some sense given Chicago's need for starting pitching.

Marshall, 29, is one of Chicago's best players. Although Carlos Marmol is the team's closer, Marshall has been a dominant reliever over the past two years, posting a 2.45 ERA in 150 innings with equally impressive peripheral statistics. He's only under team control for one more season, but he's a top-notch arm so the Cubs have some value to offer here.

It's unclear exactly who would be going to the Cubs in a deal, but Wood is a reasonable possibility. The 24-year-old lefty has spent the past two years split between Cincinnati and Triple-A, with career ERA marks of 4.18 in 208 MLB innings and 3.67 in 201 Triple-A innings, respectively. He doesn't have overpowering stuff but could emerge as a cheap, useful back-of-the-rotation starter for Chicago in the short-term.

Marshall would give the Reds another quality arm for their bullpen, which may not have Aroldis Chapman next season if his conversion to the starting rotation is successful. With Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo and Mike Leake around, not to mention Chapman, it wouldn't be surprising to hear that Wood is available. He could fit into a Cubs rotation that currently projects to include Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Andrew Cashner and Carlos Zambrano.

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The results of the blind auction bidding process for the exclusive right to negotiate with star Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish have finally been revealed, and the Texas Rangers used a $51.7 million bid to beat out teams like the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankess and Toronto Blue Jays. By posting the highest bid, the Rangers will have 30 days to negotiate a major league contract with Darvish, and the negotiation window will open when his Japanese team formally accepts the Rangers' bid. If no deal is reached during the negotiation window, the posting fee is waived and Darvish will return to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters for another season.

Darvish is not your typical Japanese pitcher, as he stands 6'4" and can reportedly touch 95 mph on the radar gun. The 25-year old right-handed pitcher burst onto the scene when he lead the Japanese national team to a World Baseball Classic title back in 2009, but he has been dominating Japanese teams for quite a while now -- he went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA, to go with 276 strikeouts and just 36 walks in 232 innings of work for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in 2011.

The Cubs were known to have submitted a formal bid, but it just wasn't high enough to beat out the Rangers. What did Theo Epstein and the Cubs organization miss out on? Here is a scouting report from SB Nation's Rangers blog, Lone Star Ball: 

Darvish throws a two seamer, four seamer, and a cut fastball, with the four seamer supposedly getting up to 95 mph. He also has a slider and a curveball, along with a changeup, although it is questionable whether his change will actually get much use in MLB, as it seems to be his sixth best pitch.

He throws hard, he strikes guys out, and he gets swings and misses.

What remains to be seen is how this will translate to the U.S. Japanese hitters tend to be less selective than MLB hitters, with the result being that Japanese pitchers may seem to "nibble" when they come to the States, since they are used to being able to get batters to chase balls out of the zone. Without a changeup, I guess you could worry about how he would fare against lefties, but his cut fastball is supposed to be good, and a cut fastball is a good weapon against opposite-handed hitters.

The Rangers' $51.7 million bid is a new league record, topping the $51.11 million bid Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox posted for Daisuke Matsuzaka on 2006.

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According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Texas Rangers may have beat out the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs for Japan's top free agent, Yu Darvish:

The Cubs have reportedly placed a bid on the 25-year-old righty, but the latest reports suggest the two biggest bids were from the Rangers and Blue Jays.

Olney also suggests the Blue Jays may have not won the bidding because they pushed hard for now-Cincinnati Reds pitcher Matt Latos recently. Had the Jays won the bid, they would have presumably withdrawn from the Latos trade talks sooner.

The MLB and the Nippon Ham Fighters are expected to announce the winning club Monday night.

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The winning bid for star Japense starting pitcher, and hottest name on the current free agent market, Yu Darvish is expected to be revealed tonight, according to CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler.

Per Darvish agent @donnomura Fighters decision (they'll accept) and winning team will come tonight US time

— DKnobler (@DKnobler) December 19, 2011

Though it is still expected that the winning bid for Darvish was put in by the Toronto Blue Jays, the Chicago Cubs did reportedly enter a competitive bid, and in no means should be ruled out. If the Cubs are indeed awarded negotiating rights with Darvish, and if the two sides can come to a deal, the starting staff on the North Side could look radically different come Opening Day, especially if rumors of Matt Garza being traded come to fruition.

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The Chicago Cubs have been looking at possible deals for right-handed starter Matt Garza as they try to retool for the future, and Jim Bowden of ESPN.com is reporting that the San Diego Padres have interest in acquiring the starter. Bowden adds that a deal for Garza would likely be centered around top first base prospect Anthony Rizzo.

Rizzo, 22, was once viewed as San Diego's first baseman of the future, but the recent acquisition of Yonder Alonso in the Mat Latos trade has made him fairly redundant. We already have heard rumblings that the Cubs could be interested in acquiring Rizzo from San Diego to take over at first base in Chicago, but a deal would likely be costly from their perspective.

Generally speaking, Garza is considered Chicago's best trade chip given that shortstop Starlin Castro is off-limits, so he's the kind of asset that could allow the Cubs to demand Rizzo in a deal. The 28-year-old is under team control through the 2013 season and recently posted a 3.32 ERA over 31 starts for the Cubs. His peripheral statistics were equally as impressive, making him a particularly interesting trade piece.

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According to Jon Heyman, the Chicago Cubs may look to acquire San Diego Prospects first base prospect Anthony Rizzo:

#cubs, #rays are indeed among teams interested in anthony rizzo. cubs higherups hoyer/theo were ones who got him to sd

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 17, 2011

The 21-year-old Rizzo, who played 93 games with the Padres' Triple-A affiliate and 49 with the MLB club, rates as one of the Padres' top prospects, but following the recent acquisition of Yonder Alonso from the Cincinnati Reds, Rizzo has become redundant in a system rich with prospect talent.

Rizzo hit 26 homer and a .331/.404/.652 slash with the Padres' Triple-A affiliate, but floundered in his limited time in the majors, hitting only 1 homer and a .141/.281/.242 slash.

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According to a report from ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine, the Chicago Cubs are in negotiations with free agent left-handed starting pitcher Paul Maholm, who has spent the last seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Chicago Cubs have been looking for a left-handed starter this offseason, and Maholm presents a decidedly cheaper option than either C.J. Wilson or Mark Buehrle would have, especially if they can work out a deal similar to his last one:

Maholm made $6.25 million in 2011, the final season of $13.75 million deal he inked with the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the 2009 season. He was a combined 53-73 with a 4.36 ERA during his seven seasons in Pittsburgh.

Playing in Pittsburgh didn't do Maholm's win-loss record any favors -- he was 6-14 in 2011 -- but he did post a respectable 3.66 ERA in his final season with the Pirates.

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During the Friday press conference at which new Chicago Cubs manager announced his coaching staff, he also addressed rumors that the team is in hot pursuit of free agent first baseman Prince Fielder. Sveum believes the talk in the media has blown the situation out of proportion:

"At this point it's a lot of media talk," Sveum said Friday when he officially announced his first coaching staff as Cubs manager. "We haven't had any talks with Prince. I haven't had any conversations. Again it's a lot of media talk."

However, a source has indicated to ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine that the organization is still involved in conversations with Fielder's agent, Scott Boras. As is often the case this time of year, it's hard to tell just what is really going on.

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According to FOXSports' Ken Rosenthal, the Texas Rangers may turn their attention soon to Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza. The Rangers -- as well as the Cubs -- are currently pursuing Japaneses free agent Yu Darvish.

Possibly the best pitcher to come from Japan in baseball history, the 25-year-old Darvish has drawn considerable attention from many MLB clubs, and recent rumors have suggested the Toronto Blue Jays potentially won the blind auction for Darvish's negotiation rights. The Rangers hope to get Darvish, but Rosenthal reports they may choose to pursue Garza if they cannot get Darvish.

The Cubs acquired Matt Garza during the 2010 offseason, trading a cavalcade of prospects to the Tampa Bay Rays for the right hander. Garza proceeded to have an excellent season, pitching 198 innings of 3.32 ERA, 2.95 FIP ball.

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It has been a busy off-season for the Chicago Cubs, and now the Cubs have announced that new manager Dale Sveum will be joined by pitching coach Chris Bosio, first-base coach Dave McKay and bench coach Jamie Quirk Hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo and bullpen coach Lester Strode will remain in their positions, while former bench coach Pat Listach will transition to third base coach. 

Here are the tweets from the official Twitter account of the Cubs' front office:

#Cubs today announce the 2012 coaching staff. Chris Bosio joins as pitching coach; Dave McKay as 1st base coach; Jamie Quirk as bench coach.

— Chicago Cubs (@CubsInsider) December 16, 2011

Pat Listach shifts from bench coach to 3rd base coach; Rudy Jaramillo continues as hitting coach; Lester Strode continues as bullpen coach.

— Chicago Cubs (@CubsInsider) December 16, 2011

The biggest news of the day is still the fact that the Cubs have submitted a competitive bid for star Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish and are awaiting the results of the bidding process, but this is still an interesting bit of Cubs talk for the day as well.

Here is what SB Nation's Cubs blog, Bleed Cubbie Blue, had to say about a few of the moves:

Jamie Quirk becomes bench coach. There's been some criticism of this move because Quirk supposedly was "demoted" the last three years to "just" a bullpen coach -- I prefer to look at it as getting a bench coach who served on a World Series team (2007 Rockies) under Clint Hurdle. Quirk doesn't have managerial experience, but six years as Rockies bench coach, to me, is a pretty good qualification.

I'm a little less sure about Chris Bosio as pitching coach. He has quite a bit of minor league pitching coach experience, but only a tiny bit more major league coaching experience than the exiting pitching coach, Mark Riggins: just one season (2003 with Tampa Bay under Lou Piniella) and two months as Brewers pitching coach in 2009. Obviously, he and Dale Sveum know each other from that, and they were also Brewers teammates as players from 1986 to 1991.

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Bidding by MLB teams for the right to negotiate with star Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish ended on Wednesday afternoon, and his Japanese team, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, officially have until Tuesday at 7 a.m. Japan time to decide if they accept the highest bid, but rumors are surfacing that the Toronto Blue Jays have won the bidding process. Toronto submitted a posting bid between $40 million and $50 million, making them the favorite to emerge from the process as the highest bidder, according to the New York Post.

The Cubs are known to have submitted a formal bid for the opportunity to negotiate a contract with Darvish, along with the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Rangers. Bidding was a four-day blind auction process, where the highest bid is submitted to his Japanese club. The Fighters will then have four days to decide if they accept the bid. If they do accept the bid, the MLB team with the accepted bid then has 30 days to negotiate with Darvish and work out a deal. If no deal is reached during the negotiation window, the posting fee is waived and Darvish will return to the Fighters for another season.    

Darvish is a 25-year old, 6'5" Japanese phenom who went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA, to go with 276 strikeouts and just 36 walks in 232 innings of work for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in 2011.

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Japanese star pitcher Yu Darvish has no doubt been on the radar of teams like the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers for years, but now that the 4 p.m. CST Wednesday deadline for MLB teams to submit their bids for his services has passed, we will soon find out who wanted him the most. The 25-year old right-handed pitcher burst onto the scene when he lead the Japanese national team to a World Baseball Classic title back in 2009, but he has been dominating Japanese teams for quite a while now -- he went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA, to go with 276 strikeouts and just 36 walks in 232 innings of work for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in 2011.

Bidding was a four-day blind auction process, and at least five MLB teams (possibly up to 10) have made formal bids as a posting fee, including the Cubs, Yankees, Rangers and Blue Jays. The highest bid is expected to be announced later on Thursday, at which point the Fighters will have four days to decide if they accept the bid. If they do accept the bid, the MLB team with the accepted bid then has 30 days to negotiate with Darvish and work out a deal. If no deal is reached during the negotiation window, the posting fee is waived and Darvish will return to the Fighters for another season.

Here is what SB Nation's Chicago Cubs blog, Bleed Cubbie Blue, has to say about Darvish:

...So being posted at 25 is exactly right. Whoever signs Darvish will be getting his prime years.

Now, check out the numbers he has already posted in NPB. He doesn't walk people. He doesn't give up many hits or runs -- he has posted ERAs under 2.00 for five consecutive seasons, and almost had WHIPs under 1.00 all five of those years, barely going over that mark at 1.01 in 2010. Even if you think NPB competition isn't quite what MLB is, that is absolute dominance. No other Japanese pitcher currently in NPB is anywhere close to those kind of numbers. Look, for example, at his ERA compared to the league. There aren't a ton of innings on his arm, either; over that five-year period of dominance he has averaged about 204 innings, not an extraordinary total.

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According to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs are interested in a couple of players with whom Theo Epstein is quite familiar. Since Chicago non-tendered Koyie Hill, they are reportedly considering Jason Varitek for that spot. And knuckleballer Tim Wakefield could be a relatively low cost pitching solution:

After non-tendering Koyie Hill, #cubs have some interest in long-time #redsox Jason Varitek. His CERA last year: 3.57.

#Cubs are also checking out Tim Wakefield. In both cases, nothing seems imminent and interest could end if they acquire other guys.

Both free agents were long-time members of the Boston Red Sox--Wakefield since 1995, Varitek since 1997. Wakefield posted a 5.12 ERA last season, while Varitek hit .221/.300/.423 in 68 games.

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Former Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder hasn't yet decided where he'll play in 2012 and beyond, and while the waiting continues, Fox Sports' Jon Morosi a rundown of Fielder's potential landing spots. The Chicago Cubs are among the clubs with the strongest odds of nabbing Fielder, according to Morosi:

Almost by accident, the Cubs are Fielder’s most plausible suitor. Fielder wouldn’t need to switch leagues or divisions. He would be a force at Wrigley Field, where he owns a career 1.003 OPS. Fielder, who lives in the Orlando area, would prefer to play east of the Mississippi. The Cubs have a big payroll and must reinvigorate their fan base. There are no guarantees that a marriage will happen. But it would make a ton of sense.

Geography could be a sticking point, but given some of Fielder's prospects east of the Mississippi (Blue Jays, Orioles, Nationals), Chicago still could prove a more attractive destination.

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The Chicago Cubs had to decided whether to tender contracts to their arbitration eligible players -- Koyie, Hill, Jeff Baker, Blake DeWitt, Matt Garza, Geovany Soto, Ian Stewart, and Randy Wells -- prior to 11 p.m. Monday night, and decided to extend offers to all eligible players except catcher Koyie Hill. 

The 32-year old Hill served as a backup to 2008 National League Rookie of the Year Geovany Soto, and only hit .194/.268./.276 over 46 games for the Cubs in 2011. SB Nation's Chicago Cubs blog, Bleed Cubbie Blue, wasn't exactly broken up about the decision to non-tender Hill:

So the Cubs will have a new backup catcher in 2012. Steve Clevenger seems the likely choice if the Cubs stay in-house; he hits well, and is also lefthanded, something MLB moguls seem to like in a backup catcher if the main guy hits righthanded.

Koyie Hill, for his part, seems like a good guy, and someone who, like a lot of catchers who can't hit much in the major leagues, might make a good coach or manager someday. He'll be 33 in March; if Koyie wants to stay in baseball, I hope Theo & Jed can find a place for him in the organization to begin a coaching career. 

The rest of the listed players were expected to receive tender offers from the team.

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The Milwaukee Brewers signed former Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez to a three-year deal reportedly worth about $12 million per season. Because Ramirez is a Type B free agent, the Cubs received a supplemental first round draft pick as compensation, and the Brewers did not forfeit a draft pick. As ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine points out, Milwaukee needed Ramirez's bat:

With Prince Fielder being a free agent and Ryan Braun facing a 50-game suspension for failing a drug test, the defending NL Central-champion Brewers made a pre-emptive strike to boost their offense.

Ramirez hit .306/.361/.510 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI for the Cubs in 2011. Chicago may have to seek additional third base options in the free agent market.

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According to ESPNChicago's Bruce Levine, Aramis Ramirez has agreed to sign a three-year deal with the division rival Milwaukee Brewers. The parameters of the contract have yet to be released, and the completion of the deal will be pending a physical, but all indications are that Ramirez will be wearing a darker shade of blue the next time he steps foot in Wrigley Field.

Despite winning the NL Central, third base was something of a disaster last year for the Brewers, who saw Casey McGehee's OPS drop .175 points from the year prior. Ramirez solidifies the position for them, and gives them a middle of the order bat to pair with NL MVP Ryan Braun.

The Cubs will likely look to fill the third base spot with a stopgap free agent, although they did add prospect Josh Vitters to the 40-man roster last month, and may give him the opportunity to win the job in Spring Training.

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The Chicago Cubs made a minor move on Friday, claiming infielder Jeff Bianchi from the Kansas City Royals.

Bianchi, 25, is a career .281 hitter in six Minor League seasons with the Royals' organization. In 490 games, Bianchi has hit 116 doubles, 31 home runs and stolen 76 bases.

In 2011, his first full season in Double-A, Bianchi hit .259 after missing all of '10 while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

Bianchi's .259/.320/.333 in double-A following the surgery compared to a .315/.356/.441 line at double-A prior to the procedure. In six minor league seasons, Bianchi has a .281 batting average with 31 home runs. He was originally drafted by the Royals in the second round of the 2005 MLB draft.

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The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies agreed to a four-player deal on Thursday that sent outfielder Tyler Colvin and infielder DJ LeMahieu to Colorado for Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart and relief pitcher Casey Weathers.

Colvin and Stewart both have shown flashes of excellence in their brief major league careers, but they're both coming off a dreadful 2011 season:

Colvin had a miserable 2011, hitting .150 in 206 at-bats. Stewart fell out of favor after an awful 2011 season. He went homerless in 142 plate appearances and struggled with knee, hamstring and wrist injuries.

LeMahieu is a 22-year-old infielder who hit .286/.328/.366 for Chicago's triple-A affiliate last season. Weathers is a 26-year-old relief pitcher who spent 2011 with Colorado's double-A affiliate.

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Major League Baseball conducted the Major League phase of its Rule 5 Draft process on Thursday, and the Chicago Cubs lost Marwin Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox (later traded to the Houston Astros for Marco Duarte), lost Ryan Flaherty to the Baltimore Orioles and selected Lendy Casillo from the Philadelphia Phillies' system.

The Red Sox selected Marwin Gonzalez, a 22-year old infielder who has been with the Cubs' minor league system since 2006 and hit .288/.343/.400 between AA Tennessee and AAA Iowa in 2011, with the 10th overall selection in the Rule 5 draft and then traded him for RHP Marco Duarte.

With the fourth overall selection the Baltimore Orioles selected Ryan Flaherty, a 25-year old utility player originally selected as a first-round sandwich pick in 2008. Flaherty hit .280/.347.478 between AA Tennessee and AAA Iowa in 2011.

The Cubs opted to take Lendy Castillo from the Philadelphia Phillies' organization with the sixth overall selection in the major league phase. Castillo is a 22-year old right-handed pitcher that recently converted from an outfield prospect. He is very raw, and only pitched in A ball last season, but he throws in the mid-to-upper 90s (94-96 mph) and has tons of upside.

To be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, a player cannot have been on their team's 40-man roster and must have been either (a) signed at 18 or younger and in the system for five years, or (b) signed at 19 or older and in the system for four years. All Rule 5 players must stay with their new MLB club for the entire season or be offered back to the old team.      

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Free agent first baseman Albert Pujols decided on Thursday morning that he will join the Los Angeles Angels in a 10-year deal worth at least $250 million and featuring a full no-trade clause, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports. Here is exactly what Brown had to say, via Twitter:

Source: Pujols will sign with Angels for 10 years for between $250 and $260 million. Full no-trade. Pujols decided Thursday morning.

The report was also corroborated by Buster Olney:

Pujols to the angels, done, sources say    

Follow the latest developments on the signing in the SB Nation stream. Pujols had reportedly wanted to become the highest paid player in the MLB, but this reported deal won't quite get that done. Although Pujols will average between $25 million and $26 million per year, Alex Rodriguez will remain the highest paid player under his current deal that has an average value of $27.5 million annually.

The Cubs were unwilling to go 10-years for a 31-year old player, even on the caliber of Albert Pujols. However, this might be the best result for Theo Epstein and the Cubs, as Pujols not only leaves the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, he also leaves the National League all together. 

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The Chicago Cubs are rumored to have made an offer to free agent first baseman Albert Pujols already, but we continue to get reports about their interest in fellow free agent Prince Fielder, as well. Jon Heyman of SI.com recently posted on Tuesday that the Cubs were a "sincere player" in the Fielder market.

Without a first baseman at the moment, the Cubs have Bryan LaHair slotted in to be the team's regular first baseman in 2012. Obviously signing Fielder, or Pujols, would signify a massive upgrade, but it certainly won't come cheap. Heyman added that a few other teams were in the mix on Fielder, so he should be able to get a substantial deal even with usual big-spenders like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees off the market.

Fielder, 27, hit .299/.415/.566 while playing every game for the Brewers last season. He's one of the elite hitters in the game, with a .282/.391/.541 line and 228 home runs over his first six full seasons.

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The Miami Marlins recently signed closer Heath Bell to a deal and free agent shortstop Jose Reyes to a lucrative six-year, $106 million deal, one for which SB Nation's Rob Neyer provided a thoughtful breakdown, but is seems the team is not done spending heading into the MLB Winter Meetings. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Marlins have asked about the price of Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano:

It is important to note that Joe Cowley is believed to be very close to current Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, who has discussed liking Zambrano as far back as the days when Guillen was the manager of the White Sox. It is unknown what the Cubs would be willing to do to trade Zambrano, who recently spoke with President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and is personally convinced he will be back with the Cubs in 2012. Zambrano will be owed $18M in 2012 and will be 31 in June. In 2011, he started in only 24 games, sporting a near-career-worst 4.82 ERA and 4.59 FIP.    

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Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Chicago Cubs have spoken with the agent for free agent left-hander C.J. Wilson, saying the club is trying to get a feel for the amount of money it would take to sign Wilson. The Sun-Times' Joe Cowley corroborated Rosenthal's report on the preliminary nature of the discussion:

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The Chicago Cubs have made it known that they would be willing to part ways with starting pitcher Matt Garza, but according to Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman, they're going to need quite a bit in return:

cubs told at least 1 team that would need to be overwhelmed to even consider trading garza. [sic]

Garza's value is high coming off one of his most valuable seasons as a professional. Although he finished 2011 with a modest 10-10 win-loss record, he posted a career-best 3.32 ERA while averaging one strikeout per inning, and he's thrown at least 180 innings in each of the last four seasons. And he is still a relatively young player--2012 will be his age-28 season.

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Free agent first baseman Carlos Peña only hit .225 and failed to drive in or score 100 runs for the Chicago Cubs in 2010-11, but SB Nation's Rob Neyer says he was worth every bit of the $10 million he was paid by the team. In fact, Neyer points out that Peña actually provided surplus value in 2010-11, and lists some potential teams that have room him in each league. Which teams are they?

There are eight teams Neyer believes would be good fits for the slugger: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs.   

Here's a bit more analysis from Neyer:

How much will Peña get in 2012? I think that depends largely on the length of the contract. Another one-year deal for $10 million wouldn't be out of line. Neither would a three-year deal for $24 million...

...The Nationals are supposedly making a play to win soon, and Peña would help. The Cubs probably aren't going to try to contend in 2012, so Peña probably doesn't make sense for them. But maybe they're more ambitious than we think. And Peña would be a solid replacement for Prince Fielderin Milwaukee.    

The Cubs have recently expressed interest in bigger names like Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, but perhaps Peña represents a cheaper alternative.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Chicago Cubs be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Visit Baseball Nation for more news and notes around the league.

The Los Angeles Angels received a visit from free agent third baseman Aramis Ramirez this week and are expected to make an offer to the former Chicago Cub soon, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Angels could use a bat for the middle of their batting order, and Ramirez would qualify after hitting .306/.361/.510 with 26 homers for the Cubs in 2011.

Alberto Callaspo is the current third baseman for the Angels, but his relatively low 2012 salary (MLBTR projects it at $3.1 million) should make him an heavily-pursued trade candidate. Ramirez would be a downgrade defensively but a clear upgrade from an offensive standpoint, allowing the Angels to pack the middle of the order with him, Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick. 

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Newsradio 780 and 105.9 FM sports anchor George Ofman says that some American League clubs are interested in Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano, but any deal would cost Chicago a chunk of change:

The 35-year-old Soriano's current deal will pay him $18 million annually through 2014, so it's no wonder that the Cubs would have to ship out some cash with the outfielder. Soriano hit .244/.289/.469 in 2011 with 26 home runs and 88 RBI.

The Cubs signed free agent outfielder David DeJesus on Wednesday, which may have made Soriano more expendable.

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According to Jon Heyman on Twitter, executives around the league are fully expecting the Chicago Cubs to trade starting pitcher Matt Garza:

The Cubs acquired Garza in a blockbuster trade in January 2011 that sent prospects SS Hak-Ju Lee, SP Christopher Archer, OF Brandon Guyer, and C Robinson Chirinos -- along with fourth outfielder and fan favorite Sam Fuld -- to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Garza, minor league outfielder Fernando Perez, and minor league pitcher Zachary Rosscup.

Garza proceeded to have a career year with the Cubs, sporting a 3.32 ERA and 2.95 FIP over 198 innings of work. Garza is under team control until the 2014, when he will become a free agent.

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The two-year contract between free agent outfielder David DeJesus and the Chicago Cubs is official, as the team announced the deal on Twitter. The deal also includes a club option for the 2014 season, and the contract guarantees DeJesus $10 million, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com.

DeJesus, 30, will take over as the starting right fielder for Chicago next season. Before this move, there was speculation that the Cubs could promote top prospect Brett Jackson for Opening Day to play center field and slide Marlon Byrd over to right, but now it seems more likely that they keep Jackson in Triple-A to open the season. The other possibility now is a trade of Byrd or maybe even Alfonso Soriano, which would open up another full-time outfield spot for Jackson. Byrd's a free agent after the season.

2011 wasn't a great year for DeJesus, but he was still a valuable piece thanks to his defense and base-running skills. He turned in a below-average .240/.323/.376 line, but that should see a bump while moving from the Oakland Coliseum to Wrigley Field, and he's also a plus defender in right and an above-average runner to boot. Considering that the deal only covers two years at $5 million annually, this is a nice little way for Theo Epstein and company to begin to build a new team.

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The Theo Epstein era has its first free agent signing: ex-Kansas City Royals and Oakland A's OF David DeJesus. Though terms of the contract have yet to be disclosed, the Cubs signed DeJesus, 31, on Wednesday to a two-year deal with a club option for 2014.

DeJesus had a disappointing year for the A's last year, hitting .240/.323/.376 with 10 home runs, but his career numbers (.284/.356/.421) are much better than that. Though DeJesus isn't exactly a household name, the signing fits Epstein's philosophy, thanks to DeJesus' strong on-base skills (prior to last year, anyway) and ability to play all three outfield positions. With top prospect Brett Jackson expected to be given the opportunity to win the center field job in Spring Training, it's likely that DeJesus will be taking over for the departed Kosuke Fukudome in right field.

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Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts met with the media on Tuesday afternoon, and when he was asked about the team's willingness to offer a big contract to Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, Ricketts said the decision would be up to Theo Epstein:

"Like I’ve always said, there is one person responsible for making those decisions, and one person accountable for those results," he said. "So if (Epstein) believes strongly that’s what’s in the best interests of the team, then he’s got my support."

A report from Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal earlier on Tuesday afternoon indicated that the club is taking a serious look at both power-hitting first basemen. And as Ricketts' comments indicate, Theo Epstein has the green light to make an offer if he decides that's what he wants to do.

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Jerry Crasnick of ESPN is reporting the Chicago Cubs have contacted the prize the of 2012 off-season, Albert Pujols:

The Chicago Cubs have reached out to the agent for Albert Pujols to express their interest in the three-time Most Valuable Player, a baseball source told ESPN.com on Tuesday.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports announced a similar report earlier this morning, alerting northside fans that Cubs are in on both Pujols and free agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

Last year, the Cubs finished the season with a record of 71-91, 25 games behind the first place Milwaukee Brewers. Many analysts expect the Cubs will not be competitive in 2012, but a dearth of hitting talent in the majors right now may inspire the Cubs to act sooner rather than later.

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According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSPorts, several teams may have interest in acquiring Alfonso Soriano from the Chicago Cubs:

Maybe there is hope for the Cubs trading left fielder Alfonso Soriano.

Teams are "kicking the tires" on Soriano, according to a major league source. The Cubs, to facilitate a deal, are willing to pay a significant portion of the $54 million remaining on the final three years of Soriano’s contract.

Alfonso Soriano signed a blockbuster, 8-year deal with the Cubs before the 2007 season. And though he proved instrumental to the Cubs' 2007 and 2008 playoff runs, he has aged quickly, hobbled by ongoing hamstring injuries that have reduced his steal totals from 41 and 30 to 5 and 2.

However, Soriano still hits left-handed pitchers rather well, sporting an impressive .271/.312/.500 slash against LHP in 2011. His defense has become increasingly suspect, though, and Rosenthal expects he would provide the greatest value as a DH in the American League.

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Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs are pursuing free agent first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Although the team is strapped for cash and entering a rebuilding phase, Rosenthal says recent restrictions placed on spending in the amateur draft in the new collective bargaining agreement, coupled with the shrinking pool of true power hitters on the market, have forced the Cubs' new front office to take a harder look at spending big money on a slugger.

Albert Pujols is three and a half years older than fellow free agent Prince Fielder, but apparently the Cubs are expressing more interest in Pujols because he rates as a better defender at first base. Neither player would come cheap, considering The Los Angeles Dodgers had to pony up $160 million over eight years to re-sign Matt Kemp, but with the amateur route becoming normalized under the new rules wise free agent spending may be the best place to allocate that extra money.

The other reason the Cubs might be surfacing in rumors about both Fielder and Pujols is that it can impact the market for each player even if they sign with another team, say the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. ESPN's Buster Olney points the logic of this angle out via Twitter:

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With third baseman Aramis Ramirez taking criticism from Chicago Cubs TV announcer Bob Brenly and very unlikely to return to the team, Theo Epstein and the Cubs are reportedly interested in acquiring Colorado Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart via trade, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. 

Back on November 16th, reports surfaced that the Rockies intended to tender a contract to the third baseman and listen to offers on the .236/.323/.428 career hitter during the offseason. Stewart struggled with injuries and poor performance in 2011, hitting just .156/.243/.221 in 48 games for the 2011 season, but with third basemen Aramis Ramirez now a free agent and likely to leave the Cubs in the offseason, they may be turning their interest to Stewart. 

The move would seem to fit for the rebuilding Cubs, considering any gamble on Stewart would be seen as an opportunity to buy low on a 26-year old player, but it might all be contingent on what Theo Epstein and the Cubs would be willing to offer in return. 

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Via MLB Trade Rumors comes a report from ESPN's Buster Olney that the Chicago Cubs are willing to listen to offers for starting pitcher Matt Garza:

MLB Trade Rumors speculates that the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox could be among the teams interested in acquiring Garza. Garza is under club control for another two seasons.

The 28-year-old right-hander is coming off a career year in which he posted a 3.32 ERA in 198 innings pitched; he won 10 games in the process. Last season was his first spent in the National League.

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The Chicago Cubs may be willing to trade more than just Matt Garza this offseason. According Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports, the Cubs have reportedly made RHP Randy Wells available for trade. Wells, who turns 30 next August, had a down year for the Cubs, pitching 135 and 1/3 innings while sporting a much-worse-than-average 4.99 ERA and 5.11 FIP.

In 2009 and 2010, the Cubs received fairly strong production from Wells, as he pitched over 350 innings of 3.70 ERA, 3.91 FIP ball. Wells, who is under team control for several more years, could be an inexpensive starter for many teams in the league willing to bet that he can get past his 2011 struggles.

Morosi also reports that the Cubs appear to be one at least four teams bidding on first base slugger Prince Fielder. The Cubs may have an opening at first base following the recent announcement that Carlos Pena expects to decline arbitration and seek a multi-year contract.

Fore more coverage of all MLB hot stove action, check out MLB Daily Dish. For more coverage of all matters Chicago sports, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago.

The Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Carlos Zambrano will retake the mound on Saturday, according to MLB.com, after taking a line drive off his chin in the fifth inning of winter league game on Friday.

Zambrano will make his third start for the Venezuelan team the Caribes de Anzoátegui as he attempts to resuscitate his career with the Cubs following a rough 2011 season in which he attempted to retire briefly and was eventually excused from team activity. Zambrano struggled in his first start, but was pitching well in his second until being hit by the liner.

The Cubs have reportedly sent personnel to Venezuela to watch the hurlers' progress in hope that he might be able to pitch effectively for the club in 2012. If not, Zambrano has already drawn interest from several other teams, including the Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins, but Big Z is owed $18M dollars in 2012, making him a cost-prohibitive acquisition for most clubs.

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The new Chicago Cubs manager has begun sifting through his staff decisions, announcing today that they Cubs will retain the services of widely-respected hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo.

Jaramillo served as the hitting coach for the Texas Rangers from 1995 through 2009 when the Cubs signed him away, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the MLB.

In 2011, the Cubs score 654 runs, good for 8th best in the NL, while only walking in 6.9% of their plate appearances -- second-worst in the NL and MLB. The Cubs young shortstop Starlin Castro led the NL in hits last year despite sporting an only above-average .307/.341/.432 split.

Sveum, however, did not renew the contracts of first-base coach Bob Dernier and third-base coach Ivan DeJesus.

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It's unclear exactly how the Chicago Cubs are going to approach this offseason yet under the new front office led by Theo Epstein, but they've already had multiple discussions with the agent for former White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle. According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, the team has spoken with Jeff Berry, Buehrle's agent, multiple times recently.

If the money is right, Buehrle would certainly be a fit for the Cubs given their need for pitching. It's unclear how much Carlos Zambrano will be able to contribute next season, if at all, so they really only have three established starters right now in Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza and Randy Wells.

Buehrle would give them a dependable lefty and a steady veteran presence, although the team should be worried about how his contact-oriented approach would work against a defense that was pretty bad last season. There's a chance that the move from the more difficult American League to the National League would alleviate some of those concerns, though, especially for someone with such a long track record.

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There's been a player putting a buzz through the baseball world lately that hasn't even played professionally yet in the United States, and that's Cuban star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. The 26-year-old recently defected from the island and is currently residing in Dominican Republic. In order to gauge their interest in him, the Chicago Cubs are sending vice president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod to the Dominican to watch Cespedes play.

Numerous teams have already shown interest in the outfielder recently, so there should be heavy competition for his services. He's played for the Cuban national team and been a record-setting player there. He's considered to be one of the best players to come from the island in years, and should challenge current Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman's current $30 million deal.

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In a radio interview conducted in early October, Cubs television analyst Bob Brenly was extremely harsh in his assessment of third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who has opted for free agency. Brenly criticized Ramirez's speed, defense, and clutch hitting ability, among other things. On Monday, Ramirez's agent, Paul Kinzer, responded to those comments:

"I'm not real happy about the stuff that came out negative about Aramis," Kinzer said at the Pfister Hotel, prior to the start of the General Managers Meetings. "For a broadcaster to come out and say that I think is very low-class. We didn't come out and say a word about it, but that bothered Aramis and it bothered me a lot.

"If [Brenly] had something to say to him, he should've said it to his face when he was a Cub and not when he hits free agency and then come out like that," Kinzer said.

Kinzer also told reporters that there is no chance Ramirez will return to the Cubs.

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Nick Collias of MLB Trade Rumors is reporting Chicago Cubs right hander Carlos Zambrano spoke with the Venezuelan media about meeting with new Cubs exec Theo Epstein:

[The meeting with Epstein will] be quick - to meet each other. Talk in person. That's very important. I'd like to build a relationship from scratch with the new GM. Erase everything and start over.

Carlos Zambrano, who has had previous non-performance-related issues with the Cubs (including a smashed Gatorade machine and a brief in-season retirement), struggled on the field last year too, posting a career high ERA (4.82) and FIP (4.59):

Carlos Zambrano Stats

Epstein, the new Cubs President of Baseball Operations, has previously suggested the Cubs may explore keeping Zambrano at least one more year as the team looks to rebuild, so Zambrano's comments may suggest mutual interest in the possibility.

If the reunion does not go through, however, the Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins have already expressed interest in trading for Zambrano -- at a considerable discount.

For more breaking news on the Chicago Cubs 2012 Hot Stove, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago.