Not that you’d expect him to say anything different (nor would you necessarily expect the facts to be different), but Chicago Cubs GM Jed Hoyer has finally said something definitive about Cuban prospect Jorge Soler.
Namely, he said rumors of a deal are bogus.
“He’s not a free agent,” Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said this week, according to Patrick Mooney. “The rumors that we have a deal with him are just completely bogus. I don’t know where that started, but you guys [in the media] should not run with those rumors. They’re just rumors and they have no merit.”
An awfully stern denial, if I’ve heard one – and I mean that sincerely. It almost reads as angry.
Recall, because Soler is not a free agent – indeed, is not yet a citizen of the Dominican Republic, as far as we know – officially contracting with him (or negotiating with him, unofficially) would be a big no-no as far as both MLB and the U.S. Government are concerned. So, this is very much the kind of aggressive denial I would expect, whether the Cubs had had intimate discussions with Soler or not. Until now, the Cubs haven’t said much of anything about Soler when asked for an official comment.
For my part, I still believe the Cubs and Soler’s representatives have, at least vaguely and safely, outlined the parameters of what an acceptable deal would look like if Soler were a free agent. I don’t necessarily believe anything has been agreed to, nor do I necessarily believe Soler is a done-deal to the Cubs when he does reach free agency. A lot can still happen, as is often the case.
But the Cubs still feel like the favorite, and Jed Hoyer feels like a smart man, doing his job, and protecting the Cubs’ interests.
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I have officially started to hate that picture.
It’s funny – I love it more and more each time…
It’d be sweet if there were some video.
Crap! Sorry, yes, yes. Video. I will make it happen, and I’m a jerk.
Just bought a ticket for April 12 by the way.
I’ll be in the bleachers on the 12th too. Hopefully the weather stays like this.
Julio, they should’ve payed you to get the ticket.
You should use the video to make pictures. Then you could sell them TMZ style and bam, the trade deadline blog a thon is paid for.
the only thing better would be to see him in cubbie blue! Or a BN Tshirt!
Or BN banana hammock.
^^^ *** shudder ***
Every reminder that this is not yet a purchasable item stabs at my heart. The fans have spoken, brett! Give us our hammocks!
I read the first line “The Cubs Have Signed…” and thought they had signed him.
I actually let out a little woohoo before I read the next sentence. boooooo.
I like the fact that “completely bogus” is now standard vernacular. That used to be Valley Girl speak!
Unlike Jed Hoyer, I don’t think that signing Jorge Soler would be completely bogus. No, I think it would be totally groovy !!
I wonder if all this speculation could have a negative impact. As in, soler won’t be as interested in joining the cubs system. Or maybe it would make him more likely to sign with the cubs when he actually becomes a free agent. Since all the PR on soler may have him in the mind set of being a superstar before he actually is one (if he does that -I think on a scale of 1 to 10 he will evolve into like an 8…10 would be somebody like albert puljos) Personally, I would love for the club to sign him.
This guy is Bigfoot.
Yep, we have another sighting. Must’ve been the pheromone rosin bags I’ve been hanging in the trees around Waveland.
Think about it…
Negotiating any deal is against Federal Law!
I don’t think the denial was strong enough!
Cubs: “Hypothetically, we could see ourselves doing 4/$27.5 for a player like Soler.”
Soler’s agent: “I could totally see him signing a contract like that the day he becomes a free agent.”
Totally.
Realistically possible?
Yes. That.
Once he becomes a free agent I’m going out on a limb that the Cubs will have a 1/30th chance in signing with the Cubs and the chances that he signes with another team is 29/30th chance
My bet is on the Atlanta Braves signing him
I’m in a dynasty fantasy baseball league, in which each of the 10 owners owns 3 minor league systems, and all players within them. One of mine is the Braves, so I definitely wouldn’t mind that
Or Houston, because I own them too.
Season tickets arrived today. Cubs did a nice job on the individual ticket artwork showing Cubs baseball cards from all eras. Also gave us standing paperweight in the shape of Wrigley sign with my name. Hokey? Maybe a little bit. Bogus, never
I am a little bit jealous. My buddy took some vacation to spring training and got me a ST hat autographed. Wont tell me by who yet but he said I’d flip when i see it. Thats about all I’ll get from the Cubs this year as motivation to go to Chicago to watch a game isnt greater than to go home and visit family. Though I may drive out to SD or AZ to watch a Cubs game late in the season while visiting my pops in NM.
Actually I can recall the use of the term “completely bogus” in serious conversations in the 60′s, with out inflection of course. It’s migration into the modern slang vernacular, with appropriate inflection, is now widely known.
Just a nugget of totally irrelevant observation I am prone tothat drives my wife and kids nuts …
So what Jefferson was saying was “Hey! You know, we left this England place because it was bogus. So if we don’t get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we’ll just be bogus too.”
— Jeff Spicoli
Hey bud, whats your problem?!?
Hey Brett not to get off topic any idea why the Cubs released the the Polish outfielder they drafted lastyear!
Who was it?
Sorry .there were several cut it was up on Cubs .com late lastnight …………Ben Klafczynski was the biggest name!
Are you sure they weren’t just assigned to minor league camp? I’m not seeing any new releases on the Cubs transaction list.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/team/transactions.jsp?c_id=chc#month=3&year=2012&team_id=112
Edit: I can’t find any record of camp assignments, either.
Luke it was a thread created by Carrie Muskrat it was on Cubs.com at about 12:00 midnight ct now the thread is been taken down…..maybe she leaked something that wasn’t spose to leak or she false reported info,but make no mistake I know what I saw !
Interesting. Maybe they’ll re-post later today.
It would be very unusual for a player taken in last year’s draft to be released altogether, but I’m pretty sure it has happened.
Klafczynski is another outfielder drafted out of college. The Cubs thought he was polished enough that they sped him through Boise to Peoria, but be never really adjusted and struggled for much of his time there. I’d hesitate to put a ceiling on him at this stage. If he is still with the Cubs, I think he’ll report to Peoria to start the season.
Minor League Transactions
According to Baseball America, the Cubs released several minor league players this week. Those cuts were made Sunday and made public Wednesday.
Right-handed pitchers Yohan Gonzalez and Jordan Latham, shortstop Rafael Valdes and outfielders Ben Klafczynski and Blair Springfield were released and are no longer in the Cubs’ organization.
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http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2012/03/cubsspring_11.php
Thanks for that, Norm. Didn’t see that, myself.
Thanks Norm !
Good stuff. Even a search for Ben Klafczynski’s name didn’t turn that up.
We may never know the exact reasons for the cuts, but they could be casualties of the Cubs crowded lower minors. Only Klafczynski really surprises me at all on that list, and only because he was just drafted in June.
go to CCO and you will see a post about Ben
He had a great ST according to fellow players and the instructors there. This is a shocker and the release was made without any baseball field input from the coaches.
The player deserves a full season to prove he can play, and he did hit over .320 in August 2011 in Peoria, made the adjustments.
Hope he gets picked up by another club quickly. Heard the kid has great makeup, work ethic, and the instructors and coaches loved him.
This release was BS.
Well thanks for trying to clarify …Keeping doing what you do man enjoy you and Brett!
Anyone care to make a prediction on how well LaHair does? He’s off to a slow start, but he should start picking it up in the nest week or two. When April starts I see a 270 average for the month For the year, 25 homeruns and 90 rbis up to Septemeber 1. I believe this is a modest estimate.
Modest -not extreme or excessive
.270 90rbi 25hr is not modest ..he is however projected to hit .270/.330/.470 but not with that much power & run production
I know hope springs eternal and you really like LaHair, but those numbers may be possible only in AAA or Japan where I think he ends up. Rizzo has clearly run circles around him. LaHair has been brutal. Not aimed at you and we all have favorites, I just don’t see it with LaHair and don’t think he makes it Chicago past mid-June if he even comes north. My prediction is he isn’t on the Cubs ML roster 7/1/12.
If he doesn’t snap out of his current slump in April my projection will be altered. The rbi totals may be a bit high but the homeruns of 20 to 25 and the batting average of 270 seem realistic. He’ll still be on the ML roster July 1.
Again, my $10.00 bounty is still available for the 1st picture of Solar OTHER than the one above.
I don/t think Georgie exists.
Give me a few hours – you’re going to owe JulioZuleta…
Nothing to see here
Nothing to see here either
NOOOO! Kyle! You’re spoiling it! I’ve been putting together a humorous post with them…
Sorry. *journalisted*
You old schoolers just don’t know how to have fun…
(I kid, of course. You didn’t have to edit, but mighty kind of you to do so.)
DAMNIT – Why do I always get to the good comments ***AFTER*** they have been edited…
Doesn’t matter anymore – the post is up.
And I’ll pay up!
I think we’re dealing with a sasquatch scenerio.
Methinks the GM doth protest too much!