Aramis Ramirez Wants a Multiyear Extension and Other Bullets

It’s going to be a massive bullet kind of day. You’ve got 10 bullets here, and there’s a big Obsessive Cubs GM Watch bullet-dump coming your way later this morning.

  • Aramis Ramirez is looking for a multiyear extension if he’s going to stay with the Cubs. But, as noted previously, his return status remains very much up in the air until the new GM and his vision for 2012 are in place.
  • Andrew Cashner needed just 10 pitches to complete his perfect inning of work last night at AAA Iowa. Of the 10 pitches, seven touched 98 or 99, and Cashner felt good about the outing. “I was looking for location more than velocity,” Cashner said. “The velocity has always been there. I was moving it in and out. It was good.” He’s expected to rejoin the Cubs later this weekend, and will pitch out of the pen for the rest of the season before heading to the Arizona Fall League to start the process of stretching out.
  • Ryne Sandberg said some interesting things in a recent interview. “I have aspirations to get to the big leagues with the Phillies in some capacity, that’s just human nature,” Sandberg said. “But if the opportunity came and somebody wanted me to manage their club or be a coach for their major league team then I’d listen. I feel like I’m getting all the necessary experience to be ready for that opportunity.” Think he’s not keenly aware of what’s going on in Chicago?
  • Holy smokes: someone is offering $1.2 billion *in cash* to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers, which would be the most an MLB franchise has ever been sold for. Some question the legitimacy of the bid, however, and wonder whether it’s part of a larger ploy by current owner Frank McCourt to spur other bidders or extend the life of his ownership through bankruptcy proceedings. For what it’s worth, the Cubs (and Wrigley Field and a 25% stake in CSN Chicago) cost the Ricketts family about $850 million. And people thought the Ricketts overpaid. Harrumph.
  • Everything has changed in the Cubs’ world in the last two months, and a lot more is going to change over the next two. There’s nothing you don’t already know in that article, but it was an interesting sum-up.
  • The Cubs’ season in quotes.
  • Folks are discussing the Cubs’ first base situation for 2012 on the BN Message Board.
  • I won’t link to it because I’m not going to give the guy traffic on this one, but Steve Rosenbloom is such a douche. His latest effort slams Tom Ricketts – using childish name-calling, to boot (be proud of him, Trib) – in a stream-of-consciousness, non-sensical, rambling pile of excrement. And this kind of reaction to his lazy, hostile, contrarian writing is exactly what he wants. So, again, no link. Don’t even read it. Just take my word for it.
  • On a brighter note, the Kerry Wood Family Foundation is conducting a silent auction for the next couple weeks, and at least one of the items is pretty sweet: it’s Geovany Soto’s mask – the one that was kicked by Ozzie Guillen – signed by both Soto and Guillen. That’s just awesome.
  • Derrek Lee, who’s in town but on the DL with the Pirates, does his best to break my heart. “Playing with Marlins was great, but with the Cubs, it’s where I feel I came into my own,” Lee said. “It wasn’t perfect. I felt like we had some chances to win there. It didn’t work out. But I loved my time in the city. Great fans, great teammates, so it was good.”
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (6:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs were shutout in the opener against the Braves last night. And it doesn't figure to get any easier against a resurgent Chris Sale tonight. Here's how Craig Counsell will line 'em up against the 35-year-old...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Jed Hoyer Speaks: New Reliever, Bullpen Issues, Imanaga, Morel, Swanson, Bat Data, More

    The Chicago Cubs' President of Baseball Operations just hopped on 670 The Score On the Bernstein & Holmes Show, discussing a number of Cubs-related items. He led things off with a discussion of newly-acquired reliever, Tyson Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hes1lI-8ZCI So, then,...

    Shota Imanaga Favored for NL Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, Nobel Peace Prize, and an Oscar

    There is nothing Shota Imanaga can't do. Going up against one of the best teams in baseball — and best overall offenses versus LHP — on the road, without his best stuff, Shota Imanaga tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in Atlanta, with...

    MLBits: ShĹŤta and ReyLo Duel, New MLB Pipeline Top 100, Investigating the New Statcast Swing Metrics, More

    Baseball's top two pitchers in the ERA department squared off last night and did not disappoint—that and more in today's MLB Notes. Shōta Imanaga Was Awesome (Again), But So Was Reynaldo Lopez I've watched a lot of Reynaldo López, given...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 14, 2024: Top 25 Prospect Stock Report

    The Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates were off on Monday, so it's time to take stock of some recent hot (and not-so-hot) performers inside the Cubs Top 25 prospects down on the farm in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm...

    Did You Ever Wonder What Happened to Frank Schwindel?

    I've gotten back into baseball cards, which, among other things, sends me down a lot of Memory Lanes. You pull a particular card, you think about that player, and you have various memories. It's part of the fun. The other...

    Shotamania, Counsell Boot, Rotation, Wesneski, Happ, and Other Cubs Bullets

    I hope your Tuesday is treating you well. So far so good on my end ... Shota Imanaga dealt with more traffic last night than he has thus far in his debut MLB season, but hey, that's a ridiculous Braves...

    Cubs Roster Moves: Lovelady DFA’d, Miller Acquired, Slaughter Sent Out

    The Tyson Miller trade is now official, with the Chicago Cubs sending minor league utility man Jake Slaughter to the Seattle Mariners for Miller, who figures to be mostly a match-up righty/middle reliever in the bullpen. More on the trade...

    Latest News

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    WATCH: Caleb Williams is Already Making Connections with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen at Halas Hall

    Caleb Williams clips, however brief, will always grab my attention. Because while I can tell myself over and over again that I will not get googly eyes over spring practice videos, the reality is that I can't wait to see...

    How to Watch Phillies Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    If you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan and looking to catch their games, you can watch most of them on TV with a cable subscription or via streaming with one of the many different apps. Let’s break down the cable...

    Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

    Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

    How to Watch Yankees Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    The Bronx is booming! Yankee Stadium crackles with energy as the New York Yankees chase another World Series title. Whether you're a die-hard Yankees fan bleeding pinstripes or a baseball enthusiast captivated by the American League East race, their remaining...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Kiran Amegadjie Reportedly Signed His Rookie Deal (UPDATE: It’s Officially Official)

    Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie is reportedly signing his rookie deal. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson has details on the contract, which includes: A $1.121 million signing bonus Annual workout bonus of $50,000 per year from 2025-27 Total deal worth...

    2024 PGA Championship Prize Purse and Payout Breakdown: How Much Money Does the Winner Make?

    The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated PGA Championship. As the second major of the 2024 calendar, this prestigious event will grace the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, from May 16-19. This year marks the 106th edition of the championship,...

    Lonzo Ball Shares a Very Optimistic (Nearly Unbelievable) Update on His Rehab

    Lonzo Ball's new podcast "What an Experience" didn't avoid the elephant in the room. Within the first few seconds of the inaugural episode, Ball addressed his current health status and provided an update on his return to play. To be...

    2024 PGA Championship Odds & Field: Scottie Scheffler & Rory McIlroy Favored Over defending champ Brooks Koepka at Valhalla

    2024 PGA Championship Odds & Field- The second major tournament of the 2024 season is taking place this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The PGA Championship will run from Thursday, May 16 through Sunday, May 19. Defending...

    more cubs news