The Cubs didn’t have to tender back-up catcher George Kottaras a contract today, because they agreed to terms on a deal with him prior to the tender deadline.
According to Jon Heyman (and subsequently confirmed by several others), Kottaras will get $1.075 million for the 2014 season, plus unspecified incentives (best guess? it’s tied the number of games he starts, which protects him a little bit in case he becomes the starter).
Kottaras, whom the Cubs recently acquired for cash, made $1 million last year with the Royals in his second year of arbitration (he’s a Super Two, so he has two more arbitration years). He gets a very slight bump, and actually probably would have done just a touch better in arbitration (though he wouldn’t have received the incentives). Good deal for both sides, and the Cubs get their back-up catcher locked down on a very economical deal.
With Daniel Bard expected to be non-tendered today, the Cubs will have at least 10 arbitration-eligible players with whom to settle before arbitration hearings start in February. Kottaras makes it one down, nine to go.