Timing of Trades, Workers Comp for Baseball Players, and Other Bullets

The possible man-on-second-base-to-start-extra-innings rule change has me all riled up this morning, which is good, because it’s distracting me from the fact that I’m in colonoscopy prep mode today.

Yes, I’m getting a colonoscopy tomorrow – make sure you get yours when the doctors tell you, my friends, as they are a highly-effective preventative and early-diagnostic measure! – which means I don’t get to eat today. I’m sipping on coffee right now in advance of the dreaded goopy stuff I have to drink this afternoon. And I’m so hungry …

[adinserter block=”1″]

  • The Cubs brought in another arm last night, and, although we’ll have much more on Alec Mills later today, I wanted to address the immediate question folks often have in these situations: if the guy is so interesting, why did the Royals dump him in the first place? It was the same question folks rightly had about the Rockies’ Eddie Butler trade, and the answer, at its broadest, is basically the same: these pitchers weren’t flat-out dumped in the way we often think about players designated for assignment. Instead, they were actually traded for a decent return (Butler netted the Rockies a legit relief prospect and IFA pool space; Mills netted the Royals a top 20ish Cubs prospect). When evaluating their rosters and future needs, as well as their internal scouting of the pitchers, these teams decided they’d rather have other assets – ones that don’t require 40-man roster spots right now – instead. In other words, these two situations aren’t quite the same as when teams drop players from the 40-man roster simply because they need space. Yes, each of the Rockies (Greg Holland) and Royals (Jason Hammel) had signed free agents who required a 40-man roster spot, but in each situation, it was clear that *IF* the team elected to DFA the guy they wound up DFAing, they’d *ALSO* be able to net something in return in trade. The timing forced the teams’ hands, but these were real trades. If there wasn’t real value to be netted, it seems plausible that some other player would have been DFA’d and dumped instead.
  • It’s interesting, by the way, how quickly this trade with the Royals came together, and that’s probably not a coincidence. Consider that the Cubs reportedly discussed Wade Davis with the Royals as far back as the Trade Deadline, before ultimately consummating a deal at the Winter Meetings. It’s not unusual for teams to get together on multiple deals within a short-ish time span, given that trade talks necessarily beget familiarity not only between the people having the discussions, but also with each others’ farm systems. So, when an opportunity presents itself – like the Royals DFA’ing Mills yesterday – a team like the Cubs might be in a better position to pounce, as they may have already known that the Royals liked Donnie Dewees. Or, maybe the Royals knew the Cubs liked Mills, and thus felt completely comfortable with the DFA decision, knowing full well that they’d shortly be able to execute a satisfactory trade with the Cubs.
  • [adinserter block=”2″]

  • The full WBC rosters were announced last night, and they are as stacked as I can remember. For the Cubs, if you missed it last night, Javy Baez and Hector Rondon are participating, as well as several minor leaguers.
  • A great read over at FanGraphs from Nathaniel Grow about the proposed workers compensation law change in Illinois (super short version is that it would limit benefits to professional athletes after the age of 35 (more involved version here)), which the major sports teams in Chicago have supported, but which drew stark criticism from the head of the NFLPA, who said he would urge free agents not to sign with the Bears if it was passed. Although the change could have a significant impact on football players, Grow’s analysis suggests it would have much less impact on baseball players, especially those who’ve reached free agency and are choosing where to sign (read: whatever happens, this bill probably won’t deter players from signing with the Cubs). It could, however, harm players who’ve not made a great deal of money in their careers and then suffer a debilitating injury, if they could have received more from workers compensation in Illinois than they could receive from MLB’s own insurance procedures for those situations. And as Grow notes in his conclusion, apparently Illinois’s proposal is not out of step with things several other states have already done.
  • David Ross says he’s turned in the manuscript for his book, which comes out in May. You can preorder it her at Amazon.
  • This morning’s Bullets over at TYL focus on the Bears’ enormous cap room in what could be (should be) a very active offseason.
  • [adinserter block=”3″]

    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

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    Latest News

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In their season opener on Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the Arizona-Colorado...

    Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Logan Allen will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians when they square off against starter Ross Stripling and the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the...

    How to Watch Mariners vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

    In their season opener on Friday, Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners play Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at T-Mobile Park.Keep reading to see how to watch the Seattle-Boston matchup...

    How to Watch Padres vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

    On Friday, the San Diego Padres (2-1) take on Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at PETCO Park.Keep reading to find out how to watch the San Diego-San Francisco matchup...

    How to Watch Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Live Stream or on TV

    The Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) host Paul Goldschmidt and the St. Louis Cardinals (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 10:10 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Los Angeles-St. Louis matchup below.When is Dodgers vs. Cardinals and...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The New York Yankees (1-0), led by Juan Soto, visit Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) at 8:10 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the Houston-New York matchup below.When is Astros vs. Yankees and when does it...

    How to Watch Rays vs. Blue Jays: Live Stream or on TV

    The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) visit Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 6:50 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Tampa Bay-Toronto matchup below.When is Rays vs. Blue Jays and...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    more cubs news