Crazy Spending, the Rizzo Anniversary, Palmeiro’s Age 53 Comeback, and Other Bullets

January 6, 2018, by Brett Taylor Chicago Cubs

Did I tell you that The Wife and I dug out our old Wii for the big kids to play over the holiday break? Well, we did, and they’re addicted. I was playing The Little Girl in tennis last night, and she actually took me to the fifth set, 2-2. I’m not big on letting the kids win at stuff just for the sake of winning (how are they gonna learn like that?), but I do like to give them a chance to keep things competitive. But when we went to 2-2, The Little Girl got all kinds of up in my face about how she was about to take me down. I could not have that. So I skunked her in the fifth game, and I’m not sure she returned a single ball. I am the Dad of the Year.

You know the hot stove is not hot. Jeff Passan wants to provide some context for just how not hot – and also how strange – and I enjoyed. In particular, look at the relief market compared to the position player market:

The Cold Stove, by the numbers:

– Players signed: 45
– Total $ spent: $592.5M
– 1B signed: 4
– 3B signed: 1
– C signed: 3
– OF signed: 1
– Total position players signed: 9
– Total $ on position players: $158.75M
– RP signed: 23
– Multiyear RP deals: 17
– Total $ on RP: $280.3M

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 6, 2018

More Cold Stove facts:

– Most FA $ spent: Rockies, $114.5M
– $0 spent: Jays, Rays, O's, Marlins, Braves, Pirates
– Total AL East FA spending: $23M
– Mets: $14M, 1 player
– Red Sox: $13M, 1 player
– Yankees: $10M, 1 player
– Giants: $2.5M, 1 player
– Dodgers: $2M, 1 player

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 6, 2018

Six years ago today, the Cubs organization was changed for good. It’s the day they acquired Anthony Rizzo. I still can’t get over how different he looked that season, here knocking his first walk-off homer. And here’s how he looked after getting a shaving cream pie from Matt Garza after a June walk-off that year against the Mets:

This writeup is nearly five years old, and yet it was spot on:

David Heck, writing in March 2013, absolutely nailed it about a then 23-year-old Anthony Rizzo. https://t.co/h0DuORV1Uw pic.twitter.com/7UQrCEQpra

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 6, 2018

Look at this young guy, who knew it all along:

#OTD in 2012, the @Cubs acquired @ARizzo44 in a trade with San Diego.

Since then: 165 HR, 525 RBI, 3 All-Star Games, 3 Postseason appearances, 1 World Series.

What's next? pic.twitter.com/3YoQb0MbTX

— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) January 6, 2018

The Andre Dawson news is official:

@670TheScore HOFamer Andre Dawson confirms he is all set to join the Cubs officially soon as an ambassador .

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) January 6, 2018

There will be a series in San Juan, Puerto Rico in April between the Twins and Indians, which is great news – and wasn’t a lock because of the devastation from Hurricane Maria. It’ll be the first regular season games there since 2010, and the players and league will be coordinating relief efforts and related events around the series. It could be a really, really good thing.
Barry Jackson continues to do incredible work unearthing details about the Marlins’ new ownership and plans. One small bit I learned in today’s installment? Michael Jordan is also a minority owner of the Marlins.
Rafael Palmeiro is 53, and he is serious about his redemptive attempt at a comeback:

Good to be back in the cage again. The comeback is real. pic.twitter.com/uA8FMjyTjv

— Rafael Palmeiro (@Rafael_Palmeiro) January 5, 2018

He’s just swinging in the cage, so whatever, but that looks like the bat speed you’d expect from a well-conditioned 53-year-old man. I don’t see how it’s possible that he could hit against big league pitching, but I really hope some team gives him a chance to do it in Spring Training. Why not? And if he somehow made a roster, that’d be nuts. Julio Franco, then 49, is the oldest player to appear in a regular season game.
Speaking of Franco, the guy hit .275/.348/.451 with a 110 wRC+ in 2005, the year he turned 47. Dude should be in the Hall of Fame for that alone.
If you missed the great news from the Cubs coverage world: Patrick Mooney, formerly of CSN/NBC, has a new home at The Athletic, where he’ll be covering the Cubs beat together with Sahadev Sharma. That’s going to be some incredibly good coverage right there.
The Cubs Convention is coming, and if you’re going to be around, make sure you check this out on Friday night:

Hey, here's something to brighten the day up: in one week from today, I'll be at the first day of the Cubs Convention, will take in the opening ceremonies, and then will head to @LizziesIrishPub to hang with whichever of you fine folks make it out!

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 5, 2018

Totally off-topic, save for the fact that there’s baseball being played somewhere on that marble:

This photo showing the Earth and Moon together is totally bonkers https://t.co/aBODvzw0c9 pic.twitter.com/vbOaaLtTk5

— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) January 3, 2018