December 9, Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs sign Zobrist, trade Castro

Transcription

1 December 9, 2015 Chicago Tribune, Cubs trade Starlin Castro to Yankees, agree to four-year deal with Ben Zobrist Chicago Tribune, Javier Baez remains in Cubs' mix Chicago Tribune, Pitching price is right for Cubs with Adam Warren Chicago Tribune, Cubs create wiggle room for more additions Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon welcomes bigger target on Cubs' back Chicago Tribune, Cubs, Scott Boras in sync with Addison Russell's rehab Chicago Sun-Times, Combo deal: Cubs trade Starlin Castro to Yankees, sign free agent Ben Zobrist Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs build pitching depth with under-the-radar moves Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs sign Zobrist, trade Castro Daily Herald, Maddon: Cubs need to 'adjust back' to avoid sophomore slump Daily Herald, Imrem: Chicago Cubs make sense in how they're spending their dollars Cubs.com, Cubs add FA Zobrist, deal Castro to Yanks Cubs.com, Cubs acquiring assets without giving up prospects

2 Cubs.com, Maddon guarding against sophomore jinx Cubs.com, Bid on epic Cubs experiences in charity auction Cubs.com, Maddon's success due to unique philosophy Cubs.com, Cubs thrilled to add Lackey to their fold Cubs.com, Maddon adds to Cubs' haul as Best Manager ESPNChicago.com, Cubs fill holes with moves that send Castro out, bring Zobrist and Warren in ESPNChicago.com, Joe Maddon on John Lackey: It's a perfect fit for Cubs ESPNChicago.com, Busy Cubs aren't done yet after Ben Zobrist, Starlin Castro deals CSNChicago.com, Domino effect: Cubs sign Ben Zobrist for $56 million and trade Starlin Castro to Yankees CSNChicago.com, Traded from Cubs, Starlin Castro starts over with Yankees CSNChicago.com, Joe Maddon sees Javier Baez and Jorge Soler as building blocks not trade chips for Cubs not-trade-chips-%e2%80%93-cubs CSNChicago.com, Ben Zobrist agrees to four-year deal with Cubs CSNChicago.com, Cubs send Starlin Castro to Yankees Chicago Tribune Cubs trade Starlin Castro to Yankees, agree to four-year deal with Ben Zobrist By Mark Gonzales Cubs President Theo Epstein condensed his two major moves Tuesday night as the simple transaction of trading mercurial infielder Starlin Castro for two-time American League All-Star Ben Zobrist and pitcher Adam Warren. But it took some juggling for Epstein and his staff to address several significant needs for the Cubs. The Cubs cleared $38 million in trading Castro to the Yankees for Warren, 28, who could help the pitching staff in a variety of roles and isn t eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season, and a player to be named.

3 In moving the contract of Castro, 25, a three-time National League All-Star shortstop who moved to second base and excelled in the final month of the 2015 season, the Cubs cleared enough money to sign Zobrist, a highly-sought free agent, to a four-year, $56 million contract. The versatile Zobrist fills many needs and allows them some financial freedom to plug other less significant holes. That s something, in our situation, that made a lot of sense for us, Epstein said in addressing the moves. Zobrist, 34, who spent his first nine seasons with Cubs manager Joe Maddon with the Rays, has a lifetime.355 onbase percentage. Since 2009, Zobrist ranks fourth in the majors with 566 walks and fifth with 247 doubles. That should help a Cubs offense that had a.321 on-base percentage and led the league with 1,518 strikeouts. With the expected loss of free agent Dexter Fowler, Zobrist could fill in as the Cubs leadoff hitter, Epstein said. Zobrist has scored at least 74 runs in each of his last seven seasons. The switch-hitting Zobrist also provides balance to the Cubs lineup, which showed vulnerability against the Mets hard-throwing right-handed pitchers in the National League Championship Series. He s exactly the type of hitter we re looking for, Epstein said. Zobrist played second base in 69 of his 126 games for the Athletics and Royals last season and will spend the majority of his time there, Epstein said. Over his career, he has played much outfield. Javier Baez will continue to play various positions, but now the Cubs have the depth and financial resources to acquire another pitcher or a solid defensive center fielder. The Cubs expressed their interest in Zobrist early in the free-agent period but asked him to remain patient so they could clear money and address other needs. That included moving Castro, who lost his shortstop job to rookie Addison Russell on Aug. 7 but resurrected his career with a move to second base and an NL-high.369 batting average in September and October. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he tried to acquire Castro at the July 31 trading deadline with the intention of moving him to second but that the Cubs weren t interested. Discussions resurfaced a few days ago, and the Cubs found a fit with Warren, who was 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA in 43 appearances (17 starts). We re excited on our end, Cashman said. We think (Castro) is a guy who is an above-average defender at second base, has a quality stick, is 25 and can play short and third and gives us a lot of athleticism for his age and hopefully performance. The trade of Castro removes one of the final links of the pre-epstein era that started before the 2012 season. Castro received a seven-year, $60 million contract in 2013 but was inconsistent at the plate and in the field. It s certainly bittersweet with sadness that we see him go, Epstein said after talking with Castro, who currently is working out near the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa. Warren, like Trevor Cahill, Travis Wood and Clayton Richard, will be stretched out as a starter in spring training but could be used initially as a reliever. Warren could end up in the rotation in the future with John Lackey s contract expiring and Jake Arrieta eligible for free agency after Warren, who features a 95 mph fastball with an excellent change-up, according to Epstein, was 6-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 17 starts and had a 2.29 ERA in 26 relief appearances. It was tough to lose him, but you have to give to get, Cashman said.

4 The player to be named is expected to be infielder Brendan Ryan, according to a source. Chicago Tribune Javier Baez remains in Cubs' mix By Mark Gonzales One of the more remarkable achievements of the Chicago Cubs' off-season is that they've been able to make moves without surrendering any of their major prospects. That includes 23-year-old Javier Baez, who may not get a true shot at starting on a daily basis in 2016 unless he's traded. Nevertheless, Baez remains a Cub as newly acquired Ben Zobrist, 34, is expected to start at second base most of the time. There could be playing time for Baez at second on days in which Zobrist starts at other positions, such as left field in place of Kyle Schwarber if the Cubs are facing a tough left-handed pitcher. "And then going forward, long-term, this will give more opportunity for Javier Baez as well with Zobrist s flexibility and ability to play all over the field," President Theo Epstein said Tuesday night. "I think you look at the corner outfield and a lot of days we ll have Kyle Schwarber out there, who is just learning the position, and (right fielder) Jorge Soler, who hasn t quite managed to play the 162 games (but will be spelled on occasion by Chris Coghlan). So I think Zobrist protects us all over the infield as well as the outfield." Before the Cubs acquired Zobrist and traded second baseman Starlin Castro for pitcher Adam Warren and a player to be named later (believed to be Brendan Ryan), Epstein acknowledged the attention that Baez and Soler attract from other teams. "We value those guys tremendously," Epstein said. "There s tremendous value holding onto the Baezs and Solers of the world and letting their talent manifest over a full major league season. They re guys who have the opportunmithy to play a major league seaon over six months. "We re invested in both guys. We re listening. If the right deal were to come along, we d pay a little closer attention. But certainly both guys are important parts of our future, and we look forward to them continuing to establish themselves." Chicago Tribune Pitching price is right for Cubs with Adam Warren By Mark Gonzales The Chicago Cubs were extremely happy and had a right to feel relieved Tuesday night after acquiring pitcher Adam Warren from the New York Yankees. The Cubs were linked to pitchers Shelby Miller and Julio Teheran of the Atlanta Braves and also talked to the Tampa Bay Rays, who have left-hander Matt Moore. All three are under team control for several years, but President Theo Epstein found the price of young starting pitching extremely expensive. "We looked into the starting pitching markets and the trade market, and we really came to feel like the price of poker was very high to acquire starting pitching," Epstein said. "Years and dollars for starters of note in free agency that came with a significant amount of risk, frankly, that we weren t comfortable with.

5 "In the trade market, we felt like in a lot of cases, we would have had to pay for $2 on the dollar almost in return, so I think (signing) John Lackey on a two-year deal and Warren on three years of control with the ability to start as well as pitch in the bullpen, made a lot of sense to us as a reaction to what s going on in the market." The Cubs completed the acquisition of Warren and a player to be named later - believed to be infielder Brendan Ryan - for infielder Starlin Castro shortly before the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Miller for shortstop Dansby Swanson (the first overall pick in the 2015 draft), outfielder Ender Inciarte and pitching prospect Aaron Blair. Chicago Tribune Cubs create wiggle room for more additions By Mark Gonzales The addition of Ben Zobrist lessens the Chicago Cubs' need for an offensive-minded center fielder. In addition, the way that the contracts of John Lackey and Zobrist were structured allow the Cubs to continue to look for pitching as well as address their void in center field with the expected departure of free agent center fielder Dexter Fowler. "We ll continue to pursue smaller moves for depth," President Theo Epstein said. "Obviously we d welcome an impact move if it s out there. All the moves we have been pursuing previously here are potentially alive for us." Zobrist's four-year, $56 million contract was structured so that he'll receive a $2 million bonus with a $10 million salary in 2016, followed by salaries of $16 million in 2017 and 2018 and $12 million in Lackey will receive a $7 million bonus with a salary of $12.5 million in 2016 and The Cubs have earmarked about $90 million to 12 players for including $11 million for since-departed Edwin Jackson. With about $40 million left to spend, the Cubs have about up to $10 million to spend for their non-arbitration eligible players. That could allow them to be more creative, as Epstein thanked the Cubs' business department with its assistance that enabled them to acquire Lackey and Zobrist with more room to spend with a surplus of relievers and infielders. "I wouldn't say we ve limited ourselves in any trade talks going forward, but we don t have to act out of need or desperation," Epstein said. "We can be very selective." Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon welcomes bigger target on Cubs' back By Mark Gonzales After advancing to the National League Championship Series with a young nucleus returning, manager Joe Maddon welcomes the challenge of greater expectations. "The point is everybody knows us now," Maddon said during his media session at the Winter Meetings. "Like I said, the target's bigger, whatever. They're going to study us even a little bit harder. "The challenge is going to be difficult. However, once the first bomb falls, everybody becomes a veteran. At least these guys have that veteranship from last year, so they know how to react to moments a little bit better now. They're not going to get as wide-eyed or freaked out over an 0-for-7 or 0-for-8. So that's going to be beneficial." Maddon believes the signing of John Lackey to a two-year, $32 million contract will make the Cubs more formidable in their quest to advance farther. Maddon was a coach with the Angels when Lackey reached the majors.

6 "I really believe that the particular kind of edge that John provides is really going to be helpful for us moving forward," said Maddon, adding that Lackey's Game 7 victory in the 2002 World Series with the Los Angeles Angels resulted in a playoff bonus large enough to play for his daughter Sarah's wedding. "I like the idea of coming off the kind of year that we had to really add this kind of a personality to the group, I think, would really benefit us even more. Our veterans within the group are already spectacular, and now you add John Lackey. I couldn't be more excited." Maddon likes that the addition of Lackey will give the Cubs a formidable threesome with NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester as well as an added edge. "I love the edge," Maddon said. "Edge is good. I'm good with it. I know how supportive he is. He's a great teammate, how supportive he'll be with the entire group, but I also know that, when he plays, he's going to demand the guys are ready to play. I love it. "I think he's good for us. He's almost like the perfect fit for us after the season we just had." "You walk into a three-game series, and the other team calls for your pitching, and you say it's going to be Lester, Arrieta and Lackey. They don't like that." Lackey will receive a $7 million bonus and salaries of $12.5 million in 2016 and Chicago Tribune Cubs, Scott Boras in sync with Addison Russell's rehab By Mark Gonzales The Chicago Cubs and agent Scott Boras disagree over the timing of Kris Bryant's major league debut, but they are in agreement over the handling of the rehabilitation of fellow rookie standout Addison Russell. Cubs President Theo Epstein said that Russell healed quickly after missing the National League Championship Series due to a moderate left hamstring strain suffered while legging out a triple in the fourth game of the NL Division Series. But to ensure that Russell remains healthy for 2016, the Cubs and Boras agreed that the 21-year-old shortstop continue his off-season preparation at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Ala. Epstein said one of his medical staff members contacted Steve Odgers, who operates Boras Sports Training Institute and was a former strength and conditioning coach with the White Sox, to work together on a plan for Russell, who is represented by Boras. "I think one thing the Boras Corporation does very well is to stay involved in their players when they re going through obstacles, whether it s medical or things going on in their personal lives," Epstein said. "They do a nice job of helping with the support of the players and their continued development, and obviously that s something we do on a daily basis. "So why not we work together as much as possible? It always helps the player to have his organization and representation align so that he doesn t have to deal with unnecessary contentiousness. There are times when it becomes adversary. You deal with it at the time. But it s less frequent than you would imagine." Epstein's comments occurred one day after a grievance filed in May by the Major League Baseball Players Association became public. The grievance alleges that the Cubs manipulated Bryant's service time so that he wouldn't be eligible for free agency until after 2021.

7 Bryant is represented by Boras. Chicago Sun-Times Combo deal: Cubs trade Starlin Castro to Yankees, sign free agent Ben Zobrist By Gordon Wittenmyer NASHVILLE, Tenn. If anyone wasn t sure this was Theo Epstein s team before the winter meetings this week, the Cubs president made it clear with a pair of moves Tuesday night that sent embattled All-Star infielder Starlin Castro to the Yankees in a trade and landed coveted free agent hitter Ben Zobrist with a four-year, $56 million deal. Castro, a three-time All-Star shortstop, who struggled then thrived after an August demotion and switch to second, was the last remaining big-league player Epstein s front office inherited when it took over four years ago. Even after getting right-hander Adam Warren in the Castro deal, the Cubs aren t done dealing, said Epstein, who still seeks a center fielder to fill free agent Dexter Fowler s vacancy and continues to troll the trade market for pitching depth. But Tuesday night s moves, on the heels of signing free agent starter John Lackey to a two-year deal, were significant in filling much of the team s wish list, while preserving resources to stay aggressive in the pursuit of an outfielder. The Castro trade moved $38 million in salary over the next four years to the Yankees, while returning an established big-league swingman in Warren, a first-year arbitration player, and utility infielder Brendan Ryan. It was an opportunity to essentially trade Starlin for Ben Zobrist and Adam Warren, said Epstein of the quicksuccession moves that represented just one tandem set of possible deals the Cubs have tried to arrange the trade offsetting much of Zobrist. We couldn t have made this free agent signing without this trade and would not have made this trade without the free agent signing. It makes it not that significant a commitment, relatively speaking, on the financial end. Zobrist makes a little bit more than Starlin, but we do get a controllable, affordable pitcher back for the next three years to balance it out a little bit. And we didn t have to go back into the free agent market to get someone with Warren s skills set. Zobrist, 35, is a two-time All-Star and longtime favorite of Cubs manager Joe Maddon his manager for nine seasons in Tampa Bay and the manager who helped turn Zobrist into a star by using the shortstop in every defensive position except catcher. The veteran of two World Series, including Kansas City s championship this year, is the kind of disciplined, potentially top-of-the-order hitter the Cubs looked to add this winter. He ll play primarily second base, said Epstein, who tried to acquire Zobrist in a trade last winter before the Rays traded him to the Oakland Athletics. Ben s a winning baseball player, and you look at his overall contribution on the field his offense, his defense and his base running and he s been one of the more valuable players in the game for a long time, said Epstein, who blamed Zobrist s relative dip in offensive and defensive performance much of 2015 on coming back early from a knee injury. He s exactly the type of offensive player that we re looking for. I think it takes a little bit of the pressure off the center field search that we don t necessarily need someone who s a leadoff hitter and center fielder, add Epstein, who suggested the Cubs could give up some offense in that search now if it meant getting an especially good fielder.

8 Zobrist makes $12 million in 2016, which includes his $2 million signing bonus, then $16 million, $16 million and $12 million the final three years of the deal. He also has a no-trade clause through the first three years of the deal. Warren, 28, who has a four-pitch array including a fastball that reached the mid-90s, appeared in 43 games for the Yankees in 2016, including 17 starts (7-7, 3.29 ERA). He s an underrated pitcher, said Epstein, who almost immediately had calls from teams wondering if he d make Warren available. We believe he can be a starting pitcher and a good one in the National League Central. We also think he can be extremely effective out of the bullpen. His ability to do both makes him incredibly valuable to us. The Cubs told Castro in recent weeks that he would not be traded this winter, in part because the trade market for him wasn t strong. But talks with the Yankees that died early in the offseason restarted this week when the Yankees called the Cubs after the winter meetings started. On the recommendation of their top evaluators, the Yankees tried to trade for Castro this summer, with the intent of moving him to second before the Cubs did it but couldn t get a deal done. Yankees GM Cashman said he originally wasn t willing to include Warren in a deal for Castro. He proved what he could do with the position switch, and I thought he was one of the big reasons they propelled into the playoffs the way they did, said Cashman, who said the 25-year-old Castro was a fit for the Yankees both defensively and as a younger, controllable player. We think he s a guy that s obviously an above-average defender at second base, a quality stick, 25 years old, approaching 26, Cashman said. He can play short, third, gives us a lot of athleticism, coverage, age and hopefully performance. Epstein, who talked to Castro Tuesday night, described a bittersweet feeling with some sadness that we see him go and lauded Castro s work, attitude and in particular the way he handled being forced off short. One of the byproducts of the Castro-Zobrist switch is the potential for more playing time for Javy Baez as Zobrist moves around the field, Epstein said. Another byproduct: Baez and right fielder Jorge Soler are still in the fold as potential trading pieces if the right deal for a center fielder or impact pitcher comes along. Chicago Sun-Times Cubs build pitching depth with under-the-radar moves By Gordon Wittenmyer NASHVILLE, Tenn. It didn t take the Cubs long splashing around in the deep end of the off-season pitching pool to decide on some different strokes for accomplishing their pitching goals this winter. Whether it leads to the division-championship season they have in mind for 2016, they ve at least preserved immediate payroll flexibility and potential flexibility for the next two or three years during a period of relatively limited resources. As we looked into the starting pitching markets aggressively, both the free agent market and the trade market, we really came to feel like the price of poker was very high to acquire starting pitching, team president Theo Epstein said. That s why the Cubs struck as swiftly as they did to sign veteran John Lackey to the two-year, $32 million deal that was struck Friday and became official Tuesday a deal that might have been impossible to get done if it hadn t been finalized before Zack Greinke s record-setting $34.4 million-a-year deal was reached with the Diamondbacks.

9 We were hoping to get something done before both Price and Greinke were off the board because we thought it might lead to a sort of cascade effect with the next tier starting to go quickly, Epstein said. We thought we had a chance to maybe get Lackey done on a contract that made a lot of sense for him and for us, and we didn t want that to be necessarily sabotaged by the market. That increasing price of playing poker is also why right-hander Adam Warren looked especially attractive in Tuesday s salary-driven trade of Starlin Castro to the Yankees. There s lots of different ways to do this, Epstein said. We d love to acquire a young ace who we control for the next five years, but I don t see too many of those moving, and things have to match up just perfectly. We really want to add to the depth, quality, versatility of our staff and also get through this next [ ] offseason as well, if we can, with guys we control beyond Warren, 28, is a first-year arbitration-eligible player who has a 3.39 career ERA, mostly as a reliever, and a fastball that touches 95 mph out of the bullpen (92-93 when he starts) under club control for three more years. He went 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA in a 2015 season that included 17 starts. And he quickly became a modestly priced, controllable player for a Cubs staff that is starting to look thick with effective, versatile pitchers if not the marquee Greinke and David Price types. Years and dollars were really significant for starters of note in free agency and came with a significant amount of risk, frankly, that we weren t completely comfortable with, Epstein said. And in the trade market we felt like in a lot of cases we would have liked to pay like two dollars on the dollar almost in return. That was especially true of talks with the Braves over starter Shelby Miller. Sources say the price for Miller seemed to get steeper the longer the Cubs talked with the Braves who eventually got an eye-popping haul for Miller on Tuesday from the Diamondbacks, including shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson, this year s No. 1 overall draft pick. And the price for young Cleveland pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar only went up after that deal. The Cubs have a top four in the rotation of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Lackey and Jason Hammel. They have potential fifth starters in Kyle Hendricks and Warren, or possibly Clayton Richard or Trevor Cahill. Those four potential fifth starters combined are likely to cost roughly what Hammel ($9 million) makes. Only Lester and Lackey will start the season with financial commitments beyond And Lackey s deal was structured so creatively that he costs only $12.5 million in 16 and only $30 million over the two years of the deal. That s because the Cubs paid $2 million of his $7 million bonus out of a 2015 budget surplus (the remaining $5 million is due in 2017). The bullpen looks like it will be filled with one-year deals. And they re on the way to a power-pitching bullpen with a left-right balance and versatile long and/or situational pitchers. You can have impact pitching without necessarily having all household names, sort of bona fide, top-of-therotation guys, Epstein said. We still have to go out and accomplish it, but if you have a staff where there s no negative contributors, no replacement-level pitchers, but all solid, contributing pitchers who throw strikes and can follow a game plan and miss bats and be effective, that in and of itself can make you one of the best pitching staffs. I like to think if everyone pitches up to their potential next year we re getting close to that ideal.

10 Daily Herald Chicago Cubs sign Zobrist, trade Castro By Bruce Miles The Cubs stepped things up big time at the winter meetings Tuesday. First, they made official the signing of starting pitcher John Lackey, with whom they agreed on a two-year, $32 million deal last week. Then, during the evening, they traded former all-star infielder Starlin Castro to the New York Yankees for righthanded pitcher Adam Warren and a player to be named later (reported to be veteran infielder Brendan Ryan). They also signed infielder Ben Zobrist to a four-year, $56 million free-agent contract. The Cubs and Zobrist had been linked in trade talks this past summer. Castro, who had been a Cubs major-leaguer since 2010, endured a rough 2015 season, enduring a midseason benching before rallying toward the end to help the team in its push to the National League championship series. He wound up with a line of.265/.296/.375 with 11 homers and 69 RBI. He no doubt helped his trade value with a good stretch drive. In Warren, the Cubs are getting a 28-year-old who went 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA this year for the Yankees. In three-plus big-league seasons with the Yankees, Warren is with a 3.39 ERA. He gives the Cubs some needed depth in their starting rotation, which currently includes Lackey, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks. It's possible the Cubs could move Hammel before the off-season is over. Zobrist, 34, is a switch hitter who can play second base, shortstop and the outfield. He combined to play 126 games this year between the Oakland Athletics and the world-champion Kansas City Royals, compiling a line of.276/.359/.450 with 13 homers and 56 RBI. He played for current Cubs manager Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay from Earlier Tuesday, Maddon talked with reporters at the winter meetings in Nashville and praised Zobrist's versatility and willingness to accept multiple roles. Zo, from Day One, he's always been accepting of that," Maddon said. "He's all about winning. That's what he's about." Maddon also had high praise for Castro, whom he never "lost" as a player even though Castro lost his starting shortstop job to Addison Russell and later moved to second base. The 25-year-old Castro is 9 hits shy of 1,000 for his major-league career. "We felt confident Addy would be good," Maddon said of Russell. "I didn't know how well Starlin would take it and then adjust to it, and he couldn't have done any better. I mean, I'm visualizing the conversation I had with him right now, and he was so respectful and listened very carefully. "I'm talking about Starlin. He sat for a couple of days. He didn't really play a lot. But we assured him that we were still going to work him back in there." Russell injured his hamstring during Game 3 of the division series against the Cardinals, with Javier Baez taking over in that game and playing through the championship series against the Mets. There has been talk Baez would be traded, but Castro was dealt, with Zobrist providing a replacement and keeping the Cubs deep in the middle of the infield. Daily Herald Maddon: Cubs need to 'adjust back' to avoid sophomore slump By Bruce Miles

11 It's been a little while since we heard from Cubs manager Joe Maddon, but he was back in business Tuesday at the winter meetings. Maddon always makes it interesting, and during the winter meetings, he has a media core from around the major leagues to entertain. One of Maddon's biggest challenges for 2016, in addition to following a 97-win season, will be to make sure the Cubs' young players keep going and avoid the dreaded "sophomore jinx." Rookies Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler often saw action in the same lineup. "I think the sophomore jinx is all about the other team adjusting to you and then you don't adjust back," Maddon told the assembled media in Nashville, Tennessee. "So the point would be that we need to be prepared to adjust back. I think that's my definition of the sophomore jinx, and sometimes you will get the group that takes things for granted and believes or concedes that it's just going to happen again. "I just talked to the group upstairs in our room, and I've already talked to them about the fact that's the one thing I have been thinking about is how to avoid that. And the conversation I need to have early on in (spring training) camp, without being negative, without being critical of our guys, because we're just showing up. "You don't want to be they're coming off a wonderful season. It's a very complimentary kind of a thing. You want to talk to them and praise them. But the target's going to be bigger, and I want us to embrace the target." One of Maddon's favorite sayings is "never let the pressure exceed the pleasure." He knows all eyes will be on the Cubs in 2016 after they enjoyed a surprise 2015, making it all the way to the National League championship series before falling to the New York Mets. "The pressure is going to be possibly greater, and I want us to embrace the pressure," Maddon said. "The bigger target, the greater pressure, I think, equals a grander chance for success. "So I'm all about that, and I definitely will bring that to our guys' attention. The combination of the accountability of our young players combined with our veterans, I really believe we could avoid those kind of pitfalls." Happy to have Lackey: The Cubs on Tuesday officially announced their two-year, $32 million deal with pitcher John Lackey, with whom they agreed to terms last week, pending a physical. Maddon knows him from their days together with the Angels more than a decade ago. "It's really exciting to get John," Maddon said. "Got to know him about Part of the World Series, obviously, he was a big part of the Angels winning the World Series, and he actually helped pay for my daughter's wedding. I was really grateful for many years for that. "John is one of the best competitors I've ever been around. You see it from the outside looking in. He demands a lot on a daily basis when he plays, of himself and his team, and I love it." Lackey has the reputation of being somewhat of an "edgy" personality. "I really believe that the particular kind of edge that John provides is really going to be helpful for us moving forward," Maddon said. "I like the idea of coming off the kind of year that we had to really add this kind of a personality to the group, I think, would really benefit us even more.

12 "Our veterans within the group are already spectacular, and now you add John Lackey. Couldn't be more excited." It's just business: Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant has filed a grievance against the team, claiming it manipulated his service time to delay his free agency by one year. The Cubs brought Bryant up from the minor leagues April 17. By doing so, they gained essentially a "free" full year of service time out of Bryant. If the Cubs had allowed Bryant to start the season on the big-league roster, he would have become a free agent after the 2020 season. By delaying the call-up, the Cubs assured themselves of having Bryant's services through 2021 before he can be a free agent. The move is allowed under the collective-bargaining agreement, but Bryant's people along with those of the Phillies' Maikel Franco, who also filed a grievance contend it goes against the spirit of the agreement. "We've known about this since May," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer told reporters Monday. "We've had a great relationship with Kris, we have a great relationship with (Scott Boras, Bryant's agent). They obviously decided to file a grievance in May, and nothing has changed since then. The fact that the news came out today doesn't change anything about where we are. "Obviously, we feel like we were in the right, but I'm not going to comment on the case or open this back up. For us, it's been, what, seven months?" Hoyer said. "I'm thrilled for Kris; he had a great year. Couldn't have been more excited that he was Rookie of the Year. This is something that will be handled with due process." Daily Herald Imrem: Chicago Cubs make sense in how they're spending their dollars By Mike Imrem Baseball money has become mind-boggling, and there's enough to go around. All any of the 30 major-league teams needs to contend for a championship is to allocate their considerable assets wisely. The Chicago Cubs appear to have done that by agreeing to a couple of so-called bargain contracts with a couple of so-called bargain free agents. Veteran pitcher John Lackey: two years, $32 million. Versatile position player Ben Zobrist: four years, $56 million. Yes, those are bargains in this affluent era of the game. The Cubs also sent the $40 million left on Starlin Castro's contract another bargain figure, right? to the Yankees for lower-priced pitcher Adam Warren and a player to be named. Major Leage Baseball is swimming in cash due to new-age revenue streams pumping into the game. No team needs a $300 million payroll to win a World Series. The Dodgers have operated like that's what it takes and failed miserably.

13 The Royals won a World Series for considerably less. Anything above $100 million should be enough, and the Cubs will be well above that. The Cubs' latest moves indicate that they have a winning mix: Money and brains. Maybe luck, too. Cubs president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer caught a break when ace pitcher David Price turned them down to sign with the Red Sox. Let's round off what the Cubs offered Price to $200 million, though it likely was a bit less. Price was more of a luxury than a necessity for the Cubs, considering that they already have Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester at the top of their rotation. The Cubs needed a No. 3 as much as a No. 1 and that turned out to be Lackey, close to ancient but coming off an outstanding season with the Cardinals. Lackey is one tough guy. He isn't afraid to hit a batter. He isn't afraid to take the ball every fifth day. He isn't afraid to go deep into a game. Gritty pitcher to have on a team like the Cubs. Then there's Zobrist, a player who can play every position on the field and maybe even pitch long relief if Cubs manager Joe Maddon asked that of him. They prospered together in Tampa Bay, Maddon and Zobrist did, and should be comfortable with each other in Wrigley Field. Lackey and Zobrist fill a needs at a combined commitment of $88 million, dozens of millions of dollars less than Price would have cost. The Cubs then saved those 10s of millions baseball would call them a pittance these days in the Castro transaction. It always made more sense to go after two pitchers, a No. 3 and No. 4, than to wind up with Price only. Right now the Cubs' rotation lines up with Arrieta, Lester, Lackey and two from among Warren, Jason Hammel or Kyle Hendricks. The Cubs still should have cash left over for a center fielder, bullpen help and more starting-pitching depth. Maybe the Cubs would have had enough dollars for other reinforcements even after signing Price, but better that they didn't have to prove it. Nothing is guaranteed now, of course. Lackey has to remain ageless. Others have to remain healthy. Everybody has to remain motivated. Then the Cubs have to prove they're a team rather than just a big batch of talented individuals. If they weren't before, the Cubs certainly are 2016 World Series contenders after Tuesday's flurry of activity. All because they're turning dollars into sense.

14 Cubs.com Cubs add FA Zobrist, deal Castro to Yanks By Carrie Muskat NASHVILLE, Tenn. Officially, the Cubs made two deals at the Winter Meetings on Tuesday, agreeing to a deal with versatile free agent Ben Zobrist and trading Starlin Castro to the Yankees, but the reality is, the moves were interconnected and would not have happened separately. The Cubs landed Zobrist with a four-year, $56 million contract, and acquired right-handed pitcher Adam Warren and a player to be named from the Yankees for Castro, a three-time All-Star who grew up in the organization. "We couldn't have made this free-agent signing without this trade, and would not have made the trade without the free-agent signing," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. Cubs manager Joe Maddon will be reunited with one of his favorite players in Zobrist, who played for Maddon with Tampa Bay from He split last season between the A's and Royals, helping Kansas City win the World Series. On the season, Zobrist batted.276 with 13 home runs, 36 doubles and three triples, playing second base, third base, left field and right field. The Cubs' pursuit of Zobrist didn't come to light until Tuesday, but they had talked to him about a potential union early in the offseason. "It was pretty clear that we were right at the top of the list of places where he wanted to play," Epstein said. "We asked him to be patient and said that we couldn't act right away but that we had a lot of interest and if the right corresponding move came our way, we could get involved quickly." The Yankees had shown interest in Castro early in the offseason as well, but Epstein said that was it. When the Cubs arrived in Nashville for the Winter Meetings, Epstein got a call from New York general manager Brian Cashman. Zobrist had his physical on Tuesday in Chicago, and the Cubs could not announce the deal until that was completed. "We needed all the components of both deals to line up, including the medicals, and have the timing sync up," Epstein said. Zobrist will receive full no-trade protection in the first three years of the deal. The contract includes a $2 million signing bonus plus $10 million salary in 2016, $16 million in both '17 and '18, and $12 million in '19. Castro has four years and $38 million remaining on the seven-year, $60 million deal he signed with the Cubs in Zobrist is the type of contact hitter the Cubs need, and he is projected to bat at the top of the order. Chicago is still in the market for a center fielder, but now the club does not have to find someone who can also fill the leadoff spot vacated by Dexter Fowler's departure. "Ben's a winning baseball player," Epstein said. "If you look at his overall contribution on the field his offense, his defense, his baserunning he's been one of the most valuable players in the game. He's incredibly versatile. He's exactly the type of offensive player we're looking for who grinds every pitch, works his at-bat, makes a ton of contact, draws his walk, gets on base and is versatile and can play all over the field." Maddon is a big believer in giving versatile players like Zobrist more credit, and he lobbied again on Tuesday to have one named to the All-Star teams. "A real legitimate [super-utility] guy is a position, and it permits you to do so many different things with your lineup daily and so many different things to get progress daily," Maddon said Tuesday during his manager session. "When you have a guy part of that is the selfless attitude of the player themselves. Not everybody is suited to that for two reasons. They're not comfortable moving around or their ego doesn't permit them." But Maddon says Zobrist has accepted that role from Day 1.

15 "He's all about winning that's what he's about," Maddon said. Castro batted.265 last season in a roller-coaster season in which he began the year as the Opening Day shortstop but was benched and eventually moved to second base. He accepted the switch, and led the National League with a.426 average in September. "He really grew up in this organization," Epstein said of Castro. "He went through a lot here and made tremendous contributions to help get us where we are. It's a bittersweet feeling with some sadness that we see him go." Warren, 28, will be stretched out this spring and can be used as either a starter or reliever. He posted a 3.29 ERA in 43 appearances with the Yankees last season, splitting time between the bullpen and rotation. Cubs.com Cubs acquiring assets without giving up prospects By Phil Rogers NASHVILLE, Tenn. Sooner or later, it's going to happen. Theo Epstein is going to trade one of his top prospects. That could happen any day now. But somehow, it didn't happen on Tuesday in the swirling, fast-moving waters of baseball's Winter Meetings. For the 1,517th consecutive day since he agreed to become the Cubs' president of baseball operations, Epstein remained in the business of accumulating ultra-talented players in their formative years, not using them as collateral to make his team a little better for the short term. That's discipline. And it's hard to believe Epstein has been able to do it when you look at all the moves that he has made, including the most recent two: signing Ben Zobrist to a four-year, $56 million contract and trading Starlin Castro to the Yankees for Adam Warren, a very useful pitcher, and a player to be named later (expected to be backup infielder Brendan Ryan). They're among 11 players whom the Cubs have acquired through free agency, trades or waiver claims since being swept by the Mets in the 2015 National League Championship Series and Epstein is still holding all of his most valuable cards. You'd think Epstein has got more moves to make and those could be some real beauties. Jason Heyward in free agency? There's certainly lobby talk about it. A deal that sends Javier Baez and a handful of others to the Rays for more pitching, maybe even one solid starter (Matt Moore or Drew Smyly, most likely) and a late-inning reliever (Brad Boxberger or Jake McGee)? No reason why not, if Epstein can cut ties with any of his valued kids. This is a guy who traded Nomar Garciaparra in his first season as the Red Sox's general manager. He can make the tough call. But he's just fine with having a surplus of intriguing parts. Epstein went into the offseason needing to re-sign or replace free agent Dexter Fowler in center field and add depth to the rotation and bullpen. He talked about wanting to improve the fielding, especially the outfield defense. John Lackey (signed to a two-year, $32 million contract that became official Tuesday), Trevor Cahill and a cast of relievers with something to prove (lefties Rex Brothers and Edgar Olmos and right-handers Spencer Patton and Andury Acevedo) answer the questions about pitching depth. Center field becomes the priority. Heyward is a perfect fit if there's any way to fit him onto the payroll, and don't underestimate Epstein's cunning in figuring out how to make him fit. No doubt with the help of manager Joe Maddon, Epstein swept in at the 11th hour and landed Zobrist on Tuesday, when he seemed more likely to go to the Mets who had put on a full-court press to get him or the Nationals.

16 At 34, the switch-hitter doesn't seem an obvious long-term fit for the Cubs. A lot of the value that has made Zobrist one of baseball's biggest secret weapons (his 39.3 WAR since 2009 ranks fifth among position players) came through his versatility, and he has been telling teams he wants to be a regular second baseman. But he's a guy Maddon wanted badly after managing him for nine seasons with Tampa Bay, and Epstein got him even though he already had four second basemen on the 40-man roster (Castro, Baez, Tommy La Stella and Arismendy Alcantara). That's Theo being Theo. Castro, the longest-tenured Cub, will be missed after he joyously took advantage of the chance to learn second base once Addison Russell had replaced him at shortstop. But Zobrist was signed for only $15 million more than the Cubs still owed Castro, and Epstein is dealing Castro when his value is high. There's nothing sexy about Warren. But he was as consistently effective as anyone in the Yankees' rotation (3.66 ERA in 17 starts, albeit only 96 innings) when Joe Girardi moved him to the bullpen at midseason. Girardi pointed out how Warren was moving into the rotation after pitching in relief in 2014 and needed to be handled cautiously. "We want Adam for a long time,'' Girardi said in announcing the move. Turns out the Cubs are the team that could benefit from Warren being limited to 131 1/3 innings. For now, Warren could wind up battling Kyle Hendricks, Travis Wood, Clayton Richard and Cahill for a rotation spot if Epstein does get around to dealing Baez or right fielder Jorge Soler for one of those 25-and-under arms he covets. Maybe Baez will wind up as the center fielder. Or maybe he'll play third and Kris Bryant will go to center field. Or maybe Heyward is more than pie in the sky. Sounds crazy, but with the Cubs in this era of Theo and Joe, never say never. Cubs.com Maddon guarding against sophomore jinx By Carrie Muskat NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Cubs relied on several rookies in their 97-win season and trip to the postseason in How do they avoid a sophomore jinx? Manager Joe Maddon is already thinking about that. "I think the sophomore jinx is all about the other team adjusting to you and then you don't adjust back," Maddon said Tuesday during his manager session at the Winter Meetings. "So the point would be that we need to be prepared to adjust back. I think that's my definition of the sophomore jinx, and sometimes you will get the group that takes things for granted and believes or concedes that it's just going to happen again." Maddon said he addressed the topic of how players like Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber deal with Year 2 during a meeting Tuesday with the Cubs' front office in Nashville. "I've already talked to them about the fact that's the one thing I have been thinking about is how to avoid that," Maddon said. He just has to figure out the timing of his message. Maddon said he didn't want to hit players with any negative vibes when they report to Spring Training in February, but needs to make them aware. "The target's going to be bigger, and I want us to embrace the target," Maddon said. "The pressure is going to be possibly greater, and I want us to embrace the pressure. The bigger target, the greater pressure, I think, equals a grander chance for success. So I'm all about that, and I definitely will bring that to our guys' attention."