November 30, Daily Herald, Jay joins Chicago Cubs, figures to replace Fowler

Transcription

1 November 30, 2016 Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs sign outfielder Jay, who likely will share job with Almora Chicago Sun-Times, Trump taps Cubs Todd Ricketts for Deputy Commerce post Daily Herald, Jay joins Chicago Cubs, figures to replace Fowler Daily Herald, Imrem: If White Sox won't deal with Cubs, they are fools Cubs.com, Cubs sign outfielder Jay to 1-year contract Cubs.com, Baez reportedly to play for Puerto Rico at Classic Cubs.com, One year made big difference for Montgomery ESPNChicago.com, Cubs bring aboard OF Jon Jay CSNChicago.com, What The Jon Jay Deal Means For The Cubs And Dexter Fowler Chicago Tribune, Cubs prospects Eloy Jimenez, Ian Happ rank among AFL's elite story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs prepare for Dexter Fowler's departure, sign center fielder Jon Jay Chicago Tribune, Cubs are in contact with free-agent reliever Daniel Hudson Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Javier Baez to play for Puerto Rico in World Baseball Classic story.html Chicago Sun-Times Cubs sign outfielder Jay, who likely will share job with Almora By Steve Greenberg Jon Jay? You don t say.

2 The Cubs and Jay, a veteran outfielder who will be 32 on Opening Day, agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract worth a reported $8 million. Jay has played seven major league seasons his first six with the Cubs rivals in St. Louis primarily as a center fielder. He can play all three outfield spots, but he s known for his stellar glove work in the middle of the outfield. Jay s career fielding percentage in center is.996, the highest mark for any active player (minimum 500 games) at the position. Bigger picture: The move solidifies months-long speculation that the Cubs will lose the services of popular center fielder Dexter Fowler, one of the heroes of the team s drive to the World Series title. While Cubs fans come to terms with saying goodbye to Dex, the 30-year-old Fowler a first-time All-Star in 2016 who tied for the team s postseason lead with three home runs and 11 runs scored will be seeking a lucrative, multiyear deal elsewhere. Incredible, man, Fowler said during the playoffs of his two seasons on the North Side. Cubbies fans always show me the love, and they know I love them. How much Jay plays during the season to come will have a lot to do with the ongoing development of Albert Almora Jr., the team s first-round draft pick in 2012 and a solid contributor off the bench during the 2016 regular season and playoffs. The right-handed-hitting Almora is considered a potential Gold Glove-level talent in center field and could have more upside offensively than the left-handed Jay. For now, the clear expectation is that Almora and Jay will share the position. Jay is a career.287 hitter with 31 home runs, 253 RBI and 374 runs scored. His OPS (.737) and stolen-base (45) totals are modest, though he is coming off a strong season in San Diego. Over 90 games with the Padres, he hit.291 with 26 doubles. Jay missed all of July and August after breaking his right forearm on a pitch thrown by the Nationals Gio Gonzalez. Jay batted.300 in 105 games as a Cardinals rookie in He hit a career-high.305 in 2012, finishing 10th in the National League. He also posted a.303 average in In 112 big-league at-bats last season, Almora hit.277 with three home runs and posted a.763 OPS. In 80 games at Triple-A Iowa last season, he hit.303 with 43 RBI and stole 10 bases. Chicago Sun-Times Trump taps Cubs Todd Ricketts for Deputy Commerce post By Lynn Sweet WASHINGTON President-elect Donald Trump named key players on his economic team on Wednesday, including tapping Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts to be Deputy Secretary of Commerce. The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week that Ricketts was in line to take on the number two spot in the Commerce Department. Ricketts, who oversees the political operations of the GOP wing of the Ricketts, led an anti-trump effort during the Republican primary season. Once it was clear Trump would be the nominee, the GOP side of the Ricketts family led a Super PAC drive to help elect him. Trump also announced he intends to nominate Steve Mnuchin, his campaign finance chair, as Treasury Secretary and business executive Wilbur Ross to be the Commerce Secretary. In a statement Trump noted the Cubs World Series win, saying Ricketts is an immensely successful businessman with unparalleled knowledge of the finance industry.

3 As Deputy Commerce Secretary he will help us cut waste and streamline government so that it works for the people of America. The incredible job he and the Ricketts family did in the purchase and turnaround of the Chicago Cubs one perfect step after another, leading to the World Championship, is what I want representing our people. I am very proud to have him on our team. Ricketts said in a statement, I am honored that President-elect Donald J. Trump has asked me to serve our country at this critical juncture in our history. Advancing practical policies that promote economic opportunity is critical to making America great again. I m eager to begin this important work and serving with Wilbur Ross to implement President-elect Trump s economic agenda, which will improve the lives of all Americans. From the statement from the Trump transition team: Ricketts is committed to promoting the values of fiscal responsibility and educating taxpayers on wasteful and excessive government spending. He is the son of Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts and has years of hands-on experience in the finance industry. Like President-elect Trump, Mr. Ricketts will use this knowledge to fix the broken Washington D.C. system, keep jobs in the United States and spur job growth. Daily Herald Jay joins Chicago Cubs, figures to replace Fowler By Bruce Miles The Chicago Cubs are quite familiar with outfielder Jon Jay, having seen him regularly when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals from On Tuesday, the Cubs made Jay one of their own, signing him to a one-year, $8 million contract. The move easily can be read that the Cubs are prepared to move on from center fielder Dexter Fowler, as Jay's primary position is center. Fowler, the Cubs' spark plug from the leadoff spot the past two seasons, is a free agent again this winter, and he's looking to cash in on the Cubs winning the 2016 World Series. Jay, who turns 32 in March, played this past season with the San Diego Padres, putting up a line of.291/.339/.389 with 2 home runs and 26 RBI in 90 games. He suffered a broken right forearm in June when hit by a pitch. For his career, Jay has a batting line of.287/.352/.384 with 31 homers and 252 RBI. He was a member of the Cardinals' 2011 world-championship team, and his.996 fielding percentage in center field is the highest of any active player at the position with at least 500 games there. Jay, who bats and throws left-handed, could share time in center with Albert Almora, a former first-round draft pick who came up this year and made a positive impression on the Cubs and made the postseason roster. It will be a tall order to replace Fowler, who put up a line of.276/.393/.447 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI this year. Fowler hit 1 home run in the National League championship series against the Dodgers and 2 against Cleveland in the World Series, one leading off Game 7. Fowler was a free agent last off-season, but he wound up re-signing with the Cubs in the early days of spring training after a deal with the Baltimore Orioles fell through. Daily Herald Imrem: If White Sox won't deal with Cubs, they are fools By Mike Imrem

4 So, the bulletin on a slow news day this week was that the White Sox won't consider making a trade with the Cubs. That's what ESPN's Buster Olney reported and he's a reasonable, reliable, respected baseball journalist. If the Sox insist on trading Sale which they shouldn't do, by the way they'd be foolish not to consider a proposal from the Cubs. First, let's acknowledge that this is the offseason and reporters need something to report. Every rumor enjoys its 15 minutes of credibility no, make it less than 15 seconds of credibility. By the time baseball's winter meetings arrive next week, breathless news flashes will have Sale already gone to the Marlins, Dodgers or New England Patriots, or to all of them at once. In return the Sox will have received oceanfront property in Miami Beach, Meryl Streep's dialect coach or a package that includes Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Elizabeth Warren. Baseball's goofy season is beginning and it's only natural to address the Sox-Cubs report. A couple months ago it would have been OK for the Sox to dismiss an opportunity to deal with the Cubs. The club on the North Side hadn't won anything yet not a pennant, not a World Series, not anything significant. The club on the South Side could rationalize declining to help the Cubs kill the curse. Now that's no longer applicable. The landscape has changed. The Cubs have had their parade. It doesn't matter anymore whether the Sox deliver a player who could help the Cubs win their next championship. What matters is that the Cubs can deliver players that could help the Sox win their next championship. Maybe the trade would work out for both teams and they'll meet in the World Series. The Commissioner's Trophy that the Sox won 11 years ago is an antique compared to the one the Cubs won four weeks ago. It's the Sox's turn to seize bragging rights back from the Cubs by acquiring championship-caliber players. If that requires dealing Chris Sale to the Cubs, so be it. The Sox have only themselves to blame for being in this precarious position. "Themselves" means Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, vice president Kenny Williams and general manager Rick Hahn. Together they have allowed the Sox to rot from the inside out and from the minor leagues up. Tim Anderson's emergence at shortstop notwithstanding, the Sox have been delinquent in developing position players capable of contending for World Series titles. Now if the Sox want to win another championship in the worst way, so what if helping the Cubs win another would be the worst way? The Sox can't be picky: If the Cubs offer the best return for Chris Sale, the Sox should accept it. What kind of players are we talking about? Maybe a Javier Baez. Maybe a Jorge Soler. Maybe an Albert Almora Jr. Maybe a combination of them and some others just now ready to be promoted from the Cubs' minor-league system.

5 Another national report stated that the Sox are asking for a huge package in quantity and quality for Sale. Not many trade partners can afford him. The Cubs can. The White Sox can't afford to ignore them. Heck, the Cubs might even throw in the Shake Shack expected to open in Wrigleyville in a few years. Cubs.com Cubs sign outfielder Jay to 1-year contract By Adam McCalvy With incumbent center fielder Dexter Fowler weighing his options in free agency, the Cubs on Tuesday plucked another player off the open market, agreeing with veteran Jon Jay on a one-year contract worth $8 million. Jay, 32 in March and coming off a season with the Padres shortened by a broken right arm, gives the Cubs yet another versatile defender in a deep outfield corps. At the moment, the Cubs have Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber available for left field, Gold Glover Jason Heyward in right, Jorge Soler and Ben Zobrist for either corner spot and Albert Almora Jr. and Jay in center. It marks the second straight offseason that the Cubs have signed a former Cardinals outfielder in an apparent parting of ways with Fowler. But the Heyward splash last winter did not spell the end of Fowler's Cubs career; instead, he returned to the team during Spring Training on a surprise one-year contract, and went on to post a.393 on-base percentage that ranked sixth in the National League. Jay, meanwhile, spent 2016 with the Padres after the Cardinals traded him following six seasons in St. Louis. Jay was hitting.296/.345/.407 for San Diego before suffering a fractured right forearm on a hit-by-pitch on June 28, and did not return until September. In his seven Major League seasons, Jay is a.287/.352/.384 hitter. He can play all three outfield positions and is considered an above-average defensive center fielder, with a.995 fielding percentage overall that ties Jacoby Ellsbury for the best mark among active outfielders. Jay is a left-handed hitter. Almora, the 22-year-old former first-round Draft pick who reached the Major Leagues for the first time in 2016, bats right-handed, opening the possibility of a platoon. Cubs.com Baez reportedly to play for Puerto Rico at Classic By David Adler Cubs infielder Javier Baez plans to play for Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday. MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi had reported on Monday that Baez was expected to play in the tournament. World Baseball Classic rosters are not yet official. The 23-year-old Baez was born in Puerto Rico before moving to Florida when he was 12 years old. Puerto Rico is one of the four teams in Pool D of the World Baseball Classic, along with Mexico, Venezuela and Italy. Pool D begins play on March 9 in Jalisco, Mexico. Other Major Leaguers expected to play for Puerto Rico include Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, who faced Baez in the World Series, and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who has played in every World Baseball Classic.

6 Cubs.com One year made big difference for Montgomery By Greg Johns SEATTLE A lot can happen in the course of a baseball season. Just ask Mike Montgomery, who came to Spring Training with the Mariners in 2016 out of Minor League options and a long shot to land a spot on the 25-man roster... yet he found himself on the mound recording the final out and picking up his first career save in the Cubs' dramatic 8-7 victory over the Indians in Game 7 of the World Series. Among the myriad of amazing stories surrounding the Cubs as they won their first title in 108 years, Montgomery cast his own unique tale. The 27-year-old left-hander had never pitched in relief until it became apparent last spring that his path with the Mariners was blocked by six starters ahead of him on the depth chart. "In Spring Training, I was just trying to prove I belonged in the big leagues," Montgomery said. "It's amazing how one year can change things that way. It's unexpected, which makes it even better. I really loved Seattle. I was shocked when I got traded. I enjoyed being there and I was rooting for those guys to get to the World Series, too. "I didn't realize what I was getting into here [in Chicago]. It was a little tough at first. We went to Milwaukee and I gave up a homer to the first batter I faced. What are the chances? Fans were all on me the next day and I was like, 'Wow, this is almost a different world I'm getting into.'" Montgomery flashed considerable potential a year earlier with back-to-back shutouts during a midseason stint with Seattle, but he ended 2015 at Triple-A Tacoma and didn't earn a September callup after going 4-6 with a 4.60 ERA in 16 starts for the Mariners. Knowing his situation with Seattle was tenuous, Montgomery pondered a contract offer from a team in Japan and was told he had one day to decide his future before choosing to give MLB his best shot one last time. "With the new front office and everything, I was really excited," Montgomery said. "In spring, they didn't know what to expect from me, but I was as good as I've ever been." Montgomery said he benefited greatly from his time with new Mariners pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., as well as bullpen coach Mike Hampton and manager Scott Servais. "I remember Mel telling me, 'You have a swing-and-miss breaking ball,'" he said. "I was like, 'I'm more fastball.' But they said, trust us, we've seen a lot of baseball. They just couldn't find a spot for me in the rotation, but I knew there was no way they couldn't find a spot for me somewhere." When the Mariners moved him to the bullpen, Montgomery pitched extremely well posting a 2.34 ERA in 32 outings, including a pair of spot starts around the All-Star break before general manager Jerry Dipoto took advantage of Montgomery's growing reputation to trade him to the Cubs on July 20 along with right-hander Jordan Pries for well-regarded first-base prospect Daniel Vogelbach and 22-year-old right-hander Paul Blackburn. Montgomery picked up where he left off with the Cubs, compiling a 2.82 ERA in 17 appearances, including five starts, then was 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA over 14 1/3 innings in 11 playoff outings. The biggest, of course, was the World Series finale after the Cubs had gone through starter Kyle Hendricks, ace Jon Lester and closer Aroldis Chapman, not to mention a 17-minute rain delay before scoring twice in the top of the 10th.

7 Manager Joe Maddon called on right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. to start the inning and the rookie got two outs, then gave up a walk, a stolen base and run-scoring single before Montgomery was brought in to face switch-hitting Michael Martinez. And all it took was two sweeping curveballs the first a called strike and the second producing a weak grounder to third baseman Kris Bryant for Montgomery to etch his place in one of baseball's biggest moments in history as the Cubs ended their title drought. "I actually felt terrible warming up," Montgomery said. "I'd thrown the day before and that time of year, you're not feeling necessarily fresh. I couldn't throw a strike in the bullpen. But I just knew I had to throw a curveball in the zone and that's all I had to worry about. "When he hit it, I thought it'd be an infield it. I didn't know where K.B. was playing. I thought he might be back. Then it hit me that we'd won. It was kind of a blur. I remember it, but it's crazy." What would be even more crazy? "I've had fans from Seattle tell me they felt a part of it to see me pitch in the playoffs," Montgomery said. "I really enjoyed my time with the Mariners, so it's cool that people can feel part of it in some way. They've got a good team there. "Maybe next year we'll see them in the World Series," he said. "That would be awesome." ESPNChicago.com Cubs bring aboard OF Jon Jay By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO The Cubs have signed outfielder Jon Jay to a one-year, $8 million contract, the team announced Tuesday. The 31-year-old is a career.287 hitter with a.352 on-base percentage. He has played most of his career with the Cardinals but spent 2016 with the Padres, hitting.291 in 347 at-bats. Jay owns the highest fielding percentage (.996) of any active center fielder and provides a left-handed complement to rookie righty Albert Almora Jr., who's also known as a defensive whiz. The Cubs and Jay began talking about a deal at the GM meetings days after the World Series as the team stressed the need for the right fit in the clubhouse. "One of the things that I respected is that the Cubs made it clear they are careful about the players they go after and recruit," Jay's agent, Nez Balelo, told ESPN. "The Cubs have built a chemistry over the past two seasons they believe has helped them evolve into a winner.i believe Jon Jay checked all of their boxes." The signing could mark the end of Dexter Fowler's career in Chicago. The free-agent outfielder is expected to receive a multiyear deal elsewhere. Jay, meanwhile, joins Almora, Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Jorge Soler, the holdovers from a Cubs outfield that won the World Series. Zobrist moved to the outfield when Javier Baez took over at second base down the stretch. One or more of the above-mentioned players could be on the move before the end of the winter as the Cubs continue to search for young, controllable pitching.

8 CSNChicago.com What The Jon Jay Deal Means For The Cubs And Dexter Fowler By Patrick Mooney The Cubs and Dexter Fowler appear to be heading in opposite directions, with the World Series champs adding Jon Jay to their outfield mix while the you go, we go leadoff guy waits to finally land that big, multiyear contract. This doesn t automatically slam the door shut on Fowler s return, a team source said Tuesday after the Cubs finalized Jay s one-year, $8 million deal. But the Cubs understand it would take something completely unexpected to bring back Fowler, the way they shocked the baseball world in spring training, days after he reportedly agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Without that $13 million investment in Fowler, it s difficult to see the Cubs winning the franchise s first World Series title in 108 years. Fowler took full advantage of the platform, earning his first All-Star selection, getting on base almost 40 percent of the time, hitting 13 homers with 25 doubles and seven triples and setting himself up for a huge payday, even with the added cost of a draft pick after the Cubs made him another qualifying offer (assuming that concept survives this round of collective bargaining). At the very least, the Cubs figure Jay will fill Chris Coghlan s role as an extra outfielder and a left-handed hitter off the bench. But the Cubs also envision Jay complementing Albert Almora Jr. in center field and being a strong veteran presence in a clubhouse that will miss retiring catcher David Ross. Almora the first player Theo Epstein s regime drafted here in 2012 shared his excitement on his Twitter account: Pumped to join the squad!!!! #MiamiBoyz. Jay, 31, also grew up in South Florida, going to the University of Miami and developing into a second-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in Jay played in 12 postseason series with the Cardinals between 2011 and 2015 and won a World Series ring before getting shipped to the San Diego Padres in the Jedd Gyorko trade last winter. Jay had surgery on his left wrist before the 2015 season and didn t look like the same player, hitting.210 and appearing in only 79 games with the Cardinals. He recovered to hit.291 for the Padres, but a broken right forearm limited him to only 90 games. If Jay can stay healthy, his.352 career on-base percentage and ability to play all three outfield positions should fit in a powerful lineup that values versatility. Jay who owns a career.996 fielding percentage in center field, the highest mark for any active player (minimum 500 games) at the position also joins a team that led the majors in defensive efficiency last season. Jay follows big-game pitcher John Lackey and Gold Glove outfielder Jason Heyward who can also play center as ex-cardinals who have left St. Louis and switched sides in the rivalry. The next chapter could even see Fowler in Cardinal red, with St. Louis believed to have some interest at the right price. Chicago Tribune Cubs prospects Eloy Jimenez, Ian Happ rank among AFL's elite By Mark Gonzales While the Cubs were in the final stages of securing their first World Series title since 1908, two prospects were making an impact for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League. Minor league outfielder Eloy Jimenez and second baseman-outfielder Ian Happ were ranked third and eighth, respectively, in a list of the league s top 20 prospects recently compiled by Baseball America.

9 Jimenez, 20, who dominated the Class-A Midwest League with a.329 batting average, 14 home runs and 81 RBIs for South Bend, batted. 255 with three home runs. Happ, the Cubs first pick in the 2015 draft, finished strong by going 4-for-4 with two home runs from each side of the plate for Mesa in the AFL championship game. Happ batted only.236 during the AFL season but had a.375 onbase percentage aided by 15 walks. Happ batted a combined.279 with 15 home runs, 73 RBIs and 16 stolen bases for Class-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Tennessee. In other player development news, former major league scout Jason Karegeannes has joined the scouting staff of the Seattle Mariners. Karegeannes worked for the Cubs for the past four seasons and previously scouted for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Chicago Tribune Cubs prepare for Dexter Fowler's departure, sign center fielder Jon Jay By Mark Gonzales With the looming likelihood free agent Dexter Fowler will land a lucrative contract elsewhere, the Cubs bought some protection for potential successor Albert Almora Jr. Tuesday night when they signed free-agent outfielder Jon Jay to a one-year contract. Jay, 31, is a lifetime.287 hitter in seven seasons with the rival Cardinals and Padres. The left-handed hitter is an exceptional defender and is expected to complement the development of Almora, 22. The right-handed hitting Almora batted.277 in 112 at-bats as a rookie and displayed flawless defense and astute baserunning skills during the Cubs' run to their first World Series title since It's believed Jay agreed to an $8 million contract, slightly more than half of what Fowler is expected to command on an annual basis in a multi-year deal. Though primarily a center fielder, Jay's versatility will give manager Joe Maddon plenty of options as well as bolster the Cubs' offense from the left side alongside Kyle Schwarber. Jay was limited to 90 games with the Padres in 2016 because of a broken right forearm suffered when Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez hit him with a pitch June 19. Jay returned Sept. 6 and finished the season with a.291 batting average. Jay has a lifetime.352 on-base percentage and has spent most of his career batting in the top two spots in the order. Jay has hit higher than.290 in five of his seven seasons, including a career-best.305 mark in 2012 with the Cardinals. Jay batted.297 with 24 doubles and 10 home runs in a career-high 159 games in helping lead the Cardinals to their last World Series title in Although Fowler played exceptionally well in center, Jay's defense represents an upgrade. Jay has a lifetime.996 fielding percentage in center the highest mark for any active player (with a minimum of 500 games) at that position. Jay's.995 fielding percentage at all three outfield positions ties Jacoby Ellsbury for the best percentage mark among active outfielders. His lifetime.344 on-base percentage at the leadoff spot is well below Fowler's.367 lifetime mark there.

10 After being limited to only 79 games and batting.210 in 2015 because of a left wrist stress reaction, Jay was traded to the Padres for infielder Jedd Gyorko last December. The addition of Jay adds depth to the Cubs outfield and could enhance their chances of acquiring a young starting pitcher with outfielder Jorge Soler as a likely trade candidate as well as perhaps Matt Szczur, who attracted attention from a few teams last spring. Extra innings: The Cubs are one of several teams who contacted free-agent reliever Daniel Hudson, 29, who pitched in 70 games last season for the Diamondbacks. Infielder Javier Baez will miss a portion of spring training after committing to play for his native Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico will play in Pool D against Italy, Venezuela and host Mexico in Jalisco on March Chicago Tribune Cubs are in contact with free-agent reliever Daniel Hudson By Mark Gonzales The Cubs' wide net of potential relief additions includes free agent Daniel Hudson. The Cubs are one of several teams that has reached out to Hudson, 29, who has pitched in 134 games the past two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hudson, however, has a 4.68 ERA since becoming a reliever exclusively after his second Tommy John surgery in Hudson posted a record and 3.49 ERA in 222 innings with the Diamondbacks in 2011 but was shut down after nine starts in 2012 and underwent elbow surgery. Chicago Tribune Cubs' Javier Baez to play for Puerto Rico in World Baseball Classic By Mark Gonzales Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez will miss a portion of spring training, but his excuse is legitimate. Baez will play for Team Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, a source confirmed Tuesday. Baez, who turns 24 on Thursday, was born in Puerto Rico before moving to Florida as a 12-year-old. He's expected to play with longtime friend and Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, and St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Puerto Rico will play in Pool D against the likes of Venezuela, Italy and host Mexico. Pool D play will be held March 9-13 at Jalisco.