Bleacher Bums Forum

Going over the Lux tax line the first time is not much of a problem, other than the loss of IFA money.  But going over the second year in a row gets extremely expensive, and going over it for the third year in a row can be devestating.  That is why both the Dodgers and the Yankees, who have more money than God, trim their salary in the third year.

Since almost all teams avoid going over it three times in a row, then it makes sense to hold back on that first year until it is worth while.  Why waste that first year when you will have no reasonable chance to be a top tier team?  You then have only two years at best before you have to cut back substantially.  That is a big problem if your goal is to be a top tier team over a longer period of time.

Now he has an opportunity to decline the outright assignment and elect free agency.

Kay DFA’d, can Julian Merryweather be far behind?  Seems like most of these waiver grabs end up guys the Cubs try and sneak through waivers themselves eventually.

Isn’t Julian Merryweather the name of the guy on the Monopoly box?

...The Cubs have had a good track record of salvaging relievers and flipping them at the deadline.  ... 

This is true. But I think Hoyer is in a different place this round, and can't do it like he did before.  We remember the hits, but don't remember Daniel Norris and Jesse Chavez (last year) or Rex Brothers, Daniel Workman, Dan Winkler, and Alec Mills being given roster-spots two years ago.  We don't have the same space on the 40- or the 26-man rosters now.  Plus I think Hoyer wants to win this year, so may not wanting to be giving 2-4 spots to Norris-Workman types. 

Yeah, I think there's a big difference between the non-roster guys who you can park at Iowa, versus guys who are given big-league roster spots. 

There's probably not enough money left for even one of them [Chafin or Fullmer], let alone both.

May not be those guys.  But Hoyer has been talking bullpen since the season ended; long after Boxberger, and he continued to be referencing bullpen at convention.  I don't think he was just talking about non-rosters and waiver claims. 

Not sure who, and perhaps I'll be disappointed.  But I think he still expects to sign a non-minimum FA to a roster spot. 

He may well be able to perform as a closer, but I doubt that he can beat Estrada for the job.

I have no problem using him as a long reliever for a while, but I hate to see someone that has the ability to be a good starter wasted in the bull pen.  If he can't do it, that is fine, but I would like to see him have a legitimate trial as a starter before he hits free agency, for his sake as well as the Cubs.