Cubs News & Notes – 12/3/16: Cubs Tender Contracts, Sign Lefty Reliever, Pat Hughes Radio CD

This time of year is always busy with lots of family activities. The normal things, like traveling for Thanksgiving, attending Holiday parties, Christmas and Hanukah planning, are the norm. This year, we’re adding in school tours  to figure out, what feels like, our kids’ entire future and today we’re going to get family pictures taken. So, I’m trying to get this post in before I have to leave in about 30 minutes. Sorry if it’s brief.

  • The Cubs tendered contracts to four arbitration-eligible players yesterday. The players, and their estimated salaries, are Jake Arrieta ($16.8 million), Hector Rondon ($5.7 million), Pedro Strop ($5.5 million), and Justin Grimm ($1.8 million). No surprises, as we fully expected all of these players to return to the Cubs roster next year. There’s a cool read over at MLB Trade Rumors that talks about the surprisingly accurate salary projection calculations for arbitration eligible players, as well as lists all the MLB players that were eligible for arbitration.

  • The Cubs signed LHP Brian Duensing to a one-year $2 million contract. Duensing is a possible replacement option for Travis Wood, who’s expected to sign elsewhere as a free agent. Duensing played with the Orioles last season but only pitched in 13.1 innings due to mid-season surgery to his left elbow. It’s not a risky play by the Cubs and he may not even make the active roster. He remains a low-risk option to eat up some innings should he bounce back from his injury last season.

  • The Score 670 has released a really cool audio CD just in time for Christmas. It’s called “The Chicago Cubs Win The World Series!” The Cubs Radio Story of the 2016 World Champions CD, featuring the play-by-play of Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer. It’s 70 minutes of some pretty cool radio coverage of the Cubs’ incredible 2016 season and for only $19.99, it may be the best value out there. You can buy it here.
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