Cubs Close to Signing Lim Chang-Yong?

[Yagyu+]

NPB Tracker data on the new pitcher. Kind of a fun velocity chart.

Some confirmation that it's a two-year deal:

Lim, 36, left for the U.S. Thursday to sign the two-year contract. He said the deal is a split contract worth up to US$5 million, with different salary rates for the time he spends in the majors compared to while he is in the minors.

...

"The Cubs expect to see me back on the field in 2014, rather than next year," Lim said. "Once the deal is signed, I will move to Arizona, where the Cubs operate a rehab center. My goal is to continue to rehab and get back on the mound by mid to late season next year."

...

Park Yoo-hyun, Lim's agent, said the Cubs have been the most "active" suitor of Lim since September and the team laid out detailed plans to help Lim's rehab. He also said other teams had offered more money than the Cubs, but the Chicago team said it would put a Korean interpreter and Lim's personal trainer on the payroll.

[homestarunner93]

Are there any Americans left on this team?

We need a few more John Smiths on our team.



I don't really get this. You sign a 36 year old just to watch him rehab for a year and hope you get something out of a 37 year old coming off of TJ, coming to MLB for the first time? Sounds ridiculous to me.

[StrandedCub]

Nakajima owns a career .310/.381/.474 line in Japan with 319 BBs/609 Ks in 3576 PAs. 104 HRs, 13 3Bs, 180 2B, 514 RBIs, and 474 RS.

Coming off a .311/.381/.451 (567 PAs) season at age 29 with 29 2Bs, 13 HRs, 1 3B, 52 BB, 72 Ks...

Wouldn't mind taking a shot on him.

[StrandedCub]

We need a few more John Smiths on our team.



I don't really get this. You sign a 36 year old just to watch him rehab for a year and hope you get something out of a 37 year old coming off of TJ, coming to MLB for the first time? Sounds ridiculous to me.

There were 5 other teams interested in him and some of them were offering more money so obviously people see something in this guy. I really don't see how this signing could bother anybody. It's almost purely an upside signing.

[hoosiercubsfan]

There were 5 other teams interested in him and some of them were offering more money so obviously people see something in this guy. I really don't see how this signing could bother anybody. It's almost purely an upside signing.

That is how I see it. Your looking at max $2.5M a year for this guy. Chump change when your talking about the Cubs payroll. If he doesn't pan out your not out anything though if he does you have him for relatively cheap.

[WOwolfOL]

I am dying to see a 95 sidearmer with tail. I wanna see someone like Holliday falling to his knees flailing at that ish.

[Crusader]

I am dying to see a 95 sidearmer with tail. I wanna see someone like Holliday falling to his knees flailing at that ish.

Impressive he can continue to throw such heat at 36. Good for him.

[KyleJRM]

MLB roster rules are crazy complicated, but it seems like he will have to take up a 40-man spot this offseason until the 60-day DL kicks in. That's at least a small annoyance.

[KyleJRM]

Impressive he can continue to throw such heat at 36. Good for him.

It seems like those velocity reports are outdated. The link earlier showing velocity charts has him steadily declining for the last few years and down to 88 MPH last season.

[Crusader]

It seems like those velocity reports are outdated. The link earlier showing velocity charts has him steadily declining for the last few years and down to 88 MPH last season.

Well, that makes more sense, but that still isn't terrible for a side-armer.

[terencem]

MLB roster rules are crazy complicated, but it seems like he will have to take up a 40-man spot this offseason until the 60-day DL kicks in. That's at least a small annoyance.

Shouldn't the split deal cover that since it's a minor league deal at first? If I understand it, correctly...

[BUD Bleachers]

Another reclamation arm project, only this time it's Gangnam style.

I'm stoked! Gonna have me some kimchi tonight.

Gotta love the McCaskeys, er Ricketts.

[homestarunner93]

There were 5 other teams interested in him and some of them were offering more money so obviously people see something in this guy. I really don't see how this signing could bother anybody. It's almost purely an upside signing.

I'm tired of hearing this ****. Signing every flawed, below average/average baseball player across the planet for a decent deal is not a good thing. We should quit wasting money on players like this, and sign someone of consequence.

[hawkeyefootball]

Another reclamation arm project, only this time it's Gangnam style.

I'm stoked! Gonna have me some kimchi tonight.

Gotta love the McCaskeys, er Ricketts.

Racism!

[KyleJRM]

Shouldn't the split deal cover that since it's a minor league deal at first? If I understand it, correctly...

If I'm reading the rules posted correctly on TCR, split deals are classified as "major league contracts."