It’s been known for almost a week that the Cubs had dropped off the pace on the Brandon Webb sweepstakes.
It was made official today.
Webb was signed by the Rangers. I’ve held off on saying anything here until I saw what the contract was.
I thought it was a good idea for the Cubs to sign Webb at the right price and I felt that price was about $4 million plus incentives for one year. That was something the Cubs should easily be able to afford and had little risk associated with it.
As the Cubs fell out of the chase last week, I assumed it was either because the price tag had gotten too high or that the Cubs’ doctors had thrown up a couple of warning flags making the Cubs shy away from the former D-Backs ace.
Well, all I have to say after seeing what the Rangers were paying Webb is that it had better be due to medical issues that the Cubs were eliminated. The Rangers are paying Webb $3 million plus incentives to play in 2011.
If the Cubs weren’t the ones that backed off this pursuit and it was Webb that turned them down, then the Cubs have some serious issues.
If they weren’t willing/able to offer Webb $3 million for 2011, it shows that this team is in a much more serious financial bind than we think they are.
If the Cubs actually did offer him that much or more and Webb turned them down, we have to start to think about why.
Poor player facilities to help as Webb rehabs?
An unproven pitching coach?
An unknown entity as manager?
So now a number of questions remain as we are a month and a half away from pitchers and catchers reporting.
Will the Cubs make an attempt to sign anyone else?
Can Fukudome and Silva be moved?
If the answer is ‘no’ to these two questions, the roster is pretty close to being set…and it looks pretty depressing.
