Chicago Cubs acquire Gerardo Concepcion – MLB News
The free-agent left-hander Gerardo Concepcion has agreed to a $7 million contract with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, February 2.
Much of the deal hinges upon the physical that the player will have prior to the commencement of Spring Training. Concepcion became the talk of the town only recently when he left the Cuban National team.
It was in the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam where the player made the defection, sparking speculation where he will eventually land as he moved to Mexico to get his residency. In the end, it is the Cubs that have successfully acquired him to feature
in the upcoming 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
With a guaranteed contract that the player received, he will be eligible to make almost $8 million with all the incentives included in it.
“Everything is great. I really don't know how to describe it,” Concepcion, 18, said by phone from the Dominican Republic last week. “All the training and exercise I have done is paying off. I've worked so hard to get here. I'm so happy. It's like a dream
come true.”
It is worthwhile to mention that the player was the Rookie of the Year in the Cuban National Series in 2010 and 2011. The fact that he had a 3.36 ERA actually strengthened his case.
With 10 wins to his credit in the CNS, Concepcion is now a part of the Chicago Cubs. While other teams also tried to get their hands on the player, the Cubs won the bid. The team’s chairman Tom Ricketts says the club cares about the players that they sign.
Those who were bidding for the player included Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, and San Francisco Giants coupled with the Philadelphia Phillies. Now that he is part of the Chicago Cubs, the 18-year-old is all set to wreck
havoc against the rivals.
It will be interesting to see how he repeats the performance he had in the Cuban Serie Nacional with 10 wins. The Cubs will be hoping that Concepcion will be able to bring his tremendous talent and help the team during the upcoming regular season.
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