Chicago Cubs weigh tendering contract to Ian Stewart – MLB News
The Chicago Cubs are exploring options and considering different moves as the deadline for the teams to decide tendering contracts to arbitration-eligible players is ending on Friday. By 10:59 pm, if the teams fail to tender a contract, the players become free agents.
One of the names that prominently figured out on Thursday, November 29, was that of Ian Stewart. He had surgery on his left wrist, prompting the decision to sideline him. He could only appear in 55 games.
The news that surfaced earlier this week was on the light baseball activities of the player; suggesting he has recovered and may start playing. As Spring Training is around the corner, his fitness level will be clear if the Cubs decide to tender him a contract.
A quick look at his record in 55 games shows that he had .201 batting average. While statistically it could improve or further decline, his surgery did not allow any of the prospects to materialise. Thus, what the Cubs decide now will be an interesting course of action.
Interesting because the Cubs are currently in the building phase and want to come up with a combination that is both effective and aggressive. The downward spiral witnessed last year, losing 101 games, is to be avoided this time round.
There are other options as well for the Cubs to get third-base players. The prospects in the system include the likes of Junior Lake and Josh Vitters. Christian Villanueva and Jeimer Candelario are other names that have popped up.
As to what the Cubs are thinking at the moment is unclear. The Cubs' general manager Jed Hoyer, however, had earlier talked about making a decision by the end of this week.
"There's a decision to be made at the end of the week," Hoyer said Tuesday. "We've had a good dialogue with Ian and Larry Reynolds, his agent, and we'll continue to do that for the next three or four days."
Whether he becomes a free agent or tendered a contract will be made public before the deadline. Based on his experience, though, he stands a good chance to get back to the roster.
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