We’d scarcely done our 40-man preview, but the Chicago Cubs are ever ready with their moves, getting them in and announced before the deadline:
#Cubs today selected the contracts of INF Jeimer Candelario, C Willson Contreras, RHP Pierce Johnson & INF Dan Vogelbach.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) November 21, 2015
Those four seemed like no-brainers, though I admit I thought that they would trade Dan Vogelbach before now, but even as a rostered player he can still be traded later on anyway. Corey Black is a notable omission, and it remains to be seen whether he can sneak through the Rule 5 Draft…I think a team on the mend (and there are plenty) will try to hold on to him the entire year, and with his stuff, he’s probably as good as gone.
There was another move as well:
#Cubs today acquired RHP Spencer Patton from the Rangers for minor league INF Frandy Delarosa. pic.twitter.com/K20hjuAvsI
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) November 20, 2015
This is about as minor as you can get with trades, because I’d never heard of Frandy Delarosa before today. But this speaks to what the Cubs are trying to do with their bullpen, attacking the problem with depth and volume rather than spending a fortune on, say, Darren O’Day (at least for now). The 40-man roster should be at 37 now, though the newly-rostered minor leaguers haven’t been added to the site yet. That leaves 3 spots for new trades and acquisitions via free agency or the Rule 5 Draft, barring additional moves before the Winter Meetings.
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