The Cubs have designated Bryan LaHair for assignment, according to a club press release.  The team and LaHair are "pursuing an opportunity" for LaHair to sign with a Japanese team.

doughboy981 wrote: From mlbtr.com

The Cubs have designated Bryan LaHair for assignment, according to a club press release.  The team and LaHair are "pursuing an opportunity" for LaHair to sign with a Japanese team.

Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#dSFWIzoxSwJ6O2Ca.99

Good for LaHair.  He'll make good money immediately, and may be able to play for many years and set him and his family up for life.  I hope he tears it up in Japan.  It was a great story, but it's a shame LaHair couldn't adjust.  Still, his run early in the year was the most exciting part of the Cubs season for me.

PorkChopExpress12 wrote:

Maybe he go after Matt Murton's hit records there.

Grandpaboy1967 wrote: Here's a good trivia question:  How many guys have been selected for an All-Star game and DFA'd in the same calendar year?  If this isn't a first, it has to be one of a very few...

So, according to ESPN, the Cubs received $950k in LaHair signing with the Softbank Hawks.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/8662631/ ex-chicago-cubs-infielder-bryan-lahair-signs-japan -softbank

It sounded like the Cubs dropped LaHair from their 40-man roster and then he signed with the Hawks. Why did the Hawks have to pay the Cubs anything? Was that part of the arranged DFA deal? If so, brilliant move by the Cubs...basically getting $1M for a guy they had no place for and sending him to a place where (1)LaHair will get paid more than he possibly could in MLB and (2)he doesn't end up signing with the Cardinals or Brewers and proceed to be a thorn in our side for years as he miraculously learns how to hit lefties...

SportsGoblin wrote:

So, according to ESPN, the Cubs received $950k in LaHair signing with the Softbank Hawks.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/8662631/ ex-chicago-cubs-infielder-bryan-lahair-signs-japan -softbank

It sounded like the Cubs dropped LaHair from their 40-man roster and then he signed with the Hawks. Why did the Hawks have to pay the Cubs anything? Was that part of the arranged DFA deal? If so, brilliant move by the Cubs...basically getting $1M for a guy they had no place for and sending him to a place where (1)LaHair will get paid more than he possibly could in MLB and (2)he doesn't end up signing with the Cardinals or Brewers and proceed to be a thorn in our side for years as he miraculously learns how to hit lefties...

mindbodyspirit wrote: I wish LaHair the best in Japan. Hopefully, he will improve his hitting from both sides.

In terms of impact, it takes away a legit back-up first baseman from the roster (we do not have any in-house options as a replacement). While I know we are VERY early in the post-season, and it does save a little money, it adds another "need" to Theo/Hoyer's growing shopping list. If we were the Royals, I would congratulate the brass on the savings; however, we are the 3rd largest market team in baseball. I do not expect this move to be a "positive" for the organization (as the 'savings' adds nothing to our ability to sign any additional prospects under the new collective bargaining agreement, nor does it make us "better" in any way--LaHair wasn't blocking anyone). Now we'll be looking at the bargain bin for a 1st baseman/OF or 1st baseman/3rd baseman, likely who will cost a similar salary to LaHair's (or more, if we can't find a purged young reject worthy of the uniform...).

At the end of the day, the only one who benefitted from the move is LaHair--who gets a healthy raise, gets to learn a new culture, and likely will lose a LOT less in 2013.