2015 Cubs Offseason Discussion

[TC in Mississippi]

The best estimates I've seen have the Cubs with about $5 million left to spend if you assume the 2015 budget is $115 million. Of course this is with arbitration estimates and before any salaries are moved. There's probably a little flexibility there if they need it.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Cubs trade Justin Ruggiano for minor league pitcher Matt Brazis.

 

[TL1961]

I saw earlier that they were in discussions with Seattle.

Ruggiano didn't really have a spot, so no harm there. I guess we should expect Jonny Gomes, though not a certainty.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I saw earlier that they were in discussions with Seattle.

Ruggiano didn't really have a spot, so no harm there. I guess we should expect Jonny Gomes, though not a certainty.

Seems to be minor bidding war for Gomes so maybe not. Possibly a trade for a platoon CF.

 

[TL1961]

I'd really like to see them move some salary by trading a few pieces, as has been speculated, and make a move for a more significant piece in the OF. No, I don't have anyone specific in mind. (Other than Justin Upton, and I don't want them to pay what it would take to get him right now.)

I just feel they're "lurking" for a bigger move than Jonny Gomes. I said to expect that, but I have a feeling they may want more.

 

[CSF77]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/28344/cubs-trade-justin-ruggiano-to-seattle

 

[CSF77]

Thinking sign Gomes and cut Lake off the 40 man next.

 

[chibears55]

I'd really like to see them move some salary by trading a few pieces, as has been speculated, and make a move for a more significant piece in the OF. No, I don't have anyone specific in mind. (Other than Justin Upton, and I don't want them to pay what it would take to get him right now.)

I just feel they're "lurking" for a bigger move than Jonny Gomes. I said to expect that, but I have a feeling they may want more.

I agree..

I love that they got Lester, and they improved their rotation but I just feel incomplete with their off season.

Adding Montero and LaStella on the position side just doesn't wow me, id like to see them add 1 legit bat to the lineup. .

With Alcantara, baez, soler, and bryant when he arrives all still unsure of what their going to bring in a full major league season. . The lineup needs another legit bat to go with Rizzo and Castro to keep the offense from falling apart if the kids struggle to get going

 

[TC in Mississippi]

There might be a trade for that bat sooner rather than later but I really don't think they're going to block LF in case that Bryant needs to move there. I'm with the consensus that none of this is quite enough but without flipping the "win now" switch and trading prospects I don't see how a major piece gets added. Everything seems to point to the trade deadline to me and I don't mind that strategy, unless of course they have another horrible April which the changes already made this off season should prevent.

 

[beckdawg]

If they make a trade it's really not going to block anyone. I mean ok if they trade for Justin Upton then maybe it blocks someone but realistically I don't see that as the case and even if it were chances are they'd trade some of the players who'd be blocked. More likely let's say they go after Bourn or Crawford. Excluding the potential money differences for him and say Jackson, I think they both have 3 years left. You're probably talking about more like 1 to 1.5 years for Russell to show up. So, they can play Bryant at 3B for a year or two without real issue. At that point you'd have a year left to do something with them. Worst case they are a pretty expensive bench player. Better case is you move them on to another team who needs a short term solution and doesn't want to hit FA and multiple years to fix it.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Everything out lately says Russell will be up mid year 2015 if he's performing so that makes a logjam this year. Whether that happens or not is something we'll see but it is a concern. On the other hand CF is a need and Alcantara could fit in a super sub role.

 

[TL1961]

FWIW, Padres, who are one of the teams interested in David Ross, picked up a catcher in that trade yesterday. I haven't looked at the actual players involved, and know nothing about him, but that may take them out of things with Ross.

I still like the idea of keeping Castillo. If we do dump guys like Castillo and Travis Wood I hope they get somebody with a chance to help down the road. Castillo is too good to just give away. And Wood should have value to someone.

I know they're not getting a huge haul. But I expect Theo to not just give them away.

 

[beckdawg]

Everything out lately says Russell will be up mid year 2015 if he's performing so that makes a logjam this year. Whether that happens or not is something we'll see but it is a concern. On the other hand CF is a need and Alcantara could fit in a super sub role.

I seriously doubt the cubs or unnamed sources within the cubs are the ones saying that though about Russell. He'll be 21 this year. I could possibly see him getting a few at bats after rosters expand next season but I don't really see to what end that would be. I seriously doubt the cubs will be pushing the playoffs and need another bat. And if that's the case what's the hurry? If you're not going to promote Bryant last season after what he's done at 22 why would you promote Russell? It's frankly what made no sense to me about them promoting Baez who clearly was going to struggle(they even said so more or less) and why my mind shoots to non-obvious motives such as they wanted to see how far from being ready he truly was rather than it being "time" for him.

In my opinion I think you're realistically talking about Russell as a early season 2016 call up or in other words next year's Bryant. Obviously that's my opinion and who knows what the cubs will do. But I'd much rather see them leave someone in the minors too long than to see another Baez. I don't believe the thought that at some point you can't get better in AAA. There's always stuff you can work on.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I seriously doubt the cubs or unnamed sources within the cubs are the ones saying that though about Russell. He'll be 21 this year. I could possibly see him getting a few at bats after rosters expand next season but I don't really see to what end that would be. I seriously doubt the cubs will be pushing the playoffs and need another bat. And if that's the case what's the hurry? If you're not going to promote Bryant last season after what he's done at 22 why would you promote Russell? It's frankly what made no sense to me about them promoting Baez who clearly was going to struggle(they even said so more or less) and why my mind shoots to non-obvious motives such as they wanted to see how far from being ready he truly was rather than it being "time" for him.

In my opinion I think you're realistically talking about Russell as a early season 2016 call up or in other words next year's Bryant. Obviously that's my opinion and who knows what the cubs will do. But I'd much rather see them leave someone in the minors too long than to see another Baez. I don't believe the thought that at some point you can't get better in AAA. There's always stuff you can work on.

It may not be coming from Cubs sources. Who knows where this stuff comes from? Russell is a unique case though as this is his second call up to AAA, he was promoted in 2012 with the A's and struggled. He was also more or less penciled in as their 2015 starting SS until the trade. Hey, what happens happens. I personally only care that the Cubs are in at the deadline for the opportunity to improve for 2016.

 

[fatbeard]

Apparently the Padres are trying to decide whether or not to finalize the Kemp deal after he failed his physical with "severe" arthritis in both hips. Ouch.

 

[brett05]

Apparently the Padres are trying to decide whether or not to finalize the Kemp deal after he failed his physical with "severe" arthritis in both hips. Ouch.

Phew! Guy I wanted this offseason initially with the White Sox.

 

[TL1961]

Apparently the Padres are trying to decide whether or not to finalize the Kemp deal after he failed his physical with "severe" arthritis in both hips. Ouch.

Saw this on Twitter - the line of the day: Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Vin Scully have a combined total of three good hips, and two of them belong to Vinny.

 

[TL1961]

Let me ask this question, and duck as rocks are thrown my way: Doesn't Junior Lake have value?

Think about this for a minute. He's very fast, and can steal bases. If he had NO power, he'd be considered a bench guy for pinch running in late innings. But he wouldn't be thrown on the trash heap.

But he does have power. So he could also be a pinch hitter off the bench, albeit not the first or second guy.

But if he was on the roster for his speed, and could also be used as the occasional PH to try and get a HR when needed, wouldn't that have value over a punch and judy guy who may get you a single and can't steal anyway?

I think Lake has shown he has nowhere near the baseball acumen you would want from a guy with speed and power, and doesn't have a true defensive position. He isn't likely to win a starting spot any more. But as a bench guy, he seems worth keeping.

Am I wrong?

 

[TL1961]

Saw in Cubs Den the rumor that Red Sox were talking to another team about Allen Craig.

They don't speculate as to who that team is, but they point out that he could be a guy to fit the Cubs' needs. The $ is an issue, so they mention a possible swap for EJax or Wood.

I personally have wondered about Craig. He's a good bat when healthy, which he says he now is. If his foot is healed, he can hit. The column mentions his defense as a problem, but I can tell you from seeing him in St. Louis that he is MUCH better on D than given credit for. He's every bit as good as Coghlan, for example. Dude hits. And has experience on a winner.

I would be doing cartwheels of they traded EJax for Craig, regardless of $. I am not holding my breath, but I would love it.

 

[Mr. Cub]

Let me ask this question, and duck as rocks are thrown my way: Doesn't Junior Lake have value?

Think about this for a minute. He's very fast, and can steal bases. If he had NO power, he'd be considered a bench guy for pinch running in late innings. But he wouldn't be thrown on the trash heap.

But he does have power. So he could also be a pinch hitter off the bench, albeit not the first or second guy.

But if he was on the roster for his speed, and could also be used as the occasional PH to try and get a HR when needed, wouldn't that have value over a punch and judy guy who may get you a single and can't steal anyway?

I think Lake has shown he has nowhere near the baseball acumen you would want from a guy with speed and power, and doesn't have a true defensive position. He isn't likely to win a starting spot any more. But as a bench guy, he seems worth keeping.

Am I wrong?

I'd still like to see another round of Lake. He showed some promise his first year and then struggled last year. Hopefully this off-season ball he's been playing will help.