2015 Cubs Offseason Discussion

[beckdawg]

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

Word out of the winter league is he's walking at a far higher rate than he ever did in the minors and he's also been quite successful at stealing bases. Top end you're probably looking at 15 HRs and 30 SB or a poor mans Brett Gardner. There's frankly no reason to get rid of him at this point.

 

[CuttyMarsh2012forOffice]

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.

The Cubs season was a loss. Baez probably had bad habits, like Ks and obp, that he wasn't fixing. Cubs FO sent him up to see what skills he has and probably as a wake up call to show him how his bad habits are exploited at the MLB level. You don't understand because your used to the same dime a dozen gms that the Cubs have had, doing the same bonehead moves your whole life. Why question Theo now when every time fans have done so, he proves them wrong up to this point?

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[Boobaby1]

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.

Not sure if Boston wants to take on a bad contract like E-Jax to save themselves an extra year of payroll in the end. If they did do a trade, I would think they would be more inclined to want Castillo.

 

[CSF77]

I don't think he is a fit. He is questionable as a defender outside of 1B. Plus: 2915: 5.5 mil, 2016 9 mil, 2017 11 mil, 2018 13 mil. 4 years left on his deal.
RH bat on a team that will have Baez, Bryant, Soler.

Makes sense: Sign David Ross as Montenero's back up. There is only Liriano in the NL central as a LH SP so Castillo will get little AB's this year. Then put Castillo on the market.

LF they should go after Jonny Gomes as the RH side of the platoon. Cut Lake off of the 40 man then.

That should end the off season unless a team wants to take on E-Jax or Wood. Then they should try to shed contract vs take on bad deals.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

I don't think he is a fit. He is questionable as a defender outside of 1B. Plus: 2915: 5.5 mil, 2016 9 mil, 2017 11 mil, 2018 13 mil. 4 years left on his deal.
RH bat on a team that will have Baez, Bryant, Soler.

Makes sense: Sign David Ross as Montenero's back up. There is only Liriano in the NL central as a LH SP so Castillo will get little AB's this year. Then put Castillo on the market.

LF they should go after Jonny Gomes as the RH side of the platoon. Cut Lake off of the 40 man then.

That should end the off season unless a team wants to take on E-Jax or Wood. Then they should try to shed contract vs take on bad deals.

Yep that should end the most successful off-season we've had in years. At that point, the next move will be mid-April when Bryant gets called up. After that we'll wait till summer to see if anybody is available via trade.

Tough not to be excited about the 2015 season. Last year with Rizzo and Castro getting hurt at the end of the year, we didn't really get to see the trio of Rizzo-Castro-Soler. Plus adding Bryant into the mix and we should have four excellent offensive players -- plus Montero and hopefully an improved Baez.

Opening night will be crazy.

 

[brett05]

Why not use Ichiro for a year?

 

[fatbeard]

Why not use Ichiro for a year?

I hope someone picks him up and get has a good year, it'd be great to see a guy who broke in at 27 to get 3,000 hits and 500 SBs.

 

[brett05]

I think it would actually be a nice play for the Cubs in LF for 2015.

 

[beckdawg]

The Cubs have agreed to a two-year, $5MM deal with catcher David Ross, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. Reports emerged earlier today suggesting that the veteran was headed to the Padres, but indications are that he is in fact set to join former teammate Jon Lester in Chicago.

Not thrilled but w/e

 

[TL1961]

I think it would actually be a nice play for the Cubs in LF for 2015.

I wondered about that as well. I saw he was way down on BA and I assume OBP the last two years, but way down for Ichiro isn't as bad as many.

 

[TL1961]

Not thrilled but w/e

Crap. I thought we dodged that bullet.

As active as the Padres are, I assume they signed him and then cut him?

 

[beckdawg]

Crap. I thought we dodged that bullet.

As active as the Padres are, I assume they signed him and then cut him?

I mean it's $2.5 mil a year. He realistically might not make it out of spring training so it's not that big of a deal unless they deal Castillo

 

[TL1961]

I am not worried about the money. It seemed a foregone conclusion that Ross was coming here, and Castillo would be traded.

I can live with that, but I think Castillo may go for very little in return. I hope I am wrong.

But you have to admit, after all the time we were hearing Ross may come here, the Cubs signed him the same day we were told he was off the market. So that part is a surprise.

It's a minor deal. He'll catch 30-40 games, most of which Lester will start. I'm fine with that. It's not out of the ordinary. I just hope we get something for Beef.

 

[JimJohnson]

I mean it's $2.5 mil a year. He realistically might not make it out of spring training so it's not that big of a deal unless they deal Castillo

Hardly. He was brought in to catch Lester. Expect to see him catch for nearly all of Lester's games.

 

[Shawon0Meter]

stealing this from thecubreporter on twitter if it hasn't been mentioned...

Lester/Ross, 2013-14: 195 IP, 8.9 K/9, 2.77 ERA.
Lester/Others, 2013-14: 238 IP, 7.8 K/9, 3.37 ERA.

 

[JimJohnson]

stealing this from thecubreporter on twitter if it hasn't been mentioned...

Lester/Ross, 2013-14: 195 IP, 8.9 K/9, 2.77 ERA.
Lester/Others, 2013-14: 238 IP, 7.8 K/9, 3.37 ERA.

Do you have stats showing the runs that Lester received in support when Ross batted? Then we can compare that against the lowered ERA

 

[CuttyMarsh2012forOffice]

I hope someone picks him up and get has a good year, it'd be great to see a guy who broke in at 27 to get 3,000 hits and 500 SBs.

He is one of the top ten best ball players in mlb history. If Ichiro started five years earlier he would have the hits record along with 750 to 800 stolen bags

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[JimJohnson]

He is one of the top ten best ball players in mlb history. If Ichiro started five years earlier he would have the hits record along with 750 to 800 stolen bags

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Yea he definitely would have had the hit record. Pete Rose hit 4256 in 24 years, Ichiro has 2800+ in 14 years. Ichiro definitely would have had it.

 

[TL1961]

He is one of the top ten best ball players in mlb history. If Ichiro started five years earlier he would have the hits record along with 750 to 800 stolen bags

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WHOA!!!

Lots of hits, great D.

Nowhere close to Top 10.

 

[Shawon0Meter]

Man, I'm not a fan of Ross over Castillo at all.