2022 Free Agency

[MDB111™]

Was Villar accused of juicing when he was with Milwaukee? Or am I thinking of someone else?

 

[Diehardfan]

Eric Thames

 

[CSF77]

Cubs In Discussions With Drew Smyly​

By Anthony Franco | March 18, 2022 at 3:55pm CDT

The Cubs are “deep in discussions” with free agent Drew Smyly, reports Bruce Levine of 670 The Score (on Twitter). If a deal were to get across the finish line, it’d technically mark Smyly’s second stint as a Cub. The left-hander signed with Chicago over the 2017-18 offseason, but he missed the entire season due to injury and was traded to the Rangers the following winter.
Smyly has bounced between four clubs in the three years since. He split the 2019 campaign between Texas and Philadelphia. After a terrible start to the year with the Rangers, he bounced back to provide the Phils with capable back-of-the-rotation production. The Giants signed Smyly that winter, and while he only worked 26 1/3 innings during the shortened schedule, he struck out an incredible 37.8% of opposing hitters.
That small-sample performance intrigued the Braves enough they rolled the dice on an $11MM guarantee for Smyly last offseason. He didn’t sustain the huge spike in whiffs, though, as his strikeout rate fell to a slightly below-average 21.4% mark. That was much more in line with his career rate, and Smyly struggled to keep the ball in the yard en route to a 4.48 ERA. He did make 29 appearances (including 23 starts) for the World Series champs, absorbing 126 2/3 innings.
There hasn’t been much buzz since Smyly hit the open market this time around, but he’s one of the more accomplished arms remaining in a free agent rotation class that has thinned out. The 32-year-old owns a 4.18 ERA in 837 1/3 innings over parts of eight big league seasons. He’s a generally productive back-end starter who has shown flashes of mid-rotation or better upside during his career. The Cubs don’t have a ton of certainty in the rotation beyond the top trio of Marcus Stroman, Kyle Hendricks and Wade Miley — particularly with righty Adbert Alzolay missing at least the first two months of the season.

 

[CSF77]

Off the board

Tigers Sign Michael Pineda

March 19: The Tigers have officially announced the deal with a press release. Pineda may be delayed in joining the …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[CSF77]

5.5M. I have no clue what Jed is doing targeting Smyly. He could have gone after both with that signing...

He must love Mills because Adbert is out til June.

No clue.

 

[CSF77]

Philly just went F-Def. Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to add to another butcher ie Hoskins.

new error record incoming.

 

[TL1961]

Well, it's time we just accept our fate as fans of a small market team. With an owner who is scraping to get by and struggling to put food on the table, we can't expect to compete with big market teams such as Minneapolis.

 

[CSF77]

Well, it's time we just accept our fate as fans of a small market team. With an owner who is scraping to get by and struggling to put food on the table, we can't expect to compete with big market teams such as Minneapolis.

Not that bad. They went over 150M. If Jed gets Smyly then closer to 160M.

The good on this:

He didn't flat tank this year. He added two plus players.

He has Marquez and Davis pending this year. They might factor before the leaves turn yellow.

So all in all it is a transition team. If they start looking like a pretender Jed will have resources to deal from in Payroll and prospect depth.

If they tank then he has trade chips to sell.

So ya it is not a shitty off season. He could have done nothing and bank on the farm not imploding.

 

[CSF77]

Done deal. About to he same deal Pedina got.

Cubs To Sign Drew Smyly

The Cubs and starter Drew Smyly are in agreement on a one-year contract with a mutual option for a second year. …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[CSF77]

So now

Stroman
Hendricks
Miley
Mills
Smyly

I wouldn't expect to see Alzolay this year. So I am forgetting him.

Marquez should be the next man up.

I'm ok with 3 lefties

 

[MDB111™]

Eric Thames

yup, That's who I was thinkin of. Thanks.

 

[CSF77]

It was 2019 apparently…but we couldn’t acquire villar because we would of kept playing time away from such great players like russell, descalso, Happ, and bote ???

As the song goes.

 

[JP Hochbaum]

It makes sense that the Cubs didn't go after a top FA target. With the new CB agreement Correa would ave also cost $20 million in international signings and a draft pick. From a cost benefit analysis I could see how Jed thought adding Correa wasn't a guarantee for success this season. Mostly because our issue is starting pitching and Correa doesn't help that.

We still have the trade market through, and as of now the Cubs have to trim their roster down from 47-40 guys. So Expect some margin type moves to fill out the rotation, and/or trading away some prospects for a young controllable arm.

I don't think that just because FA is done, that it means the Cubs are done. They wouldn't spend $160 million to be a 75-80 win team, that doesn't make financial sense.

 

[CSF77]

It makes sense that the Cubs didn't go after a top FA target. With the new CB agreement Correa would ave also cost $20 million in international signings and a draft pick. From a cost benefit analysis I could see how Jed thought adding Correa wasn't a guarantee for success this season. Mostly because our issue is starting pitching and Correa doesn't help that.

We still have the trade market through, and as of now the Cubs have to trim their roster down from 47-40 guys. So Expect some margin type moves to fill out the rotation, and/or trading away some prospects for a young controllable arm.

I don't think that just because FA is done, that it means the Cubs are done. They wouldn't spend $160 million to be a 75-80 win team, that doesn't make financial sense.

I doubt Correa was ever a thing. It was hype.

As far as the current squad goes. Well I could see the ink dry until July. Fact that they are fighting over 2 mil on Contreras is a huge arrow pointing to done until the deadline.

Baseball is more of a season will dictate decisions. The off-season is more build up depth to be able to make it through the season

So as of right now. Yep I see it as a done deal.

Most likely:

Madrigal 2B
Heyward CF
Suzuki RF
Happ DH/LF as he gets closer to 100%
Schwindel 1B
Contreras C
Wisdom 3B
Frazier/Ortega LF
Hoerner SS

We have not seen Suzuki, Simmons or Villar in games yet. So as of now Suzuki should get the nod due to $$$. Other two would have to get busy.

Mid season Davis should be set and I can see Ross being forced to make a spot. Again this will come down to production and are they competitive or not.

So the season should make the decisions. GM and manager pretty much have to react to issues and manage playing time.

It should work out. Heyward might do better than expected hitting #2. His SO:BB don't suck at all. Having a solid OBA in front and behind might pump up his value again.

 

[CSF77]

Simmons got in yesterday as the DH. Today Suzuki is making his debut.