Checking in on potential free agents that the Cubs might be interested in

[ChicagoDawg1991]

Can't be any worse than Volstad

 

[Rice Cube]

Can't be any worse than Volstad

Problem is that you'll have to trade slightly more than a Carlos Zambrano to get Porcello and you're going to have to hope for a Samardzija-like transformation on top of a boost by pitching in the shitastic NL. He's young, yes, but I don't think he's worth it. Not enough strikeouts to start with.

 

[ChicagoDawg1991]

#InTheoAndJedWeTrust

 

[Kleats]

As young as possible with pitching pretty much entails Greinke and McCarthy and that's about it. Everyone else is pushing 30 or over.

The Cubs will have to pony up if they want young pitching that isn't acquired via draft, and trying to get it through trade would cause the farm to take a hit in my estimation. Options are limited.

3B and C also limited too according to the free agent list.

Yeah , I got my long haul gear on anyways and patience is my middle name .

 

[Rice Cube]

Cubs offseason outlook from MLBTR:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/10/offseason-outlook-chicago-cubs.html

 

[Rice Cube]

New nuggets:

Alfonso Soriano wants to keep playing the outfield, so the Cubs may have trouble convincing him to waive his no-trade clause to join an AL team looking for a designated hitter, reports Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. "I don't know what I could do the whole season [as a DH]. To me, playing DH is boring. You only play like half [the game]," Soriano said. "I always play defense and offense, so I'd always have to work hard on my mind, 'Now I'm an offense guy only.' "
The Cubs are likely to pursue veterans looking to rebuild value on one- or two-year contracts, opines ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine as part of a chat with fans. Levine cites Shaun Marcum, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jeff Francis, Francisco Liriano, Joe Blanton and Brandon McCarthy as types of pitchers that could interest the Cubs. Levine also discusses several other Cubs and White Sox-related topics in the all-Chicago chat.

 

[CubbyBear2290]

Take what I say with a grain of salt, but I think these are the type of moves the cubs will make this offseason to help continue doing what the cubs are doing;
1. Francisco Liriano
2. Shawn Marcum
3. Joe Blanton
4. Eric Chavez
5. Nick Swisher (pending trade of Soriano, though I know this 1 is probably the least likely)

Hear me out for a second. Liriano strikes me a Theo signing simply because the fact of the matter is he's a reclamation project and him coming to the NL could turn him around a bit, and he's still relatively young. Marcum would probably be the 2-3 starter here and hes steady to spectacular at times, very good underrated pitcher who could do wonders for this pitching staff that is going to be losing a lot of players. Chavez comes into play for the fact of the matter is that Valbuena is probably staying and Vitters was B-A-D. NO other way to put it .

After last seasons production I see Soriano getting traded as much as it pains me to say (my favorite all-time player) and Swisher would be a good signing could come on a 3-4 year deal at 10-12 a year which isn't awful in the least for a guy of his production level. Though this is the least likely move it would make sense.

Other players I could see the cubs pursuing is McCarthy, Keppinger/Freddy Sanchez and reliever such as Joakim Soria

 

[Rice Cube]

MLBTR:

The Yankees are still planning on making a qualifying offer of about $13.5MM to free agent Nick Swisher, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. However, the club will only do so in order to receive draft pick compensation and have no expectations of Swisher accepting the deal.

Given the salary and the potential loss of draft pick, forget about Nick Swisher.

 

[Rice Cube]

Heyman:

OCTOBER 20: It has been determined that qualifying offers need to be worth $13.3MM this offseason, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).

Good to know.

 

[Rice Cube]

Brief musings on McCarthy:

http://worldseriesdreaming.com/2012/10/20/early-free-agent-fantasy-the-case-for-brandon-mccarthy/

 

[dabynsky]

Nice writeup Rice.

 

[Rice Cube]

Nice writeup Rice.

How's yours? :lol:

 

[dabynsky]

How's yours? :lol:

[video=youtube;gbIv7W7rhx4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbIv7W7rhx4[/video]

 

[Rice Cube]

I think I knocked out the big "wants" with Greinke (totally unrealistic) and McCarthy (slightly more realistic) so the rest is all yours.

 

[Rice Cube]

Dabynsky's rundown of likely pitching targets:

http://worldseriesdreaming.com/2012/10/21/most-likely-pitching-targets/

 

[X]

I do hope the Cubs give Grady Sizemore an incentive-laden contract. Dude can play when he's healthy...and we'd know Jackson would get 3+ months of at-bats when Grady's hurt. sounds like a win-win

 

[Rice Cube]

There's always the hope that the Cubs trade for Justin Upton or sign BJ Upton and then steal Kate Upton from Verlander

 

[X]

There's always the hope that the Cubs trade for Justin Upton or sign BJ Upton and then steal Kate Upton from Verlander

Life would be better if we got to see Kate Upton dougie on top of the dugout in a bikini every game...

 

[Rice Cube]

She should wear less and less every time the Cubs actually win :fap:

 

[X]

She should wear less and less every time the Cubs actually win :fap:

for Cubs fan's sake she better start off in a bikini