Chicago Cubs 2023-24 OFFSEASON thread

[Diehardfan]

I wonder what else he can find in that dumpster.......

 

[CSF77]

BJ Murray will be at Iowa. Look him up. Might end up as the starting 3B mid season.

This off-season has been frustrating. Jed is hell bound on not spending out of his comfort zone.

But after reading a few articles this is what it sounds like:

Hader might sign. I don't see the logic but w/e Jed will cow down to Counsell.

Hoskins will sign for another pick me up deal

Other news is Mervis is working hard with PCA and Wicks getting into shape. We could see 2-3 of them starting. Tauchman is a back up plan at CF.

So this will be a loss in the off-season as Jed is not going to sell the farm or blow payroll on overpriced F/A.

Honestly don't care tbh. Jed is a old man in a rocker and really needs to let his GM work deals.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

BJ Murray will be at Iowa. Look him up. Might end up as the starting 3B mid season.

This off-season has been frustrating. Jed is hell bound on not spending out of his comfort zone.

But after reading a few articles this is what it sounds like:

Hader might sign. I don't see the logic but w/e Jed will cow down to Counsell.

Hoskins will sign for another pick me up deal

Other news is Mervis is working hard with PCA and Wicks getting into shape. We could see 2-3 of them starting. Tauchman is a back up plan at CF.

So this will be a loss in the off-season as Jed is not going to sell the farm or blow payroll on overpriced F/A.

Honestly don't care tbh. Jed is a old man in a rocker and really needs to let his GM work deals.

Mervis wasn't in shape the previous two years when he destroyed MiLB? Glad he's working hard maybe he'll be in shape enough for the MLB this year.

Jed is working on getting fired by Ricketts in the next year or two

 

[Diehardfan]

If you walked up to the first 10 Cub fans you saw.....I'd be stunned if more than one knew the name of the Cub's GM.

 

[CSF77]

Mervis wasn't in shape the previous two years when he destroyed MiLB? Glad he's working hard maybe he'll be in shape enough for the MLB this year.

Jed is working on getting fired by Ricketts in the next year or two

You are correct. It was on a youtube from your local guys talking about it. Basically Wicks is in his best shape. PCA has been working on his weaknesses. Mervis also.

We will see if anything pans out of it. I have never seen BJ play except 1 video clip of his smooth swing from the left pulling one out last year. But a SH and a real 3B. A bit under the radar type that could end up being the solution at 3B.

So as far as Jed goes. It all comes out in the wash. If he doesn't cater to Boras on Bellinger but takes the Hoskins deal then Jed knuckles in on Hader.

The off season is a bust. But if they equal their win total again it really is a semi bust as the investment is minimum

Honestly I could be ok watching some growing pains in PCA, Wicks and Mervis. If they figure it out great. If not oh wells.

Reality is Jed doesn't have a endless supply like some teams do. Rickets made it clear that payroll will hoover around the same levels and I doubt that Ohtani was ever a legit thing as he wanted a super team and Tom will never spend what is needed

 

[Discus fish salesman]

You are correct. It was on a youtube from your local guys talking about it. Basically Wicks is in his best shape. PCA has been working on his weaknesses. Mervis also.

We will see if anything pans out of it. I have never seen BJ play except 1 video clip of his smooth swing from the left pulling one out last year. But a SH and a real 3B. A bit under the radar type that could end up being the solution at 3B.

So as far as Jed goes. It all comes out in the wash. If he doesn't cater to Boras on Bellinger but takes the Hoskins deal then Jed knuckles in on Hader.

The off season is a bust. But if they equal their win total again it really is a semi bust as the investment is minimum

Honestly I could be ok watching some growing pains in PCA, Wicks and Mervis. If they figure it out great. If not oh wells.

Reality is Jed doesn't have a endless supply like some teams do. Rickets made it clear that payroll will hoover around the same levels and I doubt that Ohtani was ever a legit thing as he wanted a super team and Tom will never spend what is needed

Tom has also stated over the last several years that he will provide the resources required to field a contender. I think the issue spending is jed not being able to sell the FAs on his plan.

 

[knoxville7]

Tom has also stated over the last several years that he will provide the resources required to field a contender. I think the issue spending is jed not being able to sell the FAs on his plan.

hes not the charismatic leader that Theo was, thats for damn sure

 

[Diehardfan]

hes not the charismatic leader that Theo was, thats for damn sure

What do ya mean? There is tons of charisma in those dumpsters.

Here's his next target

 

[CSF77]

did a mock trade on baseball trade values.

I was looking at Shane Bieber and Josh Naylor (Rumored targets). The deal that came up almost even was Kevin Alcantara and Michel Arias. That IMO would change the offseason for Jed.

Just a simple line up:

Hoerner 2B
Swanson SS
Happ LF
Suzuki RF
Naylor 1B
Morel 3B (Where he got the most play in the winter leagues)
Mervis/Wisdom DH
Gomes/Amaya C
PCA CF

Bench
OF: Tauchman and Canario
UI Luis Vazquez

Rotation
Bieber
Steele
Taillon
Wicks
Hendricks

Then targeting Hader (Rumor has a tie in)


Pen
Hader CL
Alzolay SU

Rest of the pen:

Smyly
Assad
Cuas
Leiter Jr
Little
Merryweather


Then flip Mad in the deal with the Guardians for a lower level prospect.

 

[CSF77]

I don't think much will matter though. LAD is creating a super team. I doubt that many teams will compete with them

 

[knoxville7]

I don't think much will matter though. LAD is creating a super team. I doubt that many teams will compete with them

All it take is a key injury or a guy not performing as expected

Everyone thought the Braves were going to steamroll their way to the World Series this past year, and yet they didn’t make it

LAD will 100% be the favorite, but there’s still no guarantees

 

[CSF77]

All it take is a key injury or a guy not performing as expected

Everyone thought the Braves were going to steamroll their way to the World Series this past year, and yet they didn’t make it

LAD will 100% be the favorite, but there’s still no guarantees

Ya. It is actually pissing me off seeing the scam going on. It could ruin baseball with one guy taking min and getting paid after his window.

I'm pretty sure there will be repercussions down the road if they push out a team that can own for a decade due to one guy jading the game.

 

[CSF77]

But that said I do like the team that I posted. Has some depth and flex. Rotation is solid and pen is solid

I really hope that Jed moves this direction with the connections his GM has with Cleveland.

On paper it is a good trade. Aries has come into the spotlight and took a 40 man slot. So I could see a legit trade. Tossing in Mad for a unknown prospect helps with the 26M and gives them a major league player that can man 2B and 3B.

The main issue is Morel at 3B. He had like 4 errors in 160 innings at 3B. He is athletic enough for the position but if anything he needs to refine his craft with every day repetition of plays

Javy was pretty raw at first but he practiced no look tags and other skills needed. The athleticness was there but it took repetition to create muscle memory

 

[TL1961]

All it take is a key injury or a guy not performing as expected

Everyone thought the Braves were going to steamroll their way to the World Series this past year, and yet they didn’t make it

LAD will 100% be the favorite, but there’s still no guarantees

Or Dave Roberts at the helm.

 

[bears5150]

So the club is not serious about contending this year. I don't have a problem with that just don't cover a shit sandwich with chocolate. The Ricketts are not interested in putting a contender on the field

 

[Discus fish salesman]

So the club is not serious about contending this year. I don't have a problem with that just don't cover a shit sandwich with chocolate. The Ricketts are not interested in putting a contender on the field

Ricketts is certainly interested in fielding a contender. He's made that clear after the season the last 2 years. Hoyer just is incapable

 

[knoxville7]

Ricketts is certainly interested in fielding a contender. He's made that clear after the season the last 2 years. Hoyer just is incapable

Like you’ve said before, this season is likely a bit of a do or die one for Hoyer. That became obvious when they booted Ross and got Counsell

But so far he’s failing majorly in regards to adding talent this offseason. He’s going to end up having his career in Chicago decided by a bunch of rookies/2year players

He may end up getting lucky and winning a weak division, but man he’s really hoping for some miracles at 1B and 3B at this point

 

[CSF77]

Like you’ve said before, this season is likely a bit of a do or die one for Hoyer. That became obvious when they booted Ross and got Counsell

But so far he’s failing majorly in regards to adding talent this offseason. He’s going to end up having his career in Chicago decided by a bunch of rookies/2year players

He may end up getting lucky and winning a weak division, but man he’s really hoping for some miracles at 1B and 3B at this point

He kinda goes into this. He feels that Jed and Boras are playing chicken right now and see who budges first. This is the hold up.

 

[CSF77]

His theory is if he gets Belli at a more reasonable market price then he could have the option of using PCA to head line a trade to acquire a front line starter.

So a few things to consider. As a 1B Belli is not worth a mega. As a CF ya. So the view point has merit.

 

[beckdawg]

I'm curious to hear some other people's take on this but I'm of the opinion that Happ while a good player limits the cubs. What I mean by this is that he's obviously in the mold of a good defensive LF who hits above average instead of your stereotypical big LF bat who may be some what deficient defensively. If i could have what he gives you at 3B i'd have less issue with him but with the cubs depth in the minors in the OF and the fact he's just a decent hitter not a player who carries you I find him to be a misfitting piece when the team needs offense. And to my knowledge I believe he has a no-trade clause so i'm not even sure there's anything to be done with it.

Having said that, with the Belli talk i would feel more comfortable going after him if you didn't have Happ in left. Maybe with happ under contract for 3 more years that is some consideration since 1B is open and PCA may need a bit more cooking. Maybe you can live with Happ the next two years and then in the third year of that deal there's some consideration for moving him and having Belli in left(or right). I suppose the same argument also sorta of applies for Suzuki but i feel like suzuki has higher upside in his bat and is playing a more difficult defensive position.

Idk maybe i'm undervaluing happ here but he just doesn't fit my typical mold for his position.