Chicago Cubs 2023-24 OFFSEASON thread

knoxville7

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Castor76

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knoxville7 said:
Cubs don’t really need starting pitching tbh. They need a reliever or two and 2 bats with at least one being a lefty power bat
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I think they need one starter with Hendricks most likely leaving the team after 24. I know they have a number of prospects, but having one more proven MLB starter wouldn't hurt so long at the price is right. They have the money, just has to get lucky and use it right.
 
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LATEST NEWS​

Nov. 17: INF Patrick Wisdom signs 2024 contract to avoid arbitration
The Cubs announced that they avoided the arbitration process with the 32-year-old Wisdom, who is set to earn $2.725 million in 2024, per a source. Wisdom hit .205 with 23 homers, 46 RBIs and a .789 OPS in 97 games for Chicago in '23. In parts of four years with the Cubs, he has launched 76 homers, averaging one blast per 14.2 at-bats, while primarily playing third base. Wisdom has a career .505 slugging percentage against lefties and gives the Cubs depth for both corner-infield and corner-outfield spots.
Nov. 17: Cubs non-tender RHP Codi Heuer, LHP Brandon Hughes and RHP Ethan Roberts
The Cubs opened three spots on their 40-man roster by non-tendering Heuer, Hughes and Roberts, who each dealt with injury issues in 2023. Chicago tendered 2024 contracts to the rest of its unsigned players, including six who are eligible for arbitration.

The Cubs’ arbitration group this offseason includes reliever Adbert Alzolay, reliever Mark Leiter Jr., infielder Nick Madrigal, reliever Julian Merryweather, starter Justin Steele and outfielder Mike Tauchman.
Heuer, 27, was nearing the end of a comeback from Tommy John surgery when he sustained a fractured elbow that necessitated surgery on June 23. The righty has not pitched in the Majors since 2021 and has a 3.56 ERA in 86 games with the White Sox and Cubs in the ‘20-21 seasons. He was acquired from the South Siders in the Craig Kimbrel trade in ‘21.
Hughes underwent a surgical debridement on his left knee on June 28. Between multiple stints on the injured list this season, the lefty posted a 7.24 ERA in 17 games for the Cubs. He had a 3.12 ERA in 57 games with the North Siders in 2022. Hughes ended this past season on a Minor League rehab assignment.
Roberts used the 2023 season to work his way back onto the mound following Tommy John surgery on July 13, 2022. The 26-year-old made nine appearances for the Cubs in ‘22 prior to getting injured.
 
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Wisdom is fine. The hate in him is crazy. He isnt breaking the bank and having a dude with legit power is a plus. Got a feeling he is s gop gap to Matt Shaw moving to third or Nico
 
knoxville7

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Castor76 said:
I think they need one starter with Hendricks most likely leaving the team after 24. I know they have a number of prospects, but having one more proven MLB starter wouldn't hurt so long at the price is right. They have the money, just has to get lucky and use it right.
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That’s after 2024 though

They’ve got Steele, Taillon, Hendricks, Wicks, Assad, Smyly

Young guys like Ben brown, Cade Horton(who can absolutely and will take over hendricks spot after 2024), Kilian, and Wesneski
 
knoxville7

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TL1961 said:
Yes they need starting pitching.
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We will just disagree then. See my post above this one for my reasoning why

They will probably sign someone, but I don’t think it’s necessary and will only crowd the rotation in the coming years from the young arms

They also may add Ohtani who would be pitching in 2025 for them
 
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knoxville7

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knoxville7 said:
We will just disagree then. See my post above this one for my reasoning why

They will probably sign someone, but I don’t think it’s necessary and will only crowd the rotation in the coming years from the young arms
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To anyone who watched the post season it's pretty obvious how important a strong bullpen is....upgrading the bullpen is way more important than adding a starter. The existing starters and the kids on the way you can live with the guys they got. I can't be the only one who saw what a lack of even a mediocre bullpen did to the Cubs last year. They need at least three new guys who can get outs. I'd be looking at Hader, Neris, Moore....hell, even aging guys like Chapman and Robertson would be better than the trash they had last year.
 
knoxville7

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Diehardfan said:
To anyone who watched the post season it's pretty obvious how important a strong bullpen is....upgrading the bullpen is way more important than adding a starter. The existing starters and the kids on the way you can live with the guys they got. I can't be the only one who saw what a lack of even a mediocre bullpen did to the Cubs last year. They need at least three new guys who can get outs. I'd be looking at Hader, Neris, Moore....hell, even aging guys like Chapman and Robertson would be better than the trash they had last year.
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Robertson back to the cubs makes a lot of sense to me
 

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I could very much get behind the idea of spending the 25-30M that would go towards a top FA SP and get 2-3 relief arms. Presuming they added an impact bat at 1B while also bringing back Bellinger or adding Soto or Ohtani, would you accept bringing in Hader on a 19M deal for 6 years along with Chapman at 3Y21M and Matt Moore for 2Y7.5M to hopefully make the pen rock solid? Let the idea be for 45-50 games the Offense just won't be denied and for another 45-50 games the pen is so good that any lead going into the 6th is safe and let the other 62-72 sort themselves out. Even if it was as little as 30 games each, 102 coin flips seems like a pretty favorable outcome, at least for a regular season. For the post season, I'd like 2 guaranteed wins a series.
 
knoxville7

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Castor76 said:
I could very much get behind the idea of spending the 25-30M that would go towards a top FA SP and get 2-3 relief arms. Presuming they added an impact bat at 1B while also bringing back Bellinger or adding Soto or Ohtani, would you accept bringing in Hader on a 19M deal for 6 years along with Chapman at 3Y21M and Matt Moore for 2Y7.5M to hopefully make the pen rock solid? Let the idea be for 45-50 games the Offense just won't be denied and for another 45-50 games the pen is so good that any lead going into the 6th is safe and let the other 62-72 sort themselves out. Even if it was as little as 30 games each, 102 coin flips seems like a pretty favorable outcome, at least for a regular season. For the post season, I'd like 2 guaranteed wins a series.
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I’m a pass on chapman. Good defender, but I think his bat is going to deteriorate quickly.

Hader is tempting, but man that’s a lot of $$ to give a reliever
 
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knoxville7 said:
I’m a pass on chapman. Good defender, but I think his bat is going to deteriorate quickly.

Hader is tempting, but man that’s a lot of $$ to give a reliever
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I am as well but I think he's talking about the other Chapman who I am also not completely sold on. He loses a few MPH he's a batting practice pitcher and at his age, it could happen at any moment.
 

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knoxville7 said:
I’m a pass on chapman. Good defender, but I think his bat is going to deteriorate quickly.

Hader is tempting, but man that’s a lot of $$ to give a reliever
Click to expand...

I was talking about Aroldis Chapman, not the 3B. I'm starting to fall in love with the idea that will never happen of the Cubs trading for Devers sending Morel, Triantos, and a pitcher that isn't Horton or Brown. Let's say Drew Gray for this discussion. Maybe ask for Jansen and Shane Dorhan as well and forgo Hader. The chances Boston would go for that are of course Slim, None, and Are You Fucking Kidding, but it's interesting to speculate as Boston could see themselves still in a reset mode in 24 and set themselves up to be heavy hitters next offseason.

Then I just thought about going after Dylan Cease and bring him back in the fold. Imagine Alcantara, Wicks, Wisdom and Wesneski for the 2 years of Cease followed by dealing with Boras and FA after 25. Alcantara is blocked for 2-3 years. You got to give up something viable for a pitcher of Cease's caliber. Wisdom & Wesneski are expendable to the Cubs and maybe they grow on the South Side while Wicks is the value but not so proven as to be untouchable. You might even talk Boras into a 2 year deal of 2Y32M to put the 2nd year AAV at a nice 16M. He might go for that as his client reaches FA on schedule and it presumes a final arb number just over 23M.

If both the above occurred, Cubs would add Devers, Jansen, Dorhan, and Cease along with 61.1M in AAV contracts that would address 3B, SP, and Closer. They be losing Morel, Wicks, Triantos, Gray, Alcantara, Wisdom, and Wesneski long with about 7.25M. I'm still a believer in going over the CBT in 2024 so the roughly 22M left before the CBT along with the 25M I'd be willing to go over still leaves enough room to bring in Ohtani if 45M and the plan would get him or 25M for Bellinger and still sign more pen help. Cubs would have 58M coming off after 24.
 
CSF77

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Castor76 said:
I was talking about Aroldis Chapman, not the 3B. I'm starting to fall in love with the idea that will never happen of the Cubs trading for Devers sending Morel, Triantos, and a pitcher that isn't Horton or Brown. Let's say Drew Gray for this discussion. Maybe ask for Jansen and Shane Dorhan as well and forgo Hader. The chances Boston would go for that are of course Slim, None, and Are You Fucking Kidding, but it's interesting to speculate as Boston could see themselves still in a reset mode in 24 and set themselves up to be heavy hitters next offseason.

Then I just thought about going after Dylan Cease and bring him back in the fold. Imagine Alcantara, Wicks, Wisdom and Wesneski for the 2 years of Cease followed by dealing with Boras and FA after 25. Alcantara is blocked for 2-3 years. You got to give up something viable for a pitcher of Cease's caliber. Wisdom & Wesneski are expendable to the Cubs and maybe they grow on the South Side while Wicks is the value but not so proven as to be untouchable. You might even talk Boras into a 2 year deal of 2Y32M to put the 2nd year AAV at a nice 16M. He might go for that as his client reaches FA on schedule and it presumes a final arb number just over 23M.

If both the above occurred, Cubs would add Devers, Jansen, Dorhan, and Cease along with 61.1M in AAV contracts that would address 3B, SP, and Closer. They be losing Morel, Wicks, Triantos, Gray, Alcantara, Wisdom, and Wesneski long with about 7.25M. I'm still a believer in going over the CBT in 2024 so the roughly 22M left before the CBT along with the 25M I'd be willing to go over still leaves enough room to bring in Ohtani if 45M and the plan would get him or 25M for Bellinger and still sign more pen help. Cubs would have 58M coming off after 24.
Click to expand...

Nothing is going to happen until Ohtani is off the board.

There are a few pitchers that Jed is tied to and Alonso at 1B.

So we are in wait and see right now. After Ohtani decides the market should start to pick up
 
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