Chicago Cubs Hot Stove Offseason Thread

[waldo7239117]

GM Meetings start tomorrow, ready for some rumors?? I hope their are some because so far this is a boring start to the offseason.

 

[Captain Iago]

I wasn't sure when they started. Ya know, the league allowed the FA process to begin earlier and it has been zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

[waldo7239117]

I wasn't sure when they started. Ya know, the league allowed the FA process to begin earlier and it has been zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Yeah nothing. No FA have signed and really no rumors besides Lee.

 

[Jntg4]

There's been Werth rumors too, but not involving the Cubs.

 

[DewsSox79]

Yeah, but playing in Wrigley allows him to work with Larry Rothschild everyday.

I really think you are putting too much value in him playing at Wrigley. He would make about 16 starts at home. He would only end up giving up 4 or 5 more home runs. But, on the road, he would be playing lesser talent, which could easily make his HR totals go down by 4 or 5.

The homeruns might make .2 wins difference in WAR, but the change from AL East to NL Central is about a win difference.

i will now ask you to "elaborate" on that statement.

 

[waldo7239117]

There's been Werth rumors too, but not involving the Cubs.

I was going to say him too, but it really has just been with the Phills and that's his old team.

 

[Jntg4]

I was going to say him too, but it really has just been with the Phills and that's his old team.

And the BoSox.

 

[waldo7239117]

Cubs have their sights on Jake Westbrook--Bruce Levine.

 

[DewsSox79]

ehh, serviceable and that might be overrating him.

 

[DewsSox79]

"Free agency
The Cubs' original plan was to go after slugger Adam Dunn to replace the run producing of Derrek Lee at first base. Money now prohibits that decision. The Cubs wanted Dunn, and Dunn -- according to sources -- wanted the Cubs. The team will have to visit the free-agent list of other left-handed hitting first basemen, it appears. " bruce levine

 

[Captain Obvious]

i will now ask you to "elaborate" on that statement.

By playing in Wrigley, that makes him a Cub, as a Cub, his pitching coach will be Larry Rothschild, one of the best in the business.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

By playing in Wrigley, that makes him a Cub, as a Cub, his pitching coach will be Larry Rothschild, one of the .

 

[Jntg4]

By playing in Wrigley, that makes him a Cub, as a Cub, his pitching coach will be Larry Rothschild, one of the best in the business.

Um, so almost every player in the NL was a Cubs last year, as they would have played road games at Wrigley? I missed them get Pujols I guess. Why the hell did they trade him?

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

Um, so almost every player in the NL was a Cubs last year, as they would have played road games at Wrigley? I missed them get Pujols I guess. Why the hell did they trade him?

He was oblivious to mention that.

 

[DewsSox79]

By playing in Wrigley, that makes him a Cub, as a Cub, his pitching coach will be Larry Rothschild, one of the best in the business.

oh thats right i forgot about the allmighty strikeouts. whoops my bad.

so larry rothschild is going to fix james shields? because larry rothschild is the best in the business?

 

[Lefty]

Yeah, but playing in Wrigley allows him to work with Larry Rothschild everyday.

So? Unless there is something specific you can point to concerning his mechanics or pitch selection/technique that you think Rothschild will be able to fix (and something that has eluded the Rays coaching staff for the last five seasons), you're essentially arguing that Shields will become a better pitcher by way of some pitching osmosis. You can't just say "he'll be around this great pitching coach, so he'll be a better pitcher", that proves nothing, and supported by nothing.

I really think you are putting too much value in him playing at Wrigley. He would make about 16 starts at home.

Right, and that will be the largest percent of his games pitched in one park, more than likely. So why exactly should we not emphasize how he will pitch at his home ballpark, again?

He would only end up giving up 4 or 5 more home runs.

That's just given the net-increase in home run output that we can attribute to his change in venue. Then we have to consider the fact that even though he is a fly ball pitcher, he has had relatively low HR/FB rates throughout his career, and some regression to the mean has the potential to exacerbate the problems seen just from him changing parks. And then, we have to account for the fact that Shields will be pitching in front of a far-worse defensive outfield for the Cubs than he did in Tampa Bay, so it is conceivable that his rates of doubles, triples and singles all go up. This will be through no fault of his own, mind you, as he has no control over his defense, but that doesn't mean that these thinks 1) won't happen and 2) aren't likely.

But, on the road, he would be playing lesser talent, which could easily make his HR totals go down by 4 or 5.

How do you figure? There's almost no telling what the rotation will be, when it will be fiddled with, who will go on short rest and so on, and thus it's nearly impossible to tell exactly what teams a pitcher will face on the road and how good those teams will be, especially considering the off-season just started.

The homeruns might make .2 wins difference in WAR, but the change from AL East to NL Central is about a win difference.

You're going to have to explain in detail how you came about these numbers. They seem pretty dubious to me, especially considering the two leagues were comparable offensively last season.

 

[waldo7239117]

Just don't reply to him, he OBVIOUS does not know what he's talking about.

 

[Capt. Serious]

By playing in Wrigley, that makes him a Cub, as a Cub, his pitching coach will be Larry Rothschild, one of the best in the business.

The Cubs were 13th in the National League with a 4.18 ERA after ranking among the top five the previous three seasons and issued a league-high 605 walks.

Sure is.

 

[DewsSox79]

Sure is.

perfect avatar pic for you!

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

Sure is.

bingo.

there are major reasons why some of us hate Rothschild..