Don't they have to blow it up?

[CSF77]

You're being reactionary again. Wisdom at 3b going forward after like 4 good games? He's exactly the player that usually has a good couple weeks then falls off a cliff. I hope he can keep it up, but I wouldn't bet on it. You make rash decisions way too quick on players

He is playing solid D and is having quality at bats. Even David talked not so much about the power but the things that matter. D at 3rd and each AB he battles and is not over matched.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

He is playing solid D and is having quality at bats. Even David talked not so much about the power but the things that matter. D at 3rd and each AB he battles and is not over matched.

In 4 games though. Perspective is important. Ross isn't going to say anything negative especially when he is playing well

 

[CSF77]

I’m keeping Bryant over Baez.

As I listed out. They can run this team at 190M eating Heyward and adding Rondon while making quality offers to Bryzzo and Contreras and adding a more stable SS production wise at less years.

This team can pay up to the lux but that is 220M not 120M.

I believe that this year is showing us that the core can win still even with a rotation built for 5 innings. The key has been the bullpen. There have been many games lost after the starter leaves. This team gets better after he leaves.

 

[CSF77]

In 4 games though. Perspective is important. Ross isn't going to say anything negative especially when he is playing well

It was a observation. Frankly he was being honest.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Watching Boston-Houston game rn and announcers are talking about the Cubs. Key takeaways:

- Bullpen is playing incredible
- Playing with a chip on their shoulder
- They need to be buyers and try to win now

 

[CSF77]

Watching Boston-Houston game rn and announcers are talking about the Cubs. Key takeaways:

- Bullpen is playing incredible
- Playing with a chip on their shoulder
- They need to be buyers and try to win now

My take on the buy now:

1. You sell a contender off you lose faith with your fan base.

2. You may never get any player that develops into a MLB talent in fire sale.

3. You will lose at the box office this year and the foreseeable future. See #1. The fans have bought into your brand and you just flushed it into the shitter.


Buying means winning matters to the organization and to the brand that they are promoting. It tells the fans and potential free agents that we are a winning product and are committed to field a team the city can be proud of. Regardless of the circumstances that are playing around the team.

So selling a winner should always be the goal. If you are looking for an investment buy stocks and real estate.

 

[Bust]

If they continue the June swoon they will be sellers

 

[hankchifan]

I’d be looking to trade Kimbrel, Happ, Bryant, Baez, Davies, Arrieta, Rizzo, Pederson, Duffy, and even Hendricks. All would be dependent on getting the right offer for each of them...not just trading them to trade them. And obviously you wouldn’t trade ALL of them by the trade deadline, but those are the guys I’d be listening to offers on

You can’t be serious, ifwe trade all these guys, we will probably end up with a AAA team in a major market. We should have keptDarvish and Caratini and went all in this season, when we still had a window with our big boppers before free agency.

 

[knoxville7]

You can’t be serious, ifwe trade all these guys, we will probably end up with a AAA team in a major market. We should have keptDarvish and Caratini and went all in this season, when we still had a window with our big boppers before free agency.

I’d be looking to trade Kimbrel, Happ, Bryant, Baez, Davies, Arrieta, Rizzo, Pederson, Duffy, and even Hendricks. All would be dependent on getting the right offer for each of them...not just trading them to trade them. And obviously you wouldn’t trade ALL of them by the trade deadline, but those are the guys I’d be listening to offers on

try reading again

 

[CSF77]

I wouldn't make too much of this 7 game road run. I was hoping for 3-4 at best. Being realistic going against 2 teams at their home parks. Each team is built to excel at their park also. The Cubs are built to win at Wrigley.

The biggest problem has been the rotation. That is not a contenders rotation.

 

[BearTX]

I say Trade Bryant, Baez and Rizzo! No way Bryant resigns, he is having a typical walk year to get paid as the top free agent! Letting Baez and Rizzo test the market will result in a team over bidding for both so get something now. New owner same cheap shit!

 

[Diehardfan]

try reading again

Hilarious how so many Cub fans think that owners will be climbing over each other trying to get at these Cub players. Of all the players you listed, no more than half would be desirable to other teams. Who the hell would want guys like Happ, Arrieta, Duffy, Peterson, Davies or even an aging Rizzo for that matter? At a reasonable price, I'd keep Rizzo but if the Cubs don't want the other guys....why would anyone think another team would?

LOL

 

[CSF77]

Hilarious how so many Cub fans think that owners will be climbing over each other trying to get at these Cub players. Of all the players you listed, no more than half would be desirable to other teams. Who the hell would want guys like Happ, Arrieta, Duffy, Peterson, Davies or even an aging Rizzo for that matter? At a reasonable price, I'd keep Rizzo but if the Cubs don't want the other guys....why would anyone think another team would?

LOL

Bryant and Rizzo have been joking on a package deal for a while now.

But realistically Tom can resign Bryant and Rizzo at 50M AAV. Rizzo on a 5 year and Bryant for 8 years. Let them retire Cubs.

To make it work the team would be

Bryant LF
Marisnick CF
Heyward RF
Wisdom 3B
SS?
Hoerner 2B
Rizzo 1B
Contreras C

Heyward they are paying anyways. Let him hit 8. Nico lead off with Rizzo #2 Bryant #3. Contreras/Wisdom and Marisnick it really don't matter as all can hit.

That leaves SS. Go big with Seagar?22M AAV split up the RH bats.

That way they cut ties with Joc and Jake. And their increasing opts. Marisnick gives a bridge to Davis.

Pitching wise they will have to go with internal depth. Alozay, Thompson, Steel and Abbott. Hendricks is the vet carry over. Marquez would be in Iowa at this point and would push the weakest starter.

Now I do not consider this a champ. But it has potential and some cost savings going on in the rotation.

 

[Bust]

TANKING IS GUARANTEED TO WIN IN THE END!!!

SELL NOW

Blackhawks got 3 cups due to tanking
Cubs ended the 108 year drought by tanking
White Sox are where they at now due to tanking

DO IT

 

[DrGonzo]

After today Rickets would be the object of Reinsdorf level fan hate if he sells. I really don't think he has a choice.

 

[TL1961]

No but it kind of depends on your definition of "blow it up". To me blowing it up implies dealing off everything. But in my eyes I think the only two majors pieces I'd trade would be Bryant and Kimbrel. Javy you may want to re-sign or you may not but worst case you attach a QO to him assuming those still exist in the new CBA. I don't think you're going to get that much better of a prospect for him in trade on a one year deal. Rizzo I think will eventually be re-signed. There's really no reason not to. They don't have anyone better to take his place longer term and he's kinda the team leader.

As for Bryant, I think you gotta see what kind of offers are out there. Yes it feels a bit weird trading a guy if you aren't totally selling off but like with the Darvish trade I feel as though it's a move you make to get better for the long term while not completely selling off. And having Bote already softens the loss slightly because while Bote is never going to be a star he can be an ok starter while you reconfigure pieces.

Kimbrel i just think is gonna have way more trade value than value to the actual cubs. If you're a lower end playoff team a closer isn't putting you over the top. And given the way he's pitched maybe someone makes a Miller/Chapman like offer.

Moving those 2 players will set the cubs back but it's not completely unreasonable that they could still make the playoffs without them while also still getting better long term.

The Darvish trade didn’t make them better long term. They got lottery tickets in return.

 

[TL1961]

If they continue the June swoon they will be sellers

What June swoon?

Did you just feel you had to use a phrase you heard from 30 years ago?

 

[CSF77]

The Darvish trade didn’t make them better long term. They got lottery tickets in return.

They got 4 prospects in the 45-50 talent range.

Teams trade these guys the most and now the Cubs have 5x50 grade. Preciado was the only one.

#11 Owen Caissie># 24 Ismael Mena are all 45 grade prospects.

that trade was to add trade depth vs potential starters.

Just keep in mind teams hold onto 55+ grade prospects like misers. Getting one is a chore. Jed most likely gets this and stocked up on the more frequent currency. Prospects are a form of currency it this world.

The reality was payroll had to drop. Jed was losing 2 via F/A. 1 had a bad opt. So he was down to 2 guys and no way to spend on a rotation. So trading Yu provided the most cost cutting that allowed him to retain Rizzo/Happ/Bryant and Baez. Something had to give.

Adding payroll was after MLB approved 30%. That added 2 more starters and replaced another cost cut in LF.

So the way that I view it is Jed had 2 options going forward.

Seller. He added a bunch of trade chips.

Buyer. He added depth in trade chips.

Win win.

Losing Yu sucks. Losing Rizzo and Happ most likely would have pissed off more.

So Jed replaced a body and filled up on potential chips if this team deemed it.

So over all Jed did a decent job and got lucky that the team busts it's ass for David. Apr it was about the dead O. Once it woke up the ball started moving.

The pen is top 2 and to be honest it is better than San Diego.

So that leaves the rotation. Davies has been very solid post April. Jake you never know what you get. Alzolay keeps getting better. Kyle has improved from April but is not as dominate as in the past. So they really need a replacement for Williams. They invested small into him and he has looked the worst by far.

 

[beckdawg]

The Darvish trade didn’t make them better long term. They got lottery tickets in return.

The current cubs have a better win% than the 2020 cubs over a similar amount of games. The cubs got 4 prospects with good upsides. And they also have opened up a lot of long term money. I'll take that over the rest of control the cubs had over darvish at his age. And if that's not making you better long term than I don't know what is. Hell, the $20 mil a year they are saving on Darvish very well might be the difference between keeping some of the impending FAs the cubs have and not. I don't love that ownership has tightened the wallet but it is what it is. If trading Darvish allows them to keep Baez and Rizzo then they certainly are better long term.

 

[Bust]

What June swoon?

Did you just feel you had to use a phrase you heard from 30 years ago?

That's a 30 year old saying gramps?