IST: Cardinals at Cubs

[CSF77]

Holding 3 catchers makes sense with the DH in play. Victor is a quality bat that was wasted on the bench as a just in case or a needs a day off. David could start Victor and Wilson every day now having them being used in a personal caddy system to their starting pitcher then DH the other days. This makes me hope that we see the DH permanent and the 3 catcher system justified. Remember if they are forced to move the DH to catch the pitcher has to hit then. It puts that team into disadvantage. Better to hold a 3rd catcher to prevent that.

Alozay should have stuck. But this is a business decision. They are losing Q and Chatwood next year. That is around 23 M off the books. Buy keeping this year off the books with Albert it gives them more flexibility to resign players with the freed up resource. We might see Abbot also this year to see how he does against MLB talent. Marquez might be a stretch in 2021. I would expect 22 to replace Lester.

That is where they expect cost cuts to pay for their hitters and they need to keep that intact or it will blow up again when these guys start to go into arb.

 

[anotheridiot]

I guess I was just hoping the third catcher would have been Amaya for a little while at least. The substitute the DH and the pitcher has to hit stuff does not really work other than the second catcher getting some at bats thru the day. I know nobody likes my emergency catcher, but at least David might put Kyle back there in a blowout.

Got to think that Amaya might never see a game here, could get moved before we ever see him since they are pretty set with Willlson and Carrottop for a few years. It wont be long before Contrares thinks he deserve Molina money though.

 

[CSF77]

I guess I was just hoping the third catcher would have been Amaya for a little while at least. The substitute the DH and the pitcher has to hit stuff does not really work other than the second catcher getting some at bats thru the day. I know nobody likes my emergency catcher, but at least David might put Kyle back there in a blowout.

Got to think that Amaya might never see a game here, could get moved before we ever see him since they are pretty set with Willlson and Carrottop for a few years. It wont be long before Contrares thinks he deserve Molina money though.

It is hard to say who Theo resigns and trades out of the hitters.

I would look outside the box myself. Offer Boston Q and Chatwood for Sale strait. Sale is recovering from TJ and that is basically giving that contract drop to them. They are further away from contending in a worse division anyways. Maybe drop a prospect if needed.

After that I would not give Lester his final year and give him the 10M buyout. He is well past his prime and the underlying numbers are standing out.

So this gives Darvish Sale and Hendricks locked in with Abbot, Miller, Alzolay and Marquez fighting for 2 rotation spots.

After that is set then I would trade Bryant. His elbow keeps coming up and he feels like a bad investment. I would lock up Baez, Contreras, Schwarber and Happ. Rizzo is worth the investment on leadership alone and should be a lifer Cub.

Hitting prospect wise they should bulk up Davis to play RF. He is athletic enough and has the frame to be a monster out there.

IMO that should be the long term plan. If I am trading a prospect Amaya is my go-to.