Now that the season is over

[Steve_A]

What do the Cubs do at 2nd base? Surely Hoerner needs a veteran backup in case he struggles, right?

Kendricks / Gennette / Holt / Dozier could be some external options.
Descalso/ Happ / maybe Zo comes back for one more year for internal options.
Doesn’t look pretty lol.

 

[CSF77]

What are your thoughts on if Loretta gets the job?

I'm not following the team then.

 

[CSF77]

OK

First they need to push Heyward back to RF.
DRS CF: -4
DRS RF: 7

That value dragged his WAR down.

To replace him: Happ. Strangely 3B was his strongest D position. 2 DRS(54 innings)/CF: 1 (64 innings)RF: 0 (17 innings), 2B -1 (82 innings)

He feels very slash. So this needs to come external.

F/A CF market is poor. That is why I was thinking trade. Starling Marte would be my prime choice. Cubs trade weight is in question. But Amaya, Ademan and a arm like Tyson Miller would be a good start.

So that is where I would start with this team. Get a lead off/everyday CF.

After that they need to sort the rotation. I would go after Bumgardner.

Last the pen.

They have Mills, Underwood, Alozay. All (ex)starters that can go 2 innings. So this is where I would like to see the farm used.

 

[Steve_A]

OK

First they need to push Heyward back to RF.
DRS CF: -4
DRS RF: 7

That value dragged his WAR down.

To replace him: Happ. Strangely 3B was his strongest D position. 2 DRS(54 innings)/CF: 1 (64 innings)RF: 0 (17 innings), 2B -1 (82 innings)

He feels very slash. So this needs to come external.

F/A CF market is poor. That is why I was thinking trade. Starling Marte would be my prime choice. Cubs trade weight is in question. But Amaya, Ademan and a arm like Tyson Miller would be a good start.

So that is where I would start with this team. Get a lead off/everyday CF.

After that they need to sort the rotation. I would go after Bumgardner.

Last the pen.

They have Mills, Underwood, Alozay. All (ex)starters that can go 2 innings. So this is where I would like to see the farm used.

Do we really want to give up a lot for Marte a 31 year old center fielder
who's skills are going to only get worse as his legs erode?
Not arguing the fact that he'd be an upgrade btw.

 

[Steve_A]

Specifics? Who would you like to see them target? Pointing out the problems the team obviously had but offering no real fix does nothing.

I do agree that a dominant pitcher besides Cole is hard to find.

 

[CSF77]

Do we really want to give up a lot for Marte a 31 year old center fielder
who's skills are going to only get worse as his legs erode?
Not arguing the fact that he'd be an upgrade btw.

Amaya is the only guy that would be hard to give up. I believe that he will be better than Contreras. But they need to make a impact move.

 

[anotheridiot]

OK

First they need to push Heyward back to RF.
DRS CF: -4
DRS RF: 7

That value dragged his WAR down.

To replace him: Happ. Strangely 3B was his strongest D position. 2 DRS(54 innings)/CF: 1 (64 innings)RF: 0 (17 innings), 2B -1 (82 innings)

He feels very slash. So this needs to come external.

F/A CF market is poor. That is why I was thinking trade. Starling Marte would be my prime choice. Cubs trade weight is in question. But Amaya, Ademan and a arm like Tyson Miller would be a good start.

So that is where I would start with this team. Get a lead off/everyday CF.

After that they need to sort the rotation. I would go after Bumgardner.

Last the pen.

They have Mills, Underwood, Alozay. All (ex)starters that can go 2 innings. So this is where I would like to see the farm used.

we all knew Heyward was bad in center.
Happ needs to embrace the Zobrist role to find a place on this team.
Nico, Mills, Alzolay, Rhea should all have an opportunity to win jobs, why cant you build up a major league starting pitcher? They never get here or get a shot.
This new three hitter relief role is going to change alot in this game, with pitchers that can get both sides of the plate out. Worst case, you have the failed starters that should be better versed for that role.
Chatwood might deserve the shot at the rotation, but I still want a competition, not default new signee.

Look at who we have, look at how they were used, how they might have been used, and hope we get a manager that changes things with the lineup.

 

[Hammer]

This teams need more quality OBA hitters (Castellanos type) and should try to package disappointing players/prospects (Almora, Happ), streaky HR types (Schwarber), disappointing SPs (Quintana), if possible bad contracts (Heyward) and bad characters (Russell) to either clear the Cap or directly acquire high OBA hitters (for example leadoff hitter like Betts) and solid bullpen arms.

In FA they should again target high OBA hitters and most importantly TOR SP.

Not sure if all of that will be doable considering low resources (no Cap space, depleted farm), but if they don't get high OBA leadoff and TOR SP, this team will suck again in 2020.

 

[Castor76]

There's a big difference between being disappointing and sucking. 84 wins is disappointing. 64 wins is sucking.

 

[Steve_A]

This teams need more quality OBA hitters (Castellanos type) and should try to package disappointing players/prospects (Almora, Happ), streaky HR types (Schwarber), disappointing SPs (Quintana), if possible bad contracts (Heyward) and bad characters (Russell) to either clear the Cap or directly acquire high OBA hitters (for example leadoff hitter like Betts) and solid bullpen arms.

In FA they should again target high OBA hitters and most importantly TOR SP.

Not sure if all of that will be doable considering low resources (no Cap space, depleted farm), but if they don't get high OBA leadoff and TOR SP, this team will suck again in 2020.

I agree with most of the points besides Schwarber.
We'd be giving up a fan favorite .270 - .280 hitter with 40 homerun potential
if his second half numbers become a norm.

 

[CSF77]

we all knew Heyward was bad in center.
Happ needs to embrace the Zobrist role to find a place on this team.
Nico, Mills, Alzolay, Rhea should all have an opportunity to win jobs, why cant you build up a major league starting pitcher? They never get here or get a shot.
This new three hitter relief role is going to change alot in this game, with pitchers that can get both sides of the plate out. Worst case, you have the failed starters that should be better versed for that role.
Chatwood might deserve the shot at the rotation, but I still want a competition, not default new signee.

Look at who we have, look at how they were used, how they might have been used, and hope we get a manager that changes things with the lineup.

2 hot names this off season will be Jackley Bradley Jr and Sterling Marte. I expect that Theo will talk on both.

 

[Castor76]

I agree with most of the points besides Schwarber.
We'd be giving up a fan favorite .270 - .280 hitter with 40 homerun potential
if his second half numbers become a norm.

That will be one of the big question for this team going into next season. Darvish and Schwarber had huge 2nd halves and it'll be a gamble to hope that becomes their norms. I have a little more hope for Schwarber if they just keep him out of the lead off spot. Darvish I think is simply a health issue.

 

[TL1961]

Specifics? Who would you like to see them target? Pointing out the problems the team obviously had but offering no real fix does nothing.

I expect changes, but I can't say who.
Theo can't say who right now.
I can throw around ridiculous trade proposals like some, or just say I expect changes.

I do know they aren't getting anyone from KC named Merriman since they have nobody by that name.

 

[TL1961]

OK

First they need to push Heyward back to RF.
DRS CF: -4
DRS RF: 7

That value dragged his WAR down.

To replace him: Happ. Strangely 3B was his strongest D position. 2 DRS(54 innings)/CF: 1 (64 innings)RF: 0 (17 innings), 2B -1 (82 innings)

He feels very slash. So this needs to come external.

F/A CF market is poor. That is why I was thinking trade. Starling Marte would be my prime choice. Cubs trade weight is in question. But Amaya, Ademan and a arm like Tyson Miller would be a good start.

So that is where I would start with this team. Get a lead off/everyday CF.

After that they need to sort the rotation. I would go after Bumgardner.

Last the pen.

They have Mills, Underwood, Alozay. All (ex)starters that can go 2 innings. So this is where I would like to see the farm used.

Bumgarner.
Alzolay.

 

[JimJohnson]

Bumgarner.
Alzolay.

There is a shit ton of mileage on Bum's arm. A shit ton.

 

[Castor76]

I expect changes, but I can't say who.
Theo can't say who right now.
I can throw around ridiculous trade proposals like some, or just say I expect changes.

I do know they aren't getting anyone from KC named Merriman since they have nobody by that name.

I've been calling Merrifield "Merriman" for a while now and mix the names up. Dyslexia can be a ***** along with typing hundreds of names a day. Forgive me.

And guess what, changes will be made. At the very least a new manager. So now that you got your change, you can't complain anymore. You got what you asked for. But there is a certain genius in how you state it. No matter what, your expectations will be met. If the results are good, you can praise them for being the right ones. If the results are bad, you can condemn them for being the wrong changes.

 

[CSF77]

Bumgarner.
Alzolay.

How about Madbum and Olé

 

[TL1961]

I've been calling Merrifield "Merriman" for a while now and mix the names up. Dyslexia can be a ***** along with typing hundreds of names a day. Forgive me.

And guess what, changes will be made. At the very least a new manager. So now that you got your change, you can't complain anymore. You got what you asked for. But there is a certain genius in how you state it. No matter what, your expectations will be met. If the results are good, you can praise them for being the right ones. If the results are bad, you can condemn them for being the wrong changes.

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

I am not claiming I will be right. I am simply saying I don’t know what the changes will be. I just don’t have a feel for it right now.

On one hand if they rolled out pretty much the same lineup, they’re still a very formidable team. on the other hand I won’t be at all surprised with some “surprising” shakeups.

Expect the unexpected.

 

[TL1961]

Merrifield as Merriman due to dyslexia?

 

[CSF77]

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

I am not claiming I will be right. I am simply saying I don’t know what the changes will be. I just don’t have a feel for it right now.

On one hand if they rolled out pretty much the same lineup, they’re still a very formidable team. on the other hand I won’t be at all surprised with some “surprising” shakeups.

Expect the unexpected.

It depends on what Theo means by real change.

I'm really guessing that he will go to both Baez and Bryant and try to extend them. If they choose arb then he will field phone calls.

The proposal on Starting Alzolay I really don't see that happening unless they are doing a soft reboot.

My thought would be let 2020 run it's course. Q , Lester and Chatwood come off the books and they can make a real investment into the rotation then.

But run
Yu
Hendricks
Lester
Q
Alzolay 4 innings and piggy back Chatwood 4 innings that day. Basically to limit their innings and gives the pen a off day.

That point you make Underwood and Mills the main middle relief.