Official Offseason Thread - CUBS edition

[Rice Cube]

This is just so cool it has to be reposted:

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | Must C Crushed: Fielder launches a monster shot - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

While I wouldn't mind him doing it for us instead of against us, I'm in favor of not spending and just playing the kiddos. Although who knows, maybe the Ricketts really open the pursestrings and make a splash.

 

[nwfisch]

I still wonder if the Ricketts have much money to spend at the MLB level. They've made it clear that they want to improve Wrigley, so that would take away from the payroll...

 

[poodski]

What Do You Want In Free Agency?

I feel the same way. either spend the money to win or just go young. Tired of this half ass shit. Stop signing guys like Pena, Byrd, Lopez, Bradly.

Hard to put Lopez in that category.

I agree though. Honestly if we don't get Fielder plus something i want smith at third and LaHair at first and ideally an OF of Jackson, campana and Colvin. Hell Castillo can catch for all I care.

Just don't waste my time with a half asses patch job.

 

[Chris J]

Prince Fielder.

 

[dabynsky]

I still wonder if the Ricketts have much money to spend at the MLB level. They've made it clear that they want to improve Wrigley, so that would take away from the payroll...

I don't believe Ricketts has specifically stated what he was going to spend on baseball operations, but before last season he said that it was going to stay around the same. And when you look at the balance of the effects the decrease in payroll was about equal to the increase in spending on amateur acquisition.

Cue a Dewey eye...

 

[Rice Cube]

I think the funds for stadium upkeep, marketing, and other baseball operations are set up separately from the major league payroll.

 

[Jntg4]

yeah, I love when there is 10 threads about the same thing. haha.

jntg, what was the point of making another thread?

you know what the majority of people are going to say. Fielder, wilson wtc....did you think that was going to change? just askin

I thought the shopping spree thread was about whether or not they would spend, not who they would spend it on :shrug:

 

[DewsSox79]

thread is fine, i just figured why have another thread about fielder and wilson and I made that clear when CO was doing it, now he has laid off of derailing and has been focusing on that one thread. Just saying that both threads are pretty similar and will have similar discussions.

 

[Rice Cube]

Merge! Merge!

 

[DewsSox79]

fine

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

i think ricketts has openly said he's looking towards spending or am i wrong, seems that his actions have shown an open ambition towards that,when you look at dumping some contracts as well as spending on the farm system

 

[daddies3angels]

i think ricketts has openly said he's looking towards spending or am i wrong, seems that his actions have shown an open ambition towards that,when you look at dumping some contracts as well as spending on the farm system

He seems to be spending on Farm, facilities, and on stadium. I know thats a great thing but it sucks has and will effect MLB spending.

 

[2SeamHeat]

I think re-signing Pena, signing a top tier SP (Wilson or Sabathia-doubtful) and an OF may be best option. Then try and trade for a 2B...

Release Fonzie...move Byrd to RF and FA OF to LF, with Jackson taking over in CF. Colvin will be 4th OF/back-up 1B and Campy 5th OF/pinch runner.

Barney to utility (2B and SS), and Baker utility (3B, 2B and 1B).

Trade/non-tender DeWitt

Trade/non-tender Hill: Castillo or Clevenger back-up C to Soto, with good playing time if Soto starts to struggle in '12 again.

This team wouldn't be too bad.

They won't release Soriano, he's still owed way too much money. However, I'd try keeping him on waivers and making it very public that he's there through the media... like Boston did with Manny Ramirez in the 2003-2004 area. Maybe someone will take the bait and claim him. If not, maybe it'll wake him up a bit like it did with Manny.

If you re-sign Pena (which I hope to any god you wish to worship doesn't happen), it better be at less than $5MM per. Otherwise, he can go back to the market. I'd honestly rather pay LaHair league minimum and let his struggle than pay $5mm+ to Pena... and let him continue to deteriorate. I believe LaHair could put up similar numbers to what Pena has done this season if given a shot. I'm not saying he's the savior or even a long term option, or that he would be truly any good... but I do think he can match Pena's performance this year... for about $9.6M less.

Since Soriano is almost definitely going to still be a Cub next season, and makes way too much money to bench, if you pick up a corner OF then you'll have to trade Byrd to make room for Jackson. That's fine by me, to be very honest. This, or you leave Jackson in Iowa until June or so just to make sure he's ready. If he shows the signs of being ready at that point, you trade Byrd to someone looking for OF help and bring Jackson up. Question is, what do you see on the OF FA market that's worth signing? Berkman (though he's said a few times that he wants to go back to 1B), Cuddyer, Beltran maybe... but I wouldn't give any of those guys more than a 2-3 year contract. There are no long term options out there.

Who do you think is going to be available for 2B? There's no one on the FA list that I'd so much as consider (except maybe Phillips if the Reds let him go - which is very unlikely). I doubt very many teams will be putting their current, worthwhile 2Bs on the trade block this winter.

I can get on board with finding a better backup C option than Hill. Been on that bandwagon for a couple of years. Though, I'm kinda holding out hope that Yaddy Molina hits the FA market in 2013.

What do you do for 3B with ARam possibly walking?

 

[2SeamHeat]

I like to see Fielder signed to 5-6 year deal. Then get Edwin Jackson on 3-4 year deal. Keep A-Ram. Trade Byrd to help save 6.5 mil.

Pass on Jackson... the guy's all hype and no performance.

 

[daddies3angels]

Pass on Jackson... the guy's all hype and no performance.

Getting Fielder/Jackson better then Wilson/Pena

 

[daddies3angels]

Another thing: Why does everyone like Pena who hitting in .220 range 24 HR 67 RBI while every one hate Soriano who hitting in .240 range 24 HR 68 RBI..I know Pena takes more walks and plays better D but damn we all want Soriano gone but ok with Pena being the 1B for 2-3 more years. Pena still would get 7-10 mil per year. Does anyone think Soriano and Pena worth that much?

 

[2SeamHeat]

i think ricketts has openly said he's looking towards spending or am i wrong, seems that his actions have shown an open ambition towards that,when you look at dumping some contracts as well as spending on the farm system

He has repeatedly said that the team's debt will have little to no effect on how the team spends on payroll. He has never said he won't spend, but that he will try to do so wisely. Where so many come up with these ideas that he's going to cut spending... I have no real idea.

He just spent a ton with the draftees. He's already spent on bringing in better scouts (which led to the excellent draft this year). Hopefully he spends this off season to find better coaches to develop the prospects with. He's also taken to spending on international FAs since he bought the team.

Now, some people point to Wrigley as a problem. Well, not if he gets his way and gets the $200M from Rahm... which almost seems certain.

From what I saw the other day the Cubs have an average ticket price of $47. Drawing in 3M fans a year means $141M per year... and this is just from tickets. How many people are going to go to Wrigley and not pay $10-20 on concessions? Let's say $10 each per ticket sold. That's another $30M in revenue. They make $450K per televised game. That's another $73M. I'm not sure how much they get from WGN for the radio rights... so I'm going to leave it out. Nor do I know how much of the cut they get for merchandising rights. But from these numbers alone the team rakes in $244M per season... and that's undoubtedly a low ball number. It's probably closer to the $300-350M range. Let's go with the smaller number $300M.

If you owe $500M, and add on $200M for renovations... you're looking at $700M in debt. If you pay out $150M in salaries, add another $50M (which should beyond easily cover everything) in additional costs... you're looking at $200M. Take that from $300M... and you can pay off the team's debt in 7 years... and still put up one of the highest payrolls in the MLB... and still profit.

Sources:
Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox tickets are among most expensive in baseball - ESPN Chicago
Cubs pursue new forms of revenue - Chicago Cubs Blog - ESPN Chicago

 

[Rice Cube]

If they don't spend and they don't release Soriano...

Soriano ----> 1B

It might just work.

 

[2SeamHeat]

Getting Fielder/Jackson better then Wilson/Pena

And yet I see no reason with the amount of cash coming off the books that you can't get Wilson/Fielder if that's the route you wish to go.

However, I think you're better off going with Berkman/Wilson... for it will allow you to make a move at 3B as well, so you don't drop off with losing ARam... and you still upgrade 1B and the rotation.

Edwin Jackson is talented flop. You're talking about a guy who had 1 decent to good season in his career to date. This season might turn into his second... but even those seasons are pretty 'meh'. The guy is already making $8.35M this year.... how much do you think it'll cost to sign him this winter?

Do you honestly think paying $10M+ for a guy whose career line is 59-60 (yes I know this is more a resemblance of the teams he's played for), 4.49 ERA, 1.475 WHIP, 97 ERA+, 6.68K/9IP, 1.82K/BB, and a 9.9 WAR is something we should pursue?

You're talking about Kyle Lohse here. Victor Zambrano, Livan Hernandez, Jeff Weaver..... in other words... MEDIOCRITY. Hasn't this team thrown millions at mediocrity enough?

 

[2SeamHeat]

Another thing: Why does everyone like Pena who hitting in .220 range 24 HR 67 RBI while every one hate Soriano who hitting in .240 range 24 HR 68 RBI..I know Pena takes more walks and plays better D but damn we all want Soriano gone but ok with Pena being the 1B for 2-3 more years. Pena still would get 7-10 mil per year. Does anyone think Soriano and Pena worth that much?

First, there's a difference between Soriano's .284 OBP and Pena's .346. Second, Pena has a 115 OPS+, where Soriano holds a 104. Thirdly Pena has equal or better numbers than Soriano across the board. Fourth, Pena even with his overly inflated cost... costs just a bit over half of what Soriano does. Fifthly, Soriano sucks at LF... which is literally where you put players out to pasture... before sending them to DH. Pena is at least a decent defensive 1B. Six, Pena is an actual leader in the clubhouse... where Soriano has been shown to be iffy there (a few positives, several negatives)

On top of this, I see very few clamoring to have Pena back. I see them placing him in that "if we have to" category.