Offseason discussion/rumors

[TC in Mississippi]

We're going to know on Hammel's option this weekend. I expect them to pick it up for reasons I've posted elsewhere and I fully expect him to be moved. I'm not so sure Travis Wood goes anywhere. They trust him and he's not going to get any big offers elsewhere. Montgomery should be in the rotation.

 

[chibears55]

This off season I think will be about adding young arms to the system for 2018..

I can see Arrieta getting traded for young arm(s)
I can see Lackey and or Hammel getting moved
I'm split with Soler, he can get moved now or by deadline.

I think it will be a relatively quiet off season with Most of the roster returning..
Just have a feeling they'll trade a couple end of contract guys that can bring them young starting arms for the system to get ready for 2018 ..

Bullpen will probably get a tweak...
I hope they can work something out with Chapman...
Yea they can get cheaper but that doesn't mean better or the same...
Janson probably resigns with Dodgers..
But the idea of having a guy like Chapman to close it out is beyond anything you can imagine..


Starting Position players are set, only question now is CF..
Be cool if Fowler can give them 1 more year (repeat)...
Also give Almora a full season to learn under him and work his way into an everyday player..

Montero and Szczur probably the only definate ones returning...
I don't see them adding a 3rd Catcher.. Thinking Schwarber will be that emergency 3rd Catcher...

So, again I see little roster changes...
Maybe see 2 or 3 new starters in rotation, if they decide to get younger there...
Bullpen get a tweak.. Maybe a new closer, depends on Chapman..
Only change in starting position players could be CF..
One more year Dexter...
Tweak in the bench guys..






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[BaBaBlacksheep]

Would Arrieta really bring that much in a trade with it being the last year of the contract? And I really don't want to make any moves that greatly jeopardize the present. With a couple of minor tweaks they're primed to compete for another one. I can't see how this team is better without Jake on the roster next year.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Would Arrieta really bring that much in a trade with it being the last year of the contract? And I really don't want to make any moves that greatly jeopardize the present. With a couple of minor tweaks they're primed to compete for another one. I can't see how this team is better without Jake on the roster next year.

In a year where Jeremy Hellickson is the premier FA pitcher Arrieta's 1 year of control would certainly net you something of value. Hammel as well. The only thing is that you have to have at least one power arm in your rotation and Arrieta is it. I've been convinced for months that Jake would be moved, and supported it, but now I'm not so sure. He'll be in a contract year so it behooves him to work hard to get back to form and he might be more valuable staying than going. With no FA to speak of trades are going to be crazy expensive.

 

[Omeletpants]

If we want to win the WS again next year having Arrietta rather than trading him is the best scenario

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

If we want to win the WS again next year having Arrietta rather than trading him is the best scenario

Agree.

 

[CSF77]

Looks like Fowler is moving on.

I'm thinking they keep it simple.

Almora got a taste. So I'm seeing the OF as:

Schwarber/Soler LF
Almora CF
Heyward RF

They will value ground covered over anything else.

Now due to Fowler leaving they need to keep Zobrist as the lead off.

So Bryant, Russell, Zobrist, Rizzo with Baez rotating to give them days off.

Catchers I see it as Contreras and Montero with Schwarber as emergency. But they may try to pair him up with a starter to ease him into a larger role. Eventually I see it as Contreras and Schwarber with the other in LF to swap with Soler traded.

I really see it going that way. So they will hang onto Soler and Montero until Schwarber and Contreras don't need them any more.

Pitching. I see them going with a 2nd lefty and letting Wood go. They have Rob Z in the pen and should get Rosscup off the 60. He is a legit LOOGY. Z can soak a inning. Montgomery moved to #4 and Lackey as #5. Now that means Hammel not offered or traded. I really dont see him as a Cub either way.

Jake I believe will be a Cub in 17. There is a 33% chance that they flip him but I doubt it with a repeat being the primary goal for 17.

Add to it I see Ian Happ added mid season to help with lead off. If he can Handel CF you may see Almora moved to 4th OF and Baez moved to starting 2B as the season progresses. That puts the aging Zobrist into moving around lessening his role as he gets older.

 

[chibears55]

If we want to win the WS again next year having Arrietta rather than trading him is the best scenario

What about having a chance in 2018,19 20
Cubs have little in system as far as starting pitching goes
They need to do something to net young arms for the future

Teams are starting to tie up their solid young arms with long term deals, so besides draft or IFA, only other way to try and get a young arm is via trade..

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[beckdawg]

I dont think the Cubs are QO Fowler. I remember it being part of the deal or something. Just looked it up and I am right. Part of the deal was the Cubs wouldnt put a QF on Fowler so he could be a FA clear. The QO is what hurt him last year.

http://www.bleachernation.com/2016/...owler-returns-to-the-cubs-on-a-one-year-deal/

That was speculation. It might be true but brett wasn't saying with certainty that they wouldn't offer him a QO just that perhaps he signed with this expectation.

To add to this... from mlbtraderumors

Fowler, who will turn 31 next March, batted .276/.393/.447 with 13 homers and 13 steals in 125 games/551 plate appearances for the Cubs in the regular season before kicking in a trio of postseason home runs on during the Cubs’ curse-breaking World Series run. He’s a surefire candidate to receive a qualifying offer from Chicago, which would give him a one-year, $17.2MM offer to return to the team, but based on Fowler’s comments it seems safe to say he’ll be rejecting the QO to again test free agency.

 

[beckdawg]

The issue with Kyle is his framing and game calling. If that improves, as it should, then we can discuss pop times being a problem, but I don't recall his arm being an issue that would stop him from being a backup catcher for Contreras.

From the numbers I've seen Kyle's framing was fine. His issue was blocking pitches(because his body is huge) and his arm while strong was inaccurate. Least that was the scouting report on him this time last year. Also you're right about the gaming calling aspect.

 

[CSF77]

From the numbers I've seen Kyle's framing was fine. His issue was blocking pitches(because his body is huge) and his arm while strong was inaccurate. Least that was the scouting report on him this time last year. Also you're right about the gaming calling aspect.

I would match him up with Lester next year. Vet to teach him.

 

[beckdawg]

I would match him up with Lester next year. Vet to teach him.

Eh... that's dicey. Lester doesn't field well if at all. Think Contreras will be with him as he's the most athletic guy they got.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

Is Montero gone now? He supposedly went on ESPN1000 and blasted Maddon for his horrible bullpen usage.


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[fatbeard]

Is Montero gone now? He supposedly went on ESPN1000 and blasted Maddon for his horrible bullpen usage.


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Rumor has it that Montero was very nearly DFA'd and released this year. He rebounded some in the second half, but his availability combined with his inability to control the running game makes me think the FO might prefer to move on. They might have to eat a portion of his salary next year to make it happen, but that would allow them to bring in a more defensively-capable and healthy veteran.

 

[greg23]

I think some of you are nuts.

Replacing 40% of the rotation from a 103 win ws winner who will be the prohibitive favorites next season?

No chance.

I could see Montgomery in the rotation but he's best served next year as a 6th starter/swing man out of the pen.

The two areas of work will be:

figuring out cf.....internally with almora/heyward platoon (and hap in the wings) or go outside and try bringing back Fowler or another defensive minded leadoff Hitter type (span)

Bullpen....closer is up in air as rondon looked awful last 2 months and is Edwards really closer material?
Beyond that they need to figure out who fits where because maddon had no confidence in any of them come october.

Personally....my thoughts:

A pen with chapman/jansen at end really helps esp if we can have edwards/strop/montgomery/rondon in front of them with 1 lefty and 1 righty added

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

I think some of you are nuts.

Replacing 40% of the rotation from a 103 win ws winner who will be the prohibitive favorites next season?

No chance.

I could see Montgomery in the rotation but he's best served next year as a 6th starter/swing man out of the pen.

The two areas of work will be:

figuring out cf.....internally with almora/heyward platoon (and hap in the wings) or go outside and try bringing back Fowler or another defensive minded leadoff Hitter type (span)

Bullpen....closer is up in air as rondon looked awful last 2 months and is Edwards really closer material?
Beyond that they need to figure out who fits where because maddon had no confidence in any of them come october.

Personally....my thoughts:

A pen with chapman/jansen at end really helps esp if we can have edwards/strop/montgomery/rondon in front of them with 1 lefty and 1 righty added

Lol is this serious? You want to sign Chapman AND Jansen? Oh sure we'll just pony up $35M per season for the two of them. It's not like Theo has a budget or anything.


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[beckdawg]

Replacing 40% of the rotation from a 103 win ws winner who will be the prohibitive favorites next season?

Hammel is 34 and while he pitched well in the first half of the past several seasons he's often faded. I see no reason people would be upset over him being dealt. Fact of the matter is if you want to give anyone else a shot at the rotation he's gotta go and the cubs obviously want some younger arms to have a shot. He's simply worth more in trade than what they need out of a 5th starter and they have other intriguing options such as Montgomery and Zastryzny.

As for Arrieta, I'm not saying I would 100% deal him but I think it makes a lot of sense to listen. For one thing you have him under control for 1 more year. If they can't hammer out a contract you can't let him walk and get nothing. He's too valuable. We'll see what the market looks like at the winter meetings but if someone like LA would offer you Urias and parts for Arrieta you have to consider that. Urias is 19 and fits in far better with the cubs young hitters than Arrieta who'll be 31 to start next season. That might hurt the 2017 cubs' chances but you're playing for the next 5-10 years not singularly the 2017 season.

At the end of the day, the cubs need younger pitching. Lackey is 38. Arrieta will be 31. Hammel is 34. Lester will be 33. Age peaks usually range in the 27-31 range. Arms like Dylan Cease, Trevor Clifton and Oscar De La Cruz are interesting but they really aren't super close to the majors and pitching is a crap shoot in general. As seen with the Chapman trade, pitching prices are insane and the only way teams are trading young arms these days is to acquire an established player.

 

[greg23]

Lol is this serious? You want to sign Chapman AND Jansen? Oh sure we'll just pony up $35M per season for the two of them. It's not like Theo has a budget or anything.


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No

Chapman or Jansen

1 dominant closer to go with a few power setup arms

Dont think we can rely on rondon/Edwards as our closers...we're built to win next year as well.

 

[greg23]

Hammel is 34 and while he pitched well in the first half of the past several seasons he's often faded. I see no reason people would be upset over him being dealt. Fact of the matter is if you want to give anyone else a shot at the rotation he's gotta go and the cubs obviously want some younger arms to have a shot. He's simply worth more in trade than what they need out of a 5th starter and they have other intriguing options such as Montgomery and Zastryzny.

As for Arrieta, I'm not saying I would 100% deal him but I think it makes a lot of sense to listen. For one thing you have him under control for 1 more year. If they can't hammer out a contract you can't let him walk and get nothing. He's too valuable. We'll see what the market looks like at the winter meetings but if someone like LA would offer you Urias and parts for Arrieta you have to consider that. Urias is 19 and fits in far better with the cubs young hitters than Arrieta who'll be 31 to start next season. That might hurt the 2017 cubs' chances but you're playing for the next 5-10 years not singularly the 2017 season.

At the end of the day, the cubs need younger pitching. Lackey is 38. Arrieta will be 31. Hammel is 34. Lester will be 33. Age peaks usually range in the 27-31 range. Arms like Dylan Cease, Trevor Clifton and Oscar De La Cruz are interesting but they really aren't super close to the majors and pitching is a crap shoot in general. As seen with the Chapman trade, pitching prices are insane and the only way teams are trading young arms these days is to acquire an established player.

All great in theory but get rid or Hammel and arrieta and replace with what? Montgomery and Urias (who I don't care for nor do I think the dodgers would give up for 1 year of arrieta)

The initial proposal was to trade him for prospect arms.....the WS contender shouldn't be thinking that way unless there is a stud fa starter they're signing at the same time....but there are none in f/a

How about they just keep him, try to resign him and go for it again in 2017?

 

[chibears55]

I think some of you are nuts.

Replacing 40% of the rotation from a 103 win ws winner who will be the prohibitive favorites next season?

No chance.

Lester and Hendricks will be 1 and 2

they probably keep Lackey who will be 38, but he has to be their 4th or 5th starter. Be lucky to get 170 to 180 IP out of him..
Most likely won't get much for him anyways..

Hammel gone...

Arrieta goes if they are able to trade for a younger major league ready arm that can slot in the 3 hole with TOR expectations..
Arrieta could net them a prospect or two


Yes, they want to defend their title but they also need to get future arms...
Epstein gotta find a way to do both this off season with the 2017 rotation and future rotation






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