Offseason discussion/rumors

[TL1961]

We have a GG caliber player with good instincts and a strong arm, on a team with a lot of offense. But people want to send him to AAA because he's not good enough offensively.

A top notch defender in CF is what the team needs. Why is this hard to understand?

 

[Omeletpants]

We have a GG caliber player with good instincts and a strong arm, on a team with a lot of offense. But people want to send him to AAA because he's not good enough offensively.

A top notch defender in CF is what the team needs. Why is this hard to understand?

Cause you cant have a CF and RF that can't hit.

 

[beckdawg]

Almora will hit for contact. That part I doubt anyone will argue. The question is if he limited to singles or is he a gap hitter where he racks up 2B's.

Almora had 100 doubles, 16 triples and 24 HRs in 1733 PAs in the minors which if you factor that to a 650 PA season is like 38, 6, and 9 or roughly 53 extra base hits a season. 53 XBH is what McCutchen had last year. And the other thing to keep in mind is that Almora was a HS player in the minors where you expect 20 year olds to grow into their power. I think he'll exchange a few of those doubles for HRs and a few singles become doubles but I generally think he hits to the gaps quite well.

In other words, I don't think he's Juan Pierre type singles hitter with no power and little OBP. He has decent power to the alleys but he's more of a line drive hitter than a HR hitter.

 

[SilenceS]

Lol Beaz will always be a free swinger but his adjustments over a season were great. His D alone is top notch. He adjsted about as quickly as you can to a swing change. Baez is going to turn heads very quickly. There is reason Theo and them held onto him. He wasnt there guy. He made them believe he is their guy. Maddon loves him. He has went to bat for him since day one.

 

[anotheridiot]

We have a GG caliber player with good instincts and a strong arm, on a team with a lot of offense. But people want to send him to AAA because he's not good enough offensively.

A top notch defender in CF is what the team needs. Why is this hard to understand?

It must be pretty hard for Epstein and Hoyer to understand since they went out and signed Jay for 8 million dollars. Almora has great instincts, might be the best in baseball, but the majority of posters here do not want Schwarber catching so you pretty much immediately blocked Almora with the Jay signing.

 

[beckdawg]

It must be pretty hard for Epstein and Hoyer to understand since they went out and signed Jay for 8 million dollars. Almora has great instincts, might be the best in baseball, but the majority of posters here do not want Schwarber catching so you pretty much immediately blocked Almora with the Jay signing.

Not really. You're adding depth. Szczur should not play meaningful innings in CF. He's just not that good of a defender. Almora would have been the only true CF on the roster had they not signed Jay unless you believe in Baez there but I mean why screw with what is working(him at 2B)? If Almora rakes and Jay doesn't play that much so what? You've built in injury depth. On the other hand if Almora is ineffective you have a legit option behind him. The reality of most young players is they are going to have peaks and valleys. If Almora hits a slump having Jay around allows them to give him some time to slow things down rather than having to be out there every single day.

$8 mil isn't that much money for a capable backup. Having him around is far cheaper than the prospects it would take to acquire a CF if shit hit the fan.

 

[CSF77]

Not really. You're adding depth. Szczur should not play meaningful innings in CF. He's just not that good of a defender. Almora would have been the only true CF on the roster had they not signed Jay unless you believe in Baez there but I mean why screw with what is working(him at 2B)? If Almora rakes and Jay doesn't play that much so what? You've built in injury depth. On the other hand if Almora is ineffective you have a legit option behind him. The reality of most young players is they are going to have peaks and valleys. If Almora hits a slump having Jay around allows them to give him some time to slow things down rather than having to be out there every single day.

$8 mil isn't that much money for a capable backup. Having him around is far cheaper than the prospects it would take to acquire a CF if shit hit the fan.

Jay can lead off if they are looking at lead off depth. Add to it he can sub late inning for Schwarber and you lose little in OBA as Kyle most likely hits 1 or 2 most games.

There is little wrong with depth and it gives another option if Almora slumps.

 

[CSF77]

Wow

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/cubs-notes-butler-mills-hammel.html?fv-home=true&post-id=85191

As Rogers notes, Mills was only designated for assignment when the Royals signed Jason Hammel, whose option the Cubs declined earlier in the offseason. The team’s pursuit of starting depth now raises the question of whether the team would have been better off had it simply exercised the option. But Rogers says a key reason the two sides parted ways was that Hammel had a conflicted relationship with manager Joe Maddon, who Hammel felt didn’t have appropriate faith in him and who frustrated him by pulling him out of games before he would have liked to depart. Though the option on Hammel’s contract was a team option, the Cubs allowed him to decide whether he wanted to leave, and Hammel made the call. Rogers’ sources tell him that was due primarily to his relationship with Maddon.

 

[anotheridiot]

Not really. You're adding depth. Szczur should not play meaningful innings in CF. He's just not that good of a defender. Almora would have been the only true CF on the roster had they not signed Jay unless you believe in Baez there but I mean why screw with what is working(him at 2B)? If Almora rakes and Jay doesn't play that much so what? You've built in injury depth. On the other hand if Almora is ineffective you have a legit option behind him. The reality of most young players is they are going to have peaks and valleys. If Almora hits a slump having Jay around allows them to give him some time to slow things down rather than having to be out there every single day.

$8 mil isn't that much money for a capable backup. Having him around is far cheaper than the prospects it would take to acquire a CF if shit hit the fan.

You always had Heyward to back up Almora if he slumped, which gives right field to Bryant or Zobrist. Last year they claimed Heyward was the choice to replace Fowler in center for a few years before going back to a corner. You ask Bryant, he would rather play center than left and right since the ball comes at you more times than mean hooks from opposite field hitters.

Trust the kids and then make moves to take playing time away from them.

 

[anotheridiot]

Lol Beaz will always be a free swinger but his adjustments over a season were great. His D alone is top notch. He adjsted about as quickly as you can to a swing change. Baez is going to turn heads very quickly. There is reason Theo and them held onto him. He wasnt there guy. He made them believe he is their guy. Maddon loves him. He has went to bat for him since day one.

Baez cut back on his swing until he got the co mvp. Then he started expanding, ended up hitting a homer of failing terribly.

 

[Omeletpants]

You always had Heyward to back up Almora if he slumped, which gives right field to Bryant or Zobrist. Last year they claimed Heyward was the choice to replace Fowler in center for a few years before going back to a corner. You ask Bryant, he would rather play center than left and right since the ball comes at you more times than mean hooks from opposite field hitters.

Trust the kids and then make moves to take playing time away from them.

In what alternate universe does Bryant ever play CF?

 

[anotheridiot]

In what alternate universe does Bryant ever play CF?

Joe put him out there once and when they asked him about it he replied with what I posted. The point is Almora, Sczcur and Heyward should have already been enough to cover center field.

 

[SilenceS]

Braves acquire Brandon Phillips. The two "prospects" going back arent really prospects since they are 29 and 27. Reds eat 13 million of the 14 million of Phillips contract this year.

 

[Raskolnikov]

The bottom line is the Cubs are so fucking good:

1)they will win 110 games while resting everyone.
2) They can trade for a cost controlled ace at any time
3) They can trade for an ace if one went down at any time.
4) They have an embarrassment of riches that well played and well parlayed moving into the future they are like fucking set for 10 years. They probably have an ACE problem in 2-3 years, with lots and lots of money tied up elsewhere.

They are at the point where if they pan out a move like Butler, or find an ACE somewhere, and retain a consistent Arrieta...well...if that happens we are looking at the greatest dynasty ever assembled in modern sports.

 

[SilenceS]

Vegas released its official wins/losses. Cubs lead all the majors at 95.5 wins. Next is Cleveland at 92.5. They predict San Diego to be the worst record in the majors this year.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2...e-way-as-initial-odds-set-by-reno-sportsbook/

 

[Raskolnikov]

Vegas released its official wins/losses. Cubs lead all the majors at 95.5 wins. Next is Cleveland at 92.5. They predict San Diego to be the worst record in the majors this year.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2...e-way-as-initial-odds-set-by-reno-sportsbook/

What do you think Silence? I think both those could go over. If Cleveland is healthy they look for real. I wouldn't doubt them, I probably wouldn't like that. But I think the Cubs can win 90 in cruise control and 95 is probable. After a championship 117 might be a challenge to motivate them.

 

[brett05]

Vegas released its official wins/losses. Cubs lead all the majors at 95.5 wins. Next is Cleveland at 92.5. They predict San Diego to be the worst record in the majors this year.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2...e-way-as-initial-odds-set-by-reno-sportsbook/

Small correction, there is no official release.

I like the over for the Cubs and the Dodgers. They play in two completely awful divisions and should walk away with a boat load of wins based on the unbalanced schedules. I also like the under for the White Sox. They aren't done trading guys away and I can't see them being what two wins worse than last year? That would be my three prop parlay

 

[Iceman2385]

cant wait for the season to start, Cubs should be very solid and a lot of fun to watch! We do have some question marks tho. Can Schwarbs play a full healthy season in left field? Will he be able to catch at all? If he can be a back up catcher in the future, that would be huge. Can Almora hit enough to be a regular starter? Alot of people seem to be doubt him, I have a feeling he surprises. Can heyward rebound from his terrible season, my gut says he will. Can Baez and Russell keep improving? Can conteras avoid the sophomore slump? (For some reason I see him slumping just a lil bit I'd take the under on a 350 Obp). Who's gna be r 5th starter? Can mongotomery get the job done, even tho he would look good in the bullpen again. If Anderson stays healthy that would be amazing. Can our main 4 starters repeat there ridiculous health and dominance, my guess somethings gta give w at least one of them. If butler can figure it out, whoa baby watch out mlb.

Some prospects im excited to see, can one of our pitchers break out, Clifton, cease, underwood, Johnson, etc. that would sure help the future. I'm hoping happ and Jimenez keep improving. I hope we're a playoff team again, but hope we don't feel the need to trade prospects again at the deadline, can't do that every year. If we stay healthy I don't think we should have too. I always thought it would be cool to see a contender trade an extra piece at the deadline like a lackey or Anderson or jay, if somehow we could afford to do that...retooling while winning

I'm really excited too see if Albertos can dominate this year and shoot up prospect rankings. He seems like a stud, throws gas and commands a fastball, change and slider... Oh baby dreaming about a 18 yr old lol

Go cubbies!

 

[chibears55]

Cubs made Travis Wood an offer...

Maybe their considering going 6 more often then not

Sent from my LG-V495 using Tapatalk

 

[SilenceS]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2...e-betts-or-bryce-harper-the-best-in-baseball/

CBS ranked the top 10 at every position. The Cubs have a top 10 player at every position except CF where Fowler is on there but is no longer a Cub. They even rank Heyward 10th best RF because they expect a rebound with the bat and he is still one the best RF's on defense.