Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[chibears55]

The thought is if he can out perform Duesing or Kintzler then you lose nothing.

IMO is they know that they are screwed. So they are building reserves. I'm down with a spring battle and see if Steele and Alzolay can impact mid season

Problem is their bargain hunting hoping their better then the garbage they have at the end of the pen...

Bottom line is...
Morrow needs to return healthy and clicking along with Strop Edwards Chisek and Monty

Those 5 are the biggest keys to having a successful pen


The rest their just hoping a couple of them steps up and makes an impact

 

[CSF77]

Problem is their bargain hunting hoping their better then the garbage they have at the end of the pen...

Bottom line is...
Morrow needs to return healthy and clicking along with Strop Edwards Chisek and Monty

Those 5 are the biggest keys to having a successful pen


The rest their just hoping a couple of them steps up and makes an impact

They are 6 deep now. Kintzler and Duesing are vets that are coming off bad years so they are building reserves. Add to it they have 3-4 interesting self developed options that could take advantage

 

[chibears55]

Keep signing pitching depth, one or two might actually be good

https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1089163279983886341?s=19

 

[anotheridiot]

all the McLeod stuff is real easy to agree with, I just think eventually you have to treat Bryant like Rizzo with when he plays, he has his position. I have no problem if they want Javy at third, Bryant in right and Heywood in center, well, other than the heywood in center part, but not to have decalso or happ playing third base with KB in right. Door is closed on big name free agents and its time to make sure you are doing everything possible to keep KB when his time comes.

 

[beckdawg]

Keep signing pitching depth, one or two might actually be good

https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1089163279983886341?s=19

Pretty good signing really considering it cost them nothing to bring him to ST

 

[CSF77]

Pretty good signing really considering it cost them nothing to bring him to ST

Not sure if this driveline is a new thing or not but if it adds 3 MPH like on him why not send Hendricks and Tseng there to train.

 

[chibears55]

Pretty good signing really considering it cost them nothing to bring him to ST

Not complaining..

Just seems to be their answer for this offseason to handle the bullpen/ Depth situation, sign all these low cost / coming off injury pitchers and hope a couple of them can actually help them during the season

I've already accepted that this season is basically going to be giving these guys one more run as is..

The SP looks to be their strength this year if all pitch to their capabilities

Offense could be really streaky all year..
Need a couple guys to up their game this year

Bullpen will be the biggest question mark, their going to need their main core ( Edwards, Chisek,Strop,Monty,Morrow) to step up big and not struggle much.

 

[beckdawg]

Not sure if this driveline is a new thing or not but if it adds 3 MPH like on him why not send Hendricks and Tseng there to train.

Define new. It's been around for like 4-5 years I think. As for sending players there, its not as simple as sending a guy there and they gain velocity. I don't specifically know how it works nor am I a mechanics type guy but from my understanding all it's doing is making your motions more efficient. In effect, I believe it's just a really fancy way of doing the things you would think of when developing pitching. Coaches teaching guys better ways to remove parts of their motion that are hampering them.

So, simply put you don't send a guy like Hendricks there because he has to have the velocity potential to begin with. If you look at kontos who you're clearly alluding to though that's not who the link is talking about.... he has thrown 95 before(http://www.brooksbaseball.net/velo....rtDate=03/30/2007&endDate=01/26/2019&s_type=2). He was throwing 91 last year but 2 years ago was throwing 93.77 as a max. Hendricks isn't just going to find a 95 mph fastball because he's never thrown one.

 

[beckdawg]

Not complaining..

Just seems to be their answer for this offseason to handle the bullpen/ Depth situation, sign all these low cost / coming off injury pitchers and hope a couple of them can actually help them during the season

I've already accepted that this season is basically going to be giving these guys one more run as is..

The SP looks to be their strength this year if all pitch to their capabilities

Offense could be really streaky all year..
Need a couple guys to up their game this year

Bullpen will be the biggest question mark, their going to need their main core ( Edwards, Chisek,Strop,Monty,Morrow) to step up big and not struggle much.

I don't think the bullpen is that big of a worry to be frank. I mean it really comes down to Morrow in my eyes. if he's back and healthy some what quickly and stays healthy that's a very good bullpen. They are a bit weaker than I would like from the LH side but Strop and Cishek are solid 7th/8th inning type guys. Brach should be as well and may even end up being a very good 8th inning type guy. He was in the past. Monty is pretty good albeit not amazing and given you have the previously mentioned guys you can be a lot more strategic in your use of him. Edwards is a bit of a question but when he's on he's unhittable and you have the luxury with their current set up to bring him in at any point in the game when you gotta get an out.

As for the depth signings, it's really not much of a risk. I'm also keeping my eye on Danny Hultzen. He was the #2 pick in the 2011 draft. And it's not like he was bad. He has a minor league ERA of 2.98 with a 10.2/4.5 k/bb per 9 in 178.1 innings. His issue is he hasn't be able to stay healthy but that's largely because they had him starting. He reminds me a bit of the way Andrew Miller ended up becoming a big time reliever. And what's great is that if he does pan out for the cubs he's the LH reliever they really need.

As for the rest of the pen, I think what you're going to see is the 5 righties mentioned plus monty. You have Monty. You're going to likely have an additional lefty(probably Duensing at the moment). And the final guy I think they are going to just continually stream guys from AAA. It's frankly a really smart idea because you can wear a guy out then send him down for a week and bring in a new guy from AAA rather than burning a guy out by july.

 

[beckdawg]

Also keep in mind that the 2018 cubs were the #2 bullpen in baseball in ERA at 3.35. With my minor complaints above set aside, I'd argue that this current group I like better than the group headed into 2018. While they don't have anyone who's Rivera out there, they also have one of the best team defenses in baseball if not the best. That dragged their FIP from relievers last year down from 3.89 to that 3.35 ERA. So, even middling guys may turn out to be pretty well if they can keep from walking guys.

 

[CSF77]

Define new. It's been around for like 4-5 years I think. As for sending players there, its not as simple as sending a guy there and they gain velocity. I don't specifically know how it works nor am I a mechanics type guy but from my understanding all it's doing is making your motions more efficient. In effect, I believe it's just a really fancy way of doing the things you would think of when developing pitching. Coaches teaching guys better ways to remove parts of their motion that are hampering them.

So, simply put you don't send a guy like Hendricks there because he has to have the velocity potential to begin with. If you look at kontos who you're clearly alluding to though that's not who the link is talking about.... he has thrown 95 before(http://www.brooksbaseball.net/velo....rtDate=03/30/2007&endDate=01/26/2019&s_type=2). He was throwing 91 last year but 2 years ago was throwing 93.77 as a max. Hendricks isn't just going to find a 95 mph fastball because he's never thrown one.

I was wondering if it was just making potential or breaking through.

 

[CSF77]

Also keep in mind that the 2018 cubs were the #2 bullpen in baseball in ERA at 3.35. With my minor complaints above set aside, I'd argue that this current group I like better than the group headed into 2018. While they don't have anyone who's Rivera out there, they also have one of the best team defenses in baseball if not the best. That dragged their FIP from relievers last year down from 3.89 to that 3.35 ERA. So, even middling guys may turn out to be pretty well if they can keep from walking guys.

I'm on the fence myself with them. I don't want to see compiled losses aimed at their weakness but I do want to see opertunity for Alozay and Steele to break in. Now I do feel that this pillowed up depth of AAAA guys are the emergency squad and Alozay and Steele would be predetermined decisions. But if the pen is unstable it forces those choices vs a stable environment.

So it is a 2 edged situation this year.

 

[beckdawg]

So, rumors are the pads and marlins are talking on realmuto which strikes me as interesting because they also have Hedges. Given their previous connection to Bote.... i wouldn't mind seeing a Bote for Hedges swap at all.

 

[CSF77]

So, rumors are the pads and marlins are talking on realmuto which strikes me as interesting because they also have Hedges. Given their previous connection to Bote.... i wouldn't mind seeing a Bote for Hedges swap at all.

Seems that Hedges would not be a part of the trade. They are targeting Mejia who has a higher celing.

That said it would be hard to justify starting Contreras over Hedges if that did happen. The improvements behind the plate justify a turn over.

IMO it wouldn't happen as Contreras' ego would implode.

 

[anotheridiot]

Also keep in mind that the 2018 cubs were the #2 bullpen in baseball in ERA at 3.35. With my minor complaints above set aside, I'd argue that this current group I like better than the group headed into 2018. While they don't have anyone who's Rivera out there, they also have one of the best team defenses in baseball if not the best. That dragged their FIP from relievers last year down from 3.89 to that 3.35 ERA. So, even middling guys may turn out to be pretty well if they can keep from walking guys.

That was front half of the year heavy. Team was really good, then really bad, then improved some. It was one of those things that you really needed stats to show they were good because watching, there were too many bad outings.

Either way its pretty amazing with such a piece of shit catcher everyone thinks we have back there. Cant call games, cant steal strikes, simply amazing they could be ranked that high.

 

[CSF77]

That was front half of the year heavy. Team was really good, then really bad, then improved some. It was one of those things that you really needed stats to show they were good because watching, there were too many bad outings.

Either way its pretty amazing with such a piece of shit catcher everyone thinks we have back there. Cant call games, cant steal strikes, simply amazing they could be ranked that high.

Staff ERA was 3.56 1st half. 3.76 2nd half.

Chavez 1.15 ERA 39 IP gone.
DeLaRosa 1.29 ERA 21 IP gone.

That actually kinda matters. They are replaced by huge down grades. Kintzler and Duesing.

Now I see framing relating to balls and strikes more than ERA. It also factors on pitchers that sit on the edges vs pitchers that attack the plate. For Jake he suffered with a poor framer vs 2 of the league best. Lester 2.06 and a 2.31 BB/9 under Ross then 2.99 and 3.17 under Contreras. There is no getting around that fact. HR/9 .7 and .9 then up to 1.3 and 1.19. Clearly there was a disconnect here.

So you can fluff up the BS all day long. Facts are facts. Framing factors.

Again I really believe that the Cubs made their bed with Contreras but in reality if they traded for a clear upgrade I see it as Contreras gets butt hurt even if he was a back up. Then with the improved staff handling Hedges would get more playing time causing more in house issues. Then it would lead to a trade. I really don't see Wilson accepting a position change even though he has the tools to be a plus RF.

 

[CSF77]

https://nypost.com/2019/01/26/mlb-owner-the-long-term-free-agency-deal-is-dead/amp/

 

[chibears55]

https://nypost.com/2019/01/26/mlb-owner-the-long-term-free-agency-deal-is-dead/amp/

Lol...
Sounds familiar

Been telling you all this since last season

 

[CSF77]

Lol...
Sounds familiar

Been telling you all this since last season

It is interesting that a owner came strait about collusion.

I get it though. Most get their pay day at 30. Then at 34 to 35 they drop in production. PED's created this monster where players would play at peak performance until 38 and a 8-10 year deal became a norm. Now teams are getting screwed 1/2 way through.

 

[Castor76]

It is interesting that a owner came strait about collusion.

I get it though. Most get their pay day at 30. Then at 34 to 35 they drop in production. PED's created this monster where players would play at peak performance until 38 and a 8-10 year deal became a norm. Now teams are getting screwed 1/2 way through.

But is it collusion if it just something that every team is just looking around at what's been happening with long term deals and learning from the mistakes of the past?