Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[CSF77]

I never said Trout wasnt a great player

I only opined that I didn't think cubs would fork that type of money down on a 29 YO for 10 yrs..

That is all

Lol

They might. He is going to break a shit ton of MLB records over his career. Cubs are heavy into traditions and that is news. I believe every big market will be in play for him.

 

[Castor76]

8/280 would be a 35M AAV. Put a couple of vesting options for 25M each and it would have a total value of 330M, which would be a record as of now. If WAR go for 8M per then he'd have to get 42 WAR to out perform it.

 

[beckdawg]

I'm curious if Chatwood would accept an assignment to the minors. He's out of options so the cubs would have to waive him but no one is going to pick up that contract. And supposedly he wants to be with the cubs and says he wont demand a trade to start some where else because he wanted to be here. If he were to clear waivers and accept the AAA assignment to potentially continue to work through some of his issues with command it would be a lot more interesting because he'd be decent depth if he works through those issues. And once he's cleared waivers I believe they can more or less option him down throughout the year without risking losing him.

 

[Castor76]

I wondered the same thing. I doubt the Cubs would do this even if he would. I'll look at the positive. HE worked two innings and walked one batter. He does that alone and he'll be tons better this season.

 

[beckdawg]

I wondered the same thing. I doubt the Cubs would do this even if he would. I'll look at the positive. HE worked two innings and walked one batter. He does that alone and he'll be tons better this season.

I mean why wouldn't the cubs? They are on the hook for the money regardless and if we presume he's unlikely to make the team but would accept a AAA assignment to hopefully work through those issues and maybe provide them with a guy should one of their starting 5 get hurt... what's not to like about that? The alternative would be just cutting him after ST.

 

[Castor76]

I mean why wouldn't the cubs? They are on the hook for the money regardless and if we presume he's unlikely to make the team but would accept a AAA assignment to hopefully work through those issues and maybe provide them with a guy should one of their starting 5 get hurt... what's not to like about that? The alternative would be just cutting him after ST.

I agree. I just don't think it will ever enter their minds. I mentioned this very thing a couple of weeks back. He goes down to AAA, stays stretched out down there, works out whatever his kinks are, and possibly gets some confidence should he be needed.

 

[TL1961]

I wondered the same thing. I doubt the Cubs would do this even if he would. I'll look at the positive. HE worked two innings and walked one batter. He does that alone and he'll be tons better this season.

He fell behind the first three hitters, walked one, and hit one in just two innings. Not much improvement. Nothing encouraging at all.

 

[CSF77]

He fell behind the first three hitters, walked one, and hit one in just two innings. Not much improvement. Nothing encouraging at all.

Too early to judge. Even Joe was more about his command vs the end results.

We are just looking at results right now vs what they are looking at. Which is is he hitting the mitt or is the mitt moving alot.

 

[chibears55]

Now the Dodgers are back into Harper..lol

Phillies want him long term
Dodgers supposedly short term

I said if the cubs didn't get him he'd probably go to the Angels to be closer to home(Vegas), Dodgers would be same thing

 

[zack54attack]

If Harper really wants a short term deal, the Cubs have to make that move. 1-2 year deal, then give him the extension after that TV deal kicks in.

 

[CubsFaninMN]

I'm curious if Chatwood would accept an assignment to the minors. He's out of options so the cubs would have to waive him but no one is going to pick up that contract. And supposedly he wants to be with the cubs and says he wont demand a trade to start some where else because he wanted to be here. If he were to clear waivers and accept the AAA assignment to potentially continue to work through some of his issues with command it would be a lot more interesting because he'd be decent depth if he works through those issues. And once he's cleared waivers I believe they can more or less option him down throughout the year without risking losing him.

Hmm... well, if he gets DFA'ed and clears waivers, then he becomes a free agent, correct? Even though the Cubs are bound to pay the guaranteed money from his contract. At that point, wouldn't he have to sign a separate Minor League contract in order to accept a AAA posting? With the guaranteed money just flowing out of the old, closed-out contract?

-Doug

 

[beckdawg]

Hmm... well, if he gets DFA'ed and clears waivers, then he becomes a free agent, correct? Even though the Cubs are bound to pay the guaranteed money from his contract. At that point, wouldn't he have to sign a separate Minor League contract in order to accept a AAA posting? With the guaranteed money just flowing out of the old, closed-out contract?

-Doug

I'm not 100% sure but from my understanding if the cubs DFA him he has the choice whether to accept the assignment or become a free agent. Typically players don't accept it because they got their money anyways and maybe they can latch on with another team as a MLB player. But my thought here was that if indeed he wants to stay in chicago he may realize that at the end of spring training he may not have a role on the 2019 cubs. However, injuries happen and theoretically he might have a role in 2020 were he to fix his issues.

Long story short, it would be an unusual situation but he has said he wants to be a starter for a team that doesn't have an obvious opening for one. He's also said he doesn't want to be traded to start some where else. So, my thought was this gives him a way of staying with a team he wants to play for while giving him an opportunity to fix his issues and a potential opening should someone get hurt. I mean if any starter were to go down him and i guess monty would likely be your two highest priority guys though the cubs lack lefty depth in the bullpen. So, if he's pitching even some what reasonably a la 2017 he'd probably be the guy.

 

[CSF77]

I'm not 100% sure but from my understanding if the cubs DFA him he has the choice whether to accept the assignment or become a free agent. Typically players don't accept it because they got their money anyways and maybe they can latch on with another team as a MLB player. But my thought here was that if indeed he wants to stay in chicago he may realize that at the end of spring training he may not have a role on the 2019 cubs. However, injuries happen and theoretically he might have a role in 2020 were he to fix his issues.

Long story short, it would be an unusual situation but he has said he wants to be a starter for a team that doesn't have an obvious opening for one. He's also said he doesn't want to be traded to start some where else. So, my thought was this gives him a way of staying with a team he wants to play for while giving him an opportunity to fix his issues and a potential opening should someone get hurt. I mean if any starter were to go down him and i guess monty would likely be your two highest priority guys though the cubs lack lefty depth in the bullpen. So, if he's pitching even some what reasonably a la 2017 he'd probably be the guy.

I'm pretty sure that they will push him into long relief out of spring with Montgomery. If he doesn't like it then too bad. He lost his spot and is on a major league contract to play.

I wouldn't over think this honestly. He needs to ground himself this year and re-establish value before any thought of being a rotation figure again.

 

[CSF77]

Now the Dodgers are back into Harper..lol

Phillies want him long term
Dodgers supposedly short term

I said if the cubs didn't get him he'd probably go to the Angels to be closer to home(Vegas), Dodgers would be same thing

Harper won't budge from 10 years. He will be a Philly and we might end up seeing Trout there also. (His fav team) right now the Philks have 63Mil on the books when Trout posts. 93-100 with Harper. Adding 40 M to Trout is very doable to a market Philly's size.

I'm seeing some Scarry bits over there soon.

 

[chibears55]

Harper won't budge from 10 years. He will be a Philly and we might end up seeing Trout there also. (His fav team) right now the Philks have 63Mil on the books when Trout posts. 93-100 with Harper. Adding 40 M to Trout is very doable to a market Philly's size.

I'm seeing some Scarry bits over there soon.

If they spend 70+ mil on 2 guys , they better hope they end up with a bunch of solid young players like the cubs did in order to win and stay under the tax..

 

[CSF77]

If they spend 70+ mil on 2 guys , they better hope they end up with a bunch of solid young players like the cubs did in order to win and stay under the tax..

Their problem. Not a bad one to have either.

 

[beckdawg]

I'm pretty sure that they will push him into long relief out of spring with Montgomery.

My point is I don't think he's going to win a job with the team out of ST. I strongly doubt given the win now aspect of this year for maddon that he's gonna **** around with Chatwood if he's still wild at all. I don't think what I just said is really that controversial. In fact, I'd argue it's the likely outcome. My point in all this is what do you do as an organization at that point? Normally yeah you cut bait on a guy and just eat the money or move him for whatever you can get. But he's said he doesn't want to be traded. And given where the cubs are financially, just eating $25.5 mil doesn't make much sense. So, the thought was if he doesn't wanna go some where else and the cubs don't really want to eat that kind of money, allowing him to go to AAA wouldn't be the worst outcome in the world.

 

[knoxville7]

This may be a dumb question, but I’m not familiar with mlb contracts and the rules placed upon them. Could the cubs in theory offer Harper a 10 year deal where the first year he makes a small salary(since the cubs don’t have the big $$ currently...eye roll), and then load up the middle of the contract with a fat salary to give Harper somewhere in the 10 year 330 mil or so he’s looking for? Not suggesting he comes here or anything, just curious and I know some of you are more up to date on the rules of contracts than I am

 

[chibears55]

Their problem. Not a bad one to have either.

It is if you plan on winning a WS while your paying 2 guys a large chunk of the payroll..

Why I think if they land Harper, they probably dont go after Trout

 

[beckdawg]

This may be a dumb question, but I’m not familiar with mlb contracts and the rules placed upon them. Could the cubs in theory offer Harper a 10 year deal where the first year he makes a small salary(since the cubs don’t have the big $$ currently...eye roll), and then load up the middle of the contract with a fat salary to give Harper somewhere in the 10 year 330 mil or so he’s looking for? Not suggesting he comes here or anything, just curious and I know some of you are more up to date on the rules of contracts than I am

It depends on the reason why they don't have money. For example, if all they are trying to do is avoid the $246 mil top end penalty for the luxury tax then no that doesn't work because the figure used there is the average annual value of the deal. So for example 10 years $300 mil would cost $30 miml per season toward the luxury tax. On the other hand if it's just literally a case of them not having the money this year then you can do that but more likely what you'd see is the team just deferring money until later. Stanton and Scherzer both have deals like this where they make interest essentially and it bumps their final number up higher than it would other wise normally be but year to year it doesn't change much. The most famous(infamous?) case of this is Bobby Bonilla who the mets are giving $1.2 mil ever july 1 until 2035.