Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[TL1961]

A Las Vegas sportsbook has Harper as the favorite for NL MVP.

 

[Castor76]

I think it is a over view of a flaw vs a finger point. The Cubs have made him the highest paid at every venture and now have a guideline with Arenado base a extension off of.

The main reason why he wouldn't would be akin to Trout. Shit team not in the play offs with bad contracts and a shit farm. No reason to stay then.

Cubs can go 200M per year. I really don't see a huge issue giving him a quality team to play on.

I can see them locking up Baez, Hendricks and Bryant. Rizzo depends if he rebounds. I'm not sure if they will lock up 1B long term with Bryant potentially taking it over in his 30's.

I would like to see the Cubs and Bryant come together on something like a 8/252 extension past this season. Pay it out at 18/24/30/36/36/36/36/36. The AAV would be 31.5M, which in line with what Arenado got. It would take him through his age 35 season.

 

[CSF77]

I would like to see the Cubs and Bryant come together on something like a 8/252 extension past this season. Pay it out at 18/24/30/36/36/36/36/36. The AAV would be 31.5M, which in line with what Arenado got. It would take him through his age 35 season.

Not sure what they do. They have 3 years of control. Col had less.

 

[CSF77]

Still think he ends up a cub

Seems Phi is a reach. SFG willing to go 10. LAD are not.

He might just take SFG due to the cash.

 

[CSF77]

Wouldn't mind it. Let SDP and SFG get better and beat up the LAD all season. Make them worn come Sept. Need any advantage going in.

 

[Castor76]

Not sure what they do. They have 3 years of control. Col had less.

True. That's why I put the first two years at 18 and 24. Those are close to what he could/should get in arbitration and it gives him nice increments until he reaches the 36M years. Probably have to give opt outs at years 3 and 5. Of course if it were possible to make the deal so that it overwrote this year's deal, increase the years by one and money by say 13M to drop the AAV below 30M. Perhaps have a couple of team option years at the end for 25M and 20M respectively and you have effectively a "Cub for life" contract.

 

[Castor76]

The Cubs could see what they'd get from Tampa for Zobrist and if SFG would take Heyward and 50M for whatever prospect they could get and that would free up enough to make a legit offer on Harper.

 

[Goose22]

The Cubs could see what they'd get from Tampa for Zobrist and if SFG would take Heyward and 50M for whatever prospect they could get and that would free up enough to make a legit offer on Harper.

Zobrist was late to report to Spring Training for personal reasons and now JayHey is scratched from the lineup for personal reasons for an undisclosed amount of time. I am not a conspiracy theorist, but there may be some merit to your post Castor. SFG may be prolonging the Harper debacle to make a play for JayHey on the cheap (for them), and in return the Cubbies make a last second play for Harper if they can move both Zobrist and Heyward. Usually where there is smoke, there is fire...

If this is the case (and it is purely speculation on my part), Theo better hope the deal goes through, because IF that is the plan and it falls through, Zobrist and JayHey will be shells of themselves (ie: LA Lakers) entering into a season knowing they were on the trade block at this point entering the season IMO.

I will continue to keep my tinfoil hat on and wait to see how this plays out.

GO CUBS GO!

 

[Castor76]

Zobrist was late to report to Spring Training for personal reasons and now JayHey is scratched from the lineup for personal reasons for an undisclosed amount of time. I am not a conspiracy theorist, but there may be some merit to your post Castor. SFG may be prolonging the Harper debacle to make a play for JayHey on the cheap (for them), and in return the Cubbies make a last second play for Harper if they can move both Zobrist and Heyward. Usually where there is smoke, there is fire...

If this is the case (and it is purely speculation on my part), Theo better hope the deal goes through, because IF that is the plan and it falls through, Zobrist and JayHey will be shells of themselves (ie: LA Lakers) entering into a season knowing they were on the trade block at this point entering the season IMO.

I will continue to keep my tinfoil hat on and wait to see how this plays out.

GO CUBS GO!

I don't envision Harper in Cubbie blue, but there was a rumor of Zobrist back to Tampa earlier this year and Heyward has got to know that Cubs would like to unload him. Even if the Cubs ate 10M per years remaining on Heyward's deal, if they also unloaded Zobrist, it would take them below the 206M threshold so they could certainly afford to add it back plus some. Would it be best for the Cubs? Only a title in two years would say so. But you put out some combo of Bryant, Harper, Baez, and Rizzo for the nest couple of seasons and you've got a lineup that can match up to most. Schwarber, Contereas, and Almora develop to .270+/.340+/.475+ and it gets down right scary.

 

[Goose22]

I don't envision Harper in Cubbie blue, but there was a rumor of Zobrist back to Tampa earlier this year and Heyward has got to know that Cubs would like to unload him. Even if the Cubs ate 10M per years remaining on Heyward's deal, if they also unloaded Zobrist, it would take them below the 206M threshold so they could certainly afford to add it back plus some. Would it be best for the Cubs? Only a title in two years would say so. But you put out some combo of Bryant, Harper, Baez, and Rizzo for the nest couple of seasons and you've got a lineup that can match up to most. Schwarber, Contereas, and Almora develop to .270+/.340+/.475+ and it gets down right scary.

I am with you....I don't see Harper in Cubbie blue, and before anyone jumps my fanny and says, "How dare you question either player's personal situations!"...I am not making light of either player's reasoning behind missing out on training camp. Regardless of their reasoning for having to miss portions of spring training, I hope they and their families are safe, healthy, and happy. Too many speculations, rumors, and coincidences going around to make an educated guess on what might be going on behind the scenes. I will now crawl back into my hole, wait for the season to begin, and cheer on the Cubbies, regardless of who is on the roster!

As always, GO CUBS GO!

 

[85Bears]

I still think he ends up a Cub too.

When has Theo or Cubs management ever tipped their hands? How many times has Theo surprised us? Smart teams don't EVER broadcast what they're thinking or planning. They broadcast one thing and do something else. If the Cubs were in on Harper, I would expect it to look just like this offseason already has - them publicly, and repeatedly proclaiming that there will be NO big expenditures. No money...right...

Or he doesn't end up a Cub - whatever, but you absolutely cannot predict what will happen based on anything said by the front office.

 

[TL1961]

Let’s see that the shoulder is OK and, equally as important, that the beaning doesn’t have lasting effects.

 

[TL1961]

The Cubs could see what they'd get from Tampa for Zobrist and if SFG would take Heyward and 50M for whatever prospect they could get and that would free up enough to make a legit offer on Harper.

San Fran won’t do that deal while Harper is unsigned, and Cubs can’t likely sign Harper until that deal is done.

We’re discussing how to squeeze enough $ for Harper and giving away $50M?

Lose Heyward’s D, add Harper’s offense and terrible D, lose Zobrist, and commit to millions.....what’s the upside?

Harper would truly need to be MVP.

But we would be Harper, Almora, Schwarber in OF? Ouch!

You can’t hit enough to make up for awful D.

 

[CSF77]

San Fran won’t do that deal while Harper is unsigned, and Cubs can’t likely sign Harper until that deal is done.

We’re discussing how to squeeze enough $ for Harper and giving away $50M?

Lose Heyward’s D, add Harper’s offense and terrible D, lose Zobrist, and commit to millions.....what’s the upside?

Harper would truly need to be MVP.

But we would be Harper, Almora, Schwarber in OF? Ouch!

You can’t hit enough to make up for awful D.

Schwarber is not a bad LF.

 

[brett05]

Would be a fairly petty reason to avoid negotiating with a team. I'm sure it pisses him off but that's the business and there are literally dozens of examples of the other MLB teams doing the same thing to top 5 prospects.

It's not the business part that upsets him. It's that they lied directly to him. They told him what to do to make the club out of ST during the off season. He did it and they still sent him down.

I wouldn't call that petty at all. It means that the Cubs if they want him will have to pay for their mistreatment of Kris.

 

[Castor76]

San Fran won’t do that deal while Harper is unsigned, and Cubs can’t likely sign Harper until that deal is done.

We’re discussing how to squeeze enough $ for Harper and giving away $50M?

Lose Heyward’s D, add Harper’s offense and terrible D, lose Zobrist, and commit to millions.....what’s the upside?

Harper would truly need to be MVP.

But we would be Harper, Almora, Schwarber in OF? Ouch!

You can’t hit enough to make up for awful D.

Or Harper can straight up tell them he's not interested in going to them. And while it's very risky, there's nothing stopping the Cubs from signing Harper and then trading Heyward.

According to the numbers Heyward's D slipped last year. With the subjective nature of measuring D, I'll personally take the offensive production.

 

[CSF77]

Or Harper can straight up tell them he's not interested in going to them. And while it's very risky, there's nothing stopping the Cubs from signing Harper and then trading Heyward.

According to the numbers Heyward's D slipped last year. With the subjective nature of measuring D, I'll personally take the offensive production.

Rarely for a RF the D outweighs the O. CHC being a smaller outfield with no foul ground even less.

His value going on was his D and his SB with 2B power. Sure for a CF that is great. For a RF it is less valued.

The only park that would see extra value out of that make up is SFG. Wrigg his value goes into the stands on either side.

 

[chibears55]

Rarely for a RF the D outweighs the O. CHC being a smaller outfield with no foul ground even less.

His value going on was his D and his SB with 2B power. Sure for a CF that is great. For a RF it is less valued.

The only park that would see extra value out of that make up is SFG. Wrigg his value goes into the stands on either side.

SB??? Who Heyward???

Heyward is mainly all D and occasionally walks..
He a semi streaky hitter

 

[beckdawg]

It's not the business part that upsets him. It's that they lied directly to him. They told him what to do to make the club out of ST during the off season. He did it and they still sent him down.

I wouldn't call that petty at all. It means that the Cubs if they want him will have to pay for their mistreatment of Kris.

I don't buy them lying to him at all. He may have heard something different from what they actual said because that's what he wanted to hear but Theo really doesn't strike me as someone who's out there just being a scumbag to his players. And regardless, I think this is a pretty moot point because he's literally talking in the media now about wanting an extension if the cubs wanna talk one.

 

[beckdawg]

SB??? Who Heyward???

Heyward is mainly all D and occasionally walks..
He a semi streaky hitter

I wouldn't really call Heyward streaky. Your point is taken but I think a better way to say what you mean is to say he often gets out of wack. He's talked about this in the media. When he's been hurt it's thrown off his swing which apparently is a bit high maintenance. I think that also explains a bit why he often has brutal april's. He has to essentially find his swing again. So in that sense it is similar to being streaky but I feel like that's a different version than say Baez who can be ridiculously hot then go on like an 0-20 stretch. When Heyward is playing well he's pretty steady but if something upsets that be it injury or offseason it takes him awhile to get back into the groove.