Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[chibears55]

I'm wondering if people are missing something with all the hand wringing on the bullpen. I mean I get it but is it really the worst thing in the world if the cubs have to let Maples sink or swim? Obviously there's a chance he never has enough command but this is a guy who had 103 K's in 57 innings in AAA. That's a down right absurd 16.26 k/9. To put that into some context, Chapman had 11.76 k/9 over 95.2 innings albeit as a starter. Hader had 10.3 k/9 over 121.0 innings again mostly as a starter. Dellin Betances over 179.2 innings in AAA was 10.3. Best I'm seeing among the league leaders in k/9 last year who even come close to that is Kimbrel who had a 13.3 k/9 over 58.0 innings.

Now sure his 7.9 bb/9 in AAA isn't likely to play at the MLB level but I mean at some point you just gotta take the shot. It's entirely possible that he comes up and just dominates. I mean Marmol in 2009 had a 11.31/7.91 k/bb per 9 and a 3.41 ERA. 2010 he had a 15.99/6.03 k/bb per 9 and a 2.55 ERA and was the best reliever in baseball by fWAR. With that being said, I'm not sure I'd exactly want him closing given his walk rate but to be a useful part of the pen and to be a closer are two very different things. And for what it's worth Maples has a 10:3 k:bb rate this spring with 5.1 IP.

I'm just sitting here wondering if we're going to be looking at these minor camp injuries as a blessing in disguise in june. If Maples is forced onto the roster and solidifies himself there with good performance the cubs bullpen starts to get very interesting. Morrow should he return in a timely fashion is a guy who the past 2 years has put up 9.8/2.2 k/bb per 9 with a 1.82/2.14 ERA/FIP. Strop since coming over to the cubs for the first full season in 2014 is 10.1/3.5 k/bb per 9 and 2.61/3.10 ERA/FIP. Edwards is a career 12.28/4.92 k/bb per 9 and 3.06/3.12. Cishek the past 3 years is 9.8/3.2 k/bb per 9 and 2.36/3.46 ERA/FIP. That's a rather shocking good group to build off of. So, if Maples comes up and isn't killing you with walks he could be very very interesting. Hell in his 10.1 innings in the majors so far he has 20 ks.

I still think there's a valid question of how the LH side of the bullpen shapes up. I mean Monty is fine but he's not really "dominating." And if I'm honestly I'm not sure there's a guy walking in that door in April who is that guy. Might be something you just find a guy to get by with until july. With that being said, if the RH options play out as mentioned above you have a lot more liberty to use someone like Edwards who dominates everyone when pitching well in situations you might otherwise want a dominant lefty.

I kinda think that their hope for this season is for guys like Maples Mekkes and Underwood step up into a bullpen roles by season end..

 

[CSF77]

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/dillon-maples-could-crack-cubs-bullpen

 

[CSF77]

They just posted on Maples. With the injuries there is a opening that he could take.

He is working with Tweksbery on the mental part and Hottovy has moved him to the 3B side and closed up his delivery. He was opening up too much.

Avg 4 seem at 2800 rpm. Tops in baseball. Slider#4 over 3000

He figures out the zone the rest takes care of it self.

 

[chibears55]

With less then 2 weeks til opening day, the cubs have 7 bullpen guys banged up and injured..

Morrow
Strop
Cedeno
Mills
Barnette
Hagerty
Graveman

Depth they have are more mop up guys and middle relief type, they really dont have much depth for the 8th 9th inning that really reliable

With Morrow and Strop injured
They have to rely on Edwards and Kintzler to close out games with Monty and Brach to set it up


Im just not feeling it with the bullpen this year, their definitely going to need some surprises to come out of the system like Maples, Mekkes, etc to step in and make an impact

 

[anotheridiot]

Our boy Eloy signs a 6/43 deal. I guess he should be allowed to make the team out of spring training?

 

[CSF77]

Our boy Eloy signs a 6/43 deal. I guess he should be allowed to make the team out of spring training?

They have said his demote was due to his spring struggles. This contract killed the control notion. I just see this as not pushing him into a avalanche and letting nature take it's course. This is not new as the Sox have history of buying controlled arb years.

 

[brett05]

They have said his demote was due to his spring struggles. This contract killed the control notion. I just see this as not pushing him into a avalanche and letting nature take it's course. This is not new as the Sox have history of buying controlled arb years.

It's new as he never has played a single at bat in the pros

 

[anotheridiot]

It's new as he never has played a single at bat in the pros

I thought the demote was the negotiation to get him to accept a deal that bought out arbitration.

 

[CSF77]

It's new as he never has played a single at bat in the pros

Soler disagreed

 

[CSF77]

I thought the demote was the negotiation to get him to accept a deal that bought out arbitration.

That could be true. But I would take the guaranteed cash. Soler tanked and got paid well to do so. Banking on a risk reward scenerio can back fire.

 

[anotheridiot]

That could be true. But I would take the guaranteed cash. Soler tanked and got paid well to do so. Banking on a risk reward scenerio can back fire.

Soler got the 9/30 in 2012, before he left Cuba. I know you cant resist kicking Soler in the balls every chance you get, but considering your verbage of tanked when he was signed 3 years before he played in wrigley is reaching.

There were plenty of MLB players tweeting the reasons the white sox would give for demoting him. Now they have no financial reason to not play him up with the team and deal with a .180 average while watching 500 foot home runs.

 

[CSF77]

Soler got the 9/30 in 2012, before he left Cuba. I know you cant resist kicking Soler in the balls every chance you get, but considering your verbage of tanked when he was signed 3 years before he played in wrigley is reaching.

There were plenty of MLB players tweeting the reasons the white sox would give for demoting him. Now they have no financial reason to not play him up with the team and deal with a .180 average while watching 500 foot home runs.

Are you a Soler supporter?

My non biased was as follows:

Soler was the rawest of the 3 Cubans that year. 2 were ML ready and the teams that signed them were in a winning window. So it made sense to do so. The Cubs were stock piling and signed him to a ML deal also and put him in the system like a college player.

So I'm not sure on the kick him in the balls part. He was a failed signing and they flipped him for Wade with was perfectly adaquate in a return. At that point he was a known injury risk and couldn't buy anything worth while.

Even with the Royals he is still on and off the DL. So his career is in jepority after his deal.

Now this is based off facts. If you feel this is a ball kick well maybe that is what it looks like from what happened vs me down Grading the facts.

 

[brett05]

Soler disagreed

NOT! the same and you know that.

 

[TL1961]

Goldschmidt is extending with the Cards.

5 years, estimated at $26 million per.

 

[brett05]

Goldschmidt is extending with the Cards.

5 years, estimated at $26 million per.

Fair deal

 

[beckdawg]

boston is apparently shopping sandy leon. Rumors were previously they were talking to the cubs. He's a very good framer so it's something to keep an eye on. Given Caratini can also play corner infield carrying 3 C might not even be that crazy.

 

[brett05]

boston is apparently shopping sandy leon. Rumors were previously they were talking to the cubs. He's a very good framer so it's something to keep an eye on. Given Caratini can also play corner infield carrying 3 C might not even be that crazy.

Framing may be meaningless if they put in auto umps for balls and strikes with the next collective bargaining agreement.

 

[anotheridiot]

It was not the Soler for davis that started it. It was Heyward being signed to play center, Soler would have been in right, then Fowler returns and all of the sudden Soler sucks. Cant even play left field after he was the only one hitting in the 2015 playoffs. That is what started it, not Soler for Davis flip. I would have been more than satisfied for Eloy to take over for Soler this year, but keep telling yourself we needed Heyward to win the world series.

 

[beckdawg]

Framing may be meaningless if they put in auto umps for balls and strikes with the next collective bargaining agreement.

I mean it's not like they would plan on keeping him for the next decade. Guy is a back up C

 

[CSF77]

It was not the Soler for davis that started it. It was Heyward being signed to play center, Soler would have been in right, then Fowler returns and all of the sudden Soler sucks. Cant even play left field after he was the only one hitting in the 2015 playoffs. That is what started it, not Soler for Davis flip. I would have been more than satisfied for Eloy to take over for Soler this year, but keep telling yourself we needed Heyward to win the world series.

I really never saw the logic in signing Heyward myself. It was a huge investment in a RF that lacked HR power. We are talking spending near 200M on a 15 HR bat. Again I really was not a fan and they could have just resigned Fowler or went after a 1 year F/A to get to Almora.

Everything said it is what it is. They did and Heyward is here. Soler was injured and continues to be.

Eloy is a whole different situation. The Cubs will end up losing that trade 100% and I don't see anyone other than Brett happy with the end result.