Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[CSF77]

I would agree with that but his best role is set up. I'd still like to see another guy that has some experience on the roster.

I’m just concerned with injury. He came in jacked this year but I noticed that he was carrying himself with posture in mind. I’m concerned that he lost flexibility with the added strength. Running 2 1B was not a part of that training program.

I like respect 90 but sometimes it can backfire.

 

[anotheridiot]

Bote at SS is about the same as Schwarber at Catcher. Pants on fire and house burning before that happened

I thought I remember you scolding me with some youtube clip of Bote making a diving play at SS in AAA. Maybe it wasnt you, but when I suggested you need to make sure he can cover SS, that was what I was shown.

The answer is getting another only SS or 200million guy that only wants to play shortstop because you have never seen every game Bote has ever played SS.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I thought I remember you scolding me with some youtube clip of Bote making a diving play at SS in AAA. Maybe it wasnt you, but when I suggested you need to make sure he can cover SS, that was what I was shown.

The answer is getting another only SS or 200million guy that only wants to play shortstop because you have never seen every game Bote has ever played SS.

Ok, that's a lot of I'm not sure what right there. No, Bote cannot be your backup SS. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The Cubs played him there for one day and brought up the guy from AAA whose name escaped me (because it doesn't matter). Machado is not the only answer to the problem, he is ONE ANSWER to the problem and he's made noises recently about playing 3B for the right team. I'm not as high on him as I once was but if that's what the FO decides it's a reasonable solution to several problems. If they don't get Machado they could trade for a guy who can start at 2B that can also play SS, or they could find a utility guy that would replace Bote/LaStella that could play SS. Again though that last option is something the Cubs haven't had to do before and will change some dynamics. Still, no matter if it's Botte, LaStella or some other guy you're talking the 25th man on your roster.

 

[beckdawg]

Ok, that's a lot of I'm not sure what right there. No, Bote cannot be your backup SS. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The Cubs played him there for one day and brought up the guy from AAA whose name escaped me (because it doesn't matter). Machado is not the only answer to the problem, he is ONE ANSWER to the problem and he's made noises recently about playing 3B for the right team. I'm not as high on him as I once was but if that's what the FO decides it's a reasonable solution to several problems. If they don't get Machado they could trade for a guy who can start at 2B that can also play SS, or they could find a utility guy that would replace Bote/LaStella that could play SS. Again though that last option is something the Cubs haven't had to do before and will change some dynamics. Still, no matter if it's Botte, LaStella or some other guy you're talking the 25th man on your roster.

I think you're painting a slightly optimistic picture of the other options than Machado. I legit looked at potential options for trade and they aren't really pretty. Just as an example here, Alcides Escobar wasn't just a back up for an MLB team. He was a starter for the royals the past two years and he hit .250/.272/.357(62 wRC+) and .231/.279/.313(60 wRC+) those two years. There's not a lot of good options out there and unless you're just going to live with a guy being a terrible hitter and ok defender then you really don't have many choices.

Ultimately that's why I don't think they release/trade Russell. You can't reasonably find someone with both his defensive value and offensive potential. That's not to say they have no choice but to sign Machado. I think you could potentially make Baez with Russell off the bench work if you don't sign him. But other than Russell/Machado I really don't see anything intriguing out there. And in particular, they aren't going to be able to make that decision on Russell before the tender deadline because even if they do sign Machado you're not going to know for sure til probably the winter meetings which are much later. That's why I fully expect they tender him and figure out what to do later on because if you don't do that then you make yourself awfully desperate headed into the offseason to get a SS.

 

[chibears55]

I think you're painting a slightly optimistic picture of the other options than Machado. I legit looked at potential options for trade and they aren't really pretty. Just as an example here, Alcides Escobar wasn't just a back up for an MLB team. He was a starter for the royals the past two years and he hit .250/.272/.357(62 wRC+) and .231/.279/.313(60 wRC+) those two years. There's not a lot of good options out there and unless you're just going to live with a guy being a terrible hitter and ok defender then you really don't have many choices.

Ultimately that's why I don't think they release/trade Russell. You can't reasonably find someone with both his defensive value and offensive potential. That's not to say they have no choice but to sign Machado. I think you could potentially make Baez with Russell off the bench work if you don't sign him. But other than Russell/Machado I really don't see anything intriguing out there. And in particular, they aren't going to be able to make that decision on Russell before the tender deadline because even if they do sign Machado you're not going to know for sure til probably the winter meetings which are much later. That's why I fully expect they tender him and figure out what to do later on because if you don't do that then you make yourself awfully desperate headed into the offseason to get a SS.

I think it gonna be pretty simple...

Their either gonna sign Machado or They'll just go with Baez at SS and Zobrist / ? switching off at 2B

Whether it be Bote or someone else

I will say though that i kinda feel that if they do choose to sign Machado over Harper, i think it to play Machado at 3B and to move Bryant to LF.

 

[beckdawg]

I will say though that i kinda feel that if they do choose to sign Machado over Harper, i think it to play Machado at 3B and to move Bryant to LF.

It doesn't necessarily have to be one or the other re: Machado at ss/3b. It can be both depending on the other personnel around him or even what Maddon is feeling a particular day. That's one of the reasons I've always liked the idea of him better than Harper because on his career Harper is a slightly worse than average RF if you're looking at the metrics. Machado just gives you more options going forward and when you're paying a guy $200 mil+ having options on where to play him is a big deal. For example, imagine if Heyward couldn't play CF and instead was more a LF only. That would really hurt in how you can address moves this offseason.

In large part, that IMO is the biggest risk to massive FA deals. Compare say Pujols to ARod. When age started limiting Pujols to DH only he lost much of his value. When Arod was force to 3B by Jeter he was still valuable there.

 

[CSF77]

I thought I remember you scolding me with some youtube clip of Bote making a diving play at SS in AAA. Maybe it wasnt you, but when I suggested you need to make sure he can cover SS, that was what I was shown.

The answer is getting another only SS or 200million guy that only wants to play shortstop because you have never seen every game Bote has ever played SS.

I saw that clip. Then I saw the other clip of him saying wtf to a grab that Russell made.

Schwarber can catch a ball also. That doesn’t make him a catcher. Neither is Bote.

A back up is someone that you would start. I don’t see anyone saying Bote would start at SS.

To be perfectly honest here. Zobrist is the emergency SS. They don’t need one. They need a back up

 

[kapooncha]

I saw that clip. Then I saw the other clip of him saying wtf to a grab that Russell made.

Schwarber can catch a ball also. That doesn’t make him a catcher. Neither is Bote.

A back up is someone that you would start. I don’t see anyone saying Bote would start at SS.

To be perfectly honest here. Zobrist is the emergency SS. They don’t need one. They need a back up

Well what we need are people who can hit a baseball with RISP.

 

[CSF77]

Ok, that's a lot of I'm not sure what right there. No, Bote cannot be your backup SS. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The Cubs played him there for one day and brought up the guy from AAA whose name escaped me (because it doesn't matter). Machado is not the only answer to the problem, he is ONE ANSWER to the problem and he's made noises recently about playing 3B for the right team. I'm not as high on him as I once was but if that's what the FO decides it's a reasonable solution to several problems. If they don't get Machado they could trade for a guy who can start at 2B that can also play SS, or they could find a utility guy that would replace Bote/LaStella that could play SS. Again though that last option is something the Cubs haven't had to do before and will change some dynamics. Still, no matter if it's Botte, LaStella or some other guy you're talking the 25th man on your roster.

Only? You know that he has a worse glove to Baez right? If Baez has 10% walks he would be a better player than Manny right now.

Swear you guys are gushing over a player that really doesn’t deserve it.

Right now their 2 MVP quality players play 3B and SS. And you want to spend 30 Mil to push one off. Mmmmk

Makes sense......not

Or push Baez off SS to downgrade it and push another GG quality player off 2B...sure why not. Thumbs up to that one.

Or push Bryant to the OF...ok sounds great. Push a guy that saw injury into a full time role. Think the Pads did that last year withWill Myers...yep hit the DL last year...makes perfect sense to elevate a lesser player over you 6WAR per year 3B. Genius

I really don’t see the wisdom here. If they were going to go deep it should be to get Harper. And I’m not in agreement with it either.

I would rather stick to your guns. Which is Bryant/Rizzo/Baez/Zobrist. Get a back up catcher worth a shit and tell Contreras to rest more. (On a side note here Suzuki makes to most sense with Darvish returning. But he may want more playing time. Simple solve is platooning Contreras in LF with Schwarber and giving those catcher AB’s to Suzuki. By doing that you open up Happ for trade.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I think it gonna be pretty simple...

Their either gonna sign Machado or They'll just go with Baez at SS and Zobrist / ? switching off at 2B

Whether it be Bote or someone else

I will say though that i kinda feel that if they do choose to sign Machado over Harper, i think it to play Machado at 3B and to move Bryant to LF.

If Bote is getting regular playing time in 2019 something has gone horribly wrong. You'll need someone else to play 2B along with Zobrist who will be entering his age 38 season. I don't disagree that if they sign Machado 3B could be part of the plan, but likely some SS as well with Baez moving over on those days to 2B. You want guys with as much flexibility as you can get.

 

[CSF77]

If Bote is getting regular playing time in 2019 something has gone horribly wrong. You'll need someone else to play 2B along with Zobrist who will be entering his age 38 season. I don't disagree that if they sign Machado 3B could be part of the plan, but likely some SS as well with Baez moving over on those days to 2B. You want guys with as much flexibility as you can get.

LaStella still have his 2B mitt?

 

[chibears55]

If Bote is getting regular playing time in 2019 something has gone horribly wrong. You'll need someone else to play 2B along with Zobrist who will be entering his age 38 season. I don't disagree that if they sign Machado 3B could be part of the plan, but likely some SS as well with Baez moving over on those days to 2B. You want guys with as much flexibility as you can get.

I don't disagree with Bote..

My thinking is, if Baez ends up on the left side of infield, they will start Zobrist majority of games at 2B

So to fill in to give Zobrist a day off here or there , i can see it just being a regular bench guy like Bote, or whoever they have

Of course if they sign Machado, they could easily just slide Baez to 2B Machado SS and Bote Bryant or whomever at 3B when they rest Zobrist

 

[CSF77]

As far as back up SS goes. It really depends if they don’t offer Russell Arb. The whole Simmons rumor...shit that were true Russell, Montgomery and a add. Ya. He is the best SS in baseball. Think he can lead off...not sure here but why not. It fills out a few check marks. I doubt the angles go there though. Maybe Chatwood/Montgomery Russell for him strait. Maybe cash or prospect added. Then I’m moving Baez to full time 2B. None of this moving crap.

Angles are screwed depth wise in the rotation and honestly is not far fetched.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

As far as back up SS goes. It really depends if they don’t offer Russell Arb. The whole Simmons rumor...shit that were true Russell, Montgomery and a add. Ya. He is the best SS in baseball. Think he can lead off...not sure here but why not. It fills out a few check marks. I doubt the angles go there though. Maybe Chatwood/Montgomery Russell for him strait. Maybe cash or prospect added. Then I’m moving Baez to full time 2B. None of this moving crap.

Angles are screwed depth wise in the rotation and honestly is not far fetched.

I love Simmons, he puts on a clinic defensively, but a .337 OBP doesn't cut it at leadoff for me.

 

[beckdawg]

The whole Simmons rumor

It's not a rumor. It's someone on the internet suggesting he thinks it can happen. There's been 0 reporting the angels are interested in trading Simmons and why would they? They have all the money they need to retain Simmons as long as they want. He was a 5.5 win player. Why the **** would they trade him?

 

[TC in Mississippi]

It's not a rumor. It's someone on the internet suggesting he thinks it can happen. There's been 0 reporting the angels are interested in trading Simmons and why would they? They have all the money they need to retain Simmons as long as they want. He was a 5.5 win player. Why the **** would they trade him?

Agreed. Seems farfetched.

 

[CSF77]

I love Simmons, he puts on a clinic defensively, but a .337 OBP doesn't cut it at leadoff for me.

Again ask why not? Shit Joe made Almora and Baez lead off...wacky is part of it.

 

[kapooncha]

Again ask why not? Shit Joe made Almora and Baez lead off...wacky is part of it.

Some people won't accept any leadoff hitter except Ricky Henderson.

 

[CSF77]

It's not a rumor. It's someone on the internet suggesting he thinks it can happen. There's been 0 reporting the angels are interested in trading Simmons and why would they? They have all the money they need to retain Simmons as long as they want. He was a 5.5 win player. Why the **** would they trade him?

That said they are at 172M est for 19. They lost an Ace. SP wise they most likely need 2 arms. I personally believe that they should entertain the idea of a trade and the Cubs are not a dumb choice.

I would aim bigger myself though. Simmons for Q and Russell. If they want Montgomery then they have to give something up. Chatwood same but Cubs offset cash.

 

[beckdawg]

That said they are at 172M est for 19. They lost an Ace. SP wise they most likely need 2 arms. I personally believe that they should entertain the idea of a trade and the Cubs are not a dumb choice.

The idea is farfetched because the point of it was that you have to trade Simmons to get better but you're getting worse by trading Simmons. Also this belief that a team based in LA of all places doesn't have the money to spend is silly on it's face.