Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[CSF77]

I have to agree. The Cubs front office has been a flip flop .org. First they screw up Castro and try to make him a wait for your pitch hitter and screwed him up. Then they decide after drafting the wait types to make them agressive ground ball hitters.

I mean really?

I highly doubt that Davis came an and decided why not. I’m gonna screw up so hitters today. Yep...

So IMO he was ordered to get them to reduce strike outs and he did it and it was never going to work. So they fired him for it.... sounds about right.

 

[CSF77]

Well this came out:

Do the Cubs need to add another hitter to the lineup?

"I feel really comfortable where we are with our offense," Hoyer said. "You look around the diamond, and all the guys have performed in different years exceptionally well, and they're still young. ... In the second half, we kind of cratered and a number of guys underperformed. I think we have a plenty good offense if we don't add a hitter, but that said, we'll look around. We'll have discussions, but our focus is on our own guys."

 

[CSF77]

I take this as: nothing to see here.

He did say market for BP arms in general. Ideal is late inning lefty but that is not a limitation.

Take it for what you will.

 

[CSF77]

Feeling the Britton/Miller rumors will start swirling now.

 

[anotheridiot]

I heard a rumor that the cubs were shopping Heyward and willing to give up 20 million of pay to the new team.

Did not get a name behind it, but I guess there are a few teams on his deal they can trade him to.

 

[anotheridiot]

I apologize, if you thought I was arguing with you. I was pointing out what I feel was a bad philosophy that was being taught to avoid K.

Theo's philosophy is line drives and over the wall.

The hitters want to hit the ball as hard as they can right into the shift, and the over the wall numbers dropped significantly.

Eventually these guys need to decide for themselves whether or not they want to continue grounding into the shift.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Theo's philosophy is line drives and over the wall.

The hitters want to hit the ball as hard as they can right into the shift, and the over the wall numbers dropped significantly.

Eventually these guys need to decide for themselves whether or not they want to continue grounding into the shift.

I'm very well aware of Theo's hitting beliefs. Your assistance isn't necessary. Thank you.

 

[Castor76]

I heard a rumor that the cubs were shopping Heyward and willing to give up 20 million of pay to the new team.

Did not get a name behind it, but I guess there are a few teams on his deal they can trade him to.

His contract this year allows him to block deals to 12 teams. That leaves 17 without getting Heyward's okay.

 

[CSF77]

I'm very well aware of Theo's hitting beliefs. Your assistance isn't necessary. Thank you.

I’m guessing groundball to the 2B’s is not part of that philosophy

 

[Parade_Rain]

I’m guessing groundball to the 2B’s is not part of that philosophy

They aren't. He made that very clear in the presser at season's end. The greatest Red Sox player of them all, Ted Williams, was a launch angle guy. Ted was right. The swing down crowd set the offensive game back 25 years.

 

[CSF77]

I heard a rumor that the cubs were shopping Heyward and willing to give up 20 million of pay to the new team.

Did not get a name behind it, but I guess there are a few teams on his deal they can trade him to.

I would want to see more than he said she said at this point.

All I’ve seen is (we want to add pitching not nesserally a southpaw). And we believe in our young bats.

So reading into it:

They want a late inning lefty but are not saying it. Wilson gone it creates opertunity. Chavez you figure will happen. Again he didn’t commit to a name.

He also said: they sucked but we believe that they are a fixable problem. Ie Davis firing. I see it as they will go back to uppercut swings and SO’s are a part of the biz. BB + HR is the methodology vs GB to 2B.

Now Zobrist and Heyward were externally added so I believe if the right deal came up. Personally they are better off holding them. Heyward May end up blowing up again. He has in the past and honestly the talent is still there.

 

[CSF77]

They aren't. He made that very clear in the presser at season's end. The greatest Red Sox player of them all, Ted Williams, was a launch angle guy. Ted was right. The swing down crowd set the offensive game back 25 years.

Exactly

I’m pretty sure the O will improve naturally. Jed is doing the right thing by holding the deck and attacking the pen. I was debating Britton or Miller myself. Miller was banged up last year but really fills a nitch that Wilson failed at.

 

[anotheridiot]

I would want to see more than he said she said at this point.

All I’ve seen is (we want to add pitching not nesserally a southpaw). And we believe in our young bats.

So reading into it:

They want a late inning lefty but are not saying it. Wilson gone it creates opertunity. Chavez you figure will happen. Again he didn’t commit to a name.

He also said: they sucked but we believe that they are a fixable problem. Ie Davis firing. I see it as they will go back to uppercut swings and SO’s are a part of the biz. BB + HR is the methodology vs GB to 2B.

Now Zobrist and Heyward were externally added so I believe if the right deal came up. Personally they are better off holding them. Heyward May end up blowing up again. He has in the past and honestly the talent is still there.

Right, but the way they are going, that guy is gonna cost 10 million so moving someone seems necessary again, like Smyly for Hamels.

At least that should technically add 10 million for some help when they decide what is needed at the deadline. I am thinking Addisons salary might be lower than expected, I have seen some expecting 5 million, but I can see a bump to 4 something from his 3.2. I remember the arby numbers were thought to be in the 2.3 range when they gave him 3.2, so you gotta wonder if its going to the arbitrator this time around if they wont accept a million dollar raise.

 

[CSF77]

Right, but the way they are going, that guy is gonna cost 10 million so moving someone seems necessary again, like Smyly for Hamels.

At least that should technically add 10 million for some help when they decide what is needed at the deadline. I am thinking Addisons salary might be lower than expected, I have seen some expecting 5 million, but I can see a bump to 4 something from his 3.2. I remember the arby numbers were thought to be in the 2.3 range when they gave him 3.2, so you gotta wonder if its going to the arbitrator this time around if they wont accept a million dollar raise.

We really don’t know anything

 

[beckdawg]

They don't need to trade Heyward. They need to move him to CF. His bat is way better there and he's good enough defensively to play there. As i've said before, if you effectively platoon Almora/Schwarber with Heyward + a good RF/LF when Almora plays your OF gets a lot better.

 

[CSF77]

They don't need to trade Heyward. They need to move him to CF. His bat is way better there and he's good enough defensively to play there. As i've said before, if you effectively platoon Almora/Schwarber with Heyward + a good RF/LF when Almora plays your OF gets a lot better.

Dirkes was thinking Almora/Heyward CF and sign Clutch for RF. I don’t buy into it myself.

In house they have Zobrist and Happ that can play RF. I’m really not a huge fan either. Happ was at -7 UZR150 there. So it is really not a smart choice.

Thinking outside the box I was thinking Bryant RF and Baez 3B as that solves most issues but it wouldn’t take shape until May. Not to mention there is much sorting out going on right now.

So as of now I personally would use Happ as the 4th and run Schwarber/Almora/Heyward. After Russell gets off parole then they can sort it. You never know it might sort it self before then. Impact O tends to force results

 

[beckdawg]

Dirkes was thinking Almora/Heyward CF and sign Clutch for RF. I don’t buy into it myself.

In house they have Zobrist and Happ that can play RF. I’m really not a huge fan either. Happ was at -7 UZR150 there. So it is really not a smart choice.

Thinking outside the box I was thinking Bryant RF and Baez 3B as that solves most issues but it wouldn’t take shape until May. Not to mention there is much sorting out going on right now.

So as of now I personally would use Happ as the 4th and run Schwarber/Almora/Heyward. After Russell gets off parole then they can sort it. You never know it might sort it self before then. Impact O tends to force results

Not how I would do it. I mean if we're saying Harper/Machado are off the table... there's more interesting options at 3B IMO. Moustakas, Donaldson and Beltre would where my thoughts go. Donaldson if you want to invest in that second tier guy after the Harper/Machado types and Moose/Beltre if you wanted to go cheaper than that for fewer years.

 

[JimJohnson]

No thanks on Moose

 

[CSF77]

Not how I would do it. I mean if we're saying Harper/Machado are off the table... there's more interesting options at 3B IMO. Moustakas, Donaldson and Beltre would where my thoughts go. Donaldson if you want to invest in that second tier guy after the Harper/Machado types and Moose/Beltre if you wanted to go cheaper than that for fewer years.

Looking at the 40 man for a second:

Caratini/Contreras/Davis at catcher

Baez/Bote/Bryant/LaStella/Reinheimer/Rizzo/Zobrist IF (Russell suspended so not on)

OF: Almora/Field/Happ/Heyward/Schwarber/Zagunis

16 guys. I see 4 as AAA depth. Davis/Bote/Field/Zagunis

So with this you would have:

OF: Schwarber/Almora/Heyward/Happ

IF: Bryant/Baez/Zobrist/Rizzo/LaStella/Reinheimer

C: Contreras/Caritini

Line up:

Zobrist 2B
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Baez SS
Schwarber LF
Contreras C
Heyward RF
Almora CF
pitcher

I think that Almora and Heyward are more contact so having higher BB guys in front pays off more. Zo will need days off so you push La Stella and Happ there as needed. It is the best scenario until Russell returns. Then we may see Zo pushed into RF and Almora/Heyward platooned. But it really is just a D trade off. OF=>IF even then is might just be a push over all.

I just don't see a easy answer here honestly. Happ had 14 HR's. His BA went from .260's Jun=>July to .200 ish Aug/Sept. Even his BB nose dived. If there was a improvement through out the year like Rizzo did then I would think there was something. Right now I don't and he is nothing more than a off day guy.

Regardless something happened last summer.
Happ .256 to .196 2nd half.
Almora .319 to .232 2nd half
Heyward .285 to .247
Schwarber .249 to .221
Contreras .279 to .200

ya something broke for sure and Davis got the axe job

But:
Baez .292 to .289
Rizzo .246 to .329
Zobrist .285 to .330
Bryant .280 to .252 (injured)

This is the thing. Some hitters are just better than others. last 4 are your core. 1st 5 need to figure it out. And no I didn't post Russell. At this point he is the 25th man.

 

[TL1961]

McCutcheon is absolutely the last thing this team needs.

Aging player on downward path who is so-so offensively and poor defensively. What is there to like?