Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[CSF77]

From Cubs reporter:

Cubs Preparing for The Big Freeze
Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 11/20/2018 - 2:40pm
11/20 UPDATE #4:

The Cubs have selected the contract of LHP Justin Steele from AA Tennessee and he has been added to the MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), and OF Johnny Field and LHP Jerry Vasto have been sent outright to AAA Iowa.

Field and Vasto were claimed off waivers about three weeks ago (Field from MIN and Vasto from KC), and the third player the Cubs claimed off waivers at that time (INF Jack Reinheimer) would have been outrighted to the minors today, too, except he was claimed off waivers by the Rangers earlier in the day.

So the Cubs MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) now stands at 39 (one slot is open).

Again, keep in mind that if the Cubs need additional MLB 40-man roster slots during the off-season, Taylor Davis, Allen Webster, and Rowan Wick (and Justin Steele, too) have MLB Rule 6 Draft-Excluded Player status, so they can - NOT - be outrighted to the minors today, tomorrow, or anytime during the off-season (until 20 days prior to 2019 MLB Opening Day) and Justin Hancock, Duane Underwood Jr, Alec Mills, Randy Rosario, and Dillon Maples have MLB Rule 55 status and so they can - NOT - be outrighted until the player signs a 2019 contract (and as auto-renewal players they would not be compelled to sign until March 1st). However, T. Davis, Webster, Wick, Hancock, Underwood, Mills, Rosario, and Maples - CAN - be non-tendered on 11/30 (and I would expect two or three of them -- especially Hancock and Webster and maybe T. Davis -- to be non-tendered and then possibly/hopefully re-signed to a 2019 minor league contract after the Rule 5 Draft if the player accepts the offer), but they can - NOT - be outrighted to the minors until well into Spring Training. Otherwise that leaves just Ian Clarkin, Jen-Ho Tseng, Mark Zagunis, and James Norwood as players on the 40 who actually can be outrighted to the minors during the off-season, and probably only Clarkin and Tseng are actual candidates to get a DFA (if that were to become necessary in December, January, or February).

 

[anotheridiot]

Hickey steps down due to personal reasons. I thought he was gone already. Personal reasons, leave before he gets fired. Guess its time for Theo to get off the pot.

 

[anotheridiot]

Cubs Roster Info:
Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

+++++++++++

39 players are on MLB RESERVE LIST (one sloy is open), plus two players are on the RESTRICTED LIST

Last updated 11-20-2018

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 25
Adbert Alzolay
Tyler Chatwood
Steve Cishek
* Ian Clarkin
Yu Darvish
* Brian Duensing
Carl Edwards Jr
* Cole Hamels
Justin Hancock
Kyle Hendricks
Brandon Kintzler
* Jon Lester
Dillon Maples
Alec Mills
* Mike Montgomery
Brandon Morrow
James Norwood
* Jose Quintana
* Randy Rosario
* Justin Steele
Pedro Strop
Jen-Ho Tseng
Duane Underwood Jr
Allen Webster
Rowan Wick

CATCHERS: 3
# Victor Caratini
Willson Contreras
Taylor Davis

INFIELDERS: 6
Javy Baez
Kris Bryant
David Bote
* Tommy LaStella
* Anthony Rizzo
# Ben Zobrist

OUTFIELDERS: 5
Albert Almora Jr
# Ian Happ
* Jason Heyward
* Kyle Schwarber
Mark Zagunis

RESTRICTED LIST: 2
Oscar de la Cruz, P
Addison Russell, INF

This is actually pretty scary with the lack of outfielders and infielders on that list. So loaded with pitchers I doubt we ever see.

 

[TL1961]

We could use a few more lefties.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Hickey steps down due to personal reasons. I thought he was gone already. Personal reasons, leave before he gets fired. Guess its time for Theo to get off the pot.

From all reports this was not that at all. He left on his own, no push. John Farrell's name has a surfaced as a possible replacement. He was an excellent pitching coach before managing Toronto and Boston. Yes, please.

 

[CSF77]

From all reports this was not that at all. He left on his own, no push. John Farrell's name has a surfaced as a possible replacement. He was an excellent pitching coach before managing Toronto and Boston. Yes, please.

I’m fine with that.

 

[chibears55]

Amazon looking to win bid for RSN

That could be huge for the cubs

 

[beckdawg]

Amazon looking to win bid for RSN

That could be huge for the cubs

This would be interesting though i'm not sure how that would work because mlb retains streaming rights and amazon clearly would be streaming the content

 

[chibears55]

This would be interesting though i'm not sure how that would work because mlb retains streaming rights and amazon clearly would be streaming the content

Yea, they said they would have to work that out with MLB..
Gonna try and find something on it

 

[beckdawg]

I read something that i've been kinda chewing over in my brain for a few days. It was a quote i believe from Jed talking about bullpens. The gist of it was good teams play more close games(naturally) and because of that, good teams over work their bullpens comparative to bad teams. When it's said obviously like that I suppose yeah that makes perfect sense but I'd never quite connected that to the next part which was about the need of competitive clubs to be deep in their bullpen.

I found that interesting because I've always sort of felt like july trades for relievers were terrible value. The idea there being why pay through the nose in july instead of paying less in december? I hadn't quite connected the fact that the reason you do that is because if you're good the guys you have from december are typically worn down by the end of the season.

Not sure exactly how this applies to this offseason in particular but I found it interesting. The depth the cubs got out of their taxi squad guys in 2018 was actually pretty good.

 

[CSF77]

I read something that i've been kinda chewing over in my brain for a few days. It was a quote i believe from Jed talking about bullpens. The gist of it was good teams play more close games(naturally) and because of that, good teams over work their bullpens comparative to bad teams. When it's said obviously like that I suppose yeah that makes perfect sense but I'd never quite connected that to the next part which was about the need of competitive clubs to be deep in their bullpen.

I found that interesting because I've always sort of felt like july trades for relievers were terrible value. The idea there being why pay through the nose in july instead of paying less in december? I hadn't quite connected the fact that the reason you do that is because if you're good the guys you have from december are typically worn down by the end of the season.

Not sure exactly how this applies to this offseason in particular but I found it interesting. The depth the cubs got out of their taxi squad guys in 2018 was actually pretty good.

25 of their 40 are pitchers. A pitcher will do down with injury far more likely.

I'm kinda interested on what they do though. Tseng they have to axe. He lost velocity for the 2nd time. Both times he became a train wreck. It is a matter of time for a DFA. That puts it at 38. They do need a late inning arm going into spring with a legit lead off.

 

[chibears55]

I read something that i've been kinda chewing over in my brain for a few days. It was a quote i believe from Jed talking about bullpens. The gist of it was good teams play more close games(naturally) and because of that, good teams over work their bullpens comparative to bad teams. When it's said obviously like that I suppose yeah that makes perfect sense but I'd never quite connected that to the next part which was about the need of competitive clubs to be deep in their bullpen.

I found that interesting because I've always sort of felt like july trades for relievers were terrible value. The idea there being why pay through the nose in july instead of paying less in december? I hadn't quite connected the fact that the reason you do that is because if you're good the guys you have from december are typically worn down by the end of the season.

Not sure exactly how this applies to this offseason in particular but I found it interesting. The depth the cubs got out of their taxi squad guys in 2018 was actually pretty good.

Why we usually see contenders trade for the hottest available relievers in July...

 

[CSF77]

So what do people think on signing Freddy Galvis as a UI?

 

[beckdawg]

Here's something I'm curious about.... where's the extension for Hendricks? He's under control for 2 more years and you really haven't heard much if any discussion about it. He's only made ~$6 mil over his first 4 seasons and unlike Bryant/Schwarber...etc he wasn't a first round pick. He was an 8th round pick so you're likely only talking about some where between $10-100k bonus. He also isn't much of a merchandizing type guy as far as i'm aware. So, he would appear from the outside to be the prototypical type of guy to extend. You add into that the fact he's not really a typical top tier pitcher who's got crazy stuff and the fact ya know... he's a pitcher and they get hurt all the time and it seems likely there's a deal to be had there.

 

[CSF77]

He has avg 3 WAR per. I really don’t know what they will do with him honestly. He finally got up to 200 IP. I wouldn’t invest into a extension unless he meets that mark again. Right now he is cost relief. When the tables turn and he starts to get expensive then you have to start looking at his durability.

 

[chibears55]

Here's something I'm curious about.... where's the extension for Hendricks? He's under control for 2 more years and you really haven't heard much if any discussion about it. He's only made ~$6 mil over his first 4 seasons and unlike Bryant/Schwarber...etc he wasn't a first round pick. He was an 8th round pick so you're likely only talking about some where between $10-100k bonus. He also isn't much of a merchandizing type guy as far as i'm aware. So, he would appear from the outside to be the prototypical type of guy to extend. You add into that the fact he's not really a typical top tier pitcher who's got crazy stuff and the fact ya know... he's a pitcher and they get hurt all the time and it seems likely there's a deal to be had there.

I think their just gonna ride him out, he would probably look for 20 per

Think the Cubs would prefer to wait on making that much of a commitment now until they see what they have..
If anything, they'll wait til next offseason

 

[CSF77]

I think their just gonna ride him out, he would probably look for 20 per

Think the Cubs would prefer to wait on making that much of a commitment now until they see what they have..
If anything, they'll wait til next offseason

If he takes a 4/60 I’m sure they sign him. I don’t see them offering him 4/80 or more unless he is able to make 200 IP with a sub 3 ERA. He starts moving that direction then you start to think about a 30 YO that can pitch with less already. So maybe 6 years front loaded with a nice AAV later to help stabilize the next wave of self developed

 

[kapooncha]

If he takes a 4/60 I’m sure they sign him. I don’t see them offering him 4/80 or more unless he is able to make 200 IP with a sub 3 ERA. He starts moving that direction then you start to think about a 30 YO that can pitch with less already. So maybe 6 years front loaded with a nice AAV later to help stabilize the next wave of self developed

Yup who needs Hendricks for 4/80 when we can pay Garbish $22m per year.

 

[Castor76]

Yup who needs Hendricks for 4/80 when we can pay Garbish $22m per year.

It's money already spent and money Jake didn't want. What was your grand solution?

 

[beckdawg]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/sto...p-program-gives-them-player-development-edge/

this is kind of interesting. I'm curious if the cubs do anything like this and if not I feel like they should. Seems like a generally good idea.