Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[Castor76]

They may want it, noone giving it to them unless there team options ..

So, doubt it happens

Never underestimate the stupidity of a baseball front office. To get one team to do it, you just have to convince them one other team is going to do it. Just takes the right amount of desperation in a team. Not saying the Cubs have that level, but the team that's lost the last two World Series just might be.

The protection I'd be putting in is trying to get as much as I can each year tied to how many games Harper plays in.

 

[CSF77]

Teams give up control to get a cost break. Players give up control to get a price increase.

I could see Theo give a player opt out at age 30 to get a price reduction. They did it with Heyward.

No trade clauses are also negotiated to induce signings. Players don’t like getting moved.

 

[brett05]

Teams give up control to get a cost break. Players give up control to get a price increase.

I could see Theo give a player opt out at age 30 to get a price reduction. They did it with Heyward.

No trade clauses are also negotiated to induce signings. Players don’t like getting moved.

That's not exactly true. With Heyward's options he got the most cash with the least amount of years from the Cubs. They saved no money.

 

[chibears55]

Teams give up control to get a cost break. Players give up control to get a price increase.

I could see Theo give a player opt out at age 30 to get a price reduction. They did it with Heyward.

No trade clauses are also negotiated to induce signings. Players don’t like getting moved.

No team going to offer a 14 year deal at 25 - 30 + per with a player option after 4, because that kind of contract only favors the player to give them insurance/security to continue to get paid if their production starts to fall or if they get injured...

Heyward that example....

Even though it less, it still a good chunk of payroll their going to be paying him over the next 5 yrs to basically be a defensive RFer with a mediocre bat...

Imagine if they gave him a 14 year deal instead of 8...

 

[anotheridiot]

That's not exactly true. With Heyward's options he got the most cash with the least amount of years from the Cubs. They saved no money.

Sorry, but I agree with this, he was getting 26 million with a front loaded contract and allowing the player to stay here for 3 years since Theo knew payroll was going to get tough when it was time to pay Bryant and the rest.

 

[anotheridiot]

Eovaldi 4/67.5 to stay in Boston

 

[bears5150]

So Harper is a career 279 avg lifetime hitter and 249 last year and he is expecting $400 mill. For that price we cant even get a 300 avg

 

[CSF77]

So Morrow is not cleared for opening day now. Looks like a closer is incoming now.

 

[Castor76]

So Harper is a career 279 avg lifetime hitter and 249 last year and he is expecting $400 mill. For that price we cant even get a 300 avg

A career .268 hitter got 13/325.

 

[CSF77]

So Harper is a career 279 avg lifetime hitter and 249 last year and he is expecting $400 mill. For that price we cant even get a 300 avg

You failed after posting BA.

 

[beckdawg]

Well ****... Morrow had an elbow clean up and may not be available to start the year.... He's a good pitcher and all but you gotta wonder about the signing as being the solution they hoped for because yet again for like the 5th straight year it seems like they are going into the offseason looking for a closer.

 

[CSF77]

No team going to offer a 14 year deal at 25 - 30 + per with a player option after 4, because that kind of contract only favors the player to give them insurance/security to continue to get paid if their production starts to fall or if they get injured...

Heyward that example....

Even though it less, it still a good chunk of payroll their going to be paying him over the next 5 yrs to basically be a defensive RFer with a mediocre bat...

Imagine if they gave him a 14 year deal instead of 8...

Depends on how the contract works out. If I was going to give him a player opt on a 15 year deal it would be at year 5. At that point he has 5/10 rights anyways. But I would balance my AAV then to make him not want to leave.

If I didn’t I would front load the deal so I have less to pay as he ages. Most likely a1B by that point. 35Per for 6 years. Then I would sit at 10/190. Basically over 1/2 of the deal absorbed at 32 YO. I could sit at 20M per til it ends then.

 

[anotheridiot]

Well ****... Morrow had an elbow clean up and may not be available to start the year.... He's a good pitcher and all but you gotta wonder about the signing as being the solution they hoped for because yet again for like the 5th straight year it seems like they are going into the offseason looking for a closer.

The only thing I know for sure is Joe will not use Morrow more than two days in a row anymore. No doubt part of this and the strop at bat to hammy injury are the two biggest reasons Theo will not talk extension.

 

[chibears55]

Well ****... Morrow had an elbow clean up and may not be available to start the year.... He's a good pitcher and all but you gotta wonder about the signing as being the solution they hoped for because yet again for like the 5th straight year it seems like they are going into the offseason looking for a closer.

Why I was hoping they added a closer last year...
I didn't trust Morrow

 

[Omeletpants]

So Harper is a career 279 avg lifetime hitter and 249 last year and he is expecting $400 mill. For that price we cant even get a 300 avg

Most overrated player in MLB. Huge mistake to sign this guy. Also has the worst beard in the league

 

[CSF77]

Why I was hoping they added a closer last year...
I didn't trust Morrow

Morrow is damn good.

But I think this might bump up the search.

Adam Ottavino Is the floor with Miller. I can see them going after Britton or Familia now.

 

[chibears55]

Morrow is damn good.

But I think this might bump up the search.

Adam Ottavino Is the floor with Miller. I can see them going after Britton or Familia now.

Morrow was an injury waiting to happen when they signed him and it eventually happened...

 

[CSF77]

Morrow was an injury waiting to happen when they signed him and it eventually happened...

Doesn't change the fact that he is damn good. 1.47 ERA He pretty much over achieved expectations going in. Healthy he is one of the premier closers in baseball.

That said they should target Britton or Familia now. I can't see them risking another 1/2 season loss of a closer.

Before this I was thinking Brad Boxberger (31). Cheaper. Now not so much.

 

[CSF77]

Most overrated player in MLB. Huge mistake to sign this guy. Also has the worst beard in the league

 

[CSF77]

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/theo-epstein-talks-cubs-free-agent-interest/c-301548572

On Harper:

"We're not ruling anything in. We're not ruling anything out," said Epstein, repeating his comments from last month's GM Meetings. "It's just it's still the status that we have is we'd have to get really creative to add dollars of real significance. That's still the case. Things would have to be sequenced in a certain way."

Translation: Unless Chicago can trade some hefty contracts, do not expect a marquee free-agent signing this offseason.

Kinda figured this part.

Reasoning:

At the moment, the Cubs' payroll projects to be right around the first luxury tax threshold of $206 million when factoring in projected arbitration salaries, pre-arbitration players, guaranteed deals and other financial components. So, Chicago's maneuverability may be limited unless it can complete the daunting task of trading contracts like the ones belonging to Jason Heyward ($106 million remaining through 2023) or Tyler Chatwood ($25.5 million through '20).

Theo said what I've been saying:

There is no doubt that there are needs to be addressed this offseason, but Epstein believes the biggest need of all is to get more out of what the Cubs already have locked in. In order to bounce back from the 86 wRC+ posted by the lineup over the final two months of last season, the Cubs need a healthy Kris Bryant and bounceback showings from the likes of Willson Contreras, Albert Almora Jr., Addison Russell and Ian Happ, among others.

What they are targeting:

Other talks are more complementary in nature. If there are no headline-stealing moves, the fact remains that Chicago needs bullpen help to go along with a utility infielder, possibly a backup catcher and perhaps a role-playing outfielder.

As far as who?:

TomLoxas
@TomLoxas

Cubs recently talked with Andrew Miller peeps. Risky and still could be costly, but I’d like that fit.

87
5:17 PM - Dec 3, 2018 · Niles, IL

I've thought he was a target more so now than before.

but they are looking for another Ross also:

Epstein is also prioritizing injecting some veteran leadership into a clubhouse that may have grown so accustomed to success in recent years that it became detrimental last season.

So I think that they end up finding a back up catcher that has post season experience. Miller seems like a target right now. Outside of that they need a UI on a split deal. Russell should absorb that in May so I don't see a huge investment here.