Offseason Stuff

[TL1961]

You compared Bryant and Happs numbers as if that is a fair argument. Bryant plays everyday. Happ only plays when it is a favorable match up for him. Happ is far from a replacement for Bryant.

In saying all that TL is absolutely incorrect when he regurgitates trading Bryant is a bad move. If they keep Bryant and everyone else they are going to be the same team they’ve been the last few years. Competitive, but not a real contender and with zero financial flexibility. Also Bryant is leaving in free agency. A smart franchise recognizes their window closing and maneuvers to create a new window. Holding onto players to long is a mistake the cubs have made in the past

I don't advocate the exact same team, but there are worse things than having the same lineup as past years. And getting rid of the best player simply to make a change is ill advised.

IF they really stand to lose Bryant for nothing, than, yes, trading him would be preferable.

But I don't concede that they can't keep him, and unlike most here, I realize the fact that the lineup is brutal when he is not in it or hitting well. 2018 when he was out it was a completely different team.

Getting prospects that won't make MLB for a while means two years down the road we will be facing similar situations with others at a point when the prospects may be arriving. This is not a rebuilding situation where it benefits us to get prospects while jettisoning our best hitter.

 

[TL1961]

Here's another possible idea for trading Bryant. The Angels are going to be looking to make an impact. Money has them hard and heavy going after Garrett Cole and it makes sense. But with Joe now their manager, makes you wonder if he would mind a familiar face. The Angels have a top 100 CF prospect in their system. They also happen to have an all-time great currently there. Now they could slide someone to LF, but getting a former MVP still in his prime is a a big catch. Adell solves CF and possibly even lead off. Their other top 100 guy was Griffin Canning. He cracked the majors this year. Those two for Bryant might make a good deal.

The matchups may work for both teams, but the Angels have the two best hitters of recent years in the lineup and don't even sniff the playoffs because they have no pitching.

They need Cole. Spending on another bat is not what they need.

 

[Castor76]

The matchups may work for both teams, but the Angels have the two best hitters of recent years in the lineup and don't even sniff the playoffs because they have no pitching.

They need Cole. Spending on another bat is not what they need.

I'm guessing you mean Pujols as the other "best hitter", but he hasn't been good for 4 years. And you can argue the years before then. I know they need pitching. I'm certain they'll go hard and heavy after Cole. They didn't have a single pitcher even go 110 innings last year. Depending on exactly what they are willing to spend, they might be interested in Quintana just for the solid innings eater.

 

[CSF77]

I would like to see Caratini lose 15 lbs, especially if he is going to be the every day catcher

Is he fat?

 

[CSF77]

I'm guessing you mean Pujols as the other "best hitter", but he hasn't been good for 4 years. And you can argue the years before then. I know they need pitching. I'm certain they'll go hard and heavy after Cole. They didn't have a single pitcher even go 110 innings last year. Depending on exactly what they are willing to spend, they might be interested in Quintana just for the solid innings eater.

Otani

 

[TL1961]

I'm guessing you mean Pujols as the other "best hitter", but he hasn't been good for 4 years. And you can argue the years before then. I know they need pitching. I'm certain they'll go hard and heavy after Cole. They didn't have a single pitcher even go 110 innings last year. Depending on exactly what they are willing to spend, they might be interested in Quintana just for the solid innings eater.

Check pujols numbers before saying he has been no good with LAA.

Numbers aren’t what they were tbe first ten years because that’s impossible. But for much of his time inLA this over the hill guy still put up numbers few others reached.

Is he now what he used to be? If course not. But he and Trout have been together seven years. Offense isn’t the issue.

 

[Castor76]

Check pujols numbers before saying he has been no good with LAA.

Numbers aren’t what they were tbe first ten years because that’s impossible. But for much of his time inLA this over the hill guy still put up numbers few others reached.

Is he now what he used to be? If course not. But he and Trout have been together seven years. Offense isn’t the issue.

I don't deny how great a hitter Pujols was, but his last 4 seasons have been crap. His best OBP in that span is .326, with 2 below 300. As a team, their runs scored has been no better than 15th over that time. The last 4 seasons, the Angels 3B have ranked 19th, 25th, 29th, and 30th in OPS respectively.

I know they need pitching, but don;t say they don;t need bats too.

A possible big package deal is Bryant and Quintana for Adell, Channing, Thaiss, and Rodriquez. The first two are top 100 prospects while Thaiss and Rodriguez are ranked #8 and #13 on the Angels' list from 2019. The list might need adjuting, but the key, imo, is Adell.

 

[Omeletpants]

Is he fat?

For a professional athlete he is chunky and slow. 15 lbs especially ar catcher would help

 

[CSF77]

For a professional athlete he is chunky and slow. 15 lbs especially ar catcher would help

This belongs in the this is comical thread.

 

[TL1961]

Well, with today’s news of the sale of TD Ameritrade, Ricketts can’t claim no money to spend.

$26 Billion deal.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Well, with today’s news of the sale of TD Ameritrade, Ricketts can’t claim no money to spend.

$26 Billion deal.

But they still won’t. This is because the issue was never do they have money, but more about spending money smart.

 

[Omeletpants]

This belongs in the this is comical thread.

Get your eyes checked, Barney Google

 

[anotheridiot]

Well, with today’s news of the sale of TD Ameritrade, Ricketts can’t claim no money to spend.

$26 Billion deal.

They spent the second most last year and watched the middle of the pack teams make the playoffs.

What is the reason to keep spending? They won the world series in the bottom half in payroll.

They are in a good place right now, Nico showed he can handle 2B, at what minimimun salary, Russell, Nose, Happ, Bote all here to back them up, but everyone wants some 20 million dollar player. Got 4 guys on the 40 man who should be able to compete for the fifth starter spot, sixth and seventh if necessary. But we gotta get Cole?

Were you not entertained in 2016 without buying a team?

This is the meatball mentality that really pisses off the true cub fans.

 

[CSF77]

Get your eyes checked, Barney Google

You seem to be deeply concerned about the size of the Cubs player a little too much. It is a bit concerning.

 

[TL1961]

They spent the second most last year and watched the middle of the pack teams make the playoffs.

What is the reason to keep spending? They won the world series in the bottom half in payroll.

They are in a good place right now, Nico showed he can handle 2B, at what minimimun salary, Russell, Nose, Happ, Bote all here to back them up, but everyone wants some 20 million dollar player. Got 4 guys on the 40 man who should be able to compete for the fifth starter spot, sixth and seventh if necessary. But we gotta get Cole?

Were you not entertained in 2016 without buying a team?

This is the meatball mentality that really pisses off the true cub fans.

I had completely forgotten that "Nico had proven he can handle 2B" for full season.

I also forgot that we had another wave of young stars that will play for league minimumumum next season, thus allowing us to save Ricketts' money (as clearly the family will need it.)

Seriously....are we pretending that the odds are with the penny pinchers?

If anyone on this forum has no right to refer to others as meatballs, you're it.

When you started posting under "another idiot", and your posts were so clearly off base, I thought it was terrific sarcasm, and very funny. When I realized you actually mean what you say, I felt bad for you.

 

[Castor76]

They spent the second most last year and watched the middle of the pack teams make the playoffs.

What is the reason to keep spending? They won the world series in the bottom half in payroll.

They are in a good place right now, Nico showed he can handle 2B, at what minimimun salary, Russell, Nose, Happ, Bote all here to back them up, but everyone wants some 20 million dollar player. Got 4 guys on the 40 man who should be able to compete for the fifth starter spot, sixth and seventh if necessary. But we gotta get Cole?

Were you not entertained in 2016 without buying a team?

This is the meatball mentality that really pisses off the true cub fans.

Ummmm, their payroll in 2016 was 5th in MLB. https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/2016/ .

 

[Omeletpants]

You seem to be deeply concerned about the size of the Cubs player a little too much. It is a bit concerning.

You have low standards. Professional baseball players need to be in top shape. Caratini needs to eat more carrots

 

[Castor76]

Look, I'm pretty clear that I have no problem with the Cubs spending "obscene" money on payroll so long as the team can afford it. I'm not certain what the split is on team gates, but the Cubs gross around 400 M per season now. The two batter holes this team has is CF and lead off. Maybe Nico con do that. Maybe not. It's why I'm a fan of trading Bryant to LAA for Adell and another piece. Adell is a CF who is blocked there and would have to move positions and the Angels have gotten next to nothing from 3B the past 4 years. Plus Maddon might like having a familiar player there other than LeStella.

 

[CSF77]

You have low standards. Professional baseball players need to be in top shape. Caratini needs to eat more carrots

 

[Castor76]

This thread was originally called Perfect Off Season. So here's my pitch. The Cubs are currently projected to have a 40 man end of season payroll of $213, 633.333. That's about 6 M over the CBT.

Trade Bryant to LAA for Jo Adell, Canning, and either Kochanowicz or Hector Yan. That gets a project 19 M off the books for the Cubs and gets them a CF and a lead off hitter. The Angels get All-Star production at a line up spot they've gotten worse and worse at in the past 4 years. It doesn't add so much that they can't get other FA to start their own competing. It adds maybe 1.75 M to payroll.

Trade Quintana and Canning to Boston for Sale. Boston is looking to shed payroll but keep the window open to compete. Sale is a movable piece. It gives the Cubs another TOR starter. It adds 24.6 M to the payroll. Quintana is an affordable option who can eat the innings and either be flipped at the trade deadline simply let go to free up the nearly 11 M. Canning becomes an arm for the future. It removes 11M from payroll.

Release Russell. Float him out there to see if they can get anything for him. Otherwise cut the loss and save the 4.5 M.

Trade Chatwood for whatever they can get. Save 12.667 M. This puts their final 40 man at about $192.5 M. That's enough that the Cubs can sign one or two relievers or keep room for a mid season trade.

Line up of

Adell CF
Rizzo 1B
Baez SS
Schwarber LF
Contreras C
Happ 3B
Nico 2B
Heyward RF

Rotation of

Darvish
Sale
Hendricks
Lester
Alzolay, et al