Offseason thread

[CSF77]

Wonder if Cubs kick the tires on Rizzo now that he’s in the twilight of his career and coming off a bad one statistically. They could use a veteran presence in the clubhouse with what is expected to be a younger team.

I am not against it. But I do not expect that move.

 

[CSF77]

If Jed wanted to be evil.

Give RF to Caissie and push Cody into a bench role. Tank his market for next year.

 

[CSF77]

LF: Happ
CF: PCA
RF: Bellinger
3B: Paredes
SS: Swanson
2B: Hoerner
1B: Busch
C: Amaya
DH: Suzuki

Tendered contracts:
Thaiss C (0 options left)

40 man bench:
Ben Cowles SS/3B (3 options left)
Miles Mastrobuoni 2B (1 option left)
Kevin Alanctara OF (1 option left)
Owen Caissie OF (3 options left)
Alexander Canario OF (0 options left)
Luis Vazquez SS (2 options left)
Matt Mervis 1B (1 opt left)

They are locked into 2 bench players. The rest they can move up and down to Iowa. Canario IMO really depends on how they feel about Alanctara. Both are RH hitters and both can play all 3 OF spots. Alacantara should have a higher ceiling. He might have all star peak. Canario feels like a younger Soler and that would be a solid projected peak.

I know little about Cowles. They targeted him while injured and knew that they would have to protect him. What I have heard is he is very fast. So he most likely gets a role as that gives a weapon late inning. You could say the same with Alacantara. I wouldn't be shocked if the Cubs become a terror on the base paths with the rule change to pick offs.

 

[CSF77]

add to this they will be using the ball/strike challenge system in spring. So it is going through the process and might become a thing soon. Word is Ballesteros was excellent on challenges and scored perfect in the fall league. He was catching every 3rd day.

So if this comes into play plus the rule change to SB it should cause a paradigm change to catching. Prior it was stealing strikes. Now it is becoming a stop the run game. Getting a challenge system having a good judgement of the strike zone becomes a higher priority than framing.

It could open a path for Ballesteros at catcher as he has a decent arm and a good judgement of the strike zone and a MLB quality bat right now.

That rule change is a big deal right now.

 

[TL1961]

He was one of the best bench OF in baseball. I expect him to be highly sought after.

My opinion changed. Mostly due to the front office coming out saying needing a top of the rotation, IE we are spending then shifting to mid tier.

Those are mixed signals but if anything it signals we are not in a good place financially and we need to cut some corners.

So ya my opinion was changing cause the front office is also

I understand your opinion changing over time or as the situation changes, but the three posts - and three opinions - I referred to were all made within one day.

 

[TL1961]

Wonder if Cubs kick the tires on Rizzo now that he’s in the twilight of his career and coming off a bad one statistically. They could use a veteran presence in the clubhouse with what is expected to be a younger team.

There can be situations where reuniting with a former player makes sense, but this is not one of those times.

I need a GM who looks at a player's usefulness and fit on the team as it stands today. No room for sentimentality.

I love Rizzo, but if he had not previously been a Cub there is zero chance anyone would recommend picking him up.

He can play only one position, and we have Busch and Bellinger to play 1st already. He offers no other value. Even if he pinch hits late - and his hitting has disappeared, btw - you better get a HR, because the minute he gets on base he is a liability.

This is pure fan sentimentality behind this, nothing more.

 

[CSF77]

I agree with Rizzo. If Jed decides to trade Hoerner and Bellinger it is a maybe because they are not in it and need a year to let the kids go through growing pains.

I personally doubt that this will be a thing.

I see that the depth illustrated above means that Jed will have solid injury depth on the 40.

It makes sense for Jed to add a starting pitcher and burn up some of Bellinger's deal. Then trade him mid season.

The chances that he increases his value is pretty good. Last year we can see as a floor and ,2023 closer to his ceiling. So even getting Cody closer to 2023 is better in general for the Cubs.


To trade him now it would take a prospect with value or cash and taking back contract. I am not saying that it can not happen but less likely

 

[CSF77]

I understand your opinion changing over time or as the situation changes, but the three posts - and three opinions - I referred to were all made within one day.

Fair. I see the moves doing nothing. The pen arm added ,1/2 a win. Dropping Tauchman nixed it. Dropping a catcher and adding one was a net loss. The new guy is a downgrade at catcher.

So I see this as 100% a cash dump. Early on I felt that this was going to be the case. But most of the vibe out there was that they were going to retain.

So it jaded my initial gut feeling.

The why part is more intriguing. Why are they axing payroll. Bad TV deal causing payroll to drop below 180M. Because that is where they are.

It makes little sense to do this when tax hits at 241M. So they are 61M under and that tells me that Tom is not able to spend here and Jed is handcuffed and is squeezing wiggle room

 

[JP Hochbaum]

It seems like the off season plan is to go big on shoring up pitching and hoping the team scores runs.
If this is the case the Cubs need to make trades from their MILB depth and get someone like Crochet or trade with the division rival for Devin Williams. The team could hit the goal of 90 wins if we stack the pen and get a true ACE, outisde of Steele. Unlikely I know, but had we had a bullpen the first half of last year we are in the 90 win range

 

[knoxville7]

It seems like the off season plan is to go big on shoring up pitching and hoping the team scores runs.
If this is the case the Cubs need to make trades from their MILB depth and get someone like Crochet or trade with the division rival for Devin Williams. The team could hit the goal of 90 wins if we stack the pen and get a true ACE, outisde of Steele. Unlikely I know, but had we had a bullpen the first half of last year we are in the 90 win range

and the year before!

 

[CSF77]

This team is not good enough to be a 90 win team. They are in the weakest division in baseball and they struggle to stay above .500. There is no reason why this is happening other than poor thought process from management and a ownership that puts fiscal responsibility above wins.

This team should be 90+ every year with their resources and if we have to make excuses on why they are not just shows that the word ineptitude is mired in this organization.

This will not change until a paradigm shift happens. Most likely Jed ass canned and bad contracts pushed out.

If it was me I would push out the next wave and put my overpaid and underperforming players into roleplayer status. The cost is still the same but I am developing the future while burning off contract. If said players get pissed and want to drop their no trade cool.

 

[CSF77]

Snell to the Dodgers... Like they needed him...

 

[CSF77]

Also sounds like there is a mystery team going hard after Crochet. Cubs match up with them the best.

 

[knoxville7]

Snell to the Dodgers... Like they needed him...

Maybe Ro from Japan isn’t the lock to go to the dodgers we all think

 

[CSF77]

Maybe Ro from Japan isn’t the lock to go to the dodgers we all think

You might be right

 

[CSF77]

I was listing to Locked on pod about Bellinger. Sounds like Jed tried to sell him to any team that might listen.

My thought was the Yankees

Bring back Stroman and a catcher named Jesus Rodriguez. He should be in AAA and pair him up with Ballestroes.

Trade out Cody and Hoerner. Yankees need a 1B even if they score Soto. 2B also

F/A target Evo and Hisagua. Minter also makes sense.

I wouldn't bank on a kids decision. If they win eating 19M is not a reach. If Brown wins over Stro. Same thing.

Having too much pitching is not a bad thing

The line up will be a huge question mark and a growing pains issue. But targeting a bat mid season is not a big deal and they should have payroll cleared to be able to do it.

I say platoon Alàcantara and Caissie and give Shaw 2B and see what they can do.

 

[CSF77]

My issue with Cody is he went into 2024 not getting a contract done due to exit velocity.

2024 it felt like he was trying to do what the doubters wanted to get a new deal and ran into poor park conditions at home.

My opinion is team first. I do not want a Boras fed player that is looking at a contract over putting wins on the board.

So bringing back a bad contract and a prospect catcher and opening up opertunity for 3 top 50 prospects is the right call.

Shaw already has some projections of winning the rookie of the year and he has no spot.

It is time to make it so.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs fans received some good news yesterday when Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported that right-hander Ben Brown has been cleared for a normal throwing program this offseason. The 25-year-old was acquired by the club at the 2022 trade deadline in the deal that sent right-hander David Robertson to Philadelphia but didn’t make his big league debut until this year. The youngster looked quite good for the Cubs early in the season with a 3.58 ERA and 3.11 FIP in 55 1/3 innings of work while swinging between the rotation and bullpen. He struck out 28.8% of opponents faced against a walk rate of 8.6% but saw is time in the majors cut short by a stress reaction in his neck that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Chicago reportedly plans to add a starting pitcher to the rotation alongside Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon this winter, which could leave Brown to either compete with Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks for the fifth spot in the rotation this spring or else spend the year in the bullpen.

 

[CSF77]

I feel pretty good if it ends up Brown and a F/A or trade while Horton builds up innings.

Also I watched a interview with Caissie and even he thought that he would get up to the majors next year but after May 15.

I get the feeling that this will end up a transition year and the past 4 years finally bare fruit.

Interview in full. I do like the kid. Wise beyond his years and should be a solid core player.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs To Sign Brooks Kriske

Right-handed pitcher Brooks Kriske has agreed to a contract with the Cubs.

www.mlbtraderumors.com