THE CORE

[Steve_A]

■Words from Tom on ESPN1000

[The correlation between how much you spend and how many games you win isn't high enough]
[We have to refocus on developing players]

■Words from Theo

[There are examples of teams that go right up to the end of their contention window with their players and then all of a sudden face a long-term, painful rebuild]
[That's not something we're interested in. The art of it will be to maximize all the talented players that we have now and also make sure we're in really good position for the long term]

■Hiring of Ross

Seems like a reboot is in order.

Kudos to those whom saw it.
For the guys (including me) that had their hopes up,
team friendly contract extensions are probably a welcome still but,
we better embrace the fact that the core will be dismantled.

The feelings of 2016 have gone and now Theo has to maximize the situation at hand.

At the right price Contreras / Bryant / Schwarber / Baez will be dealt.

I guess who should go and what we should get in return is up to debate but wouldn't be surprised if half of these guys are gone.
(Sad as hell to see this team in such a state especially with them being the most love-able guys in Cubs history)

Lastly here is my question - Which guys of the core do you definitely DO NOT want leaving the Club and why.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

[The correlation between how much you spend and how many games you win isn't high enough]
[We have to refocus on developing players]

■Words from Tom on ESPN1000

[There are examples of teams that go right up to the end of their contention window with their players and then all of a sudden face a long-term, painful rebuild]
[That's not something we're interested in. The art of it will be to maximize all the talented players that we have now and also make sure we're in really good position for the long term]

■Words from Theo
■Hiring of Ross

Seems like a reboot is in order.

Kudos to those whom saw it.
For the guys (including me) that had their hopes up,
team friendly contract extensions are probably a welcome still but,
we better embrace the fact that the core will be dismantled.

The feelings of 2016 have gone and now Theo has to maximize the situation at hand.
At the right price Contreras / Bryant / Schwarber / Baez will be dealt.

I guess who should go is up to debate and what we should get in return but wouldn't be surprised if half of these guys are gone.
(Sad as hell to see this team in such a state especially being the most love-able guys in Cubs history)

Lastly here is my question - Which guys of the core do you definitely DO NOT want leaving the Club and why.

I think there is zero reason that Theo shouldn’t be listening on everyone on the roster. And adding arms like he did in the rebuild that can either contribute to winning or bring in a good haul at the deadline. This team could potentially be turned over completely and competing again quickly as the Yankees did if they make the right moves.

As far as guys I’d hate to see go. It’s Baez because though he can make some mistakes on the field with over aggression, I think he has the highest baseball IQ of all our guys and actually makes adjustments more quickly than others. Rizzo because he’s a great human and has been here since the start, but business wise it’d probably be smart to move him as he should have big time value and is due for regression in the next couple years. Schwarber because I truly do think he is finally ready to break out. I’ve thought that before though and it has yet to happen. Bryant isn’t signing here, the only real option is to create a bidding war for him and capitalize and hope to get a huge return. I do like Contreras and am fine with him staying if moved from catcher, but he makes horrendously stupid decisions defensively and running the bases. If you get a good offer I’m fine with moving anybody because it is time to move on before we let emotions sink this team.

 

[Uncle Gary]

■Words from Tom on ESPN1000

[The correlation between how much you spend and how many games you win isn't high enough]
[We have to refocus on developing players]

■Words from Theo

[There are examples of teams that go right up to the end of their contention window with their players and then all of a sudden face a long-term, painful rebuild]
[That's not something we're interested in. The art of it will be to maximize all the talented players that we have now and also make sure we're in really good position for the long term]

■Hiring of Ross

Seems like a reboot is in order.

Kudos to those whom saw it.
For the guys (including me) that had their hopes up,
team friendly contract extensions are probably a welcome still but,
we better embrace the fact that the core will be dismantled.

The feelings of 2016 have gone and now Theo has to maximize the situation at hand.

At the right price Contreras / Bryant / Schwarber / Baez will be dealt.

I guess who should go and what we should get in return is up to debate but wouldn't be surprised if half of these guys are gone.
(Sad as hell to see this team in such a state especially with them being the most love-able guys in Cubs history)

Lastly here is my question - Which guys of the core do you definitely DO NOT want leaving the Club and why.

I think the guy to move is Contreras. His bat is valuable and his arm is a cannon but Caratini is ready to start. A veteran back up can be brought in. I am also starting to agree that Bryant is going to follow the same playbook as Harper. Might as well trade him for a haul now rather than watch him walk for nothing later.

 

[CSF77]

I think the guy to move is Contreras. His bat is valuable and his arm is a cannon but Caratini is ready to start. A veteran back up can be brought in. I am also starting to agree that Bryant is going to follow the same playbook as Harper. Might as well trade him for a haul now rather than watch him walk for nothing later.

They could also flip Q after picking up his opt. This team could look very different opening day.

 

[Steve_A]

They could also flip Q after picking up his opt. This team could look very different opening day.

Wouldn’t get much considering how much SP’s are out there on the market right?

 

[fatbeard]

Wouldn’t get much considering how much SP’s are out there on the market right?

At his salary (11mil), Quintana would be the most attractive SP behind Cole (Strasburg will probably re-sign and not actually hit the open market). None of the other options (Wheeler, Bumgarner, Keuchel, Ryu, etc.) are better than Quintana and they'll all cost quite a bit more. You're only getting him for a year, but most teams would prefer that to committing to a 3-4 year deal with a mediocre post-age 30 SP like the other guys.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2020-top-50-free-agents/

 

[Discus fish salesman]

At his salary (11mil), Quintana would be the most attractive SP behind Cole (Strasburg will probably re-sign and not actually hit the open market). None of the other options (Wheeler, Bumgarner, Keuchel, Ryu, etc.) are better than Quintana and they'll all cost quite a bit more. You're only getting him for a year, but most teams would prefer that to committing to a 3-4 year deal with a mediocre post-age 30 SP like the other guys.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2020-top-50-free-agents/

All of those guys are better than Quintana. But a team may value the low cost, short term commitment for a decent rotation option. Twins have a lot of rotation openings and he could be a good option for them

 

[anotheridiot]

Lastly here is my question - Which guys of the core do you definitely DO NOT want leaving the Club and why.

The one guy that was never considered part of the core, the Hendry guy, Baez. He can still be had at a fair amount. The guy has said multiple times that he wants to play his entire career here. We expect Bryant to go, we all know deep in our gut that Schwarber belongs in the AL. You still try to lock him up so a team will take him without having to try to get him to agree to a deal. I dont know about Rizzo. Until he loses 25 pounds or so, he is always going to have back trouble, slow starts, not be the RBI machine that he should be. I was really surprised they only picked up his option and an extension was not announced so maybe that guy that Theo and Jed pined over and brought wherever they were is not going to be worth the 20 plus he should be demanding.
Common sense tells you that Contrares is the main one that should go. Rocket arm, better at framing (should have it figured out by the time the robo ups get here), but Peralta and Amaya in the wings, in this case, Contrares has the most value. I see no reason Caratini would need a veteran backup when Ross is in the dugout with the catching and pitching coaches. I do believe they hurt Contrares when he was made the man without a veteran to keep him in his young place, but Amaya and Peralta's upside should handle that with Caratini. We also have to believe Contrares' eyes are firmly on Molina, and he gets 20 million.

I still think Theo believes this roster had enough if they were handled differently and Ross will get a year with the full core until he is proven wrong.

 

[Omeletpants]

The one guy that was never considered part of the core, the Hendry guy, Baez. He can still be had at a fair amount. The guy has said multiple times that he wants to play his entire career here. We expect Bryant to go, we all know deep in our gut that Schwarber belongs in the AL. You still try to lock him up so a team will take him without having to try to get him to agree to a deal. I dont know about Rizzo. Until he loses 25 pounds or so, he is always going to have back trouble, slow starts, not be the RBI machine that he should be. I was really surprised they only picked up his option and an extension was not announced so maybe that guy that Theo and Jed pined over and brought wherever they were is not going to be worth the 20 plus he should be demanding.
Common sense tells you that Contrares is the main one that should go. Rocket arm, better at framing (should have it figured out by the time the robo ups get here), but Peralta and Amaya in the wings, in this case, Contrares has the most value. I see no reason Caratini would need a veteran backup when Ross is in the dugout with the catching and pitching coaches. I do believe they hurt Contrares when he was made the man without a veteran to keep him in his young place, but Amaya and Peralta's upside should handle that with Caratini. We also have to believe Contrares' eyes are firmly on Molina, and he gets 20 million.

I still think Theo believes this roster had enough if they were handled differently and Ross will get a year with the full core until he is proven wrong.

excellent

 

[CSF77]

Wouldn’t get much considering how much SP’s are out there on the market right?

$$$$

Say LAA signs Cole for 35 AAV. That goes on their current $163.4 base commit.

So with tax at 208 10.5 M is cheap for the value Q brings. He would be the #2 behind Otani right now on that staff. Add to it Cole and him bring payroll at 210M which is expected for a team expecting to contend.

Their main need is pitching.

They are going to sit on their #1 prospect. He should end up on a corner. But with Trout in CF their #2 is expendable. All he brings is speed.

 

[Steve_A]

$$$$

Say LAA signs Cole for 35 AAV. That goes on their current $163.4 base commit.

So with tax at 208 10.5 M is cheap for the value Q brings. He would be the #2 behind Otani right now on that staff. Add to it Cole and him bring payroll at 210M which is expected for a team expecting to contend.

Their main need is pitching.

They are going to sit on their #1 prospect. He should end up on a corner. But with Trout in CF their #2 is expendable. All he brings is speed.

But do they want to trade away any of their future for just a one year rental when
adding just Cole probably won't push them over Oakland and Houston?

 

[Castor76]

But do they want to trade away any of their future for just a one year rental when
Cole only probably won't push them over the Oakland and Houston?

Cubs signed Lester a year before they were ready to ready compete according to the experts. If LAA convinces themselves that Houston will slide back some with the loss of Cole, then, as this year showed, if you get in you can win.

 

[Steve_A]

Cubs signed Lester a year before they were ready to ready compete according to the experts. If LAA convinces themselves that Houston will slide back some with the loss of Cole, then, as this year showed, if you get in you can win.

I just can't wrap my head around it.
It might make sense if they believed in the guy and can get him to sign an extension,
but doesn't really add up in me that they'd want him short term.

 

[Castor76]

I just can't wrap my head around it.
It might make sense if they believed in the guy and can get him to sign an extension,
but doesn't really add up in me that they'd want him short term.

Part of what any team would have to ask themselves is can they expect better results from a pitcher who would cost about the same money.

 

[CSF77]

But do they want to trade away any of their future for just a one year rental when
adding just Cole probably won't push them over Oakland and Houston?

Marsh should be on the market for pitching. 1 year of Q should balance it.

But I don't see Theo going this direction myself. I see him looking at Happ in CF and using the deadline to sell Q to a renter needing a #4.


But if they have Cole and Otani then a lefty #3 makes sense for them. They have 2 SP that are serviceable in house already. I see them in the trade market for a lefty because resource will be in play for Cole.