Who could the Cubs trade before the upcoming deadline?

[TL1961]

Happ I don't think had to be moved this deadline. Like I can understand your thought process that someone will almost always have more value in july vs october-december. But I think in his case there's far less pressure to move him. I also think there's benefit to not moving him with regard to FA. Like if you're a FA and see the cubs sell off 6 all-star players in 2 years are you really in a hurry to sign? Having happ around makes the team look slightly more appealing to FAs IMO.

As for Willy being high value... idk anymore tbh. Like it's easy for us as cub fans to say that. But I think people under rate how much defense and framing has come into C in the minds of MLB teams. I think the front office likely had the right value on him but the issue is other teams may view him differently based on needs. Like clearly the Mets wanted him and a name in the media was Mark Vientos. But if you ask me I don't want him. He's very much a wisdom like bat only he plays 1B which is to say a bad average and lots of power. If that's the "fair value" out there for willy I would rather gamble on a draft pick. Maybe you find someone like Davis who people questioned his swing but he had very good tools for his other 4 and you can develop him. With a player like that if you fix their flaws the upside is big but with someone like Vientos i just don't really see the upside. He's a power hitting 1B.... but 1B are pretty easy to find.

Matt Allen was really the only name the mets had that very much interested me. TB and cleveland I never saw making the trade because I think they are very big into the framing thought process. Like wise houston went out and got Vazquez who's better defensively.

This is precisely the reason interest was low.

I like Contreras a lot, but the fact is, pitchers are better when they are throwing to someone else. His arm is strong, but 90% of a catcher's defensive value is framing these days, and he just isn't good at it. I would like him as DH or wish he was able to transition to 1B. I even liked him in LF in the past though that's not where he should be going forward.

 

[TL1961]

And as far as Happ, the Cubs' situation with Happ was the quintessential "If we get an offer we love, we will trade him. Otherwise we hold onto him" situation. He should only have been traded if a team felt they had to make a move or a GM made one just to say he made one. As someone here would suggest he do.

 

[beckdawg]

I would like him as DH or wish he was able to transition to 1B. I even liked him in LF in the past though that's not where he should be going forward.

See this is what confuses me a bit about his seemingly low value. Like... I think you could probably put him in either OF corner as well as DH and as you mention maybe 1B. C would seem like just extra value being able to have essentially a third C. I would have thought people may have been more open to that but seemingly they weren't.

 

[RacerX]

So......one of your arguments is trade Happ now because he could get injured someday? His value is at an all time high as though he's playing so far over his head he could never be this valuable again? That's insane.

Also, your entire argument is built around saying "No" to a deal is automatically the wrong move. ANY deal is better than no deal. If both were FA's, both had declared they'd never sign an extension and you receive no pick as compensation, then that may be so. But that's not the case at all.

A GM's job is not to make moves for the sake of saying he made moves, contrary to your way of thinking.

You claim his example on Otahni is a joke because it is not "market value", as opposed to potential offers you know nothing about that the Cubs allegedly turned down. How do you know they were offered "market value", when they themselves determined they weren't?

Why do fans think they know more than GMs, and how do fans determine all these offers were made when there's no evidence of any such thing?

If that’s your takeaway from my post then you may want to read it again.

 

[RacerX]

And as far as Happ, the Cubs' situation with Happ was the quintessential "If we get an offer we love, we will trade him. Otherwise we hold onto him" situation. He should only have been traded if a team felt they had to make a move or a GM made one just to say he made one. As someone here would suggest he do.

No one said or suggested that until you just did.

 

[JP Hochbaum]

Keeping Contreras gives them decent option for FA now.
1. The Cubs now know how other teams value him, so they know giving him the QO may make Willy take it.
2. If Willy declines the QO and gets signed elsewhere, now the Cubs can sign someone who was given a QO as well. The picks won't be a wash but it will be easier to stomach losing a pick for someone like Bogaerts.
3. The Cubs offer the QO and no one offers Contreras the contract he wants, and Cubs get him back for a team friendly deal.

 

[knoxville7]

They can say whatever they want but they flubbed up big time. They knew they were going to be sellers months ago and still didn’t move their best trade asset in Willy. You aren’t required to trade just on TDL day. Happ is a different story because his value is likely higher next year to a contender when he will be a pure rental.

 

[CSF77]

I'm ok with Jed not underselling Wilson.

If this ends up as 2 extensions great. Happ fits as a LF right now. But I could see a position move as he is flexible and came up as a 2B via college and the minors. 1B would be a ideal spot.

Say Vasquez locks in and LF is looking like his best fit. Then Davis locks in next year and moves Morel out of CF.

This pushes Happ to 1B and Morel to 2B.

Now the team would be RH heavy and you would really be looking at Bell at DH to split up the RH sticks.

But it has potential.

This team could make a 1 year turn over right now. Add Bell. SP they have 2 RHSP in AAA. Roll the dice with them. Alzolay and Marquez push into late inning work and fill in some vet pen arms.

Hendricks
Stroman
Steel
Kilian
Wesneski

Thompson into set up or even test as closer.

 

[TL1961]

You just moved Happ to 1B and still want Bell.

DH, I suppose?

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

So glad we had two weeks of Wilson Contreras love fest for nothing.