Winter Meeting (Trades)

[beckdawg]

Heyward and maybe dump Hammel salary

Seems about right.

 

[TL1961]

Hammel was very good for the first half of last season, before the hamstring injury.

Not ready to write him off.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Baez is obviously gone as well. You have la Stella, Zobrist, Russell, and Ryan.

Soler is in trouble if they sign another OF. Together those two could bring back a young ace maybe Ross.

 

[beckdawg]

Hammel was very good for the first half of last season, before the hamstring injury.

Not ready to write him off.

I wouldn't necessarily write him off either. However, he's likely gone after this season anyways. And supposedly Cahill wants a shot at the rotation and Warren at least according to projections seems like a decent guy for competition for your #5. If they keep Hammel I wouldn't be mad but to me that $9 mil he's making could be the difference between netting Heyward and not and personally, I think Heyward will be one of the better values in recent FA memory when all is said and done. Plus, you still have Pierce Johnson in likely AAA and Edwards who they may attempt to stretch out and give a shot at the #5 slot.

Just seems to me given what even average starters are getting(Happ, Pelffery) that $9 mil on Hammel might net you something mildly interesting and would also in turn free money to go after Heyward.

 

[JimJohnson]

It really doesn't matter what Cahill wants. He'll do what Maddon tells him to do. Warren won't be #5 because Hendricks is #5 unless you want to trade him with Baez/Soler for a young stud itcher.

If Cubs can manage to get Heyward and either Gray or Salazar, I'll be quite pleased.

 

[85Bears]

brendan Ryan = 34YO utility IF. FFS how much position flexibility do you need.

Lots if the injury bug strikes. We were lucky on that front last year. That luck isn't guaranteed for this year.

I like the Zobrist signing. He's our leadoff, and the Cubs have said they aren't done yet and are talking to Heyward (and others). I'm not a fan of the Castro deal, but I'll defer to Theo and Jed on that one - hope it works out.

If they somehow manage to sign Heyward I think this offseason on the whole would be a HUGE success. The rotation is much improved - even if you just look at it as replacing Haren with Lackey. Pitching depth is improved, including options for potential starters if people go down. Fowler as a leadoff man is already replaced, and if they managed to land Heyward, OF defense is improved. Zobrist struck out 10% of his plate appearances compared to Castro's 16%. Heyward struck out 15% of his plate appearances compared to Fowler's 22%. So those moves would likely improve the team's SO rate.

That said, the Heyward buzz could just be smoke screen. Or someone else may pay more for him. There wasn't a lot of talk yesterday about the Cubs trading Castro to the Yankees or about signing Zobrist and that's what happened.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

Cubs and Rockies talking Charlie Blackmon trade according to Julie DiCaro from CBS Chicago

 

[JimJohnson]

Cubs and Rockies talking Charlie Blackmon trade according to Julie DiCaro from CBS Chicago

Prefer Heyward

 

[Zvbxrpl]

Prefer Heyward

Disagree. Right now I'd take Blackmon.

Blackmon is heading into Arb 1with control through Arb 3 and a FA going into 2019. His stat line has been very solid with some power and decent OBP. He made 500K last year.

Blackmon's highest possibility for money this year is 4.5 mil, which the Rockies obviously plan to negotiate/arbitrate down.

And he actually plays CF. Not demanding a 20% raise in contract to play CF, something he's never played in his career. Blackmon's not the better player, but clearly the better bargain that fills a need. Let someone else overpay for Heyward and juggle square pegs in round holes.

 

[JimJohnson]

Disagree. Right now I'd take Blackmon.

Blackmon is heading into Arb 1with control through Arb 3 and a FA going into 2019. His stat line has been very solid with some power and decent OBP. He made 500K last year.

Blackmon's highest possibility for money this year is 4.5 mil, which the Rockies obviously plan to negotiate/arbitrate down.

And he actually plays CF. Not demanding a 20% raise in contract to play CF, something he's never played in his career. Blackmon's not the better player, but clearly the better bargain that fills a need. Let someone else overpay for Heyward and juggle square pegs in round holes.

To get Blackmon, I assume Cubs would have to trade Soler. With Heyward, you're not giving up anything except cash.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Jeez that Miller trade tho..... I mean that package is seriously insane. Swanson is likely a top 15 prospect on any list. Blair is likely a top 75 on any list. And Inciarte by no means is a bad CF option. The braves turned one year of Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden into those tee plus Tyrell Jenkins. That's some serious return.

Yep. They got a real haul and, unlike the Cubs, the Dbacks have spent some serious prospects in order to compete.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Baez is obviously gone as well. You have la Stella, Zobrist, Russell, and Ryan.

Soler is in trouble if they sign another OF. Together those two could bring back a young ace maybe Ross.

Baez and Soler is an overpay for Ross.

 

[TL1961]

Baez is obviously gone as well. You have la Stella, Zobrist, Russell, and Ryan.

Soler is in trouble if they sign another OF. Together those two could bring back a young ace maybe Ross.

Please don't let Brendan Ryan break camp with this team.

 

[beckdawg]

Please don't let Brendan Ryan break camp with this team.

I mean he's not a terrible bench player. I'd prefer something better than him in the PTBNL(specifically someone who doesn't get rule 5 drafted) but he's really not that much different than Herrera was last season.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Going back to the ATL/AZ trade, it's interesting that Miller cost the DBacks a #1 SS pick (Dansby), yet the word here was ATL wanted Soler and not Baez from the Cubs.

 

[brett05]

Jeez that Miller trade tho..... I mean that package is seriously insane. Swanson is likely a top 15 prospect on any list. Blair is likely a top 75 on any list. And Inciarte by no means is a bad CF option. The braves turned one year of Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden into those tee plus Tyrell Jenkins. That's some serious return.

Pitching costs a ton as Ive been saying

 

[JimJohnson]

Going back to the ATL/AZ trade, it's interesting that Miller cost the DBacks a #1 SS pick (Dansby), yet the word here was ATL wanted Soler and not Baez from the Cubs.

They value Soler higher than Baez, like I do.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Interesting article on Fangraphs about the Zobrist pickup and that the dominos will now fall for other position players. Also, they really like the trade and think the Cubs aren't done.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cubs-sign-ben-zobrist-initiate-next-phase-of-offseason/

 

[Boobaby1]

Disagree. Right now I'd take Blackmon.

Blackmon is heading into Arb 1with control through Arb 3 and a FA going into 2019. His stat line has been very solid with some power and decent OBP. He made 500K last year.

Blackmon's highest possibility for money this year is 4.5 mil, which the Rockies obviously plan to negotiate/arbitrate down.

And he actually plays CF. Not demanding a 20% raise in contract to play CF, something he's never played in his career. Blackmon's not the better player, but clearly the better bargain that fills a need. Let someone else overpay for Heyward and juggle square pegs in round holes.

I had mentioned him a couple of months ago as far as a trade if they didn't target free agency seeing as the other one I liked was Pollock (who wouldn't?), in which the Cubs were not going to get.

Personally, I'd rather sign Heyward and stick Baez in CF. Blackmon would be a good fallback option if they can't sign Heyward.

I guess a lot is going to be determined by which young player (Baez or Soler) that they trade (assuming they do)?

 

[Boobaby1]

Baez and Soler is an overpay for Ross.

I am off of the Ross thing. I hope they target one of the Indians or Rays pitchers.