You're the GM (Game)

[TC in Mississippi]

This is a fun team. What a great work environment that has been created and enabled.

It really is and I think this is the one area where we can somewhat relate baseball to real life. Those of us that have had the misfortune of working for very bad organizations and the pleasure of being part of very good ones know the difference. There are leaders of this team on every level from FO (Theo, Jed, etc.) to field management (Maddon, Malley, Martinez, etc.) to veteran players (Ross, Lester) to the younger group (Rizzo, Bryant and likely Heyward). That matters. It means the message flows without serious obstacle from top to bottom. If you're Addison Russell or Javy Baez trying to really take your game to another level that matters more than most would think. As unlikable as Dusty Baker's teams were these guys are the opposite. This is going to be fun.

 

[beckdawg]

Not trying to beat a dead horse here but FWIW...

http://www.bleachernation.com/2016/02/22/cubs-reportedly-still-a-possible-spot-for-austin-jackson/

 

[beckdawg]

angels jays and reds working on 3 team deal for bruce to the jays.

http://www.bleachernation.com/2016/...king-on-three-team-trade-involving-jay-bruce/

 

[TC in Mississippi]

angels jays and reds working on 3 team deal for bruce to the jays.

http://www.bleachernation.com/2016/...king-on-three-team-trade-involving-jay-bruce/

Supposedly being held up by a physical.

 

[beckdawg]

Fowler to the O's 3 y $35 mil. That seems like a pretty good deal though I guess it does cost them a pick.

 

[czman]

Fowler to the O's 3 y $35 mil. That seems like a pretty good deal though I guess it does cost them a pick.

I thought he would get 10-11 per. Probably a bit of an overpay for his talent (and the fact you have to give up a pick), but you always have to overpay in FA. I knew he was no going to get the ~16 million some were hypothesizing.

 

[brett05]

So glad that Fowler went to a team other than the White Sox.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

So glad that Fowler went to a team other than the White Sox.

I'm surprised to hear you say that. I thought he was a perfect fit for your club. Eaton would have moved to RF and those guys would have bat 1 & 2 to set up your power hitters.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I thought he would get 10-11 per. Probably a bit of an overpay for his talent (and the fact you have to give up a pick), but you always have to overpay in FA. I knew he was no going to get the ~16 million some were hypothesizing.

If you look at it by WAR he got underpaid by at least $20 mil. Even if you take a very conservative view on both his expected WAR, say 2.5/season and dollars per WAR, $6 mil/season, he should have gotten 3/$56. He was the victim of the QO system.

 

[DanTown]

If you look at it by WAR he got underpaid by at least $20 mil. Even if you take a very conservative view on both his expected WAR, say 2.5/season and dollars per WAR, $6 mil/season, he should have gotten 3/$56. He was the victim of the QO system.

Fowler has one season of a WAR of 2.5 and it was just last year. Fowler moving to RF will be a strange experiment because his arm will grade out terribly among RF but his speed will grade out well. Gregory Planco with a UZR/150 of 7.7 graded out at essentially average in RF last year so we'll see how Fowler handles the move. I think there's a huge chance Fowler is basically a 5 WAR player over the life of this deal, especially if he's playing a COF spot (where the offense is much better). While the draft pick obviously hurt him, I'm not sure he should have gotten that much more AAV.

I mean, I like Fowler but when Austin Jackson is homeless, a guy like Fowler is going to have a hard time getting more than 10-12 million a year.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Fowler has one season of a WAR of 2.5 and it was just last year. Fowler moving to RF will be a strange experiment because his arm will grade out terribly among RF but his speed will grade out well. Gregory Planco with a UZR/150 of 7.7 graded out at essentially average in RF last year so we'll see how Fowler handles the move. I think there's a huge chance Fowler is basically a 5 WAR player over the life of this deal, especially if he's playing a COF spot (where the offense is much better). While the draft pick obviously hurt him, I'm not sure he should have gotten that much more AAV.

I mean, I like Fowler but when Austin Jackson is homeless, a guy like Fowler is going to have a hard time getting more than 10-12 million a year.

I'm not really crying for the guy, and I get it that it was primarily his power surge is what made him a 3.2 fWAR player, but his lifetime OBP of .366 makes him valuable. Also I was using $6/mil per WAR where the reality is that it's closer to $8/mil per now. I think he got a decent deal but if the power numbers stay up then Baltimore got a bargain.

 

[brett05]

I'm surprised to hear you say that. I thought he was a perfect fit for your club. Eaton would have moved to RF and those guys would have bat 1 & 2 to set up your power hitters.

I'd rather have Eaton in Center first off. Secondly, the cost of what Fowler gets plus the second round pick was way too pricey for the bit of improvement the team might get from having Fowler on the team. It's a solid pass by the White Sox.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I'd rather have Eaton in Center first off. Secondly, the cost of what Fowler gets plus the second round pick was way too pricey for the bit of improvement the team might get from having Fowler on the team. It's a solid pass by the White Sox.

I probably agree with you on the pick. I think the QO is awful for the game. Still with one more solid OF contributor to replace Garcia I'd probably have your team right in the thick of that race in the AL central. As it is they're probably close but Garcia can't be a below replacement level player for that to happen.

 

[brett05]

The QO hurts, but without it I think the Sox still pass as Fowler's numbers reach the 16-20 million per this board thought he should get. For that, it's a major pass.

 

[DanTown]

I'm not really crying for the guy, and I get it that it was primarily his power surge is what made him a 3.2 fWAR player, but his lifetime OBP of .366 makes him valuable. Also I was using $6/mil per WAR where the reality is that it's closer to $8/mil per now. I think he got a decent deal but if the power numbers stay up then Baltimore got a bargain.

I think he'll help the Orioles as they needed an OBP guy but I think the problem Fowler (and like FA players) have is that they're not really worth the upgrade. If you're going to spend 15-16 million a year, I think you want better than a 2-3 WAR OF. I get "that's the price of WAR in the FA market" on a macro level but it's too easy to find one or two players who cost 4-5 million and are probably a 1-2 WAR player (i.e Austin Jackson).

Also, I tend to believe the true cost of millions per WAR is a horrible way to measure value in a FA market. By that regard, the Cubs signing Jason Heyward is one of the biggest bargain signings ever.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I'm not sure I get the Shane Victorino signing but hey what the hell? AAA depth I suppose.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I'm not sure I get the Shane Victorino signing but hey what the hell? AAA depth I suppose.

They signed the flying Hawaiian?

I would suppose its a signing to increase depth in their biggest fear after starting pitching, lack of base runners/contact.

(and I'm not saying pitching is a problem, just top 4 elite level winning playoff series level is a question mark that Lackey can decide)

Thats also fire on the Soler trade, and depth at OF if the return is a starting pitcher.

 

[chibears55]

I'm not sure I get the Shane Victorino signing but hey what the hell? AAA depth I suppose.

Cool, always liked him..

Just adding veteran depth to a pretty deep team.


Million bucks if he makes roster and another mill depending on amount of games he plays..



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

 

[beckdawg]

I'm not sure I get the Shane Victorino signing but hey what the hell? AAA depth I suppose.

I honestly think it comes down to the team not being as high on Szczur as some of the people here are. That's not to suggest the team thinks he's garbage but it seems pretty evident to me that they weren't ready for him to be a major player on the big league roster. Last season they traded for Jackson to add to their OF bench rather than play him. This season they've brought in Fowler again and Victorino.

I don't know if Victorino makes the roster or not but sure seems like there's almost a 0% chance Szczur does which I think is fine. If he's your 6 or 7th guy on the depth chart he's more than adequate.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Javier Baez will continue to work in center field following the addition of Dexter Fowler and is considered the primary backup to Anthony Rizzo at first base, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Baez's development into a super utility player is unaffected by Fowler's signing as the Chicago Cubs are working on maximizing his versatility. Baez will have the opportunity to see playing time at first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and center field throughout the course of the 2016 season, likely leading to more starts and improved fantasy value.

From CBS Sports