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  • Rosenthal Has Mariners as Team to Watch; Cubs Could Be Fit a Few Ways

    Matt Trueblood

    By Matt Trueblood

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    Cubs Video

    In Ken Rosenthal's latest notes column at The Athletic, he focuses on the Mariners, who might be in an even weirder, more challenging spot than the Cubs. According to Rosenthal, Jerry Dipoto is open to trading one of the team's several good, controllable, young starting pitchers, but only in a deal that would increase (or at least preserve) the team's chances for 2023.

    Good luck, Jerry. That's a reasonable position to take, hut it makes an actual move involving any of Seattle's starters unlikely. Still, if such a move were to happen, the Cubs could be a fascinating fit. They could make Marcus Stroman an important (though secondary) piece of a deal for, say, Logan Gilbert. 

    The Cubs have young pitching almost as promising as the Mariners' stuff, but a year or two behind them. One of those guys (Cade Horton, Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, or even Hayden Wesneski) could be the foundation of a trade. There are other, even wilder fits, too. Christopher Morel could play second base for the Mariners, and that seems to be his best defensive home, by a mile.

    The Cubs could also inquire on the (presumably very high) price of closer Paul Sewald, who'd be a superb addition to their bullpen and is under team control for 2024, and on the (likely much more realistic) cost of Teoscar Hernandez, who would be a strong right-handed bat for the middle of the lineup. 

    We're going to see fewer pure buy/sell trades this deadline, because there are several teams right where the Cubs and Mariners are. That could make for some interesting trades (and trade rumors) over the coming days, though.

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    Derwood
    6 minutes ago, Matt Trueblood said:

     

    We're going to see fewer pure buy/sell trades this deadline, because there are several teams right where the Cubs and Mariners are. That could make for some interesting trades (and trade rumors) over the coming days, though.

     

     

    Exactly what the league was hoping for when they made July 31 the hard deadline

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    JD94
    39 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

    Eugenio Suarez, please! 

    What’s the fascination with him? He’s 32 and has a 104 wRC+. He’s pretty meh and doesn’t really move the needle. 

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    CubinNY
    3 minutes ago, JD94 said:

    What’s the fascination with him? He’s 32 and has a 104 wRC+. He’s pretty meh and doesn’t really move the needle. 

    He's a Cub killer. 

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    TomtheBombadil
    10 minutes ago, JD94 said:

    What’s the fascination with him? He’s 32 and has a 104 wRC+. He’s pretty meh and doesn’t really move the needle. 

    He’s an all around fit. Age is just one number! I esp don’t see the big deal about 31 when half the site will be falling over themselves for Matt Chapman this offseason 

    - Cubs have posted an 89 wRC+ at 3B

    - Flyball hitter with 90 MPH avg EVs, lg avg maxes

    - Contract runs cheap ($9.4 AAV) through 2024

    - Plus defensive player 

    Plus he’d be moving out of a cavernous home park, though he doesn’t have huge splits 

    Edited by TomtheBombadil
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    JD94
    6 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

    He’s an all around fit. Age is just one number! I esp don’t see the big deal about 31 when half the site will be falling over themselves for Matt Chapman this offseason 

    - Cubs have posted an 89 wRC+ at 3B

    - Flyball hitter with 90 MPH avg EVs, lg avg maxes

    - Contract runs cheap ($9.4 AAV) through 2024

    - Plus defensive player 

    Plus he’d be moving out of a cavernous home park, though he doesn’t have huge splits 

    I agree 3B is a problem. I also know the underlying numbers and baseball savant page suggests Suarez should be better, but he’s still been meh. I’m not sure he ages well, so him being 32 is more of a concern to me than others players. I’m also not big on Chapman. IIRC he was white hot for a month and if you take that out, he’s been awful with the bat. That’s just my opinion though. I feel like we should shoot hire than Suarez to upgrade 3B. I don’t have the who or the how, but it’s a problem that needs to be fixed. 

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    Derwood
    16 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

    He’s an all around fit. Age is just one number! I esp don’t see the big deal about 31 when half the site will be falling over themselves for Matt Chapman this offseason 

     

    Aren't you the one who says that players peak at 23?

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    TomtheBombadil
    1 hour ago, JD94 said:

    I agree 3B is a problem. I also know the underlying numbers and baseball savant page suggests Suarez should be better, but he’s still been meh. I’m not sure he ages well, so him being 32 is more of a concern to me than others players. I’m also not big on Chapman. IIRC he was white hot for a month and if you take that out, he’s been awful with the bat. That’s just my opinion though. I feel like we should shoot hire than Suarez to upgrade 3B. I don’t have the who or the how, but it’s a problem that needs to be fixed. 

    A few things:

    - You see meh, I see direct skills fit on paper. A player who directly addresses everyday weaknesses 

    - Any risk is mitigated by the length and cost of the deal, strength of his perips. He’s a FA after next year, the deal’s cheap, and the periphs suggest a player who will be fine

    Suarez is a real solution to a real problem, and someone who actually exists and may he available (vs unknown 3B options). I’d also accept a Bregman trade this offseason but they suck at 3B now too 

    Edit: I do agree on skipping on Chapman in FA just because it's not just the age 31 and 32 seasons

    Edited by TomtheBombadil
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    TomtheBombadil
    26 minutes ago, Derwood said:

    Aren't you the one who says that players peak at 23?

    What even slightly suggests that I’m this simple? Not giving Matt Mervis a free forever job at his lowest and most unqualified? As the only guy on the site who wanted a 29 YO Swanson, laid out a myriad reasons that stick and does that with literally every player I specify, I’m not the guy you’re thinking of! Edit: maybe I’m a little butthurt that some who proudly don’t read my posts pop in to tell me what I said and mean while also I have to be careful about being too wordy defending myself to not turn off more ppl

    Edited by TomtheBombadil
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    Outshined_One

    Does this team even have a 3B worth a damn in the farm system who'll be ready opening day 2024?

    I'm fine with meh at 3B this season and next if it means going from "actively hurting the team" to "non-descript".

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    Transmogrified Tiger

    The Mariners hitting lags their pitching and they don't have any real alternative to Suarez, if they did they'd probably try them out at 2B or DH.  Tough to see how trading away Suarez is their preferred outcome unless they're really and truly giving up on 2023.

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    Bobson Dugnutt

    It’s still taking some getting used to hearing North Side Baseball referenced by other media outlets. Last week BN referenced one of Matt’s articles. Right now they’re discussing this Mariners idea on the Score.

     

    It took a couple decades, but this place is finally earning some credibility around town!

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    ILMindState
    1 hour ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

    It’s still taking some getting used to hearing North Side Baseball referenced by other media outlets. Last week BN referenced one of Matt’s articles. Right now they’re discussing this Mariners idea on the Score.

     

    It took a couple decades, but this place is finally earning some credibility around town!

    When NSBB and PSD unite

    Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras embraces the Cubs’ Ian Happ as Contreras leaves the game after being hit by Happ’s bat during the first inning.

    • Haha 3
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    Rob

    Rob 194

    Posted (edited)

    1 hour ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

    It’s still taking some getting used to hearing North Side Baseball referenced by other media outlets. Last week BN referenced one of Matt’s articles. Right now they’re discussing this Mariners idea on the Score.

     

    It took a couple decades, but this place is finally earning some credibility around town!

    Way back during my aborted attempt to write here, I remember hearing that something I'd written had been discussed on Boers and Bernstein. That was kinda fun.

     

    ETA: I just want to point out again that I was right about Jim Edmonds having something left in the tank.

    Edited by Rob
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    TomtheBombadil

    The gist I got scanning around Mariners related content is that:

    - Suarez is available

    - Andres Munoz and Matt Brash aren’t completely off the table but Sewald, Justin Topa, and Gabe Speier are more likely to move 

    - It’s unlikely they move any SPs but acknowledgement Gilbert could bring back tippy Top Prospects 

     

     

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