MLBTR FA Predictions

[Backtobanks]

Dierkes checks in with his predictions. Most interesting: Cubs signing DeJesus, Wood, Pinero. Sizemore to the Marlins, Pena to the Pirates, Ramirez to the Orioles, Beltran to the RS, Wilson to the Nationals, Reyes to the Brewers, Fielder to the Mariners, and Pujols stays with the Cards.

[Schwarber Fan]

that would be one depressing offseason.

[Little Slide Rooter]

We also get Joel Pinearo. I guess Dierkes forget that we have a smart front office now. Lucky for us, while Dierkes has great intel when it comes to rumors, when it comes to baseless predictions he's no better than the next guy.

[UMFan83]

I thought Aramis wanted to play on a contender.

[kujay]

Just read those predictions. Yikes.

[Guest]

Everyone who thinks Pujols back to the Cardinals is a foregone conclusion should be dying to throw their life savings at those Bodog odds.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I tried my hand. Problem is, after the top 25 or so, there are so many guys I could care less about and could go anywhere. I guess that's the point though. I'm definitely a bit surprised that Kosuke didn't even make the top 50.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Just read those predictions. Yikes.

 

Again, they're completely baseless so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

He even says that The Mariners and Cubs are the best matches to him.

 

He also has Kerry Wood coming back to the Cubs with the reason that there's no reason not to. Seriously, we have a lot of young bullpen candidates. Woody is basically a solid middle reliever at this point, and we have plenty of guys that can step in to that role, especially if the front office don't see this as a year that we'll contend. If they want to bring him back as an ambassador of some kind, that's fine but it's time to move on. They need to stop treating him like he's some kind of Cubs legend. He had some good years, but injury kept him from what he could of been.

[davell]

Holy crap. Bodog has the Cubs as 7-4 favorites with Pujols. Cards are 2-1.

[Guest]

Holy crap. Bodog has the Cubs as 7-4 favorites with Pujols. Cards are 2-1.

 

 

Yup. LeBron all over again.

[Backtobanks]

DeJesus on a 1 year team-friendly deal might not be too bad. LH, can play all 3 OF positions. Coming off of a bad year, but career numbers are decent.

[Little Slide Rooter]

DeJesus on a 1 year team-friendly deal might not be too bad. LH, can play all 3 OF positions. Coming off of a bad year, but career numbers are decent.

 

No point. I just don't see him being any kind of upgrade over Byrd. For Sizemore, I'd be willing to and move Byrd. However, DeJesus is what he is and what he's going to be and that's not something that the Cubs need in the position that they are in. If they're going to sign any FAs, it needs to be either guys that will help us win now or in the next 2 years or low risk/high ceiling guys like Sizemore and Maholm. Band Aids are not necessary. I'd just as soon go with an outfield of Soriano, Jackson, Byrd, and one of Colvin/LaHair. Don't get me wrong, DeJesus is a guy who could be very helpful to a contender, but on a 1 year deal, especially if we don't plan on making any kind of splash in addition, it's just pointless.

[dew1679666265]

I'm struggling to see any appeal to DeJesus over Byrd in any way. Byrd is older and isn't lefthanded, but on one year deals the former isn't very significant and I doubt Theo cares that much about the latter. The past 3 seasons, DeJesus has been an 8.5 WAR player and Byrd has been a 7.8 WAR player. You might see a very slight improvement in going from Byrd to DeJesus, but likely not much - and we're certainly not likely to get a great return for Byrd in trade.

 

Bringing Wood back is cool if he comes really cheap again, but then Piniero? Outside of his one 4.7 WAR season (which he's really unlikely to replicate), he's posted a 5.0 WAR in the past 5 seasons. We've got a number of young pitchers who could give us a 1.0 WAR this year and they'd have the upside to be better. Piniero does not, as he'll be 34 next year.

 

These aren't throw the season away moves, these are make signings simply to make signings with no rhyme or reason behind them moves.

[shnsajax]

Why would Fielder want to play 81 games a year in Safeco?

[Little Slide Rooter]

So if the Mariners did sign Fielder, would Justin Smoak be an intriguing trade candidate? The power seems to have started to show a bit.

[Guest]

I don't see Fielder or Pujols going to the American League. Pujols will want to play the field for as long as he can, even when he isn't any good there anymore. Fielder will want to play the field for as long as he can, also, and he will not age well at 1b.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

So if the Mariners did sign Fielder, would Justin Smoak be an intriguing trade candidate? The power seems to have started to show a bit.

 

Intriguing? He'd be a must have.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So if the Mariners did sign Fielder, would Justin Smoak be an intriguing trade candidate? The power seems to have started to show a bit.

 

Intriguing? He'd be a must have.

 

I wouldn't go that far. They're not going to just give him away and I wouldn't empty out the farm for him.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

So if the Mariners did sign Fielder, would Justin Smoak be an intriguing trade candidate? The power seems to have started to show a bit.

 

Intriguing? He'd be a must have.

 

I wouldn't go that far. They're not going to just give him away and I wouldn't empty out the farm for him.

 

Meh I'd live with the cost. He's a 25 year old switch hitting former top prospect who no one is truly down on yet and he's not a FA til after 2016. There'd be a fight toget him but the winner would be a lucky duck.

[Irrelevant Dude]

He also has Kerry Wood coming back to the Cubs with the reason that there's no reason not to. Seriously, we have a lot of young bullpen candidates. Woody is basically a solid middle reliever at this point, and we have plenty of guys that can step in to that role, especially if the front office don't see this as a year that we'll contend.

Having a relatively cheap, solid veteran middle reliever isn't a bad thing. There are plenty of other spots in the bullpen to fill with young arms and I don't think $1-2M for Wood will hurt anything. It's not like the Cubs are doing him a favor by keeping him on the roster. He is still productive and will almost certainly be willing to sign below market value again.

[sneakypower]

I'm struggling to see any appeal to DeJesus over Byrd in any way. Byrd is older and isn't lefthanded, but on one year deals the former isn't very significant and I doubt Theo cares that much about the latter. The past 3 seasons, DeJesus has been an 8.5 WAR player and Byrd has been a 7.8 WAR player. You might see a very slight improvement in going from Byrd to DeJesus, but likely not much - and we're certainly not likely to get a great return for Byrd in trade.

worth noting that DeJesus has played 51 fewer games in that timeframe; also, DeJesus fits in much better with Theo's philosophy of grinding out ABs than Byrd does

 

i also like DeJesus because he has a predictably tilted platoon split; you could pair him with somebody like Baker or Darnell McDonald and get really good cheap corner OF production

[dew1679666265]

worth noting that DeJesus has played 51 fewer games in that timeframe; also, DeJesus fits in much better with Theo's philosophy of grinding out ABs than Byrd does

 

i also like DeJesus because he has a predictably tilted platoon split; you could pair him with somebody like Baker or Darnell McDonald and get really good cheap corner OF production

 

He does fit the grinding out ABs philosophy a bit better, but I guess I question whether we'd get him on a 1/$6 type deal like we have with Marlon. The one year may be likely, but just off the top of my head $6 million seems lower than he'd get. Maybe not though. I just don't see it as an improvement of any significance and there are better things to spend our time on then swapping Byrd for DeJesus. I don't hate it or anything, though.

 

However, that is a good point about his platoon split. Hadn't noticed that, but too bad he's not a righty - he could platoon with LaHair in right and they'd put up some really nice numbers.