Re: What would you deal Garza for?

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

^^ For the most part I'd like to stay away from those pitchers unless the price is right.

[Brett]

All we need to contend next year is:

1. Extend Garza

2. Sign Hamels

3. Sign Dempster to team friendly contract

4. Bring up Rizzo and Jackson and hope they both produce like Lahair has done this season so far

5. Put Lahair in LF and hope he keeps producing at a HOF pace

 

I suppose all of those could happen next year, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

 

If those things all happened, we'd probably win like 120 games. I like where your head is at.

 

Being a bit conservative there, aren't you?

[Guest]

All we need to contend next year is:

1. Extend Garza

2. Sign Hamels

3. Sign Dempster to team friendly contract

4. Bring up Rizzo and Jackson and hope they both produce like Lahair has done this season so far

5. Put Lahair in LF and hope he keeps producing at a HOF pace

 

I suppose all of those could happen next year, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

 

If those things all happened, we'd probably win like 120 games. I like where your head is at.

 

Being a bit conservative there, aren't you?

 

Probably.

 

 

Has a team ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters?

[SouthSideRyan]

All we need to contend next year is:

1. Extend Garza

2. Sign Hamels

3. Sign Dempster to team friendly contract

4. Bring up Rizzo and Jackson and hope they both produce like Lahair has done this season so far

5. Put Lahair in LF and hope he keeps producing at a HOF pace

 

I suppose all of those could happen next year, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

 

If those things all happened, we'd probably win like 120 games. I like where your head is at.

 

Being a bit conservative there, aren't you?

 

Probably.

 

 

Has a team ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters?

 

That's assuming Castro won't be a 1.200 OPS hitter by next season.

[SouthSideRyan]

All we need to contend next year is:

1. Extend Garza

2. Sign Hamels

3. Sign Dempster to team friendly contract

4. Bring up Rizzo and Jackson and hope they both produce like Lahair has done this season so far

5. Put Lahair in LF and hope he keeps producing at a HOF pace

 

I suppose all of those could happen next year, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

 

If those things all happened, we'd probably win like 120 games. I like where your head is at.

 

Being a bit conservative there, aren't you?

 

Probably.

 

 

Has a team ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters?

 

No season has ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters

[Guest]

 

If those things all happened, we'd probably win like 120 games. I like where your head is at.

 

Being a bit conservative there, aren't you?

 

Probably.

 

 

Has a team ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters?

 

That's assuming Castro won't be a 1.200 OPS hitter by next season.

 

Good point. Damn. We probably wouldn't lose a game all year.

[sneakypower]

 

Has a team ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters?

 

No season has ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters

97 rockies had four .900+ players

04 cards, 96 mariners had three 1.000+ players

[SouthSideRyan]

 

Has a team ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters?

 

No season has ever had 3 >1.200 OPS hitters

97 rockies had four .900+ players

04 cards, 96 mariners had three 1.000+ players

 

I should clarify my point. Not saying no team has ever had 3 1.200 OPS hitters in a given season. I'm saying no season ever has had 3 1.200 OPS hitters across the league.

[sneakypower]

your point made perfect sense, i just felt compelled to look up ridiculous offensive teams in recent memory

[Little Slide Rooter]

Ethier's never going to hit the market. He'll be locked up within a month or so, is my guess.

 

We could keep the same staff, minus Dempster and add Sanchez, McCarthy, Peavy, or Marcum and be just as good, maybe even a tad better than what we've currently got. The bullpen will have to be sorted out, but we've probably got 3-5 answers in house for spots, so we'd probably be looking at adding 2-3 spots at the max. And with what we've got to project for next year out of our lineup, it's likely that 3B and/or LF would seem to be the biggest needs. We could add Youkilis and Nick Swisher, without having to hand out a gigantic contract, and be contenders. Hell, we could probably add one of those pitchers, and those 2 hitters and be considered the favorites within the division. And we've definitely got the ability to go and sign those types of guys.

 

We all know what's going to happen.

 

A. Jake Peavy pitches a rare healthy, CY Young caliber season.

B. Someone gives him a ridiculous contract

C. By this time next year, doctors are figuring out how to re-attach his arm.

 

Let's no be that someone.

 

I don't fully trust Marcum or any pitcher who's spent time with the Oakland Athletics either.

[Clem Fandango]

I don't fully trust Marcum or any pitcher who's spent time with the Oakland Athletics either.

 

Obviously we need to see how this season plays out for McCarthy to see if he was the real deal last year, but I think even if he regresses a bit that he'd still make a nice mid-level addition to the rotation.

[Brett]

I don't fully trust Marcum or any pitcher who's spent time with the Oakland Athletics either.

 

Obviously we need to see how this season plays out for McCarthy to see if he was the real deal last year, but I think even if he regresses a bit that he'd still make a nice mid-level addition to the rotation.

 

Yeah, McCarthy's the guy I'd be eyeing, assuming he stays healthy this year.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I don't fully trust Marcum or any pitcher who's spent time with the Oakland Athletics either.

 

Obviously we need to see how this season plays out for McCarthy to see if he was the real deal last year, but I think even if he regresses a bit that he'd still make a nice mid-level addition to the rotation.

 

Yeah, McCarthy's the guy I'd be eyeing, assuming he stays healthy this year.

 

Yeah beyond injury I actually thought he was the best name there, but all those guys have some long term injury questions that say "stay away." None are bad pitchers when healthy, of course, but injury is a big reason all are second or third tier FAs.

[dew1679666265]

Yeah beyond injury I actually thought he was the best name there, but all those guys have some long term injury questions that say "stay away." None are bad pitchers when healthy, of course, but injury is a big reason all are second or third tier FAs.

 

It seems there's been a lot of interest here in Marcum the past few years and I've never gotten why, especially now. He'll be 32 next year and has been a 1.4-3.6 fWAR pitcher throughout his career. His ERA and xFIP numbers have been pretty good the past couple of years, but he seems to carry a ton of risk and very little upside. At just the right price, I'd have some interest, but I just don't see a lot to get excited about.

 

If we're avoiding the high-end pitchers who may come available this offseason (Hamels and Greinke), I'd much prefer to look at a guy like Anibal Sanchez. He'll be 29 next season, so we still get some of his prime years, he'd likely run a bit under the radar because he's been in Florida and his name isn't Hamels/Greinke, and he's posted WARs of 4.4 and 3.8 the past couple of years. His K/BB has improved each of the past 3 years and his K/9 made a big jump up last year (7.25 to 9.26) while his BB/9 went down. If the Marlins don't lock him up long term, I think I might have more interest in him than the potentially massive contracts Hamels/Greinke would net.

[davell]

Sanchez is going to get a VERY nice contract over the off-season.

[dew1679666265]

Sanchez is going to get a VERY nice contract over the off-season.

 

Especially if Hamels doesn't hit the market. I still think Anibal's contract will be less than Greinke/Hamels' and I'm not sure he's that much worse.

[davell]

I would rather have Sanchez than Greinke, once I consider the social anxiety issue.

[dew1679666265]

I would rather have Sanchez than Greinke, once I consider the social anxiety issue.

 

Yeah, that issue puts a damper on some really good peripherals by Greinke. My hope is that the Yankees and Red Sox get into a bidding war over Greinke (and maybe Hamels as well) and the Cubs, in the meantime, stealthily become the leaders for Anibal. If the Yankees/Red Sox bidding war lasts long enough, maybe Anibal would go ahead and take a really good (aka high) offer from the Cubs.

 

Longshot I know, but I'm trying to find a way to avoid locking in 5-6 years for a FA pitcher who's turning 30.

[davell]

Kasten said yesterday that the Dodgers will be involved with every big name free agent. Not that we didn't see this coming.

[SouthSideRyan]

Kasten said yesterday that the Dodgers will be involved with every big name free agent. Not that we didn't see this coming.

 

God, the 2nd Dodgers bankruptcy is going to be even more fun than the 1st.

[toonsterwu]

All we need to contend next year is:

1. Extend Garza

2. Sign Hamels

3. Sign Dempster to team friendly contract

4. Bring up Rizzo and Jackson and hope they both produce like Lahair has done this season so far

5. Put Lahair in LF and hope he keeps producing at a HOF pace

 

I suppose all of those could happen next year, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

 

BRING BACK HENDRY

 

I agree with Garza and Hamels. As for Dempster, I don't see him going as team friendly as you'd think. He's going to be 35 tomorrow, and a strong season could net him a 2/20 or even 2/24 contract. Sounds like a good price for him, but assuming we signed Hamels and extended Garza, I'd prefer spend that money elsewhere. A rotation starting with Hamels, Garza, Shark, and then 4-5 could be between McNutt, Wood, and Volstad. Then I think we could contend, but I'd love to add another bat. Maybe Upton or Ethier for RF making DeJesus a 4th OF and LaHair insurance plan or trade chip.

 

I've got no idea what's going on in this thread, but as for Dempster, I think he'd consider a reasonable deal. I mean, if someone gives him significantly more, then he's probably gone, but if we're close, I could see him accepting, if all the stuff he's said in the past about wanting to be here for his kid's sake is true, along with his foundation's work. I also don't know if I'm opposed to any 2 reasonable year deal for Dempster (including 2/20 and 2/24)- it's a reasonable length that doesn't handicap us in the long run and he's one of the few guys lauded for his leadership, on the team and in the community. He seems like the type of guy that you might give a touch extra to (than other comparable guys) because of the known locker room/off-field positives that he brings to the table, particularly with the team likely to get younger in the next few years (as a total side note, what was that ESPN game show that Dempster/Lee went on once? It lasted for all of a season before the show was cancelled.)

 

I do have high doubts that we'd shell out for Hamels, though, at least, relative to the current rumors of what Hamels wants in length and total money. I'd still prefer Sanchez to Hamels because I expect Sanchez to come cheaper.

 

I'm not real sure how the off-season is going to play out yet. I'd love to go out, add a key SP, bring back Demp, add a bat, but I also wonder if the organization's leadership is thinking that way. I could see them deciding to slow-play the team's development.

[dew1679666265]

I'm not real sure how the off-season is going to play out yet. I'd love to go out, add a key SP, bring back Demp, add a bat, but I also wonder if the organization's leadership is thinking that way. I could see them deciding to slow-play the team's development.

 

I agree that, given their actions this past offseason and the inherent risk pitchers carry, that management probably isn't going to throw money around too much this offseason. I do think Anibal is a guy they may go after, though. He's pre-30 and wouldn't get a mega-deal.

[RammyFanny]

Just saw Castellanos is hitting .426 and leads the minors in batting average so far, wonder how available he really was.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Sanchez is going to get a VERY nice contract over the off-season.

 

Especially if Hamels doesn't hit the market. I still think Anibal's contract will be less than Greinke/Hamels' and I'm not sure he's that much worse.

 

Hamels

 

Greinke

 

 

 

 

Sanchez

 

 

 

Nothing against him...but we've got a guy with multiple surgeries/arm injuries...maybe tops out at 93...pitched in a pitchers park...Think he's closer to a Dempster type than he is a Hamels or Greinke type...Greinke would be elite for me if he didn't have that crazy period...same draft as Hamels IIRC....he went 6th...that year was loaded with HS talent....still probably my favorite draft.

 

I probably wouldn't complain about Sanchez as a secondary signing, especially if Dempster leaves. He's originally a Red Sox arm so Theo/McLeod knows of him, he's obviously extremely hard working and level mentally (seriously, he got HAMMERED with injuries), and he's a very quality #3 if you're into that number thing.

 

Would not take him over Hamels because of price....One because it's horse dooty that the Cubs should pinch pennies when there's talent to be had and two because Hamels will get more money for a reason (he's just better, period). I really dislike the idea that this fanbase is tentative to spend (also that Dodgers thing...yuch).

[dew1679666265]

Would not take him over Hamels because of price....One because it's horse dooty that the Cubs should pinch pennies when there's talent to be had and two because Hamels will get more money for a reason (he's just better, period). I really dislike the idea that this fanbase is tentative to spend (also that Dodgers thing...yuch).

 

I'm not into pinching pennies either, I was one of the most vocal supporters of Pujols/Cespedes/Darvish on this board this offseason. However, giving a pitcher who will be 29 next year a 6 year deal (likely for Hamels, I think) is generally a really bad idea. The inherent risk with a pitcher is much higher than for a position player anyway, then you add that Hamels will be 29 and has tossed more than 1,200 innings in his career so far and you're not making a very good gamble. And that's even assuming Hamels hits FA.

 

With Anibal, you do have an inferior pitcher, but this team doesn't have a dire need for an elite ace like it had for an impact offensive player. We already have Garza to be the elite arm on the staff, so the need isn't as high to add another high-end elite arm. Anibal has been a 3.8-4.4 fWAR pitcher the past couple of years, very similar to Hamels' 3.7-4.8 fWAR range throughout his career. Now I'm not going to argue that Anibal is as good as Hamels, he's not. But Anibal can be a borderline elite arm and has shown the past couple of years the ability to be a top of the line pitcher much closer to the Hamels and Greinke mold than previously. Basically, you don't take on the immense risk a massive FA pitcher contract entails if you don't have to and the Cubs don't have to since they have Garza.