Edwin Jackson Signs w/ Cubs: 4 years/$52 M

[Schwarber Fan]

If they lose out on this, there are no words...

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If Kaplan is right and they plan to spend bigger next offseason, is there anyone even out there? From what I remember, the 2013 class looks pretty weak, but maybe there are some gems at the top.

 

Cano, Elsburry, Garza, Hughes are all that really stands out to me.

[Guest]

If Kaplan is right and they plan to spend bigger next offseason, is there anyone even out there? From what I remember, the 2013 class looks pretty weak, but maybe there are some gems at the top.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/2014-mlb-free-agents.html

 

Answering my own question

[jersey cubs fan]

If Kaplan is right and they plan to spend bigger next offseason, is there anyone even out there? From what I remember, the 2013 class looks pretty weak, but maybe there are some gems at the top.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/2014-mlb-free-agents.html

 

Answering my own question

 

Spending can still be about taking on other teams' big contracts or trading for studs before they get a big contract.

[Guest]

If Kaplan is right and they plan to spend bigger next offseason, is there anyone even out there? From what I remember, the 2013 class looks pretty weak, but maybe there are some gems at the top.

 

Cano, Elsburry, Garza, Hughes are all that really stands out to me.

 

 

I wonder if we'll ever get a Carlos Beltran hitting free agency at 26 again.

[Guest]

If Kaplan is right and they plan to spend bigger next offseason, is there anyone even out there? From what I remember, the 2013 class looks pretty weak, but maybe there are some gems at the top.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/2014-mlb-free-agents.html

 

Answering my own question

 

Spending can still be about taking on other teams' big contracts or trading for studs before they get a big contract.

 

Yeah. Those things are a lot harder to forecast, but yeah.

[RynoRules]

This would be a very nice offseason if we could snag Jackson and Bourn on 4 year deals. I'm not in love with Bourn, but you can't deny his production in CF (over 4.7 WAR 3 out of the last 5 years, including 6 WAR last season.).

 

EDIT: And just for the record he was hurt for 2/3 of 2011 and still logged about 1 WAR.

[inari]

Re: Bourn - can someone tell me why he's not Juan Pierre? I don't mean that in a snarky way, I'm just trying to understand his value.

[Guest]

Re: Bourn - can someone tell me why he's not Juan Pierre? I don't mean that in a snarky way, I'm just trying to understand his value.

 

 

Different offensive environment. Plus Bourn is better at being that guy. And he's a better fielder.

 

But, to be honest, even 2005 Juan Pierre would be a welcome addition on this roster.

[imb]

Yeah, when Juan Pierre was in his prime, he was very good.

[Sammy Sofa]

But, to be honest, even 2005 Juan Pierre would be a welcome addition on this roster.

 

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6008/6007605393_cb36f06e3c_z.jpg

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, but 2005 Juan Pierre wasn't that hot (unless you're thinking Fangraphs is uber alles over BR. I'm splitting the difference).

[jersey cubs fan]

Re: Bourn - can someone tell me why he's not Juan Pierre? I don't mean that in a snarky way, I'm just trying to understand his value.

 

I think he's a little bit better hitter, and a better fielder. Less slap dependent at the plate.

[RynoRules]

Yeah, when Juan Pierre was in his prime, he was very good.

 

Bourn appears to be a far better fielder than Pierre. The better comparison to Bourn appears to be Brett Butler, who was a consistent 3.0 - 4.0 WAR player for about 10 years.

[Guest]

But, to be honest, even 2005 Juan Pierre would be a welcome addition on this roster.

 

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6008/6007605393_cb36f06e3c_z.jpg

 

Heh... I actually meant 2006, but, damned if that statement isn't still somewhat true.

[Sammy Sofa]

If they lose out on this, there are no words...

 

So then there's an upside if they miss out.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Re: Bourn - can someone tell me why he's not Juan Pierre? I don't mean that in a snarky way, I'm just trying to understand his value.

 

 

Different offensive environment. Plus Bourn is better at being that guy. And he's a better fielder.

 

But, to be honest, even 2005 Juan Pierre would be a welcome addition on this roster.

 

And we didn't give up any of our top prospects for Michael Bourn.

[KingCubsFan]

 

Heh... I actually meant 2006, but, damned if that statement isn't still somewhat true.

The fact that his fielding was rated so strongly by Fangraphs, yet couldn't throw a ball into the infield on less than 12 bounces, makes me further question how "valuable" a player really is by WAR when it's driven by baserunning and defense. Bourn is OK, but this team needs offense and DeJesus had a higher wOBA last year.

[davell]

Would you rather have Bourn or Ellsbury on a longterm deal?

[Sammy Sofa]

 

Heh... I actually meant 2006, but, damned if that statement isn't still somewhat true.

The fact that his fielding was rated so strongly by Fangraphs, yet couldn't throw a ball into the infield on less than 12 bounces, makes me further question how "valuable" a player really is by WAR when it's driven by baserunning and defense. Bourn is OK, but this team needs offense and DeJesus had a higher wOBA last year.

 

That's why I tend to lean more towards BR.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Things are going to get very interesting if we do sign Jackson as well as Villanueva. We'll certainly shop Garza as well as Wood, and wait for someone to bowl us over with an insano package for Shark. There's also the little matter of the 40 man roster. We're running out of guys that we would't miss of claimed.

 

Depedning on whether we trade an existing starter, and how many, Rusin and/or Raley become immediate candiates. There's also Clevenger. If we need an emergency catcher, we can always find one when the time comes. Campana's the other option, but they seem rather attatched to him or he'd be gone by now.

[Guest]

 

Heh... I actually meant 2006, but, damned if that statement isn't still somewhat true.

The fact that his fielding was rated so strongly by Fangraphs, yet couldn't throw a ball into the infield on less than 12 bounces, makes me further question how "valuable" a player really is by WAR when it's driven by baserunning and defense. Bourn is OK, but this team needs offense and DeJesus had a higher wOBA last year.

 

That's why I tend to lean more towards BR.

 

Didn't bWAR have Barney as one of the most valuable players in the game for like a long time last year?

[Guest]

Things are going to get very interesting if we do sign Jackson as well as Villanueva. We'll certainly shop Garza as well as Wood, and wait for someone to bowl us over with an insano package for Shark. There's also the little matter of the 40 man roster. We're running out of guys that we would't miss of claimed.

 

Depedning on whether we trade an existing starter, and how many, Rusin and/or Raley become immediate candiates. There's also Clevenger. If we need an emergency catcher, we can always find one when the time comes. Campana's the other option, but they seem rather attatched to him or he'd be gone by now.

 

I don't see any Garza trade happening while his health is still uncertain. There's no use selling that low.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

Heh... I actually meant 2006, but, damned if that statement isn't still somewhat true.

The fact that his fielding was rated so strongly by Fangraphs, yet couldn't throw a ball into the infield on less than 12 bounces, makes me further question how "valuable" a player really is by WAR when it's driven by baserunning and defense. Bourn is OK, but this team needs offense and DeJesus had a higher wOBA last year.

 

That's why I tend to lean more towards BR.

 

Didn't bWAR have Barney as one of the most valuable players in the game for like a long time last year?

 

Maybe? Fangraphs still comes across as being way too generous way too often with their defensive metrics than BR.

[pitchcs]

Would you rather have Bourn or Ellsbury on a longterm deal?

 

Neither. But if I had to pick, Ellsbury.