Kap: Cubs expected to spend next winter

[RammyFanny]

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/kapman/sources-expect-cubs-spend-next-winter

 

Several major league sources, including an American League front-office executive told me tonight that they fully expect the Cubs to be involved with some of the top free agents at the conclusion of this season, with Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury possibly at the top of their wish list.

 

Good to hear, but i'd take Choo over Ellsbury.

[UMFan83]

hope so...but i still think it depends on how well the draft, deadline and performance of the core/minor leagues goes before a decision is made to spend this offseason.

[Guest]

With the Cubs not having many large, long-term contracts left on their books, and with Alfonso Soriano entering the final year of his eight-year, $136 million dollar deal in 2014, next winter might be the time for Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer to add more impact players in free agency as they enter Year Three of their regime. Several major league sources, including an American League front-office executive told me tonight that they fully expect the Cubs to be involved with some of the top free agents at the conclusion of this season, with Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury possibly at the top of their wish list.

 

In addition, the 2015 free agent class is not loaded with star quality players, leading to industry speculation that Epstein and Hoyer could look to add a couple of impact players this coming offseason, in addition to locking up their own young core players such as Jeff Samardzija, after spending $41 million \to sign first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a seven-year deal that potentially could be worth $73 million over nine years if all of the options are exercised and the escalators in the deal are reached.

 

If indeed the Cubs are ready to spend next winter it will be because they have approval on their Wrigley Field renovation plan and a solid idea of their TV contract dollars on the 70+ games that are currently contracted to WGN Television. Those increased dollars should allow them to start to field a more competitive team as soon as next season. At the conclusion of the 2013 season the Cubs payroll commitments will total $55.2 million dollars not including Rizzo's new deal and at the end of 2014 their payroll commitments will total just $24.2 million dollars plus Rizzo.

 

With the Cubs locking up their core players in Castro and Rizzo--and expected to lock up Jeff Samardzija in the near future--things are lining up for the Epstein/Hoyer-led front office to add a handful of additional core pieces over the next 12-18 months, including the No. 2 pick in the upcoming amateur draft, next offseason's shopping season and the 2014 MLB draft, when it appears the Cubs will hold another high pick. Add it all up and the Cubs could be poised to take a major step in their building plan if they are prepared to spend significant dollars next winter.

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/kapman/sources-expect-cubs-spend-next-winter

[Sammy Sofa]

Man, I'd much rather have Choo.

[davell]

The Cubsden guys dug around a bit after Rosenthal mentioned extending Garza and they said it really is a possibility, not necessarily just a ploy. Given his current situation, he could actually take a discount to stay, especially since he wants to be here. I like it.

 

As for spending, my hope is we add money thru trades, the FA class is just too weak. I'd prefer Choo to Ellsbury as well, but I kind of think Cincy keeps him. That extra 25 mill a year coming in seems earmarked for him.

[ConstableRabbit]

Yeah, Ellsbury doesn't really get me excited about next season.

[Guest]

FWIW, Ellsbury is on pace for a 4 win season this year despite his mehhh looking triple slash.

[Guest]

I love Choo at the plate, but it's looking more and more like he's atrocious defensively anywhere but LF. Puts the damper on investing tens of millions for him at age 31 unless it's with eyes wide open that he's a LF.

[davell]

C Castillo

1B Rizzo

2B Barney

SS Castro

3B Valbuena

LF Soriano

CF Ellsbury

RF Schierholtz/Hairston

 

SP Shark, E-Jax, Garza, Wood, David Price

 

Pen Fujikawa, Russell, Rondon, Bowden, Villanueva, a guy from our org, and a FA

 

Its not bad at all. Probably a .500+ team anyway. Plenty of flexibility moving forward too.

[Cubswin11]

Cano or bust

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Free agents are going to be insanely expensive. All the new TV money each team is getting plus a very weak supply.

 

I figure we'll get an outfielder (probably Ellsbury) and either extend Garza or sign a Garza-equivalent. Anything more would be exciting, anything less would be disappointing.

[Sammy Sofa]

I love Choo at the plate, but it's looking more and more like he's atrocious defensively anywhere but LF. Puts the damper on investing tens of millions for him at age 31 unless it's with eyes wide open that he's a LF.

 

Is there anyone they need to keep LF open for (assuming Soriano is moved before 2014)?

[Sammy Sofa]

Cano or bust

 

No chance.

[davell]

I love Choo at the plate, but it's looking more and more like he's atrocious defensively anywhere but LF. Puts the damper on investing tens of millions for him at age 31 unless it's with eyes wide open that he's a LF.

 

Is there anyone they need to keep LF open for (assuming Soriano is moved before 2014)?

No. The only possibility we'd have is if we acquired a guy thru trade this deadline.

[Cubswin11]

Free agents are going to be insanely expensive. All the new TV money each team is getting plus a very weak supply.

 

I figure we'll get an outfielder (probably Ellsbury) and either extend Garza or sign a Garza-equivalent. Anything more would be exciting, anything less would be disappointing.

I think this is the most likely scenario. I like Hughes as a Garza alternative if he leaves.

[Guest]

I love Choo at the plate, but it's looking more and more like he's atrocious defensively anywhere but LF. Puts the damper on investing tens of millions for him at age 31 unless it's with eyes wide open that he's a LF.

 

Is there anyone they need to keep LF open for (assuming Soriano is moved before 2014)?

 

No, and I'm not intimating that they shouldn't go after Choo for that reason. It's an important consideration though, especially since the original comparison was Choo v. Ellsbury.

[Sammy Sofa]

I love Choo at the plate, but it's looking more and more like he's atrocious defensively anywhere but LF. Puts the damper on investing tens of millions for him at age 31 unless it's with eyes wide open that he's a LF.

 

Is there anyone they need to keep LF open for (assuming Soriano is moved before 2014)?

 

No, and I'm not intimating that they shouldn't go after Choo for that reason. It's an important consideration though, especially since the original comparison was Choo v. Ellsbury.

 

Gotcha.

[SABR Gamer]

Free agents are going to be insanely expensive. All the new TV money each team is getting plus a very weak supply.

 

I figure we'll get an outfielder (probably Ellsbury) and either extend Garza or sign a Garza-equivalent. Anything more would be exciting, anything less would be disappointing.

I think this is the most likely scenario. I like Hughes as a Garza alternative if he leaves.

 

Hughes really isn't close to as good as Garza.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Trade for Stanton and give him a huge extension. While there are several options that would be great to have, Cano's the only one I'd really want to go all in on. Not that there aren't others I wouldn't be happy to have at the right price.

 

Then again, when you lock up your two cornerstones for a combined 13 mil, you can afford to do some splurging here and there.

[KingCubsFan]

Man, I'd much rather have Choo.

No doubt. If they really are going to spend money (and this article makes it seem like it's nothing more than speculation on the parts of some sources), I hope it's on Choo. He'd be perfect at the top of the lineup and there's nobody he'd be blocking in LF.

[Guest]

Man, I'd much rather have Choo.

No doubt. If they really are going to spend money (and this article makes it seem like it's nothing more than speculation on the parts of some sources), I hope it's on Choo. He'd be perfect at the top of the lineup and there's nobody he'd be blocking in LF.

 

Plus he doesn't have Ellsbury's injury history.

[GammonsPocketTweets]

A bidding war for Choo has bad contract written all over it as well.

[mul21]

I love Choo at the plate, but it's looking more and more like he's atrocious defensively anywhere but LF. Puts the damper on investing tens of millions for him at age 31 unless it's with eyes wide open that he's a LF.

 

Is there anyone they need to keep LF open for (assuming Soriano is moved before 2014)?

 

No, and I'm not intimating that they shouldn't go after Choo for that reason. It's an important consideration though, especially since the original comparison was Choo v. Ellsbury.

 

That was my feeling as well. Having seen how tough of a time he's had in CF this year, I want no part of that. If you move Soriano and can stick him there, great, especially if BJax can figure it out. If you need a CF though, I'm not interested in putting Choo out there in Wrigley.

[Guest]

ABTY on a possible Samardzija extension and a possible trade for a Rays pitcher:

 

Maybe MB can varify but hearing Shark talks are at four years with two option years, while Samardzija wants five plus two... Team also has talked to Wellington Castillo's agent about a long term deal, ala Salvador Perez... Welcome to Major League Baseball 2008 and beyond- when the 'geeks' (aka smart baseball minds) took over the game...

 

As far as David Price goes: Despite media speculation, I keep hearing that the Cubs are looking for Matt Latos/Gio Gonzalez type deals instead (i.e. giving up 'more' talent to obtain a TORP with controlable years but more importantly, more prime years included)... The name I keep hearing is Matt Moore not David Price. Some water cooler talk has the Rays offering Price a substantial extension, in line with Weaver's Angels deal... keep hearing Price may actually take that deal despite leaving millions on the table- loves the organization, feels same as Weaver that there's more to this than money... Either way, the Cubs figure to send one of the 'big three' plus, plus, plus to land either Ray- best guess would be Baez as the Rays love the highest ceiling types in big trades with a couple strong arms (Underwood also fits said description) plus possibly even Vogelbach- would expect the team would net a solid pen arm in addition to either Price or Moore as well...

 

Clarify: Rays have made ZERO indications that they would like to move Moore; the info out there is that the Cubs are looking to make a Latos/Gonzalez deal and are exploring such everywhere. More directly, it's not just large deals for established guys like the aforementioned Latos or Gonzalez but also looking into Pineda/Montero type upside for upside type deals. Arizona, Seattle and Baltimore all have MiLB quality arms with little offense coming through the pipelines- D'Backs can move Skaggs or Bradley, Seattle has Walker, Hultzen, Paxton while Baltimore (who won't move Bundy for anyone not named Trout or Harper) still could move Gausman. Sans Paxton, there isn't a name mentioned I wouldn't deal Baez or Almora (possibly with another, significantly lesser piece) for. As plus as Baez/Almora *can be (a phrase that applies to all of these guys) a 2014 rotation with Skaggs/Hultzen/Gausman, either Appel or Grey, Samardzija, Wood and likely another plus vet short term signing (ala Feldman/Villanueva/Maholm) would be the best this franchise has seen likely since the '03 Wood, Prior, Zambrano, Clement, Estes and more importantly one that rivals just about anyone in the game.

[Guest]

That would...make me very happy.