Offseason Rumors

[Guest]

Yeah, obviously didn't mean a 1 for 1 swap but he could be the key piece being sent there on our side.

 

Gotcha. Personally the Angels don't interest me as a trade partner much aside from Bourjos, so I'd prefer a smaller deal where they truly sell low on him. I'm not sure if that means as little as Villanueva for Bourjos or as much as Arrieta+Russell for Bourjos though.

[Rob]

Yeah, obviously didn't mean a 1 for 1 swap but he could be the key piece being sent there on our side.

 

Gotcha. Personally the Angels don't interest me as a trade partner much aside from Bourjos, so I'd prefer a smaller deal where they truly sell low on him. I'm not sure if that means as little as Villanueva for Bourjos or as much as Arrieta+Russell for Bourjos though.

 

Yeah, there's not much on that roster that really looks like a match besides Bourjos. Trumbo could be a useful piece, but given his skillset I imagine he's going to cost a lot more than Bourjos despite being the inferior option.

 

I wouldn't have much issue with Arrieta and Russell for Bourjos, personally. I like Arrieta as a reclamation project, but he's got long odds. And Russell is just a run of the mill reliever that we can probably find a better version of for free on the waiver wire. (Like trading Campana last year and then nabbing Sweeney on a minor league deal).

[HoopsCubs]

Yeah, obviously didn't mean a 1 for 1 swap but he could be the key piece being sent there on our side.

 

Gotcha. Personally the Angels don't interest me as a trade partner much aside from Bourjos, so I'd prefer a smaller deal where they truly sell low on him. I'm not sure if that means as little as Villanueva for Bourjos or as much as Arrieta+Russell for Bourjos though.

 

Given the Cubs stated need for younger, controllable starters, I really don't see Jake Arietta being dealt for Bourjos. The Angels are looking for the same, so I doubt Villanueva would be a fit given he has 1 year left on a deal and wasn't really a starter last year. Maybe a Kendrick+Bourjos for Barney+Edwin+medium prospect+cash could make sense for both teams.

[davell]

I have no idea what Bourjos costs, but my guess is he stays and Trumbo is sent to Detroit in a Porcello deal.

[davell]

By the way, if Callaspo is rumored here, I could definitely see Villanueva heading out. Same control, salaries close to a wash....

[HoopsCubs]

I have no idea what Bourjos costs, but my guess is he stays and Trumbo is sent to Detroit in a Porcello deal.

 

Many are beginning to think that Scherzer stays and Porcello gets dealt. But I'm sure LA is thinking that 3 years of control on Trumbo is worth more than Porcello. Do the Angels have the assets in addition to Trumbo to pull off a David Price deal? I suspect their farm system is not considered good.

[HoopsCubs]

By the way, if Callaspo is rumored here, I could definitely see Villanueva heading out. Same control, salaries close to a wash....

 

It's doubtful the A's would want Villanueva unless you are talking about 2 different deals.

[davell]

I have no idea what Bourjos costs, but my guess is he stays and Trumbo is sent to Detroit in a Porcello deal.

 

Many are beginning to think that Scherzer stays and Porcello gets dealt. But I'm sure LA is thinking that 3 years of control on Trumbo is worth more than Porcello. Do the Angels have the assets in addition to Trumbo to pull off a David Price deal? I suspect their farm system is not considered good.

The Angels may have the worst system in baseball. There's no way they've got nearly enough to get Price.

[davell]

By the way, if Callaspo is rumored here, I could definitely see Villanueva heading out. Same control, salaries close to a wash....

 

It's doubtful the A's would want Villanueva unless you are talking about 2 different deals.

They've lost Colon most likely. Unless I'm missing someone, they've got Parker, Straily, Gray, Griffin, Milone, and Anderson, who's likely going to be dealt currently. Villanueva in that park is a good fit, to me anyway.

 

No clue how to value Anderson, but if he could be had for Cabrera and Villanueva(3B one) I'd take the risk on his health.

[Guest]

Yeah, obviously didn't mean a 1 for 1 swap but he could be the key piece being sent there on our side.

 

Gotcha. Personally the Angels don't interest me as a trade partner much aside from Bourjos, so I'd prefer a smaller deal where they truly sell low on him. I'm not sure if that means as little as Villanueva for Bourjos or as much as Arrieta+Russell for Bourjos though.

 

Given the Cubs stated need for younger, controllable starters, I really don't see Jake Arietta being dealt for Bourjos. The Angels are looking for the same, so I doubt Villanueva would be a fit given he has 1 year left on a deal and wasn't really a starter last year. Maybe a Kendrick+Bourjos for Barney+Edwin+medium prospect+cash could make sense for both teams.

 

Arrieta wouldn't be dealt lightly, but if the return was something like Bourjos(a young, cost controlled CF), then I'd think that would have to be on the table. Jackson and Wood are in the rotation, Samardzija currently is or should be dealt for 2 guys who would replace him(maybe 1 needs another year, in which case Villanueva is a fine bridge), and they've been linked to additional FA and trade targets(Ubaldo, Kazmir, Johnson, Anderson, etc). Trading Arrieta to indefinitely plug another hole doesn't really put a smoking crater in the rotation.

[Clem Fandango]

In regards to the Angels, I really like Kole Calhoun, but I don't know how much the Angels value him. Calhoun is one of the guys I keep an eye on. Not a great fielder, but a really nice hitter. His numbers in the minors were spectacular, and he did really well this season in 58 games at the MLB level (128 OPS+, .808 OPS). Just turned 26 and won't reach arbitration until 2017.

 

He never had high pedigree, and more or less filled in because he was hitting well and Pujols went down with an injury (which moved Trumbo to 1B), but I really liked what he was able to do. Like I said, not sure how much LAA values him, but I would not be opposed to looking into him.

[Cubswin11]

Signed Eli Whiteside and Jeudy Valdez to minor league contracts. Whiteside is a catcher and Valdez is a IF.

 

http://fansided.com/2013/11/16/chicago-cubs-sign-eli-whiteside-jeudy-valdez-minor-league-deals/

[Post Count Padder]

Signed Eli Whiteside and Jeudy Valdez to minor league contracts. Whiteside is a catcher and Valdez is a IF.

 

http://fansided.com/2013/11/16/chicago-cubs-sign-eli-whiteside-jeudy-valdez-minor-league-deals/

Also signed infielder Chris Valaika. Just rounding up all the AAA filler.

[Tryptamine]

I'm really surprised by the absolute lack of rumors right now. I thought the GM meetings would spark a lot of interesting things, but this has been pretty boring.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm really surprised by the absolute lack of rumors right now. I thought the GM meetings would spark a lot of interesting things, but this has been pretty boring.

 

By this date last year, we had signed Baker and Navarro (plus Alberto Cabrera, JC Boscan and Brian Bogusevic, all of whom at least appeared in the big leagues last year).

 

But in 2011, the first notable move was signing DeJesus on Nov. 30.

[Tryptamine]

I'm really surprised by the absolute lack of rumors right now. I thought the GM meetings would spark a lot of interesting things, but this has been pretty boring.

 

By this date last year, we had signed Baker and Navarro (plus Alberto Cabrera, JC Boscan and Brian Bogusevic, all of whom at least appeared in the big leagues last year).

 

But in 2011, the first notable move was signing DeJesus on Nov. 30.

 

I don't even necessarily mean us, but at least the substantial mumblings of two teams talking. Thus far the Dominic Brown for Bautista rumor was about the only big one and that was shot down a couple hours after it happened.

[Cubswin11]

Aside from the little action on the trade fronts, I think a reason we aren't seeing a bunch of FA movement is that FA/Agents know teams are sitting on/making more money (the $25mil extra from TV revenue they all got, etc.) so they are asking for what teams feel are unreasonable contract demands so it's just a waiting game to see who blinks first. But like every year once a guy or two signs and sets the market at their respective positions/talents it usually unthaws everything and the signings/trades pick up.

 

IIRC, the week to 10 days leading up to Thanksgiving has historically been a period when a lot of moves happen or at least start happening, so hopefully we are on the cusp of a lot of the offseason transactions happening (not necessarily us, but at least across the league in general).

[HoopsCubs]

The Cleveland Indians checked in on Jeff Samardzija's availability over the weekend. My source said the Cubs did not feel that the Tribe had the right match up of high end pitching propects that they are looking for in a deal, so they countered with Edwin Jackson. The Indians brain trust said they like E-Jax, but not his $33M price tag. The source did not hear if the discussion was terminated or if the Cubs were thinking about going back with a player+cash offer.

[Tryptamine]

In a market where Lincecum gets 2/34 and guys like Ubaldo are rumored to get 5/85 how is Jackson at 3/33 a bad value?

[jersey cubs fan]

In a market where Lincecum gets 2/34 and guys like Ubaldo are rumored to get 5/85 how is Jackson at 3/33 a bad value?

 

He's not if you don't have to trade cheap good cheap prospects for him.

[Cubswin11]

Why the [expletive] does he continue to be a guy teams even consider?

 

Yuniesky Betancourt has drawn interest from 5 MLB teams as a 2B and 3B, according to agent Alex Esteban of Miami Sports Management.

[Guest]

In fairness, the last 5 years have just been Kansas City and Milwaukee passing him back and forth, so maybe they're the only ones truly afflicted enough to actually give him the job.

[KingCubsFan]

In fairness, the last 5 years have just been Kansas City and Milwaukee passing him back and forth, so maybe they're the only ones truly afflicted enough to actually give him the job.

Plus I think his agent said something similar last year, and then he ended up signing with Milwaukee about 5 days before Opening Day.

 

Edit: And signed a minor league deal with the Phillies that winter.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

For comparison, Fangraphs' crowd source predicted Hudson would get 2/$17.2m, and he got 2/$23. They thought Ruiz would get 2/$16.8 and he got 3/$26.

[marc_foust]

With the Mets and Dodgers 'out' on Cano and the nyy possibly moving on, what is his market going to be. Obviously 300 is not going to happen, 250 is looking doubtful, if his price tag drops to 7/175-200 range what teams would be in?

 

I know the cubs wouldn't be interested but I would have very little problem paying him 25 mil per starting and if we are can plug in league minimum guys(baez, bryant, castillo, lake etc) and rizzo, castro, and sweeney.

 

I understand the plan is going with multiple cost effective guys this offseason, but none of them will really be around when we are ready to compete. So why not just sign an impact guy like cano for 20+ mil instead of giving josh johnson 2/25 and nate mclouth 2/14, and scott baker 1/5. Does that kind off season really help the direction of the franchise? Take Barney, Bard, Shierholtz and Soriano money and get longer term pitching help next offseason when there are hopefully better options. How much better would johnson, mcclouth, baker be than cano, rusin and carlos villanueva in the rotation? Are we talking the difference between 65 and 75 wins?