Offseason Rumors & Transactions Thread

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Maybe I'd regret it for all eternity, wouldn't be the first thing, but I kind of want to trade Baez just to keep him from dragging down our 2015 lineup if he doesn't turn it around quickly.

[Sammy Sofa]

if they took baez as the headliner I would have already made that deal

 

no

 

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

[Guest]

if they took baez as the headliner I would have already made that deal

 

no

 

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

 

lol no.

[Guest]

Maybe I'd regret it for all eternity, wouldn't be the first thing, but I kind of want to trade Baez just to keep him from dragging down our 2015 lineup if he doesn't turn it around quickly.

Maybe the Manny braids are a good sign that he's trying a new approach. I'm groping here.

[Guest]

Maybe I'd regret it for all eternity, wouldn't be the first thing, but I kind of want to trade Baez just to keep him from dragging down our 2015 lineup if he doesn't turn it around quickly.

Maybe the Manny braids are a good sign that he's trying a new approach. I'm groping here.

Grasping?

[Sammy Sofa]

if they took baez as the headliner I would have already made that deal

 

no

 

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

 

lol no.

 

http://media1.giphy.com/media/7mNNo4pCEuW08/giphy.gif

 

Baez is a landmine.

[Guest]

h8rs

[Sammy Sofa]

He needs to earn our love.

[Guest]

It's Loxas, so LOL, but whatever... hot stove

 

http://www.cubsinsider.com/cubs-raid-royals/

 

You bet. Alex Gordon would be an awfully nice fit in left field. A player such as Gordon would provide a left-handed bat, OBP, stellar defense, and speed. These are all things the front office and new skipper Joe Maddon will actively seek to add to the current Cubs roster.

 

The problem with Gordon, however, is that his impending free agency means that he would likely come as somewhat of a rental. Would the Cubs be interested in trading any of their impact prospects without first working out an extension with Gordon’s agent Casey Close?

 

Yet, I’m told the Royals are in the process of putting together a list of names for the Cubs for whom they would entertain a deal. That list could be headed by Arismendy Alcantara. Given his dynamic speed, Alcantara fits the mold the Royals currently feature in their ballpark .

 

At the same time, Alcantara might be a player the Cubs would be willing to part with, since he doesn’t necessarily have a long-term position clearly in his sights.

[Guest]

Maybe I'd regret it for all eternity, wouldn't be the first thing, but I kind of want to trade Baez just to keep him from dragging down our 2015 lineup if he doesn't turn it around quickly.

Maybe the Manny braids are a good sign that he's trying a new approach. I'm groping here.

Grasping?

It's more feeling than grabbing so I chose groping.

[Deeg]

I continue to be mystified by the eagerness to give up one (or more) of our top prospects for Hamels when there are 2 legit #1s on the FA market this year and several more next year. Hamels is undeniably very good, but he's not Kershaw good - and he's not exactly underpaid. And he has some niggling arm issues. Sorry, I don't buy it - I'd much, much rather be on the hook to Lester for the extra year (or even two) especially given that he's a good bet to age better than Hamels.

 

I'm also mystified that so many seem eager to dump Baez when all he did was do what he's done at every level after promotions - struggle out of the gate. Guys with legit 40+ HR power who can play a good major league shortstop (even if Russell's presence means he might not have to for us) are golden unicorns.

[Sammy Sofa]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

[RammyFanny]

It's Loxas, so LOL, but whatever... hot stove

 

http://www.cubsinsider.com/cubs-raid-royals/

 

You bet. Alex Gordon would be an awfully nice fit in left field. A player such as Gordon would provide a left-handed bat, OBP, stellar defense, and speed. These are all things the front office and new skipper Joe Maddon will actively seek to add to the current Cubs roster.

 

The problem with Gordon, however, is that his impending free agency means that he would likely come as somewhat of a rental. Would the Cubs be interested in trading any of their impact prospects without first working out an extension with Gordon’s agent Casey Close?

 

Yet, I’m told the Royals are in the process of putting together a list of names for the Cubs for whom they would entertain a deal. That list could be headed by Arismendy Alcantara. Given his dynamic speed, Alcantara fits the mold the Royals currently feature in their ballpark .

 

At the same time, Alcantara might be a player the Cubs would be willing to part with, since he doesn’t necessarily have a long-term position clearly in his sights.

 

Not that I wouldn't trade for him because we need a veteran bat, but it kind of surprised me that Gordon will be 31 this upcoming Frbruary.

[Guest]

hamels to the cubs just doesn't make a ton of sense for the reasons kyle (iirc) laid out earlier. the teams aren't a good match for each other.

[Deeg]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

 

He swings and misses a lot.

[Tryptamine]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

Giving up a top 10 prospect for him isn't dumping him, but it's hardly an efficient use of resources. Hamels will be 31 on opening day of 2015 and making 22.5M a year over the next 4 years with an option for 20M in 2019. He's also coming off an arm injury that caused him to miss the start of the 2014 season and then Sandberg went on to abuse the [expletive] out of him when he returned. In fact he was the most abused pitcher in MLB by a large margin. I'm willing to gamble, but Javy is way too big of a piece to gamble on Cole's future.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/sortable/index.php?cid=1670663

[Sammy Sofa]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

 

He was really, really, really bad and has some serious flaws in his game. I hope he turns it around.

[RammyFanny]

Screw pitchers.

 

Unless we're signing them or *maybe* giving up second tier Alcantara/Almora/Edwards types.

[Deeg]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

 

He was really, really, really bad and has some serious flaws in his game. I hope he turns it around.

 

He's been really, really bad pretty much every time he's moved up a level - and the last jump he made was by far the biggest. He'll be 22 all of next season - I think it's crazy not to give him every chance to work through his flaws in a Cubs uniform.

[Tryptamine]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

 

It's amazing to me that Baez struggled just like we all knew he would. We had how many discussions on this very board talking about how he would struggle at first and most agreed that it was good he could start in 2013 to start getting adjusted in a season that didn't matter.Yet here we are after he did what was expected and people are ready to throw him into any package. It just doesn't make sense.

[seanimal]

Maybe I'd regret it for all eternity, wouldn't be the first thing, but I kind of want to trade Baez just to keep him from dragging down our 2015 lineup if he doesn't turn it around quickly.

Maybe the Manny braids are a good sign that he's trying a new approach. I'm groping here.

Grasping?

It's more feeling than grabbing so I chose groping.

 

too sincere

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's amazing to me that Baez struggled just like we all knew he would.

 

No he didn't. He struggled way, way worse than anyone feared.

[RammyFanny]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

 

It's amazing to me that Baez struggled just like we all knew he would. We had how many discussions on this very board talking about how he would struggle at first and most agreed that it was good he could start in 2013 to start getting adjusted in a season that didn't matter.Yet here we are after he did what was expected and people are ready to throw him into any package. It just doesn't make sense.

This x1000. We said this at almost every single level of the minor leagues in his first months, it just seems a little silly to put this much into him, know he's going to suck terribly like he does at every level, and then just trade him for a 31 year old 20-something million/yr pitcher with usage issues before you even give Javy the chance to do what he always does. In a Stanton package, sure, but not a 31 year old pitcher.

[Sammy Sofa]

Baez for Hamels is hardly "dumping" him.

 

And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.

 

It's amazing to me that Baez struggled just like we all knew he would. We had how many discussions on this very board talking about how he would struggle at first and most agreed that it was good he could start in 2013 to start getting adjusted in a season that didn't matter.Yet here we are after he did what was expected and people are ready to throw him into any package. It just doesn't make sense.

 

Not any package; my still preferred avenue is using him the main part of a deal to land Stanton. I highly doubt he'd be moved for Hamels, but if it did happen I could be talked into it being a good move.

 

And I've said several times how I was expecting him to have shown at least some kind of significant improvement by then end of the year; he didn't. Yeah, the learning curve is going to be tougher at the highest level, but he was REALLY bad. I highly doubt anyone here was assuming he'd have been as horrendous as he was with little signs of improvement at the end of the season. Given the flaws in his game and given that they have Russell and Bryant waiting in the wings I wouldn't lose much sleep if they still sold high on him and got a great return.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Sammy Sofa