Offseason Rumors & Transactions Thread

[CUBZ99]

The infatuation with FA and spending money is reaching critical mass. The Cubs need to get good players. FA is an opportunity to do that. So are trades, so are waiver claims. The idea that they need to prove some level of 'commitment' financially is silly. If they don't sign Lester and instead give fewer dollars to Justin Masterson(or trade for Ubaldo or give Doubront a rotation spot, the specifics aren't important) and that guy becomes another top of rotation stalwart like Arrieta, no one will remember by May. The players and their performance are more important than what a move signifies to the fans.

 

The infatuation with spending is based upon the Cubs being a team with large resources. Your argument is the ultimate cop out. Sure you could get lucky year after year by signing reclamation projects, but history has not shown that method to be feasible. Case in point, after 3 years with that method, the Cubs have had how many winning seasons? Sure the players are more important, but to think that FA players aren't important is beyond ignorant.

[Guest]

For the 3rd time, the takeaway here is not 'Free agents are bad". The takeaway is that 'spending money isn't a goal in and of itself' in response to how Lester has become some sort of tipping point of the FO's commitment to winning. Last offseason did not suck because they did not sign Tanaka or Phil Hughes, it sucked because they didn't add anyone, Tanaka, Hughes, Skaggs, and Fister included.

[weis21]

What I'm reading in these comments that has been ignored is the fact that Epstein is on record of saying that when the time/player comes along that you overpay for then you overpay for him. I would have loved to bring Martin into the fold. The FO obviously didn't think he was worth the (seemingly somewhat marginal) overpay. If so, I don't have any problem with that. I would imagine if they feel they need to upgrade at C then then they have alternate avenues. It's not as if everyone was clamoring about upgrading catcher as the Cubs biggest need this offseason. Or maybe they are OK with Castillo and think he will continue to improve both offensively and defensively as a young catcher only now entering his prime.

 

Sign some pitchers and upgrade the catching (or outfield, or both) situations through trade. Or don't and sign/trade for additional stud pitching. There are a number of ways to improve the overall talent for 2015. Missing out on an aging catcher on a 5-year contract is not the end of the world. I took that as what Tranny was getting at. There's no need to supremely overpay through FA for one particular player to "prove" this ball club is serious about winning. Not spending any money is another story entirely, but there is too much smoke for there not to be fire in that regard.

 

ETA: TT beat me to the punch during my 20 min post

[TruffleShuffle]

if schwarber is able to be an adequate catcher and hits as well as everyone thinks he will, then he'll likely be ready for the big league club by 2017. maybe that played a part in their thinking. i could see them not wanting to go 5 years with martin because they could very well end up trying to dump him within two years, and eating a lot of cash if he hits like he did for most of the past five years. whereas there aren't the pitching prospects blocking someone like lester, so maybe they'll be willing to go bigger on someone like him, since even as he regresses there will still be room for him in the rotation.

[Guest]

What I'm reading in these comments that has been ignored is the fact that Epstein is on record of saying that when the time/player comes along that you overpay for then you overpay for him. I would have loved to bring Martin into the fold. The FO obviously didn't think he was worth the (seemingly somewhat marginal) overpay. If so, I don't have any problem with that. I would imagine if they feel they need to upgrade at C then then they have alternate avenues. It's not as if everyone was clamoring about upgrading catcher as the Cubs biggest need this offseason. Or maybe they are OK with Castillo and think he will continue to improve both offensively and defensively as a young catcher only now entering his prime.

 

Eh, Castillo is neither all that young nor entering his prime.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/101721304/chicago-cubs-theo-epstein-mlb-offseason-starlin-castro

 

Kasper calls this dumb "don't sign anybody and keep plugging in mediocrity" article smart but it is actually just more if the same dumb conservative nonsense that always pushes off the time to spend beyond the present.

[jersey cubs fan]

For the 3rd time, the takeaway here is not 'Free agents are bad". The takeaway is that 'spending money isn't a goal in and of itself' in response to how Lester has become some sort of tipping point of the FO's commitment to winning. Last offseason did not suck because they did not sign Tanaka or Phil Hughes, it sucked because they didn't add anyone, Tanaka, Hughes, Skaggs, and Fister included.

The takeaway is not signing free agents is bad.

[Banedon]

Giancarlo Stanton will make $68,449 per DAY for next 13 years.

[Guest]

Why would the Padres want to move Grandal?

 

They also have René Rivera in the majors and Austin Hedges in the high minors.

[dcvalpo]

Gammons says the Cubs don't believe they will sign Lester and he will be back with the Red Sox.

[Guest]

@DandCShow Gammons, "I get the feeling that the Cubs think Jon Lester is going back to Boston".

 

The actual comment

 

Let's hope Gammons got his one scoop for the offseason yesterday.

[Guest]

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/101721304/chicago-cubs-theo-epstein-mlb-offseason-starlin-castro

 

Kasper calls this dumb "don't sign anybody and keep plugging in mediocrity" article smart but it is actually just more if the same dumb conservative nonsense that always pushes off the time to spend beyond the present.

That article just makes me sad.

[Elrhino]

if schwarber is able to be an adequate catcher and hits as well as everyone thinks he will, then he'll likely be ready for the big league club by 2017. maybe that played a part in their thinking.

 

Theo has said that catchers take longer to develop, and when they get into the major leagues they have a longer adjustment period. I would hope Schwarber didn't play much into their thinking, considering he's not even hit AA pitching and most scouts have not projected him to stick at catcher. Even if Schwarber reaches his potential as a catcher, it probably won't be until we've lost most of the cost controlled years on our young talent.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Elrhino

[Guest]

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/101721304/chicago-cubs-theo-epstein-mlb-offseason-starlin-castro

 

Kasper calls this dumb "don't sign anybody and keep plugging in mediocrity" article smart but it is actually just more if the same dumb conservative nonsense that always pushes off the time to spend beyond the present.

 

Yeah, I was annoyed by this too.

[Elrhino]

For the 3rd time, the takeaway here is not 'Free agents are bad". The takeaway is that 'spending money isn't a goal in and of itself' in response to how Lester has become some sort of tipping point of the FO's commitment to winning.

 

The goal is to utilize every resource available to an organization to put a team on the field that wins a lot of baseball games. The frustration comes when you see other organizations do that and the Cubs do not.

[Guest]

The infatuation with FA and spending money is reaching critical mass. The Cubs need to get good players. FA is an opportunity to do that. So are trades, so are waiver claims. The idea that they need to prove some level of 'commitment' financially is silly. If they don't sign Lester and instead give fewer dollars to Justin Masterson(or trade for Ubaldo or give Doubront a rotation spot, the specifics aren't important) and that guy becomes another top of rotation stalwart like Arrieta, no one will remember by May. The players and their performance are more important than what a move signifies to the fans.

The [expletive] is this [expletive]?

[Guest]

For the 3rd time, the takeaway here is not 'Free agents are bad". The takeaway is that 'spending money isn't a goal in and of itself' in response to how Lester has become some sort of tipping point of the FO's commitment to winning. Last offseason did not suck because they did not sign Tanaka or Phil Hughes, it sucked because they didn't add anyone, Tanaka, Hughes, Skaggs, and Fister included.

Lester is not likely, under any circumstance besides injury, to sign a contract that greatly outpaces his production or contains a lot of dead money. Therefore any contract he signs with a large market team will be considered a good contract for both sides.

 

I think it's a measure of commitment to winning when a team is willing to forego the bargain shopping and maybe even overspend for a guy who can take them to the next level.

[Guest]

Lester is 1) a pitcher 2) 31 and 3) has a ton of miles on his arm, any deal with him carries a decent amount of risk by nature. That doesn't mean don't sign him(He's not at the top of my wish list but I've made peace with the risks in his case), but it means it's dumb to impute some sort of overarching significance to whether or not he signs with the Cubs.

[Guest]

Lester is 1) a pitcher 2) 31 and 3) has a ton of miles on his arm, any deal with him carries a decent amount of risk by nature. That doesn't mean don't sign him(He's not at the top of my wish list but I've made peace with the risks in his case), but it means it's dumb to impute some sort of overarching significance to whether or not he signs with the Cubs.

 

And we can keep saying that every time we don't sign someone good.

[Guest]

Forget I ever even mentioned moving near Wrigley next year.

 

Maybe in 2019.

[Guest]

Impute? Lol. [expletive] off.

 

But in all seriousness, it totally does impute (totally cromulent word) if they're unwilling to spend enough to get any expensive and needed free agent pitcher. It means they're going to the food bank again.

[Guest]

Lester is 1) a pitcher 2) 31 and 3) has a ton of miles on his arm, any deal with him carries a decent amount of risk by nature. That doesn't mean don't sign him(He's not at the top of my wish list but I've made peace with the risks in his case), but it means it's dumb to impute some sort of overarching significance to whether or not he signs with the Cubs.

 

And we can keep saying that every time we don't sign someone good.

 

If the Cubs have an offseason like last year, feel free to be upset that they didn't add anyone, I'll be there with you. In the meantime, arbitrary lines in the sand that Jon Lester represents a 'commitment to winning' are silly.

[Guest]

Impute? Lol. [expletive] off.

 

But in all seriousness, it totally does impute (totally cromulent word) if they're unwilling to spend enough to get any expensive and needed free agent pitcher. It means they're going to the food bank again.

 

Seriously. They're costing themselves a chance to contend when they really can contend if they let this "we're not going to compromise ourselves or the plan" crap get in the way. That's a huge cost in and of itself.

Edited November 18, 2014 by David

[Guest]

They've spent 3 years of my fanhood experimenting with possum stew, if they aren't willing to "overspend" (no team really ever overspends, they pay as much as it takes to sign them) now, we may just have to hope best case scenario for our small market team.

[Backtobanks]

The bottom line for me is that we have the money and there are FAs available that will fill some of the holes on this team for the next few years. If we don't contend in 2015, we'll have a better idea as to what needs to be fixed for 2016. If we try to "get by" in 2015, there's no guarantee that we will outbid the big spenders for someone like Price next year.