Chase Utley

[jersey cubs fan]

If I had to place bets, I'd bet Starlin and Javy are dealt in the offseason, but Montero stays.

If multiple guys are leaving, then this is probably the best bet. But among all options then "keeping them all" is probably the most likely scenario.

[Sammy Sofa]

Jesus, are there really people upset with Lester's contract? I honestly thought that was one that we all basically agreed on.

I mean, it's like 50 years later and people still think Soriano's contract was an albatross.

 

 

People are stupid.

 

Zambrano's too.

 

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[KingCubsFan]

Jesus, are there really people upset with Lester's contract? I honestly thought that was one that we all basically agreed on.

Just imagine if they actually knew Lester was being paid $30 million this year.

[sneakypower]

This isn't fantasy baseball. Is it likely that Schwarber is ready to be an everyday C in the majors? That's technically undetermined, but odds aren't good he will be.

why not?

 

There may be no more risky thing the Cubs can do than trust Baez.

i think the idea is for Baez to usurp Castro's starting spot

 

Have the pitching results noticeably suffered when Schwarber catches?

4.82 cERA (2.74 for Ross, 3.37 for Montero), but i don't put much stock into this yet

[Backtobanks]

If there was no issue with money they wouldnt have been trying so hard to get a controllable TOR type starter via trade. They don't have infinite money and they dont need 3 catchers either. Castro is a guy they should move because he is keeping Russell away from his future position which is SS, and his performance doesn't justify the salary to me. (especially the long term part of it)

 

Moving Montero and Castro makes sense if your going after some big name free agents that can make a higher marginal impact on the team in 2016, guys like Heyward can play CF and will demand big bucks.. Your price kinda guys will too!

 

Toss in a zobrist kinda guy and your looking at a well improved team over this years already good team where montero and castro arent necessarily carrying the teams success.

 

They don't have infinite money, but I think Theo can get anybody he wants. We've talked/joked about poor Tom Ricketts for quite awhile, but I think Theo has his plan and a bottom line figure as to how much a player is worth. When Theo was signed, he said he had complete autonomy over the baseball side of the operation and I still believe that. He got The FO people he wanted, got the best manager in baseball, got one of the best TOR FAs last year, and is rumored to be in on Price over the winter. He has said all along that when the time is right, the money will be spent. Apparently, he doesn't think the time is right just yet.

[sontensei]

Based on the MLB 60/40 salary rule, anyone know what the cubs cap could be?

[sneakypower]

He has said all along that when the time is right, the money will be spent. Apparently, he doesn't think the time is right just yet.

Theo added over $250m in salary obligations over the offseason

 

just an fyi

[davell]

I'd love Heyward, any guesses on his upcoming contract? That'll begin with him at 26 years old.....8/200 possibly? Chance he gets 10 years from a team?

[Cubswin11]

I'd love Heyward, any guesses on his upcoming contract? That'll begin with him at 26 years old.....8/200 possibly? Chance he gets 10 years from a team?

I would guess Crawford's 7/140 is a good starting point for him, with maybe an extra and/or a few extra mil a year added due to age.

[sontensei]

He has said all along that when the time is right, the money will be spent. Apparently, he doesn't think the time is right just yet.

Theo added over $250m in salary obligations over the offseason

 

just an fyi

 

exactly why reducing the obligations is necessary to add more

[Cubswin11]

He has said all along that when the time is right, the money will be spent. Apparently, he doesn't think the time is right just yet.

Theo added over $250m in salary obligations over the offseason

 

just an fyi

 

exactly why reducing the obligations is necessary to add more

Probably should look to trade Rizzo too if that's the case

[rawaction]

I'd love Heyward, any guesses on his upcoming contract? That'll begin with him at 26 years old.....8/200 possibly? Chance he gets 10 years from a team?

I would guess Crawford's 7/140 is a good starting point for him, with maybe an extra and/or a few extra mil a year added due to age.

 

Yeah, that's probably a good starting point. I'd go 7/160-175 for him without hesitation. 8/200 scares me. I wonder if he'd accept something like 5 years for 135-150Mil, and become a FA again at 31.

[Guest]

I'd love Heyward, any guesses on his upcoming contract? That'll begin with him at 26 years old.....8/200 possibly? Chance he gets 10 years from a team?

I would guess Crawford's 7/140 is a good starting point for him, with maybe an extra and/or a few extra mil a year added due to age.

 

Yeah, that's probably a good starting point. I'd go 7/160-175 for him without hesitation. 8/200 scares me. I wonder if he'd accept something like 5 years for 135-150Mil, and become a FA again at 31.

 

If becoming a FA again after a few years is interesting to him, he'll probably insist on an opt-out after 3-5 years.

[rawaction]

I'd love Heyward, any guesses on his upcoming contract? That'll begin with him at 26 years old.....8/200 possibly? Chance he gets 10 years from a team?

I would guess Crawford's 7/140 is a good starting point for him, with maybe an extra and/or a few extra mil a year added due to age.

 

Yeah, that's probably a good starting point. I'd go 7/160-175 for him without hesitation. 8/200 scares me. I wonder if he'd accept something like 5 years for 135-150Mil, and become a FA again at 31.

 

If becoming a FA again after a few years is interesting to him, he'll probably insist on an opt-out after 3-5 years.

 

That's true. I'd be cool with that.

[KingCubsFan]

I'd love Heyward, any guesses on his upcoming contract? That'll begin with him at 26 years old.....8/200 possibly? Chance he gets 10 years from a team?

I would guess Crawford's 7/140 is a good starting point for him, with maybe an extra and/or a few extra mil a year added due to age.

 

Yeah, that's probably a good starting point. I'd go 7/160-175 for him without hesitation. 8/200 scares me. I wonder if he'd accept something like 5 years for 135-150Mil, and become a FA again at 31.

 

If becoming a FA again after a few years is interesting to him, he'll probably insist on an opt-out after 3-5 years.

 

That's true. I'd be cool with that.

Would you put him in RF and trade Soler? Put Soler in left? Try Heyward in CF?

[Guest]

If Heyward was willing, I'd be very interested in trying him in CF(and handcuffing him with a very capable backup CF just in case). Soler has been rough in RF so I wouldn't hesitate to move him to LF if that wasn't a reasonable option, but Heyward in CF opens some doors(don't *need* to add any more starting position players, leaves LF open if Schwarber flops as a catcher).

[sontensei]

He has said all along that when the time is right, the money will be spent. Apparently, he doesn't think the time is right just yet.

Theo added over $250m in salary obligations over the offseason

 

just an fyi

 

exactly why reducing the obligations is necessary to add more

Probably should look to trade Rizzo too if that's the case

 

no because Rizzo's production is a great value for his salary. you cant say the same for Montero and Castro

 

Rizzo

2016 $5 Mil

2017 $7 Mil

2018 $7 Mil

2019 $11 Mil

 

Joey Votto

2016 $20 Mil

2017 $22 Mil

2018 - 2024 $25 Mil / yr

[Thed Hoyerstein]

He has said all along that when the time is right, the money will be spent. Apparently, he doesn't think the time is right just yet.

Theo added over $250m in salary obligations over the offseason

 

just an fyi

 

exactly why reducing the obligations is necessary to add more

Probably should look to trade Rizzo too if that's the case

 

no because Rizzo's production is a great value for his salary. you cant say the same for Montero and Castro

 

Rizzo

2016 $5 Mil

2017 $7 Mil

2018 $7 Mil

2019 $11 Mil

 

Joey Votto

2016 $20 Mil

2017 $22 Mil

2018 - 2024 $25 Mil / yr

 

 

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[davell]

In response to Sneaky, even if the defensive numbers show he's just below average, I think the FO would likely prefer keeping Montero as a safety net for one more year. Whether you could keep him happy catching 40% of the games or not may be worth asking, but they'd have that talk and figure it out, I guess. 3 catchers is something that's obviously not ideal, but if 1 plays LF 40% of the time(Schwarber, 40% behind the plate too) and you grab Zobrist or Daniel Murphy to use as a multi position guy, I think it'd be fine.

[sontensei]

Catchers with comparable OPS to Montero in 2015

 

Derek Norris - SD

2015 - $545K

2016- beyond Arbitration

 

Caleb Joseph - Bal

2015 - $515K

2016 - beyond Arbitration

 

Montero

2015 - $12 Million

2016 - $14 Million

2017 - $14 Million

 

how is this NOT a bad contract?

 

SS comparable OPS to Castro in 2015

 

Chris Owings - AZ

2015 - $515K

2016 - arbitration

 

Nick Ahmed - AZ

2015 - $515K

2016 - arbitration

 

Castro

2015 $ 6 million

2016 $ 7 million

2017 $ 9 Million

2018 $ 10 Million

2019 $ 11 Million

 

So these 2 guys make that much and basically rookie level guys have performed better in 2015.

We have even better rookie than the ones compared too, I'd be trying to get rid of these guys in the offseason even if it meant eating a little salary (not all but like 25% max)

[Guest]

Montero has played at a league average level in 2015, to get a similar catcher in free agency* would cost about the same in dollars and maybe more in years. If he's not going to be a full time catcher it's not an ideal use of resources, but it's hardly an anchor considering there's a lot of doubt about Schwarber's defense and there are no other MLB starters remotely close as a fallback.

 

*There are no Montero equivalents available in free agency this year, certainly none that will willingly sign up to be Schwarber's handcuff with Ross also under contract

[Sammy Sofa]

Again, they don't know if Schwarber is going to stick at catcher and they have no idea as to what Baez is going to do.

[sontensei]

If they have no idea what Baez is going to do use some savings from offing castro to sign zobrist he can handle 2b easy.

[Sammy Sofa]

If they have no idea what Baez is going to do use some savings from offing castro to sign zobrist he can handle 2b easy.

 

So now you want them to sign a starting pitcher, extend Arrieta, sign an OF AND Zobrist? Wouldn't it make more financial sense to just see what Baez can do and have Castro as backup?

[sontensei]

If they have no idea what Baez is going to do use some savings from offing castro to sign zobrist he can handle 2b easy.

 

So now you want them to sign a starting pitcher, extend Arrieta, sign an OF AND Zobrist? Wouldn't it make more financial sense to just see what Baez can do and have Castro as backup?

 

well its just an idea, i mean who knows how it will shake out by opening day next year.