Arrieta vs. Price/Zimmerman

[KingCubsFan]

People presume that the Cubs will go after another expensive arm this offseason, but it's often overlooked that Arrieta is a free agent after 2016. Given his performance and the fact that Boras is his agent, would you rather give Arrieta a Lester type deal, give something similar to Zimmerman, or give $200 million to Price?

[Tedward]

People presume that the Cubs will go after another expensive arm this offseason, but it's often overlooked that Arrieta is a free agent after 2016. Given his performance and the fact that Boras is his agent, would you rather give Arrieta a Lester type deal, give something similar to Zimmerman, or give $200 million to Price?

 

He's a free agent after the 2017 season. He's under team control for two more seasons after this one.

[Mikey Likes It]

People presume that the Cubs will go after another expensive arm this offseason, but it's often overlooked that Arrieta is a free agent after 2016. Given his performance and the fact that Boras is his agent, would you rather give Arrieta a Lester type deal, give something similar to Zimmerman, or give $200 million to Price?

 

Also, doesn't Boras like his clients to hit free agency? Jake will be 31 when his contract is up. He can still get a major 5-year deal from someone. I don't think it will be the Cubs if they are in hefty deals with Lester and whatever FA we get in the offseason. I would assume that Theo would hope our farm produces a quality top-3 starter in the next two years to replace him.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I have no link, but I was reading something not long ago saying that Jake would like to remain in Chicago long term, and 'would not ask for astronomical money.' A quote that no doubt lead Boras' computer screen becoming coffee splattered.

[Freyr]

You're out of your minds if you don't think Arrieta will be retained. He's a steal from our front-office, one of their "guys". We have an extremely cheap offense, and with Montero's 14 mil coming off the books after next year (Maybe traded this offseason?), along with the enevitable departure of Castro, why wouldn't we have the resources? Plus possible TV Deal money, Arrieta isn't going anywhere.

[Guest]

2 years is a long time, especially for a pitcher. I have little doubt that the Cubs will actively try to keep Arrieta if he's healthy, but I would not put any money on him being a Cub in 2018.

[fromthestretch]

You're out of your minds if you don't think Arrieta will be retained. He's a steal from our front-office, one of their "guys". We have an extremely cheap offense, and with Montero's 14 mil coming off the books after next year (Maybe traded this offseason?), along with the enevitable departure of Castro, why wouldn't we have the resources? Plus possible TV Deal money, Arrieta isn't going anywhere.

 

The only way Montero's money goes away is if he's traded or decides to retire early. He's signed through 2017.

[Guest]

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[CubColtPacer]

If the Cubs get Price, I hope they would trade Arrieta. I know that's very unlikely to happen because teams rarely go in multiple directions at once like that. But I trust in both the Cubs ability to develop pitchers, and also I feel they are going to be one of the strongest free agency players. I'd much rather take advantage of a team who is going for the sure thing ace, and avoid the question of extension at 32 or not altogether.

 

Now of course that is partially based on when and how much the Cubs payroll is going to explode. If they're planning on going to 200 in the next five years, then maybe you do keep Arrieta and just go for it. If you can't get Price, then the calculus around an Arrieta extension changes quite a bit as well.

[davell]

Adding Price or another TOR starter is what's likely needed(along with the bats continued development) to getting over the top of the Pirates and Cards. Giving Arrieta big money now seems completely unnecessary and it's just something we should shelve until it actually needs addressing. Too many unknowns, lots can and likely will change over that period of time.

[Guest]

The Cubs don't have the present pitching depth to do something as risky as trade Arrieta. It'd have to be the equivalent of making a Arrieta for Wheeler/Syndergaard/plus trade at the start of the year(before Wheeler's TJS and Thor's blow up), which is a bizarre trade for the hypothetical Mets(or any team) to make. If the concern for future payrolls is that great, then they shouldn't sign Price.

[Brian]

paying pitchers before you have to sounds like the worst idea ever.

 

He's cool and all, but he could completely fall apart tomorrow (that's the risk with any athlete but pitchers are the worst)

[BigSlick]

Yeah, thinking about this I just get existential terror about the idea of giving hundreds of millions to multiple pitchers over 30. That's not to say that doesn't make it the best baseball move if thats what they end up doing (it likely is), its just

 

it's a crummy consequence of having poor luck with pitching prospects

[Brian]

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[Sammy Sofa]

I keep forgetting Arrieta is as old as he is. I don't know why I think he's a couple years younger.

 

I'm also unsure as to why people are so confident that the Cubs are going to develop good starters in short order. I mean, I sure hope they do, but the cupboard seems a bit bare.

[Tracer Bullet]

I keep forgetting Arrieta is as old as he is. I don't know why I think he's a couple years younger.

 

I'm also unsure as to why people are so confident that the Cubs are going to develop good starters in short order. I mean, I sure hope they do, but the cupboard seems a bit bare.

 

bc you can't remember ever having heard of him before Sunday night?

[Sammy Sofa]

I keep forgetting Arrieta is as old as he is. I don't know why I think he's a couple years younger.

 

I'm also unsure as to why people are so confident that the Cubs are going to develop good starters in short order. I mean, I sure hope they do, but the cupboard seems a bit bare.

 

bc you can't remember ever having heard of him before Sunday night?

 

Don't be silly; he's a real player, not a prospect.

[Guest]

that's ok... omc didn't even know jake arrieta was on the cubs until like a year after we got him

[Clem Fandango]

I'm also unsure as to why people are so confident that the Cubs are going to develop good starters in short order. I mean, I sure hope they do, but the cupboard seems a bit bare.

 

They've also yet to prove that they can develop a successful pitcher who was drafted and came up through our system. The only guy on our current pitching roster who was a draftee and came up through our system and reached the major leagues and had some actual success at some point is James Russell... and he presently sucks.

 

I have more faith in our FO to find other pitchers who are good and acquire them more than I do in the team being able to develop great pitchers, since they have yet to prove that. Once guys like Pierce Johnson and Duane Underwood etc. can make it to the show and prove their worth, the jury is still out on our development program being successful with pitchers. All the other Cubs guys who have spent enough time in our system to be considered "our guys" who have come up and pitched in the rotation or bullpen have been pretty awful or just mediocre (Schlitter, Roach, Beeler, Rosscup).

 

Everyone else was acquired from another team and had their mechanics and game tweaked at the major league level by the Bos, who is magical.

[imb]

Man, Arrieta has only allowed 128 hits in 183 innings. I know offense is down but jesus.

[Guest]

I'm also unsure as to why people are so confident that the Cubs are going to develop good starters in short order. I mean, I sure hope they do, but the cupboard seems a bit bare.

 

They've also yet to prove that they can develop a successful pitcher who was drafted and came up through our system. The only guy on our current pitching roster who was a draftee and came up through our system and reached the major leagues and had some actual success at some point is James Russell... and he presently sucks.

 

I have more faith in our FO to find other pitchers who are good and acquire them more than I do in the team being able to develop great pitchers, since they have yet to prove that. Once guys like Pierce Johnson and Duane Underwood etc. can make it to the show and prove their worth, the jury is still out on our development program being successful with pitchers. All the other Cubs guys who have spent enough time in our system to be considered "our guys" who have come up and pitched in the rotation or bullpen have been pretty awful or just mediocre (Schlitter, Roach, Beeler, Rosscup).

 

Everyone else was acquired from another team and had their mechanics and game tweaked at the major league level by the Bos, who is magical.

 

Hendricks was in High A when he was acquired and had more MiLB IP as a Cub than a Ranger. While they haven't proven it to the extent that they have at the MLB level with SP, I think he's a good success story. The problem is more that the pipeline is not very full, at least with guys who could be counted on before 2018. Johnson had a strong finish to the year and Ryan Williams continues to be interesting as Hendricks redux, but there's not much short term hope regardless of their development prowess.

[bhogg]

I like to dream of a world where the cubs have more money than god. . . . and give Jake a big fat extension and give Price whatever he wants.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I like to dream of a world where the cubs have more money than god. . . . and give Jake a big fat extension and give Price whatever he wants.

 

The Cubs have more money than God, Santa and the Keebler Elves combined.

[imb]

actually there is no god sooo

[Ding Dong Johnson]

actually there is no god sooo

Sure, but those elves are loaded