Cubs offseason thread

[jersey cubs fan]

Damn. Now the Cubs themselves are trolling me.

 

http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/214190644/moises-alou-tops-cubs-free-agent-signing-list/

oh carrie

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Andrew Dawson .. Gets my vote.

[weis21]

So what's the pitching staff right now?

 

Lester

Arrieta

Hendricks

Lackey

Montgomery

Anderson

Davis

Edwards Jr.

Strop

Grimm

Uehara

Rondon

Duensing/Zastryzny

 

Could be a little better but not bad - solid first 9 or 10 there.

 

I think that's a pretty damn good staff (with the obvious thought that more starting depth - even at AAA - would be ideal). I'm really hoping they just go with a six man rotation from the start of the year. Obvious benefit to Anderson and Montgomery considering their lack of innings. Lackey and Arrietta aging and pitched a ton of innings last year. Hendricks had a career high innings last year and of course doesn't have a huge frame (though I'm not sure he couldn't handle it year in and year out given his repertoire. I love everything about him). It just seems like the perfect group to try this on.

[Bull]

So what's the pitching staff right now?

 

Lester - N/A

Arrieta - N/A

Hendricks - N/A

Lackey - N/A

Montgomery - 0

Anderson - N/A

Davis N/A

Edwards Jr. - 1

Strop - N/A

Grimm N/A

Uehara - N/A

Rondon - 0

Duensing/ - N/A

Zastryzny - 3

 

Could be a little better but not bad - solid first 9 or 10 there.

 

There are 14 names above. I added the options status of each.

 

I took a beating a month or so ago by suggesting that the Cubs should add enough pitchers to walk in to spring training with no room for Edwards. I made the mistake of saying that he would ostensibly be off the theoretical (nonexistent in spring training) 25 man in spring training but also suggested that injuries (or DFA's) would assure that he would be on the 25 by opening day.

 

That is exactly what has happened here.

 

Make no mistake, I believe that Edwards will be on the 25 man come opening day. But Theo has added enough arms that there isn't enough room for everyone on ML contract and Edwards and Z. Add in NRI's and its still more crowded. If everyone is healthy and performs, Edwards is the odd man out. In theory, not in reality.

[davell]

Carlos Frias and Dillon Overton each got DFA'd today.

 

Frias, a Dodger, is a righty that throws pretty hard and looked pretty decent when I have seen him pitch. He's an ideal swing type to add, if possible. But, the Dodgers did just DFA him and he missed the last half of 2016 with an "undisclosed" injury. Still, I'd figure we check in. If he's ready for 2017, he'd be a smart, under the radar pickup.

 

Overton, from the A's, literally had one of the worst stints in the majors, that I've seen in quite a while. He's a lefty, more of a pitchibility guy. But he has some velo that he forgot to regain, back from his elbow surgery a few years back. With a tweak or two in his lower half, some think he should still regain it. At any rate, he has excellent control, and is a very solid flyer to add, at this point.

 

Again, these are flyers, just cheap, depth types that we're still hunting for.

 

Our 40 man will be at 40, with the Anderson signing. To be honest, we're not THAT flexible either. We could obviously DFA Rollins for the 29th time this off season. But, outside of him, I'd say Brooks and Buchanan are the only 2 guys left that seem to be DFA'able at the moment.

[squally1313]

Incredibly rough draft of the 25 man roster as it stands now. Please update for any and all blatant mistakes I make.

 

C:

1. Contreras

2. Miggy

 

1B:

3. Rizzo

 

2B:

4. Zobrist

5. Baez

6. LaStella

 

3B:

7. Bryant

 

SS:

8. Russell

 

OF

9. Schwarber

10. Jay

11. Almora

12. Heyward

13. Szczur

 

SP

14. Lester

15. Hendricks

16. Arrieta

17. Lackey

18. Montgomery

19. Anderson

 

RP

20. Davis

21. Rondon

22. Strop

23. Uehara

24. Edwards

25. Grimm

 

Right now looks like Rob Z starts in AAA to keep stretched out, Duensing is the odd man out. Don't think they'll go with a four man bench given how Maddon likes to play around with the line-up, so LaStella and Szczur make it. Like the idea of a 6 man rotation, but might be tough with only 6 arms in the bullpen, and none of them really with the ability to go multiple innings.

[Post Count Padder]

I'd love to get Overton. Would be what we need, solid lefty/starter depth in AAA. Rather him than Caleb Smith. I'm sure we wouldn't miss Rollins or the guy we got from TB last week.

[Cubswin11]

Edwards has the potential to be a top ~10 relief pitcher in MLB, if he's healthy there's no way he isn't on the OD roster. There's always the Rollins, Floro's, Duensings, etc of the world available during the year for next to nothing, none of those guys are worth holding on to and keeping CJ down in Iowa.

 

Assuming health, if they really want to keep one of the replaceable bullpen arms to start the year I think it's more likely Szczur or LaStella (does he still have options?) are the odd men out for the OD 25-man.

[Bull]

Edwards has the potential to be a top ~10 relief pitcher in MLB, if he's healthy there's no way he isn't on the OD roster. There's always the Rollins, Floro's, Duensings, etc of the world available during the year for next to nothing, none of those guys are worth holding on to and keeping CJ down in Iowa.

 

Assuming health, if they really want to keep one of the replaceable bullpen arms to start the year I think it's more likely Szczur or LaStella (does he still have options?) are the odd men out for the OD 25-man.

 

A 14 man staff with multiple off days in the early schedule? I don't see it.

 

Someone gets cut, or more likely someone opens the season on the DL. With as much injury history as this team has, there's no doubt there's someone with "tightness" by the end of ST.

[davell]

It's a 10 day DL now. We can throw guys on there for "fatigue".Teams are going to manipulate the horsefeathers out of it now. Its why we've built so much depth for the pen, in my opinion. I seriously think we are just going to constantly have a guy or two on it(if we're actually healthy), and keep everyone fresh that way.

 

In fact, I expect us running a 6 man rotation, does NOT involve us pitching on 5 days rest, but skipping a different starter each time thru the rotation, so to keep them in their regular routines of pitching every 5th day.

[imb]

what am i missing with overton? he only spent parts of two years in the minors, cant they just send him back

[davell]

what am i missing with overton? he only spent parts of two years in the minors, cant they just send him back

 

Yeah, he's got options. They evidently think he's the worst guy on their 40 man. Or think they can get something borderline interesting for him back.

[Cubswin11]

Anderson passed his physical so he's officially signed

[davell]

Damn, looks like the Mariners already are trading for Overton. Wish we had found a way to snag him.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The following 14 pitchers have been invited to major league camp: right-handed pitchers Andury Acevedo, Maikel Cleto, Daniel Corcino, James Farris, Seth Frankoff, Jim Henderson, Casey Kelly, Jhondaniel Medina, Conor Mullee, Fernando Rodriguez, and Ryan Williams, as well as left-handed pitchers Gerardo Concepcion, Manny Parra, and Zac Rosscup.

 

Five infielders have been invited to major league camp: Chris Dominguez, Ian Happ, Munenori Kawasaki, Jemile Weeks and Chesny Young.

 

Three outfielders have been invited to big league camp: John Andreoli, Eloy Jimenez and Mark Zagunis.

 

Two catchers have been invited to big league camp: Carlos Corporan and Taylor Davis.

 

I know that to call Casey Kelly a long shot is being generous, but he's a pretty big one to be snuck in there with not fanfare.

[Post Count Padder]

Is this real?

 

[tweet]https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/826843263151661056[/tweet]

[jersey cubs fan]

Is this real?

 

[tweet]https://twitter.com/MLBRosterMoves/status/826843263151661056[/tweet]

 

it's not just fantasy

[Derwood]

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, free agent Jason Hammel received a one-year offer from the Mariners with a $10 million option for 2018 earlier this offseason.

 

That offer came months ago and is reportedly off the table now that Seattle has added both Yovani Gallardo and Drew Smyly to its starting rotation. Hammel was hoping to parlay his 15-win season into a three-year contract but hasn't found any takers yet. With spring training just days away, Hammel may have to set his sights a bit lower. The Orioles, Rangers and Royals have also been linked to Hammel this offseason.

[davell]

 

So, our rotation depth looks like one of Anderson/Montgomery, Butler, Perez, Kelly, and Zastryzny. With Buchanan and Brooks at 11 and 12.

[Derwood]

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Blue Jays and reliever Joe Smith have agreed to a one-year deal.

 

Terms aren't yet available. Smith is the second veteran reliever to sign with the Blue Jays in recent days, joining lefty J.P. Howell. The 32-year-old side-armer gave up a career-high eight homers in 52 innings last season while putting up a 3.46 ERA in 54 appearances. While the Cubs acquired him from the Angels at the trade deadline, he was left off the team's postseason roster. Still, his ground ball rate was right around 50 percent and he's a decent candidate for a return to form.

[David]

[tweet]

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[Guancous]

[tweet]http://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/829494849833299968[/tweet]

[We Got The Whole 9]

I like Dewees, I'll be interested in seeing what he becomes. Can anyone tell me a little about Mills? From Stat scouting he definitely controls the strikezone but I don't know much about his stuff.

[Tryptamine]

I like Dewees, I'll be interested in seeing what he becomes. Can anyone tell me a little about Mills? From Stat scouting he definitely controls the strikezone but I don't know much about his stuff.

 

Cubs must have been really down on Dewees. Mills wasn't a top 15 guy in their system, a bottom tier system, but has decent stuff. Consensus is that he's bound for the pen, where he's more a depth guy than a set up guy. I honestly don't see where we have room for him on the 25 man.

[Named After Maddux]

I like Dewees, I'll be interested in seeing what he becomes. Can anyone tell me a little about Mills? From Stat scouting he definitely controls the strikezone but I don't know much about his stuff.

 

Cubs must have been really down on Dewees. Mills wasn't a top 15 guy in their system, a bottom tier system, but has decent stuff. Consensus is that he's bound for the pen, where he's more a depth guy than a set up guy. I honestly don't see where we have room for him on the 25 man.

 

Chris Crawford seems to really like Mills. From his AL Central prospect guide:

Summary: Mills is one of the more underrated prospects in the Royals system, in my humble

estimation. There are two pitches that flash plus, and he’s got two more that he can locate for

strikes and keep hitters off-balance. He’s not going to miss enough bats to be more than a

backend starter, but you could argue he’s the most likely of any name here to pitch in the

Royals rotation. You can do a lot worse than Alec Mills.

 

The Royals aren't a great system, but I like adding him to the depth we're building in AAA