Random Offseason Musings and Rumors

[Gilby]

I'd be stunned if Heyward used either opt out at this point; I think he'd basically have to play at an MVP level these next few years. Supposedly a lot of teams had concerns about him, and that was before he put up a .600 OPS in a prime season. He'd be wise to stay put I think.

[CubsWin]

Yeah, I was just about to mention this. If Heyward does not return to form and continues to struggle the Cubs may have to explore trades in 19' or 20' where they eat most of his contract, especially if E. Jimenez is ready to take over in RF. Kinda sucks that that is a possibility now, but we did get a WS Championship in year 1 of the contract...

If he continues to struggle at the plate, yes, they'd have to eat a lot of that contract to move him. Of course, he's even more tradable if he returns to form.

 

Obviously, that's the scenario I'm hoping for. Heyward hits along the lines of his career numbers, remains healthy and continues his GG defense in RF. The Cubs are able to move him with prospects for whatever they need at the time while bringing up Eloy at the league minimum to take his place. The defense takes a big hit, but if Eloy progresses as he has been, the bat makes up for it. The Cubs are able to open up some payroll and fill some needs at the same time.

 

But a lot can happen between now and 2019/2020. It's just something to keep in mind when looking at the Cubs payroll options in the years ahead.

 

if heyward "returns to form" i really dont see the cubs moving him to put Eloy Jiminez in his place. They'd probably just keep the 6 WAR outfielder.

Ha! Maybe! That would be a great outcome, too. Trade Eloy then!

 

I mentioned two lines later in the post that returning to form would look like him hitting "along the lines of his career numbers" (.262/.346/.415). In his 2 seasons with 6.0 and 6.5 WAR he OPSd .798 and .814. His career average OPS is .761.

 

Regardless, the fact that he's tradable in 2019 & 2020 is worth keeping in mind when discussing the Cubs future payroll possibilities.

[CubsWin]

I mean i think there's as much a chance that Jiminez is good as there is that heyward rebounds, but i also remember that like 5 years ago bubba starling and brett jackson were top 35 prospects

Very true. It's still very early for Eloy. But neither of those guys had the season he had in full season ball at 19 nor did they spend their formative years being developed by this Cubs staff.

 

But I'm with you. It's two big ifs with whether Heyward can rebound and Eloy can make good.

[Cubswin11]

The Napoli and Carter contracts today make that Trumbo deal look even worse

[We Got The Whole 9]

Just thinking about what Baez did to the MWL at 20 y/o :drool:

[Tryptamine]

Ilitch died. He seemed alright as the owners go.

 

One of thew few owners who was a bonified fan. It's unfortunate he never got that World Series win.

[Regular Show]

Ilitch died. He seemed alright as the owners go.

 

One of thew few owners who was a bonified fan. It's unfortunate he never got that World Series win.

 

Indeed. I was rooting for them in the WS back in 2006, like the rest of us. He did seem like one of the few genuine, friendly good owners in an age where there seem to be more bad (if not evil) owners overall.

 

PS -- All that said, "Little Caesars" is really shitty, low-grade pizza. Shouldn't be proud of founding that restaurant chain...

[WrigleyField 22]

Ilitch died. He seemed alright as the owners go.

 

One of thew few owners who was a bonified fan. It's unfortunate he never got that World Series win.

 

Indeed. I was rooting for them in the WS back in 2006, like the rest of us. He did seem like one of the few genuine, friendly good owners in an age where there seem to be more bad (if not evil) owners overall.

 

PS -- All that said, "Little Caesars" is really horsefeathers, low-grade pizza. Shouldn't be proud of founding that restaurant chain...

Um I'm not gonna criticize "low grade" pizza thats ready for me on demand for $5. Sorry not sorry.

[David]

the pizza sucks but the crazy bread makes it all worth it

 

sidenote: i saw this show once, i wanna say it was karl pilkington's show after idiot abroad, where the homeless guy would go behind little caesars at the end of the day to get like whole pizzas out of the dumpster. karl was amazed and the homeless guy was like "yeah i guess they throw out the ones that are incorrect orders that the customers send back." and i'm like no you silly bastard it's because they're hot n readys.

[Cubswin11]

Brandon Phillips to the Braves

[mul21]

 

One of thew few owners who was a bonified fan. It's unfortunate he never got that World Series win.

 

Indeed. I was rooting for them in the WS back in 2006, like the rest of us. He did seem like one of the few genuine, friendly good owners in an age where there seem to be more bad (if not evil) owners overall.

 

PS -- All that said, "Little Caesars" is really horsefeathers, low-grade pizza. Shouldn't be proud of founding that restaurant chain...

Um I'm not gonna criticize "low grade" pizza thats ready for me on demand for $5. Sorry not sorry.

 

Not to mention the fact that it's miles better than the garbage they try to sell as pizza in St. Louis.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Brandon Phillips to the Braves

 

For a fist full of cash and pair of non-prospects, one of them being former Cubs farmhand Andrew McKirahan.

[Cubswin11]

The White Sox extended Tim Anderson, they bought out all his arbitration years and have 2 team options on his first 2 FA years that would keep him through 2024 and make the deal worth ~$50 million. Why? I get there isn't much downside but what's the upside? Do they think he's going to be a superstar? Why not just let it play out with arbitration? I fail to see the upside in this move, he's Baez at the plate without the power.

[David]

The White Sox extended Tim Anderson, they bought out all his arbitration years and have 2 team options on his first 2 FA years that would keep him through 2024 and make the deal worth ~$50 million. Why? I get there isn't much downside but what's the upside? Do they think he's going to be a superstar? Why not just let it play out with arbitration? I fail to see the upside in this move, he's Baez at the plate without the power.

 

for some perspective, rizzo was coming off 1.8 fWAR in 87 G and then about a month of whatever he did in 2013 when he got his extension a few months before his 24th bday.

 

 

anderson put up 2.4 fWAR in 99g last year as a 22/23 year old.

 

i think the downside, like you said, isn't much...the upside is that he continues to play well and maybe develop further and then they get him at a nice (maybe even great) value.

[Cubswin11]

The White Sox extended Tim Anderson, they bought out all his arbitration years and have 2 team options on his first 2 FA years that would keep him through 2024 and make the deal worth ~$50 million. Why? I get there isn't much downside but what's the upside? Do they think he's going to be a superstar? Why not just let it play out with arbitration? I fail to see the upside in this move, he's Baez at the plate without the power.

 

for some perspective, rizzo was coming off 1.8 fWAR in 87 G and then about a month of whatever he did in 2013 when he got his extension a few months before his 24th bday.

 

 

anderson put up 2.4 fWAR in 99g last year as a 22/23 year old.

 

i think the downside, like you said, isn't much...the upside is that he continues to play well and maybe develop further and then they get him at a nice (maybe even great) value.

Fair enough, but Rizzo showed more potential in minors to be an impact hitter. I get Anderson plays a premium position and good defense but man he could be an ugly offensive player. I just don't really see the upside in doing this. He has a pretty strong track record going back to the minors and his time in MLB last year that he's going to be a 3-4% BB and ~25% K guy in the majors that's gonna have to BABIP his way to any sort of respectable slash line.

[David]

The White Sox extended Tim Anderson, they bought out all his arbitration years and have 2 team options on his first 2 FA years that would keep him through 2024 and make the deal worth ~$50 million. Why? I get there isn't much downside but what's the upside? Do they think he's going to be a superstar? Why not just let it play out with arbitration? I fail to see the upside in this move, he's Baez at the plate without the power.

 

for some perspective, rizzo was coming off 1.8 fWAR in 87 G and then about a month of whatever he did in 2013 when he got his extension a few months before his 24th bday.

 

 

anderson put up 2.4 fWAR in 99g last year as a 22/23 year old.

 

i think the downside, like you said, isn't much...the upside is that he continues to play well and maybe develop further and then they get him at a nice (maybe even great) value.

Fair enough, but Rizzo showed more potential in minors to be an impact hitter. I get Anderson plays a premium position and good defense but man he could be an ugly offensive player. I just don't really see the upside in doing this. He has a pretty strong track record going back to the minors and his time in MLB last year that he's going to be a 3-4% BB and ~25% K guy in the majors that's gonna have to BABIP his way to any sort of respectable slash line.

 

yeah, that's the wild card i suppose. his skillset is probably still undervalued on the market, so they probably don't need to do this if he remains the same type of player.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Hitters w/ 300 PA, < 5% BB%, and > 22% K%: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=300&type=8&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=&rost=&age=&filter=48429&players=

 

1) There's only 5 players

2) The only other person besides Anderson playing at a league average rate is Baez

3) Baez's BABIP is 40 points lower

 

 

The White Sox didn't really risk much, his highest salary is less than 10 mil and it's in 2022, plus his speed, defense, and athleticism give him enough of a floor that he shouldn't wash out of MLB entirely. But he needs to be a very different player in the future to be league average, never mind a step above that.

[Post Count Padder]

I'm still a big fan of the quality depth the Phillies have in the upper minors. Most aren't on the same level as those guys but it's a situation to keep an eye on.

[Post Count Padder]

Going off of that, a Phillies beat writer breaks down their 25 man roster and concludes someone probably has to go: http://www.phillyvoice.com/phillies-opening-day-roster-projection-final-version/

 

Alec Asher still has 2 options remaining. Thoughts on him and potentially buying low on Appel?

[OleMissCub]

Phillies cut Coghlan

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/03/phillies-release-chris-coghlan.html

[davell]

Going off of that, a Phillies beat writer breaks down their 25 man roster and concludes someone probably has to go: http://www.phillyvoice.com/phillies-opening-day-roster-projection-final-version/

 

Alec Asher still has 2 options remaining. Thoughts on him and potentially buying low on Appel?

 

Good guess on Asher. The O's got him for a PTBNL today. Wouldn't have minded that at all, assuming the PTBNL isn't going to be much, since the O's have a horrific system.

[UMFan83]

Phillies cut Coghlan

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/03/phillies-release-chris-coghlan.html

 

Went from starting Game 1 of the World Series to unable to make the freaking Phillies roster in 4 months.

[Post Count Padder]

Phillies cut Coghlan

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/03/phillies-release-chris-coghlan.html

 

Went from starting Game 1 of the World Series to unable to make the freaking Phillies roster in 4 months.

I mean, he's had a really weird year going back to ST last year. Was gonna have a big role going into the season. Then gets surprise-traded to the A's because we surprise-signed Fowler. Then he has a god-awful first half, gets traded back to the Cubs, somehow starts Game 1 of the WS and now this.

[Post Count Padder]

Going off of that, a Phillies beat writer breaks down their 25 man roster and concludes someone probably has to go: http://www.phillyvoice.com/phillies-opening-day-roster-projection-final-version/

 

Alec Asher still has 2 options remaining. Thoughts on him and potentially buying low on Appel?

 

Good guess on Asher. The O's got him for a PTBNL today. Wouldn't have minded that at all, assuming the PTBNL isn't going to be much, since the O's have a horrific system.

Yeah, not surprised. The O's don't have much of a system but their rotation is pieced together with tape, so I'm sure he has a good shot at getting starts there.

 

Again, they still have Pivetta, Lively, Appel, Efflin and Thompson as their starting 5 in AAA, along with Adam Morgan and some interesting arms in AA, so that's still a situation I wouldn't mind keeping an eye on.

[UMFan83]

Phillies cut Coghlan

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/03/phillies-release-chris-coghlan.html

 

Went from starting Game 1 of the World Series to unable to make the freaking Phillies roster in 4 months.

I mean, he's had a really weird year going back to ST last year. Was gonna have a big role going into the season. Then gets surprise-traded to the A's because we surprise-signed Fowler. Then he has a god-awful first half, gets traded back to the Cubs, somehow starts Game 1 of the WS and now this.

 

Very weird. I just like to keep pointing out that Coghlan started Game 1 of the World Series for us because each time I type it, it boggles my mind.