Mock Offseason Thread

[CaliforniaRaisin]

That breakdown is much easier to respond to than mine lol. I'd add a middle relief type guy as a bare minimum and a second elite bullpen addition as an upgraded option.

 

And Raw, your breakdown of SP reinforces the need. I think you changed my mind to we will definitely add more than NRI's there. They won't get too cute there.

 

At the least, I'd be interested in a 1-year deal for a guy of Fister's caliber due to Montgomery's innings constraints.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That breakdown is much easier to respond to than mine lol. I'd add a middle relief type guy as a bare minimum and a second elite bullpen addition as an upgraded option.

 

I think roster spots become a consideration with the bullpen at a certain point, although I guess if it's a 26 man roster then that spot has to go somewhere. In a 7 man pen you're looking at Rondon, Strop, Grimm, Edwards, the Strop or better acquisition, Montgomery(or a LHRP), and probably Zastryzny as the last guy(2nd LHP, multi-inning, and most importantly optionable).

[raw]

Alright, I'll mock something.

 

Option A:

Re-sign Dexter Fowler, 4-years/$64Mil

Sign Jerry Blevins, 2-years/12-16Mil

Trade Jorge Soler, Ian Happ, Trevor Clifton, and Victor Caratini to Tampa Bay for Drew Smyly and Alex Colome

Trade Jeimer Candelario, Drew Smyly and Hector Rondon to Colorado for Jeff Hoffman and Gerardo Parra

Trade Albert Almora to Cleveland for Adam Plutko

 

Option B:

Sign Kenley Jansen, 5-years/$90Mil

Sign Jerry Blevins- 2-years/12-16Mil

Trade Jorge Soler for Drew Smyly

Trade Jeimer Candelario, Drew Smyly and Hector Rondon to Colorado for Jeff Hoffman and Gerardo Parra

 

 

LF- Schwarber

CF- Fowler (A)/ Almora (B)

RF- Heyward

3B- Bryant

SS- Russell

2B- Zobrist

1B- Rizzo

C- Contreras

 

Bench- Parra, Montero, Baez, Szczur, LaStella?

 

SP- Lester, Hendricks, Arrieta, Lackey, Hoffman

CL- Colome (A)/ Jansen (B)

RP- Edwards, Strop, Montgomery, Blevins, Grimm, Zastryzny

 

probably have to add another RHRP on a 1-year deal since I'm trading Rondon.

[davell]

I keep looking thru FA C's, in order to attempt to Montero to Atlanta or Tampa. But I can't find anything that allows for us to do it. I'd figure we're kind of looking for Lester's caddy. But a guy that can play more than that, in case Willy takes an unexpected step backwards or gets injured......

 

So, I'm thinking Miggy stays put. We wouldn't trade for a C, it'd be a stupid use of assets, considering real needs we have. But is there a FA I'm missing? AJ Ellis is the closest thing I can see as a possibility. And that's not worth moving Miggy for a Tyrell Jenkins type, at best.....

[raw]

I keep looking thru FA C's, in order to attempt to Montero to Atlanta or Tampa. But I can't find anything that allows for us to do it. I'd figure we're kind of looking for Lester's caddy. But a guy that can play more than that, in case Willy takes an unexpected step backwards or gets injured......

 

So, I'm thinking Miggy stays put. We wouldn't trade for a C, it'd be a stupid use of assets, considering real needs we have. But is there a FA I'm missing? AJ Ellis is the closest thing I can see as a possibility. And that's not worth moving Miggy for a Tyrell Jenkins type, at best.....

 

Derek Norris caught Lester in his 1/2 season in Oakland. Saltalamacchia caught Lester in Boston. Those are the only guys I see that have familiarity with Lester. Salty's a FA. I'm sure the Padres aren't super attached to Norris to the point where the Cubs couldn't get him if they wanted to give up something useful. Both are decidedly terrible offensively though, though there's a chance Norris could have a turnaround like Montero did in 2015. He's still just 27.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Montero has very little trade value with his contract, so trading him either nets you no savings, no real return, or both.

 

Montero hit very well once he made his David Ortiz swing change, September + postseason: .258/.317/.476/.783

 

Montero is a great framer and game caller.

 

Montero is a left handed hitter, a relative rarity that makes pairing with a RH starting C easier.

 

There are no obvious good backup C candidates in FA.

 

Montero does have problems with base stealers, costing 10 baserunners from average over 66 attempts. He also spends a disproportionate amount of time catching Arrieta though. If that's the only flaw, I'm not seeing much motivation to try and displace him given the benefits he brings and the lack of benefits in getting rid of him. If they end up making a big trade and a backup C comes in the return then maybe, but that's something that's driven by circumstance more than a dedicated search for a new backup.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Both teams probably recoil from that deal. The Tigers had one of the best offenses in baseball last year and a horrific pitching staff, they aren't going to trade one of the few young/cheap bright spots they have when the rest of their offseason will be about dropping some payroll and adding pitching.

 

The Cubs are selling the farm and Rondon on top of that to get Norris(a fine target but one with < 140 MLB IP to his name), and two sub-AA pitching prospects. Also Hatch can't be traded yet.

[CP_414]

Both teams probably recoil from that deal. The Tigers had one of the best offenses in baseball last year and a horrific pitching staff, they aren't going to trade one of the few young/cheap bright spots they have when the rest of their offseason will be about dropping some payroll and adding pitching.

 

The Cubs are selling the farm and Rondon on top of that to get Norris(a fine target but one with < 140 MLB IP to his name), and two sub-AA pitching prospects. Also Hatch can't be traded yet.

 

Hatch can be traded. They changed that rule a couple years ago after Trea Turner. Draftees can now be traded after the World Series.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Both teams probably recoil from that deal. The Tigers had one of the best offenses in baseball last year and a horrific pitching staff, they aren't going to trade one of the few young/cheap bright spots they have when the rest of their offseason will be about dropping some payroll and adding pitching.

 

The Cubs are selling the farm and Rondon on top of that to get Norris(a fine target but one with < 140 MLB IP to his name), and two sub-AA pitching prospects. Also Hatch can't be traded yet.

 

Hatch can be traded. They changed that rule a couple years ago after Trea Turner. Draftees can now be traded after the World Series.

 

I had a feeling I might've been wrong a few minutes after I posted that and was too lazy to look it up. Thanks for clarifying!

 

Yeah, that sounds about right. I thought Alcantara threw AAA.

 

What about this gem:

 

Cubs get: RHSP Trevor Bauer, OF Lonnie Chisenhall, and LHP Rob Kaminsky

 

Indians get: CF Albert Almora, RHP Justin Grimm, 3B Jeimer Candelario, and RHP Oscar de la Cruz

 

Tell Kaminsky he is a reliever for the time being and throw Bauer in the rotation hoping for 150+ very good innings.

 

Almora/Bauer is a framework that definitely could make sense. The complicating factor is Zimmer, he's too good to ignore and spend real assets to block, but that K rate and AAA performance is frightening. He does hit LH though so at the least you have platoon possibilities, plus the other OF spots are far from bolted down.

[Tryptamine]

Who says no first?

 

Tigers get: Almora, Rondon, Happ, Hatch, and de la Cruz

 

Cubs get: LHSP Daniel Norris, RHPs Kyle Funkhouser and Victor Alcantara

 

If I'm making a deal with Detroit Joe Jimenez must absolutely be part of any deal. There's your closer for the better part of the next decade.

[mdwilla]

I don't love the idea of emptying the farm when the Cubs have plenty of $$$ to get it done via free agency. Rich Hill coming back to Chicago on a 2 year or 3 year deal makes sense. The Cubs have the luxury of slotting him in the fifth slot and giving him extra days rest. Cubs keep the first round pick and get to gamble on adding another frontline pitcher to the rotation with Arrietta and Lackey still under tow for another year.

Rich Hill

Melacon or Chapman

Holland/Ziegler/Hudson/Rodney/Uehara/Storen/ Hochevar/Papelbon

 

Trade Bait

 

Soler

Rondon

Szczur

Villenueva

Canderlio

Montero

Lastella

 

If the Cubs decide to let Dexter walk having two first round picks and Soler/ Rondon to restock the pitching should go a along way.

Edited November 29, 2016 by mdwilla

[davell]

I've been thinking Hill makes a lot of sense recently. I really doubt we're spending big on a closer and I'm really starting to doubt we spend on Dex either. But the WS revenue, even if we planned on not spending much this off season, could conceivably help bring Hill in on a 2/44 or whatever type of deal it'd take for him to skip the 3rd year.

[BigbadB]

Aren't there some teams out there with money to burn or in dire need of starting pitching going to offer Hill 3 or 4 years?

[davell]

Aren't there some teams out there with money to burn or in dire need of starting pitching going to offer Hill 3 or 4 years?

 

My GUESS is he'll get 3 year offers. I'd be shocked if he got 4. I think most projections show him getting 3/50ish. So, does 2/44 or something like that, get him to forego the extra 6 mill? He's not made THAT much money in his career, so every cent may matter more to him.(speculation obviously) My guess is we'd just want him on the books for 2 years and he'd fit great with us in that time.

 

At any rate, we could even throw an option out there that gives him a 3rd year(at less money) if he pitches 150 innings in 2018.

 

At any rate, if we're finding prices too high on Archer, Gray, or whoever, this seems like a great option.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Soler + Grimm for Justin Wilson seems fair

[Cubswin11]

Soler + Grimm for Justin Wilson seems fair

Grimm is about the same as, if not even a little better than, Wilson and also a year younger. Pass. Grimm was actually better vs LHB than Wilson was this past year.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Soler + Grimm for Justin Wilson seems fair

Grimm is about the same as, if not even a little better than, Wilson and also a year younger. Pass. Grimm was actually better vs LHB than Wilson was this past year.

On top of having a better KBB, Wilson gets 50% > grounders and didn't get to pitch in front of the GOAT defense. I think he would be completely lights out with the Cubs.

[Post Count Padder]

Wilson is a fine bullpen arm but I wouldn't go out of the way to acquire him, and no I wouldn't trade Soler for him.

 

He also has reverse splits for his career, tougher on righties.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Wilson is a fine bullpen arm but I wouldn't go out of the way to acquire him, and no I wouldn't trade Soler for him.

 

He also has reverse splits for his career, tougher on righties.

He does and there's nothing wrong with that. He's gonna face twice the amount of righties as lefties.

 

See, to me, Soler feels like a guy who might get a BORP or a decent reliever on a 1-1 deal. The dude probably cant anchor a trade for a legit #3 or better. I suppose adding Grimm is too much so I digress.

[Bear Cub]

The Cubs are not going to give Soler away.

[Post Count Padder]

Random trade thoughts. Who says no?

 

Cubs get: Foltynewicz, Shae Simmons

Braves get: Candelario, Tseng, DJ Wilson

 

Then:

 

Cubs get: Kelvin Herrera

Royals get: Soler, Clifton, P. Johnson

[Tryptamine]

That is a hell of a lot for Herrera who you're only going to get 2 years of. If we're going closers let's go super young and lots of control. Joe Jimenez,Edwin Diaz,Barraclough,Raisel Iglesias,etc etc

[David]

A Heyman tweet just now reminded me that I kind of like DeSclafani...I wonder what he'd cost. Edited December 6, 2016 by David

[Tim]

A Heyman tweet just now reminded me that I kind of like DiSclafani...I wonder what he'd cost.

Raisel or bust from the Reds

[davell]

Rest of offseason for the Cubs.....

 

Minor League Deals

 

C Chris Gimenez, SS Munenori Kawasaki, OF Desmond Jennings, SP Williams Perez, RP Aaron Barrett, RP JJ Hoover, RP Charlie Furbush

 

Free Agent Signings

 

LHRP Jerry Blevins 2/14

 

RHP Tyson Ross 1/8 with team option of 12 for 2018

 

Trades

 

3 Way Deal- Cubs get RHP Joe Musgrove, Astros get RHP Jake Odorizzi and Rays get 1B AJ Reed and 2B Ian Happ

 

OF Matt Szczur for LHP Dillon Overton

 

 

 

C Contreras, Montero (AAA Gimenez)

1B Rizzo

2B Zobrist,La Stella

SS Russell, Baez (AAA Kawasaki)

3B Bryant

LF Schwarber (AAA Jennings)

CF Jay, Almora

RF Heyward

 

Rotation

 

Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks, Lackey, Montgomery (DL Ross)

 

Depth Musgrove, Perez, Zastryzny, Overton

 

Bullpen, Davis, Rondon, Strop, Edwards, Uehara, Grimm, Duensing, Blevins

 

Depth, Pena, Rosario, Leathersich, Barrett, Furbush, Hoover