The Bryce is Right, Bitch

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's All A Smokescreen is the new making fun of the Brewers.

 

Whatever, if it lets the offseason seem fun for a few more weeks, I'm in.

[Cubswin11]

If teams hear actual valuable guys like Schwarber, Happ, etc are guys we are open to moving I’m guessing they’re going to call sooner than they normally would if it wasn’t out there and the assumption was we had no interest to move them (one of those are the two likely guys gone if Bryce comes and maybe they want to move one now before Bryce instead of after they have him???)

 

I guess I just don't see much of a difference if the Cubs drop word that guys are available whether or not they're pursuing FA. Things like the Cubs' OF being...iffy and them likely wanting to move on from Russell and needed pitching aren't exactly secrets. The value Schwarber and Happ have is largely unchanged, IMO, regardless of who they bring in.

I don’t disagree, maybe they just want to jump the market on trades and get these guys moved now vs in a month+. You’re right on their value not changing much but maybe they feel they can get more now vs after FA starts moving (for whatever reasons). If they feel good about getting Bryce maybe moving Happ/Schwarber now they think they have more leverage vs when they have Bryce they think teams could hold back value knowing we are more motivated to move one with Bryce than without him.

[davell]

 

This quote sure doesn't scream like we're going nuts this offseason.

[Sammy Sofa]

If teams hear actual valuable guys like Schwarber, Happ, etc are guys we are open to moving I’m guessing they’re going to call sooner than they normally would if it wasn’t out there and the assumption was we had no interest to move them (one of those are the two likely guys gone if Bryce comes and maybe they want to move one now before Bryce instead of after they have him???)

 

I guess I just don't see much of a difference if the Cubs drop word that guys are available whether or not they're pursuing FA. Things like the Cubs' OF being...iffy and them likely wanting to move on from Russell and needed pitching aren't exactly secrets. The value Schwarber and Happ have is largely unchanged, IMO, regardless of who they bring in.

I don’t disagree, maybe they just want to jump the market on trades and get these guys moved now vs in a month+. You’re right on their value not changing much but maybe they feel they can get more now vs after FA starts moving (for whatever reasons). If they feel good about getting Bryce maybe moving Happ/Schwarber now they think they have more leverage vs when they have Bryce they think teams could hold back value knowing we are more motivated to move one with Bryce than without him.

 

Right, I agree with all that...but pretending to be poor doesn't fit into that. At all.

[Cubswin11]

I'd be thrilled to get Cozart for Chatwood.

Yeah I really like that move if the money is a net zero. I’d even include a fairly decent prospect on our side with + like Vic/Maples to get it done.

 

what motivation would the angels have to trade cozart for chatwood? what's the upside for them

I have no idea. Other than he’s coming off a shoulder surgery, they cost about the same, the Angels apparently don’t have much money to spend and it’s our crap for their crap but fills what both teams “need.” Chatwood gives them a rotation arm and Cozart gives us our backup SS/Infielder.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

 

This quote sure doesn't scream like we're going nuts this offseason.

 

That quote screams "laying the groundwork for the next rebuild."

 

*shrug* that's where this was always headed. I'm not sure sustained success is truly possible in the current MLB, but tank-and-spank isn't how it happens.

[Cubswin11]

 

I guess I just don't see much of a difference if the Cubs drop word that guys are available whether or not they're pursuing FA. Things like the Cubs' OF being...iffy and them likely wanting to move on from Russell and needed pitching aren't exactly secrets. The value Schwarber and Happ have is largely unchanged, IMO, regardless of who they bring in.

I don’t disagree, maybe they just want to jump the market on trades and get these guys moved now vs in a month+. You’re right on their value not changing much but maybe they feel they can get more now vs after FA starts moving (for whatever reasons). If they feel good about getting Bryce maybe moving Happ/Schwarber now they think they have more leverage vs when they have Bryce they think teams could hold back value knowing we are more motivated to move one with Bryce than without him.

 

Right, I agree with all that...but pretending to be poor doesn't fit into that. At all.

Every team is pretending to be poor or uninterested in preparation of FA right now it seems. Dual fronts! Cry poor to get trades moving faster then after trades jump in to FA and sign Bryce.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Cubswin11

[Cubswin11]

[Sammy Sofa]

Every team is pretending to be poor or uninterested in preparation of FA right now it seems.

 

But they're not! There's teams saying they're not interested in Harper or Machado; that I would expect as the usual playing coy BS that's part of the negotiating dance if they're actually interested. How many teams are actively repeating the story that they're effectively more hamstrung financially than they seemingly expected to be?

[Gilby]

 

This quote sure doesn't scream like we're going nuts this offseason.

 

I read that as "Heads will roll if we can't win after I add Bryce horsefeathering Harper to the middle of the order"

[Tim]

Yeah I really like that move if the money is a net zero. I’d even include a fairly decent prospect on our side with + like Vic/Maples to get it done.

 

what motivation would the angels have to trade cozart for chatwood? what's the upside for them

I have no idea. Other than he’s coming off a shoulder surgery, they cost about the same, the Angels apparently don’t have much money to spend and it’s our crap for their crap but fills what both teams “need.” Chatwood gives them a rotation arm and Cozart gives us our backup SS/Infielder.

Pretty much the rationale I've seen out there.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'd be thrilled to get Cozart for Chatwood.

Yeah I really like that move if the money is a net zero. I’d even include a fairly decent prospect on our side with + like Vic/Maples to get it done.

 

what motivation would the angels have to trade cozart for chatwood? what's the upside for them

 

They have Simmons already, so the odds of them getting their money’s worth(the money and years are identical) from a bounceback with 29 yo Chatwood are more likely than with a 33 yo Cozart who is at 3B.

[Perd]

I just can’t bring myself to believe that the Cubs won’t be in on Harper and Machado. I mean, sure, there’s a strong possibility they get neither. But all these reports read like they’re not even going to really try. And afte the way the season ended, that would be flat out negligent.

[Cubswin11]

Every team is pretending to be poor or uninterested in preparation of FA right now it seems.

 

But they're not! There's teams saying they're not interested in Harper or Machado; that I would expect as the usual playing coy BS that's part of the negotiating dance if they're actually interested. How many teams are actively repeating the story that they're effectively more hamstrung financially than they seemingly expected to be?

First I think that could be us playing coy and games with the Harper dance. Secondly I’ve seen stuff from the Giants, Angels, Braves, Phillies and one or two other teams of decent market size about not having a willingness to spend or managing expectations about what they really can do.

[CubinNY]

I just can’t bring myself to believe that the Cubs won’t be in on Harper and Machado. I mean, sure, there’s a strong possibility they get neither. But all these reports read like they’re not even going to really try. And afte the way the season ended, that would be flat out negligent.

It’s worse than negligence. They have the means and the opportunity, but not the motivation. Their little club of greedy bastards will scorn them if they do. So they’ll keep their millions in the name of fiduciary responsibility and the rubes will eat it.

Edited November 6, 2018 by CubinNY

[KingCubsFan]

I just can’t bring myself to believe that the Cubs won’t be in on Harper and Machado. I mean, sure, there’s a strong possibility they get neither. But all these reports read like they’re not even going to really try. And afte the way the season ended, that would be flat out negligent.

It’s worse than negligence. They have means and the opportunity, but not the motivation. Their little club of greedy bastards will scorn them if they do. So they’ll keep their millions in the name of fiduciary responsibility and the rubs will eat it.

 

What on earth are you talking about?

[UMFan83]

 

 

 

...oh wait that quote was about Maddon’s extension

[CubinNY]

If the Cubs do not sign Harper or Machado, I will curse any fan who used $/WAR to knock a player for his salary. Maybe anyone who complains about player salaries in general, but oh that gd lowballed $/WAR...

 

On the morning of signing those peole will be cursed with unusually cold, gross coffee AND/OR will find themselves drinking from a plastic bottle all day!

 

I would be great to land Harper or Machado, but if they weren’t the highest bidder, so be it. The travisty is not pursuing the opportunity.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I just know I'm going to regret asking, but what is a day of plastic bottles

[treebird]

I just know I'm going to regret asking, but what is a day of plastic bottles

 

how do i give you negative hearts

[Cubswin11]

Sullivan had this Theo quote in his article today....

 

A report in The Athletic suggested they have an “artificial salary cap” of $246 million, which Epstein strenuously denied.

 

“We definitely don’t have any artificial limitations,” he said.

[ConstableRabbit]

Sullivan had this Theo quote in his article today....

 

A report in The Athletic suggested they have an “artificial salary cap” of $246 million, which Epstein strenuously denied.

 

“We definitely don’t have any artificial limitations,” he said.

".... just real limitations, which in our case is $246 million," Epstein cracked.

[Cubswin11]

Now quotes like these are more like it, Theo

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Old Style]

If the Cubs do not sign Harper or Machado, I will curse any fan who used $/WAR to knock a player for his salary. Maybe anyone who complains about player salaries in general, but oh that gd lowballed $/WAR...

 

On the morning of signing those peole will be cursed with unusually cold, gross coffee AND/OR will find themselves drinking from a plastic bottle all day!

 

I would be great to land Harper or Machado, but if they weren’t the highest bidder, so be it. The travisty is not pursuing the opportunity.

The real travesty is poor spelling.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Now quotes like these are more like it, Theo

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

I've been thinking, I feel like Theo is harder on the team than some posters here. Like, while some were trying to calm the fears of our offense being junk, I feel like he thinks it was total junk and horsefeathers needs to happen.

 

I like that.