Cubs trading Soler to KC for Wade Davis

[David]

 

If someone wants to hand their bullpen ace/closer role to someone still rehabbing and throwing in the high 80's, well, then go nuts I guess.

 

Is this not crazy to anyone else?

[BigbadB]

 

I think you want to go into spring training with Edwards and Zastryzny slotted for Iowa, fully expecting one or both to be on the ML roster (25 or 26?) by April 1. Too much potential for injury there. I think adding either another starter or another lefty 'pen arm is a must.

Edwards starting in AAA, What!?!?!!!! No. He was our second best relief pitcher for a good chunk of the year behind Chapman and they brought him in Game 7 of the WS to save it ahead of Rondon and Strop. Short of an injury he's gonna be in the major league pen all year. Zas I agree starts in AAA as SP depth/development

 

Maddon eluded to going Edwards over Rondon and Strop in game 7 because they just didn't seem like they were where they needed to be after coming back from injury. During regular season games was time to practice and try to get back to full health, not during the playoffs/WS. The few times they did go to Rondon, he clearly wasn't the same guy they expected him to be, so they went a different route with Montgomery, Edwards and extra frames from Chapman in high leverage situations.

 

That doesn't mean that they won't have full faith in Strop and Rondon going into the 2017 season.

[Cubswin11]

we are the whitest team in baseball (probably not true)

Don't think we are close..... CJ, Heyward, Javy, Russell, Jay, Montero, Contreras, Strop, Rondon, Almora. That's 40% of the roster that's not white.

[Cubswin11]

 

I think you want to go into spring training with Edwards and Zastryzny slotted for Iowa, fully expecting one or both to be on the ML roster (25 or 26?) by April 1. Too much potential for injury there. I think adding either another starter or another lefty 'pen arm is a must.

Edwards starting in AAA, What!?!?!!!! No. He was our second best relief pitcher for a good chunk of the year behind Chapman and they brought him in Game 7 of the WS to save it ahead of Rondon and Strop. Short of an injury he's gonna be in the major league pen all year. Zas I agree starts in AAA as SP depth/development

 

Maddon eluded to going Edwards over Rondon and Strop in game 7 because they just didn't seem like they were where they needed to be after coming back from injury. During regular season games was time to practice and try to get back to full health, not during the playoffs/WS. The few times they did go to Rondon, he clearly wasn't the same guy they expected him to be, so they went a different route with Montgomery, Edwards and extra frames from Chapman in high leverage situations.

 

That doesn't mean that they won't have full faith in Strop and Rondon going into the 2017 season.

Yeah that's all fine and good. But the point was they trusted him to close out the horsefeathering World Series after being our second best RP for most of the time after the ASB/after we acquired Aroldis. He isn't starting the year in AAA because "Depth" and so we can make a spot for Brian horsefeathering Duensing or the Spencer Patton's, Brian Schlitter's, Joe Smith's, etc. of the world for christ sake.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

If someone wants to hand their bullpen ace/closer role to someone still rehabbing and throwing in the high 80's, well, then go nuts I guess.

 

Is this not crazy to anyone else?

 

Sounds like the perfect candidate for a team who has no aspirations of contending this year.

[BigbadB]

But the point was they trusted him to close out the horsefeathering World Series after being our second best RP for most of the time after the ASB/after we acquired Aroldis. He isn't starting the year in AAA because "Depth" and so we can make a spot for Brian horsefeathering Duensing or the Spencer Patton's, Brian Schlitter's, Joe Smith's, etc. of the world for christ sake.

 

Yeah, I'm not joining in on that argument.

[Gilby]

Jesse Rogers just said on ESPN 1000 that Theo told him the Cubs will have 8 relievers to start the season. So there's definitely room for at least one more notable signing.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Jesse Rogers just said on ESPN 1000 that Theo told him the Cubs will have 8 relievers to start the season. So there's definitely room for at least one more notable signing.

 

Szczur/La Stella gonna have a Jersey thunderdome for that 4th bench spot

[Guest]

Davis is pretty horsefeathering good, though.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Jesse Rogers just said on ESPN 1000 that Theo told him the Cubs will have 8 relievers to start the season. So there's definitely room for at least one more notable signing.

 

Szczur/La Stella gonna have a Jersey thunderdome for that 4th bench spot

 

Is "Jersey thunderdome" along the lines of a Cleveland steamer?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I just made it up, so I hope not

[David]

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[David]

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[WrigleyField 22]

Man, that last page nearly broke my brain.

 

I'll go on record as liking this move. Soler just didnt have a serious role to play here.

[BigSlick]

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lol

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That is a fun quote, although the FA options are a bit less fun and I wonder if they'd be willing to pay the trade cost for a real good reliever, a la Doolittle.

[davell]

That is a fun quote, although the FA options are a bit less fun and I wonder if they'd be willing to pay the trade cost for a real good reliever, a la Doolittle.

 

I've been advocating Doolittle. But after acquiring Davis, who's got injury questions, I think I hope we stay away from other trade candidates with injury concerns. If he was a FA, I'd be in.

 

 

If we go after a lefty pen guy, my preference goes Logan, Blevins, Dunn, Wood at this point. Not sure if I can remember any trade candidates, outside of Doolittle and Justin Wilson, who would be fine, if the acquisition cost was small.

 

Edit- I guess Brad Hand is available and is fairly interesting.

Edited December 8, 2016 by davell

[David]

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/40172882/v1215139983/wade-davis-excited-to-join-the-cubs/?query=cubs

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7417714/v1215112883/jed-hoyer-discusses-cubs-offseason-on-mlb-tonight/?query=cubs

[Gilby]

Uehara held lefties to a .211 wOBA in 2016 and .218 in 2015. I don't care about handedness, he's my top guy for the role of getting tough lefties out. Since he's gonna be 42 in early April, I assume he could be had on a one year deal and would want to go to a winner. I kind of doubt another team would offer him a chance to close and entice him to go there with that role, but I suppose that's possible.

[toonsterwu]

I'm fine with this trade, but I hope we wind down making trades for late inning arms by giving up intriguing young talent. In this case, it wasn't as big a deal, as Soler's clock was ticking and he didn't have a role (although I had sort of hoped we might be able to move him and get a young SP arm of some sort).

 

That said ...

 

Tyler Thornburg - failed starter.

Zach Britton - failed to earn a rotation job (one could debate how fair that competition was as, IIRC, he had an issue with the pitching coach)

Brad Brach - sort of came out of no where.

Wade Davis - failed starter.

 

I mean you can go down the list. We've got to be able to start developing internal pen options. I hope Carl Edwards Jr. is being groomed for that late inning role and that another guy or two can emerge in the next year or so. Maybe it's Duane Underwood. Maybe it's Zach Hedges. I just hope that we are able, in the near future, to be making moves to fill in gaps in the pen, not key roles.

[philosophizer75]

I think carls jr is already at the point where you should label him as a key role kind of guy. His stuff plays, and he has looked really good so far.

 

Yes, having some guys come together and fill out the pen internally would be nice, and I could see it happening. I saw someone mention Pierce Johnson as a possible pen piece, maybe that happens?

[jehr]

I'm fine with this trade, but I hope we wind down making trades for late inning arms by giving up intriguing young talent. In this case, it wasn't as big a deal, as Soler's clock was ticking and he didn't have a role (although I had sort of hoped we might be able to move him and get a young SP arm of some sort).

 

That said ...

 

Tyler Thornburg - failed starter.

Zach Britton - failed to earn a rotation job (one could debate how fair that competition was as, IIRC, he had an issue with the pitching coach)

Brad Brach - sort of came out of no where.

Wade Davis - failed starter.

 

I mean you can go down the list. We've got to be able to start developing internal pen options. I hope Carl Edwards Jr. is being groomed for that late inning role and that another guy or two can emerge in the next year or so. Maybe it's Duane Underwood. Maybe it's Zach Hedges. I just hope that we are able, in the near future, to be making moves to fill in gaps in the pen, not key roles.

Agree in principle... but to be fair... most relievers are failed starters, both the good ones and the ones that stink.

[jehr]

we are the whitest team in baseball (probably not true)

Don't think we are close..... CJ, Heyward, Javy, Russell, Jay, Montero, Contreras, Strop, Rondon, Almora. That's 40% of the roster that's not white.

Arrieta is half Puerto Rican (I think), does that count?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

we are the whitest team in baseball (probably not true)

Don't think we are close..... CJ, Heyward, Javy, Russell, Jay, Montero, Contreras, Strop, Rondon, Almora. That's 40% of the roster that's not white.

Arrieta is half Puerto Rican (I think), does that count?

 

He's 1/4 Puerto Rican.

[Guest]

We got Davis for a guy we don't use. The only issue i have with Davis is the amount of walks he gives out. Compared to Chapman and Rondon, he's wild.