Cubs sign Tyler Chatwood for 3/$38M

[UMFan83]

Nothing wrong with this at all. My guess is our other guy is Ohtani or a guy we trade for.

 

i'm not ruling out Cobb, but i kind of get the feeling there's a stronger market for him that pushes him beyond what the cubs are willing to commit to, so they jumped on Chatwood. And then, yeah, the other rotation spot will be a bigger impact guy.

 

Yeah and if they get Ohtani, they would get him for basically nothing (ok fine ~$21m in year 1) and Ohtani seems to be comfortable with a 6 man rotation so it wouldn't be that difficult to see them going after Cobb as well if they wanted to.

[Bertz]

Chatwood's also a Statcast darling

 

Chatwood has elite curve spin, too. In 2017, there were 229 pitchers who threw 100 curves, and his spin rate of 2980 RPM was the fifth-highest, well above the Major League average of 2489 RPM, and just ahead of Morton himself (2874 RPM).

 

He averaged 93.5 mph on his fastballs in 2013-14, before his elbow injury, then only 92.6 mph in 2016 as he worked his way back. But in 2017, that was up to 94.6 mph, an improvement that could be attributed both to another year off of surgery and mechanical changes he made with his feet.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

 

Anyways, I know a lot of people liked him at least a little bit. Can those people go over why they like him? Career 4.58 FIP, 4.2 BB/9, 6.2 K/9

 

Mostly the home/road stuff you just posted. Coors is horrible to pitch in and it’s hard to take much away from why he struggled there. But he’s been great away from Coors. Also what ConstableRabbit said about all the grounders, particularly with our infield defense. And he gets a lot of weak contact too. I posted some numbers of his from Statcast home/road splits a while back, and he got way more weak contact away from Coors. Seems like he probably uses movement/stuff to get weak contact. But he doesn’t have the same stuff at Coors so he doesn’t get weak contact.

 

His average exit velocity was like 2 mph lower on the road. And he got a lot more lazy fly balls at higher launch angles on the road. I love this pick up and think Chatwood will flourish outside of Coors.

 

Also when I wrote an article on Hendricks looking to prove he was a true FIP-beater, Chatwood was on the short list of other guys that legitimately got weak contact.

[wekse]

Chatwood's also a Statcast darling

 

Chatwood has elite curve spin, too. In 2017, there were 229 pitchers who threw 100 curves, and his spin rate of 2980 RPM was the fifth-highest, well above the Major League average of 2489 RPM, and just ahead of Morton himself (2874 RPM).

 

He averaged 93.5 mph on his fastballs in 2013-14, before his elbow injury, then only 92.6 mph in 2016 as he worked his way back. But in 2017, that was up to 94.6 mph, an improvement that could be attributed both to another year off of surgery and mechanical changes he made with his feet.

 

This is nearly boner inducing right here.

[davell]

Nothing wrong with this at all. My guess is our other guy is Ohtani or a guy we trade for.

So you think the Cubs are out on Cobb?

 

Yeah, I do. I think they're saving money for next off season and Cobb's price is going up. Not that this is bad, Chatwood may be better anyway.

 

But, I think they're trying to stay as far under the LT as possible with long term commitments. I figure they'll get one or possibly two bullpen arms on multi year deals. And the traded guy or Ohtani will be cheap financially.

 

Again, I think this is our 5th guy. Which is awesome.

Edited December 7, 2017 by davell

[David]

Chatwood's also a Statcast darling

 

Chatwood has elite curve spin, too. In 2017, there were 229 pitchers who threw 100 curves, and his spin rate of 2980 RPM was the fifth-highest, well above the Major League average of 2489 RPM, and just ahead of Morton himself (2874 RPM).

 

He averaged 93.5 mph on his fastballs in 2013-14, before his elbow injury, then only 92.6 mph in 2016 as he worked his way back. But in 2017, that was up to 94.6 mph, an improvement that could be attributed both to another year off of surgery and mechanical changes he made with his feet.

 

i was just going to ask how his curveball is and if coors was really hurting him

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Chatwood's also a Statcast darling

 

Chatwood has elite curve spin, too. In 2017, there were 229 pitchers who threw 100 curves, and his spin rate of 2980 RPM was the fifth-highest, well above the Major League average of 2489 RPM, and just ahead of Morton himself (2874 RPM).

 

He averaged 93.5 mph on his fastballs in 2013-14, before his elbow injury, then only 92.6 mph in 2016 as he worked his way back. But in 2017, that was up to 94.6 mph, an improvement that could be attributed both to another year off of surgery and mechanical changes he made with his feet.

 

Another instance of the Cubs targeting a curveball guy, too.

[Perd]

Yeah, this feels like pretty solid move. I like those numbers away from Coors. The contract seems kinda like a bargain. And, best of all, he’s not John Lackey.

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[treebird]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Bull]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Good thing our organizational philosophy is changing to "throw more strikes"

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[David]

god i love this FO

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

I think we either get Ohtani or Cobb but not both. If we do get Ohtani, I think it is with the promise we trade one of our OFs, and what else can we trade for but pitching? Aside from a Betances, it would have to be another SP.

[David]

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PITCHING??!

[Agony and Ivy]

Nothing wrong with this at all. My guess is our other guy is Ohtani or a guy we trade for.

 

i'm not ruling out Cobb, but i kind of get the feeling there's a stronger market for him that pushes him beyond what the cubs are willing to commit to, so they jumped on Chatwood. And then, yeah, the other rotation spot will be a bigger impact guy.

 

Yeah and if they get Ohtani, they would get him for basically nothing (ok fine ~$21m in year 1) and Ohtani seems to be comfortable with a 6 man rotation so it wouldn't be that difficult to see them going after Cobb as well if they wanted to.

 

Almost positive the posting fee is paid in 4 annual installments of $5mm

[David]

Can we possibly get road splits on the statcast data and all the other peripherals?

[sneakypower]

this rules, i've loved this guy for a long ass time

[Post Count Padder]

My ideal offseason had us signing both Cobb and Chatwood, so we're halfway there. (tbh, I didn't think we'd be this close in contention for Otani). I like Chatwood a lot and that seems like reasonable money. Edited December 7, 2017 by Post Count Padder

[davell]

Damn, he had 9 DRS in 2017 and has hit .217 in his career, .203 away from Coors. (Thanks Clapp)

[ConstableRabbit]

Damn, he had 9 DRS in 2017 and has hit .217 in his career, .203 away from Coors. (Thanks Clapp)

LF platoon with Shohei baby.

[David]

or if we want to go six man, it's ohtani, cobb, and chatwood

 

 

(waits for TT's "WHY DO YOU HATE MONTGOMERY?" re the FO)

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

lol

Edited December 7, 2017 by David

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Hmmm, not sure how I feel about this yet

 

+ Opportunity for ceiling getting away from Coors

+ Athletic (defense plus indicator of durability)

+ Only 28

+ 3 years instead of 4+ for other FA options

+ Soft contact

+ Heavy on fastball matches up well with Hickey

+ Historically not an extreme L/R split

+ This front office clearly wanted him

 

- lack of proven durability

- doesn't throw strikes

- 2 TJS already

[Bote McBoteface]

If this means no Cobb, I dont like it. Unless we get Otani in which case Cobb who?

[Tim]

I'm optimistic about the signing. I'll be really excited if he throws more strikes now that he's out of Coors.