The 2018-2019 Cubs Offseason Rumors & Discussion Thread AKA The Rickettssss take a dump on EVERYTHING

[Cubswin11]

Dexter, Happ and Ross were playing golf today. I don’t care how dumb and irrational the idea is. Figure out a way to get Dexter back, send Chatwood (owed less overall $ and 1 less year) and a prospect or something. Then send Almora away for whatever you can get. Get the band back together for the FU revenge tour.

[Sammy Sofa]

Dexter, Happ and Ross were playing golf today. I don’t care how dumb and irrational the idea is. Figure out a way to get Dexter back, send Chatwood (owed less overall $ and 1 less year) and a prospect or something. Then send Almora away for whatever you can get. Get the band back together for the FU revenge tour.

 

Damn, dude; they still play golf even if he's on another team.

[Cubswin11]

Dexter, Happ and Ross were playing golf today. I don’t care how dumb and irrational the idea is. Figure out a way to get Dexter back, send Chatwood (owed less overall $ and 1 less year) and a prospect or something. Then send Almora away for whatever you can get. Get the band back together for the FU revenge tour.

 

Damn, dude; they still play golf even if he's on another team.

I just saw some pictures posted on social media, I didn't mean for my post to come across as the golf meaning anything more than some buddies hanging out and playing golf together in the offseason. It just got me thinking (irrationally) of bringing Dexter back.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*It is a pretty sneaky move by Happ to start kissing ass with his future manager though and/or planning the kill on Joe.

[imb]

I’d rather have chatwood than dex. Nice guy though

[Backtobanks]

I’d rather have chatwood than dex. Nice guy though

 

 

I'd rather have Chatwood's contract than Fowler's contract.

[jersey cubs fan]

Dexter, Happ and Ross were playing golf today. I don’t care how dumb and irrational the idea is. Figure out a way to get Dexter back, send Chatwood (owed less overall $ and 1 less year) and a prospect or something. Then send Almora away for whatever you can get. Get the band back together for the FU revenge tour.

I'd prefer to let the cardinals keep that contract

[Tim]

Trading for Dexter's contract would be a very Stan Bowman-esque move.

[Bull]

Brisbee speculating Machado to the Cubs for 10/330

Based on trading Bryant though.

 

I can see the “trade your elite third baseman for prospects and eat it to” logic, but I don’t like the idea of trading Bryant after what was by far his worst season, and I don’t like Machado over Bryant going forward. Bryant at less money, shorter term > Machado + prospects.

 

Also, the Cubs aren’t trading Bryant, so nothing to see here.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Brisbee speculating Machado to the Cubs for 10/330

Based on trading Bryant though.

 

I can see the “trade your elite third baseman for prospects and eat it to” logic, but I don’t like the idea of trading Bryant after what was by far his worst season, and I don’t like Machado over Bryant going forward. Bryant at less money, shorter term > Machado + prospects.

 

Also, the Cubs aren’t trading Bryant, so nothing to see here.

 

His angle is actually paying Machado at 26 v Bryant similar or more money at 29, without ruling out doing both, and not trading Bryant

 

I'm reading it the way Bull did. That he's saying you sign Machado, who is younger and his deal will end sooner than what will be a 29 year old Bryant when the time comes, and Machado would then come with some of the "best prospects in baseball," meaning through trading KB.

 

No?

[Cubswin11]

Based on trading Bryant though.

 

I can see the “trade your elite third baseman for prospects and eat it to” logic, but I don’t like the idea of trading Bryant after what was by far his worst season, and I don’t like Machado over Bryant going forward. Bryant at less money, shorter term > Machado + prospects.

 

Also, the Cubs aren’t trading Bryant, so nothing to see here.

 

His angle is actually paying Machado at 26 v Bryant similar or more money at 29, without ruling out doing both, and not trading Bryant

 

I'm reading it the way Bull did. That he's saying you sign Machado, who is younger and his deal will end sooner than what will be a 29 year old Bryant when the time comes, and Machado would then come with some of the "best prospects in baseball," meaning through trading KB.

 

No?

That’s exactly how I read it

[Bryants Disco Ball]

In this scenario, I'd rather sign Bryce Harper for the same type of deal and team him with KB for three years and get the single draft pick for Bryant if he leaves.

 

Heck, worst case, team them together for two seasons and trade KB for a lesser prospect package than you'd get now, but still a solid one.

[Cubswin11]

In this scenario, I'd rather sign Bryce Harper for the same type of deal and team him with KB for three years and get the single draft pick for Bryant if he leaves.

 

Heck, worst case, team them together for two seasons and trade KB for a lesser prospect package than you'd get now, but still a solid one.

Yeah this is my clear preferred route and makes us the best team possible for the next 2-3 years.

[UMFan83]

Really good article by Mooney with a lot of Theo quotes that reveal his mindset this offseason

 

The ESPN headline got it wrong, implying this was an actual possibility or the logical extension of a no-one-is-untouchable philosophy: “Cubs open to trading 3B Kris Bryant.”

 

To be clear, sources said the Cubs aren’t shopping Bryant or planning to deal him as the first move that completely reimagines this team. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein already issued denials to the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, dismissing last week’s ESPN report and signaling the Cubs will continue building around Bryant.

 

Think about it: During various trading cycles, the Cubs have had enough trouble matching up their perceived value of an unproven young player like Ian Happ … so how are they ever going to get enough for the 2016 National League MVP after a down season?

 

But Buster Olney — ESPN’s respected national writer and sideline reporter for “Sunday Night Baseball” — did correctly identify the big ideas behind this unpredictable Chicago winter: Epstein’s pent-up frustrations, restless nature and looming budget crunch.

 

Because in theory, there is a reasonable case to be made for the Cubs essentially bringing the same team back together in 2019, riding the NL’s best 1-through-5 rotation, strengthening the bullpen, waiting for players to get healthy and hoping a different hitting coach/new message improves the offense.

 

Except Epstein simply isn’t wired that way or looking to double down on more of the same. Just listen to Epstein one week ago at the general manager meetings in Carlsbad, California, sitting in a hotel room at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa with a small group of Chicago reporters for almost an hour. Here’s how Epstein responded when 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine mentioned a caller from Green Bay who compared Theo’s expectations to Vince Lombardi’s belief that “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

 

“Everyone who was around the team, from the players themselves to you guys (in the media) to the fans, we all know that the takeaway from that season wasn’t the positives,” Epstein said. “It wasn’t the 95 wins. It wasn’t how together the players managed to be — and that takes some doing — that was a really together, connected clubhouse. It wasn’t the fine, outstanding individual seasons that many of our players enjoyed. It wasn’t battling through a gauntlet of 42 games in 43 days. All those things were realities, but those aren’t the takeaways from the season.

 

“The takeaways are that we got caught from behind and we had opportunities to put that division away and to make another postseason run. For myriad reasons, it didn’t happen, so we damn well better be honest with ourselves about the reasons why it didn’t happen and find ways to fix it. Or else what the hell are we doing here?

 

“So, yeah, we’re not going to sit here and celebrate 95 wins. We’re going to be pissed off about the way the season ended. It doesn’t matter if I’m pissed off. Our players are pissed off. And they know that they have an opportunity to be part of something special. They basically built it. They helped build it. And we want to take full advantage of it because you can’t take anything for granted in this game.”

 

Epstein snapped his fingers and kept talking: “You look up and it goes really fast. Teams don’t stay together forever and we need to find a way to take advantage of this great opportunity that we have. That doesn’t make anyone around here Vince Lombardi. It makes us Cubs. This has been a real winning group the last four years. That was a low moment for us – 95 wins or not – and we don’t want to live through that again.”

 

 

Theo Epstein said Kris Bryant isn’t “untouchable,” but that doesn’t mean he’s actively shopping the former MVP. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Whatever issues ex-hitting coach Chili Davis had in trying to connect with the overall group, Bryant was again performing at an MVP level in April and May before injuring his left shoulder during a headfirst slide that ultimately sapped his power and limited him to 102 games. Plus, Bryant already knows his swing and should function as his own hitting coach after all those years working with his father in the family’s batting cage back home in Las Vegas.

 

Super-agent Scott Boras first remembered dealing with Epstein on Xavier Nady’s major-league contract with the San Diego Padres coming out of the 2000 draft, so it’s not like the Cubs were blindsided by Bryant’s camp or Boras Corp. tactics. MLB Trade Rumors projects Bryant will make $12.4 million next year through the arbitration system, one of several escalating salary commitments — combined with underperforming free-agent contracts — that will force the Cubs to get creative if they want to make significant additions to the roster.

 

All along, Epstein saw a seven-year window at Wrigley Field before Bryant would test the open market as a free agent. That through-the-2021-season timeline syncs up Bryant and Epstein, who by then will be at Year 10 of 10 in the Bill Walsh change-is-good philosophy he cited after leaving the Boston Red Sox. Epstein is focused on trying to win at least one more World Series title with Bryant in the next three seasons.

 

In the middle of another media scrum at the GM meetings, Epstein was asked: Are any of your guys untouchable?

 

“No,” Epstein said.

 

What about Anthony Rizzo or Bryant?

 

“We’ve never operated with untouchables,” Epstein said. “I just think it sends the wrong message. I mean, there will be guys who are — given what we’re trying to accomplish — (at a point where) it would be virtually impossible to envision the deal that would make sense to move them.

 

“I just don’t believe in operating with untouchables. Because why limit yourself? But there are players who are so important to us on the field and in the clubhouse that it would just be going backwards through whatever lens — narrow view, long view — by moving those guys. Players who have almost made themselves untouchable. It’s semantics, but we don’t really talk that way.”

 

Tribune baseball columnist Paul Sullivan pressed Epstein with another follow-up question: But do you want some players to maybe think “I better get my horsefeathers together” this offseason?

 

“No, I don’t believe in sending messages through the media,” Epstein said. “Or your exact quote was ‘I better get my horsefeathers together’ or something. I don’t believe in that. I just believe in communicating — not in the media — directly with players about where we think they should be at in their careers. And validate the things we’re doing really well and identify things they need to do better and try to work with them to make sure that happens.

 

“I think they all understand — like all of us — their careers depend on performance and in some cases on improvement. Playing time and spots on the roster and all those things — it’s a business. They depend on performance. And ultimately our success as an organization depends on performance. That’s the reality and we’re communicating really directly with our guys about it and working really hard with them to attain those goals.”

 

That reevaluation of The Cubs Way shut down any offseason extension talks with lame-duck manager Joe Maddon. The Cubs wouldn’t have fired Davis if their young hitters had good seasons (and by extension good trade value). There isn’t an unlimited budget, especially given all the uncertainty surrounding the cable-TV business. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet and we’ve already spent more than 1,000 words on a Bryant trade rumor. Buckle up, this is going to be a wild offseason, because Epstein just said it: “We’re pissed off.”

 

(Top photo: David Banks/Getty Images)

[Cubfanintheknow]

So when does the "15 day window" start exactly? The World Series ended exactly 15 days ago coming up in a few hours.

[Cubswin11]

So when does the "15 day window" start exactly? The World Series ended exactly 15 days ago coming up in a few hours.

15 day window for what?

[Cubfanintheknow]

So when does the "15 day window" start exactly? The World Series ended exactly 15 days ago coming up in a few hours.

15 day window for what?

 

NM... it's 5, not 15. My bad.

[imb]

It’s actually the V day window

[Cubswin11]

Who says no? 1 of Schwarber/Happ, Q, Kintzler and a prospect for Kluber and maybe a prospect back.

 

Reasoning is the Indians are apparently strapped/not wanting to spend. They didn’t even offer Brantley the QO because they couldn’t fit that $ in if he accepted. Kluber is owed $1.5 million more the next two years than Q (and is ~3 years older), their position players outside of Lindor and Ramirez (especially outfielders) suck and they lose Miller and Allen and need some bullpen reinforcements. They are in a competitive window and this lets them fill their roster without spending a ton more. They lose the top end of a guy like Kluber but in the aggregate they make up for it in the 3 guys they get. This move clears a little money for us and the OF log jam for Bryce and gives us more upside in the rotation.

 

 

I really only like this idea if we get Bryce, if we do it and just get like Brantley or Pollock I don’t love it.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Cubswin11

[Cubswin11]

Who says no? 1 of Schwarber/Happ, Q, Kintzler and a prospect (I’d include Adbert personally) for Kluber.

 

Reasoning is the Indians are apparently strapped/not wanting to spend. They didn’t even offer Brantley the QO because they couldn’t fit that $ in if he accepted. Kluber is owed $1.5 million more the next two years than Q (and is ~3 years older), their position players outside of Lindor and Ramirez (especially outfielders) suck and they lose Miller and Allen and need some bullpen reinforcements. They are in a competitive window and this lets them fill their roster without spending a ton more. They lose the top end of a guy like Kluber but in the aggregate they make up for it in the 3 guys they get. This move clears a little money for us and the OF log jam for Bryce and gives us more upside in the rotation.

 

I really only like this idea if we get Bryce, if we do it and just get like Brantley or Pollock I don’t love it.

 

Cleveland. Seems a little light for a perrenial CY candidate switching to the DH-less league

 

Edit: Missed that Quintana is in the trade. Hm...I mean I’d be very interested if I was the Cubs, for sure, and that seems alot more fair. I’d ask for another arm out of principle but in this case that could be some longshot at the SS/Rk levels

Yeah if the assumption is Cleveland is looking for a trade that keeps them as good or better in a Kluber deal it would be tough to top this (if they’re looking for prospect packages then yeah they can do better than this, but they’re in a competitive window in the easiest division in MLB, they will likely do a trade that helps them now over 3-5 years from now).

 

They add a young, controlled bat that’s better than all their non-MVP candidates, an established SP that’s about 50-75% of the pitcher they’re trading that’s younger and cheaper (next year) and get a bullpen arm to throw in the mix. They’re trading upside/ceiling but locking in a higher floor and spreading talent around to positions they lack even replacement level guys at (which they apparently can’t spend to add to).

 

Kluber is 33 on opening day and guaranteed controlled for 2 more years, fwiw, at $10.5 and $13 million. Then has team options for 21 and 22 at $13.5 and $14 million but both can go up ~$4 million with escalators.

[squally1313]

My buddy just said he saw a rumor on ESPN about Schwarber and Azlolay for Edwin Diaz.

 

Even being a huge Schwarber fan, contingent on making a big offensive free agent signing, I...don't hate it?

[Cubswin11]

My buddy just said he saw a rumor on ESPN about Schwarber and Azlolay for Edwin Diaz.

 

Even being a huge Schwarber fan, contingent on making a big offensive free agent signing, I...don't hate it?

I’d probably do that. Especially if Bryce is in play and if they’d take Kintzler or Duensing back in the deal.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd love it. A true Bullpen of Doom is more valuable than Schwarber ever will be on a NL team.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If the Mariners are tearing it down, why would they trade for an arb eligible headliner in Schwarber? Especially for Diaz, who would garner tons of interest and Seattle could define the shape of the return.

[minnesotacubsfan]

If the Mariners are tearing it down, why would they trade for an arb eligible headliner in Schwarber? Especially for Diaz, who would garner tons of interest and Seattle could define the shape of the return.

 

Because Cruz/Schwarber would be awesome