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

[Cubswin11]

Not sure how reliable his sources are but he is saying that the Cubs aren’t going to be involved in FA at all, not even tier 2 guys.

 

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2018/11/28/already-longshots-for-harper-cubs-might-even-avoid-next-tier-of-free-agents-with-eye-on-2020/

 

I simply do not buy that the Cubs are playing possum this offseason when it comes to Harper or other big free agents. Some industry sources have even expressed concern that the Cubs can’t even afford — or simply won’t spend on — a move like AJ Pollock or Zach Britton without shedding some salary.

I don’t think Loxas has been a serious news breaker or has had sources in a long time. He just kinda reappeared at Cubs Insider recently.

 

Regardless that isn’t good to hear and that Arenado blip in the article doesn’t make sense to me. He’s 3 years older than Harper/Machado, seems weird we’d take the gamble to wait on and get him when we have these two right in front of us now and opt for the 29/30 year old in 2020 who plays the same position as our best player.

[Sammy Sofa]

[17 Seconds]

holy crap, it's tom loxas. it's been so long that i can''t even remember why i dislike him. i do, though. Edited November 29, 2018 by 17 Seconds

[Cubswin11]

Not spending on a Pollock or Britton also doesn’t mean they’re not willing to spend on the right guy like Bryce. If a reporter heard we aren’t going to go 3-5 at $18-20 aav on Pollock or ~3 years at ~12 aav on Britton they certainly could take it to mean we have no money to spend but we also just might not want to spend the type of money it takes for an oft injured OF on the wrong side of 30 or a relief pitcher who’s also over 30 and has had to deal with injuries and declining results recently but would spend money on the right guy.

[Bertz]

It sounds like just a repackaging of the stuff the beat writers are saying. That said, the second tier of free agents doesn't make a lot of sense for this team right now. There aren't really any glaring holes on the team, just a lot of guys who are probably prettygood but you can't totally trust. A guy like Bryce really helps the team. because if Javy's a mirage or Kris is broken or whatever, there are still multiple stars to anchor the lineup. But the Michael Brantleys of the world just aren't going to move the needle very much.

 

If you can't afford Harper, the best course is to put the team in as strong a financial position as possible for 2020, so that we don't have to deal with this crap again. That means waiting until February to do FA shopping.

Grab a few dudes who lose the game of FA musical chairs and have to settle for one year deals and can bolster the team's depth. For example maybe Brian Dozier is this year's Neil Walker, and can be had for 1/6. What the Cubs absolutely cannot afford to do is give 2-3 years to some modest upgrade. There's almost nothing worse the team could do than sign horsefeathering Andrew McCutchen or something and have us all desperately wishing we could dump him come this time next year.

 

Also, get Russell the hell off this team. This better be just some sad attempt at generating leverage.

[Backtobanks]

It sounds like just a repackaging of the stuff the beat writers are saying. That said, the second tier of free agents doesn't make a lot of sense for this team right now. There aren't really any glaring holes on the team, just a lot of guys who are probably prettygood but you can't totally trust. A guy like Bryce really helps the team. because if Javy's a mirage or Kris is broken or whatever, there are still multiple stars to anchor the lineup. But the Michael Brantleys of the world just aren't going to move the needle very much.

 

If you can't afford Harper, the best course is to put the team in as strong a financial position as possible for 2020, so that we don't have to deal with this crap again. That means waiting until February to do FA shopping.

Grab a few dudes who lose the game of FA musical chairs and have to settle for one year deals and can bolster the team's depth. For example maybe Brian Dozier is this year's Neil Walker, and can be had for 1/6. What the Cubs absolutely cannot afford to do is give 2-3 years to some modest upgrade. There's almost nothing worse the team could do than sign horsefeathering Andrew McCutchen or something and have us all desperately wishing we could dump him come this time next year.

 

Also, get Russell the hell off this team. This better be just some sad attempt at generating leverage.

 

 

I'm not sure you want to wait until 2020. Remember Theo said "every season is sacred" (except for the 3 years we tanked - LOL). I think the reason they might be looking at the 2nd tier of FAs is because they're going to have to deal from their roster (i.e. Schwarber, Happ, Almora, etc.) to fill other holes. We still aren't sure of what to expect from Bryant, Darvish, and Morrow for next year and in 2020 Zobrist is gone and Lester and Morrow qualify for Social Security.

[SaorsaDaonnan]

proposal for plan B offseason:

 

get a solid catcher.

 

play him ~2/3 of the time, with Contreras being our newfound outfield bat as well as our backup catcher.

 

this will protect Contreras’ knees/body and keep him fresher, preventing Joe from destroying his hit tool again via fatigue, and protecting his career from too many cumulative innings behind the dish. it will also mean better pitch framing and maybe game calling, and putting Contreras’ bat in for J-Hey or Schwarbs when they face bad matchups. (I don’t recall what his OF defense is like, but his athleticism and hard charging attitude seem like a recipe for at least adequacy there, given reps.)

 

OBVIOUSLY I would prefer to add a generational talent. let’s not be dumb about that. but if the reports of fake poverty are accurately representing ownership’s choices, we may have to go another way, and to me this seems preferable to the Brantley/McCutchen route— in a way it gives us two players rather than one. Realmuto is beyond our means, but Ramos or even Grandal could fit, and paired with an impact lefty reliever in trade and a cheap, glove-only SS, should be enough to solve the team’s needs. (Though yeah, the fans are right to expect more.).

[David]

tom loxas lol

 

where's that big budweiser bottle sign (like the coke bottle at at&t park) that wrigley was supposed to get

[NOLA]

I really don't want Willson having to learn a new position other than maybe backup 1B in addition to solving whatever his plate issues were last summer.

[Sammy Sofa]

It's easy to believe when the inevitable outcome is the Cubs sign none of them because of PTR, intending to bank instead on the guys they already have being good enough to want to extend, and ending up with a hodgepodge of mediocrity after the window slams close.

[champaignchris]

Waiting on Arenado over Harper/Machado is dumb and very hard to believe

 

Right. If you’re going to do that, why not just wait another year for 29-year-old Mike Trout.

[Tedward]

Waiting on Arenado over Harper/Machado is dumb and very hard to believe

 

Right. If you’re going to do that, why not just wait another year for 29-year-old Mike Trout.

 

Because he's going home to Philly

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I could look very stupid later, but I feel like 'we're waiting for Arenado' is such an obvious honeypot that the front office isn't serious that I'm kinda surprised people have published it even as a rumor. Say what you will about their spending for 2019(not pursuing Harper and not being cheap are both quite possible, if a very bad idea IMO), but the Arenado bit is just so absurd on its face.

[Cubswin11]

Marwin or Lowrie or Segura hopefully but reminds me of the Cubs Prospects guy’s tweet the other day. I bet it’s Dietrich or Spangenberg

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Post Count Padder]

The nontender deadline is today right? So we'll get some kind of Russell resolution in the next few hours?

[jersey cubs fan]

The nontender deadline is today right? So we'll get some kind of Russell resolution in the next few hours?

viewtopic.php?p=323864#p323864

[Cubswin11]

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Alright, let's get weird then.

 

Happ and non-MLB stuff for Realmuto

 

Contreras and Chatwood for an elite reliever of preferably low cost(Diaz would've been perfect here, maybe LeClerc)

 

Sign Harper

 

I'm not sure if that adds up dollar wise, but it's a decent framework to start from.

[Cubswin11]

Alright, let's get weird then.

 

Happ and non-MLB stuff for Realmuto

 

Contreras and Chatwood for an elite reliever of preferably low cost(Diaz would've been perfect here, maybe LeClerc)

 

Sign Harper

 

I'm not sure if that adds up dollar wise, but it's a decent framework to start from.

What about...... Contreras, Q and Kintzler for Kluber or Bauer (plus a prospect back) then Happ, Adbert and make them take Duensing and maybe other prospect stuff for Realmuto and Conley. Then sign Bryce??

[Bluescale]

What about...... Contreras, Q and Kintzler for Kluber or Bauer (plus a prospect back) then Happ, Adbert and make them take Duensing and maybe other prospect stuff for Realmuto and Conley. Then sign Bryce??

 

Hard pass on Bauer. I don't need another person I despise on the team.

[Backtobanks]

Alright, let's get weird then.

 

Happ and non-MLB stuff for Realmuto

 

Contreras and Chatwood for an elite reliever of preferably low cost(Diaz would've been perfect here, maybe LeClerc)

 

Sign Harper

 

I'm not sure if that adds up dollar wise, but it's a decent framework to start from.

What about...... Contreras, Q and Kintzler for Kluber or Bauer (plus a prospect back) then Happ, Adbert and make them take Duensing and maybe other prospect stuff for Realmuto and Conley. Then sign Bryce??

 

I'm sure the Marlins have about 20 better offers for Realmuto than this one.

[Cubswin11]

Alright, let's get weird then.

 

Happ and non-MLB stuff for Realmuto

 

Contreras and Chatwood for an elite reliever of preferably low cost(Diaz would've been perfect here, maybe LeClerc)

 

Sign Harper

 

I'm not sure if that adds up dollar wise, but it's a decent framework to start from.

What about...... Contreras, Q and Kintzler for Kluber or Bauer (plus a prospect back) then Happ, Adbert and make them take Duensing and maybe other prospect stuff for Realmuto and Conley. Then sign Bryce??

 

I'm sure the Marlins have about 20 better offers for Realmuto than this one.

I meant to include Amaya in that

[davell]

No non-tenders candidates I really wanted to hit FA did but some of the possibly more interesting ones:

 

Sam Howard LHP

Yangervis Solarte SS/IF

Hunter Strickland RHRP

Tim Beckham SS/IF

Chris Owings IF/OF

 

Looks like trades are where it’s at after Harper...Pretty meh on the FA class after the big ones*

 

——

 

Once the Cubs sign Harper, which writer puts out the longest and gooiest article about the Cubs’ long roller coaster courtship?

 

——

 

I’m down for a weird offseason:

 

FAs:

 

Harper

Robertson

Deitrich

Cheap backup C

Diekman

S. Howard

G. Hernandez

 

Rule V:

 

Richie Martin

 

Trade:

 

Contreras for Jon Gray/Marcus Stroman

 

Happ, Almora, Montgomery, Ademan, Marquez for Realmuto

 

I like this off season overall a lot. I think it's still taking Amaya, instead of Ademan probably. But, we probably could keep Monty. Contreras might bring a bit back with one of Gray or Stroman. Only move I'd stay away from us Dietrich. He can't p!ay D anywhere at this point, I'd rather have a guy who's versatile because he CAN play, not because the team is hiding him.

 

Harper and Robertson are fine, as a "only 2 moves" off season too.

[Post Count Padder]

Yeah I'm not big on trading Montgomery. He's been pretty valuable in a swing role and is still affordable.

[imb]

ditch almora sign billy hamilton