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

[Deeg]

In this case Theo seems to be using “top priority” in the sense of what I see the crows in Kobe doing every Tuesday and Friday morning.

[Brian]

watching the opening ceremony from the convention, I'm pretty sure Howry and Farnsworth could be key additions to the bullpen this season.

[Brian]

Some San Diego writer's educated guess for the Padres starting 3B is Bote

 

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[Cubswin11]

Some San Diego writer's educated guess for the Padres starting 3B is Bote

 

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Yates would be an awesome target but doubt he’s really available and it probably takes more than Bote. Hedges makes some sense too. I don’t think I’d want to move Bote just to clear Kintzler or Duensing (especially looking at remaining FA RPs), I’d rather keep Bote around in that case if it was a salary dump for those two and get nothing back. What else do they have that’s interesting? Quick look at not Yates bullpen guys, Castillo and Strahm as LHP are intriguing and Stammen was awesome last year but is like 34 so maybe they are good selling off him.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Cubswin11

[Cubswin11]

Who says no first?

 

Padres get: Chatwood, Bote

 

Cubs get: LHP Jose Castillo

Yes please. I’d be good throwing in whatever minor league pitcher they wanted too.

[Post Count Padder]

We signed Colin Rea. Minor league deal.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

We signed Colin Rea. Minor league deal.

didn't that happen like 2 weeks ago?

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

[jersey cubs fan]

We signed Colin Rea. Minor league deal.

didn't that happen like 2 weeks ago?

I thought the same thing but couldn't find the reference here.

 

But this was written weeks ago.

[Post Count Padder]

It's official now. Before it was just a "could happen" report.

 

Also:

 

Cubs signed INF Cristhian Adames to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

 

Adames spent the entire 2018 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Marlins and registered an underwhelming .269/.324/.370 batting line with seven home runs and six stolen bases over 122 games. The 27-year-old will be organizational infield depth for Chicago.

 

Cubs signed RHP Christian Bergman to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

 

Bergman, 30, owns a 5.59 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 130/49 K/BB ratio in 215 2/3 career major league innings -- 25 starts and 46 relief appearances. He will operate as minor league pitching depth for the Cubs in 2019.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

And this article

http://www.cpioneer.com/news/article_11a01167-48ea-5d72-9205-beebbcc048e3.html

[Cubswin11]

With the Rea signing official, we have some decent starting pitching depth considering we don’t have any real big time pitching prospects. Monty, Mills, Adbert, Rea, Underwood, Graveman (in the 2nd half maybe), Chatwood, and maybe 1 of Steele, Hatch, Thompson of some other prospect emerging isn’t the worst depth in the world. You don’t want 25-30+ starts coming out of that group but ~15 out of them would be something that we should survive without worrying much.

[Post Count Padder]

With the Rea signing official, we have some decent starting pitching depth considering we don’t have any real big time pitching prospects. Monty, Mills, Adbert, Rea, Underwood, Graveman (in the 2nd half maybe), Chatwood, and maybe 1 of Steele, Hatch, Thompson of some other prospect emerging isn’t the worst depth in the world. You don’t want 25-30+ starts coming out of that group but ~15 out of them would be something that we should survive without worrying much.

True. I'm expecting a handful of starts from that group. Maybe Rucker or Robinson or Clifton if they progress.

 

We also have Corey Black making his way back from TJS. Always liked him. Hope he gets to make his debut at some point.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Seriously, given the expectations and the stakes, this is the worst offseason in living team history

[Sammy Sofa]

Of puke.

[jersey cubs fan]

Seriously, given the expectations and the stakes, this is the worst offseason in living team history

 

I was actually thinking the opposite. Looking at all those names that possibly just might be capable ML pitchers in flashes, it seems clear that Theo’s Plan is coming to fruition. That’s wave after wave

[Bluescale]

You know what would be awesome? Signing someone who deserves more than a minor league deal...

[Brian]

It would be kind of fitting to cap this offseason by signing Madson and trading Bote.

[Brian]

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[Sammy Sofa]

Offseason = "pray that the offense bounces back and that we can bullpen the hell out of the shaky starting rotation."

 

CAN'T MISS.

[The_Achiever]

Offseason = "pray that the offense bounces back and that we can bullpen the hell out of the shaky starting rotation."

 

CAN'T MISS.

 

I'm a lot more worried about the pen than I am the rotation.

[Bertz]

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We don't currently have the roster spots for that. So if true that means either a pitcher is dead that we don't know about, a pitcher is being traded, or we're going hard on the Dodgers' "shamelessly DL guys who aren't actually hurt" strategy.

 

Edit: Didn't realize how bad Kontos has been lately. Bruce could just be talking about minor league signings.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Bertz

[Transmogrified Tiger]

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We don't currently have the roster spots for that. So if true that means either a pitcher is dead that we don't know about, a pitcher is being traded, or we're going hard on the Dodgers' "shamelessly DL guys who aren't actually hurt" strategy.

 

Between Morrow possibly (likely?) starting the year on the DL and not caring if they DFA Kintzler or Duensing, I don't think roster spots are an enormous concern.

[Cubswin11]

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We don't currently have the roster spots for that. So if true that means either a pitcher is dead that we don't know about, a pitcher is being traded, or we're going hard on the Dodgers' "shamelessly DL guys who aren't actually hurt" strategy.

 

Between Morrow possibly (likely?) starting the year on the DL and not caring if they DFA Kintzler or Duensing, I don't think roster spots are an enormous concern.

Jen Ho Tseng is still on the 40-man, he can be blasted in to outer space if needed. Also I’m buying there’s some truth to Bote to the Padres for a RP.

[Cubswin11]

In the underwhelming but would be decent moves to end the offseason I wouldn’t mind seeing some combination of the following moves yet.....

 

- Bote (maybe more and maybe work in Duensing) for 1 of Castillo or Hedges from the Padres

 

- Sign Oliver Perez to a Brach type deal

 

- Sign Maldonado (if no Hedges)