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

[Sammy Sofa]

That's basically what the Brewers did to win the division last year, so there's that.

 

Vaunted market inefficiency.

[Bertz]

The AAA relievers are gonna need to learn to hit and play positions to be able to keep even half of them.

 

Speaking of that I was kind of hoping we would be the ones to grab Matt Davidson, but the Rangers signed him yesterday. He's going to be a fun Michael Lorenzen type for somebody.

 

I like the approach to the bullpen. I feel like there's enough veteran talent in the main group that it has a decently high floor (as much as that can actually be true of a non-Yankees bullpen) and the Iowa and shuttle is so stocked that it's actually the Iowa/Tennessee shuttle. The sheer volume of guys says that they'll get lightning in a bottle somewhere, probably with a couple of them. My guess is Norwood and Mekkes, but if you told me Chatwood and Clifton I'd be like "yeah I could totally see that."

[Derwood]

Just planning to sideswipe the league next season when they only have 3 starters and 38 relievers on constant rotation on and off the DL.

 

Waves and waves (of Iowa shuttle middle relievers)

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I honestly read that Hagerty piece on the edge of my seat wondering who was going to sign him. Yay, we won one!

[17 Seconds]

That's basically what the Brewers did to win the division last year, so there's that.

 

http://www.kappit.com/img/pics/201607_1538_dcghh.jpg

 

Copy them...w/e

 

who says "just" before the second part? there is no just

[Tim]

Did anyone mention this signing yet?

 

The Cubs have signed right-handed swingman Christian Bergman to a minor league contract, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America.

 

The 30-year-old Bergman was a member of the Mariners over the previous two seasons, though he spent the majority of that period with their Triple-A affiliate. Bergman pitched to a 5.00-plus ERA in both the 2017 and ’18 seasons in Tacoma, where he combined for 227 2/3 innings and 42 appearances (41 starts). Overall, Bergman – who’s also a former Rockie – owns a 4.66 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 376 2/3 frames at the minors’ highest level.

 

While Bergman has seen major league action in each season dating back to his 2014 debut, he had difficulty preventing runs in all five of those campaigns. In 215 2/3 innings, 14 of which came in 2018, the soft-tossing Bergman has managed just a 5.59 ERA/5.09 FIP with 5.43 K/9, 2.04 BB/9 and a 37.1 percent groundball rate.

 

 

meh

[Clem Fandango]

The Cubs have signed right-handed swingman Christian Bergman to a minor league contract, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America.

 

[Deeg]

The only interesting part about these crap moves is guessing how Brett Taylor is going to spin them as genius.

[javy knows my name]

The only interesting part about these crap moves is guessing how Brett Taylor is going to spin them as genius.

 

This board is horsefeathering savage lately and I LOVE IT

[weis21]

The only interesting part about these crap moves is guessing how Brett Taylor is going to spin them as genius.

Pretty sure even he gave up hope, too.

 

Sad times.

[snoodmonger]

The only interesting part about these crap moves is guessing how Brett Taylor is going to spin them as genius.

Pretty sure even he gave up hope, too.

 

Sad times.

 

At least he's verified on twitter now, so we don't have to hear him bitching about that anymore.

[Deeg]

The only interesting part about these crap moves is guessing how Brett Taylor is going to spin them as genius.

Pretty sure even he gave up hope, too.

 

Sad times.

 

At least he's verified on twitter now, so we don't have to hear him bitching about that anymore.

 

But if Amazon is having a sale you can be sure he’ll let you know.

[Brian]

take this for whatever worth you want to give it.

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Sammy Sofa]

take this for whatever worth you want to give it.

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

A dramatic recreation of this dude's reporting process:

 

[Bull]

take this for whatever worth you want to give it.

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

A dramatic recreation of this dude's reporting process:

 

 

Is he the stuffed lion?

[Sammy Sofa]

That's his source.

[Cubswin11]

https://twitter.com/drivelinebases/status/1092591668975435776?s=21

[Deeg]

Robbins was PG’s 7th ranked D3 prospect for 2016 (pretty exciting) and attended Stevens Institute of Technology, a low key badass school

 

Couldn't get into Devry?

[jersey cubs fan]

Robbins was PG’s 7th ranked D3 prospect for 2016 (pretty exciting) and attended Stevens Institute of Technology, a low key badass school

 

Couldn't get into Devry?

 

Don't be knocking my hometown school. Go Ducks!

[jersey cubs fan]

https://stevensducks.com/news/2019/2/4/baseball-alumnus-robbins-signs-professional-contract-with-the-chicago-cubs.aspx?path=baseball

 

HOBOKEN, N.J. (February 4, 2019) – Stevens Institute of Technology baseball alumnus Robert Robbins has signed a minor league free agent contract with the Chicago Cubs, it was announced today.

 

It will be the fourth straight year as a professional for the Tallahassee, Florida native, but the first with an affiliated team. Robbins previously spent parts of three seasons in the Frontier League and was most recently with Windy City last June. Over his three-year minor league career, Robbins is 0-1, with a 5.61 ERA, but the 24-year old right-handed pitcher has struck out 21 over 25 2-3 innings. Robbins has also spent time at the Driveline Baseball Training Facility in Kent, Washington working on his craft.

 

"It's been an extremely long journey," Robbins said. "I'm incredibly happy at the improvement I've made [over] the last three years."

 

"I've learned a lot about myself," he continued. "I'm excited to prove myself at this next level. In addition, I'm proud to represent my alma mater and Division III players around the country."

 

Robbins appeared in 43 games during his four seasons on Castle Point, drawing 35 starts. He totaled 18 victories with 198 strikeouts over 188 2-3 innings and ranks among the program's all-time top-10 in innings pitched, wins, strikeouts and earned-run average. Robbins was named Third Team All-New York Region by d3baseball.com in 2015 and was a two-time New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) All-Star. A two-time Honorable Mention All-Empire 8 Conference performer, Robbins was selected to the league's First Team in his senior season.

 

"This is a great story," offered head baseball coach Kristaps Aldins. "Robert is a fantastic person and we couldn't be happier for him. His relentless pursuit of realizing this goal is something truly inspiring. He has certainly had his ups and downs over the past few years, just like all of us do in our various careers. But Robert's unwillingness to give up is a great lesson and motivator for anyone out there chasing their dreams. This accomplishment is something that all of our baseball student-athletes, alumni, fans and the entire Stevens community can celebrate."

 

Robbins is believed to be one of seven Ducks to play professional baseball and he will become the fourth to spend time with an affiliated team. Stevens Athletics Hall of Famer David Garcia spent seven seasons in the minors, reaching as high as Double-A with both the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals organizations. Robbins' teammate Jayson Yano also spent one season in the Frontier League, appearing in four games with Windy City in 2016.

 

Additionally, Andrew Matthews played four seasons of minor league baseball with the organizational affiliates of both the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers organizations.

 

Then-junior Charles Ruegger became the second player in program history to be selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft after the New York Yankees made the Morris Plains, New Jersey native their 33rd selection. Ruegger reported to New York's team in the Gulf Coast League and fanned seven over 9 2-3 innings with a pair of saves.

 

Finally, Quinn DiPasquale turned professional after graduation last summer and spent time in both the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and the Frontier League.

 

Alumnus Tom Phillips is the lone Duck to play internationally, signing with the Fussen Royal Bavarians in Germany after exhausting his collegiate eligibility.

 

Robbins is expected to report to the Cubs' Spring Training in Mesa, Arizona.

[biittner77]

Robbins was PG’s 7th ranked D3 prospect for 2016 (pretty exciting) and attended Stevens Institute of Technology, a low key badass school

 

Couldn't get into Devry?

 

I think you’re confusing Stevens with Stockton State

 

[Bertz]

The more I look at this team the more I am able to talk myself into the pitching staff. The starting staff isn't sexy, but it looks solidly above average. There's upside there too. Darvish obviously, but Quintana too. For as bad as he was last year, his velocity was fine, and he threw strikes and missed bats at his normal rates. Pitchers break constantly, but most of the time it's because one of those three things went south. That those underlying skills are still in tact makes me more optimistic about a rebound than I typically would be.

 

The bullpen would ideally have one more established frontline guy, but I LOVE the depth. It might take until Memorial Day to figure out which guys really ought to have the last couple spots, but I see big things once they do. And with Strop/Cishek/Carl out there anchoring, I'm not too worried about it being some dumpster fire in the meantime.

 

What I am worried about though is the outfield. I can see a situation where Schwarber's a liability with the glove, Heyward and Almora are liabilities at the plate, and Zobrist and Happ are just plain liabilities. It'll *probably* be fine; Schwarber's probably the guy he was last year and odds are at least two of the others will be worth playing. But if I'm looking for an area where things might go awry that's where my eyes keep going. If only there was someone out there who could flip the outfield from a potential weakness to a big strength.

[Backtobanks]

The more I look at this team the more I am able to talk myself into the pitching staff. The starting staff isn't sexy, but it looks solidly above average. There's upside there too. Darvish obviously, but Quintana too. For as bad as he was last year, his velocity was fine, and he threw strikes and missed bats at his normal rates. Pitchers break constantly, but most of the time it's because one of those three things went south. That those underlying skills are still in tact makes me more optimistic about a rebound than I typically would be.

 

The bullpen would ideally have one more established frontline guy, but I LOVE the depth. It might take until Memorial Day to figure out which guys really ought to have the last couple spots, but I see big things once they do. And with Strop/Cishek/Carl out there anchoring, I'm not too worried about it being some dumpster fire in the meantime.

 

What I am worried about though is the outfield. I can see a situation where Schwarber's a liability with the glove, Heyward and Almora are liabilities at the plate, and Zobrist and Happ are just plain liabilities. It'll *probably* be fine; Schwarber's probably the guy he was last year and odds are at least two of the others will be worth playing. But if I'm looking for an area where things might go awry that's where my eyes keep going. If only there was someone out there who could flip the outfield from a potential weakness to a big strength.

 

Yeah, the Cubs are fine as long as everything goes right, but the odds of everything going right over a long season aren't great. Since they didn't spend the money or make any trades (yet), we have to hope the semi-injured bounce back, the old-timers stay "young" for another year, and everyone stays healthy.

[Tim]

The more I look at this team the more I am able to talk myself into the pitching staff. The starting staff isn't sexy, but it looks solidly above average. There's upside there too. Darvish obviously, but Quintana too. For as bad as he was last year, his velocity was fine, and he threw strikes and missed bats at his normal rates. Pitchers break constantly, but most of the time it's because one of those three things went south. That those underlying skills are still in tact makes me more optimistic about a rebound than I typically would be.

 

The bullpen would ideally have one more established frontline guy, but I LOVE the depth. It might take until Memorial Day to figure out which guys really ought to have the last couple spots, but I see big things once they do. And with Strop/Cishek/Carl out there anchoring, I'm not too worried about it being some dumpster fire in the meantime.

 

What I am worried about though is the outfield. I can see a situation where Schwarber's a liability with the glove, Heyward and Almora are liabilities at the plate, and Zobrist and Happ are just plain liabilities. It'll *probably* be fine; Schwarber's probably the guy he was last year and odds are at least two of the others will be worth playing. But if I'm looking for an area where things might go awry that's where my eyes keep going. If only there was someone out there who could flip the outfield from a potential weakness to a big strength.

 

Yeah, the Cubs are fine as long as everything goes right, but the odds of everything going right over a long season aren't great. Since they didn't spend the money or make any trades (yet), we have to hope the semi-injured bounce back, the old-timers stay "young" for another year, and everyone stays healthy.

Well, we're in a decent position to sustain an injury or two. Montgomery did more than fine as a starter last year. The depth guys would be fine as 4/5 starters or injury fill-ins. All five starters are guys who could provide top of the rotation performance, so it's likely at least someone will.

 

There's a fair amount of hoping involved, but they are pitchers. That's true of any pitching staff. Look at Milwaukee and go through the same exercise.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Yeah, the Cubs are fine as long as everything goes right, but the odds of everything going right over a long season aren't great. Since they didn't spend the money or make any trades (yet), we have to hope the semi-injured bounce back, the old-timers stay "young" for another year, and everyone stays healthy.

 

The Cubs won 95 games last year with way more going wrong than right. I’d ask you to pick a new schtick but I know you don’t have it in you to avoid bad faith arguments.