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

[Cubswin11]

I like that this is a focus but these are half measures if we don’t add Bryce

 

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[treebird]

horsefeathers this i’m out

[Sammy Sofa]

Over-focusing on something micro like a "power lefty reliever?"

 

Theo turned into Jim Hendry so slowly I didn't even notice it happening.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I sense people around here are starting to realize maybe all these reports are true.

 

Who still has us getting Bryce?

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Over-focusing on something micro like a "power lefty reliever?"

 

Theo turned into Jim Hendry so slowly I didn't even notice it happening.

 

At least he got us that title before it happened.

[Cubswin11]

I sense people around here are starting to realize maybe all these reports are true.

 

Who still has us getting Bryce?

I’d say there’s still some small chance Theo pulls some magic and gets him. But in all likelihood that’s not the case and we aren’t getting him. I’d say I’m at 98% we aren’t getting him.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Cubswin11

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I realize we have a lot of young hitters, and that some might take a step forward this season after maybe taking a step back recently. But, man, those last two months scare the hell out of me. For that, I really hope we retool at least a bit.

[Cubswin11]

I realize we have a lot of young hitters, and that some might take a step forward this season after maybe taking a step back recently. But, man, those last two months scare the hell out of me. For that, I really hope we retool at least a bit.

It’s all half assed, half measures if we only re-tool to the level of just adding like McCutchen or a similar level player or 2. Like swapping in McCutchen for Happ or Schwarber doesn’t even probably add a win to projections.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I realize we have a lot of young hitters, and that some might take a step forward this season after maybe taking a step back recently. But, man, those last two months scare the hell out of me. For that, I really hope we retool at least a bit.

It’s all half assed, half measures if we only re-tool to the level of just adding like McCutchen or a similar level player or 2. Like swapping in McCutchen for Happ or Schwarber doesn’t even probably add a win to projections.

 

I would be happy with just adding 2016 Dexter Fowler.

[Liam Neeson]

Bryce will be a Cub

 

You would think we were at a Birdman concert with all the handwringing going on

[Cubswin11]

I realize we have a lot of young hitters, and that some might take a step forward this season after maybe taking a step back recently. But, man, those last two months scare the hell out of me. For that, I really hope we retool at least a bit.

It’s all half assed, half measures if we only re-tool to the level of just adding like McCutchen or a similar level player or 2. Like swapping in McCutchen for Happ or Schwarber doesn’t even probably add a win to projections.

 

I would be happy with just adding 2016 Dexter Fowler.

Who is out there that’s adding ~4.5 WAR? Because I don’t see that guy outside of Bryce or Machado.

[17 Seconds]

i still believe

[Sammy Sofa]

What a depressing couple of articles

 

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[javy knows my name]

I'm passing on my season ticket renewal if we don't try to sign Bryce or part ways with Russell by January

[r_mack]

I'm passing on my season ticket renewal if we don't try to sign Bryce or part ways with Russell by January

Someone else will gladly take your place

[javy knows my name]

I'm passing on my season ticket renewal if we don't try to sign Bryce or part ways with Russell by January

Someone else will gladly take your place

 

You don't say

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I'm passing on my season ticket renewal if we don't try to sign Bryce or part ways with Russell by January

Someone else will gladly take your place

 

You don't say

seriously. you. don't say.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There is a part of me that enjoys trying to brainstorm how to optimize the roster given constraints, team building has always been a fun puzzle in that way for me. The Dodgers especially have shown the benefit of not being slave to free agency to find really good production(Turner, Muncy, Hill, etc).

 

That said, even if I'm in that brain, and I promise to not beat this drum for a month, I have a hard time understanding why you bring back Hamels if you're stifled financially. If you successfully bring in Harper(and it's easy to do at the 246 mark without Hamels' contract), then the remaining spots on the roster needing filled(pre-Hamels) are *prime candidates* for the type of outside the box thinking that you'd need for upgrading on the cheap. 5th/6th starter, bullpen arms, backup C, an infielder to play SS, etc. I mean, it's cherry picking, but Anibal Sanchez, Jeremy Hellickson, and old pal Trevor Cahill were league average starters for a combined 4 million and change. Erik Kratz was a minor league signing last offseason, outside of Cozart getting signed to play 3B no SS made 3 million in free agency last year, and we all know how good relievers come and go like the wind regardless of their origin. Harper's productivity gives you the most cost certainty if you're dealing with a limited budget, and he also more easily enables you to make a trade of Happ/Almora too, unlike if you're taking a gamble on Timmy Waiverclaim where you'd like the depth.

 

That's what gets me about the crying poor stuff. If it's true, then you very clearly shouldn't have paid Hamels! So either it's not true, or the front office made a huge blunder on day 1 by means of not optimizing the roster and/or way overestimating Hamels. I'm continuing to think it's the former, at least to the degree that they didn't shoot themselves in the foot on the Harper front and they simply want any Harper suitor to be willing to take on their salary dumps without seeing them as a threat for him. If it's the latter I'll be as upset with the front office as I've been their entire tenure.

[Banedon]

Playing some devil's advocate...

 

The Cubs philosophy since Theo took over has been to develop position players, and to pay for pitching. I wonder if they decided they had to keep doing that? Trust that the guys on the offense that have struggled can play up to their potential, and continue to pay for pitching because you don't have home grown pitching that's trustworthy?

[Sammy Sofa]

Playing some devil's advocate...

 

The Cubs philosophy since Theo took over has been to develop position players, and to pay for pitching. I wonder if they decided they had to keep doing that? Trust that the guys on the offense that have struggled can play up to their potential, and continue to pay for pitching because you don't have home grown pitching that's trustworthy?

 

[The_Achiever]

They paid large money for Heyward and Zobwrist.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Playing some devil's advocate...

 

The Cubs philosophy since Theo took over has been to develop position players, and to pay for pitching. I wonder if they decided they had to keep doing that? Trust that the guys on the offense that have struggled can play up to their potential, and continue to pay for pitching because you don't have home grown pitching that's trustworthy?

 

Heyward, Fowler, and Zobrist are a reasonable counter-argument. For 2019 and 2020 they have more pitching that can potentially help the big league team than bats, too.

[Hunter]

I have to think this is all some ploy. Like TT said, signing Hamels would make no sense if we were money crunched. We obviously would need to move 1-2 outfielders to make room for Harper. Heyward will be really hard to move, and would be even harder to move if someone thought we were going for Harper. Maybe its easier to signal we overspent and need to reduce payroll some than look like big spenders with money burning a hole in their wallet.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Again, the Cubs aren't poor. But there is a huge difference between making two moves to essentially pay Cole Hamels $13 million for one year and signing somebody for $400 million plus over 14.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Again, the Cubs aren't poor. But there is a huge difference between making two moves to essentially pay Cole Hamels $13 million for one year and signing somebody for $400 million plus over 14.

 

"somebody"

 

And that difference is more or less inconsequential unless you think Harper is bad(no) or that MLB and the Cubs in particular are going to see a huge reversal in their revenue. The avenues to effectively use money to improve your team are getting narrower every year, the idea that the 2027 Cubs might be disadvantaged by having Bryce Harper take up a smaller percentage of the payroll than he does today is not a compelling argument.