2018-19 Offseason Rumors

[Brian]

hot take alert: if the Cubs had an equivalent offseason as the Dodgers this place would be at like 10x it's current meltdown.

[Proven Veteran]

hot take alert: if the Cubs had an equivalent offseason as the Dodgers this place would be at like 10x it's current meltdown.

Yeah, probably true. Still time for them to fix it with Harper, Realmuto, and Kluber.

[Cubswin11]

The Padres are allegedly in on Machado

[Bluescale]

The Padres are allegedly in on Machado

 

Wait...what?!

[Brian]

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[Deeg]

If anything this shows what lap dogs Cub fans are comparatively, as the Dodgers have done way more to help themselves than we have.

[Tim]

If anything this shows what lap dogs Cub fans are comparatively, as the Dodgers have done way more to help themselves than we have.

Let's see:

 

Out:

 

Wood

Machado

Puig

Grandal

Madsen

 

In:

Pollock

Kelly

 

 

I'm gonna have to disagree with you there, sparky.

[Tim]

Some details I didn't remember off the top of my head:

 

1/26/2019 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent CF A.J. Pollock.

1/17/2019 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Huei-Sheng Lin to a minor league contract.

1/11/2019 Los Angeles Dodgers traded RHP Andrew Sopko and SS Ronny Brito to Toronto Blue Jays for cash and C Russell Martin.

1/8/2019 Tampa Bay Rays traded RHP Jaime Schultz to Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP Caleb Sampen.

1/3/2019 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Markus Solbach to a minor league contract.

12/21/2018 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Joe Kelly.

12/21/2018 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent SS Joel Ibarra to a minor league contract.

12/21/2018 Los Angeles Dodgers traded RF Yasiel Puig, LF Matt Kemp, LHP Alex Wood, C Kyle Farmer and cash to Cincinnati Reds for RHP Homer Bailey, SS Jeter Downs and RHP Josiah Gray.

12/16/2018 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Eric Carter to a minor league contract.

12/14/2018 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Daniel Corcino to a minor league contract.

 

The player of most significance coming in that I believe I missed hit .194/.338/.325 last year. I also missed Kemp leaving, who hit (an unsustainable) .290/.338/.481

[Brian]

Don't forget Russell Martin (edit: got it while I was typing)

 

I am not defending the Cubs offseason, but the pass it's getting and even envy of the Dodgers one here is puzzling.

[Deeg]

I would take the guys the Dodgers brought in over the ones they shipped out, absolutely - especially considering how much payroll they saved. Hell, Jeter Downs is probably going to be the best player in the Reds deal, especially considering Puig is in a FA year.

[Tim]

I would take the guys the Dodgers brought in over the ones they shipped out, absolutely - especially considering how much payroll they saved. Hell, Jeter Downs is probably going to be the best player in the Reds deal, especially considering Puig is in a FA year.

Payroll saved is only important if you use it to improve the team.

[Brian]

It's almost February and a large market team that won 3 World Series this decade needs 2-3 outfielders.

 

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[Sammy Sofa]

It's almost February and a large market team that won 3 World Series this decade needs 2-3 outfielders.

 

Cubs in the same boat and only got the one. AH-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

[Brian]

Their outfielders (5 on the 40 man) have 20 career home runs.

[Sammy Sofa]

OK, now that's pretty brutal.

[Derwood]

Did Hunter Pence finally die of weirdness?

[Brian]

Maybe one of these guys is an uber prospect, but they seem like a who's who of made up guys

 

Steven Duggar

Drew Ferguson

Chris Shaw

Austin Slater

Mac Williamson

[Brian]

Did Hunter Pence finally die of weirdness?

 

one of the 8,000 free agents

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Did Hunter Pence finally die of weirdness?

 

He heard teams were dumpster diving and immediately retired so he could join a front office.

[Post Count Padder]

Yeah the Giants have had a laughably bad outfield for a couple years now. Last offseason they finally tried to address it by trading for McCutchen. That's about all they've done. They gave 800 PA to Gorkys Hernandez the last two years.

[The_Achiever]

Yeah the Giants have had a laughably bad outfield for a couple years now. Last offseason they finally tried to address it by trading for McCutchen. That's about all they've done. They gave 800 PA to Gorkys Hernandez the last two years.

 

I'd think rangy and young OF Jason Heyward would look great running down balls in that huge outfield.

 

(except that one time last year that ball hit off his head and he got injured or whatever.....)

[Bertz]

Yeah the Giants have had a laughably bad outfield for a couple years now. Last offseason they finally tried to address it by trading for McCutchen. That's about all they've done. They gave 800 PA to Gorkys Hernandez the last two years.

 

I'd think rangy and young OF Jason Heyward would look great running down balls in that huge outfield.

 

(except that one time last year that ball hit off his head and he got injured or whatever.....)

 

If you trust Ian Happ as the backup CF, Heyward for Cueto makes a ton of sense for both teams (Cubs would likely need to pay down Heyward's salary a bit in 22/23).

[Cubswin11]

Almora, Kintzler Or Duensing and a prospect for Will Smith and sign Maybin or Austin Jackson. Edited January 29, 2019 by Cubswin11

[Cubswin11]

Yeah the Giants have had a laughably bad outfield for a couple years now. Last offseason they finally tried to address it by trading for McCutchen. That's about all they've done. They gave 800 PA to Gorkys Hernandez the last two years.

 

I'd think rangy and young OF Jason Heyward would look great running down balls in that huge outfield.

 

(except that one time last year that ball hit off his head and he got injured or whatever.....)

 

If you trust Ian Happ as the backup CF, Heyward for Cueto makes a ton of sense for both teams (Cubs would likely need to pay down Heyward's salary a bit in 22/23).

I’d only do that trade if the savings led to Bryce. But agree that swap makes some sense. Let Cueto rehab all year and he’s a rotation option over the next 2-3 years as guys become FA’s. I trust Happ in CF but wouldn’t love the OF going in to the year if it was just that trade and no Bryce or any other FA OF added.

[Bertz]

 

I'd think rangy and young OF Jason Heyward would look great running down balls in that huge outfield.

 

(except that one time last year that ball hit off his head and he got injured or whatever.....)

 

If you trust Ian Happ as the backup CF, Heyward for Cueto makes a ton of sense for both teams (Cubs would likely need to pay down Heyward's salary a bit in 22/23).

I’d only do that trade if the savings led to Bryce. But agree that swap makes some sense. Let Cueto rehab all year and he’s a rotation option over the next 2-3 years as guys become FA’s. I trust Happ in CF but wouldn’t love the OF going in to the year if it was just that trade and no Bryce or any other FA OF added.

 

With that trade specifically, it's mostly that it effectively shortens how long you have that $20m/year albatross as round your neck. And like you said helps out the pitching depth in 20/21. But given LT considerations for both teams, I doubt either one throws in more than a couple million for 2019. So I think it's a deal that is only likely in a no Bryce scenario.

 

But yeah we'd need to add an OF. I'd guess like ~3m on like Adam Jones, Cam Maybin, or Curtis Granderson, depending one what skillset you're looking to have added to the bench.