2020 roster

[Backtobanks]

Now that the Rangers are "likely out" of the Donaldson talk, they still need a 3B and SP.

 

How about Bote and Chatwood for Tyler Phillips and Brock Burke?

[WrigleyField 22]

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And it took 25 people to accomplish nothing. Wait until PTR looks at the expense accounts for all of those people with no results.

End of year is only weeks away, maybe projected profits were running a little hot and they wanted one final large expense to write off.

[SouthSideRyan]

I think the most objective reading of the tea leaves right now is that the Rickettses got what they wanted in 2016, and at this point they see the franchise as an ATM and nothing more. If someone wants to read them more positively that's certainly valid - I just don't see it myself.

 

They were always an ATM.

[Sammy Sofa]

I think the most objective reading of the tea leaves right now is that the Rickettses got what they wanted in 2016, and at this point they see the franchise as an ATM and nothing more. If someone wants to read them more positively that's certainly valid - I just don't see it myself.

 

They were always an ATM.

 

[sneakypower]

5 years of 94 win baseball, 4 years in the crapshoot and winning the crapshoot is a C+?

 

Im extemely happy with the last 5 years... where ill be pissed is if they cant resign most or the core after their rookie deals. The tank and the years of cost-controlled assets were supposedly savings designed to allow us to flex our muscle when it came time to pay these guys.

 

They've been in charge more than 5 years.

 

Their actual average is 84-win baseball. Which, given their financial advantages, I think a C+ is plenty generous.

 

So the Astros get a C+ this decade as well? Their losing was even more horrendous. I can take rebuids if they give 5 year stretches like the most recent, the problem is they should not need to rebuild this core already.

they're set up to be an elite team for the foreseeable future, and we're now looking down the barrel at another rebuild

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Astros rotation is currently two 36 year olds, Lance McCullers(who didn't throw a professional inning in 2019 rehabbing TJS), and their 9th and 19th best prospects who combined for an ERA around 4.75 at AAA. I'm sure they'll sign some MiLB FA that they give their special pine tar to in order to make them the new Charlie Morton, but at the moment there are, uh, concerns.

[sneakypower]

and their offensive WAR was 150% that of the #2 offense in the league

[Transmogrified Tiger]

and their offensive WAR was 150% that of the #2 offense in the league

 

They got just under 14 fWAR (!) from Cole and Verlander. Cole is gone and Verlander is a strong bet to be good but less than 6 wins good. No one would say they're gonna suck but given the state of their pitching I wouldn't overstate how surefire their dominance is in 2020 and beyond.

[Cubswin11]

and their offensive WAR was 150% that of the #2 offense in the league

 

They got just under 14 fWAR (!) from Cole and Verlander. Cole is gone and Verlander is a strong bet to be good but less than 6 wins good. No one would say they're gonna suck but given the state of their pitching I wouldn't overstate how surefire their dominance is in 2020 and beyond.

They also got just the 2nd season in 5-7 years out of Brantley where he played more than 90 games. It’s probably more likely he plays in closer to 100 games than 140 games again this year, Alvarez was awesome for like 70 games and he might not be THAT good over a full season, etc.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Cubswin11

[David]

and their offensive WAR was 150% that of the #2 offense in the league

 

what happens when they don't know what pitch is coming

[Transmogrified Tiger]

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I thought the MLB minimum had gotten higher than 575k

 

edit: it was 555k in 2019

[Cubswin11]

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I thought the MLB minimum had gotten higher than 575k

 

edit: it was 555k in 2019

Looks like this years Johnny Field signing for minor league OF depth, more or less.

[Wrigley Rat]

Noel Cuevas will make $575K if he makes it to the major league roster. Although his numbers don't look very special, there are a few reasons he might be worth a contract:

- Mexican Winter League: .371 average in 28 games.

- When he bats 9th in the order: 37 PA 351/351/514/865

- Batting at Wrigley Field: 6 PA 833/833/833/1667

- Pinch Hitting: 28 PA 286/310/393/703

- Similarly effective vs. LHPs and RHPs

[Cubswin11]

Yasiel Puig finished 2019 with a .377 OBP for the Indians over 200+ PAs, put up a .357 OBP / .791 OPS against LHP, is only 29 during the 2020 season...Should the Cubs be interested in him at say 1 year / $10-12 million?

 

This seems like it could make for a good OF depth chart:

 

RF: Puig / Heyward / Bryant / Happ

CF: Heyward / Happ / Bryant /Puig

LF: Schwarber / Happ / Puig / Bryant

 

Happ's the main backup at all 3 spots really but is also free to play the infield still, so there's actually more ways to get him PAs than less without actually starting him. They can build a pretty monstrous lineup against LHP with a Bryant - Happ - Puig OF and Baez, Contreras, and Bote starting in the infield...Isn't he like one of those good dudes they tried to make a bad dude but he got past it? Or has he done some criminal stuff?

Puig would be interesting, no idea what he'd cost. I'd assume Garcia's 2/20 that he just signed will be the minimum. Puig has oddly been significantly better vs RHP than LHP for his career, 130 wRC+ vs RHP 109 vs LHP, but it could be some batted ball stuff as he walks more and Ks less vs LHP. It would be nice if he could handle CF a bit but if we shift better, Heyward in CF and him in RF can probably net some positive results. As far as I'm aware he's never done anything bad, bad off the field or anything. It's always been team disciplinary stuff with showing up late to things, skipping things, disagreements/fighting with coaching about things, etc. type deals. Also if I recall some Dodgers didn't have the greatest things to say once he left but who knows, would have to trust you could do enough back checking with former teams/players/coaches to figure out if he's really an issue or not.

[Deeg]

Unless Puig is willing to sign for the minimum plus a box of Papa John's and Walgreen's coupons, he's too rich for our blood anyway.

[Backtobanks]

Unless Puig is willing to sign for the minimum plus a box of Papa John's and Walgreen's coupons, he's too rich for our blood anyway.

 

Not after you trade Bryant, Quintana, Chatwood, and Darvish.

[Sammy Sofa]

My god, signing Puig would be like injecting a ray of desperately needed sunshine right into my heart at this point. Yes, please.

[jersey cubs fan]

Puig might be be able to handle the smaller CFs like Wrigley alright enough? Running a kind of jumbo package OF with Schwarber - Puig - Heyward for the hell of it seems like it could be fun when they play tanking teams or during soft parts of the schedule

 

They don't typically do intrasquad games during the season.

[minnesotacubsfan]

My god, signing Puig would be like injecting a ray of desperately needed sunshine right into my heart at this point. Yes, please.

 

 

 

Shall we say; Puigshine

[Cubswin11]

He was 26/27 but slashed .269/.351/.449 in AAA last year with a 10% BB rate, 18% K rate, 11 dongs, 30 2Bs and 29 steals. AAAA guy basically but some speed and D, 160 steals and only 24 CS last 4 years. Steamer projects him for a 65 wRC+ this year, which is 1 better than Almora last year.