2019-20 Offseason Rumors/General Chit-Chat

[David]

I was going to post this in the Shogo thread but it was unceremoniously locked..

 

 

lol

 

why the hell is someone who posts like 10 times a year randomly locking up threads anyway

[Bertz]

Sharma has a good article in the Athletic this morning about his predictions for 2020. A lot of good stuff but these two things stood out:

 

According to those with knowledge of the situation, the lack of movement is tied more to Josh Donaldson remaining on the market than the result of Kris Bryant’s service-time grievance.

 

Sources indicate that the Nationals may be ready to make a run at trading for Bryant, but those could also be signals to push Donaldson to make a decision sooner than later. The Cubs would likely ask for center fielder Victor Robles as a centerpiece in any deal, which would surely give Washington pause. Atlanta has a stacked farm system and prospect depth in both center field and starting pitching. No, fans won’t be satiated, but if the Cubs can add some young pitching or a center fielder in the process (preferably both) then perhaps, in the long run, the move won’t look terrible.

[Post Count Padder]

The Twins have seemingly pulled off a fascinating New Year’s Eve double-strike. Hurlers Rich Hill and Homer Bailey are each in agreement on contracts with the Minnesota organization, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic (Twitter link).

 

Solid depth signings for the Twins. Also how is Homer Bailey only 33?

[Cubswin11]

I was going to post this in the Shogo thread but it was unceremoniously locked..

 

 

lol

Either of those are rather, um, optimistic. Wow. That’s a 4-5+ win player and top ~5 CF in MLB. If the defense and base running graded out positively that’s borderline Acuna value from last year. Which yeah I’ll take the under.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I’ve never heard of that guy but it looks like he’s a fantasy writer, and that looks like the projections you see during an ESPN draft, where every player is about to have a career year.

[Splendid Splinter]

I was going to post this in the Shogo thread but it was unceremoniously locked..

 

 

lol

Either of those are rather, um, optimistic. Wow. That’s a 4-5+ win player and top ~5 CF in MLB. If the defense and base running graded out positively that’s borderline Acuna value from last year. Which yeah I’ll take the under.

 

Yeah... that's basically Ohtani the past 2 years with less SLG although he did this in ~100 games each season.

[Cubswin11]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

[Bear Cub]

Asuaje? I must be dreaming or drunk!

[Andy]

Asuaje? I must be dreaming or drunk!

[Bertz]

It sounds like the plan for Asuaje would be more as the Iowa 2B, via Sharma:

 

Asuaje fits the Cubs — he’s a left-handed contact hitter (81.7 percent contact rate for his career) who they can pair with Nico Hoerner at second base. Adding Asuaje would hardly be a panacea to what ails the Cubs, his addition would merely be another buy-low option and a player who would provide quality depth in Triple-A. But that’s where the Cubs are at the moment.

 

That being said I'm still not exactly expecting a world-beater at the major league level. Probably a Joe Panik?

[Backtobanks]

I don't see them adding a 7th+ guy to the 2B/MIF depth chart if Asuaje is picked up unless there's guy who breaks the nonsense cycle *cough*Lindor*cough*

 

For a team with no money, they sure have wasted money on all of these ridiculous signings.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

For a team with no money, they sure have wasted money on all of these ridiculous signings.

 

They've spent maaaaaaybe $6-7 million give or take on like a dozen players and most of that is non-guaranteed. It's not wasted in a few ways: so much $/WAR potential, more MiL options, and all that non-guaranteed money helps build towards a more NFL-like future for players. Theo attacking on all fronts for the bosses! He's not quite Andrew Friedman, not sure anyone even has a shot to be, but Theo might be finding his footing as a broke young GMident just trying to make it under the bright lights of the big city

 

Please do not take this as some sort of attack, but a legit question: How do you have fewer than 8,000 posts in five years?

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Please do not take this as some sort of attack, but a legit question: How do you have fewer than 8,000 posts in five years?

 

Probably posted less often than you'd think based on this offseason :dontknow:

 

TBF, I'd have like 1500 fewer posts without getting sidetracked!

[mul21]

For a team with no money, they sure have wasted money on all of these ridiculous signings.

 

They've spent maaaaaaybe $6-7 million give or take on like a dozen players and most of that is non-guaranteed. It's not wasted in a few ways: so much $/WAR potential, more MiL options, and all that non-guaranteed money helps build towards a more NFL-like future for players. Theo attacking on all fronts for the bosses! He's not quite Andrew Friedman, not sure anyone even has a shot to be, but Theo might be finding his footing as a broke young GMident just trying to make it under the bright lights of the big city

 

Please do not take this as some sort of attack, but a legit question: How do you have fewer than 8,000 posts in five years?

 

This is also like his 3rd different account.

[Cubswin11]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

The Cubs also loom as a possible suitor, especially if they trade former National League MVP Kris Bryant in a move to obtain young pitching.

 

Seems unlikely just because it would take a series of trades to line up to make it happen or the vaunted 3-way trade with KB going somewhere and Arenado coming in.

[David]

 

Please do not take this as some sort of attack, but a legit question: How do you have fewer than 8,000 posts in five years?

 

This is also like his 3rd different account.

 

*2nd and like 3-5 years apart

 

Round and round also also case in point

 

Senor Gato, KingKongvs.Godzilla, and probably SomeGuy

[UMFan83]

Probably a bad offseason to try to trade your elite 3B when Rendon, Donaldson and Arenado were also available

[Cubswin11]

Probably a bad offseason to try to trade your elite 3B when Rendon, Donaldson and Arenado were also available

I bet KB is more valuable and in demand than Arenado given the contracts.

[Post Count Padder]

Kevin Plawecki got a major league contract from Boston, and Chirinos is apparently close to signing. If we're trading Wily (I don't want to), we're probably doing it soon, with more catchers off the board.

[Cubswin11]

The Cubs also loom as a possible suitor, especially if they trade former National League MVP Kris Bryant in a move to obtain young pitching.

 

Seems unlikely just because it would take a series of trades to line up to make it happen or the vaunted 3-way trade with KB going somewhere and Arenado coming in.

 

So basically they're not trading Bryant...Could have told you this in June 2013....How many days until ST?

No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’d still lean we are trading Bryant in the next 45-60 days. I think trading KB and then trading for Arenado seems rather far fetched/a lot of moving parts and things lining up for that to happen. I see that being very unlikely.

[Bertz]

Kevin Plawecki got a major league contract from Boston, and Chirinos is apparently close to signing. If we're trading Wily (I don't want to), we're probably doing it soon, with more catchers off the board.

 

Weirdly Jason Castro is still out there. Back before we found out the team was crying poor I thought he was a great option to be Willson's backfill. That's still possible, and I also wouldn't hate Russell Martin. But those are the last two names available that don't make me want to hurl.

 

But there hasn't been a peep about Willson being traded since the winter meetings. I wonder if it's been back burnered until KB gets dealt, or if they've decided to hold onto him. The team brought in that highly regarded catching coach so maybe they've convinced themselves that they can fix his framing?

[Cubswin11]

Kevin Plawecki got a major league contract from Boston, and Chirinos is apparently close to signing. If we're trading Wily (I don't want to), we're probably doing it soon, with more catchers off the board.

 

Weirdly Jason Castro is still out there. Back before we found out the team was crying poor I thought he was a great option to be Willson's backfill. That's still possible, and I also wouldn't hate Russell Martin. But those are the last two names available that don't make me want to hurl.

 

But there hasn't been a peep about Willson being traded since the winter meetings. I wonder if it's been back burnered until KB gets dealt, or if they've decided to hold onto him. The team brought in that highly regarded catching coach so maybe they've convinced themselves that they can fix his framing?

Who are even teams that need a catcher yet that would be in on Willy or grab Castro/Martin? Angels, Padres, Twins and Rays? Can’t really think of others. I’m sure a bad team like the Mariners or Tigers or something may be in on one of the FA guys too just to have a vet and maybe flip them or something.

[Bertz]

Kevin Plawecki got a major league contract from Boston, and Chirinos is apparently close to signing. If we're trading Wily (I don't want to), we're probably doing it soon, with more catchers off the board.

 

Weirdly Jason Castro is still out there. Back before we found out the team was crying poor I thought he was a great option to be Willson's backfill. That's still possible, and I also wouldn't hate Russell Martin. But those are the last two names available that don't make me want to hurl.

 

But there hasn't been a peep about Willson being traded since the winter meetings. I wonder if it's been back burnered until KB gets dealt, or if they've decided to hold onto him. The team brought in that highly regarded catching coach so maybe they've convinced themselves that they can fix his framing?

Who are even teams that need a catcher yet that would be in on Willy or grab Castro/Martin? Angels, Padres, Twins and Rays? Can’t really think of others. I’m sure a bad team like the Mariners or Tigers or something may be in on one of the FA guys too just to have a vet and maybe flip them or something.

 

Sounds like the Twins are really happy with Garver, so yeah I think the Angels, Rockies, Rangers, Rays, and a few rebuilding teams. The Padres sound like they want to flip Hedges for another need, so to your point they should be included in the discussion even if they don't technically need one at the moment.

[Backtobanks]

 

The Cubs also loom as a possible suitor, especially if they trade former National League MVP Kris Bryant in a move to obtain young pitching.

 

Seems unlikely just because it would take a series of trades to line up to make it happen or the vaunted 3-way trade with KB going somewhere and Arenado coming in.

 

This is really a stupid comment by Morosi. How can adding $35 million to the Cubs payroll (even after trading KB make any sense unless they have deals set for trading Heyward, Darvish, Chatwood, and Kimbrel too?