2019-20 Offseason Rumors/General Chit-Chat

[Bryants Disco Ball]

 

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.

 

What I'm saying is that the willingness to mention the Cubs as a suitor for Arenado is the media's way of saying Bryant isn't being traded without having to let go of the storyline during the offseason

 

I still like the Rays for Contreras...Love me some Josh Lowe now, feel like he'd be a target, and am totally willing to take on Zunino with some hopes the Hitting Lab can unlock his bat (along with improved health and a bench role)...Would expect more beyond those two obvy

 

Are you saying you don't think the Cubs have entertained trading KB and/or haven't had any discussions with other teams and it's just been a made up narrative by the media?

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Are you saying you don't think the Cubs have entertained trading KB and/or haven't had any discussions with other teams and it's just been a made up narrative by the media?

 

Neither one of those

 

What are you saying?

[Clem Fandango]

The White Sox gave Luis Robert a $50 million extension.

[ChiCubsFan]

I like these moves. Between Eloy and Robert, they’ve committed $100M. Very likely they get at least that much value in return, with a high probability of getting value that far exceeds that amount.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

 

Neither one of those

 

What are you saying?

 

In this case that the media didn't make up a narrative so much as ran with the most click-baity one available and the Cubs both entertained and discussed trading Kris Bryant with other teams

 

OK, fair. I do disagree with this though: What I'm saying is that the willingness to mention the Cubs as a suitor for Arenado is the media's way of saying Bryant isn't being traded without having to let go of the storyline during the offseason.

 

There is no reason to "let go" of that storyline. Whether it happens or not will depend on several factors, but there is no reason to think he still can't be traded.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I like these moves. Between Eloy and Robert, they’ve committed $100M. Very likely they get at least that much value in return, with a high probability of getting value that far exceeds that amount.

 

I still think I'd rather go cheap for three years and see what I have, but the rewards certainly can be worth the risk.

[ChiCubsFan]

I like these moves. Between Eloy and Robert, they’ve committed $100M. Very likely they get at least that much value in return, with a high probability of getting value that far exceeds that amount.

 

I still think I'd rather go cheap for three years and see what I have, but the rewards certainly can be worth the risk.

 

I don’t disagree. I think the more of these you can pull off (with prospects that actually warrant it) the more you can minimize your risk. For example, had the Cubs done it with all their top prospects, the hit on KB and Javy would have more than made up for the miss on Russell, for example. Hard to say that though since there’s no way Boras would have ever allowed KB to agree to such a thing

[CyHawk_Cub]

 

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.

 

[Cubswin11]

Well take them off the board for a Willy trade

 

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[Cubswin11]

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[Regular Show]

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That's pretty good lol.

[dfnowak]

 

Since the Cubs won't spend any money, what the hell is their bullpen going to look like? Kimbrel, Wick, Wieck, Ryan, Maples, Norwood, Winkler??? Should be a fun year...

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

Since the Cubs won't spend any money, what the hell is their bullpen going to look like? Kimbrel, Wick, Wieck, Ryan, Maples, Norwood, Winkler??? Should be a fun year...

 

Tepera, Megill, and Morrow(if healthy) are likely to be ahead of Maples and Norwood on the pecking order, but that's likely the base group. Of all the things to be upset about, the bullpen looks pretty fine given the nature of bullpens.

[Bertz]

 

Since the Cubs won't spend any money, what the hell is their bullpen going to look like? Kimbrel, Wick, Wieck, Ryan, Maples, Norwood, Winkler??? Should be a fun year...

 

Tepera, Megill, and Morrow(if healthy) are likely to be ahead of Maples and Norwood on the pecking order, but that's likely the base group. Of all the things to be upset about, the bullpen looks pretty fine given the nature of bullpens.

 

Yeah, I wish there was one more established guy, but I like the idea of having ~15 guys with minor league options and/or making the league minimum competing for 6 spots. I expect good things out of the pen this year, even if it might be a little dicey in April.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Oh, that list is also missing Chatwood, who I understand if you consider him temporarily holding the 5 starter slot, but in all likelihood is destined for the pen after someone leapfrogs him(trade acquisition, Cotton, Alzolay, etc).

[CyHawk_Cub]

Yeah, lots of of bullpen depth if nothing else going into ST. I just hope the evaluation process is quick. Watching the pen get bombed so much early on, then seeing Wick come up late in the year doing his thing made me think "what if" a couple times.

[Cubswin11]

Yeah, lots of of bullpen depth if nothing else going into ST. I just hope the evaluation process is quick. Watching the pen get bombed so much early on, then seeing Wick come up late in the year doing his thing made me think "what if" a couple times.

Seeing as they don’t have as many guys on major league salaries and out of options as last year I think they’ll be far more aggressive with shuffling through guys in season if performance dictates it.

[Cubswin11]

 

[Bertz]

Signing Starlin Castro is the type of move a team about to trade Carter Kieboom would do. But it's also a move a team whose top reserve infielder is Wilmer Difo would do, so I don't know that there are actually any Cubs implications we can correctly parse.

[Cubswin11]

Signing Starlin Castro is the type of move a team about to trade Carter Kieboom would do. But it's also a move a team whose top reserve infielder is Wilmer Difo would do, so I don't know that there are actually any Cubs implications we can correctly parse.

Good point in Kieboom, there could be some dot connecting there. They also re-signed Howie. So him and Starlin are their backup/2B options.

[Cubswin11]

How does signing a 30 YO Starlin Castro signal that a team is getting ready to trade their top infield prospect given how teams operate these days? Castro's been a 1-2 WAR guy for half a decade now

Because they’re using their top IF prospect to get more certainty in a 4-5+ win KB and still need to backfill depth on the infield. I think it’s some reasonable dot connecting.

[Backtobanks]

How does signing a 30 YO Starlin Castro signal that a team is getting ready to trade their top infield prospect given how teams operate these days? Castro's been a 1-2 WAR guy for half a decade now

Because they’re using their top IF prospect to get more certainty in a 4-5+ win KB and still need to backfill depth on the infield. I think it’s some reasonable dot connecting.

 

I think the only thing it signals is that other teams are trying to fill holes while the Cubs continue to wait on a KB decision.

[David]

Because they’re using their top IF prospect to get more certainty in a 4-5+ win KB and still need to backfill depth on the infield. I think it’s some reasonable dot connecting.

 

Ah, so basically just a thing that got said to force more Kris Bryant trade talk...My bad, you two do your thing on that one

 

i'm with you here

[minnesotacubsfan]

Signing Starlin Castro is the type of move a team like the Cubs should do.

[jersey cubs fan]

Signing Starlin Castro is the type of move a team like the Cubs should do.