2019-20 Offseason Rumors/General Chit-Chat

[Tryptamine]

The return for Bryant is reasonable

 

Ew, no even as fun as Adell might be

 

I like Canning quite a lot and he was really good until Skaggs died. After that he fell apart.

[Tryptamine]

I've been on the Starling Marte train for a while and he recently said he'd like to be traded to a contender. I'd love to have him and I bet the cost is lower than Merrifield

[Bertz]

 

Say what you will about each of these guys in a vacuum, I think they're extremely poor fits on the current roster. Get a real SP you can trust to slide into the rotation, or get a someone with minor league options who can be stashed at Iowa. We already have two guys on the roster who we can't quite trust to be either a starter or a short reliever in Mills and Chatwood. Adding a third guy in that vein is good way to end up with the same sort of bullpen problems we had last year.

[Cubswin11]

Alex Wood should just be moved to the bullpen full time (like Pomeranz) I’d have interest in him for that role.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If you got Teheran and Wood for the purposes of piggybacking them, seems like you could conceivably get 225 IP of excellent productivity for far less than it would cost otherwise. If you made sure your other bullpen options could go multiple innings or be optionable, maybe that makes more sense with the extra roster spot and the 3 batter minimum?

[Cubswin11]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/2019-non-tender-candidates-mlb-2019.html

 

Deadline is Monday...some players I'd be interested in if they became available:

 

Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Phillies ($11.8MM)

Jose Peraza, INF, Reds ($3.6MM)

Kevin Pillar, CF, Giants ($9.7MM)

Jurickson Profar, INF, Athletics ($5.8MM)

Travis Shaw, 3B/1B, Brewers ($4.7MM)

Steven Souza Jr., OF, D-backs ($4.125MM)

 

Kevin Gausman, RHP, Reds ($10.6MM)

Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Astros ($5.6MM — Sanchez is recovering from shoulder surgery that’ll sideline him into 2020)

Relievers

 

Adam Conley, LHP, Marlins ($1.6MM)

Blake Treinen, RHP, Athletics ($7.8MM)

Assuming they all hit FA. 1 of Hernandez, Peraza or Profar and 1 of Pillar or JBJ along with Akiyama as a FA (more so if Pillar is added), and Conley, Urena (seems like a prime lab candidate) Or Treinen would be a decent offseason, imo. Akiyama, Pillar and 1 of Hernandez, Peraza or Profar taking Almora’s, Descalso/Kemp, and Russell’s roster spots would be a net positive.

Edited November 30, 2019 by Cubswin11

[Deeg]

So far it's looking like another winter of dumpster diving.

[Cubswin11]

With Peraza only being projected for $3.6 mil we should just send them some lotto ticket minor leaguer and then kick Russell to the curb. Peraza would fit nicely, still only 25/26, played some OF last year on top of MIF, mid-high 80% contact guy, .290/.330/.415 type bat vs LHP.

[Backtobanks]

With Peraza only being projected for $3.6 mil we should just send them some lotto ticket minor leaguer and then kick Russell to the curb. Peraza would fit nicely, still only 25/26, played some OF last year on top of MIF, mid-high 80% contact guy, .290/.330/.415 type bat vs LHP.

 

 

We probably can get Wilmer Flores for less money and no minor leaguer.

[Cubswin11]

With Peraza only being projected for $3.6 mil we should just send them some lotto ticket minor leaguer and then kick Russell to the curb. Peraza would fit nicely, still only 25/26, played some OF last year on top of MIF, mid-high 80% contact guy, .290/.330/.415 type bat vs LHP.

 

 

We probably can get Wilmer Flores for less money and no minor leaguer.

I mean I doubt he’d even take a guy who most people even know is a real prospect in the system, at most he’d take a Mekkes/Underwood/etc type. Peraza was a 2.6 win player a year ago, Flores hasn’t been worth that the last 3 years combined and he’s still going to cost like $2.5 million. But yeah I’d be fine with Flores as the last bench bat type. Probably prefer Hernandez the most to any of these guys but he might be promised more of a starting role than we can offer and I prefer Peraza over Flores.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

More clowning on the Cubs...Omar Navarez is MLBTR's #3 trade candidate this offseason and got this writeup:

 

3. Omar Narvaez, C, Mariners: Narvaez’s glovework isn’t well regarded, but he’s been one of baseball’s better-hitting catchers for the past two seasons (and was a low-power OBP machine even before that). Few catchers can match his offensive skill set, and despite the shaky defensive skills, that bat carries value. The “reimagining” Mariners, however, are reportedly not only listening to offers on Narvaez but somewhat motivated to move him. He’s controlled another three seasons, but with Tom Murphy controlled longer and prospect Cal Raleigh looming in the upper minors, ever-active GM Jerry Dipoto is apparently intent on capitalizing on that team control.

 

Willson Contreras? 23! They even kinda sorta make Contreras' projected $4.5 million as some kind of incentive to move on or a negative, softly of course because it's all about the gentle nudge of guidance:

 

Contreras doesn’t rate as a quality defender behind the plate and is projected to earn a $4.5MM salary in 2020.....Doing so would also be a means of acquiring young, controllable pitching — something the organization lacks — while freeing up some cash to perhaps add a bargain reliever or starter late in the winter.

 

They were ranking those in terms of trade value and trade likelihood. It's quite possible they don't think the Cubs are going to trade him, thus he's much lower on the list.

 

Also, your obsession with people "clowning" the Cubs is interesting.

[Deeg]

I would be stunned if the Brewers non-tendered Knebel but if they do I'd be all over that like white on rice, assuming there's no setback in his recovery.

[Bertz]

According to Rosenthal, the Phillies are very likely to non-tender Cesar Hernandez tomorrow

[Bertz]

 

I don't think he was anyone's Plan A or even Plan B, but still relevant

[Cubswin11]

7 CT is the deadline for tendering contracts tonight, fwiw.

[KingCubsFan]

7 CT is the deadline for tendering contracts tonight, fwiw.

I wonder how Addison is spending his final hours as a Cub.

[Banedon]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Thed Hoyerstein]

7 CT is the deadline for tendering contracts tonight, fwiw.

I wonder how Addison is spending his final hours as a Cub.

 

Even if they did tender him a contract, wouldn't Russell miss where to sign?

[Thed Hoyerstein]

7 CT is the deadline for tendering contracts tonight, fwiw.

I wonder how Addison is spending his final hours as a Cub.

 

Even if they did tender him a contract, wouldn't Russell miss where to sign?

 

I should get demoted for that post

[Transmogrified Tiger]

7 CT is the deadline for tendering contracts tonight, fwiw.

I wonder how Addison is spending his final hours as a Cub.

 

Even if they did tender him a contract, wouldn't Russell miss where to sign?

 

He'd probably let the pen fly out of his hand trying to sign.

[Cubswin11]

Him or Cesar please. I’d be fine with a deal around 3/25 for Hernandez, honestly.

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

What does Peraza provide over in house options? Slightly above average at 2B but below average at SS, right handed, high contact/low power, Almorian walk rate. Feels like if that was a need we would have it covered in Hoerner, especially since Peraza isn't really higher on the certainty spectrum.

[Tryptamine]

Moustakas to the Reds

[Bertz]

[Cubswin11]

What does Peraza provide over in house options? Slightly above average at 2B but below average at SS, right handed, high contact/low power, Almorian walk rate. Feels like if that was a need we would have it covered in Hoerner, especially since Peraza isn't really higher on the certainty spectrum.

Only 25/26, had a 2.6 win year a year ago. Can play SS/2B/OF, hits lefties okay (.290/.330/.410), high contact guy, think he would help with wanting to get towards that and I’d prefer him over Russell/Descalso/Kemp roster spot(s). Depending on the rest of the roster and how much they want to add contact he could even be a Bote/Happ replacement if they’re moved for other stuff.

 

He also could allow to keep Nico down to start the year for service time manipulation/learn CF.