2019-20 Offseason Rumors/General Chit-Chat

[Bertz]

There are enough 2B candidates that we can be REALLY picky. Like just quickly perusing the FA list I see

 

Solid 2B Options:

- Cesar Hernandez

- Jonathan Villar

- Howie Kendrick

- Brock Holt

- Scooter Gennett

 

Less Solid 2B Options

- Eric Sogard

- Brian Dozier

- Jonathan Schoop

- Yolmer Sanchez

- Jose Peraza

 

3B Options who at one point were and may or may not still be 2B Options:

- Jed Gyorko

- Wilmer Flores

- Brad Miller

- Asdrubal Cabrera

 

Trade Options:

- Whit Merrifield

- Adam Frazier

 

And that's not even counting a few Joe Panik/Logan Forsythe types who would be in a tier below the "less solid" guys but who might be acceptable in a platoon arrangement. It's a definite situation where you place a value on each guy, and that's your line in the sand.

[Cubswin11]

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 moves for other stuff.

 

Random question, but is there any reason you ignore OBP when talking about improving contact rates? Asking because you seem to really value contact this offseason but alot of the individuals that fit into this are terrible OBP guys and OBP is so much more valuable

A career .312 OBP isn’t horrible. Especially when that’s not the skill he’s coming in for. I agree OBP is more important, but we were dead last in contact rate last year. Theo himself has said that’s an issue and needs to be addressed. So while yes it would be great to just add Rendon who has world class contact and OBP, that ain’t happening. Most of these contact guys are gonna have trade offs that we gain contact but lose something(s). Which is fine to me, the offense is too 1 dimensional and needs some diversification in the profile with adding contact and most of these adds I’ve suggested are like the last 1-2 bench spots. We’re talking about replacing Descalo’s/Almora/Kemp/Cargo wasted space types from last year to add a guy who brings a tool we lack (Peraza, Duffy, Brock Holt, etc).

 

But this also gets back to my main target for all this since the offseason began, Cesar Hernandez, he brings the contact (80%+) and OBP (.350+ for career). Just add him because he’s the most complete of these contact type targets with the whole offensive profile.

[Sammy Sofa]

A career .312 OBP isn’t horrible.

 

It's certainly not good.

Edited December 2, 2019 by Sammy Sofa

[Tryptamine]

There are enough 2B candidates that we can be REALLY picky. Like just quickly perusing the FA list I see

 

Solid 2B Options:

- Cesar Hernandez

- Jonathan Villar

- Howie Kendrick

- Brock Holt

- Scooter Gennett

 

Less Solid 2B Options

- Eric Sogard

- Brian Dozier

- Jonathan Schoop

- Yolmer Sanchez

- Jose Peraza

 

3B Options who at one point were and may or may not still be 2B Options:

- Jed Gyorko

- Wilmer Flores

- Brad Miller

- Asdrubal Cabrera

 

Trade Options:

- Whit Merrifield

- Adam Frazier

 

And that's not even counting a few Joe Panik/Logan Forsythe types who would be in a tier below the "less solid" guys but who might be acceptable in a platoon arrangement. It's a definite situation where you place a value on each guy, and that's your line in the sand.

 

I don't see him listed, but I've mentioned Kipnis before as a guy I'd like to take a chance on.

[Tryptamine]

Would love to take a chance on the nontendered Aaron Sanchez.

[Cubswin11]

A career .312 OBP isn’t horrible. Especially when that’s not the skill he’s coming in for. I agree OBP is more important, but we were dead last in contact rate last year. Theo himself has said that’s an issue and needs to be addressed. So while yes it would be great to just add Rendon who has world class contact and OBP, that ain’t happening. Most of these contact guys are gonna have trade offs to add that with lacking something(s). Which is fine to me, the offense is too 1 dimensional and needs some diversification in the profile with adding contact and most of these adds I’ve suggested are like the last 1-2 bench spots. We’re talking about replacing Descalo’s/Almora/Kemp/Cargo wasted space types from last year to add a guy who brings a tool we lack (Peraza, Duffy, Brock Holt, etc).

 

But this also gets back to my main target for all this since the offseason began, Cesar Hernandez, he brings the contact (80%+) and OBP (.350+ for career). Just add him because he’s the most complete of these contact type targets with the whole offensive profile.

 

- .312 is a a bad OBP made worse because it's tied to a NT'd player being given a contract from a crying poor WS contender to, I assume, start

- Theo himself said, this offseason and in that same interview, that he wants the Cubs to lead the league in OBP, IIRC he might even have added year in and year out. I don't see this guy sacrificing that goal just to make more contact for the sake of making more contact

- They don't need Rendon to not hand starting jobs and using their supposedly limited $s and trade pieces to add low OBP players and starters

- Hernandez has his own problems - clearly a player on the downside of his prime best evidenced by his big declines in distance and EV - not a guy I think Cubs fans should see as a solution

 

Personally, any player whose best offensive skill is said to be contact and can't put up a league average OBP (or be Javier Baez) has a ceiling of reserve for this team barring really really low years or desperate situations. I don't think this roster is desperate anywhere, even at weaker spots like CF/OF, 2B, and P but do believe the urgency to get better should finally lead to something a little more meaningful than a Hernandez/Peraza headlined offseason

Other than Hernandez none of these guys I’m viewing as everyday starters. Especially with 13 position players this year on the active roster. These are guys to take the roles of the garbage we had last year in Descalso/Kemp/Almora/Russell/etc. The core offense still has the OBP and other aspects that is more valuable but adding/prioritizing contact for the last best bench spot or two is smart to me seeing as we were dead last in it and were still plenty fine in OBP last year. We’re still going to be a plenty good team by OBP this year, adding a guy who can be contacty off the bench/spot starts would be nice to have. The last bench adds are gonna have warts, it’s why they’re bench players. Making sure that one or two can help improve a weakness is something I want to see. The pieces of of the puzzle haven’t fit together with the offense last two years, part of that is because the offense is redundant and lacks complimentary pieces. Adding some contact can or could fix it.

[Cubswin11]

Other than Hernandez none of these guys I’m viewing as everyday starters. Especially with 13 position players this year on the active roster. These are guys to take the roles of the garbage we had last year in Descalso/Kemp/Almora/Russell/etc. The core offense still has the OBP and other aspects that is more valuable but adding/prioritizing contact for the last best bench spot or two is smart to me seeing as we were dead last in it and were still plenty fine in OBP last year. We’re still going to be a plenty good team by OBP this year, adding a guy who can be contacty off the bench/spot starts would be nice to have. The last bench adds are gonna have warts, it’s why they’re bench players. Making sure that one or two can help improve a weakness is something I want to see. The pieces of of the puzzle haven’t fit together with the offense last two years, part of that is because the offense is redundant and lacks complimentary pieces. Adding some contact can or could fix it.

 

?? They finished 8th with a stated goal of finishing first, behind pretty much every team already considered better and only a couple ticks better than teams like the Brewers and Mets. 2 of their 5 highest OBPs in 2019 came from guys who are currently FAs

 

While I agree the team could make more contact and play better defense, for sure those are places they can improve, I don't think guys like Hernandez or Peraza move the needle or even do anything Hoerner or even a sunshine-y outlook for Almora can't be hoped to do without going through the trouble of pursuing them in FA

So you just want to roll it back with the same core who’s fallen short the last 2 years and “broke?” We aren’t swapping out every guy for Betts or Lindor. We have to look on the margins for the improvement if the core is staying around. I don’t know how you look at Hernandez and don’t see him as a upgrade over any of the trash filtered through last year at the back end of the bench. Hernandez OBP last year would’ve been top ~8 on the team and his career OBP would’ve been top ~5 on top of the very good contact rates.

[Bertz]

 

Perfect bat-first type for the bench with the new extra roster spot

[Tryptamine]

Taijuan Walker nontendered and another guy I'd be all over.

[Cubswin11]

So you just want to roll it back with the same core who’s fallen short the last 2 years and “broke?” We aren’t swapping out every guy for Betts or Lindor. We have to look on the margins for the improvement if the core is staying around. I don’t know how you look at Hernandez and don’t see him as a upgrade over any of the trash filtered through last year at the back end of the bench. Hernandez OBP last year would’ve been top ~8 on the team and his career OBP would’ve been top ~5 on top of the very good contact rates.

 

I want good hitters who get on base and hit with power more than I want to add more slap hitters for the sake of having more of them. It's a very 2000's Cubs strategy to focus on one faddish/lower value stat over OBP. Yes contact is an area the team can and should improve, but not at the risk of probably getting worse. I just don't see how players described as ideal pickups like Hernandez, Peraza, or even Merrifield move the needle and/or fix what's broke, and these guys aren't even suggested as ultra cheap pickups but multi-year additions. If the options are prioritizing that tier of player over outright upgrades then yeah, I'm down to see the Cubs get walloped running the same core back. Fingers crossed the ignored stuff the FO and ownership has said to open the offseason plays more of a role than what's been allowed to be repeated so far there

 

As far as Hernandez...He just posted his lowest OBP since 2015, his BB:K collapsed to a distant career worst, he doesn't hit the ball hard or far, he isn't a premier defender, he might be pursuing a starter's contract, he's turning 30, and he just got dumped by the Phillies...Honestly not sure how you can look at the total package and deem this guy a clear upgrade for 2020. Honest hot take is that alot of the names you mentioned are meant to fix 2019's problems when 2019's already in the rearview, guys like Hernandez and Merrifield or even Peraza would have been way more interesting last offseason v this one

That’s a fair take. I don’t entirely disagree. Just after last offseason’s disappointments I’m trying to align myself with the thinking that FO is likely to take and likely moves they’ll make vs the moves I know need to be made. If some actual good things happen it will be a nice surprise, but I’m not getting my hopes up for more than some Hernandez, Akiyama, Pillar type moves. Adding contact is probably the best way to reshuffle the deck if they’re letting this core play it out.

[Cubswin11]

Souza would be intriguing if they can be reasonably sure he’s healthy (insert medical staff joke here). He had a better year in 2017 than Castellanos ever had, has rated as a plus defender in the OF before, career 108 wRC+ vs LHP (119 in 2017) so could be a Heyward/Schwarbs RHH platoon partner. Would think he won’t cost much either.

[Tryptamine]

Treinen nontendered. So many interesting options.

[Cubswin11]

[Cubswin11]

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Gausman was non-tendered, he’s another good candidate if you want to go in on piggybacking starters like we mentioned for Teheran and Wood

[Tryptamine]

Not sure where he would play, but add Domingo Santana to the list

[Cubswin11]

Not sure where he would play, but add Domingo Santana to the list

Petition for the NL DH

[Cubswin11]

These numbers were closer than I thought they’d be.

 

Cesar Hernandez 2016-2019:

.279/.357/.359, 10.4% BB, 18.5% K, 102 wRC+, 82% contact rate, 10.9 fWAR

 

Ben Zobrist 2016-2019:

.269/.362/.411, 12.5% BB,13% K, 103 wRC+, 87% contact rate, 8.2 fWAR

[Cubswin11]

The Brewers need to add like 12 guys that are capable of playing in MLB this year. Holy horsefeathers do they have work to do/a bunch of turnover coming.

 

[Tim]

The Brewers need to add like 12 guys that are capable of playing in MLB this year. Holy horsefeathers do they have work to do/a bunch of turnover coming.

 

Holy crap

[d_money]

Taijuan Walker, anyone? Coming off TJS.

[Derwood]

The fact that you are all drooling over kitchen scraps means the Ricketts are winning

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The fact that you are all drooling over kitchen scraps means the Ricketts are winning

 

Can you go like a day without this unique brand of insufferable hot takery, or is “post through it” on your family crest or something

[Cubswin11]

Taijuan Walker, anyone? Coming off TJS.

I thought he had more than just TJ, like shoulder stuff or something? If all it is, is TJ I definitely have interest.

[d_money]

The fact that you are all drooling over kitchen scraps means the Ricketts are winning

 

Can you go like a day without this unique brand of insufferable hot takery, or is “post through it” on your family crest or something

He can’t. He’s miserable.