2020 Offseason Thread

[Tryptamine]

 

Ok Angels, time for you to go after Willson. Brandon Marsh +Detmers for Willson and someone in the 15 to 20 range.

 

I know my takes on players are grating but alas:

 

What are the chances the Angels move those players? Detmers is their recent first rounder at a position they've had trouble filling for Trout's entire career, Marsh is the ultra cheap LHH OFer in a mix of OFs that is otherwise RHH dominant group (Trout, Upton, Adell, Ward). I suppose it's possible if they have interest in Schwarber, the best LHH OF FA, but then they've got a 30-31 YO Trout surrounded by two former catchers turned OFers (Schwarber and Ward) and a 34 YO Upton

 

Give me Taylor Ward (.323/.432/.568 hitter in AAA, 21% K rate), Jordyn Adams CF (IMO their best OF prospect and one of the best in the minors anyway), and if they're giving away pitching Patrick Sandoval

 

Where is Marsh going go play? Trout and Adell aren't going anywhere and Upton is under contract for 2 more years. They could put Upton at DH if Pujols/Ohtani weren't filling it full time.

[Cubswin11]

We should do some trades or signings this week already

 

[Tryptamine]

We should do some trades or signings this week already

 

 

I'm fully prepared for them to do mostly nothing, throwing minor amounts of money at roster hole bandaids and hoping they can 85 win their way into the playoffs before letting Rizzo,Bryant and Baez walk for nothing.

[Backtobanks]

We should do some trades or signings this week already

 

 

I don't know how you can be bored with all of the Cubs' activity. We traded Theo for Hoyer, Venable for Harris, Kasper for an announcer to be named later, we dumped our starting LF and closer for nothing, etc. while those other silly teams are working on their rosters.

[CubinNY]

I wonder where the Ricketts want the payroll floor to be as they use the Cubs to pay for their real estate venture surrounding Wrigley and a faltering TV station. That's the thing that bothers me the most (leaving out the political stuff). The family chose to buy up the neighborhood and create a TV station now are having a cash flow problem that has little to do with the team. I suppose one could say it all goes on the balance sheet, but it doesn't.

[Backtobanks]

I wonder where the Ricketts want the payroll floor to be as they use the Cubs to pay for their real estate venture surrounding Wrigley and a faltering TV station. That's the thing that bothers me the most (leaving out the political stuff). The family chose to buy up the neighborhood and create a TV station now are having a cash flow problem that has little to do with the team. I suppose one could say it all goes on the balance sheet, but it doesn't.

 

As I've suggested before, they should sell the team for an obscene profit. They could keep the rooftops, neighborhood, and luxury hotel and probably make more money when the new owners actually spend enough to have a winning team.

[CubinNY]

I wonder where the Ricketts want the payroll floor to be as they use the Cubs to pay for their real estate venture surrounding Wrigley and a faltering TV station. That's the thing that bothers me the most (leaving out the political stuff). The family chose to buy up the neighborhood and create a TV station now are having a cash flow problem that has little to do with the team. I suppose one could say it all goes on the balance sheet, but it doesn't.

 

As I've suggested before, they should sell the team for an obscene profit. They could keep the rooftops, neighborhood, and luxury hotel and probably make more money when the new owners actually spend enough to have a winning team.

They will never sell, because when times are good and they have the leveraged property paid down/off, they have the luxury tax wall they helped to create to keep profit high.

 

The only thing that will hurt them is if the public turns against them and stops showing up to Wrigley. That is not likely to happen anytime soon.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

We should do some trades or signings this week already

 

 

I don't know how you can be bored with all of the Cubs' activity. We traded Theo for Hoyer, Venable for Harris, Kasper for an announcer to be named later, we dumped our starting LF and closer for nothing, etc. while those other silly teams are working on their rosters.

 

I know I just know this, but who was our closer we lost?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

We should do some trades or signings this week already

 

 

I don't know how you can be bored with all of the Cubs' activity. We traded Theo for Hoyer, Venable for Harris, Kasper for an announcer to be named later, we dumped our starting LF and closer for nothing, etc. while those other silly teams are working on their rosters.

 

I know I just know this, but who was our closer we lost?

 

Jeffress

[Bryants Disco Ball]

 

I don't know how you can be bored with all of the Cubs' activity. We traded Theo for Hoyer, Venable for Harris, Kasper for an announcer to be named later, we dumped our starting LF and closer for nothing, etc. while those other silly teams are working on their rosters.

 

I know I just know this, but who was our closer we lost?

 

Jeffress

 

Wow. Had no idea he was still controlled and that I forgot he was the closer for a lot of the season.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

I know I just know this, but who was our closer we lost?

 

Jeffress

 

Wow. Had no idea he was still controlled and that I forgot he was the closer for a lot of the season.

 

He was a FA. The other potential answer is Tepera, who was under control and was non-tendered, but I'm giving the benefit of the doubt on b2b's accuracy considering Tepera pitched in the 9th inning exactly 1 time as a Cub.

[Backtobanks]

 

Jeffress

 

Wow. Had no idea he was still controlled and that I forgot he was the closer for a lot of the season.

 

He was a FA. The other potential answer is Tepera, who was under control and was non-tendered, but I'm giving the benefit of the doubt on b2b's accuracy considering Tepera pitched in the 9th inning exactly 1 time as a Cub.

 

I guess it's a matter of semantics. While the Cubs had control of Jeffress, they didn't re-sign him, extend him, or trade him, so they let him go for nothing.

[CoolHandLuke]

Aren't "free agent" and "control" the exact opposite thing?

[Bertz]

 

Very nice to see. I generally like the idea of building the defense into an elite unit, since I don't think we're going to invest enough to actually fix the the offense. That said, even with the chilly offseason I think he's been projected to get 3 years, and there are enough red flags in his offensive profile that I'd be hesitant. I like Kiermaier as an alternative. You lose some durability and certainly gain some offensive downside, but they mean out to basically the same player and Keirmaier is only on a 2 year deal (that the Rays would give up player value to get out of).

[Old Style]

JBJ would fit in perfectly with the Cubs. 2016 was his best year, too.

[Tryptamine]

So the answer to fixing a team that couldn't hit last year, is getting rid of Schwarber, who could hit outside of 2020, and bringing in a guy whose last 3 year's wRC+ was 89,90 and 90 before 118 in a 53 game 2020 fueled by a .353babip. The only thing I see that potentially makes me think that 2020 was legit was that he drastically cut down on pulling the ball and went up the middle significantly more. The BB%, K%, ISO were all pretty normal for him and his batted ball profile had a slight increase in GB% and decrease in FB%. I just don't see it.

[Cubswin11]

Not fan of JBJ at all for this team and at the assumed price. Could use that money a lot better.

[Cubswin11]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I'd prefer someone like Grossman over JBJ but it's nice to see the Cubs linked to a free agent who I assume would expect to be paid with actual US dollars and not Stanley Nickels.

[Backtobanks]

I'd prefer someone like Grossman over JBJ .

 

Especially at 1/3 of the cost.

[Bertz]

I'd prefer someone like Grossman over JBJ but it's nice to see the Cubs linked to a free agent who I assume would expect to be paid with actual US dollars and not Stanley Nickels.

 

I like Grossman a lot, I think he brings to the table a lot of what our offense lacks. He's also probably average in CF? My only worry with him is if his offensive efficiency would suffer some in an everyday role.

 

I think if it's an either/or, you're basically debating between an elite defense/average offense and a good defense/good offense. Net production is likely about the same, so it's about cost and what shape you'd rather have it come in.

[Backtobanks]

I'd prefer someone like Grossman over JBJ but it's nice to see the Cubs linked to a free agent who I assume would expect to be paid with actual US dollars and not Stanley Nickels.

 

I like Grossman a lot, I think he brings to the table a lot of what our offense lacks. He's also probably average in CF? My only worry with him is if his offensive efficiency would suffer some in an everyday role.

 

I think if it's an either/or, you're basically debating between an elite defense/average offense and a good defense/good offense. Net production is likely about the same, so it's about cost and what shape you'd rather have it come in.

 

All of the speculation about Contreras to the Rays, how about Caratini to the Rays for Margot? Saves them a few bucks while improving their catching and gets the Cubs a young CF. Sign Grossman for depth in the OF and Happ can play LF, 3B, or 2B as needed depending on future transactions (i.e. Bryant).

[Bertz]

I'd prefer someone like Grossman over JBJ but it's nice to see the Cubs linked to a free agent who I assume would expect to be paid with actual US dollars and not Stanley Nickels.

 

I like Grossman a lot, I think he brings to the table a lot of what our offense lacks. He's also probably average in CF? My only worry with him is if his offensive efficiency would suffer some in an everyday role.

 

I think if it's an either/or, you're basically debating between an elite defense/average offense and a good defense/good offense. Net production is likely about the same, so it's about cost and what shape you'd rather have it come in.

 

All of the speculation about Contreras to the Rays, how about Caratini to the Rays for Margot? Saves them a few bucks while improving their catching and gets the Cubs a young CF. Sign Grossman for depth in the OF and Happ can play LF, 3B, or 2B as needed depending on future transactions (i.e. Bryant).

 

I like Margot for Caratini a lot if Willson doesn't get moved. Though I don't see it making sense to not move Willson, unless maybe you move Darvish or Hendricks. Which I guess brings us to:

 

 

I see the merits of moving Darvish. Always better to move pitching sooner rather than later, and Darvish is incredibly valuable right now. That said, like Brett alludes to at the end there, if you're moving Darvish you ought to just mostly blow it all up.

[Backtobanks]

 

I like Grossman a lot, I think he brings to the table a lot of what our offense lacks. He's also probably average in CF? My only worry with him is if his offensive efficiency would suffer some in an everyday role.

 

I think if it's an either/or, you're basically debating between an elite defense/average offense and a good defense/good offense. Net production is likely about the same, so it's about cost and what shape you'd rather have it come in.

 

All of the speculation about Contreras to the Rays, how about Caratini to the Rays for Margot? Saves them a few bucks while improving their catching and gets the Cubs a young CF. Sign Grossman for depth in the OF and Happ can play LF, 3B, or 2B as needed depending on future transactions (i.e. Bryant).

 

I like Margot for Caratini a lot if Willson doesn't get moved. Though I don't see it making sense to not move Willson, unless maybe you move Darvish or Hendricks. Which I guess brings us to:

 

 

I see the merits of moving Darvish. Always better to move pitching sooner rather than later, and Darvish is incredibly valuable right now. That said, like Brett alludes to at the end there, if you're moving Darvish you ought to just mostly blow it all up.

 

It might make sense to trade Darvish (for a huge haul) if you could be sure the offense would rebound, but that's far from a sure thing. You would need to get a good young SP to put in the rotation right away, a good young position player that steps into the lineup, and some very good prospects.

[Bertz]

 

I assume this doesn't take them out of other catchers, they've explicitly said they're bringing in two, and Zunino should clearly be a backup.