2021 Offseason Thread

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Tigers no tendered Matthew Boyd. Go get him.

 

Not much point when you only have him for half a season.

 

 

Poor Trevor Megill got picked up on waivers and then non tendered within a few hours. The twins also nontendered Juan Minaya, who might be worth a look for the pen.

[Tim]

We non tendered Jason Adam.

I get why it would be done, but I hate that we did it.

[Tim]

Braves non-tendered Rich Rod. Might be an interesting pickup as the "vet" for the pen.

[The_Achiever]

I kind of liked Hermisillo. He looked the part anyway.

 

And if the DH is truly coming to the NL the Cubs should sign Schwarber. 40 home runs a year.

[Tim]

Let's say, just for argument, the team adds Correa and Stroman, and then limits themselves to 1 year depth signings. Let's say Danny Duffy, Brad Miller, and Tommy Pham, because those are the 1 year guys I like most.

 

2022 Payroll is ~$185M

Team projects to ~85 wins

 

Lineup:

 

RF - Pham

LF - Happ

SS - Correa

1B - Schwindel

DH - Miller

C - Contreras

2B - Madrigal

3B - Wisdom

CF - Ortega

 

BN - Hoerner, Gomes, Ramirez, Heyward

 

SP:

 

Stroman

Hendricks

Duffy

Miley

Alzolay/Steele

 

Next winter, payroll is ~$160M at the outset of the offseason, and all you've lost to FA are Miley, Contreras, Pham, Miller, and Duffy. Meanwhile, barring major injury Davis and Kilian have made their MLB debuts.

 

This isn't 2019, adding a big deal or even two no longer paints Jed into a corner. Take a big swing dude.

If we're going big (but semi-reasonable), let's go big (but semi-reasonable).

 

Correa scares me at that level of commitment. Let's switch to Story and save $10M/year and four years or so on the deal.

 

Let's add on a HOF first baseman in Freeman. The longer he doesn't sign with Atlanta opens the door that much wider to sign elsewhere. Let's make it happen here. Yes, we'll get the decline phase. But he's aged spectacularly so far.

 

Let's also add in Kyle Seager instead of Pham + Miller.

 

Still sign Stroman + another guy

 

2B - Madrigal

1B - Freeman

SS - Story

3B - Seager

DH - Schwindel

LF - Happ

C - Contreras

CF - Ortega

RF - Heyward

 

BN - Hoerner, Gomes, Wisdom, one of (Ramirez, Frazier)

 

Adding Freeman + Seager helps the L/R balance of the lineup. It also creates a very solid top/middle of the lineup whether that's Schwindel at #5 hitting something like he did last year or Contreras moving up when he's in the lineup. Also, someone tell Happ that we start the season in August.

 

If we're lucky, both Davis and Velazquez come out of the gate hitting missiles at Iowa and displace Ortega & Heyward in short order. Or we add another $11M to the budget and sign Suzuki.

[CubinNY]

So far Cubs have signed complimentary players who could help a team trying to contend. Hopefully, they either make trades or sign a few players who are main guys. I'm hopeful but not optimistic.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs are doing much better about diversifying the lineup, which I really appreciate.

 

- Happ and Frazier are both super patient, with some swing and miss

 

- Madrigal's frankly a unicorn in terms of contact. Schwindel is pretty extreme himself for someone with power

 

- Wisdom is probably the most extreme launch angle guy in the league

 

- Madrigal led the league in going opposite field last year. Hoerner was in the top 30

 

- Hoerner is a fairly unique combination of patience and contact rates

 

- Aside from Wisdom and Frazier, most of the more questionable hitters on the roster look platoonable

 

Clearly, you'd rather have a more talented lineup. However, after seven years of having 7 guys all with the same approach and Javy, it's nice to see this lineup diversity. It should prevent the extreme hot and cold spells we saw with the last group. It's also part of why I'm bullish on this group if you spend some actual resources and supplement them.

7 different versions of crap isn't the diversity I was looking for.

[squally1313]

So far Cubs have signed complimentary players who could help a team trying to contend. Hopefully, they either make trades or sign a few players who are main guys. I'm hopeful but not optimistic.

"Complimentary players who could help a team trying to contend" is a very nice way of saying "the 2022 versions of Scott Feldman".

[Old Style]

Does anyone here have a legitimate belief that the Cubs are going to sign any high priced FA this offseason let alone multiple?

[Tim]

Does anyone here have a legitimate belief that the Cubs are going to sign any high priced FA this offseason let alone multiple?

I think it is within the realm of possibility, but I wouldn't feel comfortable placing money on that bet.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Does anyone here have a legitimate belief that the Cubs are going to sign any high priced FA this offseason let alone multiple?

 

I think they've been too vocal about being aggressive with spending and are generally too smart to not know this is one of the advantages at their disposal to not make some type of FA splash. In theory it could be 5 guys on Miley contracts instead of 1 Correa, but I'll be shocked if the current payroll isn't upped pretty dramatically by opening day.

 

That said, despite the Mets and Rangers behavior I don't think it's realistic to expect multiple guys at the top of their particular markets. I'm far more doubtful the FO has the appetite for that type of splash and it's difficult to outbid the league when those players get more scarce.

[CubinNY]

The Cubs are doing much better about diversifying the lineup, which I really appreciate.

 

- Happ and Frazier are both super patient, with some swing and miss

 

- Madrigal's frankly a unicorn in terms of contact. Schwindel is pretty extreme himself for someone with power

 

- Wisdom is probably the most extreme launch angle guy in the league

 

- Madrigal led the league in going opposite field last year. Hoerner was in the top 30

 

- Hoerner is a fairly unique combination of patience and contact rates

 

- Aside from Wisdom and Frazier, most of the more questionable hitters on the roster look platoonable

 

Clearly, you'd rather have a more talented lineup. However, after seven years of having 7 guys all with the same approach and Javy, it's nice to see this lineup diversity. It should prevent the extreme hot and cold spells we saw with the last group. It's also part of why I'm bullish on this group if you spend some actual resources and supplement them.

7 different versions of crap isn't the diversity I was looking for.

31 flavors of suck. They are going to have a hard time scoring runs but only more consistently than before.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Freddy Galvis is apparently going to Japan, which is pretty annoying because that now makes the FA SS list essentially Correa/Story and non-starter material(Iglesias, Andrelton, etc). Even if you aren't in love with Galvis as a 150 game player he fit the roster well as a LH bat with solid SS defense. I guess you can at least bank on Gregorius being a player-cheap option with some bounce back potential that's available, especially if the Phillies get one of Correa/Story.

[Bertz]

 

!!!

[Cubswin11]

I’ve been a fan in the past but wouldn’t mind adding Nico Goodrum. He has had some positive DRS years at SS, can play almost every position, and mashes lefties (could be a Happ/Heyward platoon partner).

[Tim]

Does anyone here have a legitimate belief that the Cubs are going to sign any high priced FA this offseason let alone multiple?

I think it is within the realm of possibility, but I wouldn't feel comfortable placing money on that bet.

I suddenly feel much more confident.

[UMFan83]

[SaorsaDaonnan]

Does anyone here have a legitimate belief that the Cubs are going to sign any high priced FA this offseason let alone multiple?

I think it is within the realm of possibility, but I wouldn't feel comfortable placing money on that bet.

I suddenly feel much more confident.

 

I could see any of Story, Suzuki, or Castellanos joining up, maybe 40% chance of someone like that. Would not be utterly shocked by Correa or Freeman or Bryant, or it being more than one player on this little list, but am definitely thinking lower odds, like maybe 20% odds of multiples or a clear superstar. (I have Story as a star but not superstar…)

 

And an SP, and Boyd for next year and the stretch, of course.

[Post Count Padder]

For those who care, we re-signed PJ Higgins and Jonathan Holder to minor league deals.

[UMFan83]

Hmm

 

[David]

Hmm

 

 

I bet the Cubs offered him 3 years $21 million :lol:

[Derwood]

Any big names signing in the next 2 hours, or will we have 3 months of blue balls?

[JeffH]

Any big names signing in the next 2 hours, or will we have 3 months of blue balls?

 

That would be the "no c o c k out lockout".

[David]

[d_money]

Hmm

 

 

I bet the Cubs offered him 3 years $21 million :lol:

Is 3/21 the new 3/15?