2021 Offseason Thread

[Cubswin11]

I forgot Jorge was a FA. We need to bring our beautiful dong Adonis home with the DH.

[Bote McBoteface]

I want either Schwarber or Soler, preferably Schwarber. The man was born to play in a league that bans the shift and has a DH.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I forgot Jorge was a FA. We need to bring our beautiful dong Adonis home with the DH.

 

We have Jorge at home, he's got all of the defensive liabilities but maybe not the bat and also he's a ginger

[Rob]

I forgot Jorge was a FA. We need to bring our beautiful dong Adonis home with the DH.

 

We have Jorge at home, he's got all of the defensive liabilities but maybe not the bat and also he's a ginger

 

Matt Murton?

[TarzanJoeWallis]

I forgot Jorge was a FA. We need to bring our beautiful dong Adonis home with the DH.

 

We have Jorge at home, he's got all of the defensive liabilities but maybe not the bat and also he's a ginger

 

Matt Murton?

Clint Frazier.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I forgot Jorge was a FA. We need to bring our beautiful dong Adonis home with the DH.

 

We have Jorge at home, he's got all of the defensive liabilities but maybe not the bat and also he's a ginger

You have a red headed son?

[CubinNY]

Like Miley, I forgot Frazier was on the roster.

[Rob]

 

We have Jorge at home, he's got all of the defensive liabilities but maybe not the bat and also he's a ginger

 

Matt Murton?

Clint Frazier.

 

I think I prefer Matt Murton.

[Bertz]

 

Passan and Rosenthal are likely near comatose from the past 2 weeks, and when they wake up just deluge us with signings

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Like Miley, I forgot Frazier was on the roster.

 

While I know everyone can find the roster, given how many of us tuned out last year and then endured the lockout, maybe it's good to refresh our memories

 

Catchers

 

Contreras and Yan Gomes are the MLB options unless Willson gets traded. Miguel Amaya is the only other catcher on the 40 man and he's recovering from TJS, so I wouldn't be surprised if some minor league FA or internal option gets added at some point.

 

Infielders

 

40 man: Schwindel, Rivas, Madrigal, Hoerner, Alcantara, Wisdom, Bote, Morel

 

Despite my distaste for his long term prospects, Schwindel has a home on the roster, especially with the DH. Rivas(LH good bat/low power journeyman 1B/LF) and Alcantara(defense-first AAAA SS) probably see the roster at some point as a call-up but further additions keep them off the opening day roster. Madrigal(2B/DH) and Hoerner(2B/SS/OF) will play a lot, Bote is a trade candidate and I don't think is healthy to start the year, Wisdom similarly earned a chance to fail at 3B, and Morel is a prospect who will have to prove it at AAA to be a call up over further additions/minor league FA. Everyone has options.

 

Outfielders

 

40 man: Canario, Deichmann, Frazier, Happ, Hermosillo, Heyward, Ortega, Ramirez, Velazquez

 

Happ will start somewhere unless traded, Frazier will DH and play corner OF as much as his bat allows. Heyward is still here and Ortega(LH corner OF, .823 MLB OPS last year) is a corner option too but unclear how much they value either of them in terms of roster spots and playing time. Hermosillo(great glove, unproven promise with the bat) and Ramirez(bat first EV darling from Cleveland) are RH corner OF options trying to make the roster, Deichmann(LH corner OF with some pedigree) underwhelmed at MLB and AAA after coming over for Chafin, Velazquez(bat first RH corner OF) started killing the ball in AA/AFL last year and if he continues will play his way into MLB at bats, and Canario is in the same category as Morel. Ramirez, Hermosillo, and of course Heyward are not optionable.

 

 

SP

 

40 man: Hendricks, Stroman, Miley

 

No explanation necessary here, these guys will start every 5 days unless hurt or Miley falls off a cliff performance wise.

 

Swingmen (could be SP or RP)

 

40 man: Alzolay, Mills, Steele, Thompson, Espinoza, Abbott

 

Alzolay started making MLB progress and needs to build on that and prove SP durability, Mills you can squint and see a worthwhile 5th starter and also see far worse, Steele & Thompson have stuff to envision a turnaround but odds are against you wanting them to throw 150 IP in 2023(but can be good RP). Abbott is in a similar bucket as Mills but with less proven at MLB. Espinoza has the pedigree to make a leap but he's a complete wild card with as little as he's pitched over the last half decade. Steele and Mills are out of options.

 

RP

 

40 man: Wick, Heuer, Wieck, Effross, Nance, Rucker, Rodriguez, Roberts

Off 40 man: Leeper, Mekkes, Little, Holder, St. John, Gonsalves, Leiter Jr

 

Wick is a late inning reliever, Heuer just had TJS, Wieck is the huge LHP with inconsistency problems, Effross had very good limited MLB results with limited stuff, Nance was a pop-up prospect with big stuff that got figured out at the MLB level, Rucker's stuff has ticked up but he hasn't shown he can get MLB hitters out, Rodriguez is a late inning prospect that needs health and maybe some AAA innings, Roberts has good MiLB numbers but hasn't been called up yet. Wieck is out of options.

 

Leeper was a 2020 draft surprise that wiped out multiple levels last year, Mekkes has decent stuff w/ great deception and is one adjustment from being an MLB contributor, Little is a LHP who looked very good in AA/AAA after converting to relief, Holder was a MLB signing with multiple good seasons that got hurt before he could pitch in Chicago, and St. John(LHRP), Gonsalves(LHRP), and Leiter(SP) are all journeyman NRI's signed before the lockout

[Bertz]

[UMFan83]

Good stuff TT. I remembered that we got Frazier and obviously Stroman. Gomes was the one I forgot.

 

There are twitter rumors that 6-8 deals have already been agreed to but for whatever reason haven't been announced yet. If true I wonder if the Cubs are involved in any of those signings.

[Bertz]

[UMFan83]

 

Maybe the Cubs should get involved and Kap can finally wear that jersey

[17 Seconds]

kershaw back to the doyers

[UMFan83]

Non-Correa Cubs rumor

 

 

Would seem like a weird move if the Cubs got Correa right? Unless there is a corresponding move to trade away another MI

[Rex Buckingham]

Rosenthal reporting Cubs close on Amdrelton Simmons... would that mean they're out on Correa?

[Derwood]

Jesus, this pitching situation is dire

[Bertz]

The floodgates appear to have opened

[NonProfitCow]

Reds traded Sonny Gray to the Twins for Chase Petty.

[Bertz]

Reds traded Sonny Gray to the Twins for Chase Petty.

 

Fangraphs thinks he was 14th in the Twins system, projects as a reliever, and has an ETA of 2026

 

Yikes

[CubinNY]

Reds traded Sonny Gray to the Twins for Chase Petty.

 

Fangraphs thinks he was 14th in the Twins system, projects as a reliever, and has an ETA of 2026

 

Yikes

I guess the Reds owner was really pissed about the new CBA and so he's going to give horsefeathers away. I'll take Jonathan India.

[Bertz]

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Someone refresh my memory, is Hosmer's luxury tax number for the team that acquires him 15 million(4/60 still owed) or 18 million(finishing the 8/144 contract he signed)?

[Cubswin11]

Someone refresh my memory, is Hosmer's luxury tax number for the team that acquires him 15 million(4/60 still owed) or 18 million(finishing the 8/144 contract he signed)?

18, Myers has the weird deal where his AAV is a ton lower then the actual money paid out over the life of his remaining deal (his AAV is something like 14 but he’s owed like 22 a year next two years).