2021 Offseason Thread

[Transmogrified Tiger]

i didn't really want him back but isn't that pretty cheap?

It isn't prohibitive, but wasn't Schwindel at least as good as Rizzo post trade?

 

The significantly regressed version of Schwindel projected by ZiPS is the same caliber hitter that Rizzo has been the last 2 years. Rizzo is an average 1B now and with his age and injury history has more room to go down than up.

[mias_tisg]

i didn't really want him back but isn't that pretty cheap?

It isn't prohibitive, but wasn't Schwindel at least as good as Rizzo post trade?

Schwindel was like a top MLB player after the trade deadline

[mias_tisg]

Think it's obvious now that the Cubs players should have accepted their completely fair offers a few years ago. Rizzo was offered 5/70 last Spring and signs for 2/32. People whine about the Ricketts' but the Cubs shouldn't have been forced to overpay their players for sentimental value. The Cubs got good prospects for their core and people should be happy they didn't overpay any of these players. Now they have to spend though.

[UMFan83]

Think it's obvious now that the Cubs players should have accepted their completely fair offers a few years ago. Rizzo was offered 5/70 last Spring and signs for 2/32. People whine about the Ricketts' but the Cubs shouldn't have been forced to overpay their players for sentimental value. The Cubs got good prospects for their core and people should be happy they didn't overpay any of these players. Now they have to spend though.

 

The question is, why did they all decline their offers and according to Jed in some cases even decline to counter? I can understand if it was one player but all 3 of them? And likely Willson too?

[Cubswin11]

Think it's obvious now that the Cubs players should have accepted their completely fair offers a few years ago. Rizzo was offered 5/70 last Spring and signs for 2/32. People whine about the Ricketts' but the Cubs shouldn't have been forced to overpay their players for sentimental value. The Cubs got good prospects for their core and people should be happy they didn't overpay any of these players. Now they have to spend though.

 

The question is, why did they all decline their offers and according to Jed in some cases even decline to counter? I can understand if it was one player but all 3 of them? And likely Willson too?

Maybe there was some personal/locker room stuff going on they didn’t all want to stay and play together? Plus after the WS I’m sure the players and agents had a slight sense of more worth then comparable players? Like Rizzo wanted Goldschmidt money, iirc, when an extension was discussed but he’s clearly more in the Moustakas/Castellanos range like the alleged extension offer was. KB, who has all the right to be pissed about service time, still wanted the mega deal in the Machado/Harper range and really probably is more worth something in a Heyward range type deal as a top end.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

They had all already made tens of millions of dollars and have a lifetime of betting on themselves and having that pay off handsomely, plus likely having agents/peers advising that FA will likely get you a better outcome via a bidding war. Probably not more to it than that.

[Bertz]

 

FWIW though I'm pretty sure Baerga is one of the guys this time yesterday saying Freeman was going to be a Jay

[Bertz]

 

Non-Baerga confirmation

[Old Style]

Schwarber to the Phillies.

[cl smooth]

Schwarber to the Phillies.

 

[Banedon]

Wow, he's getting paid...good for him!

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

So either Philly is going into the luxury tax, or Bryant needs to find a different suitor

 

 

Maybe the Colorado thing ends up happening after all

[jersey cubs fan]

So they have to sign Freddie Freeman or Correa, no? Bryant was the one former cub I wanted back the most, followed by Schwarbs. But it probably doesn't make a ton of sense to sign Bryant with an already heavily RH lineup and crowded corner OF situation. Trevor Story fills a need position but he's another RH bat. If they sign an impact player here then 2022 becomes somewhat interesting. Right now they are a "stay in the picture for as long as possible" team with no real hopes of contending.

 

Oh, and they need a pitcher.

[Bertz]

At this point, this is a rough guess at the lineup?

 

2B - Madrigal

LF - Happ

1B - Schwindel

C - Contreras

RF - Suzuki

3B - Wisdom

DH - Hoerner

CF - Ortega

SS - Simmons

 

BN - Frazier, Hermosillo/Ramirez, Gomes, Heyward

 

Hoerner's obviously not going to actually DH much if at all. But I think that's where he'd fit in the lineup, and he'll roam around the diamond pushing others to DH on any given day.

 

That bench doesn't really make sense anymore with Suzuki in the fold, so I do imagine we see another bat or even two brought in. Probably left handed. Frazier has a minor league option left, though you do have to wonder if part of why he chose the Cubs was an understanding that he would make the team. Depending on how comfortable you are with Suzuki in CF, you could do without either of Hermosillo/Frazier at this point. And then obviously Heyward is expendable, it's really just a question of optics and/or team chemistry at this point.

 

I've stumped for Brad Miller much of the offseason, and I think he's an even better fit now with Suzuki on board. If Jed's only swapping out one bench guy I'd want him to be the name. If we're getting two, maybe another utility IF type plus a power LH bat (e.g. Eddie Rosario)?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That bench doesn't really make sense anymore with Suzuki in the fold, so I do imagine we see another bat or even two brought in. Probably left handed. Frazier has a minor league option left, though you do have to wonder if part of why he chose the Cubs was an understanding that he would make the team. Depending on how comfortable you are with Suzuki in CF, you could do without either of Hermosillo/Frazier at this point. And then obviously Heyward is expendable, it's really just a question of optics and/or team chemistry at this point.

 

I've stumped for Brad Miller much of the offseason, and I think he's an even better fit now with Suzuki on board. If Jed's only swapping out one bench guy I'd want him to be the name. If we're getting two, maybe another utility IF type plus a power LH bat (e.g. Eddie Rosario)?

 

Bote is also lurking at some point, which if nothing else gives another infield body even if he doesn't solve any problems. Miller signed with Texas last night.

 

I have to imagine this is the part where the Hosmer conversation becomes pretty serious if it ever was going to.

[fromthestretch]

So they have to sign Freddie Freeman or Correa, no? Bryant was the one former cub I wanted back the most, followed by Schwarbs. But it probably doesn't make a ton of sense to sign Bryant with an already heavily RH lineup and crowded corner OF situation. Trevor Story fills a need position but he's another RH bat. If they sign an impact player here then 2022 becomes somewhat interesting. Right now they are a "stay in the picture for as long as possible" team with no real hopes of contending.

 

Oh, and they need a pitcher.

 

If they aren't going to go big with a Correa or Freeman, would it make sense to get Conforto, Chafin, and someone like Kwang Hyun Kim for the rotation?

[Bertz]

That bench doesn't really make sense anymore with Suzuki in the fold, so I do imagine we see another bat or even two brought in. Probably left handed. Frazier has a minor league option left, though you do have to wonder if part of why he chose the Cubs was an understanding that he would make the team. Depending on how comfortable you are with Suzuki in CF, you could do without either of Hermosillo/Frazier at this point. And then obviously Heyward is expendable, it's really just a question of optics and/or team chemistry at this point.

 

I've stumped for Brad Miller much of the offseason, and I think he's an even better fit now with Suzuki on board. If Jed's only swapping out one bench guy I'd want him to be the name. If we're getting two, maybe another utility IF type plus a power LH bat (e.g. Eddie Rosario)?

 

Bote is also lurking at some point, which if nothing else gives another infield body even if he doesn't solve any problems. Miller signed with Texas last night.

 

I have to imagine this is the part where the Hosmer conversation becomes pretty serious if it ever was going to.

 

He did? Dammit. And yeah, Bote is out til I believe June?

That might actually be great timing, he doesn't crunch the roster in the early going, but if Wisdom implodes we've got a stopgap ready to fill in around the time you'd be cutting bait with him.

 

I'm curious about Hosmer. The discussion was that the Padres needed to free the money for Suzuki and/or Nelson Cruz. Do they just go to the next bat on the list, or did they not find an acceptable contract dump offer, and now they're gonna focus on someone cheaper they can fit into the payroll without a trade?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm curious about Hosmer. The discussion was that the Padres needed to free the money for Suzuki and/or Nelson Cruz. Do they just go to the next bat on the list, or did they not find an acceptable contract dump offer, and now they're gonna focus on someone cheaper they can fit into the payroll without a trade?

 

Conforto is still out there, and there was that stray rumor they were after Freeman. They do have to do *something* with the outfield, right now FG has their starting LF and bench OF as NRIs.

[Banedon]

[Andy]

Looks like another potential back of rotation guy is on his way

 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

 

His 87 mph fastball would fit right into this rotation.

[fromthestretch]

So they have to sign Freddie Freeman or Correa, no? Bryant was the one former cub I wanted back the most, followed by Schwarbs. But it probably doesn't make a ton of sense to sign Bryant with an already heavily RH lineup and crowded corner OF situation. Trevor Story fills a need position but he's another RH bat. If they sign an impact player here then 2022 becomes somewhat interesting. Right now they are a "stay in the picture for as long as possible" team with no real hopes of contending.

 

Oh, and they need a pitcher.

 

If they aren't going to go big with a Correa or Freeman, would it make sense to get Conforto, Chafin, and someone like Kwang Hyun Kim for the rotation?

 

Scratch Chafin. He just signed with Detroit.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Brault could make a solid multi-inning reliever, he's always been good the first time through the order and his stuff would hopefully play up. At best, a Brault/Thompson piggy back would be an interesting contrast of styles that could be better than the sum of the parts. As a standalone starter there's gotta be some pitch lab magic to be better than 6th or so in the pecking order.

[fromthestretch]

 

If they aren't going to go big with a Correa or Freeman, would it make sense to get Conforto, Chafin, and someone like Kwang Hyun Kim for the rotation?

 

Scratch Chafin. He just signed with Detroit.

 

Kim also went back to the KBO for the largest contract in league history IIRC

 

Ah I didn't know that. Hopefully Conforto is still a viable option at least.

[CoolHandLuke]

Tatted up, mediocre former Pirate pitcher for the second year in a row.