2022 In Season Thread

[Cubswin11]

Send them literal entire system, Jed.

 

[jersey cubs fan]

[Andy]

Something is seriously wrong with baseball if a superstar with 2.5 damn years to free agency gets traded.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I traded him straight up for Heyward in The Show. Seems like we should start there.

[Proven Veteran]

I traded him straight up for Heyward in The Show. Seems like we should start there.

I'd need the Nats to include a couple of pitching prospects to sweeten the deal.

[UMFan83]

Something is seriously wrong with baseball if a superstar with 2.5 damn years to free agency gets traded.

 

On one hand, I see one system ranking have the Nationals at 27th, and Soto is one of the few great assets you have to improve the long term outlook of the team which is currently really bad. On the other hand JUAN SOTO IS 23 AND A TOP 5 PLAYER IN BASEBALL. Why in the hell would you even consider trading him? Even if you don't think he'll sign an extension, you play it out as long as you can and hope you can build a team that convinces him to stay long term. I don't know what things are like behind the scenes between the Nationals and Soto, but players of his caliber don't fall from trees.

[Backtobanks]

Send them literal entire system, Jed.

 

 

Using MLB Trade Values, we would need to trade Alzolay, Triantos, Alcantra, Cassie, Crow-Armstrong, Davis, Hernandez, Hoerner, Kilian, Morel, Precidio, and Suzuki to balance out the trade.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Something is seriously wrong with baseball if a superstar with 2.5 damn years to free agency gets traded.

 

On one hand, I see one system ranking have the Nationals at 27th, and Soto is one of the few great assets you have to improve the long term outlook of the team which is currently really bad. On the other hand JUAN SOTO IS 23 AND A TOP 5 PLAYER IN BASEBALL. Why in the hell would you even consider trading him? Even if you don't think he'll sign an extension, you play it out as long as you can and hope you can build a team that convinces him to stay long term. I don't know what things are like behind the scenes between the Nationals and Soto, but players of his caliber don't fall from trees.

Them trading Turner was pretty stupid also. I get that he's not a model of durability but not many players have that skill-set and ceiling.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Even if you don't think he'll sign an extension, you play it out as long as you can and hope you can build a team that convinces him to stay long term. I don't know what things are like behind the scenes between the Nationals and Soto, but players of his caliber don't fall from trees.

 

That is probably the rub. If you have a bottom 5 MLB team and a bottom 5 farm system, how good are your odds of swaying his opinion in 2 years? And the opportunity cost is pretty significant because we've seen even elite players don't command enormous packages as they get closer to FA.

[Regular Show]

Even if you don't think he'll sign an extension, you play it out as long as you can and hope you can build a team that convinces him to stay long term. I don't know what things are like behind the scenes between the Nationals and Soto, but players of his caliber don't fall from trees.

 

That is probably the rub. If you have a bottom 5 MLB team and a bottom 5 farm system, how good are your odds of swaying his opinion in 2 years? And the opportunity cost is pretty significant because we've seen even elite players don't command enormous packages as they get closer to FA.

 

Not anymore, but that might be different for Juan Soto because he's so special.

 

Yeah, the Nats have to trade Soto because they won't be good enough in a couple years to convince him to stay long-term. You can't just lose him for a draft pick like Bryce Harper (and the team did try to move him in a trade to Houston before ownership vetoed it).

 

Jed and this FO have been preparing for this moment by making those trades last year and trying to boost the farm system... I just don't think the farm system is good enough to beat other teams when comparing potential trade packages. Mike Rizzo is an old-school GM and that team likes the well known, shiny Top 100-type prospects in trades/MLB draft. They go more quality over quantity, unlike Cleveland who takes the opposite approach. So a trade for Juan Soto would have to start with Brennen Davis and 4-5 more pieces.

 

The Cubs are not trading Seiya Suzuki + prospects to get Juan Soto btw (that's dumb). Suzuki is a big part of the core going forward.

[UMFan83]

Even if you don't think he'll sign an extension, you play it out as long as you can and hope you can build a team that convinces him to stay long term. I don't know what things are like behind the scenes between the Nationals and Soto, but players of his caliber don't fall from trees.

 

That is probably the rub. If you have a bottom 5 MLB team and a bottom 5 farm system, how good are your odds of swaying his opinion in 2 years? And the opportunity cost is pretty significant because we've seen even elite players don't command enormous packages as they get closer to FA.

 

Not anymore, but that might be different for Juan Soto because he's so special.

 

Yeah, the Nats have to trade Soto because they won't be good enough in a couple years to convince him to stay long-term. You can't just lose him for a draft pick like Bryce Harper (and the team did try to move him in a trade to Houston before ownership vetoed it).

 

Jed and this FO have been preparing for this moment by making those trades last year and trying to boost the farm system... I just don't think the farm system is good enough to beat other teams when comparing potential trade packages. Mike Rizzo is an old-school GM and that team likes the well known, shiny Top 100-type prospects in trades/MLB draft. They go more quality over quantity, unlike Cleveland who takes the opposite approach. So a trade for Juan Soto would have to start with Brennen Davis and 4-5 more pieces.

 

The Cubs are not trading Seiya Suzuki + prospects to get Juan Soto btw (that's dumb). Suzuki is a big part of the core going forward.

 

Plus Suzuki doesn't really fit their timeline that well either if they aren't going to be good in 2-3 years. Not that he's going to be bad at age 30 but not really a franchise cornerstone at that point either.

[Backtobanks]

Buster Olney must be smoking something to report this:

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/mlb-insider-identifies-mets-trade-targets-says-steve-cohen-is-on-a-mission

[UK]

Buster Olney must be smoking something to report this:

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/mlb-insider-identifies-mets-trade-targets-says-steve-cohen-is-on-a-mission

 

Given the Cubs current situation, getting rid of Heyward adds minimal benefit both financially or talent wise.

 

If you want to get rid of Contreras including Heyward only lessens the prospect in return and fattens the Ricketts' pockets.

[Backtobanks]

Buster Olney must be smoking something to report this:

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/mlb-insider-identifies-mets-trade-targets-says-steve-cohen-is-on-a-mission

 

Given the Cubs current situation, getting rid of Heyward adds minimal benefit both financially or talent wise.

 

If you want to get rid of Contreras including Heyward only lessens the prospect in return and fattens the Ricketts' pockets.

 

So you're saying we should keep Heyward because we don't want to fatten Rickett's pockets any more?

[Rex Buckingham]

Buster Olney must be smoking something to report this:

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/mlb-insider-identifies-mets-trade-targets-says-steve-cohen-is-on-a-mission

 

Given the Cubs current situation, getting rid of Heyward adds minimal benefit both financially or talent wise.

 

If you want to get rid of Contreras including Heyward only lessens the prospect in return and fattens the Ricketts' pockets.

 

So you're saying we should keep Heyward because we don't want to fatten Rickett's pockets any more?

 

He's saying don't get rid of Heyward that way. If you trade Willson, you get the best return possible. You don't use him to dump a bad contract, especially only with only a year and a half left.

[champaignchris]

A Willson/Heyward to the Mets trade might have made sense 2 years ago. When the Cubs were up against the tax threshold and presumably looking for ways to free up space to sign free agents.

 

They’re $60-70MM below the threshold now and don’t seem to be particularly interested in making a big free agent splash. And I’m not certain who they’d even try to get next off-season. Outside of Trea Turner, pickings are slim.

 

Get the best return you can for Willy (or do something crazy and extend him) and release Heyward the minute you no longer have room for him on the active roster.

[Derwood]

Vargas DFA’d, Higgins called up

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Did anyone sift through this to get any detail on what the 'expected to spend big' means in more detail?

[squally1313]

Did anyone sift through this to get any detail on what the 'expected to spend big' means in more detail?

Mid term elections coming up in November I assume.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Alright I listened to the last half, if you want to hear the specifics, you can skip to the 'empty your notebook' segment that is the last 8ish minutes but it's not worth it.

 

Heyman lists the Cubs as a potential suitor(among 4-5 teams he name drops) for Brandon Nimmo in free agency, adding some color that he hears "they're gonna spend". Literally no other description. Also, Heyman (essentially quoting Boras) says Soto isn't getting traded.

[CoolHandLuke]

Yes but can you fill us in on the part where two old white guys discuss how you can't prove that Donaldson is a racist pos?

[Bertz]

 

Very surprised by Espinoza, but he was on the 40 and might be able to shove if he's airing it out for an inning or three

[Gilby]

So, with an extension seemingly not happening, what are we looking at for a potential Contreras trade return? Even if teams don't need a new everyday catcher, dude's putting up great numbers even for a DH

[squally1313]

So, with an extension seemingly not happening, what are we looking at for a potential Contreras trade return? Even if teams don't need a new everyday catcher, dude's putting up great numbers even for a DH

 

Houston's catchers are currently putting up a 124/214/211 slash line.

Padres are 238/291/322.

Doubt the Sox would be an option with Grandal and also just being the Sox, but currently getting 176/261/229 from that spot.

Tampa is at 188/211/339.

Mets are 222/257/304

Even someone like the Yankees, 10th in fWAR from that position, are slashing 217/267/316

 

This is all compared to Willy's 277/395/514 so far. Yes, his defense is suspect, to put it lightly, but he's basically doubling the production of all those teams with playoff aspirations right now. Factor in his clubhouse attributes, postseason experience, etc....someone is going to want him to be their starter down the stretch. With Higgins not falling on his face and Gomes still around somewhere (I think?) definitely think they should keep limiting his innings behind the plate (15th in baseball so far in innings caught) to avoid a major slump.

[CubinNY]

So, with an extension seemingly not happening, what are we looking at for a potential Contreras trade return? Even if teams don't need a new everyday catcher, dude's putting up great numbers even for a DH

 

Houston's catchers are currently putting up a 124/214/211 slash line.

Padres are 238/291/322.

Doubt the Sox would be an option with Grandal and also just being the Sox, but currently getting 176/261/229 from that spot.

Tampa is at 188/211/339.

Mets are 222/257/304

Even someone like the Yankees, 10th in fWAR from that position, are slashing 217/267/316

 

This is all compared to Willy's 277/395/514 so far. Yes, his defense is suspect, to put it lightly, but he's basically doubling the production of all those teams with playoff aspirations right now. Factor in his clubhouse attributes, postseason experience, etc....someone is going to want him to be their starter down the stretch. With Higgins not falling on his face and Gomes still around somewhere (I think?) definitely think they should keep limiting his innings behind the plate (15th in baseball so far in innings caught) to avoid a major slump.

I don't know how anyone can watch Willson and say his defense is suspect.