2022-23 Offseason Thread (Cubs)

[Tryptamine]

Will the Cubs actually make a Rule 5 selection today? Will Misner or Canzone even be there?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Was this posted? Tweets from posts don’t show up on my phone…Riveting if true, David said this guy knows people or something:

 

 

It has not. 20+ hours is a long time for nothing else to drip out about it though.

[Bertz]

Did some poking around the free agent list for other bat-first options that can help with the DH need. There's not a perfect option out there but there's a few that interest me.

 

JD Martinez - has slipped from previous highs, statcast doesn't like his recent developments which is worrisome given his age, and he's DH only, but a 120 wRC+ guy from last year being available for a one year deal.

 

Michael Conforto - wildcard given his down 2021 and missing a whole year with a shoulder injury, but would be a good bet to be a similar caliber bat on a short term deal. If he's taking a get-right deal though I doubt he'd come here with the OF situation covered with better players/defenders.

 

Evan Longoria - Like all the old Giants didn't match his 2021, but a 115 wRC+ last year and the ability to play 3B(which could make Morel expendable in a trade for a C or SP) is pretty attractive for his likely contract(crowdsourcing says 1/8).

 

Luke Voit - had a down year with the bat and that might mean he's about done as a non-prospect pop up hitter over 30, but his struggles were being weirdly terrible against LHP which seems more random/fixable than decline. More swing and miss than you'd hope but for his likely price it could be a cheap way to get a 115 wRC+ bat and hedge Mervis.

 

Michael Brantley - injuries are always the concern here but he can still hit. If the Cubs snagged a SS would their competitive outlook be good enough to entice him? Do the Astros want him back badly?

 

Wil Myers - You'd probably only do this if there's some swing fixes you think you can unlock, but he adds a little defensive value at 1B and corner OF, and since the pandemic he's over a 120 wRC+ away from Petco.

 

Justin Turner - Basically the deluxe version of Longoria, but you probably have to wait out his preference for the Dodgers.

 

I think Turner and Brantley are the only two who I'd he comfortable being *the* bat if we sign Swanson. Maybe JD Martinez.

 

I do hope we get some resolution on SS pretty quickly here, because so much of the other stuff is hard to evaluate without knowing what's happening there.

[CubinNY]

In pretty much every imaginary offseason I’ve more or less fully punted 3B. Longoria and someone who can pick it behind him would work for me, just trying to get to Machado 2024* there (in my head but also hopefully irl). Maybe he wants the HoF, pretty close, and can catch lightning in a bottle

 

*Padres keep being reported as making big offers, prbly a good sign the expectation is opt out

See if you can use some OF capital and pry away Devers from Boston.

[Cubswin11]

Did some poking around the free agent list for other bat-first options that can help with the DH need. There's not a perfect option out there but there's a few that interest me.

 

JD Martinez - has slipped from previous highs, statcast doesn't like his recent developments which is worrisome given his age, and he's DH only, but a 120 wRC+ guy from last year being available for a one year deal.

 

 

Michael Brantley - injuries are always the concern here but he can still hit. If the Cubs snagged a SS would their competitive outlook be good enough to entice him? Do the Astros want him back badly?

I’ve been wanting to add one of these guys all offseason in any mock I put together. I’d lean slightly more towards Brantley since he can play the field a bit and makes the roster more flexible, plus he Ks less and brings more contact. But I really want one as the Zobrist/professional hitter add. It can’t hurt to have either around the clubhouse either to help and talk hitting with guys either.

[Bertz]

[Cubswin11]

Was just looking at FA list, not a sexy move but a tertiary move, I saw Profar is a FA. If Morel/Madrigal is used in a trade (Murphy) I wouldn’t hate bringing him in to backfill a utility role spot

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Was just looking at FA list, not a sexy move but a tertiary move, I saw Profar is a FA. If Morel/Madrigal is used in a trade (Murphy) I wouldn’t hate bringing him in to backfill a utility role spot

 

Interestingly, Profar and Mastrobuoni have near identical projected batted lines w/ Steamer.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

[Cubswin11]

Was just looking at FA list, not a sexy move but a tertiary move, I saw Profar is a FA. If Morel/Madrigal is used in a trade (Murphy) I wouldn’t hate bringing him in to backfill a utility role spot

 

Interestingly, Profar and Mastrobuoni have near identical projected batted lines w/ Steamer.

Ah, forgot we added him. Never mind the Profar idea then use the money he’d take to throw at an established RP, he can cover a Morel/Madrigal going out. I almost prefer him to Madrigal for a roster balance standpoint, can play more spots, LHH, etc.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Was just looking at FA list, not a sexy move but a tertiary move, I saw Profar is a FA. If Morel/Madrigal is used in a trade (Murphy) I wouldn’t hate bringing him in to backfill a utility role spot

 

Interestingly, Profar and Mastrobuoni have near identical projected batted lines w/ Steamer.

Ah, forgot we added him. Never mind the Profar idea then use the money he’d take to throw at an established RP, he can cover a Morel/Madrigal going out. I almost prefer him to Madrigal for a roster balance standpoint, can play more spots, LHH, etc.

 

Not that it's a bad idea because he exists, depth is good and projections for end of roster types are going to be sketchy(McKinstry projects for a 98 wRC+, for example), it just made me wonder how different the expectations were by comparison.

[Cubswin11]

 

Interestingly, Profar and Mastrobuoni have near identical projected batted lines w/ Steamer.

Ah, forgot we added him. Never mind the Profar idea then use the money he’d take to throw at an established RP, he can cover a Morel/Madrigal going out. I almost prefer him to Madrigal for a roster balance standpoint, can play more spots, LHH, etc.

 

Not that it's a bad idea because he exists, depth is good and projections for end of roster types are going to be sketchy(McKinstry projects for a 98 wRC+, for example), it just made me wonder how different the expectations were by comparison.

True and that’s an interesting find and yeah guys like Mastrobuoni and Mckinstry are gonna be hard to project/be too certain of numbers due to sample. But with those two, Morel, Madrigal I think we have that covered even if we lose one and hopefully add a SS and some sort of other bat.

[17 Seconds]

 

twss

[Transmogrified Tiger]

https://theathletic.com/3980158/2022/12/07/cardinals-sign-willson-contreras/

 

Which leads us to Sean Murphy, the belle of the catching ball now that Contreras signed. The A’s have made it clear they’re open to trade offers, but in my very brief time in the lobby at the winter meetings, I heard the asking price was quite high — as it probably should be. Murphy was worth 3.5 rWAR/5.1 fWAR last year, with the latter figure giving him almost a full win for framing. He’s also got three years of team control remaining, all at arbitration salaries, which are very likely to underpay him relative to his production.

 

I’d be expecting a return similar to what the A’s got for Matt Olson last offseason, although in this case, there’s a bit more urgency with catching prospect Shea Langeliers as ready for the majors as he’s going to get. I don’t mean to cheer on the teardown in Oakland, but in for a penny, in for a pound — if you’re going to dump Chapman and Olson and Montas and Bassitt and others for prospects, there’s no sense keeping Murphy around. And, just to throw it out there, the Cubs have some serious prospect depth from which to try to trade for him.

 

Olson went for (at the time) two 50 FV prospects (both close to MLB ready), a 45 FV and a 40 FV from other levels. Following that pattern reasonably closely could get you something like:

 

[Cubswin11]

https://theathletic.com/3980158/2022/12/07/cardinals-sign-willson-contreras/

 

Which leads us to Sean Murphy, the belle of the catching ball now that Contreras signed. The A’s have made it clear they’re open to trade offers, but in my very brief time in the lobby at the winter meetings, I heard the asking price was quite high — as it probably should be. Murphy was worth 3.5 rWAR/5.1 fWAR last year, with the latter figure giving him almost a full win for framing. He’s also got three years of team control remaining, all at arbitration salaries, which are very likely to underpay him relative to his production.

 

I’d be expecting a return similar to what the A’s got for Matt Olson last offseason, although in this case, there’s a bit more urgency with catching prospect Shea Langeliers as ready for the majors as he’s going to get. I don’t mean to cheer on the teardown in Oakland, but in for a penny, in for a pound — if you’re going to dump Chapman and Olson and Montas and Bassitt and others for prospects, there’s no sense keeping Murphy around. And, just to throw it out there, the Cubs have some serious prospect depth from which to try to trade for him.

 

Olson went for (at the time) two 50 FV prospects (both close to MLB ready), a 45 FV and a 40 FV from other levels. Following that pattern reasonably closely could get you something like:

 

I absolutely do that deal, I’d try to swap Madrigal in for Morel, but regardless. No brainer for me

[Cubswin11]

I wonder how much it would take to get Kimbrel on a 1 year or 1+1 deal? He can’t be too expensive, he was good in the first half last year but blew out in the second half. If that was mechanics and not health I’d be quite interested in bringing him back since he has comfort here and rapport with the staff to get things sorted out. Kimbrel, Smith, Britton, Green (coming off TJ and probably a second half add), and Jimmy Nelson are BP adds I have my eyes on. Would love to add Lugo but I bet he gets paid and don’t know if we’d go there on a RP.

[mias_tisg]

If they sign Swanson and one of those catchers, this team is going to be so boring next year. That's a bad offense unless Bellinger remembers how to hit again.

[toonsterwu]

Just me talking out my ass, but with the Orioles desperately wanting pitching and top tier FAs likely reluctant to go, I wonder if we match up. They have a true CF in Mullins, we have Keegan Thompson to dangle. It would take another significant piece say Madrigal and maybe even a minor prospect. Baltimore had the worst production out of 2B in all of baseball last year so a healthy Madrigal is an pretty big upgrade and Keegan gives them a solid 4/5.

 

Really a side note, but locally, talk is that they are content about moving Ramon Urias to 2nd, have Mateo at short, and Gunnar at 3rd. I'm not sure how much I believe that, but the chatter seems to be MI is only an option if something falls in their lap, which goes against the early thinking (early thinking had them going after a top shortstop, but they seem pleased with Mateo's defense their).

[itisallpartoftheplan]

 

Cubs don’t even get a mention in this tweet.

[17 Seconds]

the cubs chatter has just disappeared today

[imb]

dansby's sister plays for the chicago nwsl team? seems like it's written in the stars

[Transmogrified Tiger]

dansby's sister plays for the chicago nwsl team? seems like it's written in the stars

 

Fiancee, it's Mallory Pugh of USWNT fame

[UMFan83]

Is there a reason why everyone on Twitter is all the sudden extremely negative about the cubs chances at the SS? Maybe I missed something.

 

It’s one thing to say “oh no the rumors dried up today” but it seems like people are already doing a post mortem on why the cubs didn’t get any of them

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Is there a reason why everyone on Twitter is all the sudden extremely negative about the cubs chances at the SS? Maybe I missed something.

 

It’s one thing to say “oh no the rumors dried up today” but it seems like people are already doing a post mortem on why the cubs didn’t get any of them

 

Mostly because people on Twitter are super melodramatic. Also at the moment it seems like the most likely to be a Cub is Swanson, which some people are varying to degrees of unhappy with.

[UMFan83]

So another of the SS goes for 11 years. Jed still drawing a hard line in the sand at 6 years?