2022-23 Offseason Thread (Cubs)

[17 Seconds]

 

pulling the rug out from theo right before harper was so bad that it is in our GM's head several years later

 

I can't really say I blame him. Although as was asked up thread, why did he even take the job if this were the case?

 

I don't know what happened in October/November of 2018, but everything about this franchise seemed to change then. I'm sure it will someday make for a great book. Anyway, this has been a relentlessly fiscally conservative franchise ever since. But it's been penny smart, pound foolish the whole time.

 

i don't think it changed in 2018. i think they were salivating over the next rebuild the moment the world series was won. the declining core and poor performance of the 2018 free agent signings just allowed them to get it started

[jersey cubs fan]

 

pulling the rug out from theo right before harper was so bad that it is in our GM's head several years later

 

I can't really say I blame him. Although as was asked up thread, why did he even take the job if this were the case?

 

.

because it is a very high paying job that will remove the need for work later in life, and there was no pressure to succeed for several years.

 

Ownership isn’t really going to be pissed at a guy for not spending money. All he needs to do is field a team that can flirt with the playoffs.

[Bertz]

We are not even close to being that far off. I mean the team would project a smidge over .500 even if you just filled out the roster with boring dudes on 1 year deals.

 

Even with modest projections for their offense, I think it's understated just how dramatic an upgrade Swanson and Mervis would be over the production they got from those positions last year. They were 25th in CF WAR. If they're at all right about how much Willson was giving back defensively and they add a C with a better bat than Gomes they may very well have parity there too.

 

I would rather they sign Correa regardless, but a lot of my view on the offseason hinges on if ownership actually has the appetite to go over the LT this year. If they don't, then the likely outcome here isn't exactly how I would play it out, but with the number of holes and the market being higher than expected I can at least appreciate the logic. That starts with Swanson being the 'settling' outcome though, you can't whiff on a SS.

 

Yeah simply swapping out Schwindel and Rivas' '22 production for Mervis' '23 projection is a 3 win swing.

 

This team, with the resources available and the baseline talent on November 1st, should project to at least ~85 wins at the end of the day. Adding more from there becomes substantially more expensive and painful. I'd continue pushing, but that at least hits the point where some reservations and more forward looking are understandable.

 

But like we should at minimum add something approaching 15 WAR. For example:

 

Swanson (3.5 WAR)

Bellinger (2 WAR)

Taillon (2 WAR)

Vazquez (2 WAR)

Trevor Rogers (2 WAR)

Brandon Belt (1.5 WAR)

A couple relievers (1-2 WAR)

 

That is a very realistic offseason with very little chance of making us look back in two years and rue the day any of those moves were made.

[17 Seconds]

i think this is the first time i've seen salty brett

[Sammy Sofa]

That is a very realistic offseason with very little chance of making us look back in two years and rue the day any of those moves were made.

 

Challenge accepted.

[UMFan83]

[Bertz]

 

I'm like 60/40 on whether I want the Cubs to come down with him just because I think the tantrums if they don't will be hilarious

[Cubswin11]

 

I'm like 60/40 on whether I want the Cubs to come down with him just because I think the tantrums if they don't will be hilarious

I’d prefer Narvaez to him so won’t hate it if we miss out.

[mias_tisg]

 

I'm like 60/40 on whether I want the Cubs to come down with him just because I think the tantrums if they don't will be hilarious

I’d prefer Narvaez to him so won’t hate it if we miss out.

Prepare for Yan Gomes then to be your everyday starter. I mean just look at the rotation when he calls games! (that's some dumb Yadier Molina logic)

[Cubswin11]

 

I'm like 60/40 on whether I want the Cubs to come down with him just because I think the tantrums if they don't will be hilarious

I’d prefer Narvaez to him so won’t hate it if we miss out.

Prepare for Yan Gomes then to be your everyday starter. I mean just look at the rotation when he calls game! (that's some dumb Yadier Molina logic)

Narvaez is a very good defender/game caller and has a 106 wRC+ vs RHP, Gomes 117 vs LHP. Bet you can cobble together a decent catching tandem there.

[Cubswin11]

Signing Swanson really doesn’t help the next 2-3 years if they don’t add a real star

 

Wait wait wait…Why is this exclusive to the FA SS coming off the 6+ fWAR season?

 

Here I was thinking Correa as One Man was a joke but that like…really is Plan A? Sweet baby Jeebus I hope against hope Hoyer more chutzpah. This team needs impact starters plural to do anything next year let alone the next 2-3

My thesis is I don’t think Swanson is an impact starter, be glad to be proven wrong if we sign him and will cheer for him. But I think there’s plenty of indicators he’s not really an impact guy for the money it will take.

[UMFan83]

Another one bites the dust

 

[17 Seconds]

brett has finally turned

[UMFan83]

How is Cubs twitter taking this?

 

[Gilby]

lol, Kap's green light, open wallet tweet was one week ago tonight. What a week

[Bertz]

 

lol

[Bobson Dugnutt]

lol, Kap's green light, open wallet tweet was one week ago tonight. What a week

 

 

The two SS off-season is still in play!

[Thusly Boned]

brett has finally turned

 

Brett being a reactionary drama queen is not a new development

[mias_tisg]

Brett will go nuts when they sign Gary Sanchez or something and pretend the front office knows what they're doing

[Bertz]

brett has finally turned

 

Brett being a reactionary drama queen is not a new development

 

It's very funny to me how random it is. He'll be the this is fine dog during something of real consequence and then turn on the histrionics over something like this.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

While I'm not nearly apoplectic about not giving Christian Vazquez 3/30, the catching options are dwindling considering there's good reporting they planned to add meaningfully to the position. We've discussed Jansen and Narvaez at some length, and several have mentioned taking advantage of Barnhart's platoon advantage for a buy low option. I tried to look around for some other less discussed options.

 

 

Catchers who were decent or better in 2021 but bad in 2022

 

- Carson Kelly - Arizona was in on Vazquez so you have to think they'd at least consider moving on from Kelly, but considering their backup is a December waiver claim with 0 MLB PA it probably requires them finding their starting solution first.

 

- Mike Zunino - The boom/bust option, he was worth 4.5 wins in 2021 but has surrounded that with a bunch of bad seasons at the plate, plus he's coming off thoracic outlet surgery

 

- Tom Murphy - also coming off a shoulder injury, Murphy lost the primary job to Raleigh and is only 1 year from FA if Jerry gets the trading itch again. Career league average hitter and 5 WAR in 270 games.

 

Congested catching situations

 

- Travis D'Arnaud - Anthopoulos is at least pretending he'll get significant time even with Murphy, and there is some room for DH at bats. But if they are looking for a way to trim some salary that's a fairly painless place to do it. Since leaving New York, D'Arnoud has been worth 8 fWAR in about 300 games.

 

- Whatever is happening with the Guardians - They have 2 strong young catching prospects and yet seemed very interested in bringing in Murphy. Would they deal Lavastida or Naylor? Like with Kelly, probably not until there was a reinforcement of their own in place.

[Thurman Merman]

I know someone in the barnhart orbit, and he says the cubs, while initially showing interest, havent really been in contact lately.

[gflore34]

Well, one absolute certain way to be fiscally responsible is to not spend at all. Don't want to be burned by big money, long term contracts? Don't sign anyone, this seems like a very real possibility.

[pitchcs]

How is Cubs twitter taking this?

 

 

Why would anyone care what this chick thinks?

[jersey cubs fan]

How is Cubs twitter taking this?

 

 

Why would anyone care what this chick thinks?

Chicks man