2022-23 Offseason Thread (Cubs)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Very nice, Fulmer has been very effective since he became a full-time reliever. A little risk that whatever was going on in Comerica last year shielded him a bit, but a very nice addition nonetheless to add to the late inning short relief group.

[Cubswin11]

[Post Count Padder]

Fullmer was a favorite target of mine going into the offseason, let alone now. I like it.

[CubinNY]

Good get for the Cubs.

[Bertz]

Interestingly the stuff numbers don't love Fulmer. That said, he's one of only 10 guys who throws his slider more than 90 MPH. It's also got some interesting characteristics from a spin/movement perspective. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some low-hanging fruit to weaponize much more effectively.

 

Curious what this means for the pen. Is another FA lefty also on the way? If not, I assume second lefty is one of the camp battles coming up? And I think that would imply only one of Estrada/Merryweather in the OD bullpen?

[Cubswin11]

Interestingly the stuff numbers don't love Fulmer. That said, he's one of only 10 guys who throws his slider more than 90 MPH. It's also got some interesting characteristics from a spin/movement perspective. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some low-hanging fruit to weaponize much more effectively.

 

Curious what this means for the pen. Is another FA lefty also on the way? If not, I assume second lefty is one of the camp battles coming up? And I think that would imply only one of Estrada/Merryweather in the OD bullpen?

Roenis Elías maybe? Also it almost has seem like a trade is coming and targeting a LHP RP would seem to be the target. Velazquez and Madrigal paired for something to like the As for a LHP could make sense. Both those guys seem like As.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

[champaignchris]

MLBTR or The Athletic had the Cubs among 6 teams at Britton’s showcase

 

I’d pass. They’re too close to the cap or tax w/e it’s called to risk going over for an injured reliever. Go big or go home

 

Meh. They have close to $90 million in payroll coming off the books next year assuming Stroman opts out. If they go over this year, they’ll easily be able to reset next year while still adding a few good free agents and/or extending some youngsters.

 

Not saying Britton is the guy you go over for, but I’m not worried about it one way or the other. It won’t affect the team over the long haul.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If Britton is still needing to work out for teams at the start of pitchers and catchers, my guess he's gonna command a pretty light contract. He's thrown less than 50 pro innings since the start of the pandemic, less than 8 last year, and ended the year with shoulder problems. In that light I'm very interested if he can prove himself healthy(he seems like a great combo of upside, likely cost, and fit to cap off the bullpen/roster), but if he requires Fulmer money then I'm fine with passing(and I imagine the FO would too).

[Cubswin11]

I can’t see him taking more than a a few million guaranteed ($2.5-3.5 maybe) with incentives to take it up a few more million for all the reasons mentioned. I think he’s worth the gamble assuming the medicals aren’t horsefeathers/his stuff velo is looking where it needs to be this time of year.

[Bertz]

Yeah I'm assuming we come down with one of Britton/Hand/W. Smith at $2-3M. Essentially I get the sense Jed is choosing Fulmer + a second tier lefty over coming down with Chafin or Moore.

[champaignchris]

 

Cubs 3B in 2024+ pls:

 

 

Now, there’s a point we can agree on. Sign Machado and Urias, extend Hoerner and call it an off-season.

[Post Count Padder]

We signed Edwin Rios. Has massive power and can play the corners. Was wasted/blocked in LA. I like it but I'm shocked it's a MLB deal. Ethan Roberts to 60 day IL.

[Bertz]

Curious if he was given any assurances about that last bench spot, or if this is a stash him at Iowa deal. Regardless the team could use more upper levels LH power so hard to complain.

[champaignchris]

We signed Edwin Rios. Has massive power and can play the corners. Was wasted/blocked in LA. I like it but I'm shocked it's a MLB deal. Ethan Roberts to 60 day IL.

 

Kind of looks like a left-handed hitting Wisdom. Not awful for your 25th or 26th guy on the roster.

[Bull]

We signed Edwin Rios. Has massive power and can play the corners. Was wasted/blocked in LA. I like it but I'm shocked it's a MLB deal. Ethan Roberts to 60 day IL.

 

Kind of looks like a left-handed hitting Wisdom. Not awful for your 25th or 26th guy on the roster.

This has to mean goodbye to Madrigal, right? He was already superfluous, starts taking reps at 3rd, then we sign this guy. There may not even be room for Madrigal at Iowa at his point.

[Bertz]

We signed Edwin Rios. Has massive power and can play the corners. Was wasted/blocked in LA. I like it but I'm shocked it's a MLB deal. Ethan Roberts to 60 day IL.

 

Kind of looks like a left-handed hitting Wisdom. Not awful for your 25th or 26th guy on the roster.

This has to mean goodbye to Madrigal, right? He was already superfluous, starts taking reps at 3rd, then we sign this guy. There may not even be room for Madrigal at Iowa at his point.

 

I'd guess Madrigal's staying in the org short of a ST injury taking out some team's starting 2B. But between this signing and all of the talk about how committed they are to making the 3B thing work, it does seem very likely he opens the year at Iowa.

 

The Iowa lineup is hella loaded though. Something like this?

 

3B - Madrigal

2B - Mastrobuoni

CF - Davis

1B - Mervis

C - Amaya

DH - Velazquez

RF - Perlaza

SS - Alcantara

LF - Hill

 

I'd be pretty comfortable with any of those top 7 guys, plus Canario when he's back, getting some run with the MLB club at some point this year.

[Bertz]

[Backtobanks]

 

Rios and Wisdom forming a nice platoon means Ricketts can avoid spending money on Machado next year.

[CubinNY]

 

Rios and Wisdom forming a nice platoon means Ricketts can avoid spending money on Machado next year.

It has to work, though.

 

I’d say Madrigal chances of making the big club out of STare pretty slim right now. But what do I know? It should be a very interesting six weeks.

 

I was very skeptical this offseason, but I kind of love how the Cubs are building a very solid roster to compete this year.

[Cubswin11]

[Backtobanks]

Rios and Wisdom forming a nice platoon means Ricketts can avoid spending money on Machado next year.

 

So long as there’s cap space it’s more of a “sure, it’s your funeral anyway” thing on who, how, when, where, and what the money is spent. Heck because all the cool kids did it and there’s a network, some real estate, and probably more serious agendas to promote (2024’s an election year!)…they might even gift us a biscuit and go over for a couple years

 

Hate to quote myself but here’s Tom Ricketts:

 

“If we see an opportunity or it’s the right time to go over for a year or two, we’ll have the ability to do that,” Ricketts said

 

:confetticannon:

 

I'll wait and see what happens before I believe him.

[UMFan83]

Rios and Wisdom forming a nice platoon means Ricketts can avoid spending money on Machado next year.

 

So long as there’s cap space it’s more of a “sure, it’s your funeral anyway” thing on who, how, when, where, and what the money is spent. Heck because all the cool kids did it and there’s a network, some real estate, and probably more serious agendas to promote (2024’s an election year!)…they might even gift us a biscuit and go over for a couple years

 

Hate to quote myself but here’s Tom Ricketts:

 

“If we see an opportunity or it’s the right time to go over for a year or two, we’ll have the ability to do that,” Ricketts said

 

:confetticannon:

 

"I won't promise a top 5 payroll or anything" - says the owner of the 3rd most valuable team playing in the 3rd largest market with the 3rd most expensive ticket prices in baseball after a decade of adding revenue-generating things that were promised to go back to baseball operations.

 

I hate luxury taxes sooooo much.

[Bertz]

I was pretty sure it was the plan already, but woo boy seeing that spending every 3rd year resetting the LT is explicitly and publicly part of the plan even in the best case scenarios is not great.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I was pretty sure it was the plan already, but woo boy seeing that spending every 3rd year resetting the LT is explicitly and publicly part of the plan even in the best case scenarios is not great.

 

I don't know if the specific cycle is determined, but it seems this is how basically every club operates. The Yankees reset in 2021, the Red Sox have done it a couple times over the past decade, the main exceptions at this point look like the Mets(though they may want to in a couple years if it's even possible) and the Dodgers(who had a weirdly austere offseason for not 100% being under the line).