2022-23 Offseason Thread (Cubs)

[Derwood]

Barnhart is the definition of “meh”

[Post Count Padder]

So reading into it more, it's fine. Barnhart was actually not a total black hole at the plate before 2022. And he has hit righties better his whole career and Gomes has hit lefties better his whole career so it makes sense as a platoon. And he gets rave reviews for his play behind the dish. It's not sexy but it will do as long as they add at least a Conforto.

[Gilby]

It's interesting that a lot of mediocre FA are getting 2 years with a player opt-out. Is it purely CBT related?

[Bertz]

So the Cubs saw the Phillies power their way to pennant and decided to put together a team that won't score at all

 

The Phillies punted offense at both CF and SS in the second half last year

 

Edit: Actually looks like Marsh actually hit post-trade, but they handed him the job before he'd proven he could hit

[Irrelevant Dude]

Barnhart is the definition of “meh”

More "bleh" than "meh"

[Tryptamine]

So they've chosen to go a worse version of the Lovie Smith theory. Don't give up many runs, but score even fewer.

[Tim]

So reading into it more, it's fine. Barnhart was actually not a total black hole at the plate before 2022. And he has hit righties better his whole career and Gomes has hit lefties better his whole career so it makes sense as a platoon. And he gets rave reviews for his play behind the dish. It's not sexy but it will do as long as they add at least a Conforto.

I feel like I said all this earlier in the thread.

[Post Count Padder]

So reading into it more, it's fine. Barnhart was actually not a total black hole at the plate before 2022. And he has hit righties better his whole career and Gomes has hit lefties better his whole career so it makes sense as a platoon. And he gets rave reviews for his play behind the dish. It's not sexy but it will do as long as they add at least a Conforto.

I feel like I said all this earlier in the thread.

I didn't come to this site 20 years ago to read!

[Bertz]

 

There might have been something in the water (or more likely the air) in Detroit last year. Doesn't turn Barnhart into JT Realmuto but the guy he was in Cincy is probably still in there.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm sorry, a team simply cannot have both a Tucker Barnhart AND a Dansby Swanson on the same roster. These names are absurd, and clearly made up either for a video game or a Young Republicans convention.

[Post Count Padder]

 

There might have been something in the water (or more likely the air) in Detroit last year. Doesn't turn Barnhart into JT Realmuto but the guy he was in Cincy is probably still in there.

Just looked it up. The Tigers has 15 players with more than 120 PAs last season and only one of those players posted an OPS above .700. Yikes. Javy led them in HR with just 17

[JeffH]

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm sorry, a team simply cannot have both a Tucker Barnhart AND a Dansby Swanson on the same roster. These names are absurd, and clearly made up either for a video game or a Young Republicans convention.

Following their failed attempt to purchase a premier league team the Ricketts are venturing into Major League Lacrosse

[Cubswin11]

Weren’t the Cubs the surprise runner up for Ohtani way back when? I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he’s their first dive into $300+ (mostly bc it looks more impressive and expensive than it is)

 

They were, though I would guess the Cubs looked a lot more appealing in the 2017 offseason than they do now. On the plus side the universal DH is here and that seemed to be a big sticking point for going to the Cubs.

Yeah I believe there reports (local and national guys) that said we had a great/presentation fit and maybe even offered the most money and his interest to come was real. But there was no universal DH at the time and no confirmation it was coming. So it would’ve been harder for him to both pitch and hit having to play the field he felt because all the more physical demand.

[Cubswin11]

Smyly official

[JeffH]

Smyly official

 

Two years. Kind of surprising.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/cubs-drew-smyly-agree-to-two-year-deal.html

[Transmogrified Tiger]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

[Tryptamine]

So we're going into the season with Seiya as the big bat. Yikes.

[Cubswin11]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

Was just looking at our payroll, Spotrac and and Fangraphs shows Hendricks has a vesting option for next year for $16 mil. Anyone what know what that is as it’s not listed the benchmarks and if it’s easily attainable? If it looks like it’s pretty easy to hit there could maybe be a contract rework and add 1-2 years so save maybe $2-5 mil in LT money.

[JeffH]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

 

$18 million under.

[champaignchris]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

Was just looking at our payroll, Spotrac and and Fangraphs shows Hendricks has a vesting option for next year for $16 mil. Anyone what know what that is as it’s not listed the benchmarks and if it’s easily attainable? If it looks like it’s pretty easy to hit there could maybe be a contract rework and add 1-2 years so save maybe $2-5 mil in LT money.

 

 

Hendricks option vests with a Top 3 Cy Young finish. I’d love for that to happen, but clearly not likely.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

Was just looking at our payroll, Spotrac and and Fangraphs shows Hendricks has a vesting option for next year for $16 mil. Anyone what know what that is as it’s not listed the benchmarks and if it’s easily attainable? If it looks like it’s pretty easy to hit there could maybe be a contract rework and add 1-2 years so save maybe $2-5 mil in LT money.

 

 

Hendricks option vests with a Top 3 Cy Young finish. I’d love for that to happen, but clearly not likely.

 

Pretty sure it was a top 3 finish only in 2020, not any other season.

[jersey cubs fan]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

With his arm I’m not sure that’s in the cards

[UMFan83]

Interesting nugget from Heyman:

 

https://nypost.com/2022/12/22/giants-interest-in-michael-conforto-may-come-with-complications/

 

Coincidental that Hendricks (Kyle) and Hendriks (Liam) are available Chicagoans. …

 

Can’t see how it makes sense to trade Hendricks unless you are just trying to dump his salary

[Bertz]

So with Smyly officially at 9.5 million AAV, that means they're around 15 million under the LT line, and are likely to add 1-2 bats and 1-2 RP, plus potentially extend Hoerner. Everyone's lives sure would get a lot easier if they could find a way to turn Madrigal into a useful reliever.

 

They were linked to Conforto again tonight by Heyman too, and feels like in this market he'll be at least $12M? Seems at this point that either they're passing the LT, or at least three of the following must be true:

 

- The "big" bat makes max ~$8M

- They only add one more bat

- The remaining reliever(s) make basically the veteran minimum salary

- Essentially zero money gets left for the trade deadline

- No extensions for anybody

 

There's also Happ and Hoerner's arb estimates, which we're treating as gospel but could very reasonably be low by a few million. Put it all together and I'd say it's pretty unlikely at this point that they're sticking under the LT IMO. Although they're clearly not blowing way past it.