Cubs sign Bellinger

[Tim]

The Cubs weren't as bad as their final record last year. In the first half, literally 80% of their rotation was hurt. They didn't really stabilize it until the second half, when they played better than .500 baseball.

 

We're also building on top of last year's moves and promotions, so they do not have as far to go as they did last offseason.

 

As things stand this morning, the Cubs are not yet ready to compete. But the moves made yesterday make them closer. And they are not done yet.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs weren't as bad as their final record last year. In the first half, literally 80% of their rotation was hurt. They didn't really stabilize it until the second half, when they played better than .500 baseball.

If you’re never as bad as you are when your pitchers are injured you’ll never be bad.

[Tim]

The Cubs weren't as bad as their final record last year. In the first half, literally 80% of their rotation was hurt. They didn't really stabilize it until the second half, when they played better than .500 baseball.

If you’re never as bad as you are when your pitchers are injured you’ll never be bad.

80% is a bit extreme.

 

Plus, they're building sufficient depth to actually handle that kind of loss at this point.

[PriorFighter]

I'm also surprised at the hate here. Seems like these are the kind of moves a big market team should make. Assuming this doesn't directly preclude a big SS, I see very little downside here.

 

1. If he's bad and we're good - nobody really thinks about this and he's a defensive upgrade at two positions of need, not worth $17.5m, but not worth $0

2. If he's good and we're bad - trade him for a couple of prospects at the deadline. That's worth $17.5m

3. If he's good and we're good - potential MVP candidate and major impact bat we need in the playoffs, worth WAY more than $17.5m

4. If he's bad and we're bad - bring up PCA or BD the last couple of months and let them take over

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm also surprised at the hate here. Seems like these are the kind of moves a big market team should make. Assuming this doesn't directly preclude a big SS, I see very little downside here.

 

1. If he's bad and we're good - nobody really thinks about this and he's a defensive upgrade at two positions of need, not worth $17.5m, but not worth $0

2. If he's good and we're bad - trade him for a couple of prospects at the deadline. That's worth $17.5m

3. If he's good and we're good - potential MVP candidate and major impact bat we need in the playoffs, worth WAY more than $17.5m

4. If he's bad and we're bad - bring up PCA or BD the last couple of months and let them take over

If this was a move big market teams should make then options 2 and 4 wouldn’t be on the table. But they are, because what this team needs to do is acquire a crap ton of production, not a guy with a long history of no production.

[Brian707]

Why do I feel like we will be disappointed by this off-season's FA signings?

 

Waiting for the excuse from Jed defending PTR and all the other BS.

[Tryptamine]

Why do I feel like we will be disappointed by this off-season's FA signings?

 

Waiting for the excuse from Jed defending PTR and all the other BS.

 

I don't think Taillon is bad, he solidifies a spot in the rotation. I just don't really see the point of Bellinger unless they intend to compete this year and even then, I feel like they could have filled the roster with another player with far fewer question marks and more recent success, but without the upside. If they don't go out and grab one of the SS, a catcher and another pitcher then I don't really see the point besides shipping him off at the trade deadline.

[squally1313]

I'm also surprised at the hate here. Seems like these are the kind of moves a big market team should make. Assuming this doesn't directly preclude a big SS, I see very little downside here.

 

1. If he's bad and we're good - nobody really thinks about this and he's a defensive upgrade at two positions of need, not worth $17.5m, but not worth $0

2. If he's good and we're bad - trade him for a couple of prospects at the deadline. That's worth $17.5m

3. If he's good and we're good - potential MVP candidate and major impact bat we need in the playoffs, worth WAY more than $17.5m

4. If he's bad and we're bad - bring up PCA or BD the last couple of months and let them take over

If this was a move big market teams should make then options 2 and 4 wouldn’t be on the table. But they are, because what this team needs to do is acquire a crap ton of production, not a guy with a long history of no production.

 

I....don't think you're actually angry about this particular transaction.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If they don't go out and grab one of the SS, a catcher and another pitcher then I don't really see the point besides shipping him off at the trade deadline.

 

I guess I'm not sure why this would be in question at this point. They're linked both locally and nationally with all of those things, Mooney/Sharma specifically listed the holes they wanted to fill that included all of them, and there's significant noise about them spending more than recent years. Maybe the SS isn't Correa and maybe the SP isn't Senga or the catcher isn't Murphy, but it seems very certain they are going to keep adding at those spots. The main open question is if they can win the race for one of the SS, since that's the one spot where there's not really a plan B, but they're heavily linked to all 3 available which means they aren't putting everything in a single option.

[squally1313]

If they don't go out and grab one of the SS, a catcher and another pitcher then I don't really see the point besides shipping him off at the trade deadline.

 

I guess I'm not sure why this would be in question at this point. They're linked both locally and nationally with all of those things, Mooney/Sharma specifically listed the holes they wanted to fill that included all of them, and there's significant noise about them spending more than recent years. Maybe the SS isn't Correa and maybe the SP isn't Senga or the catcher isn't Murphy, but it seems very certain they are going to keep adding at those spots. The main open question is if they can win the race for one of the SS, since that's the one spot where there's not really a plan B, but they're heavily linked to all 3 available which means they aren't putting everything in a single option.

 

Key point here. A ton of teams want these dudes, and rightly so. If we lose out because of the money spent here, we're big picture screwed anyways. But we can also very easily miss out on these dudes for whatever other reason that has nothing to do with these signings, and I can't imagine how this and Taillon hurt anything.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The hope is he’ll continue to regain range of motion in the shoulder, his confidence will grow and the mechanics that were impacted by the injury will be ironed out.

 

https://theathletic.com/3977499/2022/12/07/cubs-cody-bellinger-defense-moves/?redirected=1

That my friends is a bad gamble. If it hasn't healed in 2 years...

As a well-tuned athlete performing at a high level at all times, I can confirm a shoulder injury/surgery scenario can easily take 2+ years to get right.

[Tim]

If they don't go out and grab one of the SS, a catcher and another pitcher then I don't really see the point besides shipping him off at the trade deadline.

 

I guess I'm not sure why this would be in question at this point. They're linked both locally and nationally with all of those things, Mooney/Sharma specifically listed the holes they wanted to fill that included all of them, and there's significant noise about them spending more than recent years. Maybe the SS isn't Correa and maybe the SP isn't Senga or the catcher isn't Murphy, but it seems very certain they are going to keep adding at those spots. The main open question is if they can win the race for one of the SS, since that's the one spot where there's not really a plan B, but they're heavily linked to all 3 available which means they aren't putting everything in a single option.

 

Key point here. A ton of teams want these dudes, and rightly so. If we lose out because of the money spent here, we're big picture screwed anyways. But we can also very easily miss out on these dudes for whatever other reason that has nothing to do with these signings, and I can't imagine how this and Taillon hurt anything.

There's also the matter of recruiting those guys. Showing the team is going to be active adding on in other places is a good thing to get them to buy into the future. Bellinger's production has definitely sucked the past couple years, but he's still a name that gets respect in the game as evidenced by reports of a dozen teams pursuing him as a free agent.

[Post Count Padder]

Imagine telling this board three years ago we'd sign Cody Bellinged and most people here would be annoyed about it.

[Sammy Sofa]

I mean, "showing the team is going to be active" could also be them signing better players.

[Omar]

Bellinger will put up an OPS+ > 100, or better than 6/7 of Jason Heyward's years with the Cubs

 

Also, hitting at Wrigley should be better for him than Doyer stadium, right?

Edited December 7, 2022 by Omar

[Sammy Sofa]

Cody Bellinged

 

Nice.

 

Fast-forward to Opening Day:

 

"The Cubs really Cody Bellinged this offseason."

[Tim]

I mean, "showing the team is going to be active" could also be them signing better players.

yes, well, presumably the guy we're offering ~$300m to play for us will be a better player.

[Sammy Sofa]

I mean, "showing the team is going to be active" could also be them signing better players.

yes, well, presumably the guy we're offering ~$300m to play for us will be a better player.

 

Presumably it would be better to sign better players to get him to sign and make the Cubs better.

[Tim]

I mean, "showing the team is going to be active" could also be them signing better players.

yes, well, presumably the guy we're offering ~$300m to play for us will be a better player.

 

Presumably it would be better to sign better players to get him to sign and make the Cubs better.

Bellinger made the Cubs better as a baseline and potentially significantly better. Taillon made them better, as well.

[Sammy Sofa]

yes, well, presumably the guy we're offering ~$300m to play for us will be a better player.

 

Presumably it would be better to sign better players to get him to sign and make the Cubs better.

Bellinger made the Cubs better as a baseline and potentially significantly better. Taillon made them better, as well.

 

Sure, but even better better guys make them even more better, and also improve their chances with the whole "making themselves better appeals to the guys who would REALLY make them better" thing.

 

Don't settle, Tim.

[Tim]

 

Presumably it would be better to sign better players to get him to sign and make the Cubs better.

Bellinger made the Cubs better as a baseline and potentially significantly better. Taillon made them better, as well.

 

Sure, but even better better guys make them even more better, and also improve their chances with the whole "making themselves better appeals to the guys who would REALLY make them better" thing.

 

Don't settle, Tim.

Other than Nimmo, who was going to improve CF more as a FA?

[We Got The Whole 9]

Bellinger was a nice addition because the position is a wasteland and his floor is reasonable even when he can't hit. Taillon adds depth so they can ease the Iowa guys in. They're not exciting but they're good moves for the roster IMO.

[gflore34]

I'm hoping there's more to the offseason than this, like some here I'm not hip on Bellinger' bat improving. In fact, I cannot recall the Cubs ever "fixing" a broken bat, I sure it's happened, I think. But it appears to me players such Bellinger, Heyward just get worse when they're Cubs.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm hoping there's more to the offseason than this, like some here I'm not hip on Bellinger' bat improving. In fact, I cannot recall the Cubs ever "fixing" a broken bat, I sure it's happened, I think. But it appears to me players such Bellinger, Heyward just get worse when they're Cubs.

 

Depends on how you define it, but guys with significant offensive improvement on past form would be Montero, Valbuena, Coghlan, and Wisdom in recent years. Further back you have Aramis, Lee, Barrett, and Todd Walker too.

[Bertz]

If I was hanging my hat on anything for the Cubs to coax out of Bellinger, it would be more about the health/athleticism stuff. The Cubs have the "High Performance" with all the sports scientists and such. Nico is probably the only notable MLB example, but a bunch of minor leaguers have gotten sufficiently yoked under their tutelage the last few years.

 

It's not hard to see the team (plus the additionalsix months) getting Bellinger's shoulder back closer to 100% and Cody himself taking it from there.