Ohtani to Dodgers for an ungodly amount of money

[Brian707]

3 minutes ago, almirhadzic123 said:

Bob Nightengale, the guy who tweeted that Counsell would decide between Milwaukee and New York and then he ended up a Cub a couple hours later lol this the guy you guys are losing time over LOL do better folks

Talk about comparing apples to tire irons. It's not just Bob,

[Ding Dong Johnson]

 

[almirhadzic123]

Jed literally backstabs Ross to go get arguably the best manager in the game and people think he's gonna be okay with settling with a subpar offseason, player wise lol

[Tryptamine]

Just now, almirhadzic123 said:

Jed literally backstabs Ross to go get arguably the best manager in the game and people think he's gonna be okay with settling with a subpar offseason, player wise lol

New to the fandom?

[Jason Ross]

Just now, ToolDRT said:

I genuinely don’t think that’s what I’m doing here. Though, maybe Nightengales report alone would have made me feel this way. To me, it seems that the tide has been shifting the last week and each new report seems to have us lower on the totem pole and more in the background than we were two weeks ago. 
 

Trust me when I tell you this, I want to be wrong about this more than anything. But something seems awfully pessimistic in regards to the cubs right now. I’m ready for the Hoskins, Glasnow, Chapman offseason to get over with already. 

I think you've got a blind spot here, Tool. Let's not forget, the Cubs went through this same process in the same way (less public because Seiya Suzuki was less of a prize) with Suzuki. Literally zero connections, not even mentioned. Then...boom...Cubs signed him. 3 weeks ago no one even knew the Cubs met with Counsell. They waited it out, snuck in, offered him a literal record deal, and got him. Ohtani's recruitment was always going to be smoke and mirrors. If the goal was "no leaks" than frankly, any report that suggested the Cubs weren't doing much could have been seen as a good thing; it meant they were being secretive. 

I really want Ohtani here. I get it. I want him bad. But I think we're letting our perceptions and our frustrations of the Cubs in the past creep in with a smoke and mirrors to make us think the Cubs aren't earnest here. In part, the Cubs deserve this to a bit because I think there are times they haven't been. With that said, I do think the Cubs were earnest here. I don't think they went in and lowballed him for the press. They don't get brownie points for that, but I won't hate on them if they lose this one. The Dodgers were always the perceived favorites. 

I'll be mad about an offseason at the end of the day if they fart around, too. Don't worry about that.

[Irrelevant Dude]

2 minutes ago, almirhadzic123 said:

Jed literally backstabs Ross to go get arguably the best manager in the game and people think he's gonna be okay with settling with a subpar offseason, player wise lol

Let's not forget the second and third tier guys Jed targeted last off-season and how most of those turned out. Obviously Dansby was a good signing, but Jed doesn't have the best track record identifying and signing lesser free agents.

[ToolDRT]

5 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I think you've got a blind spot here, Tool. Let's not forget, the Cubs went through this same process in the same way (less public because Seiya Suzuki was less of a prize) with Suzuki. Literally zero connections, not even mentioned. Then...boom...Cubs signed him. 3 weeks ago no one even knew the Cubs met with Counsell. They waited it out, snuck in, offered him a literal record deal, and got him. Ohtani's recruitment was always going to be smoke and mirrors. If the goal was "no leaks" than frankly, any report that suggested the Cubs weren't doing much could have been seen as a good thing; it meant they were being secretive. 

I really want Ohtani here. I get it. I want him bad. But I think we're letting our perceptions and our frustrations of the Cubs in the past creep in with a smoke and mirrors to make us think the Cubs aren't earnest here. In part, the Cubs deserve this to a bit because I think there are times they haven't been. With that said, I do think the Cubs were earnest here. I don't think they went in and lowballed him for the press. They don't get brownie points for that, but I won't hate on them if they lose this one. The Dodgers were always the perceived favorites. 

I'll be mad about an offseason at the end of the day if they fart around, too. Don't worry about that.

I agree with some of this. We do work in secrecy very well. Probably better than any other team. Not to go in circles here, but what are other possible reasons for Jed’s outburst today? I feel like in his shoes, I’d be laughing at how utterly clueless Bob Nightengale is and not even be acknowledging his existence further than that. 

I think we have to place some stock into the slow build up of Dodger/Jays talk we’ve heard the last week and consider we might know we’re out of this thing and that’s why Jed got pissy. I just can’t see him responding to Bob otherwise. Reading Counsells comments as well, he essentially ignored a follow-up question asking if the cubs had met with Ohtani. Which leads me to believe he was earnest in his response that he, personally has not. That’s not very encouraging. I’d assume our shiny new manger would be involved if we were being seriously considered here. 
 

To me, it’s clear we’re out. I will gladly eat a horsefeathers ton of crow if I’m wrong though. 

[chibears55]

Maybe they are pivoting from Ohtani because they possibly have a deal/trade pending for Soto and or someone else and didn't want anything leaked out.

[Tryptamine]

9 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Let's not forget the second and third tier guys Jed targeted last off-season and how most of those turned out. Obviously Dansby was a good signing, but Jed doesn't have the best track record identifying and signing lesser free agents.

Bellinger was a HR

Dansby was good

Mancini was a disaster

Hosmer was a disaster

Barnhart was a disaster

Smyly was bad

Fulmer was I guess OK

Boxberger was a disaster

Edwin Rios was basically nothing

 

Yeah, it wasn't good.

[Irrelevant Dude]

5 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Maybe they are pivoting from Ohtani because they possibly have a deal/trade pending for Soto and or someone else and didn't want anything leaked out.

 

[Irrelevant Dude]

5 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Bellinger was a HR

Dansby was good

Mancini was a disaster

Hosmer was a disaster

Barnhart was a disaster

Smyly was bad

Fulmer was I guess OK

Boxberger was a disaster

Edwin Rios was basically nothing

 

Yeah, it wasn't good.

Taillon... Not quite a disaster, but not good.

[JHBulls]

32 minutes ago, almirhadzic123 said:

Jed literally backstabs Ross to go get arguably the best manager in the game and people think he's gonna be okay with settling with a subpar offseason, player wise lol

The difference between a 5 year/$40 million contract and a 10+ year/$500 million is night and day for the Cubs. Unfortunately, this club continues to not want to sit at the big boy table. Very frustrating.

 

[UMFan83]

7 minutes ago, The20thK said:

I wish Shohei would do like college recruits…

 

sit behind a desk with a bunch of hats and then select a hat in front of everyone!!  
 

that would be awesome

That’s what ESPN wants. They’re complaining that he’s not making a spectacle out of his FA

[Ding Dong Johnson]

 

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Tryptamine said:

Bellinger was a HR

Dansby was good

Mancini was a disaster

Hosmer was a disaster

Barnhart was a disaster

Smyly was bad

Fulmer was I guess OK

Boxberger was a disaster

Edwin Rios was basically nothing

 

Yeah, it wasn't good.

Between Correa, Turner, Bogaerts, Rodon, Verlander, and DeGrom who would you have rather signed over Swanson?  Bellinger?  98% of Cubs fans wanted Correa, Turner, or Bogaerts last year.

Jed miffed on Mancini and Smyly but the other ones listed were low-risk.  His main failure last offseason IMO was the pen.  Most fans wanted Mervis to start at 1B opening day.

Jed bounced Ross for Counsell.  He acquired PCA, Alcanatara, and Canario instead of extending Baez, Rizzo, and/or Bryant.  He got Stroman and Suzuki on good contracts.  The # of star FA's the Cubs should regret not signing over the last several years isn't very big  Jed's doing fine.

[Thusly Boned]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

That’s what ESPN wants. They’re complaining that he’s not making a spectacle out of his FA

Yeah, the media is definitely not thrilled about this; they wanted a three ring circus, are getting essentially nothing, and are trying their best to manifest one.

[Thusly Boned]

20 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Between Correa, Turner, Bogaerts, Rodon, Verlander, and DeGrom who would you have rather signed over Swanson?  Bellinger?  98% of Cubs fans wanted Correa, Turner, or Bogaerts last year.

Jed miffed on Mancini and Smyly but the other ones listed were low-risk.  His main failure last offseason IMO was the pen.  Most fans wanted Mervis to start at 1B opening day.

Jed bounced Ross for Counsell.  He acquired PCA, Alcanatara, and Canario instead of extending Baez, Rizzo, and/or Bryant.  He got Stroman and Suzuki on good contracts.  The # of star FA's the Cubs should regret not signing over the last several years isn't very big  Jed's doing fine.

I really wanted Turner, and was scared to death of Correa, and considered it a dodged bullet. Time has made the Swanson signing look pretty good. That said, I might still rather have Turner.

Bellinger was a home run, but was an easy risk to take.

Mancini was a bad move, Hosmer was a no risk flyer. Smyly was a mostly bad mixed bag.

Barnhart was exactly what they expected, I think, and they did the right thing by cutting him loose when Amaya established himself (somewhat).

Fulmer was okay, but the injury wasn't entirely unpredictable. It turned out bad, but it's hard to fault them for Boxberger.

I think the jury is still very much out on Taillon. He could be bad, or he could be the pitcher he was in the second half and that contract will look pretty good. Or in between and it'd be a wash. I think one of the latter two is more likely than him being awful for the next few years.

I don't have a ton of complaints, really. I'll be really disappointed, but even if the Cubs don't get Ohtani or Yamamoto, there are a few offseason paths to being the clear favorite in the NLC next year.

 

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Maybe they are pivoting from Ohtani because they possibly have a deal/trade pending for Soto and or someone else and didn't want anything leaked out.

Maybe "insiders" are mistaking the Cubs inquiring heavily about other players for post-Ohtani contract due diligence (signed or not not signed) as them "moving away from Ohtani".

It's a bunch of hot air.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Stratos

[thawv]

14 hours ago, 1908_Cubs said:

If you want some copium/hopium....maybe what Counsell said gives you some. 

I think the whole secrecy crap is being blow way out of proportion.  To me, he doesn't want people to know where, when, and for how long he's meeting with teams.  He wants it kept under wraps.  After the meeting happened, I don't think it matters anymore.  If he doesn't go to the Dodgers because Roberts said that they had a meeting after the fact, maybe there's something wrong with Ohtani. 

[Jason Ross]

9 minutes ago, thawv said:

I think the whole secrecy crap is being blow way out of proportion.  To me, he doesn't want people to know where, when, and for how long he's meeting with teams.  He wants it kept under wraps.  After the meeting happened, I don't think it matters anymore.  If he doesn't go to the Dodgers because Roberts said that they had a meeting after the fact, maybe there's something wrong with Ohtani. 

I don't think it's fair to assume there's "something wrong with Ohtani" because he wants to do things his way and it's not the way others want him to do it. I would also say this secrecy crap isn't being blown out of proportion...pay attention to how the Dodgers have responded to Robert's comments...they don't seem enthused. I think we just have to accept Shohei wants to do this in a different way (honestly, it seems very much like how Seiya Suzuki did it. We all forget how absolutely silent that entire thing was). That's fine.

[thawv]

13 hours ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Starting to get a tad bit hope back.

The more it's reported that the Cubs are fading, the more I believe that they are gaining strength. 

[Jfoley89]

23 minutes ago, thawv said:

I think the whole secrecy crap is being blow way out of proportion.  To me, he doesn't want people to know where, when, and for how long he's meeting with teams.  He wants it kept under wraps.  After the meeting happened, I don't think it matters anymore.  If he doesn't go to the Dodgers because Roberts said that they had a meeting after the fact, maybe there's something wrong with Ohtani. 

There was an article on the Athletic today talking about the fact that Ohtani's camp wouldn't even release the name of his pet dog.  I'm not sure the secrecy thing is being overblown at all

[thawv]

5 minutes ago, Jfoley89 said:

There was an article on the Athletic today talking about the fact that Ohtani's camp wouldn't even release the name of his pet dog.  I'm not sure the secrecy thing is being overblown at all

My feeling is that leading up to anything Ohtani, and during anything Ohtani is what they want kept a secret.  After it happens, I not so sure it matters anymore.  1908 pointed out to see how the Dodgers reacted to Roberts's comment.  I have to see it

[BigbadB]

After catching up with the last 8 or so pages of this thread, all I can say is "Holy Brian Roberts, guys!"

I turned on MLB Network for about 10 minutes and decided absolutely nothing is happening, so I'll just wait around until something does. I'm 25 days from my 60th birthday and more than 20 years on this site, and I just can't let this team stress me out like I did in the past. I guess it's good to see some of you are all still full of piss and vinegar. More power to ya.

[CubinNY]

It was always a long shot and it still is. Nothing has changed. I think Jed was pissed that the wrong story got leaked. It's an easy narrative to write because that has been their stated MO and there is ample evidence to support it. However, maybe not with Ohtani. Who knows? Ohtani has all the power and I love it, a win for labor.