Article: How Would the 2024 Chicago Cubs Line Up if the Season Started Monday?

[Rcal10]

48 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I think there's probably a fair amount of consistency of opinion about Morel's offense.  He's a good hitter, he has risk but also some upside above the standard he's set over 800+ PA.  Then on the defense side it depends on if you think he can be playable at a position the team needs.  Whether that answer is yes/no for the Cubs and his suitor determines if trading him makes sense.

 

Cubs Yes/Suitor No: Don't trade him, he does things the Cubs want to add to the roster and they have defensive spots he could conceivably play if you're optimistic

Cubs Yes/Suitor Yes: Probably don't trade him, if some team thinks he's a plus 2B and wants to pay a big price they think he's the next Jeff Kent or something, that's the only permutation that makes sense given the Cubs needs

Cubs No/Suitor Yes: Here's where it makes sense to trade him.  If the Cubs see a DH and someone else thinks he's a 3-4 win 2B on a pre-arb deal, you can likely make that work to everyone's benefit

Cubs No/Suitor No: Don't trade him, the return for a positionless bat of that caliber won't be nothing, but given the roster needs it's better to have that bat than the return.

 

Important to remember that across 29 other teams they'll have different Yes/No answers, but I think that's a decent summation of that dynamic.

Well said. And if the Cubs are a no on Morel to play 3rd they just need one of the 29 GM’s to view him as a yes at some position. That is why I think he is valuable. I think someone will think “yes”. 
 

I am also am not sure the Cubs are a no for 3rd. It is one thjnk putting him at a position mid season while also focusing on his offense. It is another thing to work with him all off season on learning the position defensively. If they can do it he is a great asset. If they can’t they should look to trade him. Someone will value him more than the Cubs if they don’t think he can play 3rd. 

[Stratos]

I think Morel has potential in the field and the plate.  Hoyer has said he has good hands.  He seems better on the INF, probably ideally a middle INF it seems, but when I went to a series late last year he was working on extra groundballs before every game when most of the other guys were in the dugout.  He obviously needs work at 3B since last year and i'm sure he got a ton of work in throughout this season.  The Cubs seemed to prioritize defense at 3B this past season, Madrigal provided value there and was hitting well for a while.

I'm sure he'll work on it during the winter, maybe even a bit of winter ball at 3B.  He deserves another shot.  He got moved around a lot in the minors and last year in the MLB at different positions, he hasn't had a chance to really work and settle anywhere.  He's a great athlete, I think he has a real shot to be at least average defensively on the INF if they let him play and get better.

[squally1313]

I know this isn't the ideal outcome but he can just be a bad defensive baseball player. He's been in the Cubs system for 7 years as a dude who was never supposed to have his bat carry him. It's a little naive to suggest something along the lines of like 'well why don't we just hit him some groundballs for a few months and take care of this issue'. 'He hasn't had a chance to really work and settle anywhere' makes it seem like he's been a professional baseball player for 7 years spending 40 hours a week in the batting cage. The fact that he hasn't found a single position anyone feels comfortable putting him at is an indictment on him, the organization, or both. 

The middle infield is filled. Less than zero interest in moving Dansby or Nico off positions they are elite at. 

Generally agree with TTs assessment, but I think the third option is 'maybe'. I don't think the Cubs should go into next year with Morel as a non-DH starter and a view of 'maybe he can do it'. But I think a rebuilding team can, and I think a team like the Dodgers could too.