Cubs offseason chit chat...

[chibears55]

Just saw that the Cubs won't be bringing Fulmer back and he'll be a FA...

Fine by me, I think they have some good young arms for the pen in theirsystem, and hopefully they can add 1 or 2 upgrades via trade or FA.

[chibears55]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/10/21-players-elect-free-agency.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

[Tryptamine]

14 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/10/angels-outright-six-players.html

The non-Alonso 1B cupboard is bare enough rn that it may not be crazy to see Walsh as a smaller scale, higher risk but good reward Bellinger-esque pickup. He’s got the wrecked shoulder, was legit good ‘20-‘21, plays a good 1B when healthy, did some interesting things last year (more flyballs, fewer pop ups, good HR/FB) 

 

 

 

The shoulder isn't the issue. The vertigo and tremors are the issue. While he has managed to mostly control it, he clearly isn't fully back yet. Unfortunately, he's likely done as a productive major leaguer. 

[UMFan83]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:06 PM, chibears55 said:

Just saw that the Cubs won't be bringing Fulmer back and he'll be a FA...

Fine by me, I think they have some good young arms for the pen in theirsystem, and hopefully they can add 1 or 2 upgrades via trade or FA.

Guessing this is why they aren't bringing Fulmer back

 

[JHBulls]

Already posted. Sucks for Fulmer. 

Edited October 19, 2023 by JHBulls

[PackLandVA]

Well, given how often the bullpen was used, is it really any wonder why so many of them are/were injured.

[Tom Emanski]

I am hoping we roll with Mervis at first base next season. 

[Rcal10]

31 minutes ago, Tom Emanski said:

I am hoping we roll with Mervis at first base next season. 

At the very least I hope they have him start out at 1st/DH. I am fine if they get someone like Hoskins and roll with him AND Mervis. Or if they sign Candelario let him go between 1st, 3rd and DH and go with Mervis and Morel at 1st, 3rd and DH as well.

 

it might be time to count on some young guys. Add one bat and use some young talent to fill the rest of the line up. 
 

unless, of course, if they traded for Soto. To me that is the best case, somewhat realistic, scenario. Figure out where to play him. Could be first,left and DH and Mervis can still be a guy who plays in 70-80% of the games. 

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

At the very least I hope they have him start out at 1st/DH. I am fine if they get someone like Hoskins and roll with him AND Mervis. Or if they sign Candelario let him go between 1st, 3rd and DH and go with Mervis and Morel at 1st, 3rd and DH as well.

 

it might be time to count on some young guys. Add one bat and use some young talent to fill the rest of the line up. 
 

unless, of course, if they traded for Soto. To me that is the best case, somewhat realistic, scenario. Figure out where to play him. Could be first,left and DH and Mervis can still be a guy who plays in 70-80% of the games. 

I'd also like to see Mervis start the year on the team.  I get why they didn't last year, they waited for him to get going in mid-season form and he only had one successful pro season under his belt at the time.

I'd like to see him get a decent # of PA's in 2023 unless he's horrid or they find someone better.  If he can manage 80-100 rWC+ just let him play.  They still need a backup plan and a RHB 1B to possibly platoon vs LHP.  Wisdom might fit, or someone else, i'm done with Wisdom at 3B.  Looks like he might get about 2.5 mil in arbitration this winter.  Non-tender territory.

[stitchface]

Former MLB player arrested in deadly 2021 shooting that stunned Tahoe area (msn.com)

 

yikes.

[CubinNY]

On 10/20/2023 at 11:45 PM, stitchface said:

Former MLB player arrested in deadly 2021 shooting that stunned Tahoe area (msn.com)

 

yikes.

I forgot he pitched in the org. 

[LBiittner]

Pardon this off-topic comment: I'm happy how NSBB and PSD posters have joined together to provide a wealth of Cub information and insight. Pleasure to come here.

[Bertz]

I love this Polanco idea.  Offensively he's not too dissimilar from Candelario, defensively you can get him in the lineup at 2nd or 3rd (and in a real pinch SS).  His contract is two consecutive club options, whereas I think Candy might require a 3 or even 4 year deal.  BBTV says it won't take much to get him, a prospect of consequence but nothing wild.

Having an ability to get some quality LHH plate appearances in the infield somewhere besides 1B is a low key need.  And currently the internal options on that front are just BJ Murray and Miles Mastrobuoni.  I like both guys but hard to confidently count on either contributing in '24.

[Dfan25]

IDK how much Interest the O’s would have in a Stroman for Santander trade , but I think Santander would be a good fit for the Cubs . One arbitration year left and could be used at 1B / DH .  
 

[We Got The Whole 9]

That might have been the nail. Garcia just wearing them out. 

[Cuzi]

Dalbec is 28 years old in AAA. He had 169 K's in 493 PA's in a league he's going on 4 years too old for. Even if he was free I wouldn't give him a 40 man roster spot.

The Cubs have Matt Mervis who is at the sink or swim point in his MLB career with just as much success in AAA as Dalbec at 3 years younger. Why in the world would trading for Dalbec enter anyones thought process?

The idea is to get better. The Cubs should be beyond the point of throwing horsefeathers at a wall and seeing what sticks. Its time to look at guys that are successful MLB players.

Edited October 24, 2023 by Cuzi

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, Cuzi said:

Dalbec is 28 years old in AAA. He had 169 K's in 493 PA's in a league he's going on 4 years too old for. Even if he was free I wouldn't give him a 40 man roster spot.

The Cubs have Matt Mervis who is at the sink or swim point in his MLB career with just as much success in AAA as Dalbec at 3 years younger. Why in the world would trading for Dalbec enter anyones thought process?

The idea is to get better. The Cubs should be beyond the point of throwing horsefeathers at a wall and seeing what sticks. Its time to look at guys that are successful MLB players.

https://tenor.com/view/first-time-james-franco-meme-hang-gif-16272179

Edited October 24, 2023 by CubinNY

[Transmogrified Tiger]

9 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

It’s still horsefeathers weird how often “the Cubs should trade for Bobby Dalbec” has popped into my head. I like the glove and slug at 1B, remember more or less Cubs scouted him as a two way player at Arizona. I’ve added Garrett Whitlock (off a down year, career 34% chase) from the Red Sox :dontknow:

The former made Pipeline’s org ASs or something for the Red Sox as a 3B:

Edit: The assumptions are Ohtani to Cubs but Alonso or another obvious 1B starter is unavailable. I’m not so big on bringing Candelario back, wouldn’t complain about a power 1B with some 3B versatility cheaper than Wisdom. The breaks might be Mervis or a Mervis platoon, and to his credit the 2023 AAA line did get cleaned up

Especially if the Red Sox are cutting bait I don't mind Dalbec as a slightly higher cost Rios, but did that adjustment/improvement actually happen in practice?  He had a 34% K rate at AAA, and as best as I can tell it didn't really improve over the course of the season.  He struck out 51% of the time in his September cameo in MLB for good measure.  I think it's more likely he just doesn't have what's needed to make contact at this level.

[Rcal10]

4 hours ago, Cuzi said:

Dalbec is 28 years old in AAA. He had 169 K's in 493 PA's in a league he's going on 4 years too old for. Even if he was free I wouldn't give him a 40 man roster spot.

The Cubs have Matt Mervis who is at the sink or swim point in his MLB career with just as much success in AAA as Dalbec at 3 years younger. Why in the world would trading for Dalbec enter anyones thought process?

The idea is to get better. The Cubs should be beyond the point of throwing horsefeathers at a wall and seeing what sticks. Its time to look at guys that are successful MLB players.

Agreed. Not really interested in Dalbec. Just stick with Mervis. Maybe for a little cheaper than the star level contracts look into Hoskins. Him and Mervis can split DH/1B. I would rather see Ohtani or a Soto trade, but I know that is doubtful. I would rather sign Hoskins than trade for Alonso. 
Note: this is assuming Hoskins is healthy. 

[Bertz]

If you go huge at DH, like Soto or Ohtani, I think you can do something more hail mary-ish at 1B like a Dalbec-Mervis competition.  I'd probably just stick with Wisdom as the RHH half of that competition, but it's not crazy to bring in a guy who was pretty recently a tippy top prospect.  

[Cuzi]

Bob Melvin jumping ship and headed from the Padres to the Giants.

I wonder how desperate the Padres are to slash payroll. Would they consider trading Kim? He's got 1 year left under contract. They just signed Cronenworth to a 7 year deal and moved him to 1B to make their IF fit, but they have Eguy Rosario getting a taste now and he pretty much only fits at 1B.

I could live with Kim at 3B.

Edited October 24, 2023 by Cuzi

[Bertz]

12 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Bob Melvin jumping ship and headed from the Padres to the Giants.

I wonder how desperate the Padres are to slash payroll. Would they consider trading Kim? He's got 1 year left under contract. They just signed Cronenworth to a 7 year deal and moved him to 1B to make their IF fit, but they have Eguy Rosario getting a taste now and he pretty much only fits at 1B.

I could live with Kim at 3B.

The rumor was roughly $200M.  So they have to cut salary but not all the way to the bone.  Trade Soto and let Lugo/Martinez walk and you're there.  Though Preller does like to make big flashy moves so maybe he trades more than that to open up more FA options.

[Rcal10]

2 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Especially if the breaks make Mervis the favorite for 1B, Dalbec works much more with that plan than the starting 1B of the 2022 WS runner up

If Mervis/Hoskins are 1B *and* DH for 2024 then Cubs are already screwed 

Why are they screwed already if Mervis and Hoskins are 1b/DH? If Mervis sucks then obviously he isn’t going to DH. Hoskins will play 1B and the Cubs will just rotate DH. Bottom line is the Cubs are not going to fill all spots with proven talent. They are not going to spend that kind of money. They need some young talent to come up. If not Mervis maybe Canario comes I and is DH. Maybe they trade for a 3rd baseman and Morel is the DH. Or, maybe Mervis does well the second time around. We don’t have to look far to find a guy who didn’t establish himself until he was mid to late 20’s in the majors. Garcia isn’t doing too bad for an older guy breaking into the league. Why can’t Mervis? 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Cuzi said:

Bob Melvin jumping ship and headed from the Padres to the Giants.

I wonder how desperate the Padres are to slash payroll. Would they consider trading Kim? He's got 1 year left under contract. They just signed Cronenworth to a 7 year deal and moved him to 1B to make their IF fit, but they have Eguy Rosario getting a taste now and he pretty much only fits at 1B.

I could live with Kim at 3B.

What does Kim make though? $7M? I would think they want to cut more than that. He would be fine if the Cubs for him. But IMO he isn’t a problem on the padres team. Trading him isn’t saving enough payroll. 

[Cuzi]

36 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What does Kim make though? $7M? I would think they want to cut more than that. He would be fine if the Cubs for him. But IMO he isn’t a problem on the padres team. Trading him isn’t saving enough payroll. 

It has less to do with Kim being a problem versus being a potential solution to their problem. He has 1 year remaining. They are about to lose a good chunk of their starting rotation. They are talking about trading Soto. They are in the middle of a soft reset. Do they plan on extending Kim or not? If the answer is no, then he's probably available in trade and they could probably ask for a decent amount in return.