Cubs offseason chit chat...

[PackLandVA]

57 minutes ago, gocubs218 said:

Let someone else offer him 3 years. I’d rather go with Madrigal until Shaw is ready middle of next year: 

Who plays third base the other 80 or so games for all the times Madrigal will be out/on the IL?

[gocubs218]

2 hours ago, PackLandVA said:

Who plays third base the other 80 or so games for all the times Madrigal will be out/on the IL?

I don’t know. It’s not my first, second, third or fourth choice. I’m just saying I’d rather do that than give Candelario a multi year deal. 

[Tim]

Fun fact - Jeimer was worse defensively than Morel on a rate basis at 3B last year for the Cubs

[Ding Dong Johnson]

4 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

 

 

I don’t love Candelario. And I would be fine not getting him. But as long as the Cubs or whoever does sign him value him as an ok starter he can be signed to a reasonable contract. I am not,  in any way,  advocating the Cubs should sign him. I am just saying he is an ok/decent player. And if the  ins did sign him he better be their 4th biggest acquisition (via FA or trade) of the off season. He can’t be a main signing. That is what I mean by he is ok if valued correctly. 

 i know i’m drunk, but i have no horsefeathers clue what you’re talking about here

[Cuzi]

4 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Shaw is just the next great prospect. When the time comes for him to come up people will be finding fault with him too. You don’t leave spaces open for guys

You shouldnt worry about having spots for prospects, but you dont block with guys like Candelario either. He is wildly inconsistent throughout his career. He's had two 3 WAR seasons in the last 3 years so he'll probably get a 3-4 year offer from someone and if that is the case then good for him. The Cubs shouldnt be interested in anything more than a 1 year deal. We've been down the road of blocking guys with mediocre-to-bad players this last year and they all got released mid season and we'll be paying for it in 2024.

Hell, we saw with our own eyes how little Candelario can add because he wasn't horsefeathers on the Cubs in the second half. He had a good first week then got injured and didn't hit the rest of the way.

Edited November 12, 2023 by Cuzi

[CubinNY]

On 11/10/2023 at 3:11 PM, Transmogrified Tiger said:

This is the source for those comments: https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/insider/story/_/id/38841651/mlb-2023-2024-top-50-free-agents-rankings-contract-projections

 

I'm guessing teams would be pretty hesitant to offer an opt-out after 2025 and a 55-60M AAV considering he won't pitch in 2024, but Ohtani is a singular player and free agency only takes one.

Sounds like his agent is using the press to negotiate. 

[Rcal10]

6 hours ago, Cuzi said:

You shouldnt worry about having spots for prospects, but you dont block with guys like Candelario either. He is wildly inconsistent throughout his career. He's had two 3 WAR seasons in the last 3 years so he'll probably get a 3-4 year offer from someone and if that is the case then good for him. The Cubs shouldnt be interested in anything more than a 1 year deal. We've been down the road of blocking guys with mediocre-to-bad players this last year and they all got released mid season and we'll be paying for it in 2024.

Hell, we saw with our own eyes how little Candelario can add because he wasn't horsefeathers on the Cubs in the second half. He had a good first week then got injured and didn't hit the rest of the way.

I don’t think Candelario should block anyone either. But with first base, 3rd base and DH all available I doubt be blocks anyone. Now, your point on not wanting him is a different topic. As I said, I only see him as an ok player. I would be ok with 3/$40M. But I am also fine if they stayed away. There are other options. And I do think someone will give him more than I would want the Cubs to give him. 

[thawv]

16 hours ago, Stratos said:

Kind of weird for Preller to make any comment at all

I'm sure that he was asked the question.  He certainly should answer the question.  No?

[thawv]

12 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Hesitant to do what? Offer a 3 year deal? I think he will get that. For the right price as long as you realize he is what he is, he is an ok signing. #6 hitter in a solid line up and preferrably a 3rd baseman. He is fine for maybe 3/$40M.

I'd go something like 1/11 for Candy.

[Dfan25]

According to Mooney and Sharma , the Cubs view Hoskins as a good fit for the roster . Not really surprising . I think the chances of this one happening are really high . 

[Rcal10]

8 hours ago, Ding Dong Johnson said:

 i know i’m drunk, but i have no horsefeathers clue what you’re talking about here

I think I responded to the wrong post. Maybe I was drunk. My bad.

[Rcal10]

11 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

According to Mooney and Sharma , the Cubs view Hoskins as a good fit for the roster . Not really surprising . I think the chances of this one happening are really high . 

As long as this is a Bellinger type deal and not the big off season move, I would be ok with him. 

[thawv]

36 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

As long as this is a Bellinger type deal and not the big off season move, I would be ok with him. 

Would you be opposed to a 4/80 deal?  But of course this would not be the big off season deal.

 

[Rcal10]

Just now, thawv said:

Would you be opposed to a 4/80 deal?  But of course this would not be the big off season deal.

 

I wouldn’t do that. How much does he get if he was healthy? I think that is close to what he would get had he not missed all of last year. I would rather a 1 year deal.

[Cubs420psd]

Any updates on who the Cubs are going to replace Breslow with?

[NorthsideAvenger]

15 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I wouldn’t do that. How much does he get if he was healthy? I think that is close to what he would get had he not missed all of last year. I would rather a 1 year deal.

“Certainly, there’s potential for a pillow contract,” Hoskins’ agent Scott Boras said last week during Major League Baseball’s general managers’ meetings in Arizona.

A Cody Bellinger type deal probably get's it done, imo. I actually could see Cubs signing Hoskins. But like others said, Hoskins cannot be THE acquisition of the off-season.  Having John Mallee back in the organization might help land Hoskins. 

Edited November 12, 2023 by NorthsideAvenger

[thawv]

15 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I wouldn’t do that. How much does he get if he was healthy? I think that is close to what he would get had he not missed all of last year. I would rather a 1 year deal.

If the Cubs don't have any other options at 1B for the next few years, I would do 4/80.  Yes, of course that's based on the assumption that he's 100% healthy. 

I would personally like to see them work Caissie at 1B because he's slow, and only going to get slower.  Plus the OF is already in the minors.  If they do that, than a one year deal for Hoskins sounds good.  

[Jason Ross]

9 minutes ago, thawv said:

If the Cubs don't have any other options at 1B for the next few years, I would do 4/80.  Yes, of course that's based on the assumption that he's 100% healthy. 

I would personally like to see them work Caissie at 1B because he's slow, and only going to get slower.  Plus the OF is already in the minors.  If they do that, than a one year deal for Hoskins sounds good.  

Owen Caissie isn't slow. He's actually pretty athletic for his size. He has greatly improved in RF and reports on him this year are vastly better than the past.

The fear with Caissie has never been his current speed. It's what it may look like down the road. As of today there is little reason to take an improving 21 year old RF'er and just move him to 1b before it's needed. A move to 1b could occur, and it probably wouldn't take a ton of time, but as of now, Iowa's OF should be pretty clear, and the Cubs still need long term OF'ers. Suzuki and Happ aren't signed forever, just a few years.

Edited November 12, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[Dfan25]

Looks like Ohtani is expected to sign before the start of the winter meetings .  That’s a bit surprising . Thought he would sign at the winter meetings . Cubs will have plenty of time to pivot 

[17 Seconds]

3 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Looks like Ohtani is expected to sign before the start of the winter meetings .  That’s a bit surprising . Thought he would sign at the winter meetings . Cubs will have plenty of time to pivot 

where'd you see this?

[Jason Ross]

6 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

where'd you see this?

"Shohei Ohtani's highly anticipated free agency might not last that long," ESPN wrote. "A handful of general managers who are expected to be in the market and spoke to ESPN this week were under the impression that Ohtani will choose his next destination relatively quickly, perhaps before the end of the winter meetings, which take place Dec. 4-6 in Nashville, Tennessee."

https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/shohei-ohtani-mlb_free-agency-soon/1670812/

[Jason Ross]

Per Sharma in The Athletic "it is starting to feel like it would be a big upset if the Cubs dont pull off at least one big trade" this offseason.

Edited November 12, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[Bertz]

4 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Per Sharma in The Athletic "it is starting to feel like it would be a big upset if the Cubs dont pull off at least one big trade" this offseason.

He also threw out the possibility of Morel being involved in a young player swap akin to the Varsho/Moreno swap last year instead of being traded for someone in their walk year like Alonso or Soto.  I'd assume a pitcher from e.g. Seattle or Detroit would be most likely but curious what else they might be considering.

[Tryptamine]

Just now, Bertz said:

He also threw out the possibility of Morel being involved in a young player swap akin to the Varsho/Moreno swap last year instead of being traded for someone in their walk year like Alonso or Soto.  I'd assume a pitcher from e.g. Seattle or Detroit would be most likely but curious what else they might be considering.

I've already said I'd be good with Morel for either Woo or Miller. Gilbert is going to cost way too much to be realistic.

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

He also threw out the possibility of Morel being involved in a young player swap akin to the Varsho/Moreno swap last year instead of being traded for someone in their walk year like Alonso or Soto.  I'd assume a pitcher from e.g. Seattle or Detroit would be most likely but curious what else they might be considering.

Simply spitballing, but it feels like a Morel/young SP swap would make sense in the event the Cubs signed, say, an expensive Japanese DH. It would help fill the hole left behind by Stroman, the Cubs then fill DH with Ohtani, sign Hoskins...bingo, bango...most of your offseason done.