Cubs offseason chit chat...

[LBiittner]

15 minutes ago, ILMindState said:

Maybe they shut him down so he doesn’t tank his trade value. Not ideal for the let Morel should play 3B folks. 

I'm fine keeping him at dh. He'd be decent middle of the order power bat. 

 

[PeanutPunch33]

21 hours ago, Layoutman said:

The Sox wanted 2 top 50 prospects from the Orioles for Cease. Think the cost is prohibitive for the Cubs. 

I have some de ja vu dealing w/ the Sox but I could get behind a Cease trade pretty quickly, even if it meant Armstrong Alcantara Brown and change  (although I’d hang up before they ask for Cade) 

That trade + Cade’s pending call up solves all the velo issues in the rotation.  But definitely at a price..

[Tryptamine]

1 minute ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

I have some de ja vu dealing w/ the Sox but I could get behind a Cease trade pretty quickly, even if it meant Armstrong Alcantara Brown and change  (although I’d hang up before they ask for Cade) 

That trade + Cade’s pending call up solves all the velo issues in the rotation.  But definitely at a price..

That it one massive overpay for 2 years of Cease.

[PeanutPunch33]

2 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

That it one massive overpay for 2 years of Cease.

If Cease becomes a 300m guy (which I expect, like Cole) I like his profile a lot to play well thru it.  I think the Cubs would have to decide right now if he fits that category, and extend him right away similar to the Dodgers and Glasnow.

He wouldn’t have to leave Chicago and he’s coming off a down year. I think he’d listen to an aggressive offer… and that would make that trade worth it imo 

 

[Rcal10]

41 minutes ago, ILMindState said:

Maybe they shut him down so he doesn’t tank his trade value. Not ideal for the let Morel should play 3B folks. 

I know my opinion is the minority opinion here, and I am fine with that. Majority has been wrong several times. In this case maybe they are right, and Morel can’t handle third. That said, I highly doubt Morel’s fielding percentage in 18 games is going to sway the Cubs thoughts. There is so much else that goes into how a guy looks at 3rd. Maybe he made 2 errors in the first few games and corrected his mistakes. Has he made one less error his fielding percentage would be fine. Maybe me threw a ball away after making a stop on a ball most guys don’t even get to. We don’t know. But, again, his fielding percentage is pretty irrelevant since we know nothing else. 
IMO they will give him the spring to see if he can handle it. If he can, great, they have a 3rd baseman. If he can’t he is either traded or we have a DH. 

[Jason Ross]

4 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I know my opinion is the minority opinion here, and I am fine with that. Majority has been wrong several times. In this case maybe they are right, and Morel can’t handle third. That said, I highly doubt Morel’s fielding percentage in 18 games is going to sway the Cubs thoughts. There is so much else that goes into how a guy looks at 3rd. Maybe he made 2 errors in the first few games and corrected his mistakes. Has he made one less error his fielding percentage would be fine. Maybe me threw a ball away after making a stop on a ball most guys don’t even get to. We don’t know. But, again, his fielding percentage is pretty irrelevant since we know nothing else. 
IMO they will give him the spring to see if he can handle it. If he can, great, they have a 3rd baseman. If he can’t he is either traded or we have a DH. 

The only thing I'll add without rehashing it all is this: I doubt this will be a spring-time decision. With the Cubs potentially being a landing spot for Matt Chaman if his market tanks, with the Cubs potentially bringing in two bats (one for 1b, and one for DH)...I think it's likely the Cubs will either give him more latitude than just spring, or be in a place to move him in a trade prior to him ever getting the spring. None of this is to say how the Cubs see him, just that I don't think it'll be a spring training choice. The Cubs are likely to bring in two hitters this offseason and many of those combinations will either take up the 3b or the DH position (for example, Hoskins+Belt/Naylor, or Chapman+Hoskins/Belt/Naylor,...). There are also situations, where they go Bellinger/Hoskins where it may allow them to decied in the spring, only that I think the most likely scenario is that the Cubs will likely have made a choice on his ability to handle 3b prior to Arizona with how the offseason may go.

[LBiittner]

"Matt Chapman is coming to town"

Let's all sing this phrase to the melody of "Santa 🎅 Claus is coming to town"

[17 Seconds]

boras is on the score just completely talking out of his ass on bellinger, it's pretty funny

[Rcal10]

14 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

The only thing I'll add without rehashing it all is this: I doubt this will be a spring-time decision. With the Cubs potentially being a landing spot for Matt Chaman if his market tanks, with the Cubs potentially bringing in two bats (one for 1b, and one for DH)...I think it's likely the Cubs will either give him more latitude than just spring, or be in a place to move him in a trade prior to him ever getting the spring. None of this is to say how the Cubs see him, just that I don't think it'll be a spring training choice. The Cubs are likely to bring in two hitters this offseason and many of those combinations will either take up the 3b or the DH position (for example, Hoskins+Belt/Naylor, or Chapman+Hoskins/Belt/Naylor,...). There are also situations, where they go Bellinger/Hoskins where it may allow them to decied in the spring, only that I think the most likely scenario is that the Cubs will likely have made a choice on his ability to handle 3b prior to Arizona with how the offseason may go.

I agree with this. I should have said starting when he gets back they will work with him. And I agree if he can’t do it they need to go one way, and if he can they go another. Which is what you are saying. They may need to know before actual “spring”. That said, I don’t think him making 4 errors is any more relevant in an argument to suggest he can’t do it, then had he only made 2 errors would have been proof that he can. 

[gocubs218]

1 minute ago, 17 Seconds said:

boras is on the score just completely talking out of his ass on bellinger, it's pretty funny

4 minute answers saying absolutely nothing. 

[LBiittner]

Boras is a gazillionaire because his ass whispers sweet lullabies to GMs across the industry 

[17 Seconds]

i liked how he said bellinger is a great postseason player (.661 ops). he also said that free agents his age (28.5?) barely ever come around and compared him to harper

Edited December 16, 2023 by 17 Seconds

[Rcal10]

5 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

i liked how he said bellinger is a great postseason player (.661 ops). he also said that free agents his age (28.5?) barely ever come around and compared him to harper

It’s his job. And he is good at it. Annoying, but good.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Morel's per/150 game error pace at 3B by year:

2017: 50 (12 games)

2018: 41 (36 games)

2019: 31 (72 games)

2021: 52 (23 games)

2022: 34 (22 games)

2023: 28 (36 games)

Total: 35 (203 games)

Total as a SS: 47 (105 games)

Total as a 2B: 8 (78 games)

No qualified 3B in MLB committed errors at a rate greater than 20 per 150 games last year.  The only person to do it since the start of the pandemic is Devers, with 22 in 151 games in 2021.  Morel's problem isn't that he's committed a couple errors in a handful of winter ball games, it's that he's never demonstrated the ability to field and throw consistently enough to be on the left side of an MLB infield.

[Illiterate Scholar]

Jed and Carter basically told us if they had control over the Dominican league lineup, they would've had Morel play first base. They don't think he can play third; it is obvious. 

[LBiittner]

2 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Morel's per/150 game error pace at 3B by year:

2017: 50 (12 games)

2018: 41 (36 games)

2019: 31 (72 games)

2021: 52 (23 games)

2022: 34 (22 games)

2023: 28 (36 games)

Total: 35 (203 games)

Total as a SS: 47 (105 games)

Total as a 2B: 8 (78 games)

No qualified 3B in MLB committed errors at a rate greater than 20 per 150 games last year.  The only person to do it since the start of the pandemic are Devers, with 22 in 151 games in 2021.  Morel's problem isn't that he's committed a couple errors in a handful of winter ball games, it's that he's never demonstrated the ability to field and throw consistently enough to be on the left side of an MLB infield.

Thank you for the research. 

[Bertz]

Looking at some comparables that Fielding Percentage seems to correlate to something like -15 runs at 3B.  Maybe a little less since he does have the athleticism to make some wow plays?  But all told it's disastrous enough defensively that I think we'd probably be better off playing Madrigal there everyday.

It'd really be best for all involved to find a trade.  Let him go somewhere that needs a 2B and play everyday and make some money.

[Rcal10]

34 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Morel's per/150 game error pace at 3B by year:

2017: 50 (12 games)

2018: 41 (36 games)

2019: 31 (72 games)

2021: 52 (23 games)

2022: 34 (22 games)

2023: 28 (36 games)

Total: 35 (203 games)

Total as a SS: 47 (105 games)

Total as a 2B: 8 (78 games)

No qualified 3B in MLB committed errors at a rate greater than 20 per 150 games last year.  The only person to do it since the start of the pandemic is Devers, with 22 in 151 games in 2021.  Morel's problem isn't that he's committed a couple errors in a handful of winter ball games, it's that he's never demonstrated the ability to field and throw consistently enough to be on the left side of an MLB infield.

Well there you go. You are all right and I am wrong. He can’t do it. Might as well trade him or count on him as a DH. I am done with this conversation until the start of rhe season. Still don’t want Chapman. Maybe a trade for a 3rd baseman. 

[LBiittner]

The sobering thought is the Cubs haven't traded during the offseason for 7 years now. 

Hopefully Jed changes status quo. Otherwise madrigal is the option going into s.t.

Or it just might be matt chapman coming to town.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

The sobering thought is the Cubs haven't traded during the offseason for 7 years now. 

Hopefully Jed changes status quo. Otherwise madrigal is the option going into s.t.

Or it just might be matt chapman coming to town.

Sadly those are the two options I hope they avoid. 

[Tryptamine]

This has been the most boring Cub offseason I've ever experienced based on pre offseason expectations. Tons of money to spend, tons of prospect assets, several clear areas of need, a team that is only a couple moves from NL central favorite and just nothing with a little over a week until Christmas. There have been times in the past where very little happening made sense, but this is undoubtedly not one of them. it's absolutely baffling.

[17 Seconds]

4 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

This has been the most boring Cub offseason I've ever experienced based on pre offseason expectations. Tons of money to spend, tons of prospect assets, several clear areas of need, a team that is only a couple moves from NL central favorite and just nothing with a little over a week until Christmas. There have been times in the past where very little happening made sense, but this is undoubtedly not one of them. it's absolutely baffling.

it's still coming, it's just not gonna be exciting like we hoped

[Rcal10]

24 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

it's still coming, it's just not gonna be exciting like we hoped

This has been very disappointing, I know there hasn’t been much going on elsewhere, either. But this FO needs to start building this team to be the favorite in the central, at the very least. 

[KCCub]

 

[JHBulls]

1 minute ago, KCCub said:

 

Jed Hoyer: “Phew! Another bullet to spend money dodged.”