Cubs offseason chit chat...

[Derwood]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

This is really dumb .

Nah. Jed having not yet made a move doesn’t mean he isn’t in the end stages of several moves. People are bitching about inactivity as if there was a press release saying “we’re all set for 2024”. 

[KCCub]

7 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Nah. Jed having not yet made a move doesn’t mean he isn’t in the end stages of several moves. People are bitching about inactivity as if there was a press release saying “we’re all set for 2024”. 

People are bitching because Jed is what he is at this point. He’s yet to make a non trade deadline savvy trade to help this ball club. Having a reserved nature is fine, but at some point he has to take a leap and make a move that hurts. He’s yet to do that. Imagine if he would have been proactive and landed a Olson/Murphy/etc level trade and already had a nice middle of the order bat to build around. It’s not just this off-season, we now have multiple years of evidence of his reversed “sit back and wait” style. My patience has already been thin with Jed, but I’ll once again wait for the unexpected off season move that probably won’t happen.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'll caveat this that despite the date it's still earlier in the offseason than it feels.  While lots of teams have made moves or definitely done more than the Cubs, very few teams are *done*, and with the delayed start plus Boras clients remaining headlining the market, I think there's still opportunity to have a good offseason.

 

That said, the thing that frustrates me the most about the current trajectory(which is not assuming zero moves, but some of what's been rumored), is that it double dips the same risk tolerance.  I'm more willing than maybe anyone here to be on board with Jed's reluctance to give out long term deals, and I understand the hesitancy to avoid plundering the farm since it has to be the lifeblood of a consistently excellent modern MLB winner.  But the thing about valuing financial flexibility is if you don't come close to using it when you have it, then you're ultimately tying a hand behind your back when financial might is one of your biggest advantages.  Similarly, if you're wanting to have the team rise and fall by the farm system, then the way to make that easier is to fill fewer gaps at the MLB level but fill them with higher quality players that lower the pressure for prospects to contribute immediately.  This is why the seeming preference to pursue Bieber more than Glasnow doesn't make sense to me.  The things that Bieber has in his favor(AAV, slightly more durability), are the exact things you expect the prospect depth to smooth out so you can get the things Glasnow has in his favor(premium velo/TOR performance).

[Rcal10]

5 minutes ago, username said:

Is Manny Machado on anyone's radar?  Fills an obvious need at 3B with the bat and the glove.  Coming off a bit of a down year (by his standards) and the Padres are rumored to still be shedding payroll. I don't think it'd take a ton to get him.  It's more a question of will Jed realize that he works for the Cubs, not the Pirates or Royals, and go out and make a big trade.  

Don't love paying him 40M in his late 30's... but I love being mediocre right now even less.  

Doesn’t matter if he is in any of our radars, I think he is obviously not on Jed’s. 

[ToolDRT]

35 minutes ago, KCCub said:

People are bitching because Jed is what he is at this point. He’s yet to make a non trade deadline savvy trade to help this ball club. Having a reserved nature is fine, but at some point he has to take a leap and make a move that hurts. He’s yet to do that. Imagine if he would have been proactive and landed a Olson/Murphy/etc level trade and already had a nice middle of the order bat to build around. It’s not just this off-season, we now have multiple years of evidence of his reversed “sit back and wait” style. My patience has already been thin with Jed, but I’ll once again wait for the unexpected off season move that probably won’t happen.

I like this post. In my eyes, his lack of building the major league roster is what eliminated us from Ohtani earlier than other teams. He knew when Ohtani was set to become a free agent and he built a roster that can’t even be sold to most of the fans. 

Edited December 17, 2023 by ToolDRT

[LBiittner]

47 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Nah. Jed having not yet made a move doesn’t mean he isn’t in the end stages of several moves. People are bitching about inactivity as if there was a press release saying “we’re all set for 2024”. 

I may cringe whenever jed releases that statement.

[Rcal10]

If reports are right and the Cubs were in on Lee, what does say about PCA? Lee is a centerfielder. People have suggested the Cubs won’t or shouldn’t get Bellinger because of PCA. But if that is the case, why were they considering Lee? 

[Derwood]

Just now, Rcal10 said:

If reports are right and the Cubs were in on Lee, what does say about PCA? Lee is a centerfielder. People have suggested the Cubs won’t or shouldn’t get Bellinger because of PCA. But if that is the case, why were they considering Lee? 

 

There have been various reports hinting that the Cubs aren't sold on PCA as the opening day CF

[Transmogrified Tiger]

6 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

If reports are right and the Cubs were in on Lee, what does say about PCA? Lee is a centerfielder. People have suggested the Cubs won’t or shouldn’t get Bellinger because of PCA. But if that is the case, why were they considering Lee? 

I'm not sure I'd put much more stock in that than the times they've been connected to Yamamoto, but when you've got 1B and DH unspoken for, there's always plenty of at bats to go around.  As long as you don't have someone besides PCA who you expect to get the bulk of their value from CF defense, then between rest, injuries, and performance variance you'll easily find room for everyone.  Especially since PCA should not be in Chicago opening day.

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I'm not sure I'd put much more stock in that than the times they've been connected to Yamamoto, but when you've got 1B and DH unspoken for, there's always plenty of at bats to go around.  As long as you don't have someone besides PCA who you expect to get the bulk of their value from CF defense, then between rest, injuries, and performance variance you'll easily find room for everyone.  Especially since PCA should not be in Chicago opening day.

So than PCA should not be used as an excuse not to sign Bellinger, right? If there was room for Lee, there is room for Bellinger. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

6 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

So than PCA should not be used as an excuse not to sign Bellinger, right? If there was room for Lee, there is room for Bellinger. 

Yes, I have been saying as much all offseason.

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Yes, I have been saying as much all offseason.

For the record, I agree with you. And posts weren’t suggesting you thought otherwise. Just responding to your post. So if the Cubs don’t get Bellinger that should only be because they don’t believe in him. Not because of PCA, and, frankly, shouldn’t be for cost either. If they believe in him they should sign him, period. 

[KCCub]

6 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Yes, I have been saying as much all offseason.

Agreed. With the DH and Bellinger’s flexibility, PCA alone should not be a reason against signing Bellinger.

[Illiterate Scholar]

Brett is theorizing that Boras is trying to push the Cubs to give a little more on Hoskins. If we do end up signing him, I feel like Morel is destined to be a Guardian. 

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, Illiterate Scholar said:

Brett is theorizing that Boras is trying to push the Cubs to give a little more on Hoskins. If we do end up signing him, I feel like Morel is destined to be a Guardian. 

For who? Bieber and Naylor? If that does happen that eliminates Bellinger and increases the likelihood of Chapman. 

[CubinNY]

If they get Bellinger and Hoskins and add Beiber and a back end RP. I will consider it a good offseason 

[17 Seconds]

9 minutes ago, Illiterate Scholar said:

Brett is theorizing that Boras is trying to push the Cubs to give a little more on Hoskins. If we do end up signing him, I feel like Morel is destined to be a Guardian. 

Brett does this literally every time there's another team rumored to be interested in a player

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, CubinNY said:

If they get Bellinger and Hoskins and add Beiber and a back end RP. I will consider it a good offseason 

Just a strange fit. Is PCA still on the team? Do they rotate DH? And if so what happens with Morel? Is he traded for a 3rd baseman? They can do what you suggest and it would be a decent off season. But there needs to be other moves because Hoskins, PCA, Bellinger and Morel all do  it fit on the 24’ team. And I wouldn’t trade Morel for Bieber. 

[CubinNY]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Just a strange fit. Is PCA still on the team? Do they rotate DH? And if so what happens with Morel? Is he traded for a 3rd baseman? They can do what you suggest and it would be a decent off season. But there needs to be other moves because Hoskins, PCA, Bellinger and Morel all do  it fit on the 24’ team. And I wouldn’t trade Morel for Bieber. 

PCA is likely starting the season in Iowa regardless who the Cubs sign 

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

PCA is likely starting the season in Iowa regardless who the Cubs sign 

So Morel DH and maybe fill 3rd with whoever we have or small trade for Polanco. I am ok with that. 

[WhyCantWeWin]

Weird how they say they don't want to block prospects and then are interested on players that would block prospects. If they sign Bellinger as CF and then play him at 1B when PCA is "ready" then they just paid him centerfielder money to play first. Just an all round stupid notion. I am just losing all faith in the front office, makes it truly seem like they have no plan as Sharma said. 

[LBiittner]

15 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

So Morel DH and maybe fill 3rd with whoever we have or small trade for Polanco. I am ok with that. 

I wonder about Polanco skillset at third? He's only played 180 innings there.

How's his arm. How's his hands? Does he have quick reactions?

 

[Rcal10]

15 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Weird how they say they don't want to block prospects and then are interested on players that would block prospects. If they sign Bellinger as CF and then play him at 1B when PCA is "ready" then they just paid him centerfielder money to play first. Just an all round stupid notion. I am just losing all faith in the front office, makes it truly seem like they have no plan as Sharma said. 

They do have a plan. It is sign whoever comes available cheaply. 

[KCCub]

I just don’t think it’s as black and white as “oh horsefeathers, we paid Bellinger CF money and now we’re stuck with him at 1b because PCA proved that he’s ready to take over in 2025”. You’re paying for a damn good, versatile player who is going into his age 28 season. If the Cubs believe in his bat and believe they unlocked something with the way he hit last year, I’m on board if they sign him. He won a gold glove in right field in 2019 - maybe the future move is to move him to RF and Suzuki to DH? Regardless, this day and age versatility is highly valued and Bellinger is on the high end of that scale with his overall defense, age, speed, LH bat, etc. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

4 hours ago, Derwood said:

Jed having not yet made a move doesn’t mean he isn’t in the end stages of several moves.

We have no reason to believe that is the case either.