Cubs offseason chit chat...

[gocubs218]

Probably weather related but still maybe interesting. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Suter's deal is 2.5 this year with option for 3.5 in 25. Would have loved to have him at that price. 

 

Stroman signs with Yankees for 2 years and a vesting 3rd.

[WhyCantWeWin]

That stroman deal can go up to 5 years depending on his innings pitched. Smart move after all for him opting out

[Bertz]

That is a really nifty deal for the Yankeees to get Stroman.  I wonder if he left money on the table to go to NYC instead of like Kansas City or Pittsburgh? I'd put it with Imanaga and Lugo for deals the rest of the league is most likely to look at in like June and say "How the hell did we let that go by?"

 

[UMFan83]

Christohper Morel is now no longer attending Cubs convention, and Cubs twitter is whispering is the reason is not weather related.  No official reporter but people who I wouldn't be shocked would know something.

[gocubs218]

 

[UMFan83]

3 minutes ago, gocubs218 said:

 

Yeah that's one of them.  Crawly is just a superfan but he's made connections over the years and not someone who would make something up for clout.  Doesn't mean he'll ultimately be proven right but its a credible rumor imo.

[Stratos]

10 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

The owners use the same play for the opposite reason and time is infinitely more on their side. We’ve been saying the same stuff, blaming the same side every single day all offseason every offseason when in *every* case there is one truly common factor

This readiness, willingness to buy what they’re selling even when its obviously a con meant to hurt lots of people over lots of time is why the average citizen - not just US but everywhere - is floundering as wealth relentlessly consolidates

The owners are responsible for numerous issues in baseball.  Scott Boras waiting out the market so that he has more control of it to gain leverage for his contract negotiations isn't one of them. 

[Stratos]

delete

Edited January 12, 2024 by Stratos

[Stratos]

5 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Waiting out the market for what? How is it that these carazy demands are both designed to hold up and wait out The Free Market? It’s nonsense on top of nonsense fake economics fake money fake business fake markets and the public continues to lose while they ooooh and ahh it’s insane pretty horsefeathersed 

Waiting out the market for more leverage to secure more money for his clients.  It's just some contract negotiations, there's no Marxist conspiracy happening here.  There's people living in tents, worry about them.

[Tryptamine]

I rather hope they don't trade Morel. I'd be really hyped about this line up if they could add Bellinger and Chapman. It doesn't have a megastar, but it's super deep when your 2nd worst hitter is likely to be Nico. It would also be one of the, if not the best, defensive teams in the league. 

Edited January 12, 2024 by Tryptamine

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

Yeah that's one of them.  Crawly is just a superfan but he's made connections over the years and not someone who would make something up for clout.  Doesn't mean he'll ultimately be proven right but its a credible rumor imo.

 

I would guess if it's not a trade or the weather it's a personal/family type matter

[We Got The Whole 9]

Have we shown any interest in Stanek? 98 avg on the FB and huge whiff rates on his slider and split. Easy to see a potential bounce back. Tom mentioned him; I think we should be all over him. 

[muntjack]

Morel is one solid jump away from being a superstar-caliber bat.  I wish there was a way to quantify likeliness to make that jump, but his combo of youth + talent + some success at the ML level makes him so tantalizing, if only because this lineup could desperately use that kind of threat.  Busch is a guy not too far behind on that imaginary scale, which is why I'm pretty pleased with the trade.  

 

 I'd hate to see Morel moved for anything less than Luzardo.  

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

I rather hope they don't trade Morel. I'd be really hyped about this line up if they could add Bellinger and Chapman. It doesn't have a megastar, but it's super deep when your 2nd worst hitter is likely to be Nico. It would also be one of the, if not the best, defensive teams in the league. 

If Morel does get traded, which I doubt happens this offseason, it would likely be for MLB talent at some position we need anyways, so I'm not that worried it.

If we don't get Chapman we at least have Madrigal in situations we prefer a glove and he might be even better defensively.  Morel could surprise us with the glove too after he gets a couple of months of work there.

[Backtobanks]

Trading for Busch does kind of make Morel expendable.  I've been saying all a long that Morel and/or PCA have a ton of trade value to get someone like Luzardo.  A young, TOR puts the Cubs in a great position for the next 3-4 years assuming they sign Bellinger.

[Jason Ross]

8 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Have we shown any interest in Stanek? 98 avg on the FB and huge whiff rates on his slider and split. Easy to see a potential bounce back. Tom mentioned him; I think we should be all over him. 

With adding Almonte, I'd assume the Cubs are going to be a bit tapped out on the "reclamation project" reliever market. If their shopping list was one SP, and two RPs, they're done with two of the three. That last reliver is likely going to be one you can very much project in the 8th and 9th innings immediately with little/no fixes. Your Stephenson, Robertson, maybe even a Hader (though I still find that highly unlikely).

[Derwood]

I don't completely know the DH rules, but is it possible to Start Morel at 3B and Player X at DH, then later in the game, sub Madrigal at 3B and move Morel to DH?

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

Trading for Busch does kind of make Morel expendable.  I've been saying all a long that Morel and/or PCA have a ton of trade value to get someone like Luzardo.  A young, TOR puts the Cubs in a great position for the next 3-4 years assuming they sign Bellinger.

This is true. But I want them to keep Morel. And besides that Morel doesn’t have near the value of Luzardo. So what else would be needed becomes an issue. As an example, if it is Morel AND PCA that hurts a bit. But it could be both. 
 

I do like the thought of Morel being on the team and the Cubs adding Bellinger and Hoskins. They just need to figure out who can at least adequately handle third between Morel and Busch. I would think it would be Busch since his biggest issue there is arm strength. Sound similar to Madrigal, who the Cubs turned into a decent 3rd baseman. Maybe the Cubs can do the same with Busch. 
But, IMO, another trade is coming. I think at least one of Assad, Wesneski or Wicks will be moved. Probably with a prospect or two. If you look at the Cubs team now they would probably have Wicks as a 5 and then a one that would have Alzolay, Lieter, Merryweather. Almonte, Wesneski, Assad, Smyly and maybe Little. They still have several others to consider. And they claim to want to add a pen arm. They can only have 8. Seems something has to happen. They also are at 40 on the 40 man roster. So adding Bellinger and Hoskins or whoever they do add, means someone has to go. I can easily see a 3 for 1 sort of deal. 

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Derwood said:

I don't completely know the DH rules, but is it possible to Start Morel at 3B and Player X at DH, then later in the game, sub Madrigal at 3B and move Morel to DH?

I don’t think so. I think you lose the DH once you put him at a position. But I am not positive.

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Derwood said:

I don't completely know the DH rules, but is it possible to Start Morel at 3B and Player X at DH, then later in the game, sub Madrigal at 3B and move Morel to DH?

From everything I see, you cannot move a position player to the DH position mid-game. Once a player is inserted on defense, they cannot move to the DH. The only way a DH can be replaced is by pinch hitting them, or by moving them into the field, which would lose the DH and insert the pitcher back in the lineup.

[NorthsideAvenger]

32 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

Trading for Busch does kind of make Morel expendable.  I've been saying all a long that Morel and/or PCA have a ton of trade value to get someone like Luzardo.  A young, TOR puts the Cubs in a great position for the next 3-4 years assuming they sign Bellinger.

Does it though? What if the plan if for Busch to be 1B and Morel DH?

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

Does it though? What if the plan if for Busch to be 1B and Morel DH?

Cubs have 3b, 1b, and DH to fill.   Morel and Busch are going to be filling 2 of those most of the time.

[Jason Ross]

Apparently Shota Imanaga:

- Was at Conor Bedard's first home game in November

- Bought a Michael Jordan jersey

- Has been shopping at a Japanese market place in Arlington Heights multiple times

- Working out at a gym near O'Hare

[We Got The Whole 9]

24 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Apparently Shota Imanaga:

- Was at Conor Bedard's first home game in November

- Bought a Michael Jordan jersey

- Has been shopping at a Japanese market place in Arlington Heights multiple times

- Working out at a gym near O'Hare

Surprised the slueths didn't uncover all of this sooner