Cubs offseason chit chat...

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

They didn't have to do anything that extravagant. They could have added Brasier and Robertson for like 17M, which was 100% doable if they aren't going to address 3B.

I’d they stay under the $237 they can’t add both and get a higher end bat. And maybe they get Brasier, anyway. Maybe they decided one pen arm, one main bat and another semi regular bat was a better way to go IF they go past the first line. As others have pointed out, guys who cost more don’t automatically mean they are better. Maybe they like Almonte. As an example. 

[Bull]

4 hours ago, Petrey10 said:

I mean bad teams and bullpen use could sway that.

 

 

I don’t think it’s a perfect stat… but also we were pretty damn close to the playoffs too so we didn’t need all 30 of those to be wins. 2-3 changes a lot of things

I really think the biggest problem with the bullpen last year was usage. Add to that that some of the young guys were figuring it out last year and will contribute. Plus new monsters figuring it out this year. For example, I expect Little to be the closer by the end of the year. 
 

I think a lot of you will be disappointed with the reliever signing(s). I think they will be bet hedges against all of the internal options failing. Look for them to lean heavily on Cuas, Almonte, and the mainstays from last year, while leaving a crack for someone new to elbow their way in.

[mul21]

4 minutes ago, Bull said:

I really think the biggest problem with the bullpen last year was usage. Add to that that some of the young guys were figuring it out last year and will contribute. Plus new monsters figuring it out this year. For example, I expect Little to be the closer by the end of the year. 
 

I think a lot of you will be disappointed with the reliever signing(s). I think they will be bet hedges against all of the internal options failing. Look for them to lean heavily on Cuas, Almonte, and the mainstays from last year, while leaving a crack for someone new to elbow their way in.

I would bet a large sum of money against this.  If it's not Alzolay and ends up as one of the young guys, Brown would be my bet.  But if they're in contention I half expect a band aid solution at the back of the pen from the trade deadline.

[Stratos]

6 hours ago, CubinNY said:

The Cubs ranked 14 out of 30. 

If you're average at holding leads in an era where the pen throws more innings than ever before you're probably going to be not much better than an average team, which they weren't.  If you have a pen filled with very average arms your pen is most likely going to be average.  If the Cubs are content with being average they are stupid.

If these FA relievers aren't "a good value" for Jed  and Ricketts is too cheap to pay for them then Jed needs to make a trade.  Trading assets for assets is not a net loss.

[Stratos]

42 minutes ago, Bull said:

For example, I expect Little to be the closer by the end of the year.

Famous last words.

[Rcal10]

12 minutes ago, Stratos said:

If you're average at holding leads in an era where the pen throws more innings than ever before you're probably going to be not much better than an average team, which they weren't.  If you have a pen filled with very average arms your pen is most likely going to be average.  If the Cubs are content with being average they are stupid.

If these FA relievers aren't "a good value" for Jed  and Ricketts is too cheap to pay for them then Jed needs to make a trade.  Trading assets for assets is not a net loss.

Rangers and Dbacks were also average in the pen last year. Spending money to fix the pen is just not a great idea. Pen arms are just way too volital. And when they refuse to act like a large market team and spend money, they just can’t add substantial payroll with pen arms. I hope they get one. Brasier would be fine with me. Then use the pen better than last year and an arm or two step up in the system and improve the pen that way. I would also be ok with a trade. I agree asset for asset isn’t a net loss. I just don’t think they need to add two to what they have now. Sign Brasier or trade for lock down 8th inning guy, not both. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

43 minutes ago, Stratos said:

If you're average at holding leads in an era where the pen throws more innings than ever before you're probably going to be not much better than an average team, which they weren't.  If you have a pen filled with very average arms your pen is most likely going to be average.  If the Cubs are content with being average they are stupid.

If these FA relievers aren't "a good value" for Jed  and Ricketts is too cheap to pay for them then Jed needs to make a trade.  Trading assets for assets is not a net loss.

Except for the numerous examples where your statement is flat out wrong, sure.

[Stratos]

10 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Rangers and Dbacks were also average in the pen last year. Spending money to fix the pen is just not a great idea. Pen arms are just way too volital. And when they refuse to act like a large market team and spend money, they just can’t add substantial payroll with pen arms. I hope they get one. Brasier would be fine with me. Then use the pen better than last year and an arm or two step up in the system and improve the pen that way. I would also be ok with a trade. I agree asset for asset isn’t a net loss. I just don’t think they need to add two to what they have now. Sign Brasier or trade for lock down 8th inning guy, not both. 

The Dbacks had 1 more win than the Cubs and so were barely above average as a team.  They made the WS by getting hot at the right time of year.  The Rangers had much better hitting and SP than the Cubs last year, you're right you don't need a great pen if everyone on the team is yanking HR, but they also went out and got Aroldis Chapman.

The Cubs also had 10 fewer wins than the Brewers while having a larger run differential.  The Brewers played close games and locked down leads.  The Cubs don't have a lot of HR or 2B power, they will play quite a few close games.  Their offense last year was driven by singles, BB, and speed, we aren't going to blow out games.  The Cubs are set up to have about an average rotation and bullpen again and a very similar hitting lineup as 2023.  Right now we have basically the exact same pen as last year and it failed us when it counted and we need to do better.  Is swapping Fulmer for Fulmer 2.0 and Boxberger for Boxberger 2.0 good enough?  Doubtful.

The Cubs pen through June 15 was terrible, 24th in ERA in the MLB.  3 out of 6 months having a good pen isn't good enough.  Alzolay gets hurt again and we're screwed.

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Stratos said:

The Dbacks had 1 more win than the Cubs and so were barely above average as a team.  They made the WS by getting hot at the right time of year.  The Rangers had much better hitting and SP than the Cubs last year, you're right you don't need a great pen if everyone on the team is yanking HR, but they also went out and got Aroldis Chapman.

The Cubs also had 10 fewer wins than the Brewers while having a larger run differential.  The Brewers played close games and locked down leads.  The Cubs don't have a lot of HR or 2B power, they will play quite a few close games.  Their offense last year was driven by singles, BB, and speed, we aren't going to blow out games.  The Cubs are set up to have about an average rotation and bullpen again and a very similar hitting lineup as 2023.  Right now we have basically the exact same pen as last year and it failed us when it counted and we need to do better.  Is swapping Fulmer for Fulmer 2.0 and Boxberger for Boxberger 2.0 good enough?  Doubtful.

The Cubs pen through June 15 was terrible, 24th in ERA in the MLB.  3 out of 6 months having a good pen isn't good enough.  Alzolay gets hurt again and we're screwed.

But the pen is very volital. So give me two names you want. And then tell me their cost. I would bet the Cubs can fill those two spots with guys who coast way less and are already in the system. You continue to suggest the team won’t go over the LT. Do you really want to commit $20M of the $32M they may, spend on pen arms? Every year is different for a pen arm. Good one year and not so much the other. Every year many of the top pen arms were either 1st year guys or guys who were not nearly as good the previous year. 

[squally1313]

37 minutes ago, Stratos said:

The Cubs don't have a lot of HR or 2B power, they will play quite a few close games.  Their offense last year was driven by singles, BB, and speed, we aren't going to blow out games. 

To clarify, we scored 10+ runs like, an obscene amount of times. It’s one of the things people use to discredit their pythag record and claim they weren’t actually an 88-90 win true talent team. 

[squally1313]

Also we signed Carl Edwards! Minor league deal. Pen issues solved. 

[Post Count Padder]

Carl's Jr is back! We're getting the band back together.

[Derwood]

 

[chibears55]

I've never seen a team that has money to spend, positions to fill, and just sit back and do nothing to fill them.

Does signing Bellinger dictate so much of who they add to the roster at other positions of need

[LBiittner]

Carl Jr?

What's the old saying: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results ?

[Rob]

46 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

Carl Jr?

What's the old saying: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results ?

It's a minor league deal with a spring training invite. There is literally no downside. How can you possibly be down on this?

[Bertz]

Love Carl.  Him skipping the Trump White House visit to go to the dinosaur museum is one of the top off the field moments with the last core.

[LBiittner]

37 minutes ago, Rob said:

It's a minor league deal with a spring training invite. There is literally no downside. How can you possibly be down on this?

I'd like to see my team go to Rodeo Drive rather than dollar general

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Except for the numerous examples where your statement is flat out wrong, sure.

Yes I agree my statement was incorrect.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I always loved Carl. I hope he makes the big team at some point, even if he stinks it up for 1 appearance. Always a bit sad he couldn’t finish game 7. 

[squally1313]

5 hours ago, The20thK said:

I love how the Ricketts helped finance Trump to get into the WH! One my favorite off-field things about the Cubs. 

[ToolDRT]

So Chapman or Bellinger and that’s a wrap for the offseason? 

[Rob]

41 minutes ago, The20thK said:

So wa the post I was responding too lol

Decades ago, NSBB was founded as a bastion for intelligent discussion of the Cubs. Cubs.com was full of idiots spouting off about pitcher wins and RBIs, but here we'd see a bunch of very smart posters adopting basic sabermetrics and graciously instructing others on how baseball truly worked. It was the dawning of a new age. People came here to learn and grow alongside the game.

Then the site sort of petered out, alongside just about every other internet message board. But those who remained typically had a deep interest in what had attracted us to the site in the first place - the presence of clever and intelligent posters.

So no, nobody was baiting you. It's just that the longstanding posters on this board expect people to be smart. And demographically speaking, that means we aren't used to seeing Trump supporters on this board.

Squally couldn't have been baiting you - I'd be surprised if he knew you even exist.

[minnesotacubsfan]

so have the Cubs done anything this offseason other than piss down their legs?

 

[Tryptamine]

9 minutes ago, minnesotacubsfan said:

so have the Cubs done anything this offseason other than piss down their legs?

 

Underwhelming for sure, but if they add Bellinger it's okish I suppose. It really is a shame though, they had a chance to establish themselves as the clear cut power of the NL Central and instead they've chosen to ignore that opportunity.