Cubs offseason chit chat...

[Transmogrified Tiger]

36 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Totally fine with making these guys force their way into the lineup, but I think I'd go a different path with the money supposedly available and areas of need. That offensive roster gets rid of your most defensively versatile bench piece, puts your top prospect back in AAA where his path to major league playing time is basically forcing Busch into the already crowded Belt/Morel DH thing, and leaves Canario, Alcantara, Caissie very blocked. Wisdom is probably the first to go in that scenario, but then you're potentially leaving yourself with three guys who they trust to play three (important) defensive positions. 

 

I don't have super strong feelings about Belt/JDM so take it in that spirit, but I also think the negative connotation on depth in the name of 'blocking' options probably could be reframed.

1. Is the defensively versatile guy Mastro?  If so I get it but also at what position is he even the #2 option?  Keeping Madrigal, Wisdom, and Mastro is its own type of luxury, and generically Mastro's LHH bat off the bench isn't gonna be option 1 with Tauchman also blocked from starting most games.

2. Good, PCA should be in Iowa to start the season.  When he shows he can adjust to that level then you can jettison a number of different players to make room, but it's more likely to be for Tauchman and not impacting the last man discussion.

3. Canario isn't someone you need to make room for, his ceiling (especially on this roster) is platoon/bench depth so not being at the front of that line is fine.  Caissie and Alcantara, add Shaw and Murray to this if you like, they have a combined 0 PA at AAA.  One of them forcing the issue is very possible, but that's likely to take til past Memorial Day and by then you'll have all sorts of other stuff shaking out with injuries and any other performance nuances where the logjam doesn't actually materialize.

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

There's enough room on the OD roster for both Bellinger and Belt.  The starting 13 position players to open the year would be:

Gomes, Busch, Hoerner, Swanson, Madrigal, Happ, Tauchman, Suzuki, Morel, Amaya, Wisdom, Bellinger, Belt

And with Hoerner/Bellinger's positional versatility I think you've got good defensive coverage.  There's definite redundancy with Busch/Morel/Wisdom, but let it work itself out.  I'm very okay getting into "make some uncomfortable decisions" mode.  All three guys have minor league options.  And of course there will be injuries.

I'm fine with uncomfortable decisions, but at some point, these free agents have agency, too. I cannot imagine Brandon Belt is going to look at the amount of options and think the Cubs are the best fit for him and his ability to play. He's clearly not jumping at any contract offer (he's still a free agent and imagine he's fielded some calls). There's rumors he's even considering not playing. That doesn't sound like someone who wants to just be along for the ride. 

For Belt's sake, he can likely find a more open, and easier path to playing time than trying to battle with Michael Busch, who the Cubs are going to play, Christopher Morel, who the Cubs are likely going to play, and Cody Bellinger (if he were to sign here, that's the scenario I'm using) who's going to play. He'd get some time, but he's probably option-4 among those guys. And there's a lot of overlap. You figure you don't want to sit Busch against RHP, you don't want to sit Bellinger against RHP, you don't want to sit Morel (based on 2023 splits) against RHP...and Belt is a platoon guy. If we skip on Bellinger, I'd sing a different tune, however.

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I'm fine with uncomfortable decisions, but at some point, these free agents have agency, too. I cannot imagine Brandon Belt is going to look at the amount of options and think the Cubs are the best fit for him and his ability to play. He's clearly not jumping at any contract offer (he's still a free agent and imagine he's fielded some calls). There's rumors he's even considering not playing. That doesn't sound like someone who wants to just be along for the ride. 

For Belt's sake, he can likely find a more open, and easier path to playing time than trying to battle with Michael Busch, who the Cubs are going to play, Christopher Morel, who the Cubs are likely going to play, and Cody Bellinger (if he were to sign here, that's the scenario I'm using) who's going to play. He'd get some time, but he's probably option-4 among those guys. And there's a lot of overlap. You figure you don't want to sit Busch against RHP, you don't want to sit Bellinger against RHP, you don't want to sit Morel (based on 2023 splits) against RHP...and Belt is a platoon guy. If we skip on Bellinger, I'd sing a different tune, however.

I don’t get how Belt wouldn’t play 100 games a year. Even if everything went well the Cubs would have Bellinger in center, and then a combination of Belt, Busch and Morel to handle 1st, 3rd and DH. At 38 I would imagine 100 games is a decent amount for him. But if not, if either Busch or Morel proved they could handle 3rd he could play more. Or if he is a better option than either Busch or Morel when the Cubs go with Madrigal at 3rd he plays then too. I don’t see your concern for his AB’s. If he hits he plays, period. 
Just a suggestion anyway. As I said, that would be MY ideal end to the off season. Doubt it happens. 

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I don’t get how Belt wouldn’t play 100 games a year. Even if everything went well the Cubs would have Bellinger in center, and then a combination of Belt, Busch and Morel to handle 1st, 3rd and DH. At 38 I would imagine 100 games is a decent amount for him. But if not, if either Busch or Morel proved they could handle 3rd he could play more. Or if he is a better option than either Busch or Morel when the Cubs go with Madrigal at 3rd he plays then too. I don’t see your concern for his AB’s. If he hits he plays, period. 
Just a suggestion anyway. As I said, that would be MY ideal end to the off season. Doubt it happens. 

Brandon Belt played 103 games last year as a full platoon guy, He got 403 PA's. If the Cubs are committed to Pete Crow-Armstrong when he comes up (left handed), Michael Busch (left handed) at 1b, Christopher Morel (better splits against RHP) and Cody Bellinger, I cannot see a situation where he finds 103 games and 400 PA's. That feels...incredibly unlikely. 

The Cubs didn't trade real prospect capital for Michael Busch to sit him against RHP, nor did they not hold on to Christopher Morel to sit him initially, either. I just...I can't see it. It feels like a very wishful hope from a Cub perspective to build depth and safety net than it does something a 38 year old Brandon Belt is going to look at as his best option to actually play. That's a ton of hurdles. I would guess another team between today and sometime during Spring Training is going to lose a player or decide they have a very real need to or a left handed DH/1b and will offer him a more clear path to playing.

[Bertz]

37 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I'm fine with uncomfortable decisions, but at some point, these free agents have agency, too. I cannot imagine Brandon Belt is going to look at the amount of options and think the Cubs are the best fit for him and his ability to play. He's clearly not jumping at any contract offer (he's still a free agent and imagine he's fielded some calls). There's rumors he's even considering not playing. That doesn't sound like someone who wants to just be along for the ride. 

For Belt's sake, he can likely find a more open, and easier path to playing time than trying to battle with Michael Busch, who the Cubs are going to play, Christopher Morel, who the Cubs are likely going to play, and Cody Bellinger (if he were to sign here, that's the scenario I'm using) who's going to play. He'd get some time, but he's probably option-4 among those guys. And there's a lot of overlap. You figure you don't want to sit Busch against RHP, you don't want to sit Bellinger against RHP, you don't want to sit Morel (based on 2023 splits) against RHP...and Belt is a platoon guy. If we skip on Bellinger, I'd sing a different tune, however.

Belt would only be at danger of losing playing time if he played poorly or if he got injured (which based on the last few years is a when/how long rather than an if).  The squeeze for PT would be primarily on Wisdom/Morel, and after that Busch and Madrigal.

Edited February 12, 2024 by Bertz

[squally1313]

33 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

 

I don't have super strong feelings about Belt/JDM so take it in that spirit, but I also think the negative connotation on depth in the name of 'blocking' options probably could be reframed.

1. Is the defensively versatile guy Mastro?  If so I get it but also at what position is he even the #2 option?  Keeping Madrigal, Wisdom, and Mastro is its own type of luxury, and generically Mastro's LHH bat off the bench isn't gonna be option 1 with Tauchman also blocked from starting most games.

2. Good, PCA should be in Iowa to start the season.  When he shows he can adjust to that level then you can jettison a number of different players to make room, but it's more likely to be for Tauchman and not impacting the last man discussion.

3. Canario isn't someone you need to make room for, his ceiling (especially on this roster) is platoon/bench depth so not being at the front of that line is fine.  Caissie and Alcantara, add Shaw and Murray to this if you like, they have a combined 0 PA at AAA.  One of them forcing the issue is very possible, but that's likely to take til past Memorial Day and by then you'll have all sorts of other stuff shaking out with injuries and any other performance nuances where the logjam doesn't actually materialize.

All good points. Just ultimately feel like you're seriously capping the internal utility of some combination of three guys with a lot of current perceived value (Busch, PCA, Morel) for a pretty marginal benefit? Morel becomes like...the back up DH, PH off the bench? Which basically makes Wisdom useless until an inevitable Madrigal injury. PCA starts in AAA, his next step up is back up outfielder, his next step up is....forcing Bellinger to first and Busch to the bench? That's a lot of trade capital having to fight tooth and nail for ABs and then I look over and Jameson Taillon is our third starter. 

[Jason Ross]

8 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Belt would only be at danger of losing playing time if he played poorly or if he got injured (which based on the last few years is a when/how long rather than an if).  The squeeze for PT would be primarily on Wisdom/Morel, and after that Busch and Madrigal.

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you. If the Cubs aren't going to play Morel or Busch often (at all) at 3b, than there's only three spots for four players: CF, 1b, and DH once PCA enters the fray, and that's likely to happen around June 1st, is my guess. Belt would likely be the Cubs fourth choice as they have the least invested there. Perhaps one of those three (Busch/Morel/PCA) don't pan out by that point, but if you're looking from a Brandon Belt perspective, you have to think of yourself as the outsider in that group + Bellinger. 

If I was Brandon Belt and I looked at the Cubs situation...I'm finding a better situation for myself to guarantee a place in the lineup against RHP. The Cubs feel very packed at the positions (again, assuming Bellinger) and have young prospects on the immediate way that would make it more difficult. I'd want to play. Maybe Belt isn't looking at it like I would be, but that's how I'd see the Cubs. There's going to be a better option for him, I feel.

If you think the Cubs are legitimately going to play Michael Busch at 3b to accommodate Brandon Belt, that's one thing and might change how you're looking at this. But I don't think the Cubs are seriously going to entertain that often, and think it's more than likely going to be a Madrigal/Wisdom joint over there until the Cubs decide to go with a young player or a trade.

[LBiittner]

Did I miss the announcement about Belli signing?

It's being talked here like certain happening

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you. If the Cubs aren't going to play Morel or Busch often (at all) at 3b, than there's only three spots for four players: CF, 1b, and DH once PCA enters the fray, and that's likely to happen around June 1st, is my guess. Belt would likely be the Cubs fourth choice as they have the least invested there. Perhaps one of those three (Busch/Morel/PCA) don't pan out by that point, but if you're looking from a Brandon Belt perspective, you have to think of yourself as the outsider in that group + Bellinger. 

If I was Brandon Belt and I looked at the Cubs situation...I'm finding a better situation for myself to guarantee a place in the lineup against RHP. The Cubs feel very packed at the positions (again, assuming Bellinger) and have young prospects on the immediate way that would make it more difficult. I'd want to play. Maybe Belt isn't looking at it like I would be, but that's how I'd see the Cubs. There's going to be a better option for him, I feel.

If you think the Cubs are legitimately going to play Michael Busch at 3b to accommodate Brandon Belt, that's one thing and might change how you're looking at this. But I don't think the Cubs are seriously going to entertain that often, and think it's more than likely going to be a Madrigal/Wisdom joint over there until the Cubs decide to go with a young player or a trade.

Yes, for best results either Morel or Busch would have to play 3rd. Which could be a problem. Either way, I would like to see 2 more bats. Maybe not Belt. If Morel(or Busch) can’t play 3rd there isn’t enough ab for Belt. Since you don’t see either at 3rd that explains why you don’t see enough AB for Belt. My scenario is wishful thinking. Which is pretty much what I said from the start. 

[Rcal10]

21 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

Did I miss the announcement about Belli signing?

It's being talked here like certain happening

Settle down old timer, we are just talking 😬

[Tryptamine]

1 hour ago, LBiittner said:

Did I miss the announcement about Belli signing?

It's being talked here like certain happening

At this point I think it's more unlikely than it is likely. 

[Tim]

Just add talent and let our $8M / year manager figure out the best way to use them.

[chibears55]

https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1757299073843913036?t=bN231sVvgkTtHpGoV2EYsA&s=19

[thawv]

I'm really on an island with my thoughts on this.  Not surprising either!

IF PCA hits in ST, I don't see a scenario where he's not the OD CF.  His issue isn't hitting minor league pitching.  It was hitting major league pitching.  Facing more minor league pitchers is not going to help him hit major league pitching.  Unless it's a hole in his swing, or something mechanical, I think AAA would hurt his growth.  If it's pitch recognition or learning to catch up to a major league FB, it has to be done against major league pitching.   

IF Belli on on the roster, he has 3 spots to play.  LF, RF, 1B.  He's much better than either of our corner OF'ers defensively.  By all accounts, Busch's best position is 1B.  He not good at 3B, and even worse at 2B.  His natural position is 1B.  Cody is pretty neutral at 1B.  This said, both the defense and the lineup would be best off if Cody played LF, and Happ DH most of the time.  Cody can also move Suzuki and Busch to the DH spot for some leg rest for players.  In my eyes, this leaves Morel as the odd man out for a lot of PA's.  All of Happ, Suzuki, and Busch are much more toolsy and polished hitters over Morel.   

Does Morel have more value coming off the bench, or packaging in a deal for let's say young pitching? 

If PCA wets the bed in ST, they run Cody, Tauchman, or Canario out to CF until PCA gets right. 

How likely is it that the Cubs are not even in discussions with Cody, and it just hasn't leaked out?  

[Jason Ross]

21 minutes ago, thawv said:

I'm really on an island with my thoughts on this.  Not surprising either!

IF PCA hits in ST, I don't see a scenario where he's not the OD CF.  His issue isn't hitting minor league pitching.  It was hitting major league pitching.  Facing more minor league pitchers is not going to help him hit major league pitching.  Unless it's a hole in his swing, or something mechanical, I think AAA would hurt his growth.  If it's pitch recognition or learning to catch up to a major league FB, it has to be done against major league pitching.   

IF Belli on on the roster, he has 3 spots to play.  LF, RF, 1B.  He's much better than either of our corner OF'ers defensively.  By all accounts, Busch's best position is 1B.  He not good at 3B, and even worse at 2B.  His natural position is 1B.  Cody is pretty neutral at 1B.  This said, both the defense and the lineup would be best off if Cody played LF, and Happ DH most of the time.  Cody can also move Suzuki and Busch to the DH spot for some leg rest for players.  In my eyes, this leaves Morel as the odd man out for a lot of PA's.  All of Happ, Suzuki, and Busch are much more toolsy and polished hitters over Morel.   

Does Morel have more value coming off the bench, or packaging in a deal for let's say young pitching? 

If PCA wets the bed in ST, they run Cody, Tauchman, or Canario out to CF until PCA gets right. 

How likely is it that the Cubs are not even in discussions with Cody, and it just hasn't leaked out?  

I think the hand ringing on Pete Crow-Armstrong has swung a bit in the wrong direction...but this isn't true, either. PCA had a 67% contact rate in Triple-A. That's simply not good enough. PCA's issue is not his ability to inability to hit MLB or Triple-A pitching, it's developing a mature plate approach which he has yet to do at any level regardless of what his K% or BB% suggest. He still struggles to determine when to swing, and when to get deeper into the count to find his pitch. This is something that isn't going to just magically happen at the MLB level versus the Triple-A level, but is more likely to happen against lower level pitching before it happens against the best pitching on the planet. As well, it's impossible to say if his issue is hitting MLB pitching...he had under 20 PA's. That's a nothing sample.

Defensively, base running, power...he's ready. Plate approach he has yet to prove that. He likely needs a few months in Triple-A to improve his contact rate, to improve his approach before anyone should expect him to had real success at the plate at the MLB level. The more I look deeper into his numbers in Triple-A the more I'm convinced he's not ready today. That isn't an indictment of him as a prospect, only stating that if the Cubs just throw him to the wolves at the MLB level, it's likely not going to be a productive struggle for him initially, nor is it going to be a productive struggle for a Cub team who still isn't good enough to carry around a player incapable of helping. Holding him through May or June in Triple-A, letting him refine his game, won't be bad for the Cubs or Pete.

[Rcal10]

23 minutes ago, thawv said:

I'm really on an island with my thoughts on this.  Not surprising either!

IF PCA hits in ST, I don't see a scenario where he's not the OD CF.  His issue isn't hitting minor league pitching.  It was hitting major league pitching.  Facing more minor league pitchers is not going to help him hit major league pitching.  Unless it's a hole in his swing, or something mechanical, I think AAA would hurt his growth.  If it's pitch recognition or learning to catch up to a major league FB, it has to be done against major league pitching.   

IF Belli on on the roster, he has 3 spots to play.  LF, RF, 1B.  He's much better than either of our corner OF'ers defensively.  By all accounts, Busch's best position is 1B.  He not good at 3B, and even worse at 2B.  His natural position is 1B.  Cody is pretty neutral at 1B.  This said, both the defense and the lineup would be best off if Cody played LF, and Happ DH most of the time.  Cody can also move Suzuki and Busch to the DH spot for some leg rest for players.  In my eyes, this leaves Morel as the odd man out for a lot of PA's.  All of Happ, Suzuki, and Busch are much more toolsy and polished hitters over Morel.   

Does Morel have more value coming off the bench, or packaging in a deal for let's say young pitching? 

If PCA wets the bed in ST, they run Cody, Tauchman, or Canario out to CF until PCA gets right. 

How likely is it that the Cubs are not even in discussions with Cody, and it just hasn't leaked out?  

Since 1908 answered the PCA part of your post, I will comment on the Bellinger question. I believe it is very likely the Cubs haven’t had any “formal” discussion in regards to Bellinger yet. And if he does sign for anything like what Boras is asking it will be reported the Cubs never made a formal offer. But that doesn’t mean they are not interested. It also doesn’t mean they won’t sign him. Boras has to come down, at least in years, and then, IMO, the Cubs will be interested. If he doesn’t and Bellinger does sign an 8+ year deal it won’t be with the Cubs. I don’t feel any differently about the Cubs chances of signing Bellinger than I did in early January. Nothing has happened to change my opinion on it. To me it was 50/50 when almost every reporter suggested Bellinger would be a Cub and it is 50/50 now. But he will start in center if they sign him. 

[CubinNY]

10 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I think the hand ringing on Pete Crow-Armstrong has swung a bit in the wrong direction...but this isn't true, either. PCA had a 67% contact rate in Triple-A. That's simply not good enough. PCA's issue is not his ability to inability to hit MLB or Triple-A pitching, it's developing a mature plate approach which he has yet to do at any level regardless of what his K% or BB% suggest. He still struggles to determine when to swing, and when to get deeper into the count to find his pitch. This is something that isn't going to just magically happen at the MLB level versus the Triple-A level, but is more likely to happen against lower level pitching before it happens against the best pitching on the planet. As well, it's impossible to say if his issue is hitting MLB pitching...he had under 20 PA's. That's a nothing sample.

Defensively, base running, power...he's ready. Plate approach he has yet to prove that. He likely needs a few months in Triple-A to improve his contact rate, to improve his approach before anyone should expect him to had real success at the plate at the MLB level. The more I look deeper into his numbers in Triple-A the more I'm convinced he's not ready today. That isn't an indictment of him as a prospect, only stating that if the Cubs just throw him to the wolves at the MLB level, it's likely not going to be a productive struggle for him initially, nor is it going to be a productive struggle for a Cub team who still isn't good enough to carry around a player incapable of helping. Holding him through May or June in Triple-A, letting him refine his game, won't be bad for the Cubs or Pete.

I get what you are saying, but he's not going to learn to adjust to big league pitching until he's facing it. I love the way he plays the game, hopefully, he's not in Iowa for three months while they are running Tauchman out there most days. 

[Rcal10]

3 hours ago, chibears55 said:

https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1757299073843913036?t=bN231sVvgkTtHpGoV2EYsA&s=19

Hard to know for sure, but maybe this gets things going a little. This may take one team out of both Bellinger and Chapman. That should get the attention of either of those guys as well as Boras. But I just don’t know anymore.

 

[Jason Ross]

6 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

I get what you are saying, but he's not going to learn to adjust to big league pitching until he's facing it. I love the way he plays the game, hopefully, he's not in Iowa for three months while they are running Tauchman out there most days. 

Right. But it would make sense for him to learn how to hit Triple-A pitching before he learns how to hit MLB pitching, yes? His 67% contact rate while in Triple-A would place him in the bottom 10 of contact rate in Triple-A and suggests he hasn't really mastered that level yet. It was his first run, he's very young, and etc, so this isn't like a massive shock...but if Triple-A pitchers can exploit his immature approach, it stands to reason MLB pitchers will do that and more. 

I don't want the Cubs to fart around if Pete Crow-Armstrong shows improvement in that category for the sake of "getting him reps" but I also don't want the Cubs to ruin his development for the sake of his defense in May, either. If that makes sense? There's a middle ground where PCA can go get some reps in Triple-A, show he's made the necessary changes to his approach against Triple-A pitching, then be lifted to help the Cubs when they could benefit from his glove and more stable bat, without holding him down there until September just to hold him down.

[thawv]

9 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Since 1908 answered the PCA part of your post, I will comment on the Bellinger question. I believe it is very likely the Cubs haven’t had any “formal” discussion in regards to Bellinger yet. And if he does sign for anything like what Boras is asking it will be reported the Cubs never made a formal offer. But that doesn’t mean they are not interested. It also doesn’t mean they won’t sign him. Boras has to come down, at least in years, and then, IMO, the Cubs will be interested. If he doesn’t and Bellinger does sign an 8+ year deal it won’t be with the Cubs. I don’t feel any differently about the Cubs chances of signing Bellinger than I did in early January. Nothing has happened to change my opinion on it. To me it was 50/50 when almost every reporter suggested Bellinger would be a Cub and it is 50/50 now. But he will start in center if they sign him. 

I should have also mentioned approach.  Yes, I agree with this.  But if it's primarily not being able to time a major league fastball, or recognize a major league breaking ball, I still think that the only place he can get that taken care of is against major league pitching. 

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, thawv said:

I should have also mentioned approach.  Yes, I agree with this.  But if it's primarily not being able to time a major league fastball, or recognize a major league breaking ball, I still think that the only place he can get that taken care of is against major league pitching. 

Well, again that's not his issue. He's not having issues timing pitches...he doesn't know when to swing and not. He swings...always. This isn't some new issue, he's done it...well, since Low-A. It's not something that's going to get better against better pitching, it's getting worse. There's productive struggle and there's unproductive struggle, and until PCA can show he can productively struggle against Triple-A pitching, it's incredibly unlikely that's just going to happen at the MLB level. He needs to refine and mature his approach; something doable, but will take a bit of time. He's a young, brash kid who hasn't been forced until now to have to really question that approach.

Let's put it this way....if you have a math student who's good at basic functions (multiplication, addition...etc) but was struggling with algebraic equations, you wouldn't move him to geometry and assume he'd just pick it up on the way doing harder math...you'd let them practice on their level, get better, then throw harder math at them., Treat PCA like that: he's already in an advanced class for his age. Let him pick up concepts at his current working level. You're doing that impatient thing again.

[LBiittner]

20 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Hard to know for sure, but maybe this gets things going a little. This may take one team out of both Bellinger and Chapman. That should get the attention of either of those guys as well as Boras. But I just don’t know anymore.

 

Signing Chapman would require cubs sacrificing a compensatory pick. 

I'm unclear as to what level/quality of a draft pick we'd lose. Like maybe someone could list a comparison draft pick we made last year?

I only ask with the thought if Jed were to sign Chapman to a really really short deal, would it be worth the loss?

[Jason Ross]

9 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

Signing Chapman would require cubs sacrificing a compensatory pick. 

I'm unclear as to what level/quality of a draft pick we'd lose. Like maybe someone could list a comparison draft pick we made last year?

I only ask with the thought if Jed were to sign Chapman to a really really short deal, would it be worth the loss?

We'd lose a second round pick. Our last three second round selections have been James Triantos, Jackson Ferris and Jaxson Wiggins.

The Cubs have done a pretty good job over the last few seasons with second rounders. So while I think the Cubs are a big market and shouldn't be afraid of losing second round picks to sign the right kinds of free agents, it also wouldn't be a nothing loss, either.

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

Signing Chapman would require cubs sacrificing a compensatory pick. 

I'm unclear as to what level/quality of a draft pick we'd lose. Like maybe someone could list a comparison draft pick we made last year?

I only ask with the thought if Jed were to sign Chapman to a really really short deal, would it be worth the loss?

They gain one with Bellinger however. Kind of like last year when they lost one for Swanson but gained one for Contreras. But you make a good point in if Chapman only signs short term, is it worth it. 

Edited February 13, 2024 by Rcal10

[thawv]

24 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Well, again that's not his issue. He's not having issues timing pitches...he doesn't know when to swing and not. He swings...always. This isn't some new issue, he's done it...well, since Low-A. It's not something that's going to get better against better pitching, it's getting worse. There's productive struggle and there's unproductive struggle, and until PCA can show he can productively struggle against Triple-A pitching, it's incredibly unlikely that's just going to happen at the MLB level. He needs to refine and mature his approach; something doable, but will take a bit of time. He's a young, brash kid who hasn't been forced until now to have to really question that approach.

Let's put it this way....if you have a math student who's good at basic functions (multiplication, addition...etc) but was struggling with algebraic equations, you wouldn't move him to geometry and assume he'd just pick it up on the way doing harder math...you'd let them practice on their level, get better, then throw harder math at them., Treat PCA like that: he's already in an advanced class for his age. Let him pick up concepts at his current working level. You're doing that impatient thing again.

Where can I find AAA batted ball numbers?