Cut my life into Rhys(s); Is this Jed's last resort?

[Bertz]

We should probably have a Hoskins thread, he seems very likely to happen

 

[ILMindState]

80 grade thread title, bravo.

Edited December 5, 2023 by ILMindState

[Bobson Dugnutt]

This thread title tho.

[Post Count Padder]

A+ title thread.

I've liked Rhys awhile. Part of that comes from living in Philly and having met him once. But he would be a good bat at first base and fill a need. Given the injury, I do wonder what the terms would look like. Maybe a one year prove it deal like Bellinger.

[Thusly Boned]

1 minute ago, Post Count Padder said:

A+ title thread.

I've liked Rhys awhile. Part of that comes from living in Philly and having met him once. But he would be a good bat at first base and fill a need. Given the injury, I do wonder what the terms would look like. Maybe a one year prove it deal like Bellinger.

I'm almost certain it would be a one year deal with options.

But like you, I think it would be a good fit, as I think he can still hit. His defense sucks out loud, though.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I like Hoskins quite a bit.

 

• 126 career wRC+ is simply not a common caliber of bat that is out there, at least not without enormous commitments or other downside risks(e.g. Brandon Lowe's recent form)
• His contract isn't going to materially block any moves, won't have a long enough commitment to scare off other additions, and since Philly didn't QO him you can do that after 2024-25 and get a pick on the back end if he hits reasonably well(or get a de facto team option)
• He's been a one org person, which I always like as an opportunity to have new voices help potentially unlock a new level

 

The downsides for me are that he's probably gonna be expensive enough that I think if you get him and you want a playoff SP and a better-than-Hoskins bat, you start having to make tradeoffs pretty quickly with the assumption that you aren't pushing into the Ohtani zone of LT penalties.  Soto + Glasnow + Hoskins would be great but I'm unsure if they want to go into the 2nd level of penalties for that type of offseason, at which point you're either not getting Soto or you're making severe compromises elsewhere.

Also, Hoskins probably wants a one year or 1+ option deal, and considering the other high end talents potentially available seem to mostly be rentals, it's a lot of potential 1 year uncertainty for your main additions.  Rentals as a concept are fine and  Soto + Glasnow + Hoskins would make the team a strong playoff/division contender, but having to replace all of them would be a chore. 

[Sammy Sofa]

All time banger of a thread title.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Hoskins makes great sense for the team. Yeah he could flop as a hitter coming off a debilitating injury, you have to acknowledge the possibility. But he could very well be a 120 bat that is not attached to a pick. His defense... could be worse? I've been on board with the pickup from the jump. I just wish he was LH. I would still like Belt.

[jersey cubs fan]

Thumbs up to the thread and the player 

[Rcal10]

19 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Hoskins makes great sense for the team. Yeah he could flop as a hitter coming off a debilitating injury, you have to acknowledge the possibility. But he could very well be a 120 bat that is not attached to a pick. His defense... could be worse? I've been on board with the pickup from the jump. I just wish he was LH. I would still like Belt.

Is the idea of Mervis dead with the Cubs? I mean if they did Hoskins and then traded Morel+ for Lowe and Glasnow, couldn’t Hoskins DH if Mervis was a consideration for the Cubs at first?  And then they can still add another pitcher via FA or trade. 

[Jason Ross]

4 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Is the idea of Mervis dead with the Cubs? I mean if they did Hoskins and then traded Morel+ for Lowe and Glasnow, couldn’t Hoskins DH if Mervis was a consideration for the Cubs at first?  And then they can still add another pitcher via FA or trade. 

The way the Cubs did and didn't use Mervis last year speaks here. For whatever reason, even at the end of the year, they went with Jared Young over Mervis. The same Young they DFA'd. Perhaps that's a Ross thing. At the same time, I think we can't ignore that. They also made sure to block him with Hosmer and Mancini last off season. For whatever reason, there appears to be mounting evidence that the Cubs just don't love Mervis, right or wrong.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

The way the Cubs did and didn't use Mervis last year speaks here. For whatever reason, even at the end of the year, they went with Jared Young over Mervis. The same Young they DFA'd. Perhaps that's a Ross thing. At the same time, I think we can't ignore that. They also made sure to block him with Hosmer and Mancini last off season. For whatever reason, there appears to be mounting evidence that the Cubs just don't love Mervis, right or wrong.

Basically the same logic used when discussing Morel at 3rd for the Cubs. For some reason the Cubs didn’t bring Mervis back up and didn’t play Morel at 3rd. So it makes sense that they don’t believe in either options now. Just wishful thinking on my part. 

[Stratos]

Sounds like Hoskins might get a 2 year deal with an opt out:

Quote

Agent Scott Boras, who represents Hoskins, has negotiated two-year deals with opt-outs for the aforementioned Martinez and Manaea, in addition to Carlos Rodon and perhaps most relevant to Hoskins, Michael Conforto. Like Hoskins, Conforto missed an entire season due to injury (shoulder surgery), but he nonetheless inked a two-year, $36MM deal with the Giants that allowed him to opt out this winter if he chose. The opt-out was contingent on Conforto reaching 350 plate appearances, which he did, though the former All-Star wound up staying put after an unspectacular first year in San Francisco.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/cubs-rumors-rhys-hoskins.html

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

Basically the same logic used when discussing Morel at 3rd for the Cubs. For some reason the Cubs didn’t bring Mervis back up and didn’t play Morel at 3rd. So it makes sense that they don’t believe in either options now. Just wishful thinking on my part. 

Similar logic, yes. The Cubs had opportunities to play both last year and, for whatever reason, didn't. We can speculate on why, but it seems logical to me that a team who had opportunities to play players they believed in, would have done that. 

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Similar logic, yes. The Cubs had opportunities to play both last year and, for whatever reason, didn't. We can speculate on why, but it seems logical to me that a team who had opportunities to play players they believed in, would have done that. 

The only think that could change that thought is if Counsel was more open to playing Morel at third and actually playing Mervis. But if the Cubs trade Morel for a 3rd baseman and then sign a different 1st baseman I guess we have our answer on their belief of each player. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

I don't think I've seen anyone outside of NSBB mention Mervis in like 6 months 

[Ding Dong Johnson]

5 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I don't think I've seen anyone outside of NSBB mention Mervis in like 6 months 

That's about the time everyone here should have stopped.

[Jason Ross]

6 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I don't think I've seen anyone outside of NSBB mention Mervis in like 6 months 

Eh, a bunch of the Cubs crew online (Huss, Zumach, Altman...etc) has mentioned him today post-Hawkins comments last night. But most of it in the vein of "it can't be handed to him"

Edited December 5, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[Rcal10]

33 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Eh, a bunch of the Cubs crew online (Huss, Zumach, Altman...etc) has mentioned him today post-Hawkins comments last night. But most of it in the vein of "it can't be handed to him"

Well then if they get Hoskins and do trade Morel it wouldn’t be handed to him, but if he “somehow” hit there would be a possibility of DH/1st base. I rbi m if they did a Lowe trade and signed Hoskins they would leave center and DH to fill from the system or with what they had last year. Guys like Mervis, Canario, Tauchman, PCA, Wisdom, Madrigal and any other minor league who is close. 

[Bertz]

There's some plausible doubt to the idea that the Cubs don't believe Morel can play 3rd.  He's been doing the super-sub thing basically since the pandemic hit.  Maybe there is some specific thing (I've seen an arm-angle change) that can be fixed if the team wants to commit to him being a full time 3B.

Mervis though, you really have to do some mental gymnastics to think the org has faith in him.  The fanbase had to scream for him to be called up initially even as Hosmer and Mancini were floundering.  After Mervis flopped initially, Jared Young got multiple callups, and Miles Mastrobuoni spent a long stint as the primary LHH pinch hitter.  Mervis is already 25, if he was going to get a 2nd opportunity with the org it would have happened in the later part of the year. 

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

There's some plausible doubt to the idea that the Cubs don't believe Morel can play 3rd.  He's been doing the super-sub thing basically since the pandemic hit.  Maybe there is some specific thing (I've seen an arm-angle change) that can be fixed if the team wants to commit to him being a full time 3B.

Mervis though, you really have to do some mental gymnastics to think the org has faith in him.  The fanbase had to scream for him to be called up initially even as Hosmer and Mancini were floundering.  After Mervis flopped initially, Jared Young got multiple callups, and Miles Mastrobuoni spent a long stint as the primary LHH pinch hitter.  Mervis is already 25, if he was going to get a 2nd opportunity with the org it would have happened in the later part of the year. 

I do agree with you. But guys do develop at their own pace. And with Covid taking a year away from these guys 25 is on the higher side of being a rookie, but not crazy. How old was Garcia before he finally got a break and played in the majors. Maybe a different set of eyes on Mervis sees something Ross didn’t see. I know it is doubtful. But if they do deal Morel IMO Mervis will be given a chance to at least DH. They really do need a left handed bat with power. So that does give him a slight advantage. Please don’t misunderstand, if I was to bet on him having a solid major league career, I would bet against it. But he might at least be given a chance, even if they sign Hoskins. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Mooney/Sharma

Quote

Rhys Hoskins still makes a lot of sense on the kind of “pillow contract” that agent Scott Boras negotiated for Cody Bellinger last offseason. Hoskins is close with Kyle Schwarber and well aware of the vibrant atmosphere around the Friendly Confines. Hoskins and Schwarber played together on the Philadelphia Phillies team that reached the 2022 World Series. Hoskins tore the ACL in his left knee during spring training in March and underwent season-ending surgery. Hoskins attempted to make a Schwarber-esque comeback in October before the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs. Hoskins is a right-handed power hitter who could split time between DH and first base while bringing some Schwarber-ish vibes.