Who's gaga for Imanaga? - It's the Cubs! Cubs sign Imanaga per Heyman/Nightengale

[Jason Ross]

So if we assume the Cubshave $60-$70m to spend, Imanaga coming in around $15m AAV leaves the Cubs with maybe $55m left to go. That's enough to get a hitter (Bellinger), another player (Hoskins?) and two pretty good RP's in. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, 1908_Cubs said:

I didn't mention mention him with Horton because of the "since" Prior thing (as you noted). But Prior still gets precedence over Wood. The draft pedigree and the hype surrounding Prior was...insane. I think the internet really helped there, at least on hype. Even the 5 years between the two on debuts...internet really took off. Wood took three years to come up. Prior took about one year in the Minors and was already the #2 prospect. Wood topped out as a top-3. 

If I remember right, David Price is when things really started getting crazy. His college starts were on ESPN all the time and his MLB debut was a huge event.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Tryptamine said:

If I remember right, David Price is when things really started getting crazy. His college starts were on ESPN all the time and his MLB debut was a huge event.

Yeah, Prior was, at least IMO, the start of the hyped prospect. I was 15/16 and I was following him through the MiLB...and I wasn't the MiLB shill I am today. David Price kicked it all into a new level. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, 1908_Cubs said:

So if we assume the Cubshave $60-$70m to spend, Imanaga coming in around $15m AAV leaves the Cubs with maybe $55m left to go. That's enough to get a hitter (Bellinger), another player (Hoskins?) and two pretty good RP's in. 

It would be cutting it close money wise, but if they could somehow pull off Brasier+Stephenson then I'd feel real good about this team going into the season. Robertson+Maton would be great too.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I didn't mention mention him with Horton because of the "since" Prior thing (as you noted). But Prior still gets precedence over Wood. The draft pedigree and the hype surrounding Prior was...insane. I think the internet really helped there, at least on hype. Even the 5 years between the two on debuts...internet really took off. Wood took three years to come up. Prior took about one year in the Minors and was already the #2 prospect. Wood topped out as a top-3. 

Right. Wood wasn’t as hyped as Prior but still probably a higher prospect than Horton is now. As you said he was 3rd when he came up. Horton is top 25 ish and 3rd highest pitcher. BTW, not taking anything away from Horton. I am excited to have him. But Cubs have had a few higher ranked pitching prospects. 

[mfcubs22]

2 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Was no one gaga for Imanaga then? That's a surprisingly low aav. Kind of concerning if no other team stepped in on that

Not concerned at all

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

Right. Wood wasn’t as hyped as Prior but still probably a higher prospect than Horton is now. As you said he was 3rd when he came up. Horton is top 25 ish and 3rd highest pitcher. BTW, not taking anything away from Horton. I am excited to have him. But Cubs have had a few higher ranked pitching prospects. 

Well, yes. Again I said "since" Prior. Prior was after Wood, just to explain my post. You're right, Wood was a bigger prospect than Horton at the time, more than likely, that Horton comes up.

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

It would be cutting it close money wise, but if they could somehow pull off Brasier+Stephenson then I'd feel real good about this team going into the season. Robertson+Maton would be great too.

I think Moore is going to be a Cub. He could be the lefty pen arm. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, mfcubs22 said:

Not concerned at all

Until otherwise proven, I have faith in Carter Hawkins when it comes to pitchers. I was dead wrong on Horton and I'm hoping to be dead wrong on Jaxon Wiggins too.

[Rcal10]

Just now, 1908_Cubs said:

Well, yes. Again I said "since" Prior. Prior was after Wood, just to explain my post.

I probably shouldn’t have responded to you. I was simply adding another high ranking pitching prospect of the Cubs. I realize you post said since Peior. All I am saying is Prior and Wood were higher rated prospects. I was agreeing with you on Prior and adding another top guy. And while Wood might not have been hyped as Prior coming up, only took 3 or 4 starts in the majors for Chicago to lose their minds over him. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Just now, Rcal10 said:

I probably shouldn’t have responded to you. I was simply adding another high ranking pitching prospect of the Cubs. I realize you post said since Peior. All I am saying is Prior and Wood were higher rated prospects. I was agreeing with you on Prior and adding another top guy. And while Wood might not have been hyped as Prior coming up, only took 3 or 4 starts in the majors for Chicago to lose their minds over him. 

And then in his 5th he threw the greatest game in MLB history 

[We Got The Whole 9]

So I think over the next couple days we are gonna see Jed's plan really come to life. Bellinger, Hoskins, Stephenson, Moore. They'll be the division favorite to some. I kind of don't think he's gonna make a big trade. He wants his prospects to supplement the roster. It's gonna be a pretty good roster.

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

So I think over the next couple days we are gonna see Jed's plan really come to life. Bellinger, Hoskins, Stephenson, Moore. They'll be the division favorite to some. I kind of don't think he's gonna make a big trade. He wants his prospects to supplement the roster. It's gonna be a pretty good roster.

I generally agree. But with Boras it might take longer than the next couple of days.

[morrisjon]

28 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I just made myself so sad. I wanted to check if Juan Cruz was still on the Cubs in 2004,  he was gone after 2003, but then I saw that he's now 45 years old.  Now I just want to curl up in a ball and lay in bed.

I was so hyped about Juan Cruz. I remember him having a lively fastball and really good movement on his secondary pitches. 

[Post Count Padder]

1 minute ago, morrisjon said:

I was so hyped about Juan Cruz. I remember him having a lively fastball and really good movement on his secondary pitches. 

He was nicknamed Little Pedro! That was rather unfair. I was annoyed when we traded him for some shlub.

[Bertz]

5 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

So I think over the next couple days we are gonna see Jed's plan really come to life. Bellinger, Hoskins, Stephenson, Moore. They'll be the division favorite to some. I kind of don't think he's gonna make a big trade. He wants his prospects to supplement the roster. It's gonna be a pretty good roster.

I don't know if we see any more big signings, I think those are on Boras' timeline rather than Jed's.  That said I wouldn't be surprised if any of the trades that Jed is apparently working on are fast follows.  Or bullpen arms.  It's very clear Bellinger is going to hold out til ST or just moments before, so there's not really any impotice to wait on him to do more.  If anything getting everything else locked in probably pushes Boras to the table faster.

[Irrelevant Dude]

29 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I think Moore is going to be a Cub. He could be the lefty pen arm. 

The lefty pen arm is Smyly.

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

The lefty pen arm is Smyly.

And that is all the more reason we need Moore. 

[Tryptamine]

Little is also a potential dominating lefty

[UMFan83]

38 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Was no one gaga for Imanaga then? That's a surprisingly low aav. Kind of concerning if no other team stepped in on that

This is exactly what I was thinking. Is it possible that he’s a weirdo and was more concerned about fit and took a smaller offer?  That’s a gigantic drop from what people were projecting

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

This basically replaces Stroman and while I think he'll be solid he has no MLB track record so you never know how his stuff will play in the majors.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on this move, I like it. Just think the Cubs have a lot more to do this offseason.  Happy Jed broke the seal finally

I looked a bunch of good Japanese pitchers that have come over to MLB.  Comparing their Japanese stats to their MLB stats, their K/9 seems to stay about the same or even increase a bit in MLB, their BB/9 usually goes up a half or full run, their HR/9 seems to increase by about 0.5 runs, and their ERA goes up by about a full run.  This is exactly what happened with Senga.

Of course anything can happen, but If that holds we're looking at a pitcher who may put up something around an ERA in the high 3's with 9.5 K/9 (could be higher if that K/9 bump he had last season holds), 3.0 BB/9, and 1.5 HR/9.  That would be very solid.

Edited January 10, 2024 by Stratos

[muntjack]

21 minutes ago, morrisjon said:

I was so hyped about Juan Cruz. I remember him having a lively fastball and really good movement on his secondary pitches. 

Juan Cruz's 2 seamer moved like a whiffle ball.  I thought he was going to be the best of them.  

[Petrey10]

1 hour ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

this is the best Cubs rotation I’ve seen in my life, and as soon as Hendricks leaves after this year they can insert the best pitching prospect in baseball in his place

What a time to be a Cubs fan 

You are crazy…. There may never be another rotation as good as 2016. Absolutely crazy statement

[Tryptamine]

7 minutes ago, muntjack said:

Juan Cruz's 2 seamer moved like a whiffle ball.  I thought he was going to be the best of them.  

This reminds me of how I was on Dillon Maples. I've never seen pitches move like his would and I was completely convinced he was going to be a truly dominant closer. His Cub career only last 52.2 innings because he couldn't get the ball within 2 feet of his target.

https://youtu.be/i6YcRn3ZRxE?si=kp2vzmrgm_I7gz69

[Michael Busch Light]

3 minutes ago, Petrey10 said:

You are crazy…. There may never be another rotation as good as 2016. Absolutely crazy statement

I was going to say the same thing.  That rotation was amazing