Spring Training Chit Chats

[Bertz]

30 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

With 2 weeks to go before opening day, who gets the last 3 spots in the bench? You have your 8 starters, Tauchman and a back up catcher for the first 10. Cubs have to pick 3 of Madrigal, Mastrobouni, Wisdom, Canario, Mervis, Smith, Peralta, Cooper and even Bote. Some would have to be out on the 30 man, but there is one open spot. Some they may lose if they don’t make the OD team. Tough call. 

I expect a some of it depends on how they feel about Morel's progress at 3rd.  But at the moment I am expecting

- Mastrobuoni on the MLB bench

- Dom Smith to head to Iowa

- One of Wisdom/Madrigal traded

- One of Cooper/Peralta on the MLB bench

- The other to opt out

If Morel is handling 3B well I think Madrigal gets traded and Peralta gets selected to share DH with Wisdom.  If Morel's not handling 3B Wisdom gets dealt and Cooper hangs on as the dedicated lefty masher on the roster.

Dom Smith has said he thinks his hamate injury has been plaguing him for a few years.  He heads to Iowa and if he mashes there he comes up at some point to prove he's back to being a guy.

[We Got The Whole 9]

45 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

With 2 weeks to go before opening day, who gets the last 3 spots in the bench? You have your 8 starters, Tauchman and a back up catcher for the first 10. Cubs have to pick 3 of Madrigal, Mastrobouni, Wisdom, Canario, Mervis, Smith, Peralta, Cooper and even Bote. Some would have to be out on the 30 man, but there is one open spot. Some they may lose if they don’t make the OD team. Tough call. 

This is pretty freaking hard. I just don't see them trading Wisdom, but that's what I would do to fit Cooper on the roster. He has a 112 over the last 5 years and crushes LHP. I don't think Canario, Mervis, or Peralta have much of a shot. Going with Bote is a very long-shot, but sort of plausible? They cant trade Madrigal because he's never healthy and hasn't hit. Mastro's OB skills are intriguing, and he feels like a guy who could finally emerge and brings some versatility across the IF. IDK.

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I expect a some of it depends on how they feel about Morel's progress at 3rd.  But at the moment I am expecting

- Mastrobuoni on the MLB bench

- Dom Smith to head to Iowa

- One of Wisdom/Madrigal traded

- One of Cooper/Peralta on the MLB bench

- The other to opt out

If Morel is handling 3B well I think Madrigal gets traded and Peralta gets selected to share DH with Wisdom.  If Morel's not handling 3B Wisdom gets dealt and Cooper hangs on as the dedicated lefty masher on the roster.

Dom Smith has said he thinks his hamate injury has been plaguing him for a few years.  He heads to Iowa and if he mashes there he comes up at some point to prove he's back to being a guy.

Can the Cubs send Smith to Iowa, or can he refuse and become a FA? I like the idea of him proving he might actually be good, in Iowa.

[Rcal10]

11 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

This is pretty freaking hard. I just don't see them trading Wisdom, but that's what I would do to fit Cooper on the roster. He has a 112 over the last 5 years and crushes LHP. I don't think Canario, Mervis, or Peralta have much of a shot. Going with Bote is a very long-shot, but sort of plausible? They cant trade Madrigal because he's never healthy and hasn't hit. Mastro's OB skills are intriguing, and he feels like a guy who could finally emerge and brings some versatility across the IF. IDK.

It is very hard to decide. That is why I asked. You know whatever they do people will complain. So I was just wondering thoughts before they make moves.

Edited March 15, 2024 by Rcal10

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Can the Cubs send Smith to Iowa, or can he refuse and become a FA? I like the idea of him proving he might actually be good, in Iowa.

He can refuse I believe, but I think he's much less likely to than Cooper or Peralta.  Smith wasn't good enough for the Washington Nationals to keep around, I think he's going to have to go to AAA for someone and prove it was just the injury holding him back.

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

With 2 weeks to go before opening day, who gets the last 3 spots in the bench? You have your 8 starters, Tauchman and a back up catcher for the first 10. Cubs have to pick 3 of Madrigal, Mastrobouni, Wisdom, Canario, Mervis, Smith, Peralta, Cooper and even Bote. Some would have to be out on the 30 man, but there is one open spot. Some they may lose if they don’t make the OD team. Tough call. 

Mastrobuoni will likely make it as a LH bat who can play 2B, SS, 3B, and OF of needed.

Cooper RH bat who can backup 1st and DH

Canario, Mervis,  and Peralta are likely battling for final spot

I do think they may end up making a couple of minor trades for minor league depth in lower levels. 

Wisdom, Bote and Madrigal could be moved

Edited March 15, 2024 by chibears55

[squally1313]

8 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Mastrobuoni will likely make it as a LH bat who can play 2B, SS, 3B, and OF of needed.

Cooper RH bat who can backup 1st and DH

Canario, Mervis,  and Peralta are likely battling for final spot

I do think they may end up making a couple of minor trades for minor league depth in lower levels. 

Wisdom, Bote and Madrigal could be moved

We aren't going to go into Opening Day with Morel as our starting third baseman and Mastro as our only backup for 3B, SS, and 2B. 

[squally1313]

20 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

He has a 112 over the last 5 years and crushes LHP.

Both Wisdom and Cooper have a 109 over the last three years. Wisdom is 119 v LHP in his career, Cooper is 120. Wisdom gets the advantage in being the only healthy guy on the roster with ML 3B experience for me.

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

Both Wisdom and Cooper have a 109 over the last three years. Wisdom is 119 v LHP in his career, Cooper is 120. Wisdom gets the advantage in being the only healthy guy on the roster with ML 3B experience for me.

Honestly it's just the Ks from Wisdom that make me lean Cooper. 

[champaignchris]

3 hours ago, thawv said:

I don't view Belli as any kind of addition.  Imanaga replaces Stroman.  Busch replaces that horsefeathers show at 1B last year.  Neris, Little, and Almonte added to pen.  

From MLB Trade Rumors’ top 50 free agents, the Cubs signed numbers 2, 10 and 46. They also traded a couple teenagers for a MLB-ready consensus top-100 prospect. 
 

The Cubs’ offseason was un-sexy, slow and conservative as heck, but overall pretty effective. 

[squally1313]

4 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Honestly it's just the Ks from Wisdom that make me lean Cooper. 

Agreed, but the other side of that is Wisdom spotted Cooper 97 points in BABIP last year and only lost out on OBP by 15 points. I just can't look at this trend and see positive things going forward:

• 2021: 284/380/465, 12/27.2 BB/K
• 2022: 261/337/415, 8.5/25.4 BB/K
• 2023: 251/304/419, 6.8/28.9 BB/K

[KCCub]

I just looked at our schedule through April, oof it's tough. The boys just need to stay afloat during that stretch. 

[LBiittner]

2 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Mastrobuoni will likely make it as a LH bat who can play 2B, SS, 3B, and OF of needed.

Cooper RH bat who can backup 1st and DH

Canario, Mervis,  and Peralta are likely battling for final spot

I do think they may end up making a couple of minor trades for minor league depth in lower levels. 

Wisdom, Bote and Madrigal could be moved

Bote can be assigned back to minors / Maddie can be put on IL and Wisdom will be retained because he's owed 3m with probably nobody interested in taking that on.

[chibears55]

2 hours ago, squally1313 said:

We aren't going to go into Opening Day with Morel as our starting third baseman and Mastro as our only backup for 3B, SS, and 2B. 

They sure are..  you think they're going to add another FA that plays 3B ?

Morel is 100% the OD starter there and Mastrobuoni is 100% on the team over Madrigal.

 

[LBiittner]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Same question with the pen. If Wicks is the 5th starter who is in the pen? Obviously they have one more spot if Taillon starts on the IL. But once he is back they have 8 guys. I would think Alzolay, Merryweather, Smyly, Neris, Lieter and Almonte are on the team. But now they need two from: Wesneski, Assad, Little, Escobar, Palencia, Edwards, Sanders, and maybe Thompson. A NRI they probably lose if they don’t make OD. That is 8 guys for 2 spots. And that doesn’t even include guys like Lovelady and Paccone. 

How's my early offseason prediction about Smyly making the rotation currently looking?

[squally1313]

21 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

They sure are..  you think they're going to add another FA that plays 3B ?

Morel is 100% the OD starter there and Mastrobuoni is 100% on the team over Madrigal.

 

Not at all 100%. Patrick Wisdom exists and is by far our best option of those bench names listed to hit RHP. And he's a better third baseman than Morel. It wouldn't make any sense to start Morel at third and Wisdom at DH. 

What does Mastro do better than Madrigal? Play shortstop? We've got Hoerner for that. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

2 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

What does Mastro do better than Madrigal? Play shortstop? We've got Hoerner for that. 

Stay healthy, hit left handed, and have option years remaining.  But I agree that getting rid of Madrigal and Wisdom is unlikely.  Madrigal isn't healthy at the moment anyway right, he's gonna start on the 10 day so the more substantial decision gets punted down the road til later in April.  

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Not at all 100%. Patrick Wisdom exists and is by far our best option of those bench names listed to hit RHP. And he's a better third baseman than Morel. It wouldn't make any sense to start Morel at third and Wisdom at DH. 

What does Mastro do better than Madrigal? Play shortstop? We've got Hoerner for that. 

I agree there is no way the Cubs start with Morel at 3rd and only Mastrobuoni as another 3rd base option. I am sure either Madrigal or Wisdom is in the team. I am not sure they both are. I think one of them can be traded. I don’t think $3M for Wisdom would make him intradable. Probably get a low minor leaguer not on the 40 man for him, but that doesn’t matter. If they like Cooper more than Wisdom they will trade Wisdom. So either of them have options left? Does Mastrobouni? 

[LBiittner]

12 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Stay healthy, hit left handed, and have option years remaining.  But I agree that getting rid of Madrigal and Wisdom is unlikely.  Madrigal isn't healthy at the moment anyway right, he's gonna start on the 10 day so the more substantial decision gets punted down the road til later in April.  

Counsell is on record saying Madrigal will only miss 5 games if he goes on the IL to start the season because of back dating the injury.

Sounds to me it's already been discussed with the management

Edited March 15, 2024 by LBiittner

[Rcal10]

11 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Stay healthy, hit left handed, and have option years remaining.  But I agree that getting rid of Madrigal and Wisdom is unlikely.  Madrigal isn't healthy at the moment anyway right, he's gonna start on the 10 day so the more substantial decision gets punted down the road til later in April.  

So do you have Mastrobuoni, Wisdom and Madrigal in the team with Amaya and Tauchman? Is that your 5? 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

So do you have Mastrobuoni, Wisdom and Madrigal in the team with Amaya and Tauchman? Is that your 5? 

Madrigal is not going to make the opening day roster and Happ might need a few extra days too.  After that point you likely have other players having minor injuries or considerations(e.g. prospects look ready) where this is more of an academic exercise.  But to answer the spirit of your question, I probably wouldn't keep both Madrigal and Mastrobuoni on the roster if I have Morel taking the lions share of 3B time, I'd prefer keeping Wisdom and one of the NRIs to start with.

[Rcal10]

7 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Madrigal is not going to make the opening day roster and Happ might need a few extra days too.  After that point you likely have other players having minor injuries or considerations(e.g. prospects look ready) where this is more of an academic exercise.  But to answer the spirit of your question, I probably wouldn't keep both Madrigal and Mastrobuoni on the roster if I have Morel taking the lions share of 3B time, I'd prefer keeping Wisdom and one of the NRIs to start with.

So when all healthy it is Tauchman, Amaya, Wisdom one of Madrigal/Mastrobouni and one of Cooper/Peralta/Smith? If Wisdom is on the team I don’t see Cooper making it. I would think if the Cubs really believe Smith’s issues were from an injury I think he takes the last spot. Plus, we do know Jed has always liked Smith.
As for Madrigal or Mastrobouni, if they both still have options you might see them both up and down this year. 

[Post Count Padder]

So there's no room for both Mastrobuoni and Madrigal and no room for both Wisdom and Cooper. 

I'd personally rather have Mastro and Wisdom, if Morel can play a somewhat competent 3B. But regardless a trade seems inevitable. I still keep going back to trading Mervis for an interesting reliever. Maybe expand it to include whomever gets pushed off the OD roster.

[Rcal10]

7 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

So there's no room for both Mastrobuoni and Madrigal and no room for both Wisdom and Cooper. 

I'd personally rather have Mastro and Wisdom, if Morel can play a somewhat competent 3B. But regardless a trade seems inevitable. I still keep going back to trading Mervis for an interesting reliever. Maybe expand it to include whomever gets pushed off the OD roster.

I doubt a trade of Mervis for a reliever. I don’t think the Cubs want another established pen arm without minor league options left. 

[squally1313]

My progression is really boring, just mostly centered on not rocking the boat and keeping flexibility for injuries (and then eventually prospects).

Opening Day:

• Amaya
• Tauchman
• Wisdom
• Mastro
• Cooper
• Madrigal on DL

Madrigal comes off the DL, use an option on Mastro. Can keep that until you need another infielder (any sort of minor injury to Dansby, Nico, Morel, Madrigal, Wisdom), and then you DFA Cooper for Mastro to come back up if you need the spot. Hopefully PCA forces a different decision not long after that.