Cubs sign Garrett Cooper

[UMFan83]

NRI but interesting signing.  Not as great as he was a couple years ago but still hit 17 bombs last year as a 1B/DH

 

 

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Not saying this makes it certain that Mervis is the 40 man casualty for Bellinger, but it is not good for Mervis' odds of making it to opening day on the 40 man roster.

[squally1313]

lol this almost feels troll-y at this point 

does he have splits or something worth caring about?

 

[Post Count Padder]

Damn, Cubs really don't want Mervis to have a chance. This is a more interesting/realistic depth signing than Dom Smith.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

lol this almost feels troll-y at this point 

does he have splits or something worth caring about?

 

Career 120 wRC+ against LHP, 145 last year and 135 since 2020.

 

Now that I think of it, maybe it bodes worse for Wisdom staying in the org.

[Post Count Padder]

4 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

lol this almost feels troll-y at this point 

does he have splits or something worth caring about?

 

Looks like he's crushed lefties for the most part the last few years. Career OPS vs lefties is 60-70 points higher than vs righties.

[WhyCantWeWin]

Wisdom trade makes sense. Would also save them another 3 mil. Making a trade deadline trade possible without hitting the first tax line. 

[Bertz]

His chase rate spiked outrageously last year, but his in zone contact rates and power numbers were fine.  I kind of wonder if he just got off to a slow start and then pressed like hell to try and dig out of it?

He doesn't have the same high ball/ low ball split as Wisdom, but also can't even fake 3B.  If Morel's getting some real 3B runway and/or Mastrobuoni's a lock to make the bench I think he's a better roster fit than Wisdom? 

[Irrelevant Dude]

The Cubs certainly have a type.  They are going to corner the market on journeyman 1B/DH options.

[squally1313]

Kinda makes it seem like there’s no way they open the season with both morel and wisdom on the roster, and it’s kinda based on morel being a passable third baseman.
But then again it’s a spring training NRI and I’m almost definitely overthinking it. 

[UMFan83]

11 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

The Cubs certainly have a type.  They are going to corner the market on journeyman 1B/DH options.

Thank God Hosmer retired last week

[Jason Ross]

The Cubs certainly love themselves some options. This feels like a nice gamble for a world in which they think Morel handles 3b, as they'd probably be better off with Cooper against RHP over Wisdom in that case. Being that it's NRI, there's little risk in it. And if Morel can't handle 3b, then it's likely they'll roll with Wisdom.

[Stratos]

Carter Hawkins previously said they see Busch probably in a platoon at 1B at least to begin.  That means a RHB plays 1B vs LHP.  Right now that's Wisdom or maybe Morel, but Wisdom has been practicing a lot of 1B so far this Spring next to Busch.  Cooper may be a backup for Wisdom in case of injury since there's really no other RHB 1B besides maybe Morel, plus McGeary who isn't quite ready and is defensively more a DH.

[Stratos]

16 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Kinda makes it seem like there’s no way they open the season with both morel and wisdom on the roster, and it’s kinda based on morel being a passable third baseman.
But then again it’s a spring training NRI and I’m almost definitely overthinking it. 

Well I think Wisdom is higher on the depth chart than Cooper, given one is a NRI and Wisdom is on the 40.  Maybe they try to get Wisdom through waivers, who knows?  I'd keep Mervis over Wisdom personally, but we can use Wisdom as a platoon at 1B and DH vs LHP..  I think it's more of a depth move, guess we'll see.

Edited February 26, 2024 by Stratos

[Ricanruler]

52 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

lol this almost feels troll-y at this point 

does he have splits or something worth caring about?

 

Sure does..904 vs. RHP and a horrendous .666 vs. LHP

If Cooper sticks, it's definitely gonna be because he'll be in a platoon situation.

[chibears55]

Theyre 6 mil under the Tax Threshold, I could see them moving Wisdom and maybe Madrigal to give themselves a little more flexibility.

[Stratos]

51 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Wisdom trade makes sense. Would also save them another 3 mil. Making a trade deadline trade possible without hitting the first tax line. 

They could DFA Bailey Horn, Porter Hodge, or maybe Keegan Thompson too.  If I were the Cubs I'd keep Wisdom to hit vs LHP at 1B or DH unless they like Cooper better.

[gocubs218]

45 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Well I think Wisdom is higher on the depth chart than Cooper, given one is a NRI and Wisdom is on the 40.  Maybe they try to get Wisdom through waivers, who knows?  I'd keep Mervis over Wisdom personally, but we can use Wisdom as a platoon at 1B and DH vs LHP..  I think it's more of a depth move, guess we'll see.

Doesn’t Wisdom have options? Why would they have to get him through waivers? 

[UMFan83]

1 hour ago, gocubs218 said:

Doesn’t Wisdom have options? Why would they have to get him through waivers? 

Believe even if he has options he’s accrued enough service time in the MLB that he can elect for FA over accepting the assignment. A chance I’m wrong on that but either way his 40 man spot seems to be as pressing of an issue as his MLB roster spot. 

[squally1313]

1 hour ago, Stratos said:

Well I think Wisdom is higher on the depth chart than Cooper, given one is a NRI and Wisdom is on the 40.  Maybe they try to get Wisdom through waivers, who knows?  I'd keep Mervis over Wisdom personally, but we can use Wisdom as a platoon at 1B and DH vs LHP..  I think it's more of a depth move, guess we'll see.

If Morel can play third, that makes wisdom the third string third baseman, even ignoring mastro and his ability to play anywhere, and probably a worse offensive option than cooper. 
 

if morel can’t play third, you kinda have to wonder what his job is in a world where his best skill (hitting LHP) is something cooper probably does better. 
 

but again, almost definitely overthinking. 

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, gocubs218 said:

Doesn’t Wisdom have options? Why would they have to get him through waivers? 

They have to remove someone from the 40 man roster to add Bellinger to it once his signing is official.  Using an option doesn't remove that player from the 40-man, just the 26-man.

[Stratos]

25 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

If Morel can play third, that makes wisdom the third string third baseman, even ignoring mastro and his ability to play anywhere, and probably a worse offensive option than cooper. 
 

if morel can’t play third, you kinda have to wonder what his job is in a world where his best skill (hitting LHP) is something cooper probably does better. 
 

but again, almost definitely overthinking. 

Hard to say what they do with the 40 man for Bellinger.   It's possible Cooper replaces Wisdom and Wisdom is traded in the next few days.   As you say, Wisdom will rarely be used at 3b this season and he and Cooper would have the same role, and Cooper's bat seems better than Wisdom's.

[Rcal10]

10 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Theyre 6 mil under the Tax Threshold, I could see them moving Wisdom and maybe Madrigal to give themselves a little more flexibility.

Are they $6M under? I feel they are right there and possibly a bit over if Bellinger leaves after one year. If you are right that’s a pleasant surprise to me. 

[Tim]

43 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Are they $6M under? I feel they are right there and possibly a bit over if Bellinger leaves after one year. If you are right that’s a pleasant surprise to me. 

According to FG's Roster Resource page, the Cubs are at $234.2M against a salary cap of $237M

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/cubs

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Tim said:

According to FG's Roster Resource page, the Cubs are at $234.2M against a salary cap of $237M

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/cubs

Thank you. Honestly I thought they were worse than that. If Belli leaves after the first year does that raise their payroll per LT purposes?