What does this year’s sell off look like?

[jersey cubs fan]

Unlike some recent years, they might have some good pieces to trade away. What do you think they can get for this crew?

[Bertz]

There's not actually that much to sell.  TT made this point yesterday but the core of this group is pretty locked in for the next two years due to NTCs.  It's probably Tauchman, a couple relievers, and maybe Taillon?  No one who will return anything of major consequence.

If the team is bad, I would wonder about two other routes.  First, any sort of buy low opportunities.  Like for instance Bo Naylor has struggled mightily this year while David Fry is making a star turn, do you go grab Naylor knowing you have two months of runway to let him try and work things out?  Second, a challenge trade.  The Cubs have this cache of young starting pitchers, is there a young arm for young bat challenge trade out there to be made?  Something akin to the Jazz Chisholm for Zac Gallen deal.  For example, keeping it with catcher, Ben Brown for Shea Langeliers?

[Tryptamine]

14 hours ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Unlike some recent years, they might have some good pieces to trade away. What do you think they can get for this crew?

Bellinger is the obvious, but I wouldn't be completely opposed to Nico depending on the type of talent he brings back. Like if LAD decided they were over Gavin Lux and were willing to ship out Rushing, one of Joendry Vargas/Jose De Paula and Maddux Bruns I wouldn't hang up.

[Dfan25]

They should trade whoever they can and that’s including Nico , Happ / Suzuki . I know there are NTC and it’s unlikely but paying 20 + million to guys like Happ is too much for a franchise that operates like a mid market team . This core is not working out .

[LBiittner]

1 hour ago, Dfan25 said:

They should trade whoever they can and that’s including Nico , Happ / Suzuki . I know there are NTC and it’s unlikely but paying 20 + million to guys like Happ is too much for a franchise that operates like a mid market team . This core is not working out .

Happ would waive if a trade to Cincy was possible

[Bertz]

Soooooo....this topic is looking more and more relevant.  I think my overall approach would be similar to my reply a few weeks ago, but getting more specific my goals for the TDL would be:

- Clear relief innings for the kids.  There are a couple of expiring contracts in Hendricks, Neris, and Smyly who I expect to return little to nothing but I'd look to trade anyway.  If we're not worried about the standings then I want as many of the Iowa stuff monsters as we can muster in the MLB bullpen AND getting tested with leverage opportunities

- Similar to the above, Tauchman’s got to go.  I like Tauchman, quite a bit actually, but we need to open those PAs for PCA and/or Caissie.  As a bonus I think he'll return something solid assuming he doesn't play terribly coming out his IL stint

- Deal Taillon.  He's got a limited NTC, but I would guess with the heater he's on and with how much of a seller's market it is we can get out of his deal right now.  In order to add some star power to the team for next year you probably need to make a splash in the rotation, but at the same time the kids have proven enough that they should get two spots to fight for rather than just one

- Buy something for next year.  I mentioned a few weeks ago getting a young catcher and using the lost two months to get him acclimated to our pitching staff, coaches, etc.  That'd still be my ideal route, but this could also easily be a move for an immediate contributor like Vladito

I want to be in a situation where this winter is very straightforward.  Something like "We need a catcher, a SP, and two relievers and we've got $70M to make it happen."  I think part of the problem last winter is that there were too many permutations of what the FO could add, so they waited out the market looking for good deals and only made 4 moves when they should have made more like 6.  

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The team wants to compete in 2025, and doesn't have much in the way of desirable players on expiring contracts.  If Hendricks holds his current form against a couple non-Giants offenses maybe he could go?  But with Horton and Brown's injury and the pen being a MASH unit, there's not really a shortage of innings to go around and Hendricks even with his money paid for is likely not bringing a player that moves the 2025 needle.  With PCA's offensive struggles, Bellinger's opt out, and Caissie's defensive home at the MLB level unclear, I wouldn't be in a hurry to trade Tauchman.

 

As a result, I would expect to see less 'let's get this guy off the team to cash in and free up playing time', and more of the challenge trades Jed has done like Wesneski/Effross or Velazquez/Cuas.  Any number of players could fit that bill.  Morel, Amaya, Tauchman, and Assad feel like potential 'bigger' versions of this, while Madrigal, Wisdom, Canario, or Little feel more marginal like the Velazquez/Cuas deal.

 

I also could see a more pure buy trade if the opportunity presents itself, though I suspect Jed probably is not going to lead the pack to acquire someone like Vladito if he becomes available and the team isn't aggressively pursuing the playoffs.  Something closer to the Busch trade would feel more likely, spotting a player needing opportunity whose team is finally ready to make a deal.  Maybe there's a narrow path to trading for a rental they want to extend (Jansen)?

 

I definitely would not trade Taillon, the starting pitching has held up admirably but there's far from a bunch of locked in certainty after Steele/Shota, to say nothing of improved depth helping the pen by extension.

 

[Tryptamine]

Unfortunately, with Assad now on the IL as well, I have significant doubts the Cubs move Hendricks even if he keeps tearing it up. There's just not enough healthy arms at the moment. I would definitely like to see Bellinger dealt. I do think it's an excellent chance to sell high on Taillon, but again, very few healthy starters. Once they do decide to be sellers I'd want Brewer dfa'd and maybe Smyly too, but they'd probably keep Smyly as an emergency starter. 

[Eeyore]

I'd like to see a near ready young catcher acquired for a handful of prospects. Might have to over pay but that's what prospects are for.

It would be really nice for them to trade for a near ready third baseman as well. 

They'll probably move some chairs around. Maybe they'll exchange rule five eligible players with other teams, but that's what I think will happen. Nothing satisfying. 

[Tryptamine]

Just now, Eeyore said:

I'd like to see a near ready young catcher acquired for a handful of prospects. Might have to over pay but that's what prospects are for.

It would be really nice for them to trade for a near ready third baseman as well. 

They'll probably move some chairs around. Maybe they'll exchange rule five eligible players with other teams, but that's what I think will happen. Nothing satisfying. 

Who are you really going to get though? Basallo would be crazy expensive and his defense is not a lot better than Ballesteros. SD needs a catcher almost as bad we do so Salas isn't going anywhere. The Brewers aren't trading us Quero. Austin Wells is already in the bigs. I'd love to get Harry Ford, but the Mariners are going to want bats that can step into their lineup now and who can the Cubs really give them? Bellinger+what?

[Eeyore]

5 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

Who are you really going to get though? Basallo would be crazy expensive and his defense is not a lot better than Ballesteros. SD needs a catcher almost as bad we do so Salas isn't going anywhere. The Brewers aren't trading us Quero. Austin Wells is already in the bigs. I'd love to get Harry Ford, but the Mariners are going to want bats that can step into their lineup now and who can the Cubs really give them? Bellinger+what?

I can't think of may untouchable bats in the roster. I also can't think of anyone who the Mariners would want 

[Rex Buckingham]

The idea of the Cubs buying is laughable. This team is just not good enough. 

[Rex Buckingham]

38 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Yeah, they’d be breaking the code 🙄. Yous guys should hear yourselves with the fake rules and vague criteria as if any of that stuff really really matters at this stage 

I should clarify... buying with the intention of competing this year is laughable. Making moves with an eye on next year makes sense to me. Find someone who can be an impact bat in the middle of the order. Move some of the bullpen flotsam and give some young guys runway. Move a corner OF - I don't even care which one. But don't send out prospects for bullpen rentals or a Pete Alonso-type

[Backtobanks]

On 6/30/2024 at 10:00 PM, Rex Buckingham said:

I should clarify... buying with the intention of competing this year is laughable. Making moves with an eye on next year makes sense to me. Find someone who can be an impact bat in the middle of the order. Move some of the bullpen flotsam and give some young guys runway. Move a corner OF - I don't even care which one. But don't send out prospects for bullpen rentals or a Pete Alonso-type

The impact bat that they should be looking at is either Vlad Jr. or Robert.  I'm ready to trade some of our top prospects (including PCA and/or Morel) for a young, controllable player who has proven he can hit ML pitching.

[jersey cubs fan]

[Ding Dong Johnson]

[Post Count Padder]

I think Taillon and Tauchman are as good as gone. Maybe Leiter and Neris and Wisdom. I don't expect much else. Soft sell, and maybe acquire someone to help in the immediate future