Non-Soto FA thread

[CubinNY]

10 minutes ago, Ding Dong Johnson said:

"oft-injured" is always the first thing I look for

This is a guy who gets a one-year deal worth a few million and vesting options. This is not a guy you give $15M a year to. I don't get it al all. 

[chibears55]

So is this it for the rotation? Will they even attempt to go after Sasaki?

Steele, Imanaga, Taillon, Boyd, Assad, Wicks, Wesneski, Brown,  Horton

Unless there's a trade made, that basically the rotation and depth they have now

[KCCub]

 

 

[Cuzi]

Just spent roughly 25% of the budget on a guy that hasnt pitched 80 innings in a season since 2019. Another 1  year player somehow getting a 2 year contract out of the Cubs.

Edited December 2, 2024 by Cuzi

[chibears55]

4 minutes ago, KCCub said:

 

 

They may add one or two more arms for depth, who would they be looking to replace from the depth they have currently. 

 

 

[17 Seconds]

6 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

So is this it for the rotation? Will they even attempt to go after Sasaki?

Steele, Imanaga, Taillon, Boyd, Assad, Wicks, Wesneski, Brown,  Horton

Unless there's a trade made, that basically the rotation and depth they have now

why wouldn't they go after sasaki?

[Rob]

6 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

So is this it for the rotation? Will they even attempt to go after Sasaki?

They're absolutely still going to go after Sasaki. At his price point, there's zero reason not to be involved and maxing out our offer. The penalties are worth far less than his anticipate excess value.

I'd also be surprised if this is the rotation as things stand. I think they'll still be looking into adding a SP via trade. Assad/Wicks/Wesneski are fine to look at as 6th starters who will need to cover a lot of innings for Boyd, but not the guys you want to guarantee a spot.

[chibears55]

Just now, 17 Seconds said:

why wouldn't they go after sasaki?

I didn't say they wont, I asked if they would now because unless they make a trade with Taillon or decide to move Assad to the bullpen or trade him, they have no room for him.

 

[Cuzi]

5 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

They may add one or two more arms for depth, who would they be looking to replace from the depth they have currently. 

 

 

Thompson, Zastryzny, and Killian.

[CubinNY]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

I didn't say they wont, I asked if they would now because unless they make a trade with Taillon or decide to move Assad to the bullpen or trade him, they have no room for him.

 

They will use Boyd in the pen/spot start. There is power in numbers and we saw last year, the health of pitching is not bankable. The signing is only head scratching in terms of dollars and years. 

[KCCub]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

I didn't say they wont, I asked if they would now because unless they make a trade with Taillon or decide to move Assad to the bullpen or trade him, they have no room for him.

 

They'll have room. He'll be on a pitch limit of some sort and you can't count on Boyd for a full season. They're going to add another SP regardless of Sasaki. 

[Bertz]

I would also guess that there's a good chance a condition of netting Sasaki is running a 6 man rotation (or something creative that treats him like he's in one).  Even if you KNOW you're getting Sasaki you want 5 other SPs to pair with him.

[Derwood]

In a very small sample size, Boyd was elite out of the pen. Perhaps they want to make him a late inning, high leverage guy?

[Tryptamine]

17 minutes ago, Derwood said:

In a very small sample size, Boyd was elite out of the pen. Perhaps they want to make him a late inning, high leverage guy?

For that amount of money he'd better be elite of the elite if he's a pen arm.

[squally1313]

7 minutes ago, Derwood said:

In a very small sample size, Boyd was elite out of the pen. Perhaps they want to make him a late inning, high leverage guy?

I think that's a fall back option at best. I assume you're talking about the 13 innings in 2022 for Seattle, where the ERA was sparkling but he also threw 9 walks in under 14 innings (including a one out, one walk playoff performance). He's always been death on lefties, so there's specific opponents/situations where it would work. And, realistically, you're probably looking at stretches where he's not up at full starter-strength so there's opportunity there. 

[Rcal10]

28 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

I didn't say they wont, I asked if they would now because unless they make a trade with Taillon or decide to move Assad to the bullpen or trade him, they have no room for him.

 

There is no amount of depth any team can have not to make a play for Sasaki. They can worry about what to do with any excess if they get him. 

[CubinNY]

So far, FA has been a banger for the Cubs. They signed a catcher who can't hit and was about to be waived and a pitcher whose arm may fall off at any given moment. 

[Jason Ross]

34 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

So far, FA has been a banger for the Cubs. They signed a catcher who can't hit and was about to be waived and a pitcher whose arm may fall off at any given moment. 

If there's any positive it's that the smoke on the Cubs FA dealings has been suggesting this was going to be the case. The real moves will probably happen via trade. 

It's not been the most exciting start to the offseason in Cubland but the trades will make or break it.

[CubinNY]

8 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

If there's any positive it's that the smoke on the Cubs FA dealings has been suggesting this was going to be the case. The real moves will probably happen via trade. 

It's not been the most exciting start to the offseason in Cubland but the trades will make or break it.

very true. Not a lot to shop for and even less in the bargain isles. 

[Tryptamine]

19 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

If there's any positive it's that the smoke on the Cubs FA dealings has been suggesting this was going to be the case. The real moves will probably happen via trade. 

It's not been the most exciting start to the offseason in Cubland but the trades will make or break it.

I know I know, Busch trade last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if Jed doesn't make a trade at all and you're going into 2025 with a rotation of 

Steele/Shota/Taillon/Boyd and one of Assad/Wicks. I have very low expectations for Jed, if he exceeds them I guess I get to be surprised. 

[Cuzi]

5 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I know I know, Busch trade last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if Jed doesn't make a trade at all and you're going into 2025 with a rotation of 

Steele/Shota/Taillon/Boyd and one of Assad/Wicks. I have very low expectations for Jed, if he exceeds them I guess I get to be surprised. 

If that's how Jed wants to roll in his final year, then I would be surprised if he got another job offer outside of Boston, and that's only because he could go there and suckle more milk from Epstein's teat.

Edited December 2, 2024 by Cuzi

[CubinNY]

1 minute ago, Cuzi said:

If that's how Jed wants to roll in his final year, then I would be surprised if he got another job offer outside of Boston, and that's only because he could go there and suckle more milk from Epstein's teat.

The Ricketts will have to fire him first which will be hard to do as they count all the money they make. 

[Cuzi]

Just now, CubinNY said:

The Ricketts will have to fire him first which will be hard to do as they count all the money they make. 

No they dont. They dont have to do anything besides watch his contract expire.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Tryptamine said:

I know I know, Busch trade last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if Jed doesn't make a trade at all and you're going into 2025 with a rotation of 

Steele/Shota/Taillon/Boyd and one of Assad/Wicks. I have very low expectations for Jed, if he exceeds them I guess I get to be surprised. 

I think we have to remember that his job is on the line. I don't think there's a world where Jed Hoyer is so flippant about his job security or so deluded into thinking that Boyd can get to 150 innings that that will be the opening day rotation. It's really easy to be kind of down on where the Cubs see themselves in the pecking order of teams and their aspirations, but at some point there's going to be self preservation from Jed.

Where I think we can debate on whether or not Jed Hoyer will be aggressive enough on whatever he adds to the rotation. Like, I could see him adding a cost-controlled pitcher who looks more like a #4 on paper, thinking that with the Cubs pitch lab they can fix 'em up to be better than that and save on the cost of prospects (Bryce Miller?). Jed sometimes has the feeling that he's trying to play 4D chess and I can see outcomes of whatever comes next being an example of that. I can also see him getting more self aware and really going and getting a better player, too.  But I am confident that the Cubs aren't done adding to the rotation. 

[CubinNY]

5 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

No they dont. They dont have to do anything besides watch his contract expire.

then they will have to stop counting money long enough to look for a new one. I would not be one bit surprised if Jed already signed an extension that will be announced at the conventions.