Cubs acquire Matt Thaiss for Cash - DFA Wingenter, then Trade Thaiss to White Sox

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, BigbadB said:

What is Ballesteros' estimated time table? 

It's hard to say. As a hitter? Realistically could be very early in 2025. He started to really turn it on in Iowa in the last month of the season and then managed to crush the AFL, it wouldn't be shocking to say that he'd be ready in mid-May or June if the Cubs needed a DH. 

As a catcher? That's a harder question to answer. We don't have good publicly available data on his catching skills right now, and many of those are soft-skills we don't have access to (like how does he do with a pitching staff?). Much of what we've heard is that his catching is making progress but isn't there yet. We know MiLB defensive scouting reports are among the most unreliable - they're hard to nail down to begin with. Add in the catching and the body shape...and I don't know if there is a timetable right now there. I'm hoping there is and he's better than advertised. But I wouldn't be surprised if he's at best a guy you play 30-40 games back there and DH him most of the rest of the time, too. 

[squally1313]

4 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Jed’s been here for over a decade 

 

the lack of contention under his watch is his problem, not an excuse to pretend he’s only been working for 2 years 

Jed's been in charge for 4 years. If we're going to give him 'a decade', then we also have to give him a World Series, 3 NLCS appearances, etc. The team broke in 2021 and there were approximately zero reinforcements coming through the pipeline. Probably at least partly his fault, sure! Writing off this entire offseason in late November not because of inaction but because of....insufficient action? when approximately all of the top 50 free agents are unsigned?...is exhausting. It's a nothing trade, this and every other roster churning move he does doesn't have to turn into some Referendum of Jed. 

[CubinNY]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Writing off this entire offseason in late November not because of inaction but because of....insufficient action? when approximately all of the top 50 free agents are unsigned?...is exhausting. It's a nothing trade, this and every other roster churning move he does doesn't have to turn into some Referendum of Jed. 

You do this all the time. Who is writing off the offseason? We can go round and round but all reports indicate they are not shopping on the top shelf for anything either via trade or free agency (not a lot on the top shelf there anyway). This is the lament vs whining argument. 

[squally1313]

5 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Who is writing off the offseason?

 

1 hour ago, CubinNY said:

Jed will run an 80ish win team with room for a trade deadline deal if things break well for the Cubs. That's what he does and who he is. 

 

[CubinNY]

7 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

 

 

That's not writing off the offseason, it's an assessment based on past performance which is the best predictor of future performance.  

[squally1313]

Just now, CubinNY said:

That's not writing off the offseason, it's an assessment based on past performance which is the best predictor of future performance.  

Ok sure whatever but do you understand how tiring it is to have that be a comment you felt was worth making on November 21st in a thread about the Cubs paying cash for a AAAA catcher

[CubinNY]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Ok sure whatever but do you understand how tiring it is to have that be a comment you felt was worth making on November 21st in a thread about the Cubs paying cash for a AAAA catcher

go to sleep then.

[squally1313]

[Cuzi]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

Ok sure whatever but do you understand how tiring it is to have that be a comment you felt was worth making on November 21st in a thread about the Cubs paying cash for a AAAA catcher

About as tiring as the Cubs thinking they needed to make a trade for a catcher a team was willing to take cash for a day before he's removed from the 40 man roster. Instead we are a day away from tendering him a contract and offering him a 26 man roster spot.

Do I think he'll be on the opening day roster? I certainly hope not. But I'm not going to pretend that this deal isn't god awful timing and grade it against how Jed has shown he operates.

[CubinNY]

6 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

You must be a glutton for punishment to have a rosy picture of the Cubs' offseason plans. Like what do you think they are going to do to make a 90-win team be the floor? Or are you wishing on a star? 

[squally1313]

2 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

About as tiring as the Cubs thinking they needed to make a trade for a catcher a team was willing to take cash for a day before he's removed from the 40 man roster. Instead we are a day away from tendering him a contract and offering him a 26 man roster spot.

Do I think he'll be on the opening day roster? I certainly hope not. But I'm not going to pretend that this deal isn't god awful timing and grade it against how Jed has shown he operates.

Between December and February last year the Cubs claimed/signed/whatever Joe Hudson, Jorge Alfaro, Brian Serven, and Pablo Aliendo just as catchers and they collectively received zero PAs for the 2024 Cubs. Who. Cares. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There is a chasm of good and less good outcomes in between saying 'welp Jed is going to build another 80 win team again' before the non-tender deadline and having confidence they're building a 90 win floor(which 1-2 teams/year will have).  Can we at least try and be intellectually honest about this

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, CubinNY said:

Among the panoply of mediocrity that defines Jed Hoyer's time as the CBO of the Cubs this move doesn't even  register a shrug. 

Goony is exactly correct. Jed will run an 80ish win team with room for a trade deadline deal if things break well for the Cubs. That's what he does and who he is. 

 

[squally1313]

2 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

You must be a glutton for punishment to have a rosy picture of the Cubs' offseason plans. Like what do you think they are going to do to make a 90-win team be the floor? Or are you wishing on a star? 

Me a glutton for punishment? You hate every single move they have/haven't made or you've decided they will or won't make since he took over and yet you're still here making the same comments on every inconsequential move that they make. 

I see a team that actually won 83 games last year, made at least one significant in season move to improve the roster, lost zero players of value last year, and has roughly $50m to spend in addition to probably the best AAA lineup in all of baseball. I've thrown out concepts/ideas that make sense to me in other threads. Didn't think I had to do it in the Matt Thaiss one. 

[WhyCantWeWin]

Are you in jail Tom

[Cuzi]

7 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Between December and February last year the Cubs claimed/signed/whatever Joe Hudson, Jorge Alfaro, Brian Serven, and Pablo Aliendo just as catchers and they collectively received zero PAs for the 2024 Cubs. Who. Cares. 

This is slightly different than signing a catcher to a non guaranteed minor league contract. Again, Thaiss was on day 6 of DFA assignment. We are about to tender him a contract for ~1.3M plus whatever cash was sent. For what? It's these types of nickel and dime deals that add up to going over the CBT by $200k.

Like what is the harm in letting him ride out the DFA assignment, get outrighted, potentially refuse the outright and become a FA and then sign him to one of those December to February deals?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Just now, Cuzi said:

This is slightly different than signing a catcher to a non guaranteed minor league contract. Again, Thaiss was on day 6 of DFA assignment. We are about to tender him a contract for ~1.3M plus whatever cash was sent. For what? It's these types of nickel and dime deals that add up to going over the CBT by $200k.

Like what is the harm in letting him ride out the DFA assignment, get outrighted, potentially refuse the outright and become a FA and then sign him to one of those December to February deals?

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

[Cuzi]

5 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

I hope its not high, but I'm not putting anything passed this FO. We are talking about guys that thought the dynamic duo of Hosmer and Mancini was winning baseball.

Edited November 21, 2024 by Cuzi

[Transmogrified Tiger]

3 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

I hope its not high, but I'm not putting anything passed this FO.

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

[Cuzi]

1 minute ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

A non zero number. Which is higher than it should be.

[Rcal10]

I think CubinNY said it earlier. The move creates nothing more than a shrug. That is all this move should have created. Basically a NBD move that doesn’t change anything about the off season, IMO. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Just now, Cuzi said:

A non zero number. Which is higher than it should be.

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

[Cuzi]

1 minute ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

Add 1% for every time you post count the same question.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Just now, Cuzi said:

Add 1% for every time you post count the same question.

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

[Cuzi]

3 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

What do you think the odds are that the Cubs tender him tomorrow

Think we are at about 51% now. Want to keep going? Do you want to continue racking up post count?

Edited November 21, 2024 by Cuzi