Winter Meetings thread

[Tryptamine]

20 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Cubs just added a bench player I'm guessing. 

https://x.com/M_Montemurro/status/1866926239497461765?t=k85R3bCOUVch3LfwnRtLjg&s=19

My guess is, if Paredes is gone, he's some insurance incase Shaw flops. 

[squally1313]

8 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Really curious what level of SP is in play if this happens.  Hoerner is presumably no longer available to be dangled, and Crochet is gone (plus doing Crochet and Tucker would have eviscerated the farm).  Can we manage a Cease?  Is a Luzardo about the right expectation?

Yankees have a lot of starters and want Bellinger?

[Tryptamine]

9 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Yankees have a lot of starters and want Bellinger?

They don't need more depth though. They need someone to slot in front of Taillon.

[Outshined_One]

1 minute ago, TomtheBombadil said:

How does that make more sense than a bench player? Guy hasn’t taken a AAA PA or like put on some kind of master class on offense 

It wouldn't surprise me if the Cubs threw some cash or a lottery ticket Detroit's way to let them stash him in the minors.

[Post Count Padder]

Workman was a top 30 prospect in the Detroit system by Pipeline and FG. Solid defender who has played 3B, SS and 2B. Good power and speed combo. If he can cut down on K's there's something good there. I dig it as a Rule 5 gamble, especially given what our current bench looks like. I'm choosing to take it at face level and not wrap it into any other rumors.

[Cuzi]

Just now, Post Count Padder said:

Workman was a top 30 prospect in the Detroit system by Pipeline and FG. Solid defender who has played 3B, SS and 2B. Good power and speed combo. If he can cut down on K's there's something good there. I dig it as a Rule 5 gamble, especially given what our current bench looks like. I'm choosing to take it at face level and not wrap it into any other rumors.

He's definitely worth the gamble to cut ties with Mastrobuoni. That's about all I see out of it. The glove plays and hopefully he can run into a few HRs off the bench.

[Cuzi]

26 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Really curious what level of SP is in play if this happens.  Hoerner is presumably no longer available to be dangled, and Crochet is gone (plus doing Crochet and Tucker would have eviscerated the farm).  Can we manage a Cease?  Is a Luzardo about the right expectation?

If we are talking to the Yankees, I would rather add to Bellinger and go after Schmidt than Luzardo. They just signed Fried so they have 3 guys that are probably on the block between Cortes, Gil, and Schmidt. They've been talking about trading Schmidt for like 2 years and were pushing for him to be in the Soto trade over King.

[Bertz]

28 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Yankees have a lot of starters and want Bellinger?

Cubs should add Cortes and just corner the market on all the best "lefty starters who throw 92" in the league

[squally1313]

Just now, Bertz said:

Cubs should add Cortes and just corner the market on all the best "lefty starters who throw 92" in the league

Shota and Nestor could moonlight as the greatest buddycop TV show in world history, as an added bonus

[Jason Ross]

 

[Rcal10]

15 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

If we are talking to the Yankees, I would rather add to Bellinger and go after Schmidt than Luzardo. They just signed Fried so they have 3 guys that are probably on the block between Cortes, Gil, and Schmidt. They've been talking about trading Schmidt for like 2 years and were pushing for him to be in the Soto trade over King.

I like the Schmidt idea. He slots ahead of Tailon. Bellinger and a  higher end prospect for Schmidt works for me. Then trade for Tucker and worry about a pen arm later. 

[WhyCantWeWin]

Workman must mean Mastrobuoni is on the way out. 
 

My heart cant take it if this offseason we see Mastrobuoni and Paredes off the team

[Rcal10]

The last thing I saw seemed to suggest the cubs were balking at paying down some of Bellinger’s contract in a trade to the Yankees. That better not be the reason it doesn’t happen. Pay some down, giving them more money to go after Bregman, therefore, Parades becomes more valuable to the Astros. Even if they paid $10M of Bellinger salary, replacing him with Tucker and his contract would be close to even. So they would still have $30M for a pitcher, catcher and a 3rd baseman/bench bat. I guess Shaw could possibly start at 3rd. Maybe they even get that pitcher in the Yankees trade. Whatever the case, Cubs need a win here. They need to get Tucker. 

[Derwood]

 

[CubinNY]

58 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

The last thing I saw seemed to suggest the cubs were balking at paying down some of Bellinger’s contract in a trade to the Yankees. That better not be the reason it doesn’t happen. Pay some down, giving them more money to go after Bregman, therefore, Parades becomes more valuable to the Astros. Even if they paid $10M of Bellinger salary, replacing him with Tucker and his contract would be close to even. So they would still have $30M for a pitcher, catcher and a 3rd baseman/bench bat. I guess Shaw could possibly start at 3rd. Maybe they even get that pitcher in the Yankees trade. Whatever the case, Cubs need a win here. They need to get Tucker. 

The Yankees aren't going to engage with the Cubs because they are trying to get Tucker as well.

Edited December 11, 2024 by CubinNY

[Outshined_One]

1 minute ago, TomtheBombadil said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5987064/2024/12/11/astros-cubs-kyle-tucker-seiya-suzuki-trade/?source=emp_shared_article

Paredes and Smith for a player with one year of control sounds totally legit, like every other trade for similarly controlled players. I can’t  blame the fanbase for trying to turn 2.0 into 1.0, open up a job for the hot college bat first round pick in Shaw, when that’s the constant messaging 

I’d guess cheaper 

I've been mulling recently whether the Cubs would be better suited keeping Shaw or Smith if a trade like this came along.

I like Shaw's versatility.  He's closer to the majors and could give you Happ-level production at an IF position. However, Smith has been giving me A-Ram vibes in the early going, and he's one of my all time favorite Cubs.

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, CubinNY said:

The Yankees are going to engage with the Cubs because they are trying to get Tucker as well.

Are or aren’t? I do think the Yankees are also talking to the Cubs about Bellinger. At least, according to reports they are. There are several scenarios in place. My fear is the Cubs end up with nothing. 

[muntjack]

I'm not an eye-test kind of guy but I agree on Cam Smith.  He looks like a star.  

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

I've been mulling recently whether the Cubs would be better suited keeping Shaw or Smith if a trade like this came along.

I like Shaw's versatility.  He's closer to the majors and could give you Happ-level production at an IF position. However, Smith has been giving me A-Ram vibes in the early going, and he's one of my all time favorite Cubs.

Easy choice for me. Keep Shaw and trade Smith. Shaw is closer and they need someone this year. I do acknowledge this opinion could come back to bite me. . 

[Bertz]

The Tucker resolution doesn't *have* to come hand in hand with the Bregman signing, but it feels pretty likely

[Post Count Padder]

I know the meetings are basically over but it would be nice if there could be a few more big things by the end of the night.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

The Tucker resolution doesn't *have* to come hand in hand with the Bregman signing, but it feels pretty likely

So if he signs with the Astros they then trade Tucker. But the Yankees are still an option because they lost out on Bregman. And now Parades becomes less of an option for the Astros. But if he signs with the Yankees, Bellinger is no longer an option for the Yankees and probably not Tucker either. But the Astros then have money to sign Tucker. Parades becomes more saught after(due to the Astros needing a 3rd baseman) but Astros now have money to keep Tucker. If he goes anywhere else it comes down to which deal do the Astros like better, Cubs or Yankee. WOW, what a crazy scenario. Somehow I fear the Cubs are on the outside looking in at this when the smoke clears. 

[Post Count Padder]

Just now, TomtheBombadil said:

That Kelly hasn’t been announced yet but FA rumors suggests teams have moved onto James McCann is interesting? Maybe suggests something else is coming? 🤷‍♀️

I keep wondering that too. Could be nothing, just delays in making the paperwork official. Or Jed is juggling a lot of deals at the moment. 

[Rcal10]

Just now, Post Count Padder said:

I keep wondering that too. Could be nothing, just delays in making the paperwork official. Or Jed is juggling a lot of deals at the moment. 

Simpliest explanarion aways the best. Just waiting to announce Kelly. 

[Bertz]

It's some combination of keeping that roster spot open for the rule 5 draft and the Cubs' contingent all being in Dallas rather than Chicago and not being able to do the contracts/medicals/etc.