Winter Meetings thread

[thawv]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Then he would be my first choice. I would also consider Moncada and Rojas. Then if your boy Shaw is all that you think he is, that player would be a good bench bat. None should cost too much to hurt them elsewhere. I doubt they spend bit on a pen arm. My guess is since the Brewers dfa Milner was Hoby would be here. I think he will be the pen arm. So add Kelly, Milner, one of those third baseman and you should still have a lot of money to add a staring pitcher. 

With Polanco, what do your two other bench guys look like?

Edited December 13, 2024 by thawv

[JBears79]

5 minutes ago, cl smooth said:

11 followers. 

My cat told me this morning the deal was for Miles Mastrobouni and Free hotdogs for life for Jim Crane when hes at wrigley

[thawv]

1 minute ago, JBears79 said:

My cat told me this morning the deal was for Miles Mastrobouni and Free hotdogs for life for Jim Crane when hes at wrigley

Should I delete my post? 

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

While I'm still on Team Shaw-Opening-Day-Starter, I'll acknowledge we need someone else on the roster. If we're going to dip into something like Moncada....just re-sign Wisdom for $1m. Warm body, good fit in the clubhouse, etc. Whatever money we have needs to go to the pitching staff. 

Hate to say it because I already forgot about him and people hate him here, but he also makes sense. But that said, what does any of Polanco/Moncada/Rojas cost? Would it really take them out of the market for a starting pitcher? I just don’t think they will spend big on a pen arm. I think they will get one more guy and it will be Hoby Milner. He can’t cost much. I feel there will still be a lot of money left for a staring pitcher. But if they do spend on a pen arm. Sure, why not bring Wisdom back! 

[Rcal10]

5 minutes ago, thawv said:

With Polanco, what do your two other bench guys look like?

You mean if Shaw can’t handle 3rd? Canario, Kelly and either Cowles or the guy they got from Detroit. Not sure of the last guy. Depends on if they have any money to add someone.

And if Shaw earns the job you have Polanco, Canario, Kelly and either Cowles or Detroit guy. 

[thawv]

Just now, Rcal10 said:

You mean if Shaw can’t handle 3rd? Canario, Kelly and either Cowles or the guy they got from Detroit. Not sure of the last guy. Depends on if they have any money to add someone.

And if Shaw earns the job you have Polanco, Canario, Kelly and either Cowles or Detroit guy. 

That looks fair

[JBears79]

5 minutes ago, thawv said:

Should I delete my post? 

Nah im just giving you horsefeathers. All good.

[Stratos]

16 minutes ago, thawv said:

Interesting if true.  Us trading two 3b doesn't make sense.  Shaw more destined for 2b longterm post-Nico IMO.

I think that deal is well good enough for Astros without Wesneski.

[JBears79]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

You mean if Shaw can’t handle 3rd? Canario, Kelly and either Cowles or the guy they got from Detroit. Not sure of the last guy. Depends on if they have any money to add someone.

And if Shaw earns the job you have Polanco, Canario, Kelly and either Cowles or Detroit guy. 

I wouldnt be surprised if Counsell would push for Shaw to start the season at 3B if we move Parades. He has a track record of letting young guys play and figure it out.

 

Im team start Shaw at 3B, but we definetly need a stopgap on the bench. 

[Jason Ross]

One thing I keep coming back to is that the Cubs won't completely tank the 3b position here. They clearly wanted to upgrade it last summer - they traded for Parades and drafted Smith in the 1st (though that could be more happenstance than targeted). Regardless of what they do - I do think the plan at 3b will be to not punt the position or put themselves in a precarious position. 

It likely will be a combination of Shaw and an external addition who can raise the floor a bit if/when he struggles. With that said, the Cubs have done a pretty good job easing Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong into every day roles and they deserve a little benefit of the doubt on how they handle these prospects and which prospects they choose, seemingly. So ultimately, if the team does move a Parades and a Smith here, I think the Cubs will be fine - even if Shaw has some initial struggles (which I do expect him to have). 

[Stratos]

Just a reminder that if Ricketts would up the payroll by 25m and start playing closer to the big boys we wouldn't be having some of these discussions.   They could extend Tucker and go out and get more talent.

[Jason Ross]

One other thing - I know people are rating Smith highly, but the Cubs drafted Cole Mathis with the 2nd pick - someone who has strung together excellent batted ball data in his college career and smashed with a wood bat on the Cape. He is coming off of TJS, but the Cubs announced him as a 3b. While I think he'll probably see 1b/DH duties early, the Cubs MiLB 3b depth might not be as dire if he can stick it out over there. 

[Bertz]

15 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

While I'm still on Team Shaw-Opening-Day-Starter, I'll acknowledge we need someone else on the roster. If we're going to dip into something like Moncada....just re-sign Wisdom for $1m. Warm body, good fit in the clubhouse, etc. Whatever money we have needs to go to the pitching staff. 

I think there's likely to be ~$10M available to safely throw at the bench, assuming Ryan Pressly is not part of the Tucker deal.

[Stratos]

Word is KatyPerrysBootyHole has their crack to the ground and hearing some rumblings. possibly from her own hole though.

[Brian707]

Where is Nocode?

[Stratos]

6 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

One other thing - I know people are rating Smith highly, but the Cubs drafted Cole Mathis with the 2nd pick - someone who has strung together excellent batted ball data in his college career and smashed with a wood bat on the Cape. He is coming off of TJS, but the Cubs announced him as a 3b. While I think he'll probably see 1b/DH duties early, the Cubs MiLB 3b depth might not be as dire if he can stick it out over there. 

We also have Mastrobuoni.  If Madrigal was still here we could slap the NL Central into submission.

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I think there's likely to be ~$10M available to safely throw at the bench, assuming Ryan Pressly is not part of the Tucker deal.

How are you coming to that number? What is allocated to backup catcher? $7M? Pen arm? Starting pitcher? If it is $10M available with $35M TOTAL for pen arm, back up catcher and starting pitcher, I think signing one of the 3 mentioned would work. I don’t think Moncada, Rojas or Polanco should get to that amount. I just don’t see them spending big on the pen. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

10 minutes ago, Stratos said:

I think that deal is well good enough for Astros without Wesneski.

I agree, Paredes + Caissie should be more than enough, but it won't keep me up at night if Wesneski is or isn't in the deal.  I would much rather it be Smith instead of Caissie though, with the amount of quality infield depth the Cubs have in the system.

[KCCub]

Haha someone is feeling a little bit salty -

 

 

[mul21]

4 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I agree, Paredes + Caissie should be more than enough, but it won't keep me up at night if Wesneski is or isn't in the deal.  I would much rather it be Smith instead of Caissie though, with the amount of quality infield depth the Cubs have in the system.

I'm exactly the opposite.  There's so much OF depth in the minors (and about to be ready for prime time) plus I think Smith has a higher ceiling and is a little lower risk than Caissie with all his swing and miss.

[Dfan25]

Anything interesting happening ? Seems like the board is really active 

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

How are you coming to that number? What is allocated to backup catcher? $7M? Pen arm? Starting pitcher? If it is $10M available with $35M TOTAL for pen arm, back up catcher and starting pitcher, I think signing one of the 3 mentioned would work. I don’t think Moncada, Rojas or Polanco should get to that amount. I just don’t see them spending big on the pen. 

Assuming team is at $30M right now

- Kelly makes 8ish

- Paredes makes 7ish

- Bellinger makes 27, but we send let's call it 5 so we save 22 net

- Tucker makes 16

So by the end of the weekend we're at ~$35M to spend.  From there spend $15M on another starter, $10M on a late inning reliever, and $10M across two bench guys.  Viola

[thawv]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Assuming team is at $30M right now

- Kelly makes 8ish

- Paredes makes 7ish

- Bellinger makes 27, but we send let's call it 5 so we save 22 net

- Tucker makes 16

So by the end of the weekend we're at ~$35M to spend.  From there spend $15M on another starter, $10M on a late inning reliever, and $10M across two bench guys.  Viola

Where is your number of 30 million coming from?  

Edited December 13, 2024 by thawv

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, mul21 said:

I'm exactly the opposite.  There's so much OF depth in the minors (and about to be ready for prime time) plus I think Smith has a higher ceiling and is a little lower risk than Caissie with all his swing and miss.

I get what you are saying about Smith and his ceiling.  I just feel like there is a significant hit tool gap between Caissie and every other Outfielder in the system.  There is depth, but it looks more like "4th outfielder" type depth.  But if the Cubs can trade for AND re-sign Tucker, it really won't matter.

[Bertz]

1 minute ago, thawv said:

Where is 30 million coming from?  

We are not doing this horsefeathering dance again