Update: Passan confirms trade done. Tucker to Cubs for Paredes, Cam Smith, Wesneski

[Tim]

Just now, Cuzi said:

Already disrespecting Tater.

Yep. Love the name, tho

[jersey cubs fan]

9 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Also really happy to see Paredes moved, a full season at wrigley would be a disaster for him

Yeah, I get the reasoning behind acquiring him and theoretically filling a black hole. But I never saw him as a solution 

[Bertz]

The team *NEEDS* a good backup 3B if we're running Shaw out there.  That said there are a couple available on the market and even with how tight funds are they can allocate $6-8M to buying some floor at the position.

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

BTW after pushing for this Paredes/Tucker deal starting in like August do want to try and speak the next major trade into existence?

Cubs trade Javier Assad for Sandy Alcantara.

Done.

Be prepared for me to barrage everyone with this trade proposal for the next 365 days. 

[UMFan83]

6 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Tucker's 180 wRC last year would have been the second best Cubs offensive performance in the modern era (I'm excluding Ross Barnes hitting .429 in 1876, apologies to the Barnes family). 2001 Sosa and that's it. 

2005 Derreck Lee? 170

1998 Sosa? 159

2016 KB? 146

Not a lot of scenarios where I say "jaw dropping" and my jaw actually drops.  That's incredible.

[SOFNR]

36 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

So if they trade Bellinger+5M for Warren I believe that leaves them around 41M available with needs at 3B/SP/RP

Maybe 44? If we were sitting at 30, and add 22 with Bellinger that's 52. Then the difference between Tucker and Paredes/Wednesday is close to 8. 

[David]

Anything cool happening, guys?

[Tim]

Just now, David said:

Anything cool happening, guys?

According to the post above yours, apparently we traded someone named Wednesday to the Astros for Kyle Tucker!

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, SOFNR said:

Maybe 44? If we were sitting at 30, and add 22 with Bellinger that's 52. Then the difference between Tucker and Paredes/Wednesday is close to 8. 

So Kelly for $8M, pen arm for $5M, bench bat who can play 3rd, $8M. Pitcher for $20M+? 

[Post Count Padder]

I think something else to consider is our OF is now Happ - PCA - Tucker. Best defensive OF in the NL?

[bukie]

...see, the Cubs did get Soto.

[Outshined_One]

Just now, TomtheBombadil said:

Think I am too? FA is so dry on sure starters, draft benefits are in play with Vlad Jr. looming…

Might as well go whole hog while they can and hope Shaw has the goods.

[squally1313]

Alright let me nuke whatever credit I built up here: Suzuki is now our 5th best defensive outfielder, by a good margin, and has come out publicly in the last 48 hours about wanting to play the field. Does it make any sense at all to explore trading him for an actual return instead of a Bellinger salary dump? The obvious (and most likely correct) answer is no, why would you take away your second best hitter, etc. But there's an argument an essentially full time DH Suzuki tops out at a 3 fWAR guy, and if he moves the needle on, say, a Seattle starting pitcher, maybe you think about it? Totally insane?

[SOFNR]

Very cool. Pretty excited to watch Tucker this year. He's a legit stud. I kinda forgot Wesneski was on the team so whatever. If we end up regretting this trade it will be because Tucker leaves in a year and Cam Smith turns into a stud. But given the Cubs inability to go get those top FA stars it's absolutely worth the risk to get Tucker in a year early and try to stop him from entering FA. With prolly 42-44 left to spend after Bellinger is moved I hope they continue to be proactive here. Kelly is probably already signed. Trade for a pitcher. Get a placeholder 3rd basemen. Atleast 1 good bullpen arm. They should be able to get to 88+ wins on paper with quite a bit of upward mobility. Could be a fun year.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Just now, squally1313 said:

Alright let me nuke whatever credit I built up here: Suzuki is now our 5th best defensive outfielder, by a good margin, and has come out publicly in the last 48 hours about wanting to play the field. Does it make any sense at all to explore trading him for an actual return instead of a Bellinger salary dump? The obvious (and most likely correct) answer is no, why would you take away your second best hitter, etc. But there's an argument an essentially full time DH Suzuki tops out at a 3 fWAR guy, and if he moves the needle on, say, a Seattle starting pitcher, maybe you think about it? Totally insane?

He's our 2nd best hitter by a good margin too, and better reporters than Jesse Rogers(Sharma, in particular) have indicated the DH thing is overblown.  Plus, it seems pretty clear the Bellinger train has left the station either way.

[SOFNR]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

So Kelly for $8M, pen arm for $5M, bench bat who can play 3rd, $8M. Pitcher for $20M+? 

I'd still rather trade for the pitcher, but that's a possible route too. If you go FA for the pitcher maybe they'll look at the trade market for a good reliever.

[CubinNY]

This likely means Nico is not getting traded. 

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

This likely means Nico is not getting traded. 

Yes. I think the offense is pretty settled now, outside of a 3b type who can handle some share-time with Shaw.

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Alright let me nuke whatever credit I built up here: Suzuki is now our 5th best defensive outfielder, by a good margin, and has come out publicly in the last 48 hours about wanting to play the field. Does it make any sense at all to explore trading him for an actual return instead of a Bellinger salary dump? The obvious (and most likely correct) answer is no, why would you take away your second best hitter, etc. But there's an argument an essentially full time DH Suzuki tops out at a 3 fWAR guy, and if he moves the needle on, say, a Seattle starting pitcher, maybe you think about it? Totally insane?

If the Cubs got a stud pitcher for him I can see that argument. Not Castillo, however. And really Seattle wouldn’t work with them dumping salary. But if you dealt him for a pitcher and then signed a guy who would be ok as a DH I can see that as a possibility. Or, maybe Suzuki for Bohm, Castellanos and Sanchez. Cubs add something. Solves 3rd  base  DH and pitcher. And still money to spend. 

[Rcal10]

7 minutes ago, SOFNR said:

I'd still rather trade for the pitcher, but that's a possible route too. If you go FA for the pitcher maybe they'll look at the trade market for a good reliever.

I would rather trade for a pitcher too. But that pitcher can make a decent amount of money. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

5 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Alright let me nuke whatever credit I built up here: Suzuki is now our 5th best defensive outfielder, by a good margin, and has come out publicly in the last 48 hours about wanting to play the field. Does it make any sense at all to explore trading him for an actual return instead of a Bellinger salary dump? The obvious (and most likely correct) answer is no, why would you take away your second best hitter, etc. But there's an argument an essentially full time DH Suzuki tops out at a 3 fWAR guy, and if he moves the needle on, say, a Seattle starting pitcher, maybe you think about it? Totally insane?

I like the thought experiment, but I’d keep Seiya and explore other avenues for improving the rotation. Even with Tucker, the lineup feels a touch light on power. And we’re devoting 3 spots to young guys still in prove it mode. I think you need the certainty Seiya offers as a hedge against potential struggles from Shaw, Amaya, and PCA. I’m pretty high on PCA’s 2025 outlook, but we’re still talking about only two or three months of strong production at the MLB from him. 

[UMFan83]

This is somewhat similar to squally's wRC+ stat, but dumbing it down to pure SLG%, Tucker had a .585 SLG% last year.  Since 2006, there have been a grand total of 2 Cubs that have had 100+ PA and a SLG% that high:

1. 2019 Castellanos had a .646 SLG% in 225 PA for the Cubs

2. 2021 Schwindel had a .613 SLG% in 239 PA for the Cubs

That's it...no other hitter had a SLG% of .585 or better.  Derrick Lee (post-2005), ARam, Soriano, Edmonds, KB, Rizzo, Schwarber, Javy, Willson, Bellinger, none of them had a season where they slugged as much as Tucker did last season.

Edited December 13, 2024 by UMFan83

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

I think something else to consider is our OF is now Happ - PCA - Tucker. Best defensive OF in the NL?

With Swanson, Hoerner and even Busch you also have a great fielding infield. 

[Bertz]

My ideal rest of winter I think would look like this (suspect ~$20M left to sepnd at the moment)

- Bellinger +$5M for Warren (-$22M)

- Assad + Caissie to the Padres for Michael King ($8M)

- Finalize Kelly ($8M) and add Josh Rojas ($5M) and Randall Grichuk ($6M)

- Sign Kirby Yates ($10M) plus another TBD reliever Hottovy thinks would be a fun project ($5M)

[Bertz]

BTW can we all agree in advance to be chill when Paredes goes nuts in Houston, and to a lesser extent when Bellinger goes nuts in NYC?