Post Winter Meetings Free Agency thread

[Cuzi]

5 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

I agree, that person is nothing but a troll or 12 years old.

Maybe 1908 just failed his research paper because he didn't cite his sources so he got him for plagiarism and now he's on a mission to keep everyone honest.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

5 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Maybe 1908 just failed his research paper because he didn't cite his sources so he got him for plagiarism and now he's on a mission to keep everyone honest.

What is your source?

[Jason Ross]

13 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Maybe 1908 just failed his research paper because he didn't cite his sources so he got him for plagiarism and now he's on a mission to keep everyone honest.

Man, citations kill me haha. 

[Cuzi]

2 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Think you got the wrong guy here!

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Cuzi said:

I misunderstood the comment. I barely stay one step ahead of the 7th graders. 

 

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

I put myself through 20 mins of Hoyer, on Marquees’ YT channel no less (all of this punchable)….This is 100% based on “Lisa the Geek” inspired body language analysis buuuuut he seemed giddy over Sasaki, gave like a fitting horror or comic book villain laugh when asked if they made a presentation

Sasaki would be the final move and make this an amazing off season. Maybe the bike hold up on Luzardo is Sasaki told the Cubs he is coming here. Doubt it, but who knows. I would still want another pitcher, but maybe instead of using minor league assets for Luzardo they sign a pitcher who can spot start instead. I doubt this scenerio, but I can dream….

[Cuzi]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

Sasaki would be the final move and make this an amazing off season. Maybe the bike hold up on Luzardo is Sasaki told the Cubs he is coming here. Doubt it, but who knows. I would still want another pitcher, but maybe instead of using minor league assets for Luzardo they sign a pitcher who can spot start instead. I doubt this scenerio, but I can dream….

All they have to spend money on now is basically pitching and bench. I have to imagine they pushed hard with the Yankees to save as much money as possible on Bellinger because they have their sights higher than a spot starter.

[chibears55]

7 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

I put myself through 20 mins of Hoyer, on Marquees’ YT channel no less (all of this punchable)….This is 100% based on “Lisa the Geek” inspired body language analysis buuuuut he seemed giddy over Sasaki, gave like a fitting horror or comic book villain laugh when asked if they made a presentation

Yeah, im kinda leaning towards that we won't see any SP moves by them til after the Hollidays and til we see where Sasaki ends up

[thawv]

1 hour ago, Rex Buckingham said:

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/12/17/cubs-payroll-cody-bellinger/

just read this, @thawv

Thank you!  I guess Roster Source is the go to.

 

[chibears55]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Sasaki would be the final move and make this an amazing off season. Maybe the bike hold up on Luzardo is Sasaki told the Cubs he is coming here. Doubt it, but who knows. I would still want another pitcher, but maybe instead of using minor league assets for Luzardo they sign a pitcher who can spot start instead. I doubt this scenerio, but I can dream….

Wouldn’t that be the guy they got for Bellinger yesterday in Poteet ? Or you looking for another ?

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Wouldn’t that be the guy they got for Bellinger yesterday in Poteet ? Or you looking for another ?

I think another pitcher. For one thing I doubt they know about Sasaki. My original comment was IF they did know. Then I would think they might go with a different pitcher they can get as a free agent instead of losing a minor league asset to  bring in Luzardo. Maybe Cuzi is right, with $40M, they may aim higher. But IMO it will not be Poteet or Assad. And I also doubt that wait until January 15th to make another pitching move, just waiting in Sasaki to decide. 

[Rcal10]

22 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

It does make sense to see them as ultra competitive for this specific superstar. Not only is Sasaki’s earning potential absolutely decimated by more made up rules (but don’t try to regulate any industries lol thats bad such a clown society) but he fits - to a tee - what they’re looking for on the mound. Combined with their investing in training infrastructure, that internally pitching has been ahead of hitting, its translated to ML successes, and there’s been tremendous continuity since Hottovy took over is all in their favor given what Sasaki can actually look for 

Edit: I’d still want to touch up the roster. A RH or switch hitting backup IF, RPs ideally high leveragez, and sure Luzardo would be nice but personally I’m still confident in Wicks and somehow more in Horton (Theo’s Crochet?) coming off some time to bulk up and get stronger 

I am leaning to 2 pen arms (Yares and Minter) and a bench bat that can play 3rd and 1st). Preferably a right handed or switch hitting bat. Then add a pitcher. Luzardo is fine, but there are other options. 

[squally1313]

Sasaki is basically an incredible bonus that costs basically nothing to whoever ends up with him and should not impede or impact the decision making of the Cubs (or any other team) while they wait out his decision. Having both him and Imanaga in the rotation, to say nothing of guys like Boyd, Steele, and Luzardo that have battled injuries, would really lend itself to a 6 man rotation until you run into an inevitable injury. Also lets you really be comfortable letting someone like Ben Brown (or Horton) loose as a bullpen arm.

[Cuzi]

Holding out a sliver of hope that going in on Tucker means the team is looking at their next foundation for the next 5+ years, which means they not only extend him, but also trade for a Dylan Cease and extend him as well. Time to start acting like a large market franchise who's entire roster besides Swanson isn't on the books after 2 seasons.

Edited December 18, 2024 by Cuzi

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Holding out a sliver of hope that going in on Tucker means the team is looking at their next foundation for the next 5+ years, which means they not only extend him, but also trade for a Dylan Cease and extend him as well. Time to start acting like a large market franchise who's entire roster besides Swanson isn't on the books after 2 seasons.

I would absolutely love if they did that. But there is no scenerio I see where they extend both Tucker and Cease. Really hope you are right and I am wrong on this. And tbh, what you suggested is exactly what a large market team should do. But I do not see the Cubs payroll yearly over the LT line. And if they signed both those guys to extensions, unless they went cheap everywhere else I can’t see them being under the LT moving forward. 

[Cuzi]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I would absolutely love if they did that. But there is no scenerio I see where they extend both Tucker and Cease. Really hope you are right and I am wrong on this. And tbh, what you suggested is exactly what a large market team should do. But I do not see the Cubs payroll yearly over the LT line. And if they signed both those guys to extensions, unless they went cheap everywhere else I can’t see them being under the LT moving forward. 

They would be over for exactly 1 year. Tucker and Cease aren't putting them over in 2025 and an extension doesn't kick in til next season, the 1 year before virtually everyone is off the books but you still have guys like PCA, Busch, Shaw (hopefully) holding down roster spots in pre arb/arb 1. So you only need LF, 3B, C, and DH. on the position side.

Edited December 18, 2024 by Cuzi

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Cuzi said:

They would be over for exactly 1 year. Tucker and Cease aren't putting them over in 2025 and an extension doesn't kick in til next season, the 1 year before virtually everyone is off the books.

I agree with you on what they should do. But I am very skeptical about them actually doing it. Hope they surprise me. 

[CubinNY]

8 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I agree with you on what they should do. But I am very skeptical about them actually doing it. Hope they surprise me. 

Tommy Boy has to pay for the next brownstone they retrofit into airbnbs which charges $2000/night/unit during the summer. They're using the Cubs to pay for their side hustles. 

[squally1313]

29 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Holding out a sliver of hope that going in on Tucker means the team is looking at their next foundation for the next 5+ years, which means they not only extend him, but also trade for a Dylan Cease and extend him as well. Time to start acting like a large market franchise who's entire roster besides Swanson isn't on the books after 2 seasons.

There's certainly a little bit of a cliff at the end of 2026. But it's moving, slowly, in the right direction. Your starting 1B, SS, CF, (presumably) 3B, and C are all under control through at least 2029, your top two starters are here through 2027/2028, Wicks/Brown/Hodge are all potential big pieces with loads of control. 

I think there's a likelihood that they're going to feel pretty comfortable with the roster by the end of this offseason for this 2025-2026 stretch (while allowing for some internal/external additions), and probably shy away from locking themselves into a large contract on a good, not-elite guy such as Cease until they see where the holes are really going to be. Happ and Suzuki falling off after 2026 requires a lot of attention IF Caissie/Alcantara/Ballesteros don't pan out. Boyd and Taillon having 2 years left becomes a problem then (if not sooner) if Horton/Birdsell/Wicks/Brown don't turn into starters. Etc. 

[mul21]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

There's certainly a little bit of a cliff at the end of 2026. But it's moving, slowly, in the right direction. Your starting 1B, SS, CF, (presumably) 3B, and C are all under control through at least 2029, your top two starters are here through 2027/2028, Wicks/Brown/Hodge are all potential big pieces with loads of control. 

I think there's a likelihood that they're going to feel pretty comfortable with the roster by the end of this offseason for this 2025-2026 stretch (while allowing for some internal/external additions), and probably shy away from locking themselves into a large contract on a good, not-elite guy such as Cease until they see where the holes are really going to be. Happ and Suzuki falling off after 2026 requires a lot of attention IF Caissie/Alcantara/Ballesteros don't pan out. Boyd and Taillon having 2 years left becomes a problem then (if not sooner) if Horton/Birdsell/Wicks/Brown don't turn into starters. Etc. 

Yeah, if you look at the "holes" they'd have come 2027, you're looking at RF (Tucker), LF (Caissie/Alcanatara), 2B (Triantos), and DH (Ballesteros) on the let's call it hitter side of things.  The pitching definitely becomes dicey if several of those young guys don't end up as rotation stalwarts, but as cheap as the position player side would be outside of Tucker and Swanson, you can probably fill a rotation spot or two reasonably well.

[WhyCantWeWin]

Sign Scott, Moancada, and Sasaki and call it an offseason. 👍

[Bertz]

2 hours ago, squally1313 said:

There's certainly a little bit of a cliff at the end of 2026. But it's moving, slowly, in the right direction. Your starting 1B, SS, CF, (presumably) 3B, and C are all under control through at least 2029, your top two starters are here through 2027/2028, Wicks/Brown/Hodge are all potential big pieces with loads of control. 

I think there's a likelihood that they're going to feel pretty comfortable with the roster by the end of this offseason for this 2025-2026 stretch (while allowing for some internal/external additions), and probably shy away from locking themselves into a large contract on a good, not-elite guy such as Cease until they see where the holes are really going to be. Happ and Suzuki falling off after 2026 requires a lot of attention IF Caissie/Alcantara/Ballesteros don't pan out. Boyd and Taillon having 2 years left becomes a problem then (if not sooner) if Horton/Birdsell/Wicks/Brown don't turn into starters. Etc. 

I think the big thing is the rotation if Luzardo ends up being the last SP.  Having 3 SPs all leave at the same time is really rough timing, I think there might be a low key need to trade out of one of Taillon/Boyd/Luzardo and backfill with someone longer term essentially no matter what next winter.

Yeah position player side it looks rough right now, but to your point if we're feeling good about either of Caissie or Alcantara at this time next year it shouldn't be too bumpy.

[CubinNY]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

I think the big thing is the rotation if Luzardo ends up being the last SP.  Having 3 SPs all leave at the same time is really rough timing, I think there might be a low key need to trade out of one of Taillon/Boyd/Luzardo and backfill with someone longer term essentially no matter what next winter.

Yeah position player side it looks rough right now, but to your point if we're feeling good about either of Caissie or Alcantara at this time next year it shouldn't be too bumpy.

at this point I don't think banking on Luzardo is sure thing. They could ditch it and go bigger. I'm happy with whatever they do. I like it better when they are trying to win and not compete. 

[Tim]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

I think the big thing is the rotation if Luzardo ends up being the last SP.  Having 3 SPs all leave at the same time is really rough timing, I think there might be a low key need to trade out of one of Taillon/Boyd/Luzardo and backfill with someone longer term essentially no matter what next winter.

Yeah position player side it looks rough right now, but to your point if we're feeling good about either of Caissie or Alcantara at this time next year it shouldn't be too bumpy.

We could really use Brown & Horton getting and staying healthy. That would answer a lot of questions in the rotation going forward.

[Post Count Padder]

Not FA but Arenado invoked his NTC to block a deal to the Astros.