Post Winter Meetings Free Agency thread

[Bertz]

After what Walker Buehler just got, if Jack Flaherty doesn't get 9 figures then you have to assume his shoulder is so messed up it looks like ground beef in there.

[KCCub]

I've been on the Flaherty train all along, but still think someone is going to pay him. If we could get him on a 4 year deal, I would love that. A real pitching org got ahold of him and tweaked him back to his near 30% K% that he showed early in his career. I'm still betting he lands on the west coast however. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

37 minutes ago, Bertz said:

After what Walker Buehler just got, if Jack Flaherty doesn't get 9 figures then you have to assume his shoulder is so messed up it looks like ground beef in there.

He will take a Manaea deal. 

[Bertz]

My general pref list for the last SP spot

1. Trade for one of the Padres SPs

2. Sign Jeff Hoffman and convert him to a SP

3. Get creative in trade.  Examples include Trueblood suggestions like Griffin Jax or Ryan Feltner

4. Get creative in FA, likely with one of the swing options.  Someone like Spencer Turnbull or Jakob Junis. A little different from the first two names but maybe you get a good deal on Nick Pivetta because of the QO?

5. Pay market rate for Jack Flaherty

6. Trade for a Luis Castillo or Pablo Lopez or someone of that ilk

I also think just punting on adding another SP and making sure you get all your priority bullpen and bench targets would live somewhere around #4.  I go back and forth whether it'd slot in ahead of it or behind it.

[Dfan25]

Its going to be interesting to see what the Cubs do now . The FA market is basically Jack Flaherty in terms of impact SP . Not counting Burnes ( Cubs not going there ).

 

[chibears55]

56 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

From MLBTR

While I’m not as optimistic as with Tucker, the Vlad situation is worth watching for Cubs fans. Saying no to $340 is ballsy in a world that number is lazily painted to the wider audience as equal or somehow higher than $300+ deals from yesteryear and definitely something of a heel turn. MLBTR randomly calls this deadline “unusual” as if there’s some unspoken yet at least semi-formal process in place lol from entities who claim to hate regulation yet are constantly making up rules and imposing some phony morality. I won’t be surprised if one of Vlad or Alonso ends up a Cub, either one super easy for the league to Actually Not That Good down demands but also not really really threatening the status quo 

That what i was saying,  and it happens if Suzuki gets traded. 

 

[Dfan25]

Of course there is still Sasaki , but the team that signs him will probably have a 6 man rotación . Cubs would still need one . What getting Sasaki could do is  get the Cubs into a lower tier of FA .

[Tryptamine]

11 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

That what i was saying,  and it happens if Suzuki gets traded. 

 

Not sure I see how trading a better hitter in Seiya for a less good more expensive hitter in Alonso makes a ton of sense.

Edited December 23, 2024 by Tryptamine

[Tim]

58 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Uuuuuuh Sasaki 

Not the same kind of free agent.

[chibears55]

32 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Not sure I see how trading a better hitter in Seiya for a less good more expensive hitter in Alonso makes a ton of sense.

Just saying if Suzuki is adamant about not wanting to DH, which he will be doing alot of now. Hoyer could move him to add pitching and obviously depending on cost with Alonso,  he could be signed to DH and be the RH 1Bmen to go with Busch.

this being Busch second full season,  who knows how that will go, if he struggles they'll have Alonso.

[Rcal10]

3 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Telling you, he waiting on Sasaki decision. 

Also, who knows, maybe if Sasaki goes elsewhere,  they make an attempt for Burnes if he still available.

I think Burnes with the QO attached to him will likely have to agree or come very close to what any team interested offers.

Hoyer other options via FA if Sasaki goes elsewhere. 

Morton, Verlander and Scherzer on a 1 yr deal...   

Flaherty, Quantrill, Lorenzon, T.Williams if Hoyer just looking for low cost depth for BOR.

 

 

Even if they don’t come away with a pitcher before the Sasaki decision, it is not because they are waiting in that decision. That is just a dumb thing for a FO to do. It might happen that way because they don’t come to an agreement on someone. They can’t pull of a trade or they are waiting the market out in someone(also a dumb idea), but I am certain they are not sitting around waiting on Sasaki to decide. Even if he did come here they would be fine with another pitcher. And with Manaea getting $75M for 3 years I am pretty sure they can forget about Flaherty. He has to be AT LEAST 4/$100M, and I don’t see that happening. 

[Rcal10]

18 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Just saying if Suzuki is adamant about not wanting to DH, which he will be doing alot of now. Hoyer could move him to add pitching and obviously depending on cost with Alonso,  he could be signed to DH and be the RH 1Bmen to go with Busch.

this being Busch second full season,  who knows how that will go, if he struggles they'll have Alonso.

I can see Suzuki dealt for a pitcher and then a FA bat signed. The problem with that is what FAbare getting. As an example, I want no part of any FA bat on a 6/$150 deal. And that might be the market. 

[Dfan25]

6 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I can see Suzuki dealt for a pitcher and then a FA bat signed. The problem with that is what FAbare getting. As an example, I want no part of any FA bat on a 6/$150 deal. And that might be the market. 

Teoscar is looking for a 3 year deal . The problem with Teoscar is that he probably doesnt want to DH as well .  Also they would have to give up draft picks to sign him .
 

I prefer to keep Seiya , but we really dont know whats going on behind the scenes in terms of him not been happy .

Edited December 23, 2024 by Dfan25

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Teoscar is looking for a 3 year deal . The problem with Teoscar is that he probably doesnt want to DH as well .  Also they would have to give up draft picks to sign him .
 

I prefer to keep Seiya , but we really dont know whats going on behind the scenes in terms of him not been happy .

Honestly, I would rather keep Suzuki as well. 

Him not being happy could just as easily being overstated as well. We don’t t know. I can see where he can play the field twice a week. When Busch sits Tucker can move to first and Suzuki in right. He can also give Happ a day off from the field. He has not been a great fielder, but he isn’t awful either. His issues get magnified because he does seem to miss a ball at a very bad spot. But overall he is pretty close to a league average outfielder, slightly below average. Lots of slightly below average outfielder start on a regular basis. 

Edited December 23, 2024 by Rcal10

[Backtobanks]

10 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Honestly, I would rather keep Suzuki as well. 

Him not being happy could just as easily being overstated as well. We don’t t know. I can see where he can play the field twice a week. When Busch sits Tucker can move to first and Suzuki in right. He can also give Happ a day off from the field. He has not been a great fielder, but he isn’t awful either. His issues get magnified because he does seem to miss a ball at a very bad spot. But overall he is pretty close to a league average outfielder, slightly below average. Lots of slightly below average outfielder start on a regular basis. 

People keep saying that Tucker can play 1B when Busch sits.  I suppose he "can", but he has only played 4 games at 1B and that was in 2019.

[Rcal10]

49 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

People keep saying that Tucker can play 1B when Busch sits.  I suppose he "can", but he has only played 4 games at 1B and that was in 2019.

I thought 1908 originally suggested it, so I went with it. Just assumed he played some first base. Maybe he isn’t an option. But on days they sit PCA, Tucker can play center and Suzuki get in the field in right. 

[Backtobanks]

33 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I thought 1908 originally suggested it, so I went with it. Just assumed he played some first base. Maybe he isn’t an option. But on days they sit PCA, Tucker can play center and Suzuki get in the field in right. 

He's only played CF 5 times in his career too.  LOL

[thawv]

6 hours ago, Outshined_One said:

The recent defensive reports on Shaw that have been trickling out in the prospect lists have made me feel a heck of a lot better about his chances in the majors.

Again, it's entirely possible he goes PCA on us and falls flat on his face for the first half of the season, hence the need for a stopgap who can take the pressure off him, but even an average defensive 3B putting up those projected numbers in his first season would get votes for NLROY.

I don't think that will happen based on their hit tools.  Shaw is projected to be a very good hitter while PCA is not projected to be a very good hitter.  

[Rcal10]

5 hours ago, Bertz said:

My general pref list for the last SP spot

1. Trade for one of the Padres SPs

2. Sign Jeff Hoffman and convert him to a SP

3. Get creative in trade.  Examples include Trueblood suggestions like Griffin Jax or Ryan Feltner

4. Get creative in FA, likely with one of the swing options.  Someone like Spencer Turnbull or Jakob Junis. A little different from the first two names but maybe you get a good deal on Nick Pivetta because of the QO?

5. Pay market rate for Jack Flaherty

6. Trade for a Luis Castillo or Pablo Lopez or someone of that ilk

I also think just punting on adding another SP and making sure you get all your priority bullpen and bench targets would live somewhere around #4.  I go back and forth whether it'd slot in ahead of it or behind it.

Nice list. Well thought out. But I would have Lopez much higher. Maybe even 2nd option. And if Jax was added to a Lopez trade that would be option #1 for me. I know your list wasn’t meant to be all encompassing, so just to add a few more ideas, which would fall in your 3.rd option, I would add Tampa starter. Maybe Suarez of Sanchez from the Phillies. One of the young pitchers from the Marlins all as interesting creative trades. Most would  call for a 3rd team since neither the Phillies nor the Mariners would be looking for prospects. 
I don’t see Flaherty or any FA pitcher being added, with the possible exception of Hoffman, or a 5th starter/swing man guy.  
And finally, the only way I would want Castillo would be a Seattle salary dump. 

[Cuzi]

2 hours ago, Backtobanks said:

He's only played CF 5 times in his career too.  LOL

That's fine. Wrigley has the smallest CF in baseball.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Tucker played 125 games in CF in the minor leagues as well, compared to 11 at 1B

[Jason Ross]

I suspect Kyle Tucker, who's proven more than capable as a fielder, and who has moonlit at 1b prior, can likely field the position decently for 10-15 games if the Cubs are deadset on accommodating Suzuki in RF some more. 

As TT mentioned, he's played plenty of CF in the MiLB.

[Rcal10]

39 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I suspect Kyle Tucker, who's proven more than capable as a fielder, and who has moonlit at 1b prior, can likely field the position decently for 10-15 games if the Cubs are deadset on accommodating Suzuki in RF some more. 

As TT mentioned, he's played plenty of CF in the MiLB.

We don’t even know if the Suzuki news is being overblown or it really bothers him not to be on the field. But I do imagine if he really does want to play the field he could be out there 50 times a year between filling in for Happ on occasion, playing right if/when PCA struggles and they move Tucker to center and playing right if/when the Cubs want to give Busch a day off and put Tucker at 1st. And that is assuming no injuries in the outfield. 

[Stratos]

39 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

We don’t even know if the Suzuki news is being overblown or it really bothers him not to be on the field. But I do imagine if he really does want to play the field he could be out there 50 times a year between filling in for Happ on occasion, playing right if/when PCA struggles and they move Tucker to center and playing right if/when the Cubs want to give Busch a day off and put Tucker at 1st. And that is assuming no injuries in the outfield. 

I believe Suzuki said that he basically wouldn't have signed here if he knew he was going to DH.  They can split time between all the corner OFs at DH and occasionally PCA possibly, that's a fine compromise.   They get about 1/3 time at DH each.  Tucker won't like that in a walk year though either

[Rcal10]

26 minutes ago, Stratos said:

I believe Suzuki said that he basically wouldn't have signed here if he knew he was going to DH.  They can split time between all the corner OFs at DH and occasionally PCA possibly, that's a fine compromise.   They get about 1/3 time at DH each.  Tucker won't like that in a walk year though either

Plus there is no reason for better defenders to sit while he plays. Five a guy a day off from playing the field is one thing. Playing a worse defender as often as a GG defender is not practical. 
And do we know for sure he said that, or is that speculation? That is what I am uncertain about.