Post Winter Meetings Free Agency thread

[We Got The Whole 9]

Wasn't Edman injured when the Cardinals traded him? Just saying...

[JD94]

58 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Would Hoyer really trade Hoerner or is Hoerner hurt more then they're letting on and don't expect him back for awhile?

 

1) I don’t buy we are serious suitors for Bregman. Just doesn’t feel like a Jed move all things considered

2) Hypothetically if we did sign Bregman, and if the interest is serious, I think Jed would all but have a deal agreed upon to send Nico elsewhere for pitching 

3) Nico is already at camp fielding balls. I don’t think he’s throwing yet, but he’s going through drills. So I doubt there were any setbacks further than what was expected 

[JD94]

4 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

 

Was the finalist thing a tweet or some other form of media?

Heyman said it in his live show he does. I think it’s on Bleacher Report, but not entirely sure. I rarely watch it because I always come away feeling like he’s just throwing hypotheticals out. 

[JD94]

4 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

 

Was the finalist thing a tweet or some other form of media?

Heyman said it in his live show he does. I think it’s on Bleacher Report, but not entirely sure. I rarely watch it because I always come away feeling like he’s just throwing hypotheticals out. 

[JD94]

4 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

 

Was the finalist thing a tweet or some other form of media?

Heyman said it in his live show he does. I think it’s on Bleacher Report, but not entirely sure. I rarely watch it because I always come away feeling like he’s just throwing hypotheticals out. 

[JD94]

4 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

 

Was the finalist thing a tweet or some other form of media?

Heyman said it in his live show he does. I think it’s on Bleacher Report, but not entirely sure. I rarely watch it because I always come away feeling like he’s just throwing hypotheticals out. 

Edited January 30, 2025 by JD94

[JD94]

Sorry guys, not sure why that posted 24 times lol 

[Rcal10]

Just now, JD94 said:

Sorry guys, not sure why that posted 24 times lol 

That said (often😬) I agree with you. I think it is another hypothetical. Makes no sense for the Astros to lose Bregman to then Cubs because the Cubs sign him with money the Astros gave them in the trade. Just think if Jed did that. What would the narrative been here? I can’t imagine the Astros GM would do something so stupid. 

[Randall Simon]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

That said (often😬) I agree with you. I think it is another hypothetical. Makes no sense for the Astros to lose Bregman to then Cubs because the Cubs sign him with money the Astros gave them in the trade. Just think if Jed did that. What would the narrative been here? I can’t imagine the Astros GM would do something so stupid. 

Didn't we save the Astros more money than they gave us???

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, Randall Simon said:

Didn't we save the Astros more money than they gave us???

Yes, because they wanted the money to sign Bregman. If then sending $5.5M in the deal brought the Cubs into the Bregman conversation that would be an awful look for the GM. The purpose of then trading Pressley was to have the money for Bregman. 

[JD94]

 

[Rex Buckingham]

Well, Jed certainly has the Cubs tied into a lot of "possible" moves. Hopefully we have one more big move for a SP in store, and probably a RP (Robertson?) too

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Rex Buckingham said:

Well, Jed certainly has the Cubs tied into a lot of "possible" moves. Hopefully we have one more big move for a SP in store, and probably a RP (Robertson?) too

Why not one stop shopping and get Suarez too. If Jed finished out the off season with Cease and either Suarez or Robertson, that would make for one heck of an off season. And they would be clear favorites in the division. With Steele, Cease and Imanaga as their top 3 pitchers they can also win any playoff series they are in. 

[Rcal10]

With the latest moves the Cubs have made, does anyone have an idea of what the Cubs payroll is now for LT purposes. Also, what is the actual number they are putting out? I have heard all kinds of  numbers of what the Cubs could spend comfortably. From as low as $13M to as high as $33M. I do expect them to come in around $230M-$233M for LT purposes. If that is what I expect, how much money would they have to sign guys? Can do trade for Cease and sign Robertson? 

[mul21]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

With the latest moves the Cubs have made, does anyone have an idea of what the Cubs payroll is now for LT purposes. Also, what is the actual number they are putting out? I have heard all kinds of  numbers of what the Cubs could spend comfortably. From as low as $13M to as high as $33M. I do expect them to come in around $230M-$233M for LT purposes. If that is what I expect, how much money would they have to sign guys? Can do trade for Cease and sign Robertson? 

Cots has them at $198M, so probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $30-33M left to spend to stay $10M under for deadline additions.

[Dfan25]

24 minutes ago, mul21 said:

Cots has them at $198M, so probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $30-33M left to spend to stay $10M under for deadline additions.

Nvm

Edited January 30, 2025 by Dfan25

[Dfan25]

Deleted 

Edited January 30, 2025 by Dfan25

[Dfan25]

Cubs match up well with the Padres . They have an OF ( Casssie ) that probably would step in right away for them and SP ( Asssad , Wicks ) to replace Cease and a good enough system to give them an interesting 3rd piece ( if needed ) .

With that said , after trading away Smith , would Hoyer be willing to trade another top 100 for a 1 year guy ?

[Jason Ross]

Yeah, it does feel like the Padres and the Cubs match up well. I have a feeling someone like Kevin Alcantara and his defense may appeal a bit more to the Padres than, say, an Owen Caisse, but admit that I'm bullish on Caissie and know that may be my biases showing through. Regardless, it feels like there's need and motive on both sides, and seeing a deal come together for King or Cease feels quite plausible. 

[Tryptamine]

53 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Yeah, it does feel like the Padres and the Cubs match up well. I have a feeling someone like Kevin Alcantara and his defense may appeal a bit more to the Padres than, say, an Owen Caisse, but admit that I'm bullish on Caissie and know that may be my biases showing through. Regardless, it feels like there's need and motive on both sides, and seeing a deal come together for King or Cease feels quite plausible. 

Yeah I'm on the opposite side of this. I'd much prefer dangle Caissie before Alcantara.

[UMFan83]

4 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Cubs match up well with the Padres . They have an OF ( Casssie ) that probably would step in right away for them and SP ( Asssad , Wicks ) to replace Cease and a good enough system to give them an interesting 3rd piece ( if needed ) .

With that said , after trading away Smith , would Hoyer be willing to trade another top 100 for a 1 year guy ?

Would be kind of funny to trade away one of the teenagers we acquired from SD after developing him, while in return receiving a player we traded away towards the end of his development cycle and watched blossom into an all star. 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, mul21 said:

Cots has them at $198M, so probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $30-33M left to spend to stay $10M under for deadline additions.

Thank you. So enough to do pretty much whatever they want to do.

[Jason Ross]

33 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Yeah I'm on the opposite side of this. I'd much prefer dangle Caissie before Alcantara.

I think it depends on what you see. Both have concerns with how much bat to ball skills they have. Alcantara has a much better defensive floor, and there's a bit of a unicorn build to him - you just don't find guys who have that kind of size who can play CF. But the Cubs don't need a CF'er, and likely won't for 6 years as long as PCA can continue to provide elite defense/speed. Caissie provides something you also won't find - elite power potential, and power potential I just don't see Alcantara having (not to say he doesn't have some). There's risk defensively in Caissie, but he really did start showing off significantly improves ISO, LA, and pull rates post July last year. 

Totally understand if someone is looking at Alcantara and that defense as the guy to go with, but I think a bit of prospect fatigue has set in with Caissie as well as an over worry on his defensive future, especially over the next 2-4 years. He'll probably leave RF at some point, but think it's a bit further off than some others worry about. 

[Bertz]

I'd consider Caissie a much better roster fit for the Padres than Alcantara

- Jackson Merrill was great in CF last year so the coverage there is a pure nice to have

- The Padres are also bad at whichever of 1B/DH Arraez isn't playing on a given day.  Arraez may not be long for the org on top of that

- When you look at their lineup it doesn't feel like it *needs* a lefty, but from last year the prominent departures in LF are Jurickson Profar (switch) and David Peralta (lefty) so you'd assume they'd prefer a lefty backfill.  Especially since Eguy Rosario appears ready to step into a bigger role from the right hand side

All that being said, in this situation I think you take the player you like more since a year from now those roster considerations may be wildly different.  But in my mind's eye I see Caissie and two SPs, and the real haggling is over which SPs.

[Post Count Padder]

The idea of the Cubs re-acquiring Cease in a deal that has the Padres re-acquiring Caissie is amusing to me.