Post Winter Meetings Free Agency thread

[chibears55]

Scherzer going to Toronto 

[MarkBellhorn]

Taylor Rogers at @ 6M  looks like a solid get for the Reds.

[Bertz]

 

He's not as good of a roster fit after Berti but I still would have liked.

[SOFNR]

I'm curious what Hoyers plan is if Preller holds firm on wanting Shaw for Cease/King and Robertson comes off the table. I dont believe the Bregman stuff at all. There's really not much roster room for middling relievers. Weve already got a bunch of those. You can see another bench bat but those options are running thin and wouldn't be expensive. We've seen enough smoke that it seems that Hoyer is willing to spend another 25 mil, but beyond the guys mentioned above I'm not sure where it would go. I guess if Flaherty really comes down to something like 2/40 that becomes an option too.

[Dfan25]

Hopefully Robertson doesn’t sign before the Padres trade Cease . 

[Post Count Padder]

Yeah and we apparently wanted him previously so the interest is there. And he is due just $4.5 mil this season so PTR would be happy. But I'd rather have Robertson still.

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, SOFNR said:

I'm curious what Hoyers plan is if Preller holds firm on wanting Shaw for Cease/King and Robertson comes off the table. I dont believe the Bregman stuff at all. There's really not much roster room for middling relievers. Weve already got a bunch of those. You can see another bench bat but those options are running thin and wouldn't be expensive. We've seen enough smoke that it seems that Hoyer is willing to spend another 25 mil, but beyond the guys mentioned above I'm not sure where it would go. I guess if Flaherty really comes down to something like 2/40 that becomes an option too.

Hoyer's all about value for money so my assumption is that Hoyer takes whatever option is the best value for the money that maximizes the wins added to the roster for the payroll he has left.

We have no urgent needs on the roster, but several places where we can upgrade, so Hoyer can afford to just take the best deal(s) that come across his table that he finds at SP, relief, 3B, bench etc via FA or trade.

[Bertz]

Have to assume this is the Tigers and this saga is about over

[Tryptamine]

14 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Have to assume this is the Tigers and this saga is about over

The only hope the Cubs ever had was if Bregman was doing to take like a 3 year deal with opt outs after year 1 and 2. I'd be shocked if the Cubs went any further than that.

[Jason Ross]

Patrick Mooney of the Athletic reportedly had an article leak before it was ready to be published. Not a massive move, but appears the Cubs and Brandon Hughes have agreed on an MiLB contract. 

[Dfan25]

Yeah , I think there is a good chance they trade for Brasier and  forget about Robertson .  If they do that , then 1 of Merryweather / Asad isn’t making the opening day roster ( if no injuries ).

[Bertz]

I don't understand why these minor league guys keep signing here.  From the team's POV, whatever.  There's little to no cost and you have Spring Training to see if anybody makes some changes that pop off the page.  From the player's POV, has no one looked at a depth chart?

There is enough talk about the Cubs and free agent relievers that you can pencil in the Cubs adding another late inning option.  Let's call it Robertson so I have a real name and not a placeholder.  The Cubs' MLB bullpen will thus look like this heading into ST:

CL - Pressly

SU - Hodge*, Robertson, Pearson

MR - Morgan*, Merryweather

Matchup Guys - Miller, Thielbar

Hodge and Morgan with the * are the only two guys with minor league options.  Both look exceedingly unlikely to open the year in the minors.

That's fine though, there are always injuries, right?  But these are the guys already eying a spot at Iowa wanting to be that next man up.  I have to separate them into three categories because there are so many:

On the 40 man, no MiLB options:

Keegan Thompson, Rob Zastryzny,

On the 40 man, has MiLB options:

Palencia, Little, Neely, Kilian, Hollowell

Not on the 40 man:

Phil Bickford, Trevor Richards, Brooks Kriske, Ben Heller, Brad Keller, Brandon Hughes

Then you have the starters!  If Assad or Brown or Horton come up sans injury it pushes Rea to the pen, which kills another spot.

If you're a Brad Keller type and your career is hanging by a thread, I don't know why you wouldn't go to like the White Sox or something where you can actually count the number of guys you have to pass on the depth chart on your fingers.  Or is this a compliment to Hottovy: these guys are coming here hoping to get fixed and go somewhere else in April?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

24 minutes ago, Bertz said:

If you're a Brad Keller type and your career is hanging by a thread, I don't know why you wouldn't go to like the White Sox or something where you can actually count the number of guys you have to pass on the depth chart on your fingers.  Or is this a compliment to Hottovy: these guys are coming here hoping to get fixed and go somewhere else in April?

I wonder for relievers who don't really have much hope of an MLB deal how nuanced they can practically view the options.  For one, they can only sign with clubs that offer them, and outside of counting the guaranteed deals, how good are they or agencies at being able to tell the difference between Jack Neely and the Reds option at #13 on the RP depth chart?  Similar to how it ends up playing out in practice, it may be that teams just all appear as a blob of arms and you have to bet on yourself to rise above it.

[CubinNY]

32 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I don't understand why these minor league guys keep signing here.  From the team's POV, whatever.  There's little to no cost and you have Spring Training to see if anybody makes some changes that pop off the page.  From the player's POV, has no one looked at a depth chart?

There is enough talk about the Cubs and free agent relievers that you can pencil in the Cubs adding another late inning option.  Let's call it Robertson so I have a real name and not a placeholder.  The Cubs' MLB bullpen will thus look like this heading into ST:

CL - Pressly

SU - Hodge*, Robertson, Pearson

MR - Morgan*, Merryweather

Matchup Guys - Miller, Thielbar

Hodge and Morgan with the * are the only two guys with minor league options.  Both look exceedingly unlikely to open the year in the minors.

That's fine though, there are always injuries, right?  But these are the guys already eying a spot at Iowa wanting to be that next man up.  I have to separate them into three categories because there are so many:

On the 40 man, no MiLB options:

Keegan Thompson, Rob Zastryzny,

On the 40 man, has MiLB options:

Palencia, Little, Neely, Kilian, Hollowell

Not on the 40 man:

Phil Bickford, Trevor Richards, Brooks Kriske, Ben Heller, Brad Keller, Brandon Hughes

Then you have the starters!  If Assad or Brown or Horton come up sans injury it pushes Rea to the pen, which kills another spot.

If you're a Brad Keller type and your career is hanging by a thread, I don't know why you wouldn't go to like the White Sox or something where you can actually count the number of guys you have to pass on the depth chart on your fingers.  Or is this a compliment to Hottovy: these guys are coming here hoping to get fixed and go somewhere else in April?

They don't pay players for ST salary. A lot of these guys sign these contracts so they have a place to work out and maybe see if they get lucky. But mostly teams need the arms and guys need to get ready and are looking for an opportunity.

[Post Count Padder]

6 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I wonder for relievers who don't really have much hope of an MLB deal how nuanced they can practically view the options.  For one, they can only sign with clubs that offer them, and outside of counting the guaranteed deals, how good are they or agencies at being able to tell the difference between Jack Neely and the Reds option at #13 on the RP depth chart?  Similar to how it ends up playing out in practice, it may be that teams just all appear as a blob of arms and you have to bet on yourself to rise above it.

I was thinking that. And there's also the possibility you go to an organization you think can help get you where you want to be with mechanics and performance and parlay that into a deal elsewhere during the season or next offseason. We've seen the Cubs sign guys like this to a MiLB deal and then they ask for their release to go to another team or overseas.

[BKHoo]

Bregman and Cease please.  

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Bertz said:

I don't understand why these minor league guys keep signing here.  From the team's POV, whatever.  There's little to no cost and you have Spring Training to see if anybody makes some changes that pop off the page.  From the player's POV, has no one looked at a depth chart?

Because we have an excellent pitching development system.  Tyler Zombro said pitchers want to sign here and that even receiving the Cubs development plan they create for pitchers once they sign has a lot of value to them.  Even if they get cut they still have an industry-leading plan given to them on how to improve.

 

Edited January 31, 2025 by Stratos

[Brandon Glick]

28 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Because we have an excellent pitching development system.  Tyler Zombro said pitchers want to sign here and that even receiving the Cubs development plan they create for pitchers once they sign has a lot of value to them.  Even if they get cut they still have an industry-leading plan given to them on how to improve.

 

It's well known in the space how good the Pitching Lab™ is. The Cubs may not always have success with their own in-house pitchers, but this is a well adjudicated point on why so many fringe guys value organizations like the Cubs (and Dodgers and Yankees) that have top-of-the-line development tracks.

[chibears55]

Madrigal to mets..

[Rcal10]

If the Cubs are going to spend $25M more before the start of the season, to me the most likely way that happens is they sign Canha, Moncada and Robertson. Honestly, that would make for a good off season. They could use a better pitcher in the rotation, but it seems the FO likes Rea. I realize there are other options like Cease or King but I don’t think that happens. Flaherty is out there and can be had short term, too. But I really haven’t heard much about the Cubs and him. To me, Bregman is doubtful. I think the Cubs talk is all about leverage for him with some other team. I am fine with Jed hanging around in there talks as long as he still gives himself options once they realize a trade isn’t going to work. I also think those “most likely” moves would make the Cubs a clear favorite in the division. If they aren’t going to $25M, leave one of those bats out of the final roster. But if they don’t go that far, it is apparent all TR wanted to do with the Bellinger trade and getting money from the Astros in the Pressley trade was to grow his bank account. Which sucks. I hate that their made up line is the LT line. But if it is, at least get to that! 

[chibears55]

6 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

If the Cubs are going to spend $25M more before the start of the season, to me the most likely way that happens is they sign Canha, Moncada and Robertson. Honestly, that would make for a good off season. They could use a better pitcher in the rotation, but it seems the FO likes Rea. I realize there are other options like Cease or King but I don’t think that happens. Flaherty is out there and can be had short term, too. But I really haven’t heard much about the Cubs and him. To me, Bregman is doubtful. I think the Cubs talk is all about leverage for him with some other team. I am fine with Jed hanging around in there talks as long as he still gives himself options once they realize a trade isn’t going to work. I also think those “most likely” moves would make the Cubs a clear favorite in the division. If they aren’t going to $25M, leave one of those bats out of the final roster. But if they don’t go that far, it is apparent all TR wanted to do with the Bellinger trade and getting money from the Astros in the Pressley trade was to grow his bank account. Which sucks. I hate that their made up line is the LT line. But if it is, at least get to that! 

I think theyre set with position players. 

I like to see them add another lefty to the bullpen,  im not to high on Theilbar, hopefully he can find his 2022,23 form but at 38 it'll be tough.

I just hope that if Hoyer doesn't add anyone of significant like a SP or another solid addition to the pen and stays 25+ under the Threshold heading into the season, he better not be bashful taking on money at the deadline that can help upgrade a position or two.

[Rcal10]

14 hours ago, chibears55 said:

I think theyre set with position players. 

I like to see them add another lefty to the bullpen,  im not to high on Theilbar, hopefully he can find his 2022,23 form but at 38 it'll be tough.

I just hope that if Hoyer doesn't add anyone of significant like a SP or another solid addition to the pen and stays 25+ under the Threshold heading into the season, he better not be bashful taking on money at the deadline that can help upgrade a position or two.

You might be right that they don’t sign another bench bat. But how is this team set with position players? You think a bench of Kelly, Berti, and what other 2 guys they have on the roster of below average players is a good bench? I don’t. I know it won’t be used much, but they have money to improve it. So not doing so is choosing to pocket the money they saved on trading Bellinger instead of improving the team. If they used the money so they can afford Cease and Robertson, or if they signed Flaherty or Bregman with that money, I could understand not upgrading the bench. But assuming that doesn’t happen, I sure hope they improve the bench.

As I say earlier, sucks they use the LT line as a cap. Sucks even worse not to at least come close to it to improve the team. They don’t need $20M at the deadline. While I agree with you that if they had that extra they should spend it then, I doubt they will. Plus, spending it now gives them a better chance to even consider adding at the deadline. And having $8M to spend should be plenty. 

[BKHoo]

A Brazier move would be so Cubs like.

[Bertz]

I thought this was an interesting read.  I like the idea of visualizing reliever usage like this.  It'll be interesting to watch Counsell with a hopefully effective bullpen this year.  I tend to think from watching him with the Brewers he's a top right guy.  Fans on the other hand tend to want more of that Marlins' strategy.

[chibears55]

7 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

You might be right that they don’t sign another bench bat. But how is this team set with position players? You think a bench of Kelly, Berti, and what other 2 guys they have on the roster of below average players is a good bench? I don’t. I know it won’t be used much, but they have money to improve it. So not doing so is choosing to pocket the money they saved on trading Bellinger instead of improving the team. If they used the money so they can afford Cease and Robertson, or if they signed Flaherty or Bregman with that money, I could understand not upgrading the bench. But assuming that doesn’t happen, I sure hope they improve the bench.

As I say earlier, sucks they use the LT line as a cap. Sucks even worse not to at least come close to it to improve the team. They don’t need $20M at the deadline. While I agree with you that if they had that extra they should spend it then, I doubt they will. Plus, spending it now gives them a better chance to even consider adding at the deadline. And having $8M to spend should be plenty. 

Id love to see them upgrade to but yea, I think Kelly, Berti, Workman, and they'll likely start with Canario as the 4th OFer.

Bench is always interchangeable all season and hardly the same from beginning to end of season, I just think theyll use their organization depth for now to start the season with, but i hope I'm wrong on that and grab someone that has some power and can be like a Zobrist type that can fit into the lineup anytime and contribute.

A oart of me just think if they do spend anymore money of significant this offseason, it'll be on pitching as in another SP or bullpen upgrades.