Cubs sign Berti

[Post Count Padder]

Hey, get excited, we have our backup middle infielder!

One year deal worth $2 million. He's not a bad depth guy but these feels an awful lot like settling. Good defender, no power. And it's his birthday today.

 

[Bertz]

I mentioned this in the megathread but this is a better place for it:

If Berti is an upgraded version of Brujan this is great.  If Berti is the primary backup to Shaw I'd be very nervous.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Good

• Berti is good at providing value.  He hasn't played a pace below 2 fWAR/500 PA since 2021.
• He's an excellent baserunner and neatly fits in as a PR option
• He plays good defense at several spots, and importantly provides some defensive floor at 3B(unlike some other options who are maybe sexier with the bat)
• For his career he is split neutral, which helps him be useful as a fill in starter as well as PH depth

Bad

• Berti turns 35 today and missed most of last season with injury, you can't be very certain of what you're getting
• The injury was actually 2 different leg injuries, which is not great for someone who you are hoping will add real value with speed
• Berti is not going to hit for power, which means he's not going to be a primary RHH PH(not the worst outcome w/ Kelly & Canario/Alcantara potentially on the bench)
• Ideally the remaining bench roles have a path to light platoon playing time against LHP due to the positions they play(hedging Busch and PCA), which means now a LHH bench option will be a bit imperfect in its role too.

[We Got The Whole 9]

I could not be more bored with every post-Tucker transaction. 

[Bertz]

 

I don't know if I agree with this conclusion (I think it presupposes Brujan's name is written in pen on the OD roster), but if it is the right read I think you'd expect a RHH 1B and that to be that as far as the bench goes.

If it is right read, I'd really want to work out a deal with the Tigers to keep Workman.  Need as many potential bullets as possible down at Iowa for 3B if Shaw flops and Berti is your only MLB safety net.

[Post Count Padder]

6 minutes ago, Bertz said:

 

I don't know if I agree with this conclusion (I think it presupposes Brujan's name is written in pen on the OD roster), but if it is the right read I think you'd expect a RHH 1B and that to be that as far as the bench goes.

If it is right read, I'd really want to work out a deal with the Tigers to keep Workman.  Need as many potential bullets as possible down at Iowa for 3B if Shaw flops and Berti is your only MLB safety net.

If that's the case, give me Connor Joe or Mark Canha and I would love to work out a deal to keep Workman. I think at the very least he'd be a solid defensive backup around the infield. I think we did something similar a few years ago to keep a Rule 5 pick in the system.

All that said, I'm not loving the lack of power on the bench,

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Post Count Padder said:

If that's the case, give me Connor Joe or Mark Canha and I would love to work out a deal to keep Workman. I think at the very least he'd be a solid defensive backup around the infield. I think we did something similar a few years ago to keep a Rule 5 pick in the system.

All that said, I'm not loving the lack of power on the bench,

Agree would be nice to keep Workman.  He does have power too. 

If there's an injury at 1B or OF there's a good chance one of the better prospects are called up to start instead of using these lower tier bench guys.  So we do have bench power in a sense but just in Iowa.

Cubs seem to be leaning towards fielding and speed for the bench guys so far, which might make sense since it's less volatile and easier to maintain with limited playing time.

But I still could see them signing a bench INF power bat.  Would give them another option at DH also.  I think it's hard to sign good though if they can't guarantee playing time.

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Agree would be nice to keep Workman.  He does have power too. 

If there's an injury at 1B or OF there's a good chance one of the better prospects are called up to start instead of using these lower tier bench guys.  So we do have bench power in a sense but just in Iowa.

Cubs seem to be leaning towards fielding and speed for the bench guys so far, which might make sense since it's less volatile and easier to maintain with limited playing time.

But I still could see them signing a bench INF power bat.  Would give them another option at DH also.  I think it's hard to sign good though if they can't guarantee playing time.

A 1B is a virtual certainty.  After trading Bellinger and Mervis there's not another 1B on the 40 man roster.  Miguel Amaya has played 4 games at 1B since the pandemic, and as it stands he's the team's most experienced defensive option if Busch needs a day off.

The question is what beyond that.  If you don't add anyone, just give the spot to one of the lesser kids (Canario, Brujan, Workman), you're running out a lesser team to open the year but you're keeping a roster spot warm for when any of the prospects starts making noise at Iowa.  If you add someone, like a Yoan Moncada or a Jorge Polanco, you give the team a *very* strong bench but make it that much harder to break any of the kids to break onto the roster.  I'd prefer the latter but it's not a total slam dunk.

[Stratos]

52 minutes ago, Bertz said:

A 1B is a virtual certainty.  After trading Bellinger and Mervis there's not another 1B on the 40 man roster.  Miguel Amaya has played 4 games at 1B since the pandemic, and as it stands he's the team's most experienced defensive option if Busch needs a day off.

The question is what beyond that.  If you don't add anyone, just give the spot to one of the lesser kids (Canario, Brujan, Workman), you're running out a lesser team to open the year but you're keeping a roster spot warm for when any of the prospects starts making noise at Iowa.  If you add someone, like a Yoan Moncada or a Jorge Polanco, you give the team a *very* strong bench but make it that much harder to break any of the kids to break onto the roster.  I'd prefer the latter but it's not a total slam dunk.

For 1B bench its possible they try to get one or more of the current bench infielders some time at 1B in ST to fill in in a pinch, they're all good fielders.  They can all bat RH.  Tucker also has 100 innings of 1B experience from 2019, and as you say Amaya has a bit of time there and is also RHB.

There's been no heat around them signing an 1B and its hard to see them signing one over a 3B.  If Busch is injured they have Jonathon Long and Ballesteros too, which made Mervis expendable.

[Post Count Padder]

Berti is official, and Luis Vazquez draws the short straw and gets DFA'd.

[WhyCantWeWin]

Vazquez should get picked up pretty quick 

[chibears55]

6 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

Berti is official, and Luis Vazquez draws the short straw and gets DFA'd.

They got down to 40, I was hoping there was a trade in the making to get there but I guess not.

Starting to look the position players are set with the regular 9 with Shaw at 3B, and Kelly, Workman,  Berti, and likely Canario as the bench.

Right now they're about 33 under the Threshold,  so if there's any more new additions, I'd be surprise if they spend more then 20-23 total, so I'm looking at 1 SP and 5mil or less reliever or 2 5+mil relievers.

[Rcal10]

On 1/22/2025 at 9:52 PM, Bertz said:

A 1B is a virtual certainty.  After trading Bellinger and Mervis there's not another 1B on the 40 man roster.  Miguel Amaya has played 4 games at 1B since the pandemic, and as it stands he's the team's most experienced defensive option if Busch needs a day off.

The question is what beyond that.  If you don't add anyone, just give the spot to one of the lesser kids (Canario, Brujan, Workman), you're running out a lesser team to open the year but you're keeping a roster spot warm for when any of the prospects starts making noise at Iowa.  If you add someone, like a Yoan Moncada or a Jorge Polanco, you give the team a *very* strong bench but make it that much harder to break any of the kids to break onto the roster.  I'd prefer the latter but it's not a total slam dunk.

I think the kids would be brought up in the event of an injury or a longer term stay at a position. I would still rather have a Moncada, Canha, Grichik or Polanco on the bench. And if there is an injury then you bring a kid up. They have the money to add one and still add either another pen arm or a starting pitcher like King. 

[Rcal10]

20 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

They got down to 40, I was hoping there was a trade in the making to get there but I guess not.

Starting to look the position players are set with the regular 9 with Shaw at 3B, and Kelly, Workman,  Berti, and likely Canario as the bench.

Right now they're about 33 under the Threshold,  so if there's any more new additions, I'd be surprise if they spend more then 20-23 total, so I'm looking at 1 SP and 5mil or less reliever or 2 5+mil relievers.

You think they might sign 2 more middle relief pitchers for more than $5M each, for the opening day roster? How many pitchers do you think they are going to have in the pen? I agree they can spend up to $20M. Actually, I would be surprised they spent that much. But if they did, unless they work out a trade with the Padres, I don’t see them adding a starting pitcher. The only pen arm I would hope they get would be Robertson. I know Chafin is out there too, and they can use a lefty, but he is not exactly a lefty specialist. I guess Raley is an option who might help after the ASB. But I am not counting him for opening day. I can see one pen arm and one bat.(unless they make a trade) 

[chibears55]

30 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

You think they might sign 2 more middle relief pitchers for more than $5M each, for the opening day roster? How many pitchers do you think they are going to have in the pen? I agree they can spend up to $20M. Actually, I would be surprised they spent that much. But if they did, unless they work out a trade with the Padres, I don’t see them adding a starting pitcher. The only pen arm I would hope they get would be Robertson. I know Chafin is out there too, and they can use a lefty, but he is not exactly a lefty specialist. I guess Raley is an option who might help after the ASB. But I am not counting him for opening day. I can see one pen arm and one bat.(unless they make a trade) 

Im just guessing on money to get close to 20 mil spent, it definitely can be much less, especially if they do work out a trade for King.

I think Hoyer could still be looking to add relievers,  if not 2 then definitely 1. 

Merryweather and Pearson can be moved, maybe one gets added in, if they make a deal with the Padres.

 

 

[Tryptamine]

Surprised it was Vazquez. Not that I had much for expectations but I could have seen him be a multi position guy who can OPS 675ish, maybe even .700.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Surprised it was Vazquez. Not that I had much for expectations but I could have seen him be a multi position guy who can OPS 675ish, maybe even .700.

Maybe he gets traded for someone who doesn’t have to bank  the 40 man. Or an add on in a trade for a guy who makes the team this year.🤷

[Rcal10]

11 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Im just guessing on money to get close to 20 mil spent, it definitely can be much less, especially if they do work out a trade for King.

I think Hoyer could still be looking to add relievers,  if not 2 then definitely 1. 

Merryweather and Pearson can be moved, maybe one gets added in, if they make a deal with the Padres.

 

 

I agree with you on Merryweather. I am not convinced he makes the team. And he can be replaced. But I think Pearson is decent and will be in the roster. Again, I guess if they trade for King and Suarez, Pearson can be in the trade. Maybe instead of Assad and Wicks and a minor league bat, it can be Assad OR Wicks with Pearson and a minor leaguer.