Cubs DFA Cody Poteet

[Irrelevant Dude]

Nice job, Jed.

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2025/03/27/cubs-part-ways-with-rhp-cody-poteet-leaving-bellinger-trade-as-pure-salary-dump/

[Jason Ross]

I wonder if the Cubs think they can sneak Poteet through. He's worked with Zombro in the past and this is prime-time "sneak a vet to Iowa"  time period with a bunch of teams setting 40-mans. 

[Crusader]

Yeah, that’s what I would guess. They were able to sneak Thompson through and retain him, I’m guessing they’d like to do the same with Poteet, so the 40 man stops being such a crunch.

[Cubs420psd]

So it's very possible the Cubs ended up getting nothing at all for Bellinger? $30 million under the cap but we couldn't keep him? This is not a serious org. 

[Rcal10]

19 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

So it's very possible the Cubs ended up getting nothing at all for Bellinger? $30 million under the cap but we couldn't keep him? This is not a serious org. 

It isn’t a question of keeping him. They should have traded him. Where would he play? But, maybe they should have gotten someone for him instead of worrying about saving money. I did a survey for the Cubs and had to say 3 words that describe the organization. I said cheap, mismanaged and frustrating. The Bellinger trade covers all of those words. 

[musclemom]

I can't facepalm this enough.

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

It isn’t a question of keeping him. They should have traded him. Where would he play? But, maybe they should have gotten someone for him instead of worrying about saving money. I did a survey for the Cubs and had to say 3 words that describe the organization. I said cheap, mismanaged and frustrating. The Bellinger trade covers all of those words. 

I'm not sure there was a "trade him for someone" out there. Seattle seemed steadfast that they weren't dealing from their SP depth, and Bellinger wasn't really exuding surplus value for many teams. So maybe you get a Jordan Montgomery, and then you have an expensive TJS guy. It seems like the Cubs did try to spend that excess money - they spent over the $20m saved post-Bellinger trade and left enough cash in the chest to make legitimate runs at at least Scott, Cease, and Bregman. I don't want to give Jed like a free-pass, at some point effort isn't enough and while I can understand players have choice...you don't win games on effort to improve the team...but I do think the general concept was:

1. Take Bellinger's money and repurpose it 

2. Take the remaining and improve with one more impactful addition.

Part 1 happened, part 2 hasn't yet and likely, won't happen until July. Even then they won't spend all the way to the line, more than likely. 

[Rcal10]

56 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I'm not sure there was a "trade him for someone" out there. Seattle seemed steadfast that they weren't dealing from their SP depth, and Bellinger wasn't really exuding surplus value for many teams. So maybe you get a Jordan Montgomery, and then you have an expensive TJS guy. It seems like the Cubs did try to spend that excess money - they spent over the $20m saved post-Bellinger trade and left enough cash in the chest to make legitimate runs at at least Scott, Cease, and Bregman. I don't want to give Jed like a free-pass, at some point effort isn't enough and while I can understand players have choice...you don't win games on effort to improve the team...but I do think the general concept was:

1. Take Bellinger's money and repurpose it 

2. Take the remaining and improve with one more impactful addition.

Part 1 happened, part 2 hasn't yet and likely, won't happen until July. Even then they won't spend all the way to the line, more than likely. 

I know it wouldn’t be easy. And maybe there wasn’t any options, as you suggested. But I don’t think the Cubs even tried. But, I also know the Phillies were interested in him too. Maybe eat his entire salary and trade for Sanchez or Suarez. I know Suarez is now hurt too. Another option would have been to keep Bellinger and instead add either Busch or Suzuki. You, most likely, do get something of value for either of them. Take $18M of Bellinger’s contract and trade for Clarke (also injured) instead of Poteet. This is obviously just spitballing ideas. I am sure if the Cubs went into a Bellinger trade not worrying about the salary they could have gotten something better for Bellinger than a straight salary dump. Or, as I said, keep him and deal either Busch or Suzuki for a pitcher. 
All of the above said, if they go with option 2 and at the deadline are aggressive with acquiring talent regardless of their salary, I am fine with them saving now. I just don’t have faith they will be aggressive. 

[Jason Ross]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I know it wouldn’t be easy. And maybe there wasn’t any options, as you suggested. But I don’t think the Cubs even tried. But, I also know the Phillies were interested in him too. Maybe eat his entire salary and trade for Sanchez or Suarez. I know Suarez is now hurt too. Another option would have been to keep Bellinger and instead add either Busch or Suzuki. You, most likely, do get something of value for either of them. Take $18M of Bellinger’s contract and trade for Clarke (also injured) instead of Poteet. This is obviously just spitballing ideas. I am sure if the Cubs went into a Bellinger trade not worrying about the salary they could have gotten something better for Bellinger than a straight salary dump. Or, as I said, keep him and deal either Busch or Suzuki for a pitcher. 
All of the above said, if they go with option 2 and at the deadline are aggressive with acquiring talent regardless of their salary, I am fine with them saving now. I just don’t have faith they will be aggressive. 

Based on? 

I think we can be better than to find fault with Hoyer in made-up senses. For example, we know he swung and missed a few times this offseason on players like Scott/Bregman/Luzardo/Cease/Sasaki - there is ample reporting. We can fault the results and the inability to get across the line because there's actual information there. But there's no reporting to suggest that Hoyer didn't even try to trade Bellinger in any other sense than strictly a salary dump. In fact, the reporting was pretty clear from very early on that the Cubs were interested in moving him - what kind of talks occurred and with whom and for what between the end of November and trade-day is likely to have been pretty wide. The most concrete stuff we heard was with the Yankees, but it doesn't mean he didn't try something else. So I think for argument's sake, it's best not to stray into conspiracy here. Just because he didn't do something does not mean he didn't try to do that thing. All of the things you mentioned in your post could have been discussed, for example and for a host of reasons, never happened. Most of the trade talks that happen never make it to the press.

 

[Jason Ross]

 

[Post Count Padder]

Cool more money for PTR. Great job fellas. Mission accomplished.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

The Cubs Will Absolutely, Unequivocally Re-Spend the Cash Considerations They Received for Cody Poteet

[Derwood]

Trade Bellinger to save money, the trade the guy you got in the trade for more money. Cool cool cool

[Irrelevant Dude]

And then watch Bellinger outperform Kyle Tucker.  Ok, that probably won't happen... but I can't say I'm not a little scared that it might.

[Dfan25]

8 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

And then watch Bellinger outperform Kyle Tucker.  Ok, that probably won't happen... but I can't say I'm not a little scared that it might.

Bellinger is going to have a really good year if he stays healthy . That swing looks really  quick . The injury probably limited him last season. I think Bellinger is going to be the steal of the year for the Yankees ( Great move for them )

[ToolDRT]

This isn’t a big deal, but damn if this doesn’t about sum up the combo that is Tom and Jed perfectly.