Cubs (Imanaga?) vs Brewers (Misiorowski?): 10/11/25, 7:08pm

[soccer10k]

2 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

Jacob Misiorowski celebrated a 1 unassisted like he won the world series in Game 2.

This is how young, emotional player react. 

It's most definitely not. How many other players slam their helmet after a vast majority of their PA's that end in outs? It's fine to slam a helmet in frustration after a big play. But he does it after striking out in the second inning of 0-0 game in August.

[Jason Ross]

20 minutes ago, soccer10k said:

It's most definitely not. How many other players slam their helmet after a vast majority of their PA's that end in outs? It's fine to slam a helmet in frustration after a big play. But he does it after striking out in the second inning of 0-0 game in August.

Not every young player acts this way, you are correct. To act like Pete Crow Armstrong is somehow special in this aspect is also missing the boat. He is a very emotional player, but there are other young emotional players. 

Pete is just 23. These types of behaviors are especially prevent in the college ranks. Players who are very close in age to PCA. 

Bryce Harper got a lot of the same flak when he was young too for his behavior on the field. That's not to compare their baseball talent, but what Pete is doing isn't unheard of. 

I would like him to calm down a bit myself. I don't think it helps him out. I also don't find it special or unique. 

[Gjfificifjdej]

52 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

this coming from the person who constantly makes weird personal assumptions about players he dislikes

I wouldn’t call questioning the integrity of a player who isn’t making a professional effort to be a weird personal assumption but pop off. Shaw’s swing is a crime against baseball but you can’t accuse him of not giving all out effort. Lot of Cubs that you can’t say that about 

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Chicago Al said:

Boyd had a very good season, I don’t think the Cubs reward his performance by sending him to the bullpen.

He did and it was a career season for him at age 34, so he'll be 35 next season.

Outside of starting the season in rotation until Steele returns, who would he replace in the rotation afterwards? 

Horton Imanaga or Taillon, or do you think they won't add another SP?

[Chicago Al]

11 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

He did and it was a career season for him at age 34, so he'll be 35 next season.

Outside of starting the season in rotation until Steele returns, who would he replace in the rotation afterwards? 

Horton Imanaga or Taillon, or do you think they won't add another SP?

Sure I think they’ll add a SP or two. My guess would be Steele would replace one of the starters who’s struggling when he returns. Can’t have enough SP. 

[chibears55]

3 minutes ago, Chicago Al said:

Sure I think they’ll add a SP or two. My guess would be Steele would replace one of the starters who’s struggling when he returns. Can’t have enough SP. 

That why I think he'll go to the pen, he'd be perfect as a spot starter and long reliever 

[Rcal10]

15 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

That why I think he'll go to the pen, he'd be perfect as a spot starter and long reliever 

If Boyd is pitching well he will stay in the rotation. There is no reason to plan on him going to the one. If/when Steele comes back maybe they go to a 6 man rotation. Maybe someone else isn’t pitching well. Maybe someone is hurt. To play on Biyd in the pen is not reasonable. 

[gflore34]

Is Soroka on a one year prove it deal a possibility?

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Is Soroka on a one year prove it deal a possibility?

Is am sure he is. Sounds exactly like something the FO would do. 

[Jason Ross]

On the SP front, I suspect a few things will happen if the Cubs do not keep Kyle Tucker. First, I think Jameson Taillon is quite moveable. He had a strong finish to the season and with one year remaining, if you want, you can move him. Second, the Cubs can't guarantee Steele will be back for Opening Day. While that would be great, it could be more early-to-mid-May so depth will be key. They would probably keep a Colin Rea swing-man type around (Michael Soroka?). 

There is a strong roster cliff coming in 2026 and as much as people think they're not going to sign anyone beyond 2027, the Cubs cannot have 12 free agents at the end of next year, either. They will have to convert some of their 2026 roster cliff into something else. Happ has a NTC. Suzuki has a NTC. You probably want to sit down with Hoerner and extend him. Taillon is the most movable of all of them.

[gflore34]

7 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Is am sure he is. Sounds exactly like something the FO would do. 

Don't think Soroka will have many, if any, multi-year offers, think he's bound to a one year prove it deal some where.  I'd like to be the Cubs, believe his metrics suggest a reasonable expectation of him being decent.

[gflore34]

7 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

On the SP front, I suspect a few things will happen if the Cubs do not keep Kyle Tucker. First, I think Jameson Taillon is quite moveable. He had a strong finish to the season and with one year remaining, if you want, you can move him. Second, the Cubs can't guarantee Steele will be back for Opening Day. While that would be great, it could be more early-to-mid-May so depth will be key. They would probably keep a Colin Rea swing-man type around (Michael Soroka?). 

There is a strong roster cliff coming in 2026 and as much as people think they're not going to sign anyone beyond 2027, the Cubs cannot have 12 free agents at the end of next year, either. They will have to convert some of their 2026 roster cliff into something else. Happ has a NTC. Suzuki has a NTC. You probably want to sit down with Hoerner and extend him. Taillon is the most movable of all of them.

Think many of us would like to see the Cubs sign King or Cease can either of these guys be a reasonable expectation with this FO?  Or, are we looking at Hoyer trying to find another Matthew Boyd on, in baseball terms, the cheap?

[Jason Ross]

9 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Think many of us would like to see the Cubs sign King or Cease can either of these guys be a reasonable expectation with this FO?  Or, are we looking at Hoyer trying to find another Matthew Boyd on, in baseball terms, the cheap?

The Cubs just hosted five playoff games and picked up some really massive profits. Ricketts is a vain human who cares vastly about his public perception. 

I don't expect the Cubs will blow past the LT but there will be real money to spend this off-season. I think if they lose Tucker there will be a fairly large player brought in somewhere. 

[Thurman Merman]

I don't think I would count on Justin Steele being anywhere near peak Justin Steele next year, and possibly every again. They need to make the off-season plan with this thought in mind. Anything you get from Justin is gravy.

[gflore34]

5 minutes ago, Thurman Merman said:

I don't think I would count on Justin Steele being anywhere near peak Justin Steele next year, and possibly every again. They need to make the off-season plan with this thought in mind. Anything you get from Justin is gravy.

I would most definitely plan on Steele not being part of the equation almost to the point of acting as if he's not on the roster.  Coming off surgery you have to think and operate in such a manner.

[Cuzi]

21 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

The Cubs just hosted five playoff games and picked up some really massive profits. Ricketts is a vain human who cares vastly about his public perception. 

I don't expect the Cubs will blow past the LT but there will be real money to spend this off-season. I think if they lose Tucker there will be a fairly large player brought in somewhere. 

We've been singing that same song since the sell off of the last core and the biggest we have spent on since then with all of these huge stars on the board is Dansby Swanson.

We have the ultimate combination of owner and FO that sit down and talk themselves out of needing to spend money on A list players in order to compete. I doubt the Tucker trade happens if Hoyer wasn't auditioning for a job.

 

[cubfansince77]

4 hours ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

That wasn’t meant to be taken seriously in any way. 

After last night my sarcasm monitor is off

[chibears55]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

If Boyd is pitching well he will stay in the rotation. There is no reason to plan on him going to the one. If/when Steele comes back maybe they go to a 6 man rotation. Maybe someone else isn’t pitching well. Maybe someone is hurt. To play on Biyd in the pen is not reasonable. 

Been reading about 6 man rotation on here for a couple years now, I doubt it happens.

There's the obvious maybe with injuries or not pitching well to another starter but if Imanaga, Horton, Taillon, and a new SP are all healthy and pitching well in June and Steele is good to return, who you moving out for Boyd to stay in the rotation?

I mean, I can see Boyd being the next guy in for Steele early on as they ease him in slowly in his first few starts, maybe that the route they go for a month til Steele is ready to go full boat, but unless there's an injury, I think 35 yo Boyd goes to the bullpen as a long reliever/ spot starter.

 

[Jason Ross]

58 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

We've been singing that same song since the sell off of the last core and the biggest we have spent on since then with all of these huge stars on the board is Dansby Swanson.

We have the ultimate combination of owner and FO that sit down and talk themselves out of needing to spend money on A list players in order to compete. I doubt the Tucker trade happens if Hoyer wasn't auditioning for a job.

 

They have around 40-50m to spend just to get back to the poor 2025 spending numbers. I don't think the Cubs are going to drastically change who they are ran by or how they spend money. But they probably aren't cutting spending from last year either when they were already well under the LT. 

So even if they just spend what they did last year, and if not Tucker, they will have to spend it on something. 

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

The Cubs just hosted five playoff games and picked up some really massive profits. Ricketts is a vain human who cares vastly about his public perception. 

I don't expect the Cubs will blow past the LT but there will be real money to spend this off-season. I think if they lose Tucker there will be a fairly large player brought in somewhere. 

If im reading the 2026 payroll right, they will have between 166 to 199 (with the 3 options) on the book, and the Threshold is set at 244.

It would be nice if they can at least get close to 240s again.

With the CBA expiring after 2026, I wonder if more teams would consider going over Threshold with adding a bigger contract or two, especially if it their first time and pay the 20%, with the chance that there could be a different set of rules with a new CBA

[Stratos]

The Brewers really showed they have no class this series.   What a bunch of petty trolls:

 

 

Edited October 13, 2025 by Stratos

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

The Cubs just hosted five playoff games and picked up some really massive profits. Ricketts is a vain human who cares vastly about his public perception. 

I don't expect the Cubs will blow past the LT but there will be real money to spend this off-season. I think if they lose Tucker there will be a fairly large player brought in somewhere. 

Expect to be disappointed.

[Stratos]

Personally my expectation is they bump payroll 5-10 million to keep pace with the LT increase and inflation.   They seem willing to spend up to near the LT if there's a good player on a contract that at least pays for itself (like their interest in Bregman last offseason).  But if they won't spend up to the LT even after acquiring Tucker then Ricketts really has no urgency to spend or be a championship team.

Ricketts spent only around $225m, they got 92 wins, filled the seats all year, and got 2 rounds of playoff revenues, this was a successful season for Tom.  Sure he'd love them to get to the WS but from a business perspective I don't think he sees spending tens of millions extra on payroll for a slightly higher chance to go deeper in the playoffs as a wise investment.  He seems fine with having a team good enough to fill seats, sneak into the playoffs, and then roll the dice and hopefully get lucky.

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, Cuzi said:

We've been singing that same song since the sell off of the last core and the biggest we have spent on since then with all of these huge stars on the board is Dansby Swanson.

We have the ultimate combination of owner and FO that sit down and talk themselves out of needing to spend money on A list players in order to compete. I doubt the Tucker trade happens if Hoyer wasn't auditioning for a job.

 

So I will say I topline I agree.  I don't expect a 9 figure contract this winter unless it's something barely over that threshold, like Kevin Gausman money (5/110) to a SP (Bieber?).

That said I think a few things are worth keeping in mind:

- The team has a high floor and few holes.  They're far better positioned to spend on luxury items right now than they have been since at least the Darvish offseason

- Tucker aside, no one on this market is going to get way more than Swanson.  Framber Valdez is probably the #2 player on the market and he's looking at like Max Fried money

- This has never been confirmed publicly AFAIK, but TT has previously put together a pretty convincing argument that teams are more willing to sign a QO guy if they already have one going out.  That's because instead of full on losing a second rounder, it functions as basically just dropping back 20 spots.  With Tucker leaving Jed should have a little less reticence to play in those waters

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Expect to be disappointed.

I don't think I will be. My expectations are not Kyle Tucker, but the team will almost assuredly bring in someone of the Dylan Cease, Michael King category of FA. That doesn't mean it has to be one of them, but someone in this category of FA. And that feels pretty in line with how the Cubs have acted in recent years.