Tatsuya Imai to the Astros

[chibears55]

31 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

If this were true they would have given Imai a contract where he can get out after one year. Wouldn’t that have played into what you say their plan is? 

Yea but it could also of been a couple things, Imai really didn't want to play with any other Japanese players like he said or in Chicago, or Ricketts didn't want to pay a posting fee just to lose him after 1 season, or maybe Hoyer didn't want to risk losing another SP since I believe 3 will be coming off the book after 2026 and wants to add someone that guarenteed to stay.

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

ZiPS also didn't love him.  I'm really curious if his market cratering is because the projections are so soft or because the private side pitch design guys are just that much more bearish on him than the public ones.

The other thing that's weird to me is if his market is *this* bad why the hell is it holding everything else up?  Was Boras flat unwilling to move on anyone else until Imai/Okamoto got settled?

Lance suggests teams are wary of his projections. Private sector loves him, teams less so. That's what he was hearing from team sources at least.

[chibears55]

Look at the bright side, if Imai is good he will likely opt out and become a FA next year, Hoyer and the Cubs will basically have an open payroll and SP need 🤷🤷🤷🤷

[ILMindState]

Just now, chibears55 said:

Look at the bright side, if Imai is good he will likely opt out and become a FA next year, Hoyer and the Cubs will basically have an open payroll and SP need 🤷🤷🤷🤷

If he's good he'll be out of the Cubs price range or want too many years. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

I dont think the roster cliff is as bad as its made out to be. You extend Nico this year, possibly Kelly too, sign Gallen, let Caissie get acclimated for 2027,  suddenly you're looking at 1 or 2 holes to fill. They clearly have the money to do this.

 

Im high on our potential to get high-level production out of Gallen as well. I would be quite happy to add him to the rotation. 

[Hortonhearsawho]

5 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Look at the bright side, if Imai is good he will likely opt out and become a FA next year, Hoyer and the Cubs will basically have an open payroll and SP need 🤷🤷🤷🤷

So we can go O for 2. 

[Hortonhearsawho]

6 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I dont think the roster cliff is as bad as its made out to be. You extend Nico this year, possibly Kelly too, sign Gallen, let Caissie get acclimated for 2027,  suddenly you're looking at 1 or 2 holes to fill. They clearly have the money to do this.

They could easily extend Happ too. That won't break the bank and I think he will probably be the same Happ for a couple more years as well.

[Rcal10]

58 minutes ago, thawv said:

You're splitting hairs.  I thought 16 mil for 4 years, and he signed 18 mil for 3 years with options.  No way in the world do I have the capabilities to predict a contract, just like you and everybody else on this page. 

 

I think the options made Jed run, or this was his only offer?

Not really. The deal he got is much better than what you suggested. Way more player friendly. He isn’t locked into $64M over 4 years. It is only close if he sucks. And I don’t blame Jed for not agreeing to an opt out after 1 year. 

[Jason Ross]

Of course the roster cliff isn't that bad if the Cubs extend players; it's like saying a fall off a building isn't that bad if you take the ladder instead. There isn't a roster cliff if you aren't losing players. 

But I also think we know the Cubs probably won't be extending most of these players. As well, these players will require, likely, salary increases which then eats into the money you have remaining to rebuild the remaining positions. 

There will be some outcome next year that the Cubs will have to navigate and adding another opt-out situation to it probably isn't a great idea. 

[JHBulls]

I never wanted him anyway…

[Rcal10]

I like the idea of signing Bregman and trading for a starting pitcher. Maybe even a similar deal the Cubs did long ago when they traded Cashner for Rizzo. Use Cassie and see what young pitcher you can get. Soriano? Weathers? Something like that. Or, put a package together for Cabrera. Either works for me. 

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Of course the roster cliff isn't that bad if the Cubs extend players; it's like saying a fall off a building isn't that bad if you take the ladder instead. There isn't a roster cliff if you aren't losing players. 

But I also think we know the Cubs probably won't be extending most of these players. As well, these players will require, likely, salary increases which then eats into the money you have remaining to rebuild the remaining positions. 

There will be some outcome next year that the Cubs will have to navigate and adding another opt-out situation to it probably isn't a great idea. 

Nico will cost a lot more than he is making now. But willl any others? I would think Happ would be close to the same. Maybe Suzuki too. Not saying I want all those guys, but I am not doom and gloom for 2027 and beyond. That said, I agree that it does not make sense to sign Imai to the deal he got. That is one more pitcher who can be a FA. Not a good spot. 

[abuck1220]

58 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

How many good players at each position do you think are available every offseason? How often does a team replace 3/5ths of it's rotation while also signing 3+ new position player starters? 

At some point it's video game fantasy to think a team can lose 6-8 starting players and bring in replacements for all of them. Which doesn't begin to account for the Cubs and their spending habits. If it were the Dodgers and you'd expect the Cubs to spend like sailors? Sure! But they're going to Cub and it's just not realistic.

They need some sort of a floor for 2027. 

so it’s better to give a lesser guy a spot in the rotation and win fewer games in the name of i guess staggering free agency better? the object is to win games.

 

[Derwood]

So much concern over Bregman when we still have no RF

[squally1313]

So anyways, can we talk about the disaster offseason potential situation yet, or are we still doing the guy in a hot dog costume about all the expiring contracts next year thing to justify why this is fine 

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, abuck1220 said:

so it’s better to give a lesser guy a spot in the rotation and win fewer games in the name of i guess staggering free agency better? the object is to win games.

 

When did I say any of that? I never said the Cubs should win fewer games or sign lesser players. 

I like Tatsuya Imai, but based on reports and the contract he got, teams didn't go ape-horsefeathers for him so something is off here. Maybe team's evaluations are off. Maybe I'm off. But it isn't like Tatsuya Imai is the only good player the Cubs can get. I think not offering more money/years to Imai will be something the Cubs wish they had done, but it's also not a forgone conclusion, either. And they can still have a perfectly good offseason even if they didn't get my personal pet-project.

If the Cubs, say, sign Alex Bregman and trade for Edward Cabrera, they'd both be winning baseball games and not adding to the roster cliff. 

So let's avoid putting words in my mouth. And let's avoid making a mountain out of molehill right now too, on Imai. Imai might be very good; the Cubs have many ways to skin a cat, and not going with an opt-out deal in 2027 is probably a good thing regardless.

There are plenty of options remaining. I'll panic in March that the Cubs aren't trying to win baseball games.

[BKHoo]

5 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

As stated elsewhere the Cubs already slated to lose their starters at C, 2b, RF/DH, LF, 3 SP's (Boyd, Shota, Taillon) and a lot of their BP. They probably don't want to add "another SP" to the mix.

At this price I’d take it. If he opts out that means he had a good year.  The Cubs are loaded for 26 and then as you said there is both incertainty in baseball/CBA and uncertainty with the Cubs w many contracts expiring. 
 

Why not go all in?? 

Edited January 2 by BKHoo

[squally1313]

4 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I like Tatsuya Imai, but based on reports and the contract he got, teams didn't go ape-horsefeathers for him so something is

Come on man. Just be critical for once. It’s January and we have no one. 

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

Come on man. Just be critical for once. It’s January and we have no one. 

Please don't tell me how to feel, or react. It's unfair. Just because I'm not throwing a fit, doesn't make my responses any more or less valid than others. 

I told you before, I'll be critical when the offseason takes full shape. Until then I'm going to maintain an open mind. I threw a fit last year when the Cubs signed Matthew Boyd and Collin Rea and I was frankly, wrong, and I look silly for it. I won't make the same mistake.

[CubinNY]

12 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

So anyways, can we talk about the disaster offseason potential situation yet, or are we still doing the guy in a hot dog costume about all the expiring contracts next year thing to justify why this is fine 

The straw grasping and rationalizing is both expected and pathetic 

[squally1313]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

threw a fit last year when the Cubs signed Matthew Boyd and Collin Rea and I was frankly, wrong, and I look silly for it. I won't make the same mistake.

They went into the season with like $25m under the tax! You can credit the good decisions and also say that their unwillingness to overpay for good players is a problem. Oh we don’t want to give opt outs? Guess we should just check out from any major negotiation going forward. Would hate to be inefficient. 

[TarzanJoeWallis]

I’m sure we will soon read that the Cubs now plan to be patient and wait out the market. 

[Jason Ross]

8 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

They went into the season with like $25m under the tax! You can credit the good decisions and also say that their unwillingness to overpay for good players is a problem. Oh we don’t want to give opt outs? Guess we should just check out from any major negotiation going forward. Would hate to be inefficient. 

I think the Cubs can offer opt outs. I don't think they can realistically offer opt outs in 2027 to their best player they acquire in 2026. Whether it's Imai, Gallen, or whatever they sign in FA, the player they acquire this way will likely be their best player acquired. 

Dylan Cease didn't get opt outs. Nor did Schwarber, or Alonso. Or Diaz.  Other players won't get them, too.

[Stratos]

51 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Lance suggests teams are wary of his projections. Private sector loves him, teams less so. That's what he was hearing from team sources at least.

Lance did a breakdown of him where his slider is very unique and actually has armside run so almost nothing to compare that pitch to in the MLB, so question marks on how it will play.

Imanaga also came in under what we thought he'd get and had lots of protection for the Cubs built in the contract, but also incentives if he did well. Unless you're a Yamamoto type obvious TORP seems teams are weary of the unknowns of these guys.

[CubinNY]

They aren’t willing to go long term but also aren’t willing to go make good. What did any one else expect?

like here’s the pitch- well we don’t think you are good enough to invest long term but also you might be so we are not going to give you an opportunity to show you can. Ready to sign?