Winter Meetings Thread

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

That isn’t the point. The point is reporters aren’t just spouting out names because they assume the Cubs want to add a 3rd baseman. Names are out because the Cubs are looking at 3rd baseman. We haven’t heard about outfielders because the Cubs aren’t talking about them. 

Im not saying they definitely are assuming, I was just responding to a post.. 

But, how do you know for sure they are absolutely looking for a 3Bmen? You only know what these writers are saying that they could be interested in those 3 names and they could be saying that because one of the Cubs needs is a big bat to replace Tucker, and where is the most probable spot to fill that need of all the positions? 3B, so it easy to just assume the Cubs could be interested in Bregman Suarez and Murakami.

Heyman just threw out there today that the Cubs could be interested in Schwarber 🙄

[Tryptamine]

Has there been a single FA the Cubs haven't been linked to outside of Alonso and Tucker? It's the same thing every year.

[Cuzi]

18 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Apparently Heyman is blowing a lot of smoke about the Cubs and Imai.  Given the Heyman/Boras stuff you could read that one of two ways.

Imai offers coming in low. Everyones favorite leverage team being used to up the price.

[Dfan25]

Yeah , Heyman has talk a good bit about Imai and the Cubs today . He believes there is a decent chance the Cubs sign him ( FWIW ) . 
 

I guess I feel more optimistic because the Dodgers don’t seem like they are involved  . Giants and Mets are giving signs that they don’t want to do long term deals for SP . Red Sox have already added 2 SP and they seem focused on bats now . 
 

I don’t know , maybe they have a chance . I think Imai is their number # target with King as the main backup plan . I don’t think King is signing before Imai 

[chibears55]

18 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Has there been a single FA the Cubs haven't been linked to outside of Alonso and Tucker? It's the same thing every year.

Right, Cubs offseason needs are big bat, bullpen, SP...

So just go with top 2-3 guys at all needs and say cubs are interested in them... lol

[Backtobanks]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

If the Cubs added a big bat at 3rd he would be taking Shaw’s spot in the line up. If they added a big bat in the outfield he would be replacing Cassie. Again, why would reporters assume the Cubs want to replace Shaw but not Cassie? 

One reason is that Cassie is not the starting OF on the Cubs (yet), while Shaw is the starting 3B.

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Backtobanks said:

One reason is that Cassie is not the starting OF on the Cubs (yet), while Shaw is the starting 3B.

So reporters would assume they would rather replace Shaw’s bat at 3rd, instead of getting a quality bat anywhere that can DH and take Cassie or Mo spot in the line up? 
Again, I am not arguing what the Cubs are doing. I am saying if the reports are they are looking at Bregman, Suarez or one of the Japanese 3rd baseman, that is not reporters assuming that is obviously what they would do. That is reporters reporting on what they have heard they are doing. 

[Backtobanks]

I agree with Chibears that all of these "rumors" are just reporters matching needs with names.  The Cubs have been linked to numerous SP, RP, and 3B because those are their needs.

[Jason Ross]

51 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Apparently Heyman is blowing a lot of smoke about the Cubs and Imai.  Given the Heyman/Boras stuff you could read that one of two ways.

I choose to read this that the Chicago Cubs are 100% signing Imai and will not accept any discussion otherwise because I really like him. 

[Backtobanks]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

So reporters would assume they would rather replace Shaw’s bat at 3rd, instead of getting a quality bat anywhere that can DH and take Cassie or Mo spot in the line up? 
Again, I am not arguing what the Cubs are doing. I am saying if the reports are they are looking at Bregman, Suarez or one of the Japanese 3rd baseman, that is not reporters assuming that is obviously what they would do. That is reporters reporting on what they have heard they are doing. 

Most reporters are repeating what they've heard from other reporters.

[Tryptamine]

Sure sounds like the Orioles are doing them darndest to land a top arm like Framber as well as a top bat like Alonso/Schwarber. Wont it be fun when we can even look at the Orioles and think, man that must be nice.

[Bertz]

4 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I choose to read this that the Chicago Cubs are 100% signing Imai and will not accept any discussion otherwise because I really like him. 

It feels somewhat clear that the team's FA pref list is Imai followed by King followed by Gallen. 

What isn't clear is what would it take to push them into the trade market as opposed to free agency.  Especially because every bat we've heard about (sans a random Jo Adell nod over a month ago) has been to guys who will make a healthy salary.  And the idea of signing both a FA bat and arm of substance from here undermines our assumptions about payroll.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

21 minutes ago, Bertz said:

It feels somewhat clear that the team's FA pref list is Imai followed by King followed by Gallen. 

What isn't clear is what would it take to push them into the trade market as opposed to free agency.  Especially because every bat we've heard about (sans a random Jo Adell nod over a month ago) has been to guys who will make a healthy salary.  And the idea of signing both a FA bat and arm of substance from here undermines our assumptions about payroll.

I think it could also mean a little bit of a payroll boost, and them being comfortable with the position player group after signing a bat, and being okay with Zombro specials for most(all?) of the relievers they still want to add.

[Rcal10]

45 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

I agree with Chibears that all of these "rumors" are just reporters matching needs with names.  The Cubs have been linked to numerous SP, RP, and 3B because those are their needs.

🤷maybe. I believe there is more to it than that. But if there are people who believe the earth is flat, I guess there can be people who believe all reports are just fiction. 

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I think it could also mean a little bit of a payroll boost, and them being comfortable with the position player group after signing a bat, and being okay with Zombro specials for most(all?) of the relievers they still want to add.

A payroll boost would be nice and does work next year. They can easily get under it the following year if they need to. And with  new CBA they might not need to.

[Jason Ross]

I find this clip of Bruce Levine very interesting. He names, very specifically three Boras clients: Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman and Zac Gallen. I think we've all at least come to terms that these are players the Cubs find interest in. He did not mention Michael King, though he is not a Boras client.

What I think is so interesting about this is the discussion right before it, in that the Cubs are "between free agents and trades". And I think this is telling. My read:

1. It's Imai or Bregman as your FA or maybe Gallen 
2. The Cubs plan to solve the opposite of their FA purchase the hitter or the SP via a trade

It also seems to line up with a lot of our thinking here. The trade portion feels especially interesting since, while, we seem to be picking up on the smoke on the FA front (maybe because it's Boras to begin with) but nothing on the trade smoke. Is it Gore? Is it Cabrera? Who could the hitters be if that's the other way? 

 

[Rcal10]

5 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I find this clip of Bruce Levine very interesting. He names, very specifically three Boras clients: Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman and Zac Gallen. I think we've all at least come to terms that these are players the Cubs find interest in. He did not mention Michael King, though he is not a Boras client.

What I think is so interesting about this is the discussion right before it, in that the Cubs are "between free agents and trades". And I think this is telling. My read:

1. It's Imai or Bregman as your FA or maybe Gallen 
2. The Cubs plan to solve the opposite of their FA purchase the hitter or the SP via a trade

It also seems to line up with a lot of our thinking here. The trade portion feels especially interesting since, while, we seem to be picking up on the smoke on the FA front (maybe because it's Boras to begin with) but nothing on the trade smoke. Is it Gore? Is it Cabrera? Who could the hitters be if that's the other way? 

 

Not sure who the hitter would be. Bohm? Maybe a Bohm and Strahm package from Phillie? Not exactly an exciting bat, but does help the pen. And uses as a right handed platoon, would be in. 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Rcal10 said:

Not sure who the hitter would be. Bohm? Maybe a Bohm and Strahm package from Phillie? Not exactly an exciting bat, but does help the pen. And uses as a right handed platoon, would be in. 

Based on Matt's comments in his article, I would highly suggest it' not a reliever. 

This feels like the Cubs are going to get a SP and a hitter and one is coming FA and one is coming via trade. I don't think the Cubs care for trading for a reliever.

[Bertz]

45 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I think it could also mean a little bit of a payroll boost, and them being comfortable with the position player group after signing a bat, and being okay with Zombro specials for most(all?) of the relievers they still want to add.

Yeah honestly the two easiest ways to reconcile what we're consistently hearing are:

- Payroll is a little higher than we're expecting (nothing crazy...an extra 10-15 mil would do the trick)

- The team has all these balls in the air but in the end one of their three needs is not actually going to get addressed in FA

Hopefully if it is the latter case handle it via trade rather than just punting on it completely.

[Cuzi]

4 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Based on Matt's comments in his article, I would highly suggest it' not a reliever. 

This feels like the Cubs are going to get a SP and a hitter and one is coming FA and one is coming via trade. I don't think the Cubs care for trading for a reliever.

Hoyer doesn't sound that committed to top of the reliever market, either.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Cuzi

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Cuzi said:

Hoyer doesn't sound that committed to top of the reliever market, either.

Checks out. I'm not a massive fan of this; it'd behoove the team to get at least one more damn reliever you can count on in now, but it just feels like pissing in the wind. They built a good bullpen on the fly last year by essentially May 1st  - so it is what it is, even if I don't love it.

[Backtobanks]

17 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I find this clip of Bruce Levine very interesting. He names, very specifically three Boras clients: Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman and Zac Gallen. I think we've all at least come to terms that these are players the Cubs find interest in. He did not mention Michael King, though he is not a Boras client.

What I think is so interesting about this is the discussion right before it, in that the Cubs are "between free agents and trades". And I think this is telling. My read:

1. It's Imai or Bregman as your FA or maybe Gallen 
2. The Cubs plan to solve the opposite of their FA purchase the hitter or the SP via a trade

It also seems to line up with a lot of our thinking here. The trade portion feels especially interesting since, while, we seem to be picking up on the smoke on the FA front (maybe because it's Boras to begin with) but nothing on the trade smoke. Is it Gore? Is it Cabrera? Who could the hitters be if that's the other way? 

 

It sounds like a whole bunch of gibberish to me.  He might do this, but we might not, or we could do this first, but we're not sure and we're not mentioning any names positively.😂

[Bull]

19 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I find this clip of Bruce Levine very interesting. He names, very specifically three Boras clients: Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman and Zac Gallen. I think we've all at least come to terms that these are players the Cubs find interest in. He did not mention Michael King, though he is not a Boras client.

What I think is so interesting about this is the discussion right before it, in that the Cubs are "between free agents and trades". And I think this is telling. My read:

1. It's Imai or Bregman as your FA or maybe Gallen 
2. The Cubs plan to solve the opposite of their FA purchase the hitter or the SP via a trade

It also seems to line up with a lot of our thinking here. The trade portion feels especially interesting since, while, we seem to be picking up on the smoke on the FA front (maybe because it's Boras to begin with) but nothing on the trade smoke. Is it Gore? Is it Cabrera? Who could the hitters be if that's the other way? 

 

Three Boras clients, eh? Maybe it isn't the Cubs making a smokescreen. It would be awesome if Jed and Boras were mutually using each other for leverage. 

[Jason Ross]

An all-timer from Nightengale.

[CubinNY]

22 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

An all-timer from Nightengale.

He made a deal just not with the Cubs