Winter Meetings Thread

[ToolDRT]

6 minutes ago, Cubs420psd said:

-Sign Bregman or Belly

-Sign Fairbanks 

-Trade for another starter 

 

No excuse for this not to be very possible.

Remember, we have to save about 30 mil for in season trades that Jed will later claim were too steep in price to finalize. 

[Dfan25]

I didn’t hear Rogers , but apparently he said that there is a feeling that the Red Sox , Padres , Cubs are the teams that could make a move soon ( trade )

[squally1313]

47 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

 

Any chance we get in on this? On one hand, it's not a perfect positional fit for 2026 (and potentially past that, the metrics aren't great and he's definitely on the wrong side of the aging curve). On the other hand, he's an offensive monster who is probably your 1a or 1b hitter right off the bat so giving him 100 games at DH for a year is fine, he becomes the best backup middle infielder in history, and also has some experience in CF and so he lets you get a bat first/bat only bench guy (or worry less about how Ballesteros fits in the roster). And he's at $15m a year, so he's a steal. Emptying the farm for a 32 year old isn't on the surface a wise idea, but he's definitely a major difference maker for 2026. 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, squally1313 said:

Any chance we get in on this? On one hand, it's not a perfect positional fit for 2026 (and potentially past that, the metrics aren't great and he's definitely on the wrong side of the aging curve). On the other hand, he's an offensive monster who is probably your 1a or 1b hitter right off the bat so giving him 100 games at DH for a year is fine, he becomes the best backup middle infielder in history, and also has some experience in CF and so he lets you get a bat first/bat only bench guy (or worry less about how Ballesteros fits in the roster). And he's at $15m a year, so he's a steal. Emptying the farm for a 32 year old isn't on the surface a wise idea, but he's definitely a major difference maker for 2026. 

My gut feeling is "no". I think the return for Marte revolves too heavily around pitching and I don't think the Cubs have it for them unless they like, really love Ben Brown or something. Hoyer was talking about how the Cubs might add another swing starter, so maybe? But I think the Cubs don't really match up well here. 

[Jason Ross]

6 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

I didn’t hear Rogers , but apparently he said that there is a feeling that the Red Sox , Padres , Cubs are the teams that could make a move soon ( trade )

 

[CubinNY]

11 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

 

I would cream my jeans. 

[Jason Ross]

 

[Cuzi]

9 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

I would cream my jeans. 

What is so special about MacKenzie Gore? He's forever a middling pitcher. He gets whiffs and strikeouts, but he also walks a ton of guys and gives up a ton of hard contact. So his ERA is always crap but his expected numbers make him look like he could be better. But its the same story every year.

We are looking for a guy to throw out there in game 1/2 in the playoffs. I feel like MacKenzie Gore is a shiny version of Shota.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Cuzi

[CubinNY]

Just now, Cuzi said:

What is so special about MacKenzie Gore? He's forever a middling pitcher. He gets whiffs and strikeouts, but he also walks a ton of guys and gives up a ton of hard contact. So his ERA is always crap but his expected numbers make him look like he could be better. But its the same story every year.

Isn't it great when you answer your own question in one post. 

[Cuzi]

2 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Isn't it great when you answer your own question in one post. 

So you are banking on the underlying numbers when it's been the same story every year? Is that not the definition of insanity?

[Bertz]

6 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

What is so special about MacKenzie Gore? He's forever a middling pitcher. He gets whiffs and strikeouts, but he also walks a ton of guys and gives up a ton of hard contact. So his ERA is always crap but his expected numbers make him look like he could be better. But its the same story every year.

We are looking for a guy to throw out there in game 1/2 in the playoffs. I feel like MacKenzie Gore is a shiny version of Shota.

Worth noting that the Nats are/were one of the handful of teams who haven't really properly modernized their pitching dev. 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

5 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

So you are banking on the underlying numbers when it's been the same story every year? Is that not the definition of insanity?

He's had 3 full seasons in the league playing for a ****** team with a terrible defense. It's not insane to think his numbers will start to look more like his expected numbers.

[Jason Ross]

With Shamra saying the Cubs are doing a better job with the top-end of the market and the Cubs getting near(ish) a trade from Rogers...

 

Bregman and Gore feel like it could be happening? 

[Cuzi]

Just now, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

He's had 3 full seasons in the league playing for a ****** team with a terrible defense. It's not insane to think his numbers will start to look more like his expected numbers.

You can't defend against walks and homeruns. I dont care what your FIP says when you routinely give up runs. You win games by runs, not FIP.

[squally1313]

14 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

 

lol I mean, sorry, at the risk of sounding too negative, but we can't simultaneously throw 'tried really hard for Alex Bregman last year!' and also 'they're more engaged at the top of the market than in prior years' in the 'look how good Jed is doing' pile. 

[Dfan25]

I don’t know how legit this account is , but Jeff Passan follows him :

 

 

 

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

I don’t know how legit this account is , but Jeff Passan follows him :

 

 

 

If this is true it could mean the Cubs trade that may happen soon will be for a bat. To be fair, Rogers said a trade soon. He didn’t say a major deal. Maybe it is for Bohm or someone in that level. Then they sign Imai or King later. Even if Rogers is correct it doesn’t have to be a major deal. 

[Cuzi]

Bohm is not a player I would displace Shaw with.

[Jason Ross]

19 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

I don’t know how legit this account is , but Jeff Passan follows him :

 

 

 

Super not-legit. They just post "winds of the offseason" stuff. I wouldn't buy a thing this account posts and I say this as someone who wants desperately to believe the Cubs are the favorites for Imai

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

Bohm is not a player I would displace Shaw with.

Me neither. But he could be a right handed bat to DH and also play some first base. I said it could be a small trade. I consider adding Bohm as the top RH bench bat/part time corner infielder, part time DH a small trade. 

[Cuzi]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Me neither. But he could be a right handed bat to DH and also play some first base. I said it could be a small trade. I consider adding Bohm as the top RH bench bat/part time corner infielder, part time DH a small trade. 

You are asking to trade for a teams starter to become your weak side platoon bench bat. You are never getting that value.

[Jason Ross]

Probably worth noting that Rogers claimed the Red Sox, Padres and the Cubs were teams that could be close to finalizing moves and Grissom was traded from Boston. Whether that was the trade Rogers was alluding to or not, I have no idea, but could signal the other two are on trade-watch as well (though like Grissom, could be small).

[chopsx9]

3 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

I like the way the dodgers work. I wish they would pay me to be a fan of theirs. 

I'd chip in a buck.

[Rcal10]

29 minutes ago, Cuzi said:

You are asking to trade for a teams starter to become your weak side platoon bench bat. You are never getting that value.

Phillies were said to be discussing non tendering Bohm. They have been trying to get rid of him for years. Now signing Schwarber they make be looking to dump some salary. Obviously if he cost anything if real value a trade isn’t happening. And it was just an example of a smallish trade, anyway. 

[ToolDRT]

7 minutes ago, chopsx9 said:

I'd chip in a buck.

This might do it