Screw Winter Doldrums! The Get a Big Bat and Call It an Offseason Thread

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, Neuby said:

Tyler Beede to the Cubs- Drafted in the first round twice. Top 100 guy, Pitched in Japan. Runs his own pitch lab/ Driveline place in Houston. 

[Bertz]

Wasn't Beede one of Tom's guys??

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Wasn't Beede one of Tom's guys??

Beede was one of Tom's guys. Yes. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

Mike Tauchman seems like a really good fit for this team on a cheap 1 year deal.  They need a body who can competently fill an outfield spot in the event of injury and a left handed bat off the bench.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

2 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Mike Tauchman seems like a really good fit for this team on a cheap 1 year deal.  They need a body who can competently fill an outfield spot in the event of injury and a left handed bat off the bench.

I get the instinct to add a LHH bat, but what RHH in the lineup are getting platoon protected or even pinch hit for?  As odd as it might seem, I think that last spot needs to go to someone RHH who can play CF since there's more playing time to be had, be it Alcantara or an external signing.

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I get the instinct to add a LHH bat, but what RHH in the lineup are getting platoon protected or even pinch hit for?  As odd as it might seem, I think that last spot needs to go to someone RHH who can play CF since there's more playing time to be had, be it Alcantara or an external signing.

PCA is going to be out there a large majority of the time.  The Cubs aren't platooning their gold glove CF.  But I think they need a semi-dependable non-Alcantara OF option so they aren't completely screwed when/if someone gets hurt.

[Tryptamine]

So,  outside of something crazy like Tucker which is extremely unrealistic, is there really anyone out there in FA that noticeably improves the current roster? Yeah they could grab Gallen so that they could then trade Taillon in order to make the mass exodus after 2026 not so bad, but the pen is pretty much full, the rotation is extremely full and really the only opening on the position player side would be a RF/CF if you don't trust Alcantara, but there's no one I'm even real interested in for that.

[Cuzi]

59 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

So,  outside of something crazy like Tucker which is extremely unrealistic, is there really anyone out there in FA that noticeably improves the current roster? Yeah they could grab Gallen so that they could then trade Taillon in order to make the mass exodus after 2026 not so bad, but the pen is pretty much full, the rotation is extremely full and really the only opening on the position player side would be a RF/CF if you don't trust Alcantara, but there's no one I'm even real interested in for that.

I think we are at the point of what you see is what you get.

Without some kind of trade, I think we are pretty much done besides maybe some minor league depth signings.

[KCCub]

This is going to drag on until we let it known we’re not interested in moving Nico. Which I hope is the case

[Tryptamine]

1 minute ago, KCCub said:

This is going to drag on until we let it known we’re not interested in moving Nico. Which I hope is the case

They legitimately don't have anything I want outside of wildly unrealistic things like Schlitter. I guess Dominguez would be interesting if he wasn't a complete trainwreck defensively.

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, Tryptamine said:

So,  outside of something crazy like Tucker which is extremely unrealistic, is there really anyone out there in FA that noticeably improves the current roster? Yeah they could grab Gallen so that they could then trade Taillon in order to make the mass exodus after 2026 not so bad, but the pen is pretty much full, the rotation is extremely full and really the only opening on the position player side would be a RF/CF if you don't trust Alcantara, but there's no one I'm even real interested in for that.

Yeah looking at the list of available FAs I'm thinking Gallen, Bader, and Seranthony Dominguez?  And even Bader hasn't really mashed lefties as much as he's gotten older so that one's a bit iffy.

[KCCub]

Just now, Tryptamine said:

They legitimately don't have anything I want outside of wildly unrealistic things like Schlitter. I guess Dominguez would be interesting if he wasn't a complete trainwreck defensively.

Agreed. No interest in Spencer Jones here. Gil doesn’t excite me either. Would much rather just lock in the 4war season from Nico 

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

So,  outside of something crazy like Tucker which is extremely unrealistic, is there really anyone out there in FA that noticeably improves the current roster? Yeah they could grab Gallen so that they could then trade Taillon in order to make the mass exodus after 2026 not so bad, but the pen is pretty much full, the rotation is extremely full and really the only opening on the position player side would be a RF/CF if you don't trust Alcantara, but there's no one I'm even real interested in for that.

I wouldn't mind seeing them add Tauchman, a veteran guy who can play all 3 OF spots and if needed in case of an injury would be comfortable with plugging in a spot for however long needed.

 

[chibears55]

I see with Bregman theyre about 700K under the Threshold. 

Im hoping they have decided to just go over it this year and have one more solid addition. 

I like Alcantara but would love to see them add Tauchman or someone like him, a good veteran who can play all 3 positions and would be productive if needed to start a few games due to injuries. 

 

I just hope theyre not going to go the stupid cheap we gotta stay under the Threshold route by trading Nico 12 mil for a prospect, just to be 10+ mil under going into the season, and then penny pinch or do nothing at the deadline because 10 mil not all that much to get a decent needed upgrade in a trade, which would likely be a middle infielder to play 2B because Shaw not hacking it as an everyday guy there, or a productive bat to DH/RFer cause Mo been inconsistent.

 

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Call me crazy but I think theres only 2 positions where I wouldn't want Shaw to moonlight. Im not convinced they add anyone of significance. 

[BigbadB]

15 hours ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I get the instinct to add a LHH bat, but what RHH in the lineup are getting platoon protected or even pinch hit for?  As odd as it might seem, I think that last spot needs to go to someone RHH who can play CF since there's more playing time to be had, be it Alcantara or an external signing.

Excellent point regarding who you pinch hit for. A dominant RH bench is fine in this instance.

[chibears55]

Who were you more excited about getting? 

Tucker last year or Bregman this year

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

Who were you more excited about getting? 

Tucker last year or Bregman this year

I think Tucker had the more "upside" as a player (He could probably still be a 6+ win player in the right situation where as Bregman probably isn't) , but Bregman represents a bit of a change in how the Cubs have operated so, I'll say Bregman

[Bertz]

I don't want to talk crap about a guy just because our fans are annoying, but woof those Cam Smith numbers

[Cuzi]

Astros might have been better off keeping a guy with 2 years of college and only 5 games at AA in the minors. Maybe.

[KCCub]

8 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I don't want to talk crap about a guy just because our fans are annoying, but woof those Cam Smith numbers

Health always seems to be their issue, but they're one top end SP away from being pretty damn good. 

[Cuzi]

20 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Who were you more excited about getting? 

Tucker last year or Bregman this year

I was excited to get Tucker because the package they gave up to get him felt like there was no way you make that move without a massive contract ready to offer. But then you found out shortly after there was no intention to keep him beyond 1 year. And then they limped through the remainder of the off season. So the excitement was short lived.

At least with Bregman you know for a fact he's here for 5 years.

Edited January 12 by Cuzi

[KCCub]

19 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Who were you more excited about getting? 

Tucker last year or Bregman this year

It's Bregman just due to the commitment. Tucker always felt like a pipe dream to extend, more of a fling than long term sort of speak. 

I'm just over here day dreaming about the $22m from Shota, $17m from Jamo, and $14.5m from Boyd freed up after this season and throwing that at a certain FA lefty SP. A guy can dream. 

[Rcal10]

22 minutes ago, KCCub said:

It's Bregman just due to the commitment. Tucker always felt like a pipe dream to extend, more of a fling than long term sort of speak. 

I'm just over here day dreaming about the $22m from Shota, $17m from Jamo, and $14.5m from Boyd freed up after this season and throwing that at a certain FA lefty SP. A guy can dream. 

I may be in the minority in this, but I don’t think the Cubs would have given Tucker the contract they gave Bregman. I think they like Bregman better, period. Regardless of the years or money. I also think the original plan with Tucker was bring  him over, have him love the city and try signing him to a large contract. I think the Cubs decided he wasn’t t the type of player they want. 
I don’t agree with the Cubs on this one. I think Tucker is the better player. But, IMO, there was something the Cubs FO didn’t like about him. 

[Neuby]

Jesse Rogers says the Cubs plan on. exceeding the L/T this season and keeping Nico Hoerner