BREAKING: Cubs Sign Third Baseman Alex Bregman to Five-Year Deal

[bukie]

 

[chopsx9]

3 minutes ago, javy knows my name said:

Smug and wrong is just the worst look.

I'd give the chances that you understand a single baseball thing better than TT <1%

What chance did you give  to the CUBS signing Bregman?

[javy knows my name]

11 minutes ago, chopsx9 said:

What chance did you give  to the CUBS signing Bregman?

I set the over/under at 14

[Cuzi]

26 minutes ago, javy knows my name said:

Smug and wrong is just the worst look.

I'd give the chances that you understand a single baseball thing better than TT <1%

Perhaps TT should grace us with his own study on the subject, then. Because there isn't a single thing besides chatGPT showing anything close to a $10M price tag per WAR outside of a select number of dominant relievers.

Even a unicorn like Ohtani came in at $9.5M.

[Hot Sauce]

2 hours ago, Andy said:

Yeah he always annoyed me the most of all the cheating Astros, but I loved Edmonds by the time he was done so if he hits I'll be fine 

Is it just that he has a punchable face? Because I feel this way too.

[JBears79]

Really like this signing. Great offseason Jed. 

[SABR Gamer]

1 hour ago, Cuzi said:

Perhaps TT should grace us with his own study on the subject, then. Because there isn't a single thing besides chatGPT showing anything close to a $10M price tag per WAR outside of a select number of dominant relievers.

Even a unicorn like Ohtani came in at $9.5M.

Jesus man, Are you even reading the responses? $/WAR for a multi year contract isn’t based on the first year of the deal’s projection. It’s based on the projection for the entire length of the deal. 

[Cuzi]

1 minute ago, SABR Gamer said:

Jesus man, Are you even reading the responses? $/WAR for a multi year contract isn’t based on the first year of the deal’s projection. It’s based on the projection for the entire length of the deal. 

Shouldn't be hard to cite a study showing the price per WAR being a tick over $10M then.

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, Derwood said:

I'm just worried about how thin the OF is. We're looking at 150+ starts each for Happ/PCA/Seiya unless they add someone. I have zero faith in Alcantara.

I think they add a corner OF for sure, even if just some AAA journeyman.   Caissie was insurance for Happ/Seiya but also Mo at DH as LHB.  

[Stratos]

Shocked they opened up the books.   This is obviously very good for next year but IMO the AAV is too high.  I don't think the contract is very good over the longterm.  He's 32 y/o to start the year.  They should be happy if they get two 4 WAR years the first 2 seasons then declines.

I also don't like the fact he's been a RHB in Houston and Boston, his power numbers have probably been inflated a bit.  You're also bringing a known cheater into the clubhouse.

The Cubs could have kept Cam Smith at 3B and used the Bregman money to sign Tucker longterm, and stick Shaw at 2b when Nico leaves.

Go 2026 Cubs!!

[Cuzi]

I'm really mostly curious in what changed from last year to this year.

Trade for 1 year of Tucker and max out on Bregman at 4/115. Now Tucker is gone and Bregman is a year older but worth 5/175.

Was the QO loss really valued at that much of a difference?

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

Now we see, how all in are Jed and Ricketts. Is there one more big move in there where we go into the season as legit a WS team as anyone outside of the Dodgers?

I'm not getting too excited.  A trade could be next, or this could be a 1 year bump over the LT line to make it a smoother transition when guys leave next offseason.  It would be easy for them to get back under the tax in 2027 with so many leaving.

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Any chance they can unlock what he was during his prime

Let him cheat again?

[Geographyhater8888]

2 hours ago, Stratos said:

Shocked they opened up the books.   This is obviously very good for next year but IMO the AAV is too high.  I don't think the contract is very good over the longterm.  He's 32 y/o to start the year.  They should be happy if they get two 4 WAR years the first 2 seasons then declines.

I also don't like the fact he's been a RHB in Houston and Boston, his power numbers have probably been inflated a bit.  You're also bringing a known cheater into the clubhouse.

The Cubs could have kept Cam Smith at 3B and used the Bregman money to sign Tucker longterm, and stick Shaw at 2b when Nico leaves.

Go 2026 Cubs!!

Bregman has a higher career OPS on the road. His OPS was 114 points higher away from Fenway last season.

[CubinNY]

That’s what Im talking about!

[CubinNY]

5 hours ago, bukie said:

 

SA horsefeathers awesome 

[Geographyhater8888]

6 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

I’m struggling to see why Jed seems so obsessed with Bregman. Hope it works. If it doesn’t? I fear it scares tom and Jed off more from high money deals. 

I’m guessing it has to do with Bregmans consistency and a sure bet to play up his contract, He’s been a lock for over fWAR his entire career and is well rounded as a hitter and fielder. Right up Jed’s alley.

Edited January 11 by Geographyhater8888

[Layoutman]

7 hours ago, Bertz said:

FWIW I assume the lineup against RHP is something like this?

Busch / Bregman / Happ

Suzuki / Mo / Hoerner

PCA / Kelly / Swanson

What does your bench look like?  

With the Bregman signing - Shaw moves into the utility infielder role. Would like to see Jonny Long on the roster.  Having another RH bat would be nice. He could platoon with Mo at DH as well as backing up 1B when a tough LHP starts and Busch sits.

 

[BigbadB]

Tucker was my want, but as long as they don't trade Nico to get back under the LT, I'm cool with Bregman. This is a team you can pencil into the playoffs today. Bench bats as of now are Amaya/Kelly, Shaw, Austin/Ballesteros and Alcantara. 

Ballesteros is the only lefty bat in that bunch, but I'm not complaining. It's a lot of pop and I'll take that over handedness on the bench.

[BigbadB]

2 minutes ago, Layoutman said:

What does your bench look like?  

With the Bregman signing - Shaw moves into the utility infielder role. Would like to see Jonny Long on the roster.  Having another RH bat would be nice. He could platoon with Mo at DH as well as backing up 1B when a tough LHP starts and Busch sits.

 

It's probably a battle between Long and Austin for the RH DH job in ST, with Austin having the leg up since he was brought in for that purpose. 

[thawv]

8 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

Shaw is your Zobrist now

Zobrist was an everyday player at multiple positions.  I'd be very surprised if Shaw gets 500-600 PA's 

[thawv]

7 hours ago, Randall Simon said:

Still need to add to the bench, but my god, we spent!  I'm completely shocked! 

They just did!  Shaw is that huge addition to the bench. 

[Layoutman]

4 hours ago, Stratos said:

I think they add a corner OF for sure, even if just some AAA journeyman.   Caissie was insurance for Happ/Seiya but also Mo at DH as LHB.  

Mike Tauchman would make a nice 4th outfielder. I don't think Alcantara's bat is MLB ready plus he needs to play every day to develop. Tauchman shouldn't be an expensive sign. 

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Layoutman said:

Mike Tauchman would make a nice 4th outfielder. I don't think Alcantara's bat is MLB ready plus he needs to play every day to develop. Tauchman shouldn't be an expensive sign. 

Alcantara has over 500 PA's in Triple-A. That's not so much he has to promote, but he's also seen plenty of MiLB pitching. Getting him curated PAs and allowing him to be the 4th OF'er, mostly to hit LHP is a pretty soft landing spot in MLB. 

They'll be fine with him in that role and it'll be good for his development.

[Bull]

46 minutes ago, thawv said:

They just did!  Shaw is that huge addition to the bench. 

Yup, and I feel like you can go with a short bench. Amaya, Shaw, and Alcantara really going to be needing PAs.