Cubs signing Michael Conforto

[Derwood]

 

[Rcal10]

7 minutes ago, Derwood said:

 

Not really sure what to make out of this. If he makes the team does he take Mo spot and Mo starts at Iowa? Is he the 4th outfielder. Conforto’s past is much better than anyone else they have brought in. Down numbers last year and not too good the year before. But he still has a career OPS+ of 119. If he can find his stroke he would be a good addition to the bench, at the very least. Bench of Auston, Shaw, back up catcher and Conforto with Mo still DH. Or Mo goes down to catch and one of McCormick, Carlson or Alcantara is the last bench bat.🤷 Guess he is worth a look. 

[Geographyhater8888]

20 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Not really sure what to make out of this. If he makes the team does he take Mo spot and Mo starts at Iowa? Is he the 4th outfielder. Conforto’s past is much better than anyone else they have brought in. Down numbers last year and not too good the year before. But he still has a career OPS+ of 119. If he can find his stroke he would be a good addition to the bench, at the very least. Bench of Auston, Shaw, back up catcher and Conforto with Mo still DH. Or Mo goes down to catch and one of McCormick, Carlson or Alcantara is the last bench bat.🤷 Guess he is worth a look. 

That’s how you should feel about him. He’s been derailed by injuries and was a below replacement level player in 486 PAs with LA last season. A potential depth option and at best a lottery ticket. 
I wouldn’t get excited about a guy with only 21 effective doubles last season either, 

Edited February 23 by Geographyhater8888

[Rcal10]

I have an interesting Conforto story. Back when he was drafted in 2014 I was in my second year as a STH. I had an issue with something the Cubs did that year and voiced my displeasure with them. TR has his EA set up a day I was at the game and he would come and talk to me about my concern. This was the day after the Cubs drafted Schwarber. Actually the day they drafted Cease. Anyway TR told me how they ended up with Schwarber. He said they offered four guys a $3M, underslot deal, to be drafted 4th. Whoever got back to them first they would talk to. Two of the guys were Conforto and Schwarber. I don’t remember who the other two were. Kyle actually asked for $3.25 and they ended up setting on $3.125.
Ballpark was pretty empty. They were playing the Marlins. It was just so strange that the owner would come and sit down and talk to me for an entire inning. He told me a lot of diffent things that day. He basically told me Jeff S (can’t spell his last name) was going to be traded. He told me what went down with the Tanaka signing earlier that year. Some stuff about the ballpark and the neighborhood issues. Honestly, it was like being at the game with a buddy, but the buddy happened to own the team. So when he said something it was an opinion, it was fact. 

[Bertz]

The team doesn't really need another LHH bat if everyone is healthy.  I suspect in the name of depth Conforto an Carlson are competing to be stashed on that last bench spot while Alcantara and McCormick head to Iowa.

It would be ideal for Carlson or Conforto to be on a minors deal that doesn't have an end of spring training opt out, but I'm guessing against things working out that neatly.

[Jason Ross]

I'm hoping this ends up being a NRI with an opt-out if he doesn't make the team. There doesn't seem to have been a ton of interest and I'm not sure the Cubs have the 40-man spot unless they decide to move Steele to the 60. 

[CubinNY]

Was he a filthy cheater? 

[Rcal10]

19 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I'm hoping this ends up being a NRI with an opt-out if he doesn't make the team. There doesn't seem to have been a ton of interest and I'm not sure the Cubs have the 40-man spot unless they decide to move Steele to the 60. 

Couldn’t they move Shelby Miller? Or isn’t he in the 40 man roster? Conforto probably is a NRI. He will get a lot of opportunity since PCA and  Suzuki won’t be around for a few weeks. 

[Bertz]

20 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I'm hoping this ends up being a NRI with an opt-out if he doesn't make the team. There doesn't seem to have been a ton of interest and I'm not sure the Cubs have the 40-man spot unless they decide to move Steele to the 60. 

They have Shelby Miller's spot to play with.  Plus Dean's spot on the 40 man should be pretty tenuous.

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

They have Shelby Miller's spot to play with.  Plus Dean's spot on the 40 man should be pretty tenuous.

Ahhh yeah, I forgot Miller's spot. I thought they had originally just dropped him direct on the 60, but I guess they didn't. 

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

Not really sure what to make out of this. If he makes the team does he take Mo spot and Mo starts at Iowa? Is he the 4th outfielder. 

Competing for both.  Injuries could also happen with Mo or OF so just another option in the mix.

[Rob]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

I'm hoping this ends up being a NRI with an opt-out if he doesn't make the team. There doesn't seem to have been a ton of interest and I'm not sure the Cubs have the 40-man spot unless they decide to move Steele to the 60. 

Presuming that this deal is as small as we all think it will be, I think this is a fine addition. There's a reason the Dodgers gave him nearly 500 PA last year. His .287 wOBA is a far cry from his xwOBA of .330.

Might as well give him a month's worth of spring training plate appearances and see if there's anything left in the tank. I don't think he's a good player anymore, but he's a capable enough backup with at least a sliver of hope for something more.

[Jason Ross]

36 minutes ago, Rob said:

Presuming that this deal is as small as we all think it will be, I think this is a fine addition. There's a reason the Dodgers gave him nearly 500 PA last year. His .287 wOBA is a far cry from his xwOBA of .330.

Might as well give him a month's worth of spring training plate appearances and see if there's anything left in the tank. I don't think he's a good player anymore, but he's a capable enough backup with at least a sliver of hope for something more.

Part of his issue though is defensively he's a mess. And won't help in CF. If he does replace Kevin, there's once again no true backup in CF on the roster. If PCA gets hurt, they can solve that, but who's giving Pete a day off? Matt Shaw? That's a tough task. I think he can handle the corner, but center is a different beast. 

[Tim]

Jesse Rogers says it's a minor league deal. In which case, why not take the flier.

[Jason Ross]

6 minutes ago, Tim said:

Jesse Rogers says it's a minor league deal. In which case, why not take the flier.

Now that is fine. MiLB deal? Sign me up!

[CubUgly]

2 hours ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

That’s how you should feel about him. He’s been derailed by injuries and was a below replacement level player in 486 PAs with LA last season. A potential depth option and at best a lottery ticket. 
I wouldn’t get excited about a guy with only 21 effective doubles last season either, 

Agreed, he does not move the needle for me.  He gets a shot to make the team just like McCormick, Carlson, Dean and Alcantara, and I'm not sure he's the favorite at all to win that battle. 

[Tryptamine]

I mean Alcantara basically has to make the team, who else is going to back up CF?

[CubUgly]

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

I mean Alcantara basically has to make the team, who else is going to back up CF?

Well, I would agree - it's now or never I think for him, I don't see the point of another full year in the minors to get at bats. 

Conforto is strictly a why not - sign as many minor league deals as you want - if two make an impact like last year it's worth it. 

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I mean Alcantara basically has to make the team, who else is going to back up CF?

Seiya's playing a good bit if CF this spring and in the WBC, I'd guess we see Shaw out there too.  My understanding is CF is the easiest spot on the diamon if you have the requisite athleticism.

That last bench spot goes to Carlson or Conforto IMO.  How each guy looks this spring obviously plays into it but to your point I'd guess Carlson likely gets an added boost to his chances if neither of Seiya/Shaw look decent out there.

[BKHoo]

It’s a good question - who is the backup CF? Not a lot of good answers.  Shaw? Really? Suzuki would scare me every time the ball was hit out of the infield.  

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, BKHoo said:

It’s a good question - who is the backup CF? Not a lot of good answers.  Shaw? Really? Suzuki would scare me every time the ball was hit out of the infield.  

Alcanatara. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Why would Shaw scare you guys out there? As just a spell, he should be more than adequate. If PCA hits the shelf, then you call up Alcantara. 

 

Granted, I just want them to give Alcantara the spot. But they are obviously trying to get him more consistent PT. Shaw should be quite good in CF IMO. He should play all over the field.

[Radar3454]

Mooney reported on the athletic that Conforto has a 2 mil salary if he ends up in the majors - did not mention if it has time be out of spring training or a specific option out date. He has him projected to make the team along with Carlson. I'd rather see Chas make it over Conforto, but not a hig deal.

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, Radar3454 said:

Mooney reported on the athletic that Conforto has a 2 mil salary if he ends up in the majors - did not mention if it has time be out of spring training or a specific option out date. He has him projected to make the team along with Carlson. I'd rather see Chas make it over Conforto, but not a hig deal.

Your assumption should be that anyone where you're at all surprised they settled for a minor league deal instead of a major league one that they have an opt out before the start of the season.

So Conforto and Carlson are probably keep them or lose them types.  Chas is interesting because if they add him to the 40 man they can option him up and down this year.  So much like Alcantara in the name of hoarding depth I expect Chas won't make it regardless of how he performs this spring.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Devil's advocate: the higher MLB salary means it's more likely those guys take assignment rather than opt out to an uncertain possibility of the MLB minimum on the high end.