Cubs (Assad) vs Phillies (Sanchez): 4/13/26, 5:40pm

[chibears55]

53 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Right. But it’s unclear what his future as a Cub is and any future in the infield was slammed shut when they extended Nico.

Do they want him under team control for 6 years to be Zobrist 2.0? Is he auditioning to become Happ or Suzukis successor? Are they waiting for a player at a position of need to become available and then shop him? It’s just odd to see a team so focused on on staying under the tax spending a combined $326 million on 2 infielders blocking their top prospect at his natural position.

I dont feel Shaw will ever be that good of a hitter to become an everyday guy.

I liked the idea of him off the bench for the infield,  but he's being used mainly for the OF now.

Maybe if Suzuki is ready to go everyday now, theyll keep him in RF and DH Shaw against Lefties over Ballesteros.

Shaw reminds me of a Bote, I think Hoyer is looking to get from him what he was hoping for with Bote.  Flexible in the field, with a good bat and some power 

[Stratos]

6 hours ago, chibears55 said:

I dont feel Shaw will ever be that good of a hitter to become an everyday guy.

I liked the idea of him off the bench for the infield,  but he's being used mainly for the OF now.

Maybe if Suzuki is ready to go everyday now, theyll keep him in RF and DH Shaw against Lefties over Ballesteros.

Shaw reminds me of a Bote, I think Hoyer is looking to get from him what he was hoping for with Bote.  Flexible in the field, with a good bat and some power 

Bote is an interesting comparison.  I think Shaw is more athletic and has a better hit tool.  Shaw gives me Marcus Giles vibes.

I think Shaw has a lot of potential but there's obviously a chance he doesn't get there.  He needs time.  Fellow stocky-man Altuve took a few full seasons before he started hitting well.

[Geographyhater8888]

19 hours ago, chibears55 said:

I dont feel Shaw will ever be that good of a hitter to become an everyday guy.

I liked the idea of him off the bench for the infield,  but he's being used mainly for the OF now.

Maybe if Suzuki is ready to go everyday now, theyll keep him in RF and DH Shaw against Lefties over Ballesteros.

Shaw reminds me of a Bote, I think Hoyer is looking to get from him what he was hoping for with Bote.  Flexible in the field, with a good bat and some power 

Bote was never the cubs top prospect, let alone a top 100 at any point in his career. Unlike Bote Shaw still has trade value on a team that wants a high floor, young infielder with 6 years of team control.  
 

I see a smidge of Addison Russell in him too.

Edited Wednesday at 11:58 AM by Geographyhater8888

[Backtobanks]

21 hours ago, squally1313 said:

The whole infield is locked up. Yes, I'm sure if we would have traded him that would have prompted a Dansby injury or something and then Dylan Moore or whatever would have set a record most consecutive outs recorded. But you came into the season with 5 major league ready infielders, all with team control through at least 2030, and then took the worst hitting one and decided to try and move him up the spectrum to spots where more offense is expected. And also on top of that, he's not good defensively anymore.

Hindsight is 20/20, but watching Matt Shaw, who seemed like a very high floor third baseman at the end of last year, flail around a different position every night while Jameson Taillon and his 89 mph fastball and his 37.50 spring ERA is slotted as our third starter is maddening. 

It doesn't have to be hindsight because Shaw's trade value is 35.2 according to BTV (down from about 43 during the off season).  Some interesting players out there are Miller (29.6), Rasmussen (24.5), Ryan (49.6), Tolle (35.2), Early (31.8), Alcantara (16.1), Gil (11.1), W. Abreu (32.3), Duran (43.6), and Chisholm (20.6).  I'm not saying all of those players are currently available (or the other team is willing to trade), but most of those players would be more valuable to the Cubs than a utility player.

[chibears55]

18 hours ago, Stratos said:

Bote is an interesting comparison.  I think Shaw is more athletic and has a better hit tool.  Shaw gives me Marcus Giles vibes.

I think Shaw has a lot of potential but there's obviously a chance he doesn't get there.  He needs time.  Fellow stocky-man Altuve took a few full seasons before he started hitting well.

I agree Shaw has better upside then Bote, It just feels like hes headed in that direction as Bote was for the Cubs, a guy Hoyer hoping to turn into a Zobrist type...

Bote never panned out, to be determined with Shaw

[chibears55]

6 hours ago, Backtobanks said:

It doesn't have to be hindsight because Shaw's trade value is 35.2 according to BTV (down from about 43 during the off season).  Some interesting players out there are Miller (29.6), Rasmussen (24.5), Ryan (49.6), Tolle (35.2), Early (31.8), Alcantara (16.1), Gil (11.1), W. Abreu (32.3), Duran (43.6), and Chisholm (20.6).  I'm not saying all of those players are currently available (or the other team is willing to trade), but most of those players would be more valuable to the Cubs than a utility player.

I agree Shaw value would be more useful via a trade for a pitcher this deadline,  it would be an easier task to do if guys like Triantos,  Long, etc in the Iowa looks to be ready to make that jump to be a productive bench bat.

[Backtobanks]

3 hours ago, chibears55 said:

I agree Shaw value would be more useful via a trade for a pitcher this deadline,  it would be an easier task to do if guys like Triantos,  Long, etc in the Iowa looks to be ready to make that jump to be a productive bench bat.

Expand the deal to include a utility IF along with the major target i.e. Early + Kiner-Falefa for Shaw + low pitching prospect.