Braves (López) vs Cubs (Peterson): 09/14/26, 6:40 PM

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

He just gave some quotes praising the next owner of the Angels (Kroenke, the Rams guy), which, combined with everything that's been going on with Mark Walter in the last few weeks, is probably enough for me to leave the door open on him. 

I do think you need to address at least one of the corner outfield spots externally, and there's a lot of guys still floating around without any path to a starting spot. Peterson and Holmes have shown how much nicer it is when you have a GB rate above 40%, and you don't necessarily need to break the bank for either those guys or adjacent guys. Can you get both of them, trade Shaw/Ramirez for another one, and then use the rest of the money keeping the outfield as elite as it is? Steele/Holmes/Brown/Peterson/controlled starter/Cabrera/Assad I guess/the hypothetical version of Cade Horton isn't bad, and the costs to pick one up midseason weren't terrible this year. 

Exact same plan I have for the off season. Except I also want 1 bull pen arm they actually spend money on. Morejon would work. 

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, ILMindState said:

Isn't there a pitcher and/or OF from Japan that's supposed to be good?

Kaima Taira is a SP the Cubs scouted recently. He's an interesting option, but one that I wouldn't be banking on. For a lack of a better way to explain it, think "What if Moises Ballesteros, but pitcher?" He's listed at 5'8" and over 200lbs, so first, the reason I brought up Mo is...well...he's an awkward looking human being. That shouldn't disqualify him, but I think it's important to note that for the comparison.

Secondly is a question of "is this dude a SP?" When the Cubs saw him he sat comfortably at 97mph apparently, and has hit 100mph, but he's been a career reliever for most of his career. He logged 150 IP in 2023, then got hurt and went back to relieving and is back as a SP this year. He will be 27 when he comes stateside, so he'd have two years of starting under his belt and important to remember they go less in NPB. Can he hold up as a guy who goes every 5? 

He's a really fun dude. The stuff can really pop at times. He's on record talking about pitching science and data. But whether or not he holds up is a question. 

 

[gflore34]

6 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Yeah, I totally get that. Baseball owners are about the most easy group on the planet (sports wise) to despise. The Dodgers have some benefits (their TV deal is nuts!) so they spend more than others, but overall, the other 29 owners are nearly all shades of "has more money but cries poor" (and then there's the even worse group of "refuses to spend money and steals all of the revenue sharing" group).

The ironic point is, although it may cost a little more, ultimately, winning generates more revenue.

[gflore34]

6 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Yeah, I totally get that. Baseball owners are about the most easy group on the planet (sports wise) to despise. The Dodgers have some benefits (their TV deal is nuts!) so they spend more than others, but overall, the other 29 owners are nearly all shades of "has more money but cries poor" (and then there's the even worse group of "refuses to spend money and steals all of the revenue sharing" group).

The ironic point is, although it may cost a little more, ultimately, winning generates more revenue.

[ILMindState]

16 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

For me it's envy, at least they're willing to splash money, the Cubs, in terms of finance, have the ability to be the Dodgers of the Central.  They are the only team in the Central with such capabilities and they choose not to fully leverage them.

The Cubs don't have the same advantages of money laundering and not sharing revenue as the Dodgers do. 

[Tryptamine]

23 minutes ago, ILMindState said:

Isn't there a pitcher and/or OF from Japan that's supposed to be good?

I'm not sure what to believe anymore in regards to those guys. The Tatsuya Imai thing completely threw me off. Everyone was talking about how his stuff was so good. Then he comes over here and his stuff looks tremendously underwhelming, though it has been improving a bit.

[Jason Ross]

25 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I'm not sure what to believe anymore in regards to those guys. The Tatsuya Imai thing completely threw me off. Everyone was talking about how his stuff was so good. Then he comes over here and his stuff looks tremendously underwhelming, though it has been improving a bit.

I've heard that one of the issues with Imai has to deal with soft skills and comfortability. Houston has never had an NPB player come over and apparently he's very schedule oriented and has struggled with this. 

Is that everything going on? Can't say. I was a big Imai guy so seeing him suck has been a bummer. I was rooting for him regardless of org. 

[ILMindState]

8 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I've heard that one of the issues with Imai has to deal with soft skills and comfortability. Houston has never had an NPB player come over and apparently he's very schedule oriented and has struggled with this. 

Is that everything going on? Can't say. I was a big Imai guy so seeing him suck has been a bummer. I was rooting for him regardless of org. 

If he doesn't like it there and opts out it could be a good buy low opportunity. 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

He's said nothing of the sort. Not only would Scott Boras have to do considerable damage control (at what point would the Dodgers have to offer him a big contract if he said that?) but it'd be the first time any free agent of any sort did that months before they become a FA. Any comments he's made have been just general praise for organizations but not really anything that should make anyone believe he's signing with LAD immediately. 

I know everyone has this defeatist attitude about all free agents who are good, but the Dodgers won't sign everyone and the Cubs can sign players. I think we can be skeptical without defeatist (not saying you are for the record, just the general sentiment across Cubdom). 

I would put me in the skeptical without defeatist camp. And not because they can’t get him or won’t try for him, but because there are probably 6 or more teams who can really go after him hard, including the Cubs. I would hate for them to be all in on him, not get him, and not get a solid corner bat because while they were waiting on Skubal the bats got signed. Now, if they signed Seiya again, signed Peterson, traded for a young arm, signed Morejon and then were still in on Skubal, that would be awesome. If Skubal goes elsewhere pivot to Holmes. I just don’t think they can/will do all of that. Maybe the choice comes down to Holmes and Morejon or just Skubal and a dumpster dive pen arm. 🤷 I guess if they secured Seiya and Peterson and traded for a young starter, I would be fine with Skubal and dumpster dive pen arm as plan A, and Holmes and Morejon as plan B. 

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I would put me in the skeptical without defeatist camp. And not because they can’t get him or won’t try for him, but because there are probably 6 or more teams who can really go after him hard, including the Cubs. I would hate for them to be all in on him, not get him, and not get a solid corner bat because while they were waiting on Skubal the bats got signed. Now, if they signed Seiya again, signed Peterson, traded for a young arm, signed Morejon and then were still in on Skubal, that would be awesome. If Skubal goes elsewhere pivot to Holmes. I just don’t think they can/will do all of that. Maybe the choice comes down to Holmes and Morejon or just Skubal and a dumpster dive pen arm. 🤷 I guess if they secured Seiya and Peterson and traded for a young starter, I would be fine with Skubal and dumpster dive pen arm as plan A, and Holmes and Morejon as plan B. 

Skubal and Seiya are probably the 2 best FA on the market.  More than likely we get neither unfortunately, but we'd all guess Seiya as more likely but still a bit of a longshot.

Maybe they swing a trade for an OF or bring back Happ

[Jason Ross]

10 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Skubal and Seiya are probably the 2 best FA on the market.  More than likely we get neither unfortunately, but we'd all guess Seiya as more likely but still a bit of a longshot.

Maybe they swing a trade for an OF or bring back Happ

Skubal's pricetag probably makes him less likely, but honestly, I think Suzuki, not Skubal, is more likely to be somewhere else. 

Put another way, the Cubs spending a mega-contract on Skubal is more likely to me than the Cubs paying market value for a RF/DH. Both in terms of how I think the Cubs operate, but also what they will prioritize in the offseason, what they already have and how they view roster building in general.

[Bertz]

3 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

I'm not sure what to believe anymore in regards to those guys. The Tatsuya Imai thing completely threw me off. Everyone was talking about how his stuff was so good. Then he comes over here and his stuff looks tremendously underwhelming, though it has been improving a bit.

Imai's stuff seems to have mostly translated, of 190 pitchers with at least 70 innings he's 6th in contact rate against.

The command has just been utter dogshit.  TBD if that's a comfortability thing that will get better or if his great platform year in NPB was a fluke.

[Rcal10]

25 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Skubal's pricetag probably makes him less likely, but honestly, I think Suzuki, not Skubal, is more likely to be somewhere else. 

Put another way, the Cubs spending a mega-contract on Skubal is more likely to me than the Cubs paying market value for a RF/DH. Both in terms of how I think the Cubs operate, but also what they will prioritize in the offseason, what they already have and how they view roster building in general.

Truth is they probably won’t get either. But if I were to bet on one it would be Seiya stays with them. Just my opinion, which is obviously different from yours. 

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

Truth is they probably won’t get either. But if I were to bet on one it would be Seiya stays with them. Just my opinion, which is obviously different from yours. 

I like Seiya, but just do not think this is a team who sinks more money into a 30+ player at a non premium position. Especially one like Suzuki, who, while he's had a good year defensively has certainly been up and down over his career and has some injury recurrences. His market will be very strong and the Cubs just seemingly never get connected to players at non-premium positions like that. 

I think Skubal is very unlikely just due to the circumstances. But I think Seiya is probably just as unlikely. Whatever they do to at LF/RF will probably be a combination of Shaw/Ramirez and some outside additions (Lawrence Butler is a close friend of PCA and I think he could be a possible option as a cheap trade target, for example).

Love Seiya, but more than probably any one on the roster I've come to terms that he probably won't be back. Happy to be surprised, though.

[Bertz]

FWIW my way too early offseason looks like:

- Sign a really fun SP (I wouldn't touch Skubal, but anyone in the second tier is game on)

- Sign a secondary SP (strongly consider just QOing Boyd)

-  Add a starting caliber OF (I'm hoping Happ just takes his QO)

- Re-sign Conforto or find someone comparable

- Sign a backup catcher, I like Gary Sanchez since he can fit into the DH mix

- Add a long relief type who's better in relief than Rea even if he's not as good stretched out

I absolutely do not make a big trade, and aside from that top SP (and mayyybe that second SP) I would be loathe to add long term dollars.

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, Bertz said:

FWIW my way too early offseason looks like:

- Sign a really fun SP (I wouldn't touch Skubal, but anyone in the second tier is game on)

- Sign a secondary SP (strongly consider just QOing Boyd)

-  Add a starting caliber OF (I'm hoping Happ just takes his QO)

- Re-sign Conforto or find someone comparable

- Sign a backup catcher, I like Gary Sanchez since he can fit into the DH mix

- Add a long relief type who's better in relief than Rea even if he's not as good stretched out

I absolutely do not make a big trade, and aside from that top SP (and mayyybe that second SP) I would be loathe to add long term dollars.

I mentioned him above but I'm on the "Lawrence Butler" train. Overall numbers look piss ugly, but he rediscovered his swing recently. 

Since Aug 1st: 131 wRC+, .370 wOBA, 11 HR, 10.1 BB%, 26.1 K%

Shouldn't be super expensive. Probably DH more than anything (not strong defensively) but I think he's a fun buy low candidate. 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Morejon might be my #1 target

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

FWIW my way too early offseason looks like:

- Sign a really fun SP (I wouldn't touch Skubal, but anyone in the second tier is game on)

- Sign a secondary SP (strongly consider just QOing Boyd)

-  Add a starting caliber OF (I'm hoping Happ just takes his QO)

- Re-sign Conforto or find someone comparable

- Sign a backup catcher, I like Gary Sanchez since he can fit into the DH mix

- Add a long relief type who's better in relief than Rea even if he's not as good stretched out

I absolutely do not make a big trade, and aside from that top SP (and mayyybe that second SP) I would be loathe to add long term dollars.

This is extremely conservative and probably very realistic. And most likely if they did this most people wouldn’t liked the off season. Plugging names in, it could be something like signing Holmes, keeping Boyd and Happ. Plugging the last outfield spot with Conforto and a system guy platoon and they signing Sanchez and Civale. No big trade makes the rotation Holmes, Cabrera, Boyd, then questions. Steele, Brown, Assad, Wiggins, Garrett and eventually 🤞Horton. It would also mean no Ayers on the team next year. 
As I said, very realistic of what will probably happen. But not very inspiring. Seems like a worse team than this year, unless positive results come out of question marks. 

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Morejon might be my #1 target

He is right up there for me. Find a way to keep Seiya, sign Holmes and Morejon and add a few smaller pieces and maybe one substantial trade and it is a great off season. 
Unfortunately I think if they offer both Happ and Seiya a QO (and I think they will). Happ may take it, which would mean no Seiya. One might be back but both won’t be back. I also could see them offering Boyd a QO and him accepting it. At that point it probably makes Holmes unlikely. 

[Bertz]

17 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

This is extremely conservative and probably very realistic. And most likely if they did this most people wouldn’t liked the off season. Plugging names in, it could be something like signing Holmes, keeping Boyd and Happ. Plugging the last outfield spot with Conforto and a system guy platoon and they signing Sanchez and Civale. No big trade makes the rotation Holmes, Cabrera, Boyd, then questions. Steele, Brown, Assad, Wiggins, Garrett and eventually 🤞Horton. It would also mean no Ayers on the team next year. 
As I said, very realistic of what will probably happen. But not very inspiring. Seems like a worse team than this year, unless positive results come out of question marks. 

The obvious takeaways from the Brewers' success the last two years are youth and depth IMO

[ILMindState]

2 hours ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Morejon might be my #1 target

If Morejon = Lessthielbar then count me in

Edited 21 hours ago by ILMindState

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

Skubal's pricetag probably makes him less likely, but honestly, I think Suzuki, not Skubal, is more likely to be somewhere else. 

Put another way, the Cubs spending a mega-contract on Skubal is more likely to me than the Cubs paying market value for a RF/DH. Both in terms of how I think the Cubs operate, but also what they will prioritize in the offseason, what they already have and how they view roster building in general.

Well signing Skubal would involve Jed changing one of his core offseason strategies, which is that he's never signed a top-dollar SP to a longterm contract.  It is possible he changes course though, but going through all the pitching injuries could possibly make him even more gunshy.

Will be interesting to see what he does at least.

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

The obvious takeaways from the Brewers' success the last two years are youth and depth IMO

Hopefully the young arms we've drafted develop well but are a few years away most likely, besides Wiggins. 

Definitely could see the Cubs trading for another younger controllable SP.

[Jason Ross]

28 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Well signing Skubal would involve Jed changing one of his core offseason strategies, which is that he's never signed a top-dollar SP to a longterm contract.  It is possible he changes course though, but going through all the pitching injuries could possibly make him even more gunshy.

Will be interesting to see what he does at least.

Up until last season, many were convinced the Cubs wouldn't sign any more long term contracts, wouldn't use deferred money, etc...

A good reminder, Jed was around when the Cubs signed John Lester. It was as the #2, but he learned a lesson that those contracts can work out well. I don't think it's that far out of his wheelhouse for him to sign a major SP. 

Also good thing to note; despite the immediacy of injuries to pitchers, they are aging better than hitters overall. Pitchers like Zach Wheeler and Chris Sale have both had awesome comebacks from injuries into their mid 30s and have no signs of slowing down. Scherzer and Verlander were useful until they were nearly 40. We don't see hitters do that right now. They generally fall off a very sharp cliff at 36. I would not worry about the injuries. It seems counter intuitive with how TJS takes a year or more from most, but SPs are just showing they can be counted on longer. You just have to accept any specific season could disappear. 

[Stratos]

40 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Up until last season, many were convinced the Cubs wouldn't sign any more long term contracts, wouldn't use deferred money, etc...

A good reminder, Jed was around when the Cubs signed John Lester. It was as the #2, but he learned a lesson that those contracts can work out well. I don't think it's that far out of his wheelhouse for him to sign a major SP. 

Also good thing to note; despite the immediacy of injuries to pitchers, they are aging better than hitters overall. Pitchers like Zach Wheeler and Chris Sale have both had awesome comebacks from injuries into their mid 30s and have no signs of slowing down. Scherzer and Verlander were useful until they were nearly 40. We don't see hitters do that right now. They generally fall off a very sharp cliff at 36. I would not worry about the injuries. It seems counter intuitive with how TJS takes a year or more from most, but SPs are just showing they can be counted on longer. You just have to accept any specific season could disappear. 

Well like I said  it's possible he changes his strategy.  Yes Bregman is a good example.