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HoopsCubs

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  1. HoopsCubs
    It's doubtful the A's would want Villanueva unless you are talking about 2 different deals.
  2. HoopsCubs
    Many are beginning to think that Scherzer stays and Porcello gets dealt. But I'm sure LA is thinking that 3 years of control on Trumbo is worth more than Porcello. Do the Angels have the assets in addition to Trumbo to pull off a David Price deal? I suspect their farm system is not considered good.
  3. HoopsCubs
    Gotcha. Personally the Angels don't interest me as a trade partner much aside from Bourjos, so I'd prefer a smaller deal where they truly sell low on him. I'm not sure if that means as little as Villanueva for Bourjos or as much as Arrieta+Russell for Bourjos though. Given the Cubs stated need for younger, controllable starters, I really don't see Jake Arietta being dealt for Bourjos. The Angels are looking for the same, so I doubt Villanueva would be a fit given he has 1 year left on a deal and wasn't really a starter last year. Maybe a Kendrick+Bourjos for Barney+Edwin+medium prospect+cash could make sense for both teams.
  4. HoopsCubs
    The thing I like the least about Callaspo is that he doesn't fit the roster very well. He's able to play 2B and 3B, but he's better at 3B where we have at least 3 okay options. He's a switch hitter, but he hits better RH where we currently have 3 other options(2 once Barney is traded). He'd do the job as a bridge/platoon at 2B, but at a certain point he's only so much better than a Watkins/Murphy platoon at doing that. If the payroll is 100 million and we can still go get a quality OF and SP, then that's fine with me, especially since a good reliever is the true aim of adding Callaspo. But even if we're clearing Barney, Shark, and Schierholtz, an 85 million payroll is restrictive enough for me to worry that Callaspo would leave them unable to make more productive moves. I agree with your take TT.
  5. HoopsCubs
    My friend, I can't tell you who you should or should not get excited about. I am merely reporting when I hear something from someone I deem as credible. I remain excited about the plan, and I'm glad we get a bird's eye view of the machinations (and hand wringing) as they attempt to engineer a sustainable turn-around under tough short-term economic conditions. If successful, it could be a Harvard Business Review case study some day.
  6. HoopsCubs
    If there is a pitching starved team out there looking to add 2 rotation pieces, and loses out on Tanaka, Garza, Santana, Jimenez, Kazmir, Nolasco, etc... in free agency, and doesn't have the luxury of trading prospects or surplus hitting to get a starter, then I could see that team looking at EJax's 3 years and 33 million, and saying "not ideal, but not bad either." Personally, I think the Cubs could get the Giants and Blue Jays interested. Oh, I think he IS tradeable. Just doubt we'd get much for him currently. If he has a 3ish ERA at the break next year, some team may give up a top 100 guy + at that point, based on the reasonable contract. Even with the decent peripherals, I think his true numbers look too bad for someone to give up a halfway solid return currently. I was looking at it purely as salary relief. If I got just a fringe prospect, but freed up the $11M per season, I'd call it a win and move to the next order of business. He should have never been signed in the first place. We all knew it the day it happened - panic move after losing out on signing Anibal. Theo basically confessed to it this week.
  7. HoopsCubs
    If there is a pitching starved team out there looking to add 2 rotation pieces, and loses out on Tanaka, Garza, Santana, Jimenez, Kazmir, Nolasco, etc... in free agency, and doesn't have the luxury of trading prospects or surplus hitting to get a starter, then I could see that team looking at EJax's 3 years and 33 million, and saying "not ideal, but not bad either." Personally, I think the Cubs could get the Giants and Blue Jays interested.
  8. HoopsCubs
    The Cubs have had multiple conversations with the Oakland A's these past 2 days. My source hears a trade might be in the works to acquire one of the A's young relief pitchers, and to make the deal happen the Cubs would be willing to take on Alberto Callaspo's 1 year and $4.875M contract (and presumably play him at 2B for 3 months and flip him at the trade deadline).
  9. HoopsCubs
    Ricky Nolasco's agent is telling reporters that they have several 3-year and two 4-year deals in hand. I am trying to connect the dots and see if the Cubs are one of those teams that have made an offer. Any news or grumblings from others to suggest one way or another?
  10. HoopsCubs
    Business casual, business or black tie? I'm business casual today, but I will be black tie tomorrow. :D I think the point the source was making was that there are hundreds of conversations that go on, but some look more serious than others. He seemed to think the Cubs were looking to land a starter, a 2B and a back-up 1B/3B, respectively.
  11. HoopsCubs
    Just finished talking to a source, who was down in Orlando. Here are some interesting things he heard: - Soler was discussed with 1 team specifically (speculation was Miami) - Samardzija was discussed with both Los Angeles teams - FO spoke to the agents for Josh Johnson, Kelly Johnson and Kevin Youkilis, and the discussions were more than casual - Free agent CF Chris Young's agent is looking for a 3 year deal Will pass on more when I hear more.
  12. HoopsCubs
    I had to spare Baez. I just couldn't bring myself to have him die too... Scouts giving their opinions. I personally think it's Olt's to lose.
  13. HoopsCubs
    In reacting to the news that Alcantara and Villanueva made the Topps AA All Star Team, two AL scouts told one of my sources today that they wouldn't be surprised if Villanueva was the Cubs starting 3B on Opening Day.
  14. HoopsCubs
    It appears that the Tigers are making Rick Porcello available, so that will give our FO some competition as they look to find a trade match for Samardzija.
  15. HoopsCubs
    Blue Jays, Tigers and Royals have checked into Darwin Barney's availability.
  16. HoopsCubs
    Boras can yap all he wants about his track record and all, but he's getting burnt on Morales. If he winds up anywhere other than Seattle, for less than the QO, at that, I'll be shocked. But how many of the 13 players, who turned down the qualifying offers, will actually average more than $14.1M per year on their next contract? Looking at the list below, I think only Cano, Choo, Ellsbury, Kuroda and McCann will. Carlos Beltran, Robinson Cano, Shin-Soo Choo, Nelson Cruz, Stephen Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Curtis Granderson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Hiroki Kuroda, Brian McCann, Kendrys Morales, Mike Napoli, Ervin Santana.
  17. HoopsCubs
    Orioles, Mets and Pirates have checked into Nate Schierholtz's availability.
  18. HoopsCubs
    Seattle front office met with Hoyer this morning to talk about some of the Cubs major league position players. Speculation from my source is that the discussion was about Castro. No confirmation from other sources.
  19. HoopsCubs
    Two new rumors out of Orlando: (1) The Mets have asked the Cubs about Castro. Players discussed supposedly include prospects Rafael Montero and Brandon Nimmo, and major leaguer Daniel Murphy. (2) The Nationals have asked the Cubs about Samardzija. Prospects dicussed supposedly include AJ Cole and Eury Perez.
  20. HoopsCubs
    Don't know how the FO views Alberto Cabrera
  21. HoopsCubs
    Why was raw the only one to figure out how to answer to question in the form it was asked? I feel like there really won't be as much turnover as we may be expecting. Samardzija may be on his way out of town, but I wouldn't be sure it will happen by March. They can't accept anything less than top return for him. I'll go with 5 or 6 new guys. :D
  22. HoopsCubs
    With the GM Meetings set to begin shortly, we should see transaction activity get some real lift-off this week. Exciting times over the next 2 months. So, here's the question I have: How many players currently not on the Cubs' 40 man roster will be on their 25 man roster when the team opens the 2014 season in Pittsburgh on March 31? The current 40-man roster has 37 players. Here are my predictions. - I am forecasting that the team will have 7 new faces to start the season: 2 starting pitchers 2 relief pitchers (includng a closer) 1 back-up catcher 1 back-up 1B/corner OF (right-handed hitting) 1 back-up CF (right-handed hitting) - I am forecasting these 18 guys from the current 37-man roster will be on the 25 man roster on Opening Day: Position Players (8): Castillo, Rizzo, Barney, Olt, Castro, Lake, Sweeney, Schierholtz Rotation (3): Wood, Arietta, Jackson Bullpen (5): Strop, Rosscup, Parker, Grimm, Villanueva Utility (2): Valbuena, Murphy - And, I am forecasting that Samardzija and Russell will be dealt for pitching prospects during this offseason. I am interested to hear your personnel forecasts for Opening Day 2014. Best, Hoops
  23. HoopsCubs
    Umm, I'm willing to grant that Theo probably knows that James Russell is way worse than Sean Marshall was, but does he really think other teams don't know that too? The point is that Theo is proactively looking to deal another left-handed setup man for a young, promising starter. He is probably hoping that other GMs see Russell's 2.78 pre-All Star Game ERA and 5.29 post-All Star Game ERA as s function of over-use.
  24. HoopsCubs
    Heard from a source that the Dodgers have inquired about James Russell's availability. Cubs are shopping him, but Theo is supposedly looking for a "Sean Marshall for Travis Wood, part II" trade where he can acquire a young starter from a contending team looking to upgrade their bullpen. From that perspective, the Dodgers don't seem to be an exact match. The source said that the Cubs are hoping to talk to Atlanta at the GM meetings next week.
  25. HoopsCubs
    Cubs would like to inject more OBP into their offense without taking too much of a hit defensively. Good objective. And while Infante did have a .345 OBP in 2013 and a nice .359 in 2010, his career OBP is only .319. That figure seems awfully low when you are considering paying a guy 2 years and $12-16M, especially when you're still a year away from contending, and you do have some good to great prospects (Baez, Alcantara) on the way for that position.
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