davell

@kiddjack: @KrisBryant_23 Cub fan livin in STL-My son rec'd this letter from daycare on Opening Day a few yrs ago (Cubs/Cards) https://t.co/CXMfzPsJg3

MLBTR has him at 3.9 in arbitration, which is a very nice bargain for what his production has been. He probably has more value to us than what he'd bring us in return(especially if Soler is dealt.) If he brings us back a reliever that's actually good(like Grimm) then I'm more willing to deal him. If all he brings is a Candelario type prospect, then I'd keep him and try to save money elsewhere.

Cubs are my favorite team, but my best moments are all Mike......Over Ehlo, shrugging against Portland, over Russell, changing arms on layup against Lakers, game winner against Georgetown when I was 6. No idea how I'd rank them.

With as much as those guys have talked about how FAs in their prime years are rare (and kind of hand in hand, but not wanting to pay for past production), plus the fact that he profiles as their type of player (patient approach/OBP, power, helps with our contact issues, plus defense - there's also the comments about lefty bats in wrigley from a few years ago that you can throw into the mix), I just cant see how they won't be very strongly interested, even if this team's more glaring needs appear to be in the middle of the rotation. Oh I think he'd continue to be excellent in RF for a while. If we do get him, I hope that's where we play him. Another reason I think we'll go hard after him is it weakens a division rival.

I think he's likely our top target. I agree that he's probably not special in CF. He could stopgap there for a year or two, but I wouldn't want him there long.

Maddon is basically the Ric Flair of MLB managers when it comes to charisma. There's no one else even remotely close. I could listen to him talk all day.

I can't wait for Stanton's reaction if they trade both those guys. I doubt they'd do it in the same deal though. They appear to be acting as if they'll target some solid FA actually. Not that that would keep them from dealing either guy. I'd have to think it'd take both Javy and Soler(and more). Surely they'd want quality over quantity. But who knows with them? I like Odorizzi too, but I figure they'll deal from depth unless they were blown away on him, Archer, or Cobb.

Candelario made it in.

I may be the biggest Javy mark here and I'd rather buy pitching, if given the true option of Price. Because I think Soler is going to be just fine long term. I get that there's a lot of risk associated with Feenandez and giving up what it'd take would hurt. But a move like this would be quelled by signing Heyward obviously too. And it's likely we'd feel comfortable in giving big money to a bat over an arm anyway. I'd love to just sign Price, but I doubt we're going to give 7/210 or whatever it takes to get him myself. And I'm not enamored with the other guys enough to where I think any of them are any better than some of the trade options we've already discussed.(not counting Greinke who I don't see us going after either) I'd take the risk myself, if for no other reason than the potential upside and the fact we can rebuy some of the currency lost in the Cuban market this winter. CF Span RF Heyward 3B Bryant 1B Rizzo 2B Castro LF Schwarber SS Russell C Montero SP Arrieta, Fernandez, Lester, Hendricks, Hammel, and a buy low on whoever falls thru the FA cracks.... Replenish the system thru IFA somewhat and even if Fernandez didn't quite pan out as hoped, we'd still conceivably have enough to be effective at the deadline. I think this could be done and keep us under 140. Definitely if we move off Wood, Coghlan, maybe Hammel(adding back cheaper depth) Anyway, I'd be OK with the inherent risk here if Heyward were to be added. Otherwise, I'll admit I'd much rather buy pitching, add a lesser CF, and do a bit to the pen.

Since it's going to be a main topic of the offseason, who is the best option for us to actually make a deal for..... Names we've heard include Tyson Ross, Danny Salazar, Carlos Carrasco, Julio Teheran and Sonny Gray has been speculated on a bit. I could see Tampa making a few guys available, maybe even Archer. Although it'd take a metric ton to get him over them dealing off Karns or someone else like that from their depth. That said, in Cameron's chat today, he was asked to speculate on who he thought the Red Sox could have as their Opening Day starter and he threw out a rather interesting name that we haven't mentioned as of yet...... Jose motherfucking Fernandez. That seems like a Marliny type thing they'd do too. Just turned down an extension, they've got Stanton for a while so he can bitch but ultimately he's stuck..... A package starting with Soler and Javy seems like it'd even appeal to them, with Javy being a Florida raised kid and Soler being Cuban. Obviously, it'd take more. Much more. But if it could come from the minors, or at least not involve our other main major league components, how could we not look into this?

If we can get someone to take his salary off our hands, I'd do it. There's plenty of starting pitching on the market, I don't think he's got any value currently. Assuming we've got the ability to accomplish whatever our off season goals are, I'm fine with holding onto him as a 6th guy, since we're likely to need him at some point.

@KCJHoop: Rose: "As far as my performance, I love the way I pushed the ball." Hoiberg: "We gotta get (Rose) back to playing with more pace."

In no way do I put Torres in the same class of prospect as Profar was, but I'm not concerned about an 18 year olds 21% K rate in full season ball either.

They evidently offered Black two years at under 2 per. The [expletive] Marlins gave Mattingly 4/10.

There were a ton of graduations this year. I think talent is just a bit down overall in the minors.

Eh, that's his strength easily. I'm interested to see what happens with it and BP, since they've taken a ton of guys from there.

With the escalating prices of good pen arms, I think I'd be OK with seeing if he'd take a 3/12 type deal this offseason. And I don't really like giving bullpen guys multi year deals.

I think we'll see another nice jump in our system ranking after the 2016 season the more I look at this. I figure we're somewhere in the "nice, but not elite" area that could see us in the 7-13 range currently. But with so many upside pitchers that currently sit outside of our top 10, some of them should take major steps forward. Plus, we're not likely to graduate any good hitters and we very well could add a decent amount of upside Cubans to the mix between now and then as well. My guess is we'll be firmly entrenched in the top 5 heading into 2017. Even if we deal off a couple of guys between now and then.

This is based on what? Your eye test? Meanwhile, back in the real world, Corey Black has been chosen for the AZL All-Star Game. Keep your day job, ace. He has 6 innings and the scouting reports haven't been favorable. But since you want to live in the real world, the 7.11 ERA he has in the AFL is awfully snazzy.

You'd hate to see Strop back? Why? There's literally no chance Black or Garner take his place and actually, neither has looked good in the AFL. And Ramirez is going to be lucky to regain his velocity to where he's an effective reliever again, with his sboulder issues. He's definitely not becoming a starter at this stage.

I'd love to find a way to get McGee. I don't even want to deal Coghlan, but I'd make that deal.

I'm more concerned with him using other teams to gauge his value, then ask them to get close/match or whatever. If they don't hold onto him, I'll be surprised. Although I have seen some rumblings 140 or so may be their stopping point, which obviously falls way short.

Mine changes all the time...... 10. Eddy Julio Martinez- I'm going off Law optimistically until I have reason not to. 9. CJ Edwards- I think he's a very prominent member of the pen next year. 8. Jeimer Candelario- Put himself back on the map obviously, I'd have him even higher if not for mixed reports on defense. 7. Bil!y McKinney- I'll likely be the low guy on him, but I'm concerned the pop doesn't show up, even with his age being a giant positive. 6. Ian Happ- If he proves he can handle 2B, he skyrockets in my eyes. 5. Albert Almora- I'm a sucker for his second half. If he's THAT guy, he may actually be 1st for me. 4. Eloy Jimenez- Too high, but I think he breaks out in a large way at South Bend. 3. Duane Underwood- Don't care the K's are low for his stuff. I think once he's working on command and process much more than results and the stuff is excellent. 2. Willson Contreras- I think he's our future C. I hope the bat is THIS good. Have some doubts still. 1. Gleyber Torres- Love him, especial!y since the D looks to be better than advertised.

If Hayward is their top option, they've got to have fallbacks if he extends without truly giving other teams a real chance.

where they getting 30 of those wins from? Devoss, McNutt, and Rhee would have developed under Hendry.