Backtobanks
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North Side Baseball Article Archive, Part 1
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Everything posted by Backtobanks
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Resign Suzuki ($26 per/4 years), resign Patterson ($13per/2 years), sign Rogers ($23 per/5years), trade Shaw or Ramirez for Hancock (minimum), Trade Shaw or Ramirez for Duran ($10 million) and Bello ($8 million), and resign Taylor (6million). Added salary for 2027 - $86 million LF: Duran/Taylor RF:Suzuki Rotation: Rogers, Hancock, Cabrera, Bello, Patterson ...............Assad, Garrett, Brown/Horton*, resign Civale/Rea ($7million)
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If you want an experienced reliever, Kenley Jansen is available.
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One reason I think Duran can bounce back is that he had two seasons of 9 WAR and 4.9 WAR just before his terrible 2026 season. I would think that you would need a pretty solid backup OF if you're going to play Shaw and Duran as corner OFs. Experimenting with Shaw and hoping that Duran bounces back could be anywhere from great to disastrous.
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I don't see your obsession with Shaw. He is a utility IF (not OF) on the Cubs and has accumulated 3.7 WAR in his short career. Shaw had extremely high trade value at the end of last season (ace SP level) until Hoyer signed Bregman and Shaw ended up as a utility player. I'm not selling the Cub players short - both Shaw and Ramirez get high grades as young, controllable, utility IFs who have good trade value. We don't need both of them, so we ought to take advantage of their trade value before it decreases by experimenting with playing them out of their normal positions. As for Duran, I still think he is young enough to be a bounce-back/ change-of-scenery candidate who someone is going to do well with on a buy-low deal.
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Duran is an OF with a few years of solid offense (and a terrible 2026). Three years prior to 2026 he had a total of 17.1 WAR. He has 2 more years of control (arbitration). His salary is very affordable ($7.7 million in 2026). At only 29 years old, he looks like a perfect bounce back candidate and bridge to our OF prospects. Bello is young and signed for a reasonable amount for at least 3 more years. He would probably slot in as a #3 or #4 SP. Do you really think Ramirez alone gets you those two players? As for Ramirez or Shaw, I don't really care because they are reserve IFs on the Cubs and we don't need both of them. Neither of them should be in the OF on a contending team unless there's an emergency situation.
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I mentioned earlier that a package including Shaw for Duran + Bello would help fill two spots for the Cubs.
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So, you're saying Shaw for Duran is okay?
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Duran might be a decent buy-low candidate. Expand the deal on both sides and try to get Bello.
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Neither Shaw nor Ramirez should be considered as a regular OF option. If we expect the Cubs to be a legitimate playoff team, then they shouldn't be experimenting with reserve IFs in the OF. They are probably two of our biggest trade chips, so one of them ought should be part of a package to get a SP.
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For Bibee, but Cantillo or Hancock would cost you Shaw, Alcantara, and a pitching prospect.
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All of those starting pitchers are young and have years of control, which means high cost. Shaw and Ramirez are utility IFs who might be starters on a team in need of an IF.
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Shaw plus Alcantara plus a pitching prospect might get one of those pitchers you named.
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A call to Moises Alou might solve the blister problem.
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The big problem with Dansby is that Hoyer massively overpaid him. That is on Hoyer, not Swanson.
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I've read it again and stand by what I said. The Cubs need to replace at least 3 starters and two corner OFs (one of which was one of the best hitters in MLB) and people think they have a shot at 90 wins????
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The Cubs are looking to replace almost their whole rotation and probably their 2 corner OFs and you think they'll have a shot at 90 wins? They didn't get 90 wins this year.
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Alcantara and Shaw ought to be in a package (with a pitching prospect?) to get one of the Mariner's SP. Hoyer should have traded Shaw after last season when his trade value was at its highest point.
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Hoyer's obsession with holding on to prospects until their trade value tanks is also a major problem. Shaw's trade value at the end of last season was extremely high and Alcantara's was certainly a lot higher than it is now. As soon as he brought in Bregman, Shaw became a utility IF instead of a starting 3B/2B. Seattle is losing their SS, LF, and RF to free agency, so Young moves to SS and Shaw can play 2B. Alcantara can vie for an OF position. BTW, I mention using them in a "package" deal probably adding a pitching prospect. As for Suzuki, I would like to keep him, but once he starts seeing those other offers, I think he will take the money. Conforto/Taylor platoon might not be ideal, but anything is better than seeing Shaw or Ramirez in the OF.
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Re-sign Peterson, trade Alcantara + Shaw in a package for one of the Seattle SPs and then hire a psychiatrist to work with Hottovy in "fixing" Cabrera. Finally, keep your fingers crossed on Steele, Horton, and Brown. Assuming Happ and Suzuki leave -Go hard after Arozarena, Conforto/Taylor platoon for the other OF position. Signing France would also be a good addition.
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That's 2 more than the Cubs have.
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And put the Brewers in a different division or else we'll never make the playoffs,
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PCA is having an unbelievable year, but what is bolded above also shows how the quality of the hitters has diminished since 1987.
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I can't believe Ohtani betting could be kept a secret. With all of the hate for the Dodgers and their spending habits, I can't believe that there wouldn't be someone that knows something that would love to take down the Dodgers by leaking the information.
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Wouldn't that be true for any star and not just Ohtani?
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You really believe Ohtani gambled and MLB is covering it up???
