Backtobanks

Contreras will be traded. If they wanted a backup catcher they could have resigned Chirinos for $1 million.

There's no way in hell Turner and Judge don't get extended after how quiet the Yankees and Dodgers were this past weekend. If DeGrom opts out do we really think Cohen won't move heaven and earth to retain him? Nearly everyone else fun is tied to a team option, meaning they only make it to FA if they suck this year. We're likely left with Bogaerts, re-signing Willson, and a solid crop of mid rotation starters. Which is why, I'm leaning towards that they don't have any plans to be competitive in 2023 either. We don't need FAs, we have a bunch of 17-18 year-olds coming down the pike in 3-4 years. Just be patient.

The lack of hearing about the Cubs in rumors (I know Stroman and a couple others we were mentioned amount 6-7 teams but for the most part its been quiet) means either they are likely not spending until after the lockout[highlight=yellow]or all the stuff Jed and PTR said about a retool is BS[/highlight]. If its the latter why lie about it..to keep ST renewals high? I'm probably overreacting. The Cubs were probably not going to get a top FA and they hinted at that multiple times. The 1-3 year contract guys are mostly still out there, so perhaps the plan is still in place. It's just so horsefeathering quiet. Some of us figured out that it was all BS a long time ago. They aren't spending any money until they are somewhere near a competitive team (2023 or 2024).

Austin Romine?

Exactly. Like I'm not asking for Correa, Freeman, and Scherzer. But on the flip side doing say Galvis, Moreland, and Kikuchi instead doesn't actually accomplish anything unless you hit HUGE on one of them a la the Jays with Robbie Ray last year. And like you pointed out a few weeks back there aren't actually many bad contracts to take on and buy prospects. There's like Pat Corbin, Madison Bumgarner, and Eric Hosmer? Like, Jed's gotta do something so that we're not just sitting in the same place next year plus Davis minus Contreras. My ideal is/was a Gray or better SP and one of the big SS's, but I'm open to alternatives as long as they actually move the ball forward. I never thought it was reasonable to be truly competitive in 2022, but I did think it was completely reasonable to start adding pieces so that they can be competitive as early as 2023. At this point, I don't think even that is going to happen. I'd guess it's going to be more like 2012-2014 where they add rehab projects on one or two year deals with the hope of dealing them at the deadline. The Cubs won't be competitive until 2024 and that's assuming their "kids" continue to progress. At this point, they need to start thinking about trades with their upper level prospects that don't really have a future here to finish building the roster.

We all like Stroman better than Gray, but it's a matter of money. Are we going to spend $110 million/5 years rather than $56 million/4 years? Also, the competition will be tougher for a TRS rather than a MRS.

The Cubs' favorite show during the off season is Last Man Standing.

It sounds like a good idea - Castellanos @ $23 million AAV, a couple of starters at $12 - $18 million AAV each, leaves enough to fill out the roster.

From MLBTR: Interestingly, Sawdaye suggested the D-Backs could try to pick up a controllable third base option via trade. Even if Arizona doesn’t wind up trading long-term assets, they could move someone like starter Merrill Kelly, who’ll make just $5.25MM in his final year of team control. Perhaps a Kelly deal could bring back a controllable infielder, and Sawdaye also floated the possibility of a “prospect-for-prospect-type deal” eventually coming together. The D-Backs themselves were part of perhaps the most notable trade of that kind in recent memory, when they picked up Gallen from the Marlins for Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the 2019 trade deadline. Maybe a deal involving Bote + might work in getting another cheap rotation filler leaving plenty of money to fill the other holes.

I'm one of the more optimistic folks about this winter, but this is 1000% going to happen. One of the good things about the current Cubs roster is the positional flexibility. Aside from Madrigal, pretty much everyone of consequence could shift around a bit. So while there's certain things you'd really like to see this winter, like someone to push Hoerner off of shortstop, Jed doesn't *have* to commit to any specific position aside from SP. He just needs to bring in as many Wins as possible. So even if this ends up a a good offseason, there's still going to be at least one fun name Jed loses out on last minute. That's just gonna happen when you're in on a large cross-section of guys. The motto of the Cubs could be "Jack of all trades, master of none."

Congratulations!

From MLBTR: Cubs To Hire Greg Brown As Hitting Coach

Trading Contreras just adds another black hole to a team full of black holes. If you're trading Contreras, you might as well trade Hendricks too and be honest enough to admit that this has been a rebuild since the deadline.

Story may not get the contract he hoped, but someone will sign him to a bigger/longer contract than the Cubs.

I still think at least one rotation spot ought to come from a trade. Overpaying for pitchers like Means and/or Kelly would certainly help the rotation immediately. Both pitchers are dirt cheap and are on teams that have no hope of contending for quite a few years.

It's not "giving up", but it's admitting that you have pushed the idea of a competitive team back another year or two.

I just posted the same thought in Cubs Discussion about them not wanting a 2012-2014 rebuild and yet Contreras rumors are all over the place.

I believe the majority of the TV revenue comes from people who pay for it as part of their normal cable package, which was always the plan. Seeing rumors online that season ticket prices will drop a very small amount, which, combined with the 6 digit waiting list and your standard stream of Chicago tourists, will be more than enough to keep ticket revenue high. I can see there being some pressure just in terms of keeping the surrounding area lively, but it's pretty much a locked in cash cow at this point. Attendance was down to just under 2 million this year, even in the valleys of 2012-2014 it didn't dip below 2.6 million. Yes, Covid was a big factor, but this is also still stated attendance v. actual, which matters a lot more when the cash cow relies on the gameday experience with all the stuff they just finished building in and around the park. There was also this bit from Mooney recently that indicates it's ownership that won't have the patience for a 2012-2014 level rebuild I don't think we can be all that certain what 'trying' looks like in terms of payroll, but increasingly it seems like the more concerning estimates of 125 million or so are not going to be accurate. Whether that's 150 million or 175 million, and what the FO's appetite is to use that flexibility on longer term contracts/QO recipients remains to be seen. They won't do a rebuild, but Contreras trade rumors are hot and heavy. :-k

He'll fit in. I assume that's the point. Don't be too sure about fitting in because he a pretty diverse pick.

Plan to try what? Winning without spending too much.

Goodrum would have made a much more clever pickup when the team was good, but would be one of the cheaper and more versatile FAs to offer playing time this offseason He's cheap because he isn't very good. He plays multiple positions and hits from both sides, but he doesn't do either very well.

Not sure what they are thinking. Everyone knows they don’t need him and he didn’t show well toward the end. Not sure what leverage they have. it's boob. that option is as good as not picked up. Not picking up the option saves money, but really makes you look idiotic after trading Madrigal and Heurer for him.

The Tribune used to post an all Chicago team at the all star break. Even before the trade deadline, you would be hard pressed to put anyone except Bryant and Contreras in the starting eight.

At least the Dodgers are without Kershaw and Muncy Even with Kershaw and Muncy Dodgers should be heavy favorites, Giants may have had the better, by one game, regular season but, they are not the better team. The Giants are a one season phenomenon, I'd say they are excellent candidates for 30+ game swing next season - 100+ wins to 70+ and out the playoffs next season. Still, why can't this kind of Giants gypsy magic [expletive] happen for the Cubs, just once? I'd take it. A 30 game swing for the Cubs' current roster puts them at .500 for next year.

He's one of my favorite non-pitching FAs to sign. He will probably be affordable (even for the Cubs) coming off of $7.8 million last year.