Backtobanks

I’m all for getting rid of Russell but I hate Villar, he might suck. Plus he’s expensive. He made $1.4 million more than Russell this year. He will probably get a decent raise next year where Russell probably won't though.

From MLBTR: The Baltimore Orioles primary goal for the near-term remains adding as much talent to the organization as possible, primarily in the minor leagues. That said, GM Mike Elias does have a winter checklist in this, his first full offseason as GM (the Orioles hired him on November 16th of last year). Namely, the Orioles will be looking for pitching and a veteran shortstop, per MASNSports’ Roch Kubatko. How about Russell plus a prospect (or 2) for Villar?

Oh true, if Estevez then go ahead and throw them a MiLer. I suspect full season pitching are the goners these days so the Millers, Thompsons, Sanders, Pattersons, etc...whoever got press during the season basically So a team that gave up 958 runs is going to trade their best starter and their best reliever for another hitter?

If that's true, it makes even more sense to trade a guy with 2 years of control left for one with 3, right? It would make more sense to trade Gray to a team willing to trade multiple top prospects with lots of years of control left.

I'm not sure the Rockies would make that trade. There's going to be a lot of competition for Gray alone without throwing Estevez into the deal. Gray only has 2 years of control left vs 3 for Willy. Gray seems to have fallen out of some favor there plus the trade saves them some money (something they’re trying to do apparently). Estevez is like 4th or 5th in the pecking order for their bullpen arms, he should be attainable. The Rockies desperately need some bats, they only had 5 players provide positive offensive WAR last year, Wes Pearson (a pitcher) was their 6th most valuable offensive WAR player. Yonder Alonso had the 6th highest wRC+ for them, 2 of their top 11 players by wRC+ were pitchers, we think we have depth problems but they’re on another level. With the money committed to Blackmon and Arenado they can’t really just bottom out and I’d assume they’ll keep trying to win, Contreras makes a lot of sense for them to add. Their catchers were 28th in MLB in WAR (-1.7), they combined to hit .239/.316/.349 with 9 Dongs and a 59 wRC+. While I agree that Contreras makes sense for the Rockies (and almost any other team), I don't think the Rockies will be trying to contend next year. From MLBTR: Colorado owns one of the majors’ least impressive farm systems (per Baseball America), and dealing Gray could help the franchise improve its class of pre-MLB talent. Moreover, the Rockies doesn’t appear likely to contend in 2020.

If you can pull off Gray and Estevez for Contreras and no other MLB/top prospect assets, you have a lot of flexibility to imprvoe without needing 17 trades. Grandal + Shogo, Castro + Castellanos, etc Yeah it really opens up a lot. You solidify the rotation (plus fill a spot for next year) and add a solid RP without it costing money. Then the money can be used in a variety of ways like you laid out. Grandal, Moustakas (move KB to RF), bring back Nick, Didi, maybe be able to take on a guy like Lowrie, could open up potentially being able to move Q to save some money to go do something bigger (basically Gray takes Qs spot and Mills/Chatwood/Rea/etc take the 5 spot), etc. I'm not sure the Rockies would make that trade. There's going to be a lot of competition for Gray alone without throwing Estevez into the deal.

Our offseason would be so much easier if we could count on Happ to be a semi-solid option in CF for the whole season, but I'm not sure we can count on him and still be serious contenders.

One that I think your missing is trading Chatwood. He had a great season last year, but there are a lot of teams that need SP and wouldn't mind the $13 million salary. I don't see the Cubs in on Grandal (even with a a Willson trade) because of the cost. The Cubs don't have the money to blow it all on one player, especially when we already have strength at C. Trading Q doesn't make too much sense because it adds one more hole to fill. You're right about #4 - nobody is taking on that contract. As for #3 and #5, I don't think we can get equal value back.

MLBTR prediction on Shogo Akiyama - Diamondbacks 2 years/$6 million "A win-now team with ample money to spend probably wouldn’t take on this level of uncertainty, but a team like the Diamondbacks, Rangers, Indians, White Sox or Mariners could view Akiyama as an upside play and take the modest risk." I guess they don't realize we have a black hole in CF since we didn't get mentioned. Even PTR might jump at that contract.

Are you looking for the Cubs to corner the market on #5’s? Seems like they have enough. They can't afford a #1-4 and don't have a #5 sure thing right now.

Danny Salazar and Julio Teheran have been added to the FA market. If the money is right, either could be a #5 starter.

Because most were on board to paying that kind of contract to Harper/Machado. So what? None of that has anything to do with Rizzo. There's no evidence that Rizzo won't be a productive player at 32 - 33 years old, so I don't understand why some posters wouldn't want to extend him. The point was that some people thought he wouldn't be worth the money and yet they were willing to throw twice as much to pay Machado/Harper at 36 or 37 years old.

I totally agree. Rizzo at 32 or 33 making $14 or $15 million per year will be better than paying Harper or Machado $26-$30 million when they're 37 or 38 yrs old. What does the former have to do with the latter. Because most were on board to paying that kind of contract to Harper/Machado.

With the power disappearing in the 2nd half and the ball likely going back to normal I'm not sure I want him 2 more years unless it's something like 4/60. He’s still one of the better 5-8 1B in the league and he’s pretty remarkably consistent from 2014-2019. I don’t know why we wouldn’t want him for 2-3 years past the two options years. He’ll be 32/33 when he hits FA, he doesn’t have some big payday waiting out there. Going 4/60 or 5/70 range seems perfectly reasonable and is something I’d want. There’s also the whole thing with him being the leader an everything of this group that he’s earned this a bit. I totally agree. Rizzo at 32 or 33 making $14 or $15 million per year will be better than paying Harper or Machado $26-$30 million when they're 37 or 38 yrs old.

I think he’s legitimately available and they’ll try and move him. He’s more likely to stay than not, just because to move a guy like him is hard and takes circumstances. But I’d bet the plus odds he’s moved if they’re like +1500. I can't picture the FO trading Bryant while switching to a new network unless they're getting back another superstar (Betts, Lindor, etc.) in the trade.

The problem with Frazier right off the bat is going to be the trade cost, especially in division. You'd end up paying a superstar's trade package to get the ages 29-32 seasons of a solid but unspectacular 2B (being sent to the bench?). Develop guys like Frazier (looking at you, Andy Weber!) or maybe luck into a FA or claim, don't trade for them at full retail price I'll stick with my trade proposal of Contreras, Almora, Short, and Norwood for Marte, Frazier, and Kela.

Ego! These people! Like the amount of ego it takes to even say that for print...Grandal's a great fit for this team all around. Contreras remains my favorite trade candidate, adds a high OBP switch hitter post-Zobrist, ups the defense at a high value defensive position, and as good as Amaya might be he's all of 21 so I'm all for a "platoon" at the position for his ages 22-24 if not traded Grandal would be great, but I can't see the Cubs spending that much money on a position of strength when there's so many holes to fill.

I would gladly switch Caratini with Contreras in the trade proposal, but I doubt the Pirates would be interested. Going by what Epstein said about making a big change and figuring in our budget / mediocre farm system, one of our core players looks to be on the block. I can't see Rizzo or Baez being traded, which pretty much leaves Contreras or Bryant. Depending on the return, we would have a big downgrade at 3B or a lesser downgrade at catcher. Without trading one of the "core four", the best trade assets have very limited value on the trading block. When did he say this in regards to the roster? I don’t think he’s spoken any absolutes about it, it’s all been GM speak. The big change stuff, that was stated clearly/imminent at least, was more FO and coaching directed with changing things (and they already are on their way to doing it). If "making a big change" only refers to making FO and coaching changes (and not the roster), we will be in for a long summer unless all of our players play at their peak potential and the Cards and Brewers fall off.

The only disadvantage is the trade cost. He is a much better hitter than either Margot or Bradley and his splits aren't any worse than theirs. The length of his contract pretty much lines up with the window for the core of the Cubs. When the trade cost is the best hiring catcher in baseball, it is a significant disadvantage I would gladly switch Caratini with Contreras in the trade proposal, but I doubt the Pirates would be interested. Going by what Epstein said about making a big change and figuring in our budget / mediocre farm system, one of our core players looks to be on the block. I can't see Rizzo or Baez being traded, which pretty much leaves Contreras or Bryant. Depending on the return, we would have a big downgrade at 3B or a lesser downgrade at catcher. Without trading one of the "core four", the best trade assets have very limited value on the trading block.

Agreed. Plus between trade cost, his age, the length of his contract, and trade cost he just doesn't seem like an ideal target. Much prefer Bradley Jr. or Margot among guys rumored to be available this offseason through trade The only disadvantage is the trade cost. He is a much better hitter than either Margot or Bradley and his splits aren't any worse than theirs. The length of his contract pretty much lines up with the window for the core of the Cubs.

I suggested this trade quite awhile ago: Trade Contreras, Almora, Short, and Underwood to Pittsburgh for Marte, Frazier, and Kela. Trade Chatwood and Bote to Texas for Leclerc and Mazara. Extend Quintana and sign a catcher (?), Maybin, Odorizzi, Liriano. Rizzo Frazier Baez Bryant Schwarber Marte Heyward Caratini Darvish Hendricks Lester Quintana Odorizzi Wick Wieck Kela Leclerc Ryan Kimbrel Liriano Happ, Hoerner, Mazara, Maybin, Catcher (26th man- Mills, Alzolay, Norwood, Maples, Kemp, Descalso, Graveman)

Not a bad idea to dump Russell, but there is a big difference in salary too. I think the Red Sox would have to sweeten the pot a little (prospect/money).

I happened to read an article about Howie Kendrick in the last couple of days where Rendon was quoted as saying that he doesn't want to be playing baseball when he's Kendrick's age (36). Maybe he was just poking fun at Kendrick, but if he was serious a deal that takes him to age 35 might be exactly what he looks for. Friend of a friend works for Boras and passed along something similar. Rendon doesn't really like baseball that much, is just looking for a shorter term deal that is going to set him/family up for generations. Something like a 4/160 deal might not be out of the question. Obviously 4/120 wouldn't be good enough to set him/family up for generations. :lol:

MLBTR chat moderator thought 1 year for $5-7 million.

From MLBTR: Nori Aoki is likely settled back in his native land after wrapping up a generally successful big league tenure. But it’s worth noting that he’s still a capable performer at 37 years of age, having just slashed .297/.385/.442 in 565 plate appearances for the Swallows. Kosuke Fukudome had a similar career arc to that of Aoki, but his production slipped to .256/.347/.397 this season — his age-42 campaign and seventh with the Hanshin Tigers since returning to Japan.