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Jason Ross

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Everything posted by Jason Ross

  1. Jason Ross
    If you want some copium/hopium....maybe what Counsell said gives you some.
  2. Jason Ross
    Eh, a bunch of the Cubs crew online (Huss, Zumach, Altman...etc) has mentioned him today post-Hawkins comments last night. But most of it in the vein of "it can't be handed to him"
  3. Jason Ross
    I'd love to know why they're out, then, if they are.
  4. Jason Ross
    I'll say this...that feels a bit awkward. The entire world kind of knew half a billion was where this thing was headed. I'm not sure how much I buy the Cubs being that blind. Or making it this far into the process being...that blind. There have been some conflicting reports on how high the Cubs were willing to go, as well.
  5. Jason Ross
    Similar logic, yes. The Cubs had opportunities to play both last year and, for whatever reason, didn't. We can speculate on why, but it seems logical to me that a team who had opportunities to play players they believed in, would have done that.
  6. Jason Ross
    Bob, so take it how you please.
  7. Jason Ross
    The way the Cubs did and didn't use Mervis last year speaks here. For whatever reason, even at the end of the year, they went with Jared Young over Mervis. The same Young they DFA'd. Perhaps that's a Ross thing. At the same time, I think we can't ignore that. They also made sure to block him with Hosmer and Mancini last off season. For whatever reason, there appears to be mounting evidence that the Cubs just don't love Mervis, right or wrong.
  8. Jason Ross
    Except that's three roster spots versus one. It's not just Ohtani vs those 3. It's Ohtani + the roster spot + the roster spot, as well. Secondly, there's the revenue he brings in which clearly offsets it. Ohtani also represents a TORP in 2025. It's like another free agent. Missing on Ohtani is a massive deal. That doesn't mean I'm blaming the Cubs necessarily here. But let's not undersell just how impressively good this man is.
  9. Jason Ross
    I've been pretty even keeled on it. But I think we've hit a tipping point here. In the matter of a very short time, we went from, basically, no Cub news, to: 1. Nightengale: Cubs have waned 2. Cubs and Reds still in on Glasnow 3. Cubs in on Hoskins per...a bunch of people 4. Rogers: Doesn't feel like they're signing him. 5. Rosenthal "in on an extent" 6. Counsell: Haven't met Ohtani 7. Robers: Have met Ohtani I don't think the run on Cubs news not-pertaining to Ohtani is an accident here. I'll be happy to be wrong, but it feels kind of like things are lining up that, yes, the Cubs are pretty much on the periphery of Ohtani at this stage and are pivoting. I say this, again, as someone who really wants to be even keeled and not panic here, but this doesn't feel...accidental at this stage.
  10. Jason Ross
    I think it's blatantly obvious at this stage the Cubs are out on Ohtani.
  11. Jason Ross
    Man. This certainly sucks.
  12. Jason Ross
    I liked that a lot (Lowe, that is) with Ohtani. I like it a lot less without Ohtani. Especially if it's like Glasnow, Hoskins, Lowe. That feels like all of your spending.
  13. Jason Ross
    I think there's something to be said for those things. At some point, the Cubs will find that they can't acquire truly star level talents, however, always being mindful of these things. I'm not blaming them for Ohtani here, and I can admit, I'd rather have had Correa over Swanson last year and for year 1, it looks like I was wrong. With that said, the Cubs will eventually need to make uncomfortable deals; via trade or FA. If all they do is the comfortable, they'll have a collection of good players but lacking the truly elite talents. I don't want to sound upset currently, only that I'd like to see the Cubs eventually push into that territory. Without it, we'll keep playing a revolving door of one year deals, pretty good prospects, and pretty good players without the true top line guys.
  14. Jason Ross
    Yeah, this is where I'm at. Hoskins, like many of the bats bandied around, are great second bats. But the Cubs need an actual threat at the plate. The Cubs need to aim higher than a Glasnow/Hoskins lead offseason. Those are great 2nd and 3rd moves. But they need to have a real, legitimate, shot here on a player.
  15. Jason Ross
    Yeah. It's done. I agree.
  16. Jason Ross
    Is it more speculative sounding or more...like the Cubs told him sounding?
  17. Jason Ross
    Of that group, only Horton and PCA have real star upside. Morel is fine, but at this stage has shown zero ability to play a position, and Canario has way too much variance in his profile and even then probably projects as more of "good" in his 95% outcomes. There was a really great article by fangraphs the other year, basically showing how even if you have the best pitching prospect and best hitting prospect, how unlikely it is for you to still have a star between the two of them. and while I love Horton and PCA, it's more likely neither hits that level. The Cubs have a lot of good young talent. But when you have chances to get already stars, you have to start getting some, too. I don't want the Cubs to piss away all the talent they have. At the same time, they can't become beholden to it.
  18. Jason Ross
    I wonder how much the Glasnow/Ohtani thing is tied for the Cubs. And perhaps this is where the "waning" is coming from. Because they're pulling back on Glasnow so they can shoot for Yamamoto.
  19. Jason Ross
    Eh, I don't want to try to horsefeathers on the best Cubs team in the last half decade, because that's arguably what it is; the best team the Cubs have put on the field since 2018. So, part of me would feel a bit ungrateful. Hoskins and Polanco make the lineup fairly deep, if lacking impact hitters. The rotation could be really good at the top and then you'd have Horton waiting. It's a good team. Logically, I shouldn't be mad at that offseason. It's active and the Cubs get better. It just feels a bit "more of the same" with the team. We'll see. I'm trying 'to stay neutral and not getting bent out of shape. It's not easy haha. So that's why I'm trying to be cognizant of being pissy and disappointed.
  20. Jason Ross
    It's a good team. But I'm not entirely sure I'm jazzed about the use of resources on the BP, there. And the general lack of star power for the Cubs remains. If the Cubs sit out Yamamoto, Soto, and can't hit on Ohtani, it really feels like the Cubs will kind of remain in this perpetual state of lacking truly impactful talent. That's probably a team you can count on winning high 80's, but still feel like 2025 then becomes a "Soto or bust" offseason, which has kind of just been the same revolving door for the team recently. I can also recognize I may just being pissy and disappointed.
  21. Jason Ross
  22. Jason Ross
    Yeah, I'd be pretty disappointed with that pivot. Sadly, I just don't see what other FA they could be really pushing for (outside of Yamamoto who is too far out for that to be the push, IMO). If there's a positive here...maybe this isn't the Cubs waning. Maybe it's the Cubs confident they're getting Ohtani and building around him? But that could be hopium.
  23. Jason Ross
    So, I'm going to try to accept the Bob thing as possible right now. How would Bob have that kind of information? Well, I'd assume the Cubs didn't tell Bob, so I'd guess, as someone else suggested, that the Cubs are pushing to sign other free agents, causing someone to suggest the Cubs don't have the confidence to bring home Ohtani (either that or someone told an agent that). With Yamamoto at least a week away, I guess I don't understand what free agents they could be pushing for. Matt Chapman? Jordan Montgomery? These aren't bad players, but kind of represent that "safe" option the Cubs have gone after recently.
  24. Jason Ross
    A very good reminder.
  25. Jason Ross
    I mean, maybe. But then...I guess what's the point of leaking it? The Cubs aren't getting anything from it. And to Bob? Or if not Bob and this is second hand...to whom? Feels weird. I'll admit some of it from my end is copium. But part of it is really just a bit confused. Seems like you've come this far, there's little reason to leak this.
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