spaincubsfan

there is no building for the postseason. Pretty much this, the only "building" you can do in my eyes is trying to do everything you can control in making sure guys are healthy or as close to 100% as they can get by the time the playoffs start. Which, like the playoffs, is largely due to luck and things you can't control. I think they can keep it going and will be quite steady for the whole season. OBP, base running, and work deep counts has been pretty darned good so far. I would still like to see how good our minor league prospects get by the trade deadline to see if we have enough to pry away a good TOR starter with at least 3-4 years of control left.

The 3 are: 1. Prying Rizzo away from San Diego. 2. Jake and Strop from Baltimore. 3. Getting Russell and McKinney from Oakland for Shark and Hammel. Link: http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/3_trades_that_made_the_cubs_a_powerhouse/s1_11773_20861722

Today would be a great day for Fowler and Heyward to really get to Roark to set the table for Zobrist, Rizzo, and Bryant.

What a great start, I agree the record should equal the pythag at 25-4 but them's the breaks I guess. Let's go 79-54 to finish off at a cool 102-60 record. Too conservative??

Well, another site has its own version of the Trout sweepstakes. :D :D http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2016/5/6/11613348/mlb-mike-trout-trade-package-every-team It actually lists the Cubbies as the team with the best chance to land him. This is fun anyway. Earlier today, Grant Brisbee broke just how hosed the Angels are down in a lot more detail. In it, Brisbee breaks down all the avenues the Angels potentially have with such troubling news. He playfully suggests 'trading Mike Trout' as one of the options, elaborating thusly: "Get out of here. There is roughly a 100-percent chance that Trout will outperform every single prospect he's dealt for over the next five years, even if you add their contributions together into a single number." Challenge Accepted. Let's set out a few rules for this though before we jump in. There have to be a couple caveats. First, the deal has to be fathomable to happen immediately and one that would make both the Angels and the other team presumably more competitive this year as well as in the future. That means that no, the Los Angeles Dodgers would not include Clayton Kershaw in the deal. Second, we'll sort by teams that work, teams that work slightly less, and the rest of the teams that definitely want Trout on their roster. Teams that work will be teams that need a centerfielder and also boast the depth to make a suitable offer. Teams that work slightly less may not be contending this year or have some other lump that deters them from making a formidable offer. And the other group is everyone else because your team needs to be in here and your GM wants Trout on his roster no matter what. Third, players on the disabled list are able to be traded for the purposes of this. Pretend everyone is healthy. Except for Richards and Heaney... Because then this doesn't work. Teams that might actually work Chicago Cubs The deal: Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Kyle Schwarber, Gleyber Torres, Duane Underwood, Billy McKinney, and Dan Vogelbach The rationale: This deal could actually do it and the Cubs wouldn't even feel the loss other than in depth and in the farm. They'd be acquiring a 10-win player that would push Dexter Fowler into a corner outfield spot for bench players and a fraction of their farm which includes three top-100 prospects. Bench players that would immediately become roster players on the Angels and prospects that would make the farm system the apple of Keith Law's eye. Likelihood: 1 percent. Still nah.

Maybe Bryant breaks his HR lump and launches one even with the and blowing in.

Today we should go heavy right handed lineup. Hope Soler and Javy both have solid days at the plate!!!! GO CUBS!!!

Their loss, any team should want to do that first ARod FA contract every single time. They were just a trash franchise and, unsurprisingly, trading a GOAT candidate didn't move the needle much. This. If it is just prospects to get a hold of a generational player then I do that all day every day. Our starting lineup is pretty much set but if and when you get the very rare opportunity you jump on it. Now back to reality.

I never said it was or would be reality. Just sayin sometimes where there is some smart me there might be fire later on. Crazy things happen every day. I never say never.

I gotta admit this has shakier legs to stand on than Trump asking Hilary Clinton on a date. :D :D But where smokes starts to appear in trickles there could be fire later on. I say wait until this year's Winter meetings and if the Halos flop badly this year they may reconsider. What is their GM really going to say, "Sure we are floundering and are ready to set up a flea market". You never say never. The Rangers traded ARod so who knows. GO CUBS!!! Pretty sure Texas traded A-Rod because they didn't want to keep paying his ridiculous contract The thing though is that I remember vaguely the Rangers owner committed to that contract when they signed (I could be wrong and I probably am) but the point is that ARod was still in his prime and considered one of the top 2 if not best player in the game. Trout's contract along with Pujols will consume more than 35% of their budget (189M) in 2018 and beyond. That may become an albatross that make Moreno think about it this winter. Crazier can and have happened. I don't give this a snowball's chance in hell of happening but there have been a few articles in the past 3 days. All you have to do is google "Mike Trout trade" and boom a few hits appear. A few tweets as well. So there has been some speculative smoke for whatever that is worth. Here is a link looking back on the Arod trade: http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/texas-rangers/rangersheadlines/2015/02/17/flashback-the-deal-in-2004-that-sent-alex-rodriguez-from-the-rangers-to-the-Yankees And the part where their owner stated ARod would be part of the core for the foreseeable future. So how did it all come together? Why did Mr. Hicks, three weeks after promising fans that newly anointed team captain Mr. Rodriguez would remain a Texas Ranger for the foreseeable future, decide that it was time for his $252 million shortstop to go? The short answer is that the Yankees suddenly needed a replacement for third baseman Aaron Boone, who on Jan. 16 seriously injured his left knee during a pickup basketball game. First, Mr. Rodriguez had to agree to move from shortstop, where he has won Gold Glove awards for fielding excellence the last two seasons. Then the Rangers and Yankees, after deciding that Texas would get Alfonso Soriano and a minor leaguer to be named later, had to determine how to divvy the remaining $179 million Rodriguez is owed over the next seven seasons.

I gotta admit this has shakier legs to stand on than Trump asking Hilary Clinton on a date. :D :D But where smokes starts to appear in trickles there could be fire later on. I say wait until this year's Winter meetings and if the Halos flop badly this year they may reconsider. What is their GM really going to say, "Sure we are floundering and are ready to set up a flea market". You never say never. The Rangers traded ARod so who knows. GO CUBS!!!

Wow, that is a lot of prospect currency but for Trout it would be worth. Let's see how the season pans out and how desperate the Angels get.

OK, now the serious question. Is this even a remote possibility? I mean how bad would it have to get to even get Moreno their owner to think about it? Bear in mind their season is pretty much in the crapper now with two of their starters shelved with TJ issues, one with surgery pending.

What would you say if they asked for 2 of Rizzo, Schwarber, Russell, And Bryant? Which two? Rizzo and Bryant are each worth more than half a Trout, Schwarber and Russell less. I would say Schwarber and Russell. But they are looking for prospects. Both Schwarbs and Russell are cost controlled for another 6 years so that is a great get. For Trout I would offer Schwarber, Russell, plus 2 of our top 5. Too much?

What would you say if they asked for 2 of Rizzo, Schwarber, Russell, And Bryant?

Hi all, been dormant for a few months but back in force!!! They are en fuego!!! What do you think of this wild suggestion from ESPN? The Cubs certainly have a couple of good minor leagues pieces and the who else would you give up from the MLB roster? http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/70439/think-the-unthinkable-angels-will-have-to-think-about-trading-mike-trout Crushing news for Garrett Richards and the Los Angeles Angels as the power-armed right-hander will have to undergo Tommy John surgery. Jeff Passan's report on Yahoo! Sports also says that Andrew Heaney, currently on the disabled list with a strained flexor muscle, is rehabbing in an attempt to avoid his own Tommy John surgery. C.J. Wilson is still out, Jered Weaver is throwing 80 mph meatballs and Albert Pujols is hitting .198 with a .666 OPS. In other words: A team projected as mediocre is now 13-15 and looking worse, and that's with Mike Trout tearing things up with a .317/.400/.596 line. Did we mention the Angels have what is universally regarded as the worst farm system in the game? Which is why Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wrote this: And that reality prompts the obvious question: is it time to think about trading Mike Trout? You never want to be in a position where you're potentially thinking about trading one of the greatest players of all time. The Angels should want Mike Trout to retire having worn only their jersey, and go into the Hall of Fame as a lifelong Angel. When you have a +10 win player, you should want to take advantage of his greatness and put a winner around him. But the Angels have tried that, and thanks to some bad decisions that have long-term consequences -- the Albert Pujols contract still has another $140 million left after this season -- it's not entirely clear that the team can actually do that. Their farm system isn't just the worst in baseball; it's the worst that anyone can remember in some time. If the Angels keep Mike Trout, and just keep trying to surround him with decent free agents while trying to build back up the prospect base, there's a pretty good chance they'll be a 75 win team for the remainder of his contract, and then they’ll have to convince him to re-sign another contract with a franchise that spent six years failing to provide him with adequate support. Chicago Cubs -- Can you imagine adding Trout to this lineup? I think you could convince Dexter Fowler to move to left field. The Cubs have Keith's No. 4-rated farm system, led by shortstop Gleyber Torres (No. 15), who is off to a slow start in Class A, hitting .191. Catcher Willson Contreras (No. 27), however, has a .451 OBP at Triple-A Iowa and would fill a big need at the big league level. Second baseman/outfielder Ian Happ, the ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft, is another high-upside bat and is hitting well at Class A. You also could ask for Kyle Schwarber, a perfect DH, or take a chance on Jorge Soler's production eventually matching his tool GO CUBS!!! :yahoo: :yahoo:

I have seen a few articles now positioning the Cubs FO among the top 3 in all of MLB. With this in mind, the article states that the Dodgers are paying Friedman 9M per year. Is Theo easily worth 10-11M or more in your mind? I think so with the way revenues are exploding. I think he could easily ask for (maybe not receive) up to 15M in some orgs. Link: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/01/09/levine-tom-ricketts-says-hes-talked-with-theo-epstein-about-a-contract-extension/?utm_medium=projx&utm_source=projx_socq-stories&utm_campaign=projx_socq-stories_vph-sports Relevant part: “We have talked about getting an extension in place,” Ricketts said about Epstein’s deal. “I think generally we are on the same page, and we will be getting around to it shortly.” Epstein signed a five-year deal for $18.5 million in October 2011. At that time, his salary was at the top of baseball men running organizations. Fast forward to present day, and the Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman is making $9 million a year, while two or three others have passed Epstein in pay as well.

I'm not sure about that price, but I'd like Cashner if he can be had relatively cheaply. Do you mean that the Pads would want more? Or maybe both teams add other pieces to balance out the deal in terms of control of the players involved. The Pads will be tanking this year so they might want to keep Cashner around in the hope of a bigger payoff at the deadline. I'm saying I wouldn't give them up. he's pretty MEH, is 29, and only has a year of control left. I've posted a few times that the guy running MLBTR chat a few weeks ago thought that Cashner could be had for an insignificant prospect (his words) because of what you said. If that is the case, I definitely would love to pick up Cashner. If that is the case I wonder if he would be open to an extension? I usually am more sceptical of TOR or MOR pitchers getting closer to 30 because I have become a believer of trying to get the youngest/best return in TOR. That is probably a biased and unrealistic expectation at this point.

On the reverse side of things, the prospects that will be at the top of any GM's list surely will be: 1. Torres 2. Contreras 3. McKinney 4. Vogelbach (Throw in really as he can only be suited for an AL DH role). I wonder if Theo/Jed would include all 4 in a trade for a TOR arm if it made us better. Like a 4 X 1.

I see a lot of what I call tier II pitchers who could or might be had for the right price. Gray, Carrasco, Salazar, and even Quintana. The problem really is basic economics, which means that the demand exceeds the supply. As I stated in OP the cost of TOR pitching has really sky rocketed to the point where teams are trying to lock up their pitching staff as early in the game as possible. New contracts are targeted to buy out as many Arb years as possible to give the pitcher some security and the team cost control as a trade off. I think for now I will stick with the idea of seeing how the south siders do this coming season and if they flounder they may well put one of their arms on the block. And as an aside I think there are 2 avenues for acquiring said TOR pitching. You do it with either real currency $$$ which may or may not cost you a compensational draft depending on the FA. The other method is to pay in prospect or MLB player currency with the M:B player being positional or a pitcher. The norm would be for the MMLB players to have minimum 4 years control and 5 ideally. This is where we have such an advantage as all of our core basically have 5 years or more. Not advocating we pluck one of them out of the line-up but that is the growing trend. I am really excited to see how our prospects will grow in value by the TDL and then have the FO make an informed decision on whether to pounce or not.

That would be cool but from what I have read I think they want to acquire a cost controlled (4 or more years) TOR starter. The cost in prospects alone for Strasburg would be very high and you would have to have a guarantee from Washington on a window to negotiate an extension. With Sale or Quintana you already have incredibly team friendly contracts for up to 5 years each. Not a bad acquisition. But I know as most do that they are not really on the trade block now until the Sox are out of contention. Sale is quite the injury risk but when he is on there is no more dominating TOR pitcher in either league. He is an absolute K machine. Just my fantasy to get him to the North Side is all. :beg: :beg: 1) Welcome! 2) The White Sox have repeatedly said that they are not going to trade Sale. They just don't have the incentive to do so. The performance is great and the contract is friendly. They're also in a market where they don't feel they can afford to do what the Cubs did. Their fanbase is smaller to begin with and their revenue streams through a rebuild would dry up much more dramatically. Hi Tim, thanks for the welcome dude! You are right that Sale is not on the block or that it is very likely. I just base my opinion on the fact that if the WSox flounder like last year and are out of it by July there will be a lot of pressure to try something else. The only other option is to reboot Cubs style. Their defense and hitting were both terrible last year and I am being kind. They could get absolute hauls in prospects for both Quintana and Sale if they made that decision later this year. I am of the pragmatic approach to wait and see how the new core adjusts and works together through the TDL. As noted our prospects will be even more seasoned and have more value and the hope is someone will want to trade a TOR pitcher for a good haul which we should be able to provide. Apart from the injury risk Sale is in my top 5 in all MLB when he is on. His stuff is just filthy and he is a K machine. GO CUBS

The FO has done an incredible job and Theo/Jed have stuck to their plan through thick and thin. I really hope this is the makings of a dynasty. I would like to see a minimum of 2 WS championships from this core, what about everyone else?

That would be cool but from what I have read I think they want to acquire a cost controlled (4 or more years) TOR starter. The cost in prospects alone for Strasburg would be very high and you would have to have a guarantee from Washington on a window to negotiate an extension. With Sale or Quintana you already have incredibly team friendly contracts for up to 5 years each. Not a bad acquisition. But I know as most do that they are not really on the trade block now until the Sox are out of contention. Sale is quite the injury risk but when he is on there is no more dominating TOR pitcher in either league. He is an absolute K machine. Just my fantasy to get him to the North Side is all. :beg: :beg:

Hey all, as noted before my first thread on this site. Hope to contribute and discuss all that is Cubs related. For the purpose of this thread I wanted to pose the question TOR pitching. The FO has made it known that their goal is obtain 1 more TOR addition to slot in between Lester and Arrieta *My interpretation(. As we have seen the cost has gone up dramatically and you are know paying 25-30M per year for Ace or number 2 pitchers. My out of the box suggestion if it has not been posted already is to go into the season with what we have and wait until the trade deadline. The reason for this is twofold: 1. As noted above the price of both free agent and cost controlled pitching has soared through the roof and is not feasible. 2. The preferred route now should be to wait until the July trade deadline and let our prospects get even more development time so this increases their value and we can offer more in a trade package. 3. Hopefully by then some pretender contenders will be out of it and we can poach a TOR pitcher. I have spewed this on other sites ad naseum but since I am new here this is what I hope for - The south siders are in the middle of I don't know what. One day they are all in and the next day it is a 3 year retool or rebuild. So if they are struggling and Hahn gets the green light they may opt to blow it up and put either Sale/Quintana on the block or both. We can then look at this and try to pounce if it makes perfect sense. If they rebuild they will want prospects so McKinney, Almora, Contreras, Torres could be on the table as well as others. Just an idea Thoughts?

Projections are based on past performance, so wouldn't a player with poor durability have that already built in as a feature of the projection? I know some of the projections factor that in at least, unlike I think Steamer which gives everyone 600 PA. the FG depth charts are based on STEAMER (but have playing time allocated differently to everyone) I don't really know how much of x, y, or z, goes into how they dole out the PAs on those, though. Hey all, new kid on the block. I think Heyward is projected to give us a total of 6-7 WAR which will be at 50 wins above replacement total. I am no saber metric geek but am trying to learn.