PriorFighter
-
Posts
20 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Joomla Posts 1
Chicago Cubs Videos
Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits
2026 Chicago Cubs Top Prospects Ranking
News
2023 Chicago Cubs Draft Picks
Guides & Resources
2024 Chicago Cubs Draft Picks
The Chicago Cubs Players Project
2025 Chicago Cubs Draft Pick Tracker
Blogs
Events
Forums
Store
Gallery
Everything posted by PriorFighter
-
With Tim Stebbins being laid off, Cubs Talk Podcast is not going to be as good. Say what you will, but I liked the banter on that show. Curious what you guys think the best Cubs podcasts are or who has the best coverage outside some of the known names like Bleacher Report, BCB, Cubs Insider, etc.?
-
What about Yandy Diaz from the Rays? He's two (?) years from FA and the Rays have an infield crunch. Several sites list him as a trade candidate, but I've seen no buzz whatsoever. Coming off his best year, but has OPS'ed 110 or better each full year in MLB. Plays 3B so Wisdom could take the 1B Mervis prep role/power-first bat. According to Rayscoloredglasses, Rays looking for offense or young arms. Team control obviously appeals quite a bit to them. Would one of Killian/Steele/Wesneski/Alzolay + a lower level positional prospect with upside get that done?
-
I'm also surprised at the hate here. Seems like these are the kind of moves a big market team should make. Assuming this doesn't directly preclude a big SS, I see very little downside here. 1. If he's bad and we're good - nobody really thinks about this and he's a defensive upgrade at two positions of need, not worth $17.5m, but not worth $0 2. If he's good and we're bad - trade him for a couple of prospects at the deadline. That's worth $17.5m 3. If he's good and we're good - potential MVP candidate and major impact bat we need in the playoffs, worth WAY more than $17.5m 4. If he's bad and we're bad - bring up PCA or BD the last couple of months and let them take over
-
What about a Detroit trade to bring back Javy? He's having a terrible year, but like Reyes (who I'm admittedly overhyped on) could possibly benefit from a change (change back) of scenery. He currently has the 2nd lowest K rate of his career and an atrocious .278 BABIP (a full 50 point below his career average). Looks like his GB rate is way up, maybe DET trying to change his approach. It's not a great contract for a player of his profile for sure, but something like a Canario and a lottery ticket & DET picks up $5-6 mil per year. Bat him 6-7, let him play either 2nd or 3rd and go from there if he can recapture some of the magic. A Hoerner/Baez/FA SS/Wisdom holding 1B for Mervis is a pretty solid defensive infield with a chance to really do some damage offensively.
-
The fact that reasonable fans who (I'm assuming of most on here) follow the team & organization closely can have such divergent views of the team's competitive window is absolutely atrocious. I felt like Theo's super power was communication with fans, players, media, etc. Even when things went wrong I feel like I always knew the plan with Theo, right until ownership pulled the proverbial spending rug out from under him. Since then though (what 2018?) the Cubs have had no discernible strategy, direction or innovative ideas on how to be/stay competitive. That's the part that's unexcusable and that's what make the WC/P-Wiz/Ortega/etc. no-trade so infuriating. If you have no plan, at least, AT LEAST err on the side of getting young players that could coalesce into a core. The other side of it is that it just can't be good business to throw this team out there everyday. Say what you want about "people will still go, it's Wrigley" but you can't tell me more people wouldn't go if A. The team was a contender or B. The team was all young/scrappy/exciting, but not-yet-good guys & ownership leaned into it for a couple years with cheap tickets and cheap beers.
-
Listening to the reaction today, the Wrigleyville Nation guys HATE the Cubs' deadline moves/non-moves. I like the moves they did make, but really don't see much of a plan. The failure to trade WC was massive in my opinion. I think you absolutely have to take whatever the best offer is there. Why not move Wisdom/Ortega? What I fear is that it's because they know we are on a 3, 4, 5 year timeline to be competitive instead of 1-2.
-
Seems to me that at this point, you've gotta think of Patrick Wisdom as a piece of a winning team for the next few years. Through nearly a full season of ABs over 21-22 he's got 40 HR and an .803 OPS. His plate discipline could definitely use some work, but if he cuts his K's down just 10-15% to the 20-25% range, he's a very solid 6 hole hitter. Not to mention the somewhat positive defensive metrics at 3B.
-
The cubs will win the division this year
PriorFighter replied to Ncisfam's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Bro, Tom Ricketts is the one who posted this. -
5/15 Cubs (Steele) at Dbacks (Castellanos)
PriorFighter replied to Bertz's topic in Fred Hornkohl Game Thread Forum
Just coming here to the say that. The guy is bat poop crazy. I mean, adding at the deadline, really? -
Yeahhhhhhhhh, I guess. I would counter that by saying no one was complaining about the ownership's politics during the 2016-19 run (I get it, now it looks worse in light of 2020 election/Jan 6 and I'm definitely not a supporter) and apparently Laura is a huge donor to Democrats running for office so there's at least some balance there. I'm pretty sure I could really examine ownership of a number of teams and find stuff I like and stuff I really don't. Not even to mention family members. I'm more concerned about the product on the field than what these guys do with their other money. My actual point is not Pro-Ricketts per se. It's just that MLB ownership is a good ol' boys club and they aren't going to vote in someone with a fan-centric, better experience, let's make games available easily mindset. I think that was the case pre-lockout and I think the owners would tighten it up even more after "being beat" in the negotiations. The next owner would be another profit-first version of Ricketts with some other baggage we all hate.
-
Who would they sell it to? MLB is not going to let some free-spending, paradigm shifting group come in and change the way things are done. Mark Cuban wasn't allowed to buy the team for a reason and there are now specific rules in place to combat Steve Cohen's spending. After all the lockout back and forth I find it very hard to believe MLB would let an owner in who "wanted to win" over "wanting to make money".
-
Does Frazier have his nose pierced?
-
I just thought this was accepted fact at this point. The photos of his eyeline shifting to left field then back to the pitcher right before delivery killed any doubt for me.
-
I'm even more irritated seeing the garbage lineup the Brewers are rolling out. 1-2 guys could have been a division changer this year.
-
What are the chances Jed has expertly read this market, knew CC wasn't getting a $300m deal and is waiting to pounce/bail him out with like a 7/$210m deal? Are we at 1% on that scenario, because that feels like what they are going for (typical Cubs pattern - hear about interest on a player, wait around, radio silence, "surprise" signing when price drops).
-
Oddly, this is a sign to me we are in on one of the big bats. I just don't think you go and spend what? $15m? on the bullpen without having a plan in place to dramatically improve the offense. Would have been easy to "fill those spots" with AAAA guys or guys making $1m/$1.5m.
-
They must think they can go full-Theo and flip Minor at the deadline for another prospect or two. Might not be too bad of a gamble - 2.3 WAR last year with FIP & xFIP almost .75 lower than ERA. If he comes close to that this year, they can definitely get something for him.
-
FWIW...I think Correa is happening. Previous post about the logjam is spot on and that's playing right into Jed's hands. CC will have to make a quick decision to get into camp and get going. Seems like the Cubs are the only team that has been consistently in on him. Astros had years to get an extension done and didn't, can't imagine he's going to back there. THAT SAID - KB's market has been insanely quiet so far. Don't believe Rockies will make a legitimate run. I think their "interest" is just fan service. Wonder if KB would want to run it back on a contract with an opt-out after year 1 or 2. Of all Cubs traded, seems like he and Jed had the best post-trade rapport.