Rcal10
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No matter who they sign it will be a risk. They aren’t going to get a sure fire 2+WAR guy as a free agent for $6M to $8M. I also doubt they spend a lot of money to get a starting 3rd baseman. I realize they have had luck with those short term cheap signings, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work out well with some guys. Look at Grichek and Pederson last year. Each signed cheaply and had great years. While Moncada hasn’t been better than Madrigal the past few years, he has far more upside. Plus they need a guy who can also play 1st. That isn’t Madrigal. At lesst Moncada has a high ceiling. But this isn’t about Moncada anyway. It is about anyone they sign for that amount. It will be a roll of the dice if they are any good. That is all you get for that amount money for a FA. And I don’t want to trade anyone for a back up bench bat. There are numerous guys who will probably sign for $6M to $8M. Moncada, Polanco, Dejong, Solano, Urshela, maybe Urias. My guess is at least one of two of them will have decent years. They just have to pick the right one. I actually think whoever they sign will be strictly a back up. I am pretty bullish on Shaw and expect him to be good. But it would be great to have a solid back up for 1st and 3rd.
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I don’t see Burnes either. Basically for the same reason. I also don’t see Flaherty as a FA or a trade for Castillo or a Cease. I find it hard to believe they will have a $20M+ pitcher in the rotation, that they will be paying for several years, and still sign Tucker to an extension. Cease would be a possibility provided they did not sign him to an extension. If they got him it would be one year, if they did extend Tucker. I think it is Luzardo in a trade or Beuhler on a short term deal.
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I like the idea of not losing a prospect more than I do saving $8M on a cheaper pitcher. I also like Buehler being a right handed pitcher. And he did do well in the post season. If healthy he is every bit as good as a healthy Luzardo.
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Is Buehler any more of a risk than Luzardo? I am beginning to like the idea of him for just money and keep the prospect over trading for Luzardo. Even if Buehker cost $7M more than Luzardo the Cubs should still be fine with money. At least Nuehler finished the year bearing and looked good in the playoffs.
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I would think Tucker moves to center and they bring up whoever is hitting best at AAA. But if that person is Alcantara, Tucker would just stay in right,
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Why? Thought he might like the idea of a small market?
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Or worse, a team in the NL central.
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I agree with you on what they should do. But I am very skeptical about them actually doing it. Hope they surprise me.
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I would absolutely love if they did that. But there is no scenerio I see where they extend both Tucker and Cease. Really hope you are right and I am wrong on this. And tbh, what you suggested is exactly what a large market team should do. But I do not see the Cubs payroll yearly over the LT line. And if they signed both those guys to extensions, unless they went cheap everywhere else I can’t see them being under the LT moving forward.
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I am leaning to 2 pen arms (Yares and Minter) and a bench bat that can play 3rd and 1st). Preferably a right handed or switch hitting bat. Then add a pitcher. Luzardo is fine, but there are other options.
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I think another pitcher. For one thing I doubt they know about Sasaki. My original comment was IF they did know. Then I would think they might go with a different pitcher they can get as a free agent instead of losing a minor league asset to bring in Luzardo. Maybe Cuzi is right, with $40M, they may aim higher. But IMO it will not be Poteet or Assad. And I also doubt that wait until January 15th to make another pitching move, just waiting in Sasaki to decide.
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Sasaki would be the final move and make this an amazing off season. Maybe the bike hold up on Luzardo is Sasaki told the Cubs he is coming here. Doubt it, but who knows. I would still want another pitcher, but maybe instead of using minor league assets for Luzardo they sign a pitcher who can spot start instead. I doubt this scenerio, but I can dream….
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Can’t we just let this go. It is pretty much the consensus the Cubs have roughly $40M to spend and still be $8M to $10M from the imaginary line they will not cross. Can we just talk baseball using that figure? There is still work to do this off season and this is finally an off season they are making some news. What does anyone expect next. I say a resolution on Luzardo. Either they get him or decide to back away. I also think Yates will be here before Christmas. Jed has gone this far. He can’t stop now.
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Going back to actual baseball, I answered this quickly yesterday. The shortest answer is yes, In think they don’t have an issue with going with 4 lefties in the rotation. However, I do think it is a little odd. Especially if you consider Wicks would probably be one of the first guys called upon to fill a rotation shot if someone does down or misses a start or two. If that is Tailon they have an all lefty rotation. When they want to give guys an extra day, it might be Wicks so that is 5 lefties in a 6 man rotation on occasion. Luzardo probably wouldn’t be my first choice. It would be a right handed pitcher. But by all accounts, up until now, he appears the Cubs choice. At least if it is him, if the rotation can stay healthy, it would an awesome rotation, and they would still have a lot of money they can spend elsewhere.
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The problem I have with going with Cowles or Workman if Shaw struggles is going with a lesser prospect if the higher ranking one fails is not a way a playoff team should operate. They have plenty of money. They can allocate some to a decent bench bat who can play 3rd. Not every one year deal on a bench player has to turn into Mancini. Not all signings turn into a 1 WAR or player. I think they have to sign someone as insurance for Shaw. Maybe not spend $10M. Maybe more in the $5M to $7M range. People talked all year about a terrible bench and now when they have money to add someone to that bench you are suggesting just using Cowles and Workman. I think they have to at least try to get better.
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This is true. But Kirby has years of control left. So he is a cheaper pitcher. But I don’t see something like this happening. I don’t know why Seattle would want prospects. I would be very surprised if they did any kind of a deal for Kirby.
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Could be several reasons. First, he may really like Chicago. Second, there is an opening at 3rd for the Cubs. Next, the Cubs should contend next year. As an athlete so you t really think he doesn’t think he could beat out Shaw for the job. Is there another team in baseball that is a contender who can offer him a better opportunity. And finally, the last reason. The Cubs make him the best offer.
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That kind of surprises me. I thought I read a team was considering signing him to play 3rd. Maybe that didn’t happen because he didn’t want to play 3ed. Honestly I am fine going with Shaw and having a back up plan in the event he struggles.
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Yes I do. And frankly so do most people including people reporting on a deal being worked on. And we all know (as you do as well) Burnes isn’t happening.
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Ideal scenario is two bench bats and 2 pen aems(Yates and Minter)
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I read he may have left because he was being careful about his injury(nothing serious) because they suspected he would be signing shortly. But I do understand not giving him the benefit of the doubt.
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That’s fair. But I don’t think it will be Scott. I doubt it will be anyone with several years of high dollars. If they are going to make a play for Tucker I doubt that they want $15M tied up yearly for 4 or 5 years. I can see Yates for 1 or 2. He would cost a decent amount. But I doubt Scott. Honestly if they dealt Canario and then went with Moncada(or any other guy from a long list of options to insure against Shaw struggling), Grichik added to Kelly and /Cowles/Mastrobouni or Workman, that would be a fine bench. And maybe they still might have enough for Yates AND Minter. If they don’t I would rather keep Canario and get 2 pen arms over dealing Canario and signing Grichik but then only have enough money for one pen arm. .
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I doubt that. I was thinking maybe Torres, if he was willing to play 3rd. But I doubt they do that. I think it will be a guy from a list of Moncada, Rojas, Polanco, Urshela, Solano and Dejong. Maybe I missed a guy or two.
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If Sasaki chose the Cubs they would break deals they have with the other IFA. But I also do not know why chibear is suggesting Luzardo is only an option if they don’t get Sasaki. He is an option for every team, no matter what their rotation looks like.
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I assume you are kidding, otherwise YUCk!