Rcal10
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Everything posted by Rcal10
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It is really hard to find good fits. The teams who do have pitching want major league talent back. I think the Cubs want to deal from their minor league talent. Maybe the Rays? They seem to be an organization that thinks outside the box at times. Bradley, Littell, Baz? 🤷 Cubs seem to have a good working relationship with their FO. Maybe something can happen here? Keller is also available but not sure he would be a guy then ubs are looking for. Plus it is hard to trade in the division.!
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This makes no sense. He said Arenado not accepting a trade to Houston was the main reason the Cubs got Tucker. Except the Cubs traded for Tucker before Arenado refused to waive his NTC. I couldn’t care less why Arenado didn’t go to Houston. That isn’t the point. I am just trying to understand why him not going made the Astros decide they had to trade Tucker. I assume he is suggesting that had Arenado allowed the trade to happen they wouldn’t have wanted Paredes. But since they were in on him at the deadline last year, when they had Bregman, that would have me believe they would put him at 1st. Just like what they would do now if Arenado did agree to a trade(or Arenado would love to first). As for the money involved, I read the Cardinals were kicking in $10M to $15M to get the deal done. Whether Arenado went to Houston or not has no bearing on them trading Tucker.
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Could have been all of that on top of the Cubs deciding they had more money than they thought they did so they didn’t have to trade a prospect for a high ceiling, high injury risk, lower salaried pitcher.
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So with Luzardo out of the picture now, who do the Cubs look too? Cease would be awesome, but not sure the cost and not sure the teams match up. Aren’t the padres planning on competing this year? They woukd want major league talent back. Seattle would also want major league talent back. So not sure about either of those teams. Maybe look to the Twins. They are said to be looking to cut payroll and still compete. Maybe a guy like Lopez works. Give them back Assad and Triantos for starters. Maybe add Canario or better. That gives them someone they can put in the rotation or the pen if they want to put Jax in the rotation, as well as a couple of prospects. It also lowers their team salary. They actually have a lot of interesting options. Ryan and Ober are also options. So is Jax, if the Cubs view him as a potential starter. But all of those guys don’t cost that much so moving them doesn’t save the Twins money. Lopez does. Back to Seattle, Castillo would be fine, but I don’t see a match. If the Cubs did get Castillo from Seattle another team would have to be involved who wanted a prospect. Not giving up Hoerner for him. Honestly I am not interested in trading any major league offense for a pitcher. Cubs need what they have. They need to get a pitcher in trade by using their minor league assets or sign a FA pitcher. Don’t touch the regular guys in the line up.
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I am fine with this as well. I think this was a fallback in the event the Cubs had to eat more of Bellinger’s contract. Once they don’t have to eat much if it he may have become less appealing to the Cubs. They can aim higher and spend more on a pitcher. I love your idea on Cease. The issue is I really think he would only be for one year. And who do you have to trade for him for one year?
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A trade is a possibility, but that would entail trading prospects. Beuhler only cost money.
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So then backing out of Luzardo is a good thing for the Cubs. If they were on him because he was a cheap option that was because Jed may not have thought he could get rid of as much of Bellinger’s salary as he eventually got rid of. So pivoting from Luzardo may mean he does like someone else more and now he has the money to spend on that pitcher. I guess we will find out soon”ish”.
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Yep. They still have enough money even if they do pay $15M for a pitcher. I think the bigger issue is they dont want to pay that guy multiple years. Maybe 2 at most. If they are going to make a serious run at Tucker, and I think they will, they don’t want that contract on the books. That is why 1 or at most 2 years of Buehler makes sense. .
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Considering I mentioned Beuhler about 2 hours ago as someone I felt was a better option than Luzardo, I completely agree with you. But he might cost $15M so cubs would be down to about $25M to spend after signing him. So is it Yates for $12M, Minter for $6M and one bench bat/back uo 1st and 3rd baseman? Seems that is doable.
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What does this mean? What does Arenado not accepting a trade to Houston have to do with the Cubs getting Tucker? Houston was going to move Paredes to first had Arenado agreed to the trade. His decision has nothing to do with the Cubs getting Tucker.
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I agree with this. But I also think they need a solid back up for both 1st and 3rd. And he needs to be able to bat from the right side.
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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.
