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Rcal10

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Everything posted by Rcal10

  1. Rcal10
    True. But actually the reports sound like a bunch of nothing really. As 1908 pointed out, it sounded like the Cubs were not in on any of the high end FA, BUT if they traded Bellinger that could change. That said, I doubt they would be in on the top tier (Soto, Burnes, Fried, Snell) anyway. So really that isn’t even a story. It also does not signal they are dropping salary. It just explains why they were looking to move Bellinger. They may still move Bellinger (I personally don’t care either way- as long as they then spend the money they save by trading him). Back to the dropping salary comment I think that could also mean they spend closer to $42M-$45M to stay clear of the LT so that they don’t go a little over again this year due to some accounting mistake. I don’t expect them to come $30M short of the LT line and pocket the money they could save by trading Bellinger. I also don’t think they will only add $20 to the budget if they keep Bellinger. But who knows🤷 Maybe that is their plan. If it is, the plan sucks and Ricketts needs to sell the team. At the very least they should always be right up against the LT line. And if they are having a good year at the deadline they need to add, regardless if it brings them over.
  2. Rcal10
    I wouldn’t mind Lorenzen as the second guy they signed. Spot starter or even 5th starter. He can’t be the guy they pencil in ahead of Tailon and just go with him.
  3. Rcal10
    Yep. I just don’t see the Cubs signing someone attached to a QO. If two pitchers are close to equal I think they would pay more to the one without the QO attached to him, instead of maybe getting the other one a little cheaper or for a year or two less but lose the picks and money that goes with the picks. And I hjfhlh doubt they have interest in someone for 3 years or less that is attached to a QO. (Manaea or Pivetta as examples). I think they would lean towards Eovaldi or Flaherty instead.
  4. Rcal10
    Cool. I have a hard time believing a true payroll cut is in order. My idea lines up much more with that you are suggesting.
  5. Rcal10
    Agreed. I am just talking about the pitching side of things in regards to FA. I am fine adding a pitcher in trade if they go that route. They also need to add a decent catcher and a solid pen arm. And then maybe take that flier on Bieber or Beuhler or add a decent bench bat or two. The idea of cutting payroll makes no sense to me. At least they should get to just under the LT, as they have done in the past. I realize they can’t do all of the above without making a trade. They don’t have the budget to do it all through FA. But between assets in the minors and the money they SHOULD spend, they can have a nice off season, and should have a nice off season.
  6. Rcal10
    What about Eovaldi or Flaherty? There are FA pitchers of quality without the QO penalty attached.
  7. Rcal10
    I agree with both you and squally that losing a pick shouldn’t matter. But I think it does for the cubs. Not necessarily the 5th round pick. Had they not gone over the LT this year and lost only be a 2nd round pick, I don’t think they would so it anyway.
  8. Rcal10
    Dodgers are playing with a crazy money advantage over every other team. Add that to them being the destination of choice for the top Japaneses players and their advantage over every other organization in baseball grows. Honestly, it is easy for them to be the best organization in baseball. They have all the advantages from the start. It’s like running a 100 yard dash against someone, except that get to start at the 50 yard line. Of course they are going to win.
  9. Rcal10
    Two points. First, if Ricketts wants the team to shed salary without them adding it back in, he needs to sell the team. He is an awful owner. This team makes a lot of money. If anything he should be adding payroll. Next, even if that is true Bellinger isn’t holding up other moves they can make. They can still get a mid tier starting pitcher, either via trade or FA. They can still look for a pen arm or a catcher. Even if they think Cassie or Shaw can come up and fill Bellknger’s spot there are moves that can be made.
  10. Rcal10
    You mean salary appropriate players? Suzuki and Happ are absolutely worth their contracts. PCA is playing at extreme value surplus. The only guy overpaid is Bellinger. But as a whole the main 4 outfielders are absolutely worth the payroll space they take up.
  11. Rcal10
    Not sure I would choose those exact 4, but it does put in perspective how it can be done within the budget. They can even add someone like Grichik for a bench bat and still be under the $53M they can spend. And this isn’t even considering a trade. I honestly think there has been way too much overreaction to the idea of having to trade Bellinger as well as the defeatist attitude that the Cubs aren’t going to do anything this off season. If they do spend what they have available they can still build a good team, even with everyone coming back in the line up.
  12. Rcal10
    If they had it would have probably been for $115M or something like that. And that wouldn’t be such a big deal. Honestly, this “Bellinger must be moved because he is ruining the entire off season narrative” is being way overblown here.
  13. Rcal10
    So why not just keep him and get one mid tier player they might want now? If they were getting two after trading him why not just one and keep him? Don’t understand why he holds anything up.
  14. Rcal10
    They have enough prospects to make a trade for pitching if they need to. But I also think they can just sign a FA pitcher if the asset cost is too much for a pitcher they have interest in. Any of this could be done with or without Bellinger.
  15. Rcal10
    So if the Cubs freed up money by trading Bellinger that afforded them 2 of Castillo, Flaherty or Eovaldi and then also a closer like Scott or Hughes, that wouldn’t be GOOD pitching? Two of those guys instead of Hendricks and Assad wouldn’t improve the team? An actual closer wouldn’t improve the team? I would rather that be the reason they traded Bellinger than to do so to add Alonso or another FA bat to the team. And I would only want that done assuming they believe Shaw or Cassie could provide Bellinger’s offensive production.
  16. Rcal10
    All of what you said makes complete sense. So they just keep him. Not really a big deal. Plus there are teams that could use him that have nothing to do with Soto. Mariners & Phillies are examples of two teams but I am sure there are more. Seems only the Mets, Yankees, LA, Jays and maybe one more team are going after him. So that leaves over 20 other teams to talk to. Honestly if no one wants him at Jed’s price I am fine with him on the team. I am glad Jed isn’t rolling over and trading him just to trade him.
  17. Rcal10
    Yep, if Jed is gone it will be someone similar to him. That is what Ricketts wants.
  18. Rcal10
    Grass is always greener is a perfect analogy. If the Cubs dumped Bellinger and then signed Alonso it wouldn’t be long before people would be grousing about Alonso. The more I think about them trading Bellinger the less I like it. The one caveat would be if they really felt Cassie or Shaw could be an everyday player next year giving them Bellinger production. Then take the Bellinger money and put it into pitching. Instead of one starter and a decent pen arm maybe two starters and someone like Scott or even Holmes to close. Still add a catcher and some bench help. IMO they need to do that with or without Bellinger. Trading him just to rearrange the deck chairs doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t see them any better with Alonso and Castillo than they would be with Bellinger and Eovaldi or Flaherty, as an example.
  19. Rcal10
    Guess so. But as bigbadb said, they don’t really have to trade him. Yes, if they got equal value on the pitching side, it could make sense. But really it isn’t the worst scenario if Bellinger is in the team next year.
  20. Rcal10
    Yep, that seems much closer. And your 4/$96 is more more like what I am used to seeing from you👍. It is also where I would call the highest I would be interested in too. I don’t want Alonso for more than 4. And, personally I don’t think he is an upgrade to Bellinger. Sure, he will hit more homers. But that is it. Bellinger helps other ways.
  21. Rcal10
    Honestly, with or without Bellinger they weren’t going after Soto. And spending $1M on a back up catcher is hardly a big deal. And, he might not even be on the major league roster,’so he would only make $400,000.
  22. Rcal10
    I am shocked that you think he will get that much. Through the years you have been notoriously low on what you expect people to get. And now you are outrageous high. There is no chance in hell Alonso get $180M. If he holds out for that he will be the 2024 version of Chapman and Bellinger. I think the absolute high end for him would be 6/$150M. And I wouldn’t want the Cubs to do it. Anything more than 4/$100M is too much for my liking.
  23. Rcal10
    But how is trading for Crochet and then adding someone like Bieber aiming for mediocre? Even signing Eovaldi and Bieber is better than giving the #5 spot to Assad all year. Not sure I understand your POV. Sure, I would love Snell, Fried or Nurnes. Love if they were in Soto too. But it is their choice to not be. So how do we get to 80 wins?
  24. Rcal10
    I think Alonso would be a terrible signing if any more than 3 to 4 years.
  25. Rcal10
    But don’t you still need Flaherty or Eovaldi too? He said if they salary dump Bellinger. Not if they trade him for someone like Castillo.
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