Rcal10
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Everything posted by Rcal10
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But it might be a throwing error in a ball Madrigal wouldn’t even get too. Either way the guy is on second base. Not advocating Morel play 2rd. Just asking the question.
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A while back biitner asked a question about how many chances a 3rd baseman get a game. Turns out, not that many. So knowing that and knowing Madrigal plays up because of a weaker arm, is it possible that Morel, playing back more because of a stronger arm, may actually get to more balls than Madrigal would have? Sure he will make more errors, but is it possible because he makes more plays on balls Madrigal has no chance at, he doesn’t hurt them that much at 3rd?
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I think Morel and maybe Wisdom is fair for Bieber and Naylor. Maybe a small cubs add, if need be. But not much. Morel for Bieber isn’t even close, IMO.
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While winning 90 games plus a year he really couldn’t sell. That would have been an awful look/decision if he did.
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If it is only 2 or 3 years who care about opt outs? If he sucks they keep him for 3 years. Not the end of the world. If he is good he leaves. Again, they obviously don’t want to do a longer deal if they do something like this, so they get a good year or two out of him.
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As a second bat and 3rd baseman I would be fine with Turner. But if he can’t play 3rd any longer I don’t see a need for him. Don’t want AB taken from Morel.
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I don’t think they can sign Chapman and Bellinger and be safely under the $257 line. And they are not going past that. I think it is one or the other.
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Cubs sign Hector Neris to 1yr /$9m with options
Rcal10 replied to Jason Ross's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
There is no Pham connection with the Cubs. Just a random name brought up. -
That works. That makes much more sense. Guardians might be willing to move Naylor due to salary and they have a top prospect who can play 1st. Give them Morel and Wisdom and maybe a lower end prospect for Bieber and Naylor. Still an overpay, but one that is ok. Or just Cabrera fro Morel. That is close .
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Cubs sign Hector Neris to 1yr /$9m with options
Rcal10 replied to Jason Ross's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
True. Probably a simple transaction. But this is where you can see 2 or 3 guys from the 40 man traded for one guy. No idea who. But then again. We didn’t see Busch coming either. -
I don’t think 1 year of Bieber cost Morel+. If it does I wouldn’t trade Morel. I wouldn’t trade Morel for Bieber straight up. I actually like the idea of signing Chapman and another bat and trading Morel for a pitcher. Just not for 1 year of Bieber. I would rather a guy with some team control. Maybe Cabrera? Like I said, like the plan just not the pitcher we get back for Morel.
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Cubs sign Hector Neris to 1yr /$9m with options
Rcal10 replied to Jason Ross's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Like to see another random bat along with Bellinger. Belt, Turner, or a small trade for someone. But I agree, adding Bellinger gets them to mid to upper 80’s win team. -
Stratos do you pay attention to anything going on? Or just blindly comment. I have been a huge proponent of Morel playing 3rd. But everything you read and hear suggest that is not the Cubs plan. It just doesn’t seem he can do it or that they are even working on him doing it.
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But the pen is very volital. So give me two names you want. And then tell me their cost. I would bet the Cubs can fill those two spots with guys who coast way less and are already in the system. You continue to suggest the team won’t go over the LT. Do you really want to commit $20M of the $32M they may, spend on pen arms? Every year is different for a pen arm. Good one year and not so much the other. Every year many of the top pen arms were either 1st year guys or guys who were not nearly as good the previous year.
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Rangers and Dbacks were also average in the pen last year. Spending money to fix the pen is just not a great idea. Pen arms are just way too volital. And when they refuse to act like a large market team and spend money, they just can’t add substantial payroll with pen arms. I hope they get one. Brasier would be fine with me. Then use the pen better than last year and an arm or two step up in the system and improve the pen that way. I would also be ok with a trade. I agree asset for asset isn’t a net loss. I just don’t think they need to add two to what they have now. Sign Brasier or trade for lock down 8th inning guy, not both.
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I’d they stay under the $237 they can’t add both and get a higher end bat. And maybe they get Brasier, anyway. Maybe they decided one pen arm, one main bat and another semi regular bat was a better way to go IF they go past the first line. As others have pointed out, guys who cost more don’t automatically mean they are better. Maybe they like Almonte. As an example.
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But they got to the WS last year with a worse pen. Again, I want to add to the pen. But I want a better offense more. If they had an unlimited budget I would be all for adding Hader and Stephenson. But they don’t. So they have to hope they find someone in that $6M to $8M range and get better production from what they do have from last year, by managing the pen better, and hopefully a young guy like Palancia, Little or Brown or another arm close to the majors steps up. No, it is not ideal. But it is what I expected.
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I don’t think anyone is arguing that the pen was good. They were average. And I already said they should add someone. I just think people remember the last month and exaggerate how bad the pen was. It absolutely tanked at the end. They absolutely need to add another guy they can count on. And they need some young arms to step up. But if they just added a guy at the deadline last year they would have been in the playoffs. You know 2 teams that blew more saves than the Cubs last year? Dbacks and Rangers. You know what they did near the deadline? They added to the pen.
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It was a reason. Not the reason. Probably not the most important reason. Honestly I don’t think anyone can point to one thing and suggest it was the most important reason. That said, it does need to be better. I just think it will be with some of the young arms coming up. Unless they were going to dedicate $15m-$25M to the pen I don’t see how they could overall the pen. I would still like to add another guy. But the improvement has to come from better management of the pen, guys knowing their place this year, sooner than last year, and young arms coming up and producing. Even with all the missteps starting the season(Mancini, Hosmer, Barnhardt) not starting the season with Morel etc…., had the Cubs added another pen arm at the deadline, they probably make the playoffs.
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So average. No one suggests they had a great pen. I do agree they should have added a pen arm at the deadline. Similar to what the Dbacks did. My guess is if they did they would have made the playoffs.
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Suggesting the pen ALONE cost the Cubs the playoffs is exactly the exaggeration I was referring too. Also, the pen could very well be better with young guys filling in. No one said trot out the exact same guys and expect it to be better. Most are saying minor league guys are closer to contributing this year. Also, there is more certainty in roles this year and very possibly a better manager to handle the pen. Do you want to spend $20M on the pen and then have maybe $12M for one more position player? Sure, I would love if they signed Hader and Robertson and then signed Bellinger and maybe Chapman. That would be great. But Jed and Tom don’t work that way. So they have to pick and choose what works best within the budget they have. If it is $237M I don’t see how they would even consider a high leverage guy. They don’t have the funds. If they agree to go to $257M maybe that does allow someone in that $8-$12M range. Maybe they will get one. But not if they plan on staying under the LT. .
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Yep. That is why I am not as worried about the pen as some. Because on top of that, some negatively exaggerated the pen. It definitely tanked at the end. But it was an average pen. It took a while for Ross to get things in place. So it struggled early. My hope is Counsell works the pen better and they get more help from the system. I know everyone wants to point to bad signing costing them in the pen. But they also got bad results from holdovers they were counting on. Hughes never recovered from his injury and Thompson sucked. Those were two guys they were counting on. I feel the system is allowing them way more options this year and I also feel the pen will be managed better.
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This is why it was apparent they weren’t going to sign 2 pen arms. Even if each was $7M to $8M I never understood the desire for 2. They have either $32M or $52M to spend (depending if they plan on going over the first LT line or not) so I never saw that much money going to the pen. Those figures above would give them around $5M to spend at the deadline before going to the next tier. And they are not going to go over $257M.
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Regardless of what anyone thinks of Mervis, unless either Busch or Morel can play 3rd, I don’t see a spot for him. Busch at 1st and Morel at DH seems to be the plan. Injuries happen, Busch might not cut it. I am not suggesting trading Mervis. I am just saying as the Cubs plan for 2024, he doesn’t appear to be a part of the major league plan. There is also a lot of negative underlying issues with him as others have pointed out. He very well can be an AAAA ballplayer.
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Tigers? Or Rangers?
