Rcal10
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So he was a little more than thawv’s prediction of 2/$8M. At least it seems things are moving.
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I am leaning to this way of thinking. There is still time and still players available. I have to believe they will spend past the first LT line. I think they will add $50M to the current payroll. At least I hope so.
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They might. But if they do that is terrible mismanagement of funds for a large market team. If they are going to stay under this year they absolutely should have gone over last year at the deadline. Personally I think they will go over. But yiu could be right.
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Right. This might be the year Boras loses.
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I am the same way. I want more certainty in my life. I know people will say players don’t have to worry about anything because they are set for life. I get that. But some people have a personality that just makes them want to have a plan in place asap. I don’t think it matters if they are set for life or not. But apparently the guys still out there don’t think like we do. Because set for life or not, I would imagine they would like to know where they will be spending the next few/several years. And remember, many of these guys have families. They have wives who will want to know where they will be living and raising a family. I couldn’t do it. I would be have been signed by now. Also, one thing to consider on guys waiting is a team could make a move that would then take them out on a guy. Cubs may have done that to Hoskins by trading for Busch. What is Bellinger really wants to come here and Cubs have an offer in, but then Jed gets a deal too good to pass up on someone? Bregman, Bichette, Tucker, Guerrero, etc….. just examples. Bellinger loses the Cubs option and could end up taking less money because of a depressed market.
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I guess if the Cubs really like Woo it works. But then they are moving Busch back to 3rd. Not really a fan of France but he would be their first baseman. If I had to say yes or no to it, I would say no for the Cubs.
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I think it really depends on where it came from or where is spread to. From what I read, depending on where else it is he could have a 98% 10 year survival rate or a 34% survival rate for 5 years. And unless I missed it, no one has said where else he has cancer. I pray it is where survival is likely.
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I don’t see Madrigal bringing much back. Do they have a pen arm they might deal for him? Or even him and a minor league lower level prospect for a pen arm? They are not going to get one of those young starting pitchers.
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Ok, cool. We are good. Just, in the past you have referred to me as a prospect hugger. I thought you were suggesting that again. I am in full agreement with you. The Cubs should not waste this opportunity. They need to acquire talent via free agency or trade. And they need to act like a large market and at least not be afraid of the first LT layer.
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Why do you directing your question to me? And why does it appear you are suggesting I want the kids to play? I have been against the idea of not filling a spot because we have kids coming up every step of the way. Stratos seems to not want to block anyone or give out long term deals. And yet you come back to me. But since you asked me, NO I wouldn’t be happy or satisfied if they did nothing. If they miss out on all the other free agents they need to make aggressive trades using some minor league talent. Contrary to what you seem to suggest my position is, I view the minor league talent as assets to acquire major league talent. If they don’t get any one via free agency they need to deal some minor league talent and compete this year. The only time I have suggested a prospect fill a spot is when the discussion is filling a pen arm or the 26 guy in the team for a contract around a couple of million dollars. I don’t think you get anything for that. So in that case I would rather see a system guy. Instead of a pen arm for $2M, I will take my chances with Palancia, Little, etc. instead of Matt Carpenter for $2M I will take my chances with Mervis, Canario, Mastrobuoni or Wisdom.
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I understand. But what I am saying is IF they do sign Bellinger is it even worth chasing a dumpster dive FA pitcher and bat, if they don’t go over this year. Do you want another Hosmer at league minimum ? Or some clown reclamation project pitcher at $2M. Might as well keep what they have and hope a young guy gets the job done. I would guess the young guy has as good a chance as the cheap player.
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If you're suggesting they stay under the first LT line, they can’t even do what you just said. They have $38M to that line. They will hold back at least $5M for deadline deals. So that leaves $33M. How are they getting Bellinger ($25M) a pen arm and another usable bat for $33M? If the pen arm they sign is under $5M and the bat under $5M they might as well just stay with what they have. No one at that price moves the needle, IMO. I think (hope) the plan is to go over the first line but not the second. That gives them $20M more. Now a pen arm can be $7M $10M and a bat at $16-$20M. If they don’t go over the first line then what they did at the deadline last year was terrible FO work. They should have went over for another relief pitcher which would have likely helped them gain a playoff spot. Not going over now makes that decision even worse than it was at that time.
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Chapman just signed for $10.5M. I really am not sure the Cubs will spend that on a pen arm. I can see them spending another $50M. That would put them close to $250M. Over the first layer but $7M under the second LT layer. So if they signed Bellinger for $25M a year that leaves $25M - $26M for another bat and a pen arm. If the arm cost $10M that probably takes them out of any trade for Alonso or signing Hoskins. And definitely out of signing M. Chapman.
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I wouldn’t think they would have acquired Busch to then trade him for a guy with one year left in his contract. Maybe they trade Assad or Wesneski plus Mervis for him. But I doubt it is Busch
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Poor choice of words. Maybe I should have said punishing the teams owners. horsefeathers canning them from the draft is punishing the team ownership, as is forcing them to sell the team. Again, either incentify winning or find a way to discourage losing.
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Ok, fine. But what you are suggesting is punishing the bad teams. That is fine too. Whatever it takes to make winning a priority is fine with me.
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They need to figure out a way to reward winning for the owners. Make it profit driven for them to win. They might even need to figure out a way to reward teams in the low revenue more revenue sharing the more they win. Some of these owners on the low revenue teams don’t even try to field a team. They would rather take the money the large market teams are taxed and pocket it. Maybe the low budget team that wins the most get a higher percent of the tax money. Make them have to earn that money. Maybe they would spend some of it make them more money. Honestly, I don’t know what they can do. I am sure large revenue teams will never agree to revenue sharing like the NFL or NBA. And I am also sure they will never agree to a cap and a minimum.
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Annual is fine. I think he wants more years.
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He is probably the best 3rd base option who may be realistically available. That is why I think they could move Busch to 3rd. Guys like Naylor and Alonso may be available in trade and Hoskins via free agency.
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I am a less than a year younger than Ryno. So my heros were guys like Santo and Williams. But I still loved watching him play and the class he showed as a player. He was always very quiet and that was taken as boring during his playing days. But he really came out of his shell during his HOF speech. Since then he has been very engaging. I met him in 2017 at an event called “A Cup Of Joe” at Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. After the Q&A session they announced the bar and sweet table were open. I went to the sweet table and the only person there was Sandberg. We talked one on one for 10 minutes. He asked me as many questions as I asked him. He also took a picture with me and thanked me for the conversation. It was like talking to a buddy. I came away so impressed by him. I really hope he beats this. And like someone else said, makes me really realize my own mortality!
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The debate on who is right and who is wrong when it comes to owners and players is a argument that never ends well. Some will side with the owners and cut down the “greedy players’ while others will side with the players and complain about the “billionaires” making all sorts of money and being cheap bastards who care only about money, not winning. And no matter how much we discuss it, whatever side you are on, no one is going to change anyone’s mind. But I will say, something does have to change in baseball. The disparity is becoming too large between teams that spend and teams that don’t. It is not good for competition.
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Correction: Hoerner does not have a gold glove at SS. But he does have one at 2nd. Moving GG second baseman off the position so Morel can play it just doesn’t seem like a good idea. If I had to guess they will go with someone already in the roster. But that someone would be either Busch or Morel, for me. Right now I think Busch. I know when he came here Jed and Hawkins suggested he would be the first baseman. I know they are also both straight shooters. But in this case, doesn’t putting something out there that Busch willl play first give you some leverage when talking about other potential first baseman. We all know the names. Naylor has been floated around. As has Alonso. Both as trade options. And then there is Hoskins and even Bellinger. Doesn’t the Cubs saying Busch is their first baseman take some bargaining power away from Boras or the trade partner? I guarantee that if the Cubs plan was to play Busch at 3rd they wouldn’t announce that. That lets Boras or any team they might want to trade with have leverage to say the Cubs need a first baseman. There are a lot better options for 1st than there are 3rd. In the end I think they will fill one and the other spot will go to Busch with Morel as DH.
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Even if they don’t get either, I think there are still things he could do. He can make some trades for talent now. Not all these guys are going to work out. In fact, most likely more than half will fail to be a full time player in the league. It is the FO job to figure out who they can trade.
