Rcal10

Maybe that’s why it was suggested the Cubs would be the most active team after the new year. Could be Hawkins has several options for trades close to ready to go. Maybe they are waiting out the Boras 4 and once they know which way that goes they make another move (trade). I am sure they aren’t sitting around waiting in Boras without checking into options. I expect(hope)2 or more players open the season with the Cubs that are not on the team now.

That would be awesome. But I certainly would mint hold my breath on that. I will be happy with Bellinger signing. I kind of agree with Bertz on the teams outlook this year.

What do you need for them to do in order for you to be interested? Even signing Bellinger and Chapman moves the needle enough for them to be favorites in the central but it also limits them in future years. Plus, I don’t think they can get both in and be under the $257M line. Short of a trade, which has been discussed at length and is very hard to do, I don’t see free agency making this team that much better. That said, I think they can still be a fun team to watch and one that will be in the race the entire season. With some young guys producing they can win the division. Yes, I would like to see more. But when you break it down and are honest, you have to know they didn’t have a chance with Ohtani, were never going to go 12 years on a pitcher(I don’t blame them), and never going to give that much up for 1 year of Soro(again, I don’t blame them). So that leaves the Boras 4 and/or a trade. I like that the added Busch. I like Imanaga and Neris as FA signings. I, too, would like to see more(a trade), but maybe the prices are just way too high. That could explain the little movement that has gone on.

I’m not saying you are wrong in what you feel needs to happen. I am saying it never will. Why would the low revenue teams sign into having to spend more of their profits. It is not happening.

Ok, fair. But I suggested Morel twice. He is also a quality major league talent with years of control left. Why not our young controlled player for your young controlled player? Doesn’t that potentially help the team? I find it funny that I mentioned Burger for Morel and you said why would the Marlins trade Burger. And yet two other people said they have little to no interest in Burger. Exactly what I said happens when a trade is suggested. Leaving that one alone, doesn’t Morel and Wisneski or Assad for Naylor and Bieber (add small pieces either way) help the Cubs if they then sign JD Martinez? Busch then plays 3rd. Guardians have a 1st baseman ready to be in the majors and lose Bieber in a year. Is that such a bad deal for them? Morel has more control time left than Naylor. Are they fair enough to talk about? I like Morel, tbh. I would rather not trade him. But if he can’t play 3rd that ties the Cubs hands in bringing in a bat like Martinez. I do like a team with Naylor and Martinez in the line up over Morel and Madrigal. Now, if Morel can play 3rd, just sign JD. I am happy with that.

The thing is I am not frustrated. I am just making conversation. I get frustrated when you jump in and defend Jed as if I am attacking him. I am not. As I have said in numerous occasions I think he does a decent job with what I believe the FO allows him to work with. I do just wish he was a bit more aggressive and got some deals done. I am only suggesting I would like to see the Cubs take some of their excess assets )this could mean major league players as well) and turn them into a quality major league talent, at a position of need, in a trade. Basically no different than what 1908 said. And yes, at times you do take my words and spin them so that you can make some sort of smartass comment. For the most part you don’t do that, but when you do, it takes a bit for me to start having honest, non combative conversation with you again. I am more than happy to talk baseball with you. We just don’t agree with the plan for this year. I am fine with that. I understand and respect your reasoning. I, on the other hand, hope he can put something together (as 1908 said- a big trade) to improve the team. I am not so worried about losing assets. I also realize that is not as easy as it sounds.

Wasn’t the report that the Cubs were expected to be the most active team after the new year? What does that mean? I doubt it meant signing free agents ONLY. I guess to me that meant it was known they had things in the works and ready to start pulling the trigger a bit. Since that time they signed a pen arm. So much for active.

This is reeally all I am saying 1908. But every time I suggest that squally challenges me to put an actual trade together so he, or others can criticize it. And just as I told him earlier, when a trade is out out there you get one post suggesting a team wouldn’t do that, which he did when he asked why the Marlins would do that, and then another post suggesting the Cubs shouldn’t do that. Which also happened. Seems according to him there is nothing Jed can do via trade. But I do agree with you. I would like to see a big deal made.

For Morel. You can’t tell me you know who they value more, Morel or Burger. I am not suggesting trading minor league talent for him. I am talking about an old fashion baseball trade where those two guys are the main pieces. And if Burger is so much more valuable the Cubs can sweeten the deal a little, wouldn’t take much. They are close. I also gave other examples where Busch moved to this. Fine if you don’t like it. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something they can do.

You make a lot of good points. When your post like this I appreciate your POV. That said, there is a price where a team will trade with the Cubs. Doesn’t even have to be prospect for proven talent. Just as an example, why not something built around Morel for a 3rd baseman? Again, just as an example, Morel for Burger. Similar players. Similar control left. But Burger can play 3rd. Maybe a little below average but he has played the position. Then sign JD Martinez to DH. Does that improve the team? Maybe Morel for Naylor and then put Busch at 3rd and sign JD Martinez. Does that improve the team? If the Cubs wanted to do Morel for Naylor MAYBE it gets added to and they get Bieber too. Maybe they add Assad, or whatever else if needed. It certainly won’t deplete the farm. If Busch can play 3rd isn’t that a better team than what they have now? Are those Guardian trades ridiculous either way?

So by slanting it more towards the large revenue teams benefit, which we would agree lowering the year of control would do, you are favoring the large market teams more when they are now. Therefore widening the gap in competition between the large and all markets. Or, as you said, the low revenue teams would have to spend more money to try to compete. Considering they don’t do that now, why would they with a different system? Large market teams would just get guys earlier. I don’t see why a small market team would be ok with that. Remember, the owners have to vote on then rules they agree to. I don’t see that happening.

That is the problem. The system is backwards. When they are playing their best they aren’t getting paid the most. But if you shorten control time you hurt the low revenue teams. If a team can only have a guy for 4 years before free agency, the low revenue teams lose stars earlier. I don’t see that as a good thing. Widens the competitive gap. Honestly, I don’t have an answer. But I am pretty sure most owners will not like the idea of lowering the years of control of a player.

So by internal improvement with the reality that when guys first come up are you suggesting they don’t compete to win in 24’ and only win when internally they get better? We both agreed it could take few years for guys to be their best. I am fine with some guys coming up and the 26-27 team being awesome. But IMO they can also supplement the 24 team with a trade or two using a few of the prospects they have. They are not all going to play for the Cubs. There just isn’t enough room. As for trades, I am not going to make up offers. That turns into some suggesting there is no way the Cubs should give that up, why would the other team trade that guy, that is not enough for that guy, etc… But according to reports during the off season there have been plenty of guys available. Alonso, Polanco, Glasnow, Bieber, Naylor, Clase, Jansen, Tucker, Bregman, JD Davis, Bichette, Kim, Cease, Robert, Burnes, Soto, Cabrera, Luzardo, etc….. I am sure there are others who are available that we don’t know about. They got Busch in a deal and no one saw that coming. Now maybe trades are hard to make. Maybe teams are asking for a ridiculous haul. Could be because of what you suggested in your latest post, teams are holding onto guys. Some of those guys might not be worth what it would take and some may not be really available. I just don’t think I have been Hoyer bashing when suggesting I would like to see more done. I have not freaked out when I suggest I would like to see him more aggressive. I have also liked some things he has done and said so. I don’t think he is a terrible GM. But IMO his hands a tied somewhat by the FO. But I think he has this job because he does the job like the FO wants him too. My only complaint, and this is also with the FO, is I would like to see the Cubs act like a large market team. Maybe get a guy even if it isn’t a value signing. And maybe they will do that next year with Soto. But I have serious doubts they will. I still believe when the 24’ season starts they Cubs will look like an 85+ win team, or better. I still believe they will do something more. I only suggested if it is not getting one of the Boras guys it will have to be via a trade.

So the Cubs still have Perlaza? I don’t think he is on the team any longer.

And for every Steele, Alzolay, etc there are 5-10 or more guys who don’t make it, who have just as good a chance of making it as them. So tell me this, if the Cubs don’t get any of the Boras free agents how do you suppose they get better? That was all I was answering. They would need to make trades. Who would they trade? Wouldn’t it stand to reason it would be minor league talent for major league talent? That is where they have their most assets. I also am not bitching about Hoyer. I think given the guidelines I feel based on those guidelines he does ok. Would I like him to be a little more aggressive? Yes. But overall he is ok. I feel you go out of your way to defend Hoyer to the point of putting words in my mouth or misrepresenting my post to make a point. To use words you love to uses, stop freaking out.

How does the idea of trading young talent for proven major league talent cross those guys off? Stop trolling. If you don’t like the idea of trading from a loaded system to bring in talent now, that’s fine. But don’t turn that idea into some sort of stupid idea and make even dumber comments about it, like this one. Way back someone asked, maybe you, what could be done to better the team now. The answer is make some baseball trades. I am not a GM and neither is anyone here. So posting trade idea is a waste of time. But if these prospects are so good that people have them penciled into future line ups, they should be able to get a decent proven player now. And if they can’t, maybe they are not as good as some suggest. So maybe the Cubs shouldn’t count on them either.

That is fair. And I am not siding with b2b, I am just pointing out if the FA market isn’t happening they have enough assets to make trades for proven talent and still have a good farm system. I don’t want to constantly point to the farm as this carrot we somehow can never get to. I also agree we don’t know asking prices. And maybe we wouldn’t all be happy if what they had to give up. But this team should/could be better by making a few moves and utilizing those assets they have in the minors.

There are also Cubs fans who love the new toy until he fails and then move into the next shiny toy until he fails. Repeat as needed. I would bet many who are penciling in any of the young guys the Cubs have now were doing the same with Davis a few years ago. And they will do it with the new toy in the future always suggesting greatness awaits. Yet, it seldom comes. Fact is they have several young guys coming. There is no reason not to use a few to bring in proven talent.

While we can argue all day long about a trade not offering enough or why would a team want a certain deal, the basic idea is why not trade some of your abundant minor league talent for major league talent. That could get you to 90 wins. You don’t have to mortgage the future for a one year guy. Maybe you deal for someone with 3 years before free agency. Maybe you do deal for a one year guy, but he didn’t cost a top prospect. I am certainly not a GM, but neither is anyone else here. So we don’t know what teams want. But if the question is what can Jed do to make this a contending team in 24’ I would say make some trades. Do so before the “star”prospects now turn into Brennon Davis of nit long ago. As squally pointed out, the Cubs have 7 top 100 prospects. Use a few plus maybe some lower level younger guys to bring in talent.

So a possible great team in 2027. Usually guys don’t come up and are great their first year. And if they do have 7 top 100 guys that is all the more reason to use some minor league talent to get major league talent now.

They could use some of the minor league talent to trade for major league talent. What are they holding onto all of these guys for? Some promise of a great team in 2027? I understand where they are with free agents. It is frustrating, but I get it. They have to wait it out. But they have a surplus of very good, not great, minor league talent. Use some of it, and you still have a solid minor league system, and build a winner now.

If that is 8 years the annual isn’t the issue. They years are. I wouldn’t mind 6 years. But if Jed isn’t even going to extend beyond his idea of a good value signing they are never going to get a top guy. And if he isn’t going to do that he should just see about trading young minor league talent for major league talent.

Yep, if he stays there he will not be a Cub. Simple as that.

I agree Jed is running the team exactly how ownership wants him too. He is staying within their guidelines. As you said, let’s see if he is good at winning with those guidelines. Now is the time we should be judging him on wins. Precious to that, he was building the organization back up. And he did a good job doing that, IMO.

Where in my question does it appear I am freaking out? I am just asking what people think will happen to open things up. Just conversing about what’s happening in the off season. We all seem to have ideas as to how the FA period will eventually play out(and share those thoughts). I just thought maybe someone has an idea as to what needs to happen for things to move. Does Boras break or do FO come to his demands? Who goes first? Things like that. There is absolutely no panic or freaking out in my end. Just making conversation.