Rcal10
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So when does the dam break? When does one of these 4 Boras clients sign a deal? What has to happen? If no one is offering the money Boras wants what changes for a team to finally decide they will meet his demands? And what happens if no one does budge? Are these guys really just not going to play? Are they going to waste a year by signing late and hurting their production in 24’? When does this come to a head? What happens for this to end?
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I don’t think you sign a guy for 7+ years and over $160M as a PR move. They might sign him, but it will be because they feel he helps the team, not so they look better to their fans.
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I am not a huge fan either. I don’t hate him, but don’t think he is great either. But fair is fair. He has never had an opportunity to trade prospects for proven talent. So we don’t know what he will do.
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And what do you use as a basis for this statement. When should he have traded prospects for proven talent up until this off season. They have not been competing the last few years and they really didn’t have the assets of value needed. I get your point, he hasn’t made any real big deal using the minor league talent. I just don’t agree he won’t. He really never was in position to.
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I think we are closing in a a point where Jed needs to turn the screws a bit. Maybe have an actual trade he is comfortable with lined up and go to Boras with a offer for any of those guys. Let it be known if they can not negotiate to a satisfactory number he will move on. But then he needs to move on. I am fine with that. He should not sit back without other options ready to go if he does miss out. In fact, he should have options for any direction it goes with Boras. Obviously depending on who Jed decides he wants or who he ends up negotiating for, there should be different plans. Simplest form of this is just using the Astros as a trade partner. Maybe he has a Bregman or Tucker deal lined up. Well, obviously depending on who he could sign beteeen Bellinger or Chapman, he has something else also lined up. This is just an example. Before people lose their minds, I am not suggesting the Astros would trade either of these guys. Right now Jed is allowing the market and Boras to dictate what he will do with this team. And I just wish he got aggressive and actually has other options and showed he isn’t afraid to do something else. Pitchers and catchers report in a week.
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I think someone has been sipping too much cubbie kool aid. I can see low to mid 80’s team. High 80’s to 90 with a bright future, I have to really be all in with Jed and the FO. And I am not there.
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I would agree with you that it is probably a 20-30% chance they don’t sign any of Boras’ FA. I am not all doom and gloom on this. I just don’t think that even after guys are signed the last one standing won’t have options. Maybe no one pays them what Boras wants and the Cubs get someone at their values price. But there is still a 20-30% chance each player gets one team to bite and pay close to what that player wants. Or at least pay more than the Cubs.
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But the point is, just because one team signs one of the 4 and then eliminates them from the other 3, doesn’t mean all 4 can’t be signed by a team other than the Cubs. 4 different teams. There are enough teams that will sign free agents.
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Jays sign Bellinger, Giants sign Chapman, Angels sign Snell and Rangers sign Montgomery. All not that crazy a scenario.
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I am really hoping Jed has a plan B and contacts Boras with an offer for either Bellinger or even Chapman. But tells him this is the offer. If that gets them to the table to make something work, great. But if not and they need to move to plan B. Whether it is a trade we don’t expect, or a signing of someone like JD Martinez and then a Morel trade for a 3rd baseman or a pitcher, or a huge prospect trade to upgrade a position of need, all would be fine with me. It is time to make the offer and proceed however they have to depending on if they get someone signed or not.
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Whoever is at 3rd isn’t worse than who was there. Same cast of characters. And Busch has to be better than Mancini, Hosmer, Wisdom. Bellinger was the only one good there. And he only started 44 games there. And in center if PCA wins the job he is an upgrade over whoever was in center last year. If it is Tauchman, he is a downgrade of Bellinger the 80 games Bellinger started there. Overall, I don’t see it as a worse defense.
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Why would defense be worse?
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Thr most glaring thing to me is PECOTA suggesting the Cardinals will allow fewer runs. I don’t see that at all.
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While I think PECOTA might be a little off in win totals, I can see the Cardinals listed slightly about the Cubs. Not 5 wins better however. But more than that, I don’t see the Cardinals giving up less runs than the Cubs. If the Cardinals are going to be better than the Cubs it is because they will outscore them, not limit runs against, IMO.
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Bring Addison Russell back too!
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I think the point of the post suggesting they have so many prospects they will start making some trades is to trade the prospects for proven talent. Not trade the proven talent on the team to open up spots for the prospects. Which is what you are implying. The prospects are assets right now. If they wait, sure one might show he deserves to be in the majors and actually become a quality major leaguer. But more will falter and fall off. Now is the time to trade Alcantara, Triantos, Shaw, Cassie, Murray, Ballasteros, Canario, Mervis, and several other prospects for major league talent. Not all of them, but they should package a couple with maybe some lesser known guys to bring in a young”ish” major league talent with 3 or so years of control left. I think that is what the original story about them having so many prospects was alluding to. Now is the time to use those assets to help the 24’ team as well as the team the next several years.
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For 24’ and maybe even 25’ that works well. But I don’t think that idea ages very well after that. I guess if they could get each on a 4 year deal that wouldn’t be bad. But I don’t think they can. I also don’t think they can fit both in and stay under the $257M line for LT purposes. And I highly doubt they go over that line.
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But it isn’t their decision to make. That is the point. Whatever drives the player to a team is his business. Money, want to be on a good team, want to play in a certain city or region of the county. It is the players choice and no one should be critical of whatever is most important to player. Not even the MLBPA.
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I am not talking specifically about Bellinger. I am talking in more general terms. Not all players take the most money regardless of who is offering it. That is all I am saying. And whatever they do, no one should criticize them for their decision. Some will take the most money, regardless of the team or the city and some will be more concerned about them living arrangement or the teams ability to compete. Any reason is fine, IMO.
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I don’t think it is a bad thing. But I also don’t think everyone has to sign for the most money. At this level, I think where you are most happy counts more. Now maybe your priority to be happy is to make the most money. Again, that is fine. However if a place you really want to play is offering something that over 5 or more years pays you 3% or 5% less than another place that you are not sure you want to go, I believe there are guys who will go elsewhere for less. Hell, I took a job paying less because it allowed me to work from home versus a job where I had to go into an office. I make a decision based on comfort of life over the highest earnings. And I definitely don’t have the revenues these guys have. I have to think the highly paid player making $200M or more in their career isn’t going to miss $5M to $10M by choosing to play were he is happiest. As I said, nothing wrong with chasing the most money. I just don’t think everyone does.
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Not a fan of trading Morel without a bat coming back. But if they sign Bellinger and JD Martinez, I guess that would be work. I really doubt Luzardo.
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Do we know Chicago means the Cubs? Couldn’t it be the white Sox, if it is even true?
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LOL. I just looked up Manny Machado. What is being described as PCA’s prime years is basically Machado’s career numbers, with a little more slug. Really hope he is right, but that’s a tall order, even for prime years.
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TBF, I said 830 was a bit much. Guess he could do 800 a few times.
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500 slug? I highly doubt that he ever puts that slug up in an entire season in the majors. Also doubt he ever reached OPS of 830. But, damn, I hope you are right.
