Rcal10
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I do understand using Morel as a trade chip IF they get quality back. But I don’t rule him out as the 3rd baseman to start the year. Sure, 180 innings in the majors hasn’t been great. That amounts to 20 games. I am not willing to write him off as a 3rd baseman after 20 games. All we need to do is look at Wisdom. He was decent one year and sucked the next. Maybe we are seeing Morel at his worst. Maybe with work this spring he could be adequate. Even slightly below adequate isn’t awful if he hits. If they don’t get real value for him I would be perfectly fine with him on the team and at 3rd base. Maybe he can’t do it. Maybe that is why they didn’t put him there last year. If that is true I believe they will trade him. But if he can convince the coaching staff he could play 3rd this off season it would be a huge win for the team because they can fill that position cheaply and use prospects to fill another hole, not a productive ML hitter.
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I don’t understand your desire to get rid of a solid starting pitcher under control and create another hole on the team in the rotation. Sure, next year Glasnow fills it. But for $25M. Who fills it after that? This off season most have talked about the Cubs adding a young controlled starting pitcher and you keep trying to get rid of one. Exactly what has Steele done the last 2 years to suggest that “at best” he is a 3? Sure, he might have some regression, but he is still a very solid starter. Why move him and why are you so down on him? I would like Glasnow for 23’. But not to take Steele’s place.
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If the Cubs have given up on Mervis this works for me. Have Glasnow for one year. If the Cubs sign Ohtani too, he ends up taking Glasnow’s spot in the rotation the following year. But they can’t let Glasnow’s salary stop them from adding in 24.
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But there is a lot of area between plan A and D. Would you be disappointed if they ended up trading for Bichette, a young controlled pitcher, and then added either Alonso, Hoskins or Bellinger and signed the other Japanese starting pitcher? Add a pen arm at around $5M and that is the off season. I do want either Ohtani or a Soto trade. And then add from there. But they can still have a good off season without them.
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I am sure suggesting Gunner was sarcasm. The Orioles are not trading him either.
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Going to be a huge letdown if they don’t either sign Ohtani or make the Soto trade. Here just isn’t that much offense this off season. I guess if they missed on those two there can be trades. Maybe Bo or Vlad? Maybe Alonso? Maybe a surprise bat is available. I think they can go numerous ways to get pitching. Decent amount of free agents, some solid young controlled guys can be traded for, and even some guys on the last year of their deals. Bats are a bit harder after Ohtani and Soto.
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Suarez salary is not cheap. Maybe the cost in prospects to get him is cheap, but he isn’t.
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I don’t see the Cubs doing something that big for a 3rd baseman. I think it will be filled within or on a smaller trade. Could Polanco play 3rd? If so, does something like Polanco and Joe Ryan for Morel and Ben Brown work? Cubs get a decent bat at 3rd and a young controlled pitcher who misses bats. Twins get a lot of cheaper years of a guy who can hit 30+ homers and a top 100 pitching prospect. They save some money. Maybe Vasquez and Gomes need to be added to even it out a little. Allows Twins to get out of the Vasquez contract and still have a back up catcher for a year. I think to like this idea you have to believe in Ryan. I admit I haven’t seen much of him. But I do like his K rate.
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They can also just leave Madrigal or Morel at 3rd if they really thought either filled a need. But I agree with you a deal is not happening.
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I don’t see Hoerner or Steele in a Bichette trade. It just doesn’t make sense. You will fill one need but create another. I think maybe Morel goes to the Jays, plus a prospect or prospects. Maybe if the Jays like Wesnecki or Assad they could be added too. Honesrly, I don’t even expect the Cubs to get Bichette because I don’t see a good match. Doesn’t make sense for the Jays to take prospects and doesn’t make sense for the Cubs to trade for a position of need by giving up a solid player and then creating a different position of need.
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I think the Jays would laugh in the Cubs face at an offer like that. And if the shoe was in the other foot and the Cubs make that sort of deal and traded a guy like Vlad for that package fans would be irate.
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I just don’t think the Cubs chances of being a playoff team will hurt them in trying for Ohtani. It will come down to if he likes a particular city more than another. If he has liked his stay in LA, he will stay there. If he wants to experience another area of the country the Cubs have a good chance. I am confident the FO will put together a great sales pitch. I do also think money or contract structure could also come into play. And there is still a possibility of a team going well over anyone else. And that won’t be the Cubs, IMO.
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I think fans have to get comfortable with the idea of any Ohtani contract with the Cubs will eventually be a bad deal. You just can’t have the superstar FA player during his prime years at reasonable dollars without also having him at the end of his career when he isn’t worth it, unless he agrees to a shorter deal. But if he takes a shorter deal the yearly salary is going to be much higher. And then that salary isn’t a good deal. IMO wherever he ends up the “smart spending fan” is going to complain the team that did get him was crazy agreeing to what they agreed to. For the record if he ends up on the Cubs I will not be one of those “smart spending fans”. I may be uncomfortable with what they give him, but enjoy the time we have him.
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True. But none of us are Ohtani. To try to figure out what is most important to him is a waste of time. He could also want to be the man somewhere. In LA he shares the spotlight with Betts and Freeman. In Chicago he owns the town. Maybe he is done with the LA area. As I said, no one knows and to try figuring out what makes a guy decide how he decides is impossible. All the Cubs could do is make an offer they are comfortable with and sell him in the city.
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There are so many ways to structure a deal it is too hard to figure which deal is best for a particular player. But I don’t believe he would go to the Dodgers because he doesn’t like the Cubs chances of winning. I am not worried about that being the Cubs problem. That is all I am saying. I think the FO can sell him on the Cubs winning with him. Maybe it won’t be money as the decider either. It might be just where he wants to play, for whatever reason. But we do have to realize he might get a crazy deal from someone and I don’t think that someone will be the Cubs.
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But a team normally blows what is expected out of the water. Bogaerts is a perfect example. If a team is going to blow other teams out on an offer, it is much more likely that team would be the Dodgers than the Cubs, IMO.
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Your right, it’s not rocket science. Anyone who has followed free agency over the years should know the team that gives the most money gets the FA at least 80% of the time. It is by far the most important thing to free agents. Sure, a competitive team matters, the city may matter, maybe familiarity, whatever. But money matters rhe most.
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This is the bigger issue IMO. I don’t feel the Cubs have to convince him they would be good with him. But they have to pay him.
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If the Cubs get Ohtani they are the favorites in the central. There is no reason they shouldn’t make the playoffs more often than not. They are a better team then the angels in a worse division. Yes, Dodgers can almost guarantee playoffs, but the Cubs wouldn’t be far off that WITH Ohtani.
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He did win a GG in 22’. I admit I don’t watch many Jay games or look at defensive stats. I am not questioning him being awful at 1st. I was just surprised he was considered so bad a year after winning th GG. While I know it isn’t always given to the best defender I didn’t think a terrible defender would get the award. I would be fine with him at 1st if the Cubs also got Ohtani or Soto.
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I don’t understand . His bat is awesome for a DH but not for a first baseman? I also have read how bad he is defensively. Didn’t he win a GG in 22’?
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I am not sure I would even want to give all that up. Maybe instead of Shaw a little lower down the list. Maybe Murray?
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You missed the “keep adding”. Who else is included?
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I agree. The best team did not include working Morel at third during the season. It was best for the team for Morel to DH.
