Jump to content
North Side Baseball

Rcal10

Old-Timey Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    6,981

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    11

 Content Type 

Profiles

Joomla Posts 1

Chicago Cubs Videos

Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

2026 Chicago Cubs Top Prospects Ranking

News

2023 Chicago Cubs Draft Picks

Guides & Resources

2024 Chicago Cubs Draft Picks

The Chicago Cubs Players Project

2025 Chicago Cubs Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Chicago Cubs Draft Pick Tracker

Blogs

Events

Forums

Store

Gallery

Everything posted by Rcal10

  1. Rcal10
    I would be disappointed we didn’t get Bichette or Bregman. That is a separate issue. But Bellinger’s hard contract was up a lot last year. Even if we split the difference between 23 and 24, he would be a valuable player. As I said, he is my last choice. But I wouldn’t be disappointed if he came back to the Cubs.
  2. Rcal10
    I would rather have any of the other 3 top guys, but I wouldn’t say I was disappointed if the Cubs got Bellinger.
  3. Rcal10
    Well whoever gets him this will probably be his last contract. So it is not like he should go back to NY because better numbers there will get him a better contract on his next one. So I doubt it matters to him if he has better numbers at one place or the other. He doesn’t need to prove anything for another deal. So it comes down to money (MOST IMPORTANT BY A LOT) and then comfort with the city and team (very small consideration-but maybe if contracts are similar it is the decider). I think the numbers he can post don’t play a part in this particular case.
  4. Rcal10
    This is another plus for Bichette. He isn’t a slugger. Just a good hitter who may hit 20 homers. The wind didn’t seem to deter Swanson’s power since coming here. Bichette has similar power potential (17-24 homers) with a better overall hit tool.
  5. Rcal10
    Right. That is why this idea that they get to the cliff in ‘27 is ridiculous to me. Sure, they are losing a lot of guys. But they can retain a few if they want. And they have a lot of cheaper talent. That is why now is a good time to get Bichette. I would even trade Tailon now and add Gallen on a 4 year deal. The cliff gets lower. I honestly think Mo is going to be a solid bat. So he can DH. The infield is set with Bichette, Shaw, Dansby and Busch. Amaya catching, Mo as DH and PCA in center. You would also have Gallen, Steele, Horton, Cabrera and hopefully Wiggins in the rotation. And still more than $100M to spend. So even if they go over this year they will be back under in ‘27. I doubt the new CBA hinders spending at the level the Cubs spend to. Whatever they need, they can add FA, trade or even fill the spot from the system.
  6. Rcal10
    If I were ranking probability and it was a fact one guy is added I would rank Bichette as the most likely. Followed by Bellinger, Bregman and then Tucker. Tucker is a long shot. Way long……… Also, because Bichette solves the utility situation and allows the Cubs to keep Ballesteros on the ML roster as a DH, I actually like him best. I probably like Bregman second best for the same reason. If they go with Bellinger they still need a utility guy and Ballesteros goes Iowa.
  7. Rcal10
    I absolutely agree with you that they shouldn’t worry about saving money at the deadline. Start below the LT line and worry about how to stay under later, or just go over. Not a big deal. I will also say the off season moves seem to be setting themselves up for one big FA signing. Instead of spending $4M to $7M on a bench bat like Refsnyder or Andujar or even Goldschmidt they spend a little over $1M for Austin. They added several pen arms, but no big spending. The trade for Cabrera adds the arm for a cheap salary. I know Tom can now just decide to sit on the money he didn’t spend. He did that last year. However it will get harder and harder for him to continue to suggest all the money the team brings in he puts back into the team. Last year they held $20M+ and didn’t spend it. They also had 5 home playoff games and huge attendance. There is, without question, more revenues from the ‘25 season than the past several. Plus they have the surplus from last year. And in ‘27 it will be easy to drop under and still put a competitive team on the field. There are no more excuses and nothing to hide behind. And, like I said, they appear to be making moves so they can make one big splash. So we will see🤷.
  8. Rcal10
    I’m more concerned about annual than I am total. But, sure, Tucker’s total, if he gets a 10 year deal, might be twice Bellinger if Bellinger gets 6 years. Maybe Belliger gets $160M and Tucker $320,000. Annually it is less that $6M a year.
  9. Rcal10
    I would guess he is, but what can they really get for him? To me, trading Rea makes more sense because it lowers the payroll. Gives them room to sign Bichette, Bergman or Bellinger.
  10. Rcal10
    Probably right. But still like to know what the Cubs actually have left.
  11. Rcal10
    I read they had $29M to the LT line. If they have $33M sure they can sign him and not go over. Not sure if they can with only $29M.
  12. Rcal10
    Maybe Turner to the outfield?🤷Didnt he play there a few years? Otherwise, I agree that they need help there. Not in the infield.!
  13. Rcal10
    That is obviously a 10+ year number. When you suggest extending Nico what are you assuming he would want? Also, remember that is just a number thrown out. Doesn’t mean he gets it. He might get 8/$224. Or if he does get to $300M maybe it is heavily deferred. I think I would take him at 8/$224.
  14. Rcal10
    His annual is not going to be half of Tucker. Probably only $6M to $8M less.
  15. Rcal10
    Absolutely.
  16. Rcal10
    Here is the thing about this idea of adding a significant pitcher. Who did add one? Doesn’t lack of pitchers moving tell us the asks were outrageous? You can say now you would have been fine with Cassie and Wiggins going for Cabrera or even Shaw and Horton for Gore, but at the time people wouldn’t have been happy. And even now, people wouldn’t be happy. It wasn’t just the Cubs who passed on a playoff starting pitcher at the deadline. Everyone passed.
  17. Rcal10
    That is an interesting take on Boyd. Isn’t he on the US World team? If he is injured why would he agree to that?
  18. Rcal10
    Don’t they need a utility infielder? That is why Bichette makes so much sense. Shaw moves to utility.
  19. Rcal10
    Did we score a single run in game 5, so could only win if we pitched a shutout? Yes! Is the chance of a different pitcher pitching a shutout worth losing Wiggins? No!
  20. Rcal10
    I agree. Just add a big bat. But if they did feel they had to drop down under the LT line, IMO they can trade Rea. That gives them $6M to work with. They would still have Steele and Wiggins coming mid season. That is 7 starters. Plus they would have Wicks, Assad and Brown. Even without Rea the pen has many options: Maton, Thielbar, Milner, Webb, Palancia, Assad, Brown, Hodges, Little, Wicks, and Harvey. Rea is expendable. That said, they shouldn’t be so worried about going over this year. Just get the big bat and move on.
  21. Rcal10
    Right. So get Gallen and even Bichette now.
  22. Rcal10
    Yep, that would have been crazy. I think Jed timed this one well and traded pretty much what most thought. Main piece of Cassie. I thought Brown, Assad or Wicks would need to be added, but I imagine Hernandez + is similar in value. This is a good deal, regardless if one of those guys becomes a star or Cabrera gets injured. You can’t predict the future. In the present, this fills a need very well.
  23. Rcal10
    Now that we can check off adding a quality starting pitcher my ideal ending to the off season would be: Trade Tailon Sign Gallen Sign Bichette. That would take them over the first LT line, but they would have enough money to spend at the tdl to add without going to the next level. This would lessen the issue with guys leaving next year. As a major market they should be able to spend beyond that line every so often. TBH, Tom never said they won’t go over. He has said every dollar of revenue the team brings in he spends on the team. It just so happens to conveniently come in right under the LT. 🤢 But if what he says is true he shouldn’t have a problem going over this year. Saved a lot last year and they had 5 home playoff games. So he has more money. Spend it. FYI, I know this won’t happen. But to me it is an awesome, doable off season. Next year they have Shaw and Bichette at 2nd and 3rd, Mo is the DH and they need 2 outfielders and probably another pitcher. They would have a rotation of Cabrera, Horton, Steele, Gallen and probably Wiggins. Gallen and Bichette replace Tailon and Hoerner now instead of waiting. And they get one year of Hoerner with Bichette. They lose Happ, Suzuki, Imanaga, Boyd, Kelly and Hoerner next year. Pretty sure they can be under the LT while still adding decent pieces to the team. Maybe even bring back Suzuki or Happ.
  24. Rcal10
    I’m not advocating for Suarez. I don’t want him either. But if they did sign him, he wouldn’t platoon with Mo. Mo wouldn’t even be on the team. Suarez and Shaw would be in the line up everyday. Bench would be Alcantara, Amaya/Kelly, Austin and a utility guy. I don’t want him.
  25. Rcal10
    I don’t think they can sign Bichette and have enough money to make any moves necessary at the TDL without maybe trading Rea now. They also have Wicks, Brown and Assad as depth so they might be able to do that. However, going over by $6M or so, if they do need to add at the TDL shouldn’t be a big deal. They can get back under the following year pretty easily. Bichette would be my first choice as well.
×
×
  • Create New...