Rcal10

Of that group if they ended up with Framber, Okamoto and Fairbanks it wouldn’t be a bad FA off season. Imai, Woodruff and Saurez would be fine too. But I think Woodruff will probably be back with the Brewers.

I agree they need one TOR starter. After that I would rather get a better pen arm.

I guess they can trade Taillon if they signed/traded for 2 starting pitchers. But if Imanaga accepts the QO(which I think he should. I saw his FA projection at 3/$43.5) I don’t see how they add 2 guys without subtracting someone. Also, remember with a QO that makes him less desirable as a FA.

WOW, this surprises me. So Cubs will have him for one more year. Can’t imagine he declines the QO. Guess, at most, they sign one more starting pitcher. But I am afraid it might be bringing the gang back and hoping Steele is healthy.

I agree with this. I think one of the depth young pitchers will be moved along with a young bat to get either a bat or a rotation piece. Whichever they don’t get, I think they will get that piece via free agency. I am probably reading too much into bringing Rea back signaling only 1 starting pitcher added. But that is probably because I think with or without Rea that is all they will do anyway. So bringing Rea back is a real good depth move. Add one TOR starters and go with TOR starter, Steele, Horton, Boyd, Taillon with Rea and whatever young pitchers don’t get traded as depth. Plus Wiggins comes up late in the year. I just don’t see them adding 2 solid starting pitchers.

But we aren’t really talking solely about the Kittredge decision. I would have liked to have kept him and understand your logic. I am just saying the moves they made so far are not exactly that indicative of an upcoming off season. It is a bit too early to suggest these moves sets up for an underwhelming off season.

I agree it also signals a real possibility that one of the depth back of the rotation young guys (Assad, as you suggested) gets moved. But I think with 3 definite starters and Steele coming back early(ish) in the season, if they believe Steele will be fine, I don’t think they will go with 2 MOR/TOR starters added now that they have Rea. If they went with 2, Rea would be a 7th starter. I think Rea will be used as a 5th starter until Steele gets back and then be a spot starter, long relief man after that, with one pitcher added. And this doesn’t even include Wiggins later in the season.

A bit too early for this. So far they made two rather obvious choices and one iffy one. But not picking up Kittredge really isn’t all that unusual for how they build pens.

Rose?

Agreed. But does this now signal adding only 1 starting pitcher this off season? Or if the Cubs can restructure a Shōta deal, maybe no starting pitchers added. Go with the same crew and hope Steele is back early? Sure hope the Shota scenerio isn’t the case. I would like at least one TOR starter this off season. He isn’t it, IMO.

With Steele coming back by June and guys like Rea, Wicks, Assad and Brown as depth, plus possibly Wiggins later in the year, this signing tells me they are only looking to add one pitcher to the rotation. Which is fine, as long as it is someone who can fill the TOR, not another 4th starter. If/when all are healthy a rotation of Steele, Boyd, Horton, Taillon and a front end starter is a nice rotation. And they have depth.

I didn’t say anything about targeting a RP. I just meant in general a large market team should be able to target a particular player (Cease, Valdez, Tucker, Alonso, Schwarber, whoever) and get that guy instead of having to wait out the market for a guy to fall to them. I agree RP is a crap shoot. A pen arm is the hardest position to fill.

Oops, my bad. Thought it was Shota he was talking about. I think they will pick up Rea’s option, but it isn’t a sure thing IMO. If they think Assad can do what Rea did they might let him go too. $6M isn’t a lot of money, but it is one less spot to sign a cheaper pen arm and maybe have more for a better pitcher. If they bring in 2 starting pitchers this off season (one via trade and another as a FA) where does Rea fit? $6M for a #6, #7 starter or a multiple inning middle relief pitcher is a lot to pay. Especially when you have guys like Assad, Wicks, Brown and maybe even Wiggins who can fill any of those spots for less. Again, I think they pick it up, but I can see an argument against it.

1 for $22M? I can see them not doing that. I hope they don’t.

Of the 3 scenarios you mentioned that could hurt the Cubs I can see one that makes sense. Maybe new contracts have language for the player to get paid during the lock out. But that would be a small amount of money. The luxury tax line going lower is not a realistic result of a stoppage. Players aren’t going to go for making less. And a hard cap isn’t going to hurt the Cubs either. They will not get near that number anyway. That said, I agree the Cubs might use the uncertainty of the new CBA as a way of explaining why they won’t spend money. I am not arguing that. I just feel it is a false flag. This is just the excuse for this year. No differ than the years they cried broke because of Covid. No different than once the lock out ends and they complain about massive losses they incurred due to the lock out so they can spend after 2027. I not disputing they won’t spend over the first LT line. I am saying in the end the new CBA will not alter anything the Cubs want to do anyway.

They were aggressive with Boyd too.

This is the second time I have heard the reference to an agreement with the O’s to send him back. I just don’t think teams do that, nor do I think it is allowed by MLB. And if this is something teams do can someone give me examples of this happening before. I have a hard time believing the Cubs and O’s are the first teams to dream this idea up, if it is something teams can use as a loophole when making trades.

I would be shocked if that was the rotation. I absolutely believe they will either trade for another starter or sign a FA starter. No chance it is what you are suggesting. This is just doomsday posting at its finest.

What is anyone’s take on guys like Bieber and Flaherty accepting the one year option? I find it strange that they did. Especially Bieber. He would have received $4M had he refused the option. So he is playing for $12M this year. To me, it looks like both him and Flaherty feel the next CBA is going to be better for them. Both are betting they can make more money after the lockout. I tend to agree with them. Which is why I have no idea why a team like the Cubs would be concerned spending beyond 2026. I think the players landscape will be better. Why not lock guys up now for what will seem like a deal after the new CBA. But the other interesting thing about this is, does that mean FA this year will be open to 1 year deals? That could play right into the Cubs hands. If a guy like Cease feels he could do better under a new CBA than he can do now under the uncertainty of what comes after 2026 maybe he would be open to a Bellinger like deal. 3/$105 with opt outs after each year. Maybe Schwarber would consider that as well. That doesn’t even take into account the mid to fringe level guys like Laureano. Andujar, Bader, Hays, etc…..A solid right handed bat sort of guy. Maybe a pen arm like Williams also takes 3 year opt outs after each every year, sort of deal. There is a lot of uncertainty, but that doesn’t mean it has to be bad for the Cubs off season.

I get where you are coming from and there are a few more posters who feel this way, too. So I do respect this opinion. But what I don’t understand is what is the Cubs end game on this? Why do they need expiring contracts after the lockout? What realistic outcome of the lockout would cause issues with the Cubs if they had a few more guys under contract for larger salaries beyond 2026? Do you really think the LT line will be lower? Do you really believe there will be a salary cap that will be so low as to affect the way the Cubs do business? I just don’t see it. While I think the next CBA can affect the highest spending and lowest spending teams, I don’t see it having any bearing on the Cubs. But maybe I am missing something. Can you tell me a realistic option where the Cubs can get hurt if they signed or traded for 3 or 4 guys with contract beyond 2026? Let’s say they sign Cease for 5 years, trade for Cabrera and then sign or trade for a right handed bat who might sign for 2 or 3 years. Someone like Okamoto, Bohm, Laureano,Hays, Andujar, Bader, etc… maybe they also sign or trade for a pen arm who has a 2 or 3 year deal. How does this hurt them after 2026? Keep in mind, I agree they might be doing what you are suggesting. I just think it is all a BS excuse to use the lockout not to have guys past 2026.

While I agree that Jed is someone who waits out the market, I feel he is this way because of ownership mandates. You are correct, they did offer Bregman a deal late. But we can’t count on players being available late. As I said, a large market team should target a guy and get him not wait out the off season.

I hate ownerships stance on the budget. Absolutely hate it. Cubs should not be a team that worries about that. How can they spend so little compared to what they generate and justify that to the fans. They shouldn’t have to wait out the market to take whoever falls. They don’t have to be the Dodgers/Mets/Yankees, but they shouldn’t be far behind those teams. They should always be 4-6 in spending. I just don’t get it. It is going to be business as usual. Sure, based on peramiters ownership puts in place for Jed, he does a decent job. But it shouldn’t be this hard. I am not saying they have to get Cease and Tucker and spend on a few pen arms. But they should be able to target 1 or 2 guys and get them. Not have to wait and hope they drop.

I don’t think there is a chance the Cubs give him a QO. Bieber just took a one year option for $16M where he would have gotten $4M if he opted out. Imanaga does not deserve $22M, even for one year. Honestly, he might end up wishing he took the $15M. If the Cubs do give him a QO I am certain he would take it. If they did offer it, IMO that would be a bad sign if what to expect this off season. I think, at best, Shota ends up with a 3 year deal close to $45-$50M. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it came with team options after each year.

I thought it was 1 for $15M. Nothing after that. But even so, I don’t see the Cubs offering him a QO.

Likely outcome? I don’t agree. It is an outcome, but I don’t think the Cubs will give him $22M for one year. Maybe they structure a contract for 1 year with a second year option. Maybe 1 year for $16M with a second year option for the same amount or a $3M buyout. This gives Shota $19M guaranteed or 2/$32M. I do think if they give him a QO he will take it.