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Rcal10

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Everything posted by Rcal10

  1. Rcal10
    Basically this says it all. And, tbh, this goes for most organizations in all sports.
  2. Rcal10
    Your trade idea sounds like Mitch Keller to me. I can see that and maybe Bieber, Woodruff or a Japanese pitcher added. Let Imanaga walk and trade Tailon. That would leave a large chuck of money for the pen and a bat. Maybe a right handed bat who can play 1st base off the bench. Someone who hits lefties well. Maybe Andujar? So if there is a big FA spend it would be in the pen.
  3. Rcal10
    What happened the end of the season for you to suggest you don’t feel the cubs plan on either Cassie, Alcantara or Ballesteros taken over a spot in the every day line up. I mean, they may not, but I didn’t see anything to suggest that. Alcantara was actually injured and is having surgery this off season, Cassie had a concussion and when Tucker was out Ballesteros was in the middle of the line up. To me, nothing points to them not trusting those guys to take the spot. To me, the the bigger question is “would putting them there be the right move”? I am not sure it is But I do not feel the Cubs did anything to suggest one way or the other, where they were going. And, if anything, I feel Ballesteros in the middle of the line up was a sign they do believe in his bat.
  4. Rcal10
    His slugging was pretty much stable with a batting average down about 40 points from his previous years. As Jason pointed out he hit the ball much harder this year. I don’t get your line of thinking that he won’t hit 30 homers again. If he gets his average back up to the .280 mark his slugging would probably be .500 and he would most likely hit over 30 homers. Why would it surprise you if he didn’t? Do you think knee will only hit .240 again?
  5. Rcal10
    Wasn’t Caleb’s best game, but I think he was a little better than the stats showed. At least 3 drops and that ridiculous pass interference call cost him. Still runs around a little too much, but he did fine. Ground game was very encouraging. If they can run like that all they need is Caleb to be good. He doesn’t have to be great. And I think he is already good.
  6. Rcal10
    Andujar looks like a great bench guy for the Cubs next year. Hits lefties well.
  7. Rcal10
    The ‘27 team could look completely different than the team we saw last year. Good chance Happ, Turner, Suzuki, Hoerner, Kelly, Tucker, Rea, Imanaga, Boyd, Tailon and most of the pen will be different. Which is a good reason to really be all in for the ‘26 season. As Bertz said, all those guys coming off the payroll might not be a bad thing. Maybe they fill some spots with young system talent a few cia trades and spend on some high end FA. Different doesn’t have to be bad.
  8. Rcal10
    I like the idea of strengthening the staff. But I would go further. First, I definitely would not offer Shota the 2/$57M. If he didn’t take the 1/$15M I would let him walk. I would also try trading Tailon. Use that money saved on one of the top FA pitchers. 5th starter until Steele comes back is whoever isn’t traded and wins the job between Rea/Assad/Brown or Wicks. A rotation with Cease(as an example), Alcantara, Horron, Boyd and eventually Steele is a very good rotation. They will need it because they lose a lot with Cassie/Ballasteros/Kevin taking the place of Tucker.!
  9. Rcal10
    True. But it should be called what it is. Aikman being an horsefeathers because he got his feeling hurt by Caleb. As I said, he was the unprofessional one here.
  10. Rcal10
    Players miss interviews all the time, or are late. Maybe Caleb was working on something. Maybe practice ran over. That is no reason for Aikman to act unprofessional in the booth. This idea what someone else would never do what Caleb did is ridiculous. I a solitary could see Burrow missing an interview and then posting something on instagram if am analyst went at him like Aikman did Caleb. Aikman was the guy who didn’t act professional. Speaking of “imaging what would be said if scenarios”: what would have been said about Caleb if he threw an interception and then right after it he was seen laughing on the sidelines? Nothing was said when Daniels did very thing.
  11. Rcal10
    You lost me at opt outs.
  12. Rcal10
    To me it isn’t even suggesting him for 3/$57M is bad. We can agree or disagree on that, doesn’t matter. For me the issue is get someone better and pay more. That someone better replaces Shota. If you keep Shota you might not a spot for a pitcher. I would still like one if the top 4 or 5 on the market signed by the Cubs and then a trade for another young MOR/TOR starter. Again, that means no Shota and maybe no Tailon. If Tailon and Shota turn into Sanchez and Cabrera (as an example) you improved your rotation without spending that much money for next year. If someone doesn’t like those names put any FA pitcher you want in there with any controllable young front of the rotation starter(except Skenes and Skubal). If Horton is a #3 and Boyd a #4 (before Steele is back). That’s a good rotation. As for the #5 starter it can be either Rea/Assad/Brown/Wicks
  13. Rcal10
    No one is suggesting giving Bregman $40m+ a year. Cubs certainly won’t not should they give him that.
  14. Rcal10
    Well if you signed Bichette or Bregman that person would be the replacement plan for Tucker. So they can trade Cassie and/or Ballesteros plus lower level prospects to get a pitcher. Doesn’t have to be either of those guys anyway. Just responding to GH8888 regarding Bregman. If they seriously wanted him last year, this year shouldn’t be any different. But not at $ years and $40M a year, as someone else suggested. He would have to be a lower budget signing then Tucker. Maybe 5/$140M. Besides those two there is also Bellinger and even Alonso if he is ok as a DH, mainly. If they sign one of those guys the trade bait for a young, TOR/MOR starter would be Cassie/Ballasteros/Shaw/Alcantara plus lower prospects. Not all of them. But maybe a combo.
  15. Rcal10
    I agree Tom does not get the benefit of the doubt. Just never saw this before. However, I agree with Jason that it wouldn’t have mattered last year. This year, maybe he is the big bat signing. But they need at least 1 TOR starter too. Maybe they don’t offer Imanaga a contract. Maybe they trade Tailon. Maybe they replace both of them with better pitchers. Trade for either Ryan, Gore, Alcantara, Cabrera or even Lopez then sign either Cease, King, Suarez, Valdez or Gallen. In that scenerio Horton is #3 and Boyd#4 until Steele gets back. Until then #5 is any of Rea/Brown/Wicks/Assad. They also have Wiggins waiting for a call up. Even if they did sign Bregman or Bichette, I wouldn’t deal Shaw. He would be my utility guy who gets 3 games a week filling in around the infield and as DH.
  16. Rcal10
    Exactly. Where is this idea that Tom didn’t agree to a contract with Bregman coming from? I never remember a report that said Bregman agreed to a deal but Rom wouldn’t sign off on it.
  17. Rcal10
    They need another good pitcher. Those guys you are mentioning are #3 starters, at best. Some are #5’a. As Stratos said, their results were better because of great defense.
  18. Rcal10
    I am assuming we have no chance at Skubal or Skenes.
  19. Rcal10
    If they are going to spend Imanaga money on a starting pitcher I agree with you. Love to add one as a FA and another in a trade. So if Cassie+ can get Ryan, Cabrera, Alcantara, Gore or even Lopez (twins), that would be a trade I wouldn’t mind seeing. Then sign either Cease, Gallen, Valdez, Sanchez or even King. I think there is still enough money to resign Tucker if they did this. If they need more money they can deal Tailon. Rotation would still be FA pitcher, young controlled pitcher via trade, Horton, Boyd and Rea/Assad/Brown/Wicks as 5th starters until Steele came back. They would also have Wiggins in the minors. If they don’t go after Tucker there is always guys like Bichette, Bellinger, Schwarber, Alonso(if he will DH), Bregman. If they went Bregman or Bichette I would still keep Shaw around. He can be a utility guy and get 2 games a week.
  20. Rcal10
    But players may also like deferred payment options. So what do the players get for them changing it. By changing it that could make less teams bid on a guy. Dodgers added to Ohtani because of his huge deferral. Had that not been an option they don’t get Snell, Hernandez, Scott, etc, etc, etc. again, players lose in that scenerio. The harsher you penalize the teams with money or limit their ability to move money around the worse you make the pay for the players. What do the players get if MLB changes rules on deferred money? FA after 4 years?
  21. Rcal10
    Harper is also nominated. No fricken way he is a better defensive 1st baseman than Busch.
  22. Rcal10
    6 and Busch and Swanson were not even nominated. Very impressive defensive team.
  23. Rcal10
    I agree with you. But the fact is no POBO is going to say anything of importance at a season ended press conference. Jed did what they all will do. However, had he said they were going to go hard after Tucker, that wouldn’t have been tampering. It would have been a stupid thing to say, but not tampering.
  24. Rcal10
    What are you expecting back for a journeyman catcher who has a career year? I wouldn’t think much would come back.
  25. Rcal10
    I am sure someone would have taken him for at least a fringe prospect. And probably high ceiling type of guy with a low probability of reaching that ceiling. Reds were said to be interested, as were the Padres. And he wasn’t moved. I don’t see the Sox now just letting him walk. It makes no sense. Of course even it is more likely than the Cubs trading Cassie and Shaw for him. That is next level nonsense, I agree.
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