Stratos

I don't see Kiermaier as a 4th OF for them when they only have 1 good OF right now, and he was their starting CF last season. They could make Bellinger the LF I suppose.

Jays just signed Kiermeier or however you spell it

28 is still younger than the vast majority of FA's. If it's a 6 year deal then he's signed through age 33 (well, would turn 34 a few months before the contract ends), which isn't bad at all. Given the age and how the Cubs avoid post-prime years like the plague (and rightly so) the Cubs will want him more than a 31 y/o like Chapman unless Chapman comes on a lower AAV and only on, say, a 3 year deal, which probably doesn't happen anyways.

The Giants are the only team I could see in on Bellinger from that list.

You can watch him pitch in the WBC on youtube, his stuff is ok but nothing impressive. Command seems good though. Seems like a MORP, I like him less than Snell and Montgomery.

Why would they sign Bader if they have Nimmo? Moving Nimmo to RF/LF?

Bellinger was working with the Cubs immediately after he signed last year. Most players don't just show up on the official day pitchers and catchers report to ST, they're there working.

Bader signed with Mets.

No, i'm saying working with the coaching and catchers etc would be to their and the team's benefit. I assume they aren't on the couch eating cheetos waiting to be signed.

I think it would be better for pitchers and catchers to sign earlier so they're not waiting to prepare with their teams at the last minute before ST.

Those steamer projections suck imo. Agree Happ is healthier. But I think it's reasonable for Bellinger to put up around 115-120 wRC+

If Cubs like Bellinger, Snell, and Hoskins it's going to be a long January.

They really need to get better pen arms than last offseason. Boxberger was underwhelming even if healthy, he was a very average pen arm. Fulmer I was ok with, he had some history of success, it just didn't work out. They really need to do better than a Boxberger type. 2 solid vet arms with some kind of history of previous success, at least one being a LHP. The rest can be the typical minor league contract flyers they invite to ST.

Meh I don't think they care. It would be dumb to make a signing just for a convention. The season is a lot more important. There will be lots of current and former Cubs players/coaches there to make the fans happy.

Looks like this thread is DOA 😂

I've compiled a list of which top prospects will likely be starting the year in AAA and AA for 2024. I added some other depth pieces in AAA that could see playing time on the MLB team this season. I didn't include pen arms. This list is to show how much depth the MLB Cubs team will have going into 2024. It also shows the logjam we have developing in AAA and how many guys will be knocking on the door for MLB playing time over the next season or 2 and jumping on to the 40-man. This makes a trade pretty likely this offseason. *I might be missing someone, but I think I included all of the most substantial prospects. Cubs Prospects in upper minors in 2024: AAA: OF - Canario/PCA/Caissie/Davis 1B - Mervis/McGeary/Murray SS/2B - Vazquez/Strumpf/Bote/Mastrobuoni 3B – Murray/Slaughter/Strumpf/Bote/Mastrobuoni C - Aliendo SP – Horton, Wicks, Brown AA: OF - Alcantara/Christian Franklin SS/2B/3B - Shaw/Triantos 1B - Maldonado/Ballesteros C - Ballesteros 2025 Cubs MLB All-Prospect Team: OF – PCA/Caissie/Canario/Davis/Alcantara 1B – Mervis/McGeary/Murray/Ballesteros SS – Nico/Shaw/Vazquez/Morel 2B – Morel/Shaw/Triantos 3B – Shaw/Morel/Murray/Triantos C – Amaya/Ballesteros/Aliendo DH - McGeary/Morel/Mervis/Caissie SP - Steele/Horton/Wicks/Brown/Wesneski+Assad

Agree. He probably shouldn't have said this. It doesn't help Jed. Though this isn't really a secret to anyone. But again it's more of his "wish list" of what he's told the FO, he doesn't ultimately control who or if they get people. We know they're going to grab another SP (don't know the quality) and some pen arms.

Happ is 3.5 WAR player. If we assume Bellinger can put up equal wRC+ and is a better fielder, thrower, and baserunner at a more valuable position he should put up more WAR than Happ unless injured or playing 1B.

Cubs MVP (position player of the year): Bellinger Cubs Pitcher of the Year: Steele Best Cubs Offensive Player: Bellinger Best Defensive Player: Swanson Best Baserunner: Nico Best Relief Pitcher: Alzolay Rookie of the Year: Amaya Breakout Player: Seiya Comeback Player: Bellinger Most Hustle: Nico Most Fun to Watch: Morel Heart of the Team: Bellinger Nicest Player: Seiya Best Offseason FA signing: Bellinger Biggest Overachiever: Tauchman Most Disappointing Player: Mancini LVP (Worst Player): Mancini Play of the Year: Tauchman game-saving HR robbing catch vs Cardinals to end game. Game of the Year: Cubs @ Brewers July (Happ throws out 2 runners at home in extras including game-ender). Most Overused Fan Opinion: Bring up Mervis

We're bored, this is a temporary cure. I'm too lazy to add up the vote results, so just give your opinion for these Cubs awards based on the 2023 season: Cubs MVP (position player of the year): Cubs Pitcher of the Year: Best Cubs Offensive Player: Best Defensive Player: Best Baserunner: Best Relief Pitcher: Rookie of the Year: Breakout Player: Comeback Player: Most Hustle: Most Fun to Watch: Heart of the Team: Nicest Player: Best Offseason FA signing: Biggest Overachiever: Most Disappointing Player: LVP (Worst Player): Play of the Year: Game of the Year: Most Overused Fan Opinion:

So if we imagine the Cubs sign Bellinger, Hoskins, some other part-time DH/corner bat, one of the remaining 4 top SP (or SP trade), and some solid arms to improve the pen, how many wins do you project for this team? Not many clear holes on that team. I'd be satisfied with this offseason. I like their depth a lot in the upper minors. If they can cobble together a quality pen I can see them reaching around 90 wins or near. Let's say 88 wins with potential for a few more. Hoskins and another corner bat should hopefully be a significant upgrade over Mancini/Hosmer from last year. Canario and Mervis could contribute somehow too, along with a bunch of potential prospect call-ups in the 2nd half. Counsell hopefully gets the most out of the roster.

Cubs seem to like to sign established pen guys coming off down years, banking on randomness of small samples. To their credit it's usually worked and I get it. Can't remember the last established guy they signed coming off a good year, maybe Kimbrel? It would be nice to go into ST without huge pen questions everywhere, but probably not going to happen. As long as there's enough quality depth to cover for inevitable injuries i'm good.

The Dbacks winning 84 games, getting into the playoffs, and getting to the WS isn't good for the game. They still had the odds stacked against them but teams not trying 100% shouldn't be a winning strategy, like tanking. I agree they need to reduce the playoff randomness more.

Hard to see Bellinger getting as low as 6/130, 24m AAV over 6 years = 6/144. Your numbers = 21.6m AAV, he'll get more and deserves it. We have to remember that he played 421 innings (58 games) at 1B and only 686 innings at CF last year for the Cubs. If he plays all his innings in CF last year we have to assume he would have put up at least 4.5 WAR or more. Playing 1B has a substantial drag effect on WAR, worth negative runs. He does everything well on the baseball field. If we assume Happ-like bat value, but more speed and better glove/arm and can play a pretty good CF he's going to make more than Happ, who makes 20m AAV. Happ is a 3.5 WAR player, and Bellinger is better. I'd hope for 4 WAR.

Would you sign him to an MLB deal? He sucks. The Cubs think him not worthy of MLB playing time.