Stratos
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Everything posted by Stratos
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He's not my ideal regular 3B for sure, just saying we have some good fielders.
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Hughes in the mix too as LHP, maybe battles with Little. Smyly will make the team. Wesneski needs to figure out his FB, could see him doing it in Iowa. We need some vets who can get outs and provide leeadership, I don't see Rucker with much of a shot without injuries. Palencia and Thompson and other guys in the mix. I'm sure they sign some wildcard FAs to minor league deals like they do every offseason.
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Madrigal had a shot if he played the whole season. Add PCA, that's one heck of a defense.
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I don't think how Hoyer has treated Mervis is any different than any other prospect, except maybe a guy who can field well so you can live with a struggling bat for a bit. I can't see the Cubs giving any prospect a starting job without showing they can play up to par. I'm just saying they'll try Mervis again at 1B before Caissie so he doesn't have the clearest path there. I've never seen any outlet rate Caissie at a 50 glove or above. MLB.com has his glove at a 45. You can play a guy at any position but it doesn't mean he's going to field it adequately. If they have any plans for him at 1B in the future they better give him a lot of practice in Iowa next year because he hasn't fielded one grounder as a pro. MLB isn't a good place to learn a new position unless you're already a good fielder and can handle about anything. I'm not particularly worried about finding Caissie a spot, things can change in a year or 2 and he can DH. We should be focused on filling 1B and other positions next year.
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Happ and Seiya are signed through 2026. Caissie should be ready by 2025 some time, if not later next season if he continues to progress well. He could DH, and Happ could possibly be traded before his contract is up if Caissie hits well and they want to unload some cash for other acquisitions or recoup prospects at the 2026 trade deadline. I don't see them moving someone already below average defensively to a new and very different position on the infield in this situation, especially when they also have Mervis to give PA's next year in MLB. At most I suppose they could give him a few innings here and there in Iowa next year at 1B just for the heck of it.
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Yeah he had a bad year in 2022, I can see teams being hesitant. But 3 of the last 4 seasons he's had good years (2020 was COVID shortened), though 2020-21 he had a high BABIP. I'm more interested in paying for tools/abilities than just stats since the latter can vary season to season. He seems like an above average hitter and average fielder.
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Didn't know this, but Candelario was non-tendered by the Tigers last offseason.
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There's lots of decent choices there. I think it becomes a question of who the Cubs are able to get as the bigger bat (if any), which will determine how they proceed with the other holes. I suspect a trade on the offense side. If they don't sign Bellinger I could see them signing Bader in CF. If they acquire Soto or Ohtani then maybe Hoskins at 1B or someone like Candelario/Polanco who can play both 3B and 1B. Trade for Alonso then they might be able to roll with that or pick up someone at 3B. Cubs were 6th in MLB in runs scored last year, but 16th in runs allowed even with a good defense, so improving pitching should be the priority, as long as they can replace Bellinger's production.
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In the MLB Happ has played 185 innings at 3B and 61 innings at 1B. He only played 2B in the infield in the minors. He'd probably do ok but would say putting a back-to-back gold glove LF in the infield is probably not wise. Morel would probably be at least average at any position they wanted if they left him at one darn position and just let him play.
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Kind of weird for Preller to make any comment at all
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I guess the Ross firing tells us the Cubs actually wanted Hendricks back @ 16.5m and loyalty wasn't any kind of deciding factor. Which is good they have faith in him as a pitcher....more than I. I hope he has a good year and stays healthy. Prefer 1 year a little overpriced than a 2-year deal.
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I can't remember where I read it, but some folks (maybe MLB execs?) speculated the Cubs would make a go at Ohtani but ultimately be outbid, that seems accurate for me. Hoyer doesn't seem like a BS type of guy, I don't see him getting into serious talks agents unless he has genuine interest, unless it maybe comes from Ricketts to "make a show" for PR I dunno.
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I'm pretty unsure and skeptical of everything until we start getting those reports that such-and-such a deal is close. Hot stove is fun to pass the time but I don't know why we do this to ourselves every year haha. Big part of me thinks it would be a lot easier to just check in a couple of times a month in the offseason and see what moves have been made.
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Bruce kinda seems like he speculates a lot. We get these kinds of comments from him but is this just his "feeling" or does he have anything, or maybe pieced together from different tid bits he hears? It rarely sounds like anything solid from him. I don't even know if "50-60m" is still under or over the cap with Stroman opting out.
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Video: Owen Caissie Isn't Getting Enough Attention
Stratos replied to Jeremy Nygaard's topic in Cubs Minor League Talk
Agree that Caissie had a better offensive year than Ballesteros, and it's really not even close. -
Sorry, Sonny Gray
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I think Morel ending up at 1B longterm is a waste. Just trade the guy if he can't play 3B. Doesn't hurt to play him at 1B a bit just to see, but learning yet another new position for him is also not ideal. Better than DH though I guess.
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I would have to think the MLB teams have some leverage. They can donate some cash or pull their players from the league etc.
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Sonny Gray is probably going to regress. By a far a career low in HR/FB last year, his K's have been down a bit the last 2 years. His xFIP the last 2 years haven't changed from career norms but his ERA has been down. I think he's more of a 3.50 ERA guy than the 3.00 ERA guy he has put up the last 2 seasons, so I wouldn't overypay. I'd target someone younger.
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Video: Owen Caissie Isn't Getting Enough Attention
Stratos replied to Jeremy Nygaard's topic in Cubs Minor League Talk
Will be interesting to see how Schwarber-y he turns out to be. -
Have a link? Bad bullpens also turn close leads into losses. We saw it directly last year in April, May, and Sept. Relievers are used based on the score and leverage, so overall pen ERA isn't as relevant as how well your top 4 or so pen arms can hold leads. Winning by 4-3 or 8-3 is irrelevant, just like losing by 8-6 or 8-1.
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The Brewers had the best ERA in the MLB, and had good defense. Their bullpen was ridiculous. It had three sub-2 ERA guys, plus the ERA equivalents of 2 Alzolay's and a Merryweather. If you can convert virtually every lead after 5 IP into a win you're going to outperform your WAR and run differential.
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Our pen couldn't hold down leads for 3 out of the 6 months out of the season. I didn't like some of Ross's pen decisions in April and May, and a few in Sept, but it's not Ross' fault guys got hurt and the FO didn't give him much late-inning pen options or depth or even a clear closer option, or much pen help at the deadline. Anyways, I do think manager decisions matter over the course of 162 and especially in close games, I think it can absolutely be the difference in a handful of games. It's possible Ross cost them a few games but I don't think he's responsible for the 9-win gap with the Brewers. The Brewers had a fantastic pen to turn tight leads into wins, they didn't need to blow teams out.
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I think the Counsell hiring shows us the Cubs are still able to surprise us and our assumed expectations. Above all they're a corporate business and rely on the data, so if the numbers make sense they will pursue someone. I'm mostly satisfied that the Cubs won't do anything stupid longterm, they've been careful, so if they get someone it will probably be good for the team longterm. I won't be convinced until someone is signed. Ohtani would make them a lot of money in merch and ratings especially in Japan so he pays for some of his contract that way. Ohtani would be smart to sign in a huge market that can market him properly. Chicago can tell him he'll be the next Michael Jordan LOL.
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I enjoy pro sports teams manipulating me and insulting my intelligence.
