Stratos
-
Posts
3,896 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
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 Stratos
-
I've lived in the city. Toronto has fickle fans (and the ballpark sucks) but when the team is winning the fans come out in droves and can pay for substantial payroll. In 2016 and 2017 (their last ALCS appearance and Bautista bat-flip era) they had the highest attendance in the AL. The stadium seats 50k fans. They're also Canada's only team and all their games are nationally broadcast (the tv channel owns the team) so they can get a lot of TV viewers. They'd be smart to invest in a star player, especially with Vlad/Bichette on their way out). Most Jays fans are casual baseball fans. Ohtani would have been huge for them.
-
I watched the below recent interview with Cubs Minor League hitting coordinator Rachel Folden where they talk about his hitting. She admits she doesn't have catching expertise but she also says "he can catch" and doesn't have any clear deficiencies as a catcher. He's also in better shape, and from recent AFL footage you can see he's slimmer than in Spring Training. She praises his intelligence as a hitter and ability to pick up on pitcher patterns, tipping pitches etc (which would translate well at catcher). She's obviously not going to say anything negative about the guy, but just got me thinking that the Cubs may actually think Ballesteros is a real future option at catcher and we shouldn't write him off. In the minors he's started 236 games at catcher and only 41 at 1B and 42 at DH. They haven't moved him off catcher at all yet and hasn't played much 1B, so that's a good sign. Usually they move guys off catcher lower in the minors if they don't think its a fit. Seems like he still has work to do on this throwing (not mentioned) based on last year, but if they can get his bat in the lineup at C that would be nice. Based on his youth I could see him spending virtually all of 2025 in the minors though.
-
How much do the Cubs have left to spend under the tax cap after the Boyd signing? Did someone here mention about 40m? With the guess that they'll probably leave about 8 - 10m in space so around 30m left? 30m would be enough for a FA catcher, one of the better pen arms, and about 7m left for other needs (another reliever or SP, maybe a bench bat).
-
Yup this is the dumbest rule change I've ever heard. People suggesting it are morons.
-
I don't dislike Boyd the player, I dislike the contract. He's not good enough to be our #1 SP acquisition this winter and not cheap enough to be our 2nd SP. Even regardless, the contract isn't good. Also, Snell got $180m because the Dodgers deferred some of that contract, in today money he's making around 160m, which is still a tad high for a guy who misses as many starts as he does, but I guess the Dodgers FO has the luxury of throwing money around like candy.
-
He's too old for me especially at catcher. They got him fairly cheap though. The only catcher FA I even remotely like is Jansen. Kelly if he came cheap. I wouldn't be shocked if Thaiss ends up our 2nd catcher.
-
I've tried to give the benefit of the doubt on Hoyer transactions i was iffy about in past off-seasons, but my instincts have usually turned out to be correct on them. I can't give him the benefit of the doubt here anymore. End of the day he's got solid stuff but only putting up reliever innings with a career 4.85 ERA at age 34, so not sure what kind of late-career miracle they're looking for here. The contract isn't particularly good even if they acquire someone else. Maybe Lance Brozdowski will do a piece on him or something. If he can manage something like a 3.85 ERA over 110 IP then at least he's better than Hendricks was last year, so there's that LOL
-
Hoyers done lots of good deals. Virtually all his smaller guaranteed FA signings are trash. Literally nobody on this forum would have signed Boyd on that contract because its stupid.
-
It's not based on 1 deal if you read my post. It's a pattern of incompetence, every offseason. They overpay for mediocre players instead of investing in quality players.
-
No, the contract isnt good. 2/24 is already a lot for this guy and well above the predictions. I don't think flushing 5-10m dollars early in the offseason for an intelligent spending GM is "silly" and i don't appreciate the condescension of your comment
-
2/24 is understandable based on what guys have been getting so far. 2/29 is just nuts.
-
Good to hear they're in on pen arms, not surprising. There's a few names there I'd have no issues cutting.
-
Yeah maybe like 1/9m deal with team option. 2/29 is a joke. I've defended Jed on a lot of things and have been rooting for him, but I'm tired of these types of signings instead of signing quality players. It's so easy for this deal to turn out bad. He's 34 y/o on top of it. I've never said i wanted Jed fired but If I owned the Cubs I'd fire Jed ASAP based on this move because its a pattern of low-level waste on fringe players. Enough is enough.
-
14.5m AAV for a Smyly pen/spot starter makes no sense.
-
I'm getting 2018 Tyler Chatwood/Brandon Morrow vibes. Lol. Trying to be too cute for their own good. Geez Richie Rich Ricketts just spend 10m over the tax so we can get some quality FFS. Matthew Boyd??? So tired of this org.
-
Yeah maybe 4-5 innings and piggy back a few innings with the young SP in the pen. The young guys aren't going to give 170 IP either. 2/29 for an injury guy with little success track record who isn't going to throw a ton of innings still seems like an overpay.
-
Why do they give players a big signing bonus? What is the purpose? Do they get that money up front?
-
For bench they already have 4 OF. If they want a 5th they can use Canario or invite some guys on minor league ST invite contracts. Middle INF bench they have Mastrob plus Cowles and Vazquez. I think the only MLB guy they might go after is a RH corner bat to replace Wisdom, but that guy could also be a minor league ST invite.
-
It's possible they sign another 3rd-rate SP with upside, or trade for one. That would make it 6 SP for 2 rotation spots if you count Wesneski too, and just let them all duke it out and put the others in the pen, Guys will get hurt inevitably too. I'm not particularly optimistic at this point.
-
Even as the depth 2nd starter acquired this winter this is a bit of an overpay for a guy who hasn't pitched many innings in forever. Hopefully he's better than Hendricks was last year lol
-
Agreed. Interesting arm but how do you give him 2/29 as THE rotation pickup? Just an odd move, trying to be too cute here IMO, kinda like the Chatwood signing. Just go pay a bit more and get proven quality without the injury history. He's Cade Horton without the stuff lol. If they want to ride the guy for 140 ip this year after not doing that in many years they're just setting him up for more injuries.
-
Shaw isn't better than a 4 WAR player right now, and probably never will be, we have no idea. A hit prevented with the glove is worth exactly the same as a hit added with the bat. Nico improves the ERAs of our pitchers. If Dansby or Nico added most of their value with the bat instead of glove most fans would feel differently about them because fans are biased towards hitting.
-
Guys we only need to improve the hitting, starting pitching, and bullpen. Everything's going to be fine.
-
Cubs Looking At Free Agent Starters In The "Same Tier" As Shota Imanaga
Stratos replied to Bertz's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
I enjoy their podcast. Part 1 of that mailbag from a few days ago they dispel the fears of the Cubs cutting payroll. They think Bellinger opting in has just limited them on payroll space so they're trying to maximize payroll room to add. That seems most likely. -
Cubs Looking At Free Agent Starters In The "Same Tier" As Shota Imanaga
Stratos replied to Bertz's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
I agree rotation is the most obvious place to add wins. Walker Buehler is multiple steps and multiple wins down from the top tier FA SP, but i don't think they go that low. Unless they trade for an SP, I think the Cubs as always will likely check in on all the quality FA SP they could be interested in and sign the one that's the best bang for the buck.
