Rob Grothman

😆 🤣 We have the best bullpen in AAA. I do not believe Colin Rea is better than Assad. I do not believe he is better than Wicks. However, they would never survive 4 lefties in starting rotation. Matthew Boyd? Will he even have 15 starts? With that being said, Wicks and Assad should be two of long relievers, if not traded. Shota will regress this year with league catching up with him. The BP? One left hander? Thielbar with his 5+ era? Pressly and Brasier were mistakes also. Morgan was decent pick up but this article doesn't have him making team. If no trades, I would hope Assad, Wicks, and Brown should be long relievers. Pearson, Morgan, and Little in middle. Leaving Pressly and Hodge to close. Poteet, Hollowell, Miller, Roberts, Brasier, Thielbar are all quantity not quantity. Cubs need to stop acting like small market team and realize some of their mistakes please!

Sorry Had to come back for just one more. I love Matt Shaw. I believe he will be Nico Hoerner with a LITTLE pop. To compare Shaw with Cam Smith is laughable. What did you say low level prospect? 😆 🤣

Good I appreciate that. If you are going to use stats, to justify your stupidy, that include variables, then I will just keep laughing. So I mispelled some names. Apparently you guys feel Hoyer is doing great job. Lol Now let's watch and see who's right

Well I can tell you put a lot of thought into that. Yet, you don't seem to get that what Hoyer does never makes any sense. Traded his best prospect, his starting 3B on a team friendly contract, and Wisnewski for a one year rental of Tucker? Traded Bellinger for nothing then gave them Aries too. Hey why don't you throw some fancy stats at me on how bad he lost the Jackson Ferris/Hope-Busch trade? After teasing Cub Faithful he is chasing free agent closers, he chooses a set up guy who lost his closers role a year ago and is 36 years old and insists on closing. Sounds like a plan. Nevermind Hodge's 1.88 ERA and sub 1.0 whip. Oops those are old stats. Do you think it is possible 3 years in row? 83-79? Only stats that matter.Tucker and/or traded by deadline? Thought I would be kind right back.

Ok so I guess I wasn't clear. Aries and Vasquez have ML careers coming. Are they going to be all-stars? Probably not. I believe you under sold Vasquez's glove who can play SS. Also he hit .263 at AAA last year. He has a ton more upside over bust Brujon or Workman. Rule 5 are never impactful unless Cubs get involved. We have so many people on our 40 man roster that do not belong. Not like you didn't know this was coming. If someone is running out of options you need to move them. Or lose them. To say those two have no value is silly. Had he traded Swanson, who didn't hit .263, and his 27 million contract or even Suzuki for nothing, we would say anything. I will say I told you so when Hodge replaces Pressley as closer by May 15th.

Lol They DFA Aries because they brought in "MLB arm", I said that was debatable. Now they DFA Festa for Pressley? They DFA'd Vasquez too. I'd say about 25 teams could be in line to give Cubs nothing. I thought Poles was bad. Hoyer doesn't have a clue

On second thought, Padres might prefer your idea of Wicks over Gray...

I do not believe that would be enough. Futhermore, trade Canario(out of options) and Alcantera , Wiggins and maybe Gray plus some of our 15 relief pitchers. Do not trade Caissie. He is going to best one in our farm system. Plug and play when Tucker leaves. He doesn't have Tuckers speed but will hit for both power and average. Right field arm too.

Here is my list Gavin Holloway Ethen Roberts Rob zastryzny Caleb Theilbar Greg workman Matt Theiss thought we traded him to sox Cody poteet Matt Fiesta this one is ironic

You could be right. At least what you say has ring of truth. But, I would be shocked if Aries doesn't debut this year. He may not be great but his upside is immense. Everyone would love to have RHP who throws side arm with great movement in their pen.

Really, that is your response? " generally" and you couldn't come up with more recent example? Jed is that you? Lol you my friend are spewing non-sense. There are several players ranked 20-30 that will play at MLB level. I can name them if you want. Aries would have been one of them.

You say ML arm. I say that is debatable. To pick up a DFA and turn around and DFA your 19th best prospect just cuz he walked 36 guys in 36 innings? Do yo remember Carlos Marmol? Yes, raw. Yes having trouble with control. Side winder who hits 98 and has so much movement he hasn't been able to control it yet. There are 7-8 on 40 man roster that will NEVER give the team any value. Very silly of Hoyer

The Cubs will not get better as long as Hoyer is there. Being this is his contract year, you'd think he would be all in? This is all in? Making it clear you will not hand out long term contracts will kill you in free agency. Why didn't you start this policy b4 Swanson contract? Or is this your way of showing you learned a lesson? Trading Jackson Ferris for Busch will go down as one of worst trades in Cubs history. Not to mention we through in good OF pros too? Throw in Bellinger and Aries trades and Cubs look like laughing stock. 12th leading payroll and 3rd highest tickets in league? SMH

While I agree cubs bring in vetran closer to add support. I do not believe it will be a 12 million type. More like 6 for Yates for a season or maybe Sewald because Hodge is the closer. This way you make Hodge beat out Yates or have two closers. So a lefty closer would be nice?

If the Cubs bring in Monty for over 20 million, it defeats purpose of giving Bellinger away for nothing? I am sure Monty recovers a bit from last year's decline. However, since Cubs are acting like small market team(including 3rd highest tickets in league?), there has to be better ways to spend that money. Not much Hoyer does makes sense. Even bringing in Tucker, one of my favorite guys in league, who is bound to get plenty of long term contract offers, will not get one from Cubs because they have a policy of not giving out long term contracts. So you give up Cam Smith, Mr. 1032 OPS on his way to double A in just 32 games. Thinking we might have paid too much for Mr. Tucker for a year's rental or more likely at trade deadline. Hoyer is desperate and still not making sense.

It was obvious at time of Swanson signing that it was a mistake. When his top offer was 100 million, how in the world did you come up with 177 million? Set up for failure right from the beginning. Swanson hits the fastball well so nobody throws one unless they are behind in count. He is glove first that can contribute with the bat but normally is closer to mediocre. Getting nothing for Bellinger is another sign Hoyer will not receive a contract extension. There are worse contracts on cubs. Pointed out one already. Never thought Swanson was enough of an uprade over Nico to justify same amount of money as chased Bellinger off? Fire every Chicago GM now. We might be better for it.

C: Carson Kelly ($5.0M) 1B: Josh naylor ($12M) 2B: Matt Shaw ($.80M) 3B: Jose Rameriz ($25.0M) SS: Nico Hoerner ($11.5M) LF: Ketel Marte ($25M) CF: Pete Crow-Armstrong ($0.80M) RF: Kyle Tucker ($15.80M) DH: Busch ($.80M) 4th OF: Cassie ($0.80M) Utility: Edman ($5.0M) Utility: Ballisotosis ($0.80M) Backup C: Amayo ($.80M) NA: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) SP1: Corbin Burnes ($30.0M) SP2: Justin Steele ($6.40M) SP3: Gavin Stone ($.80M) SP4: Crochet ($2.9M) SP5: Matthew Boyd ($14.50M) RP: Nate Pearson ($1.40M) RP: Julian Merryweather ($1.30M) RP: Ryan Stanek ($8.0M) RP: Porter Hodge ($0.80M) RP: Alvardo ($8.0M) RP: Javier Assad ($0.80M) RP: Devin williams ($8.0M) RP: Carlos Estevez ($9.0M) NA: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) Payroll is 10.91% under budget