***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

Going to be an interesting decision for the front office here soon. I think if they don't sell they probably won't be agressive buyers either. Maybe some cheap pieces that won't cost them any of their top end prospects so may be more of a "hold" than a buy if they don't go into sell mode. ESPN's newest article today still has them selling Stroman and Bellinger but take it for what it is as it's fun to speculate what teams would be in on them.

I'm a bit skeptical about this current stretch that got them into this position as the Nationals Cardinals and White Sox are all teams that are 10+ games below .500 and will be sellers so they should be winning those series. Got 1 more tonight against the White Sox then 4 against the Cards again before things get tougher with 4 vs the Reds, 3 vs the Braves then go to NY Mets and Toronto before another cushy stretch in late August against the White Sox Royals Tigers and Pirates. This thing could go either way, they could keep chipping away at this thing or they could easily get into a funk again against better competition and fall back out of it. There just has not been enough consistency with this team all season to give me confidence they should go all-in yet.
 
I hope you're right. But the way I read it it's only available to Chicagoland. I hate fubu.
You can watch in Iowa. I did yesterday.

$20 is a lot - but I will say, being able to watch a consistent 1080 product last night compared to a stream that I have to continue to refresh was a great change. I still can't believe it took them this long to get a Marquee DTC done.

As long as the Cubs are buyers - I'll buy it. If they start to sell, so do I.
 
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My trade deadline stance remains don't sell, don't buy, just build for 2024.

Keep Bellinger and show a little loyalty. Can't hurt heading into contract negotiations this offseason and you'd be getting a guy who can cover 1B and CF, both of which have youngsters coming up who could use a mentor like Belly.

If a team offers a guy for Stroman (who has contributed a negative WAR since June 20) who can positively contribute in 2024, take it.

I'm not opposed to spending from the farm to get some cost-controlled guys in **** franchises. Happ and Suzuki have no-trade clauses, so you're stuck with them in the corner spots. See if one of them outfield prospects can bring in anything worthwhile next year. Call up the Royals and see what it would take to get Brady Singer.

I could handle some calculated moves with standing pat but kicking the tires if they can get some cost controlled help with 2024 in mind. I just don't like the idea of spending prospect collateral on rental types that won't make a huge impact.
 
My trade deadline stance remains don't sell, don't buy, just build for 2024.

Keep Bellinger and show a little loyalty. Can't hurt heading into contract negotiations this offseason and you'd be getting a guy who can cover 1B and CF, both of which have youngsters coming up who could use a mentor like Belly.

If a team offers a guy for Stroman (who has contributed a negative WAR since June 20) who can positively contribute in 2024, take it.

I'm not opposed to spending from the farm to get some cost-controlled guys in **** franchises. Happ and Suzuki have no-trade clauses, so you're stuck with them in the corner spots. See if one of them outfield prospects can bring in anything worthwhile next year. Call up the Royals and see what it would take to get Brady Singer.
If you're evaluating Marcus Stroman based on a 5 start sample size, that's foolish.
 
Going to be an interesting decision for the front office here soon. I think if they don't sell they probably won't be agressive buyers either. Maybe some cheap pieces that won't cost them any of their top end prospects so may be more of a "hold" than a buy if they don't go into sell mode. ESPN's newest article today still has them selling Stroman and Bellinger but take it for what it is as it's fun to speculate what teams would be in on them.

I'm a bit skeptical about this current stretch that got them into this position as the Nationals Cardinals and White Sox are all teams that are 10+ games below .500 and will be sellers so they should be winning those series. Got 1 more tonight against the White Sox then 4 against the Cards again before things get tougher with 4 vs the Reds, 3 vs the Braves then go to NY Mets and Toronto before another cushy stretch in late August against the White Sox Royals Tigers and Pirates. This thing could go either way, they could keep chipping away at this thing or they could easily get into a funk again against better competition and fall back out of it. There just has not been enough consistency with this team all season to give me confidence they should go all-in yet.

I guess my optimism is based largely on the team finally being near full strength. You've finally got a healthy Belly and Swanson in the middle of the lineup together. I also think I read somewhere that the win percentage of the teams left on our schedule is the lowest in the NL.

But being a Cubs fan I can already predict how this goes. We get 3 out of the next 4 and don't sell. We then get swept by the Reds and tailspin our way out of any chance at the division.
 
If you're evaluating Marcus Stroman based on a 5 start sample size, that's foolish.

Agree it's foolish, it also was never done.

Realistically speaking, Marcus Stroman is somewhere in the middle of his elite April/May/first half of June and his not so stellar late June/July. There is a reason he was trying to renegotiate in May.

I'm going to guess he's going to command a contract that reflects those first few months, when I do not believe he will be worth whatever amount that may be.
 
$20 A MONTH? **** that.

Kind of understand that mentality, but I pay $95ish a month for FUBO TV. The Cubs are part of their Regional Sports package that is $15/month. And the multi-channel streamers like FUBO, YTTV, etc. have adopted the cable company pricing model of adding more channels so they they jack up their prices.

Starting to think Sling for general sports, Marquees, and a couple streamers like Netflix and Paramount+ is the way to go.
 
Going to be an interesting decision for the front office here soon. I think if they don't sell they probably won't be agressive buyers either. Maybe some cheap pieces that won't cost them any of their top end prospects so may be more of a "hold" than a buy if they don't go into sell mode. ESPN's newest article today still has them selling Stroman and Bellinger but take it for what it is as it's fun to speculate what teams would be in on them.

I'm a bit skeptical about this current stretch that got them into this position as the Nationals Cardinals and White Sox are all teams that are 10+ games below .500 and will be sellers so they should be winning those series. Got 1 more tonight against the White Sox then 4 against the Cards again before things get tougher with 4 vs the Reds, 3 vs the Braves then go to NY Mets and Toronto before another cushy stretch in late August against the White Sox Royals Tigers and Pirates. This thing could go either way, they could keep chipping away at this thing or they could easily get into a funk again against better competition and fall back out of it. There just has not been enough consistency with this team all season to give me confidence they should go all-in yet.

The only thing interesting well be if they feel like any of the players they have are worth holding onto for the future. With that said the clear decision is to "sell" on this year as the team simply isn't playoff caliber. While their run differential is solid, they are (as of a few days ago) 24-37 against teams that are above .500, which is actually 4th in the Central (let alone the rest of baseball).

The goal is to identify the players they feel are key pieces for the future and put everyone else on the block. Guys they are 50/50 on? Let the phones ring and have the offers make the decision for them.
 
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$20 A MONTH? **** that.

I lived in Chicago from '02 to '14 and got about 90% of Cubs/Bulls games in HD totally free with $20 HD rabbit ears. Early adopter of HD in '02 and people would be blown away when I put it on and told them it was free. Quite a few Sox/Blackhawks too but I wasn't a fan.

The good old days at least for local fans.
 
That's like 77 cents per game.

It's a pretty good deal as a standalone where you're not roped into cable.
I am definitely not Mr. Moneybags by any means, but $20 a month honestly doesn’t seem all that bad. But I was expecting it to be like double the price when first announced so maybe that’s why
 
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The only thing interesting well be if they feel like any of the players they have are worth holding onto for the future. With that said the clear decision is to "sell" on this year as the team simply isn't playoff caliber. While their run differential is solid, they are (as of a few days ago) 24-37 against teams that are above .500, which is actually 4th in the Central (let alone the rest of baseball).

The goal is to identify the players they feel are key pieces for the future and put everyone else on the block. Guys they are 50/50 on? Let the phones ring and have the offers make the decision for them.

This is the mindset I've been in most of the season and I'd be perfectly content with selling if they get good returns on them. My thought all along has been this offseason is when the building for the future happens through free agency and the trade market. There are guys on this current roster with trade value that have a good chance of not being back next season for one reason or another. Fans are delusional to think that Bellinger and Stroman are going to sign extensions before end of this season and for that reason I'm fine trading both and if the Cubs and those 2 are truely interested in a long term deal they'll have to get it done in the offseason when the free agent market sets their market price. I'm sure both know they will likely get better offers in free agency than what the Cubs would offer right now.

While I would love for the Cubs to get back into the playoffs the reality is this current team is just not good enough to go anywhere if they did. I can stomach 1 more sell off if it means setting up the organization with more payroll flexibility and prospects to be big spenders in the offseason.
 
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You can watch in Iowa. I did yesterday.

$20 is a lot - but I will say, being able to watch a consistent 1080 product last night compared to a stream that I have to continue to refresh was a great change. I still can't believe it took them this long to get a Marquee DTC done.

As long as the Cubs are buyers - I'll buy it. If they start to sell, so do I.
It's actually going to save me a ton. I've been wanting to drop Marquee ever since I got it.
 

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