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***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

CYdTracked said:
www.bleachernation.com

Christopher Morel Will Be Playing Some First Base in the Dominican Republic This Winter, Potential Long-Term Position

The Cubs might be considering Morel as a first baseman going forward if he looks good.
www.bleachernation.com www.bleachernation.com

If they keep him the best option is to commit to him at a coner infield spot and develop him defensively. He has the power with his bat to play 1B as long as he's not a liability defensively.
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The Cubs need to find a position and focus on reps. Would think he could handle 1B. But from an athleticism and arm standpoint, would love if he could develop into a 3B.

That leaves 1B and DH at bats for guys like Mevis.
 
I’m wish washy on what I want the Cubs to do—-I don’t necessarily want them to overspend and/or give up on guys in the system. I couldn’t trade PCA given his ability and ceiling along with the fact he fills a long term need in CF.

Morel, Wisdom, Mastrobuoni, and Tauchman are expendable in some capacity. The wildcard is Mervis—-can he be similar to Rizzo or is he more of a Bryan LaHair?

That being said, I think you make a run at Ohtani and a guy like Michael Lorenzen who is very underrated. Gio Urshela on a 2-year deal for $16-18 million makes sense as well.

Side bar—-if the Angels offered Trout and Rendon on a salary dump, what type of deal would you do?
 
ISUCubswin said:
Fully prepared for the dislikes but I don't think it's just a coincidence Hoyer's contract was not aligned with Counsell's. I think Hoyer has 2024 to prove himself or he'll be canned, and I could see the Rickett's saying he can't make a ton of long term financial commitments in the case that he is fired, which is why we've seen a lot of trade speculation pop up.

In the case that Hoyer is in a "playoffs or you're fired" situation and he can only commit to so much money, I wouldn't be shocked if we see something like:

Signing Justin Turner (1 year, $12 MM)
Signing Kyle Gibson (1 year, $12 MM)
Trading for Soto (1 year, $33 MM)
Trading for Alonso (1 Year, $22 MM)
Trading for Bieber or Glasnow (1 Year, $12-15 MM)

And then that team either makes the playoffs and Hoyer gets $100 MM again to play with the next offseason, or they don't, he's fired, and the new guy gets $100 MM to play with his first year. The problem within that scenario, though, is you'd be depleting your farm for the new guy.
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That's way too much all-in for me. You'd be selling the future for a bunch of one year guys.
 
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CyState85 said:
I’m wish washy on what I want the Cubs to do—-I don’t necessarily want them to overspend and/or give up on guys in the system. I couldn’t trade PCA given his ability and ceiling along with the fact he fills a long term need in CF.

Morel, Wisdom, Mastrobuoni, and Tauchman are expendable in some capacity. The wildcard is Mervis—-can he be similar to Rizzo or is he more of a Bryan LaHair?

That being said, I think you make a run at Ohtani and a guy like Michael Lorenzen who is very underrated. Gio Urshela on a 2-year deal for $16-18 million makes sense as well.

Side bar—-if the Angels offered Trout and Rendon on a salary dump, what type of deal would you do?
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Rendon has played 200 games in 4 YEARS!!!
Why even consider?
 
Cyforce said:
Rendon has played 200 games in 4 YEARS!!!
Why even consider?
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The Angels would likely pay a huge portion of it and we have insurance (kind of) at 3B with Madrigal until Shaw is big league ready. If he has any good baseball left, you can capture lightning in a bottle. Their franchise needs a reset and you might as well get something for Trout while you can.
 
ISUCubswin said:
I think bottom line you HAVE to get 2 of 3 of a CF, 1B, or 3B, 2 SPs, and at least 1 RP.

My plan will change when the wind blows but as of now:

1) Sign Ohtani for $35 AAV but easy-to-achieve health based incentives up to $50 MM.

2) Sign Shota Imanaga for $17 MM

3) Sign Yuki Matsui for $7 MM

Let Japan pay for your CBT until the MLB puts blackout restrictions there because they’re in the Cubs market

4) Sign Bellinger for $25 MM

5) Trade Alonso for PCA if Mets cover Alonso’s contract

Hold onto prospects and trade chips to see needs at trade deadline
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You don't trade a generational defensive center fielder for a rental. People (not you specifically) are completely overreacting to 19 sporadic at bats.

His floor is a better Kevin Kiermeier which is an incredibly valuable piece.
 
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1UNI2ISU said:
You don't trade a generational defensive center fielder for a rental. People (not you specifically) are completely overreacting to 19 sporadic at bats.

His floor is a better Kevin Kiermeier which is an incredibly valuable piece.
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for clarity, you’d be trading him for $22 MM to be covered by the opposing team and not impacting your luxury tax in 2024.

There isn’t a world where he’s traded for Alonso straight up.
 
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Angels should be removed from the league for professional malpractice due to not realizing they were **** and keeping Ohtani instead of trading him for a rebuild. This is an organization that will be in rebuild mode for, at minimum, the next 3 years, because they've spent poorly, have **** for a farm, and don't have talent around their talent.

In regards to Rendon, he is taking $35 MM away from the luxury tax each of the next 3 years. I (as any teams owner) would only consider taking him if they guaranteed to take on $25 MM of that each year. I pay $10 MM/year, in return, they save $10 MM each year. It's not just a bad contract for bad contract swap, it's an atrocious contract that the baseball world has never seen before.

Trout is in a similar situation. I'd be okay with taking on more money ($20ish million per year). I love the guy, but think he'd rather lose and stay in LA than go play for a contender, and he has a full no trade clause.
 
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If I'm Jed and have $90Mish to spend on free agents I go with:
  1. Bellinger (1B/CF) - $25M
  2. Nola or Snell (1S) - $25M
  3. Hadar (CL) - $20M
  4. Hoskins (1B/DH) - $17M
  5. McCutchen/Hicks (OF/DH) - $5M
That addresses at bats at DH, 1B, CF. I would like to see Morel given opportunity at 3B. But if Cubs feel his spot is 1B, then I swap out Chapman for Hoskins.

Feel like the Cubs need a power arm at the top of their rotation, but Nola is tough to pass on. Also like Hadar to give Cubs a L/R option with Alzolay in late innings.
 
isucy86 said:
The Cubs need to find a position and focus on reps. Would think he could handle 1B. But from an athleticism and arm standpoint, would love if he could develop into a 3B.

That leaves 1B and DH at bats for guys like Mevis.
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Morel reeks too much of a Javy Baez type player. One that has the talent to be more but the mindset and sturbborness that will always produce less. Every swing shouldn't be a homerun attempt. Its only a matter of time before you get exploited without changing that approach. I have the feeling Morel really doesn't want to,
 
ISUCubswin said:
Angels should be removed from the league for professional malpractice due to not realizing they were **** and keeping Ohtani instead of trading him for a rebuild. This is an organization that will be in rebuild mode for, at minimum, the next 3 years, because they've spent poorly, have **** for a farm, and don't have talent around their talent.

In regards to Rendon, he is taking $35 MM away from the luxury tax each of the next 3 years. I (as any teams owner) would only consider taking him if they guaranteed to take on $25 MM of that each year. I pay $10 MM/year, in return, they save $10 MM each year. It's not just a bad contract for bad contract swap, it's an atrocious contract that the baseball world has never seen before.

Trout is in a similar situation. I'd be okay with taking on more money ($20ish million per year). I love the guy, but think he'd rather lose and stay in LA than go play for a contender, and he has a full no trade clause.
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I just saw an SI article targeting Madrigal for the Yankees. Maybe outsiders see more value in the guys we already have.

My hope is we add some pop at one of the corner infield spots and Madrigal becomes our utl. the next 2 years.

Right now in-house we have the following as possibilities.
Bellinger (if he resigns and PCA steps up)
Mervis ( really solid AAA numbers again)
Morel ( pick a corner)
 
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isucy86 said:
If I'm Jed and have $90Mish to spend on free agents I go with:
  1. Bellinger (1B/CF) - $25M
  2. Nola or Snell (1S) - $25M
  3. Hadar (CL) - $20M
  4. Hoskins (1B/DH) - $17M
  5. McCutchen/Hicks (OF/DH) - $5M
That addresses at bats at DH, 1B, CF. I would like to see Morel given opportunity at 3B. But if Cubs feel his spot is 1B, then I swap out Chapman for Hoskins.

Feel like the Cubs need a power arm at the top of their rotation, but Nola is tough to pass on. Also like Hadar to give Cubs a L/R option with Alzolay in late innings.
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I've seen lots of Hoskins smoke and man, that just scares me. Per Baseball Reference, he's never had a positive WAR on defense, and other than drawing a few more walks, he's seems to just be a more expensive Patrick Wisdom.
 
ISUCubswin said:
I've seen lots of Hoskins smoke and man, that just scares me. Per Baseball Reference, he's never had a positive WAR on defense, and other than drawing a few more walks, he's seems to just be a more expensive Patrick Wisdom.
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That kinda describes Schwarber.
 
Cyforce said:
Alright armchair GMs, you got 90 mil to spend. How you doing it?

Before you tell what you don't like post how you'd spend.

1. Ohtani 10 yrs/ 450 mil
Only caveat because he can pitch in 24 defer 10 mil to the end of the term. 35 mill in 24

2. Bellinger 7 yrs/ 175 mil. 25 mil in 24

3. Wade Miley 2yrs/ 30 mil. 15 mil in 24 not glamorous but an ultra ground ball guy that eats innings.

Leaves 15 mil for the bullpen.

Offer a mid level prospect with Smyly. This savings is your contingency money at the deadline.

Rotation isn't ideal in 24 but you have 4 vets and the young guns. But look at the offense. Plus haven't dealt any prospect capital if we need more pitching at the deadline.

1.Hoerner
2.Ohtani
3. Bellinger
4. Suzuki
5. Happ
6. Swanson
7. Morel 1B
8. Gomes Amaya
9. Madrigal Masterbouni ( Shaw ASAP )
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Here's what I'm doing with 90 mil.

1. Sign Rhys Hoskins 1/17
2. Sign Ohtani 10/450
2b. Trade for Soto 1/33
3. Trade for Tyler Glasnow 1/15
3b. Sign Yamamoto 6/180

So its either Hoskins/Ohtani/Glasnow or Hoskins/Soto/Yamamoto.

You need to make 1 trade either way but neither will include PCA or Horton. Neither of those options are 90 mil but that gives you some wiggle room to add some more RP or a stop gap 3rd baseman.
 
My new predictions are that we use 2024 to make a championship team in 2025.

- Sign Rhys Hoskins for 1 year ($17 MM)
- Sign Ohtani ($45 MM)
- Trade for Glasnow ($15 MM) and Margot ($10 MM) who each have 1 year remaining.

Margot (PCA)and Hoskins (Mervis, McGeary) are used as mentors.

Between Hoskins, Margot, Glasnow, Hendricks, and Smyly, you open up $65 MM to spend in the 2024 offseason, in which you SHOULD know if you need to pay up for a 3B (Bregman) 1B (Alonso) CF (Trade?) or a second top of the rotation arm
 
Other Cubs news

- Cubs non-tendering Codi Heuer, Ethan Roberts, and Brandon Hughes. In the end, doesn't mean significant savings

- Patrick Wisdom has come to terms with a contract to avoid arbitration

- Andy Green has been dismissed as bench coach
 
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