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***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

Non tenders not surprising as all 3 have been injured more than healthy enough to pitch. Would have liked to just be done with Wisdom but he's back on a cheap deal with minor league options it sounds like so worse case send him to Iowa or cut him if he stinks and won't hurt the payroll. I just hate wasting a roster spot on him as he is a strikeout machine that gets on a heater once or twice a season and then is pretty much unplayable otherwise.
 
Nola's deal to return to the Phillies kind of sets the market on what starting pitching contracts may look like. MLB.com had his as their #5 overall ranked FA and 2nd starter behind Snell who is 3rd on their rankings. Wondering if Montgomery is their target since he doesn't have a qualifying offer compensation attached to signing him like Snell and Nola do. Wouldn't shock me if they are active in trade talks for starters that are rumored to be on the trade block. I would rather see them trade some of the farm system capital for a solid top half of the rotation guy with some years still left on his contract than on an expensive 1 year rental like Soto or Alonso.

Not against being in the mix for either of those 2 guys but am skeptical about giving up any high end guys. The whole reason Soto is available is because SD can't afford to pay him the $30+ mil and everyone knows they are desperate to cut payroll. If they want someone to pick up that entire tab in a deal they can't be asking for the top guys in the system so if I'm the Cubs if they want to take a couple AAA guys out of the group of Wesneski, Brown and Killian and throw in some cheap spare pieces then do it as they need cheap starting pitching and those guys wouldn't be huge losses out of the farm system and come with some years of cost control.
 
Matt Cozzi, who is not an insider and is more of a fanatic but has contact within the organization, says he's hearing the Cubs have spoken with the Jays regarding Bo Bichette, who would slide in at 3rd.

He's only going to cost $11.2 MM each of the next 2 years against the luxury tax but I'm guessing cost would not be cheap.

With the bat, think Hoerner's AVG/OBP with Swansons power.

Bichette/Hoerner/Ohtani is a guaranteed run in the first inning every game.
 
ISUCubswin said:
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
Click to expand...

Pretty much what I'm thinking as well.. Guessing they stick with Tauchman rather then trade for a CF. Ohtani, Hoskins and a 2nd Tier starter on a shorter deal. Hendricks basically becomes your rental.

Woodruff on a 3yr. 2024 slightly over minimum
league minimum 3×33, 3 mil, 15 mil, 15 mil.

2024 Steele, Glasgow, Hendricks, Taillon Smyly and all the young guys. ( remember Smyly was pretty dominant early plus we have lots of options)

2025 Ohtani, Steele, Woodruff, Taillon Horton and the rest of the young arms.
 
www.bleachernation.com

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Reportedly Wants to Play With Other Japanese Players in the United States

Hey, I know a team in Chicago that has a star Japanese outfielder (and is also pursuing other Japanese talent this offseason).
www.bleachernation.com www.bleachernation.com

Interesting to say the least.

Ohtani and Yamamoto would cost about 75 mil,

Bichette is 11.7 next year so fortifying the bullpen puts you over the 90 mil but to get that haul who really cares. Bichette likely costs two top prospects which we can afford to do since the other 2 only cost money. (Adding Ohtani losing Bellinger is basically a draft wash) If you can do Caissie, Wicks (not Horton) . I think it's a no brainer.

If you're going to go over might as well add Hoskins as well.

1,2 Bichette and Hoerner
3 Ohtani
4,5, 6 Hoskins, Suzuki Happ
7 Swanson
8 Gomes Amaya
9 PCA Tauchman
 
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While I follow BN I have a hard time getting too excited about anything Brett writes as he has the Cubs tied to just about everything in free agency and trades all the times.and rarely is he the only that has the real scoop on what is really going on. I do think the Cubs will be in on a lot of big names but the end result may not be as impressive as some are hoping for. The Counsell hiring came out of nowhere and I expect there to be at least 1 big trade or move that goes under the radar like that where the news breaks when there wasn't any smoke leading up to it.
 
CYdTracked said:
While I follow BN I have a hard time getting too excited about anything Brett writes as he has the Cubs tied to just about everything in free agency and trades all the times.and rarely is he the only that has the real scoop on what is really going on. I do think the Cubs will be in on a lot of big names but the end result may not be as impressive as some are hoping for. The Counsell hiring came out of nowhere and I expect there to be at least 1 big trade or move that goes under the radar like that where the news breaks when there wasn't any smoke leading up to it.
Click to expand...
Not sure why you feel a need to piss on it? He's only passing on what's being reported. He's giving a reputable source. Obviously they won't get everyone but they are going to so everything they can to make a splash.
 
Cyforce said:
www.bleachernation.com

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Reportedly Wants to Play With Other Japanese Players in the United States

Hey, I know a team in Chicago that has a star Japanese outfielder (and is also pursuing other Japanese talent this offseason).
www.bleachernation.com www.bleachernation.com

Interesting to say the least.

Ohtani and Yamamoto would cost about 75 mil,

Bichette is 11.7 next year so fortifying the bullpen puts you over the 90 mil but to get that haul who really cares. Bichette likely costs two top prospects which we can afford to do since the other 2 only cost money. (Adding Ohtani losing Bellinger is basically a draft wash) If you can do Caissie, Wicks (not Horton) . I think it's a no brainer.

If you're going to go over might as well add Hoskins as well.

1,2 Bichette and Hoerner
3 Ohtani
4,5, 6 Hoskins, Suzuki Happ
7 Swanson
8 Gomes Amaya
9 PCA Tauchman
Click to expand...
Sorry. Ian Happ hitting 3rd is in the constitution so....
 
Cyforce said:
Not sure why you feel a need to piss on it? He's only passing on what's being reported. He's giving a reputable source. Obviously they won't get everyone but they are going to so everything they can to make a splash.
Click to expand...
I entered 1,2 & 4,5,6 as I did for the manager to figure out. Gotta earn that 8 mil.some how.
 
Playing devils advocate regarding the Yoshi news is that it sounds like he's going to wait until after Winter Meetings to start narrowing where he's going to go, and I've seen speculation that Ohtani is wanting to decide around that time.

I could absolutely see a world where the Dodgers sign Ohtani, trade for Trout, then sign Yoshi.
 
ISUCubswin said:
Playing devils advocate regarding the Yoshi news is that it sounds like he's going to wait until after Winter Meetings to start narrowing where he's going to go, and I've seen speculation that Ohtani is wanting to decide around that time.

I could absolutely see a world where the Dodgers sign Ohtani, trade for Trout, then sign Yoshi.
Click to expand...
I'm not convinced Yamamoto is a sure fire top of the rotation ace.
 
Positive Thought
Ohtani appears to look at it as a plus if an organization can keep things under wraps for his free agency process. I'm curious if the Cubs were aware of this and if it played any role in shocking the entire baseball world by hiring their rival manager for a record-breaking contract and absolutely nobody knowing about it

Negative Thought
Jesse Rogers, who is usually in the know, almost made it sound like we will go with the "two years from being where we want to be!" mantra if we don't sign Ohtani. In any scenario you do not make the postseason, Jed Hoyer needs to be fired so someone else can work with Counsell. You are the 4th most valuable franchise in the MLB and in a world where nearly half the teams in your League make the postseason, a six year drought is unacceptable
 
Smoke for Glasnow seemed to pick up steam yesterday. It’s been mentioned before but I wonder if you go 6 man rotation if you grab him AND Imanaga. Glasnow and Hendricks have injury histories, Japan does 6 man rotation which usually takes a bit to adjust to in the US, and allows slower release for Wicks and, eventually, Horton.

Also can be an added pitch for Ohtani the following year. Ohtani/Imanaga/Steele/Taillon/Horton/Wicks
 
ISUCubswin said:
Smoke for Glasnow seemed to pick up steam yesterday. It’s been mentioned before but I wonder if you go 6 man rotation if you grab him AND Imanaga. Glasnow and Hendricks have injury histories, Japan does 6 man rotation which usually takes a bit to adjust to in the US, and allows slower release for Wicks and, eventually, Horton.

Also can be an added pitch for Ohtani the following year. Ohtani/Imanaga/Steele/Taillon/Horton/Wicks
Click to expand...
I believe Mondays are dark in Japan as well so pitching is more of a 7 day rotation. If you add Imanaga i think you want to transform him into a 5 day rotation guy. I think a better option is to go with 5 but schedule in skips throughout the season. Having Wicks in Iowa available along with Brown then later in the year Horton gives you playoff ready arms that aren't worn out.

I'd also like to see Assad, Wesneski and Smyly step up and complete games with 3 inning appearances. Best possible way to rest the high leverage guys.
 
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