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***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

Montas is a guy I hadn't even thought of but I like that as a possible 1 year guy. They gotta do something either at 1B or 3B this year as just can't have 2 big holes in the lineup like that. I think we have some options at 3B for not even if they are not great, a lot of unknown at 1B though. I'm going with the assumption Bellinger is not back too so in that scenario signing Hoskins makes the most sense. If Bellinger is back they at least have him to cover 1B as we have plenty of OF options with PCA and Canario at the point they will be in Chicago at some point in 2024 even if it is not opening day.
 
Still plenty available to be done and I'm okay with playing the long game in this market. What I think needs to be done...

Two starters
- One short term trade, Bieber/Glasnow
- One FA, Imanaga/Montgomery would seem like great fits

One or two bats
- Bellinger and Hoskins are the obvious fits (Soler as a fallback 1B/DH?) although I do think there is risk in a long term Bellinger deal
- Chapman fits, but the cost may be too much
- Kiermeier is intersting to me as well

LH Bullpen Arm
- Brent Suter makes a lot of sense, Matt Moore fits the bill perhaps as well
 
If Madrigal could stay healthy, I'd be perfectly fine with holding at 3B and waiting for one of the young kids to take it but I worry he gets hurt and we've got way too much Wisdom and Mastrobuoni there.

A healthy Madrigal makes that Kimbrel deal a win.
 
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Knowing the Cubs, I wouldn't be surprised to see them offer Votto a 1-year deal and have him platoon with Wisdom at 1st. Puke city I agree, but these are the Cubs we're talking about. They'll always err on the side of moves that save their billionaire owner(s) money, and brings well-known albeit over-the-hill names to Wrigley because that's what the partying yuppies in the bleachers recognize.
 
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1UNI2ISU said:
If Madrigal could stay healthy, I'd be perfectly fine with holding at 3B and waiting for one of the young kids to take it but I worry he gets hurt and we've got way too much Wisdom and Mastrobuoni there.

A healthy Madrigal makes that Kimbrel deal a win.
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I am a bit old school and want my corner infielders and outfielders to have some HR pop. Having Suzuki, Happ and Madrigal starting at 3/4 the corner spots seems like a low-power lineup. Especially since DH and catcher don't project to be 20+ HR guys. I could be wrong on DH, but not sure who is projected there.

IMO, Madrigal would be a solid 2nd & 3rd platoon and play 2nd when Swanson sits and Hoerner play ss. Madrigal could start 75 games as platoon infielder.

Maybe new coach can convince Swanson to sit a few more games. Even if it's taking a day off at SS to play DH during dog days of summer.
 
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isucy86 said:
I am a bit old school and want my corner infielders and outfielders to have some HR pop. Having Suzuki, Happ and Madrigal starting at 3/4 the corner spots seems like a low-power lineup. Especially since DH and catcher don't project to be 20+ HR guys. I could be wrong on DH, but not sure who is projected there.

IMO, Madrigal would be a solid 2nd & 3rd platoon and play 2nd when Swanson sits and Hoerner play ss. Madrigal could start 75 games as platoon infielder.

Maybe new coach can convince Swanson to sit a few more games. Even if it's taking a day off at SS to play DH during dog days of summer.
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I like the direction they have moved since breaking up the WS roster as that group while having a lot of power hitters also were a bunch of free swingers that struck out a lot too. Seems like the Cubs are trying to build a roster with more emphasis on good contact and less strikeouts which I am fine with but would like to sprinkle in a couple guys that can change the game with 1 big swing too. Nico is probably a good example of the type of hitters they are looking for, lead the team in AB with 619 but only struck out 83 times, walked 49 and had a really solid slash line. Not a big power hitter but I'd love to have a couple more table setters like him that just seem to get on base or come up with timely hits.

Still would like to add a 30-40+ type HR guy as the ceiling last year seem to be 20+ mostly with the guys we had. Wisdom hit 23 HR in 268 AB but also struck out 111 times and is the type of hitter I wish they'd get away from altogether as he is no where close to being a poster child for consistency.
 
CYdTracked said:
I like the direction they have moved since breaking up the WS roster as that group while having a lot of power hitters also were a bunch of free swingers that struck out a lot too. Seems like the Cubs are trying to build a roster with more emphasis on good contact and less strikeouts which I am fine with but would like to sprinkle in a couple guys that can change the game with 1 big swing too. Nico is probably a good example of the type of hitters they are looking for, lead the team in AB with 619 but only struck out 83 times, walked 49 and had a really solid slash line. Not a big power hitter but I'd love to have a couple more table setters like him that just seem to get on base or come up with timely hits.

Still would like to add a 30-40+ type HR guy as the ceiling last year seem to be 20+ mostly with the guys we had. Wisdom hit 23 HR in 268 AB but also struck out 111 times and is the type of hitter I wish they'd get away from altogether as he is no where close to being a poster child for consistency.
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Agree that Cubs need a couple 30+ HR guys. The trouble is very few are high average, low strike out. I am OK with a guy like Alonso (strike outs/.240 avg) if they have knack for 100+ RBI.

I have been more of a fan of Wisdom than most, but that was when I felt he was above average defender at 3rd. Last year his defense seemed to deteriorate. But I can live with Wisdom's bat if he is 8th or 9th better.
 
Morel hit .217 in his Winter League. 3 HRs in 106 PAs. Would've been in the bottom quarter of defensive 3B, as well.

Still find it weird so many fans think that production for 5 years would be so much better than 1 year of Glasnow.
 
ISUCubswin said:
Morel hit .217 in his Winter League. 3 HRs in 106 PAs. Would've been in the bottom quarter of defensive 3B, as well.

Still find it weird so many fans think that production for 5 years would be so much better than 1 year of Glasnow.
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He's 24 years old with minimal time at AAA so he's still developing. The Cubs didn't do him any favors trying to make him Ben Zobrist defensively and his development has mostly come in the majors after a callup from AA that turned into a much longer stint than planned. 42 HR in 767 AB still a lot of potential that if they focus his development at 1 position he could potentially settle in and take a step forward. I'm not against the idea of trading him but I wouldn't just give him away either, he has multiple years of team control still so he has value if he unlocks some of that potential we've seen.

This is why I'm much more onboard with giving him a chance to be an everyday player where Wisdom is 32 and he is who he is at this point. Morels best years should still be ahead of him if he puts in the work.
 
ISUCubswin said:
Morel hit .217 in his Winter League. 3 HRs in 106 PAs. Would've been in the bottom quarter of defensive 3B, as well.

Still find it weird so many fans think that production for 5 years would be so much better than 1 year of Glasnow.
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Pretty small sample. Depending on how many of those PA were walks he's 3 or 4 hits from .250
 
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