***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

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This is one of those awesome prospect trades that rarely happen. Ferris is a high end prospect, but a long way from the majors. Busch looks ready to step in right now and prove if he can translate that bat to the MLB level.

I think it’s a good deal. Ferris is higher risk prospect and dealing from an area of depth for a guy who could potentially step in and solve that 3B position right away.
 
Safe to say Chapman is not in the Cubs plans based on this trade.

Also, definitely didn't have a trade with the Dodgers on my bingo card.
 
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First, TINSTAAPP.

Two, trading two guys that are at least 3 years away for a guy that's going to be in your opening day lineup and scouts love is a no brainer. It's not his fault the Dodgers have Freeman, Ohtani and Muncy at the positions he plays.

Three, we'll always have the fun memories of Matt Mervis. We all wanted him to be a thing and, obviously, the FO never really believed.

Four, the Morel question. Is he your full time DH or are you moving him for pitching? Jesus Lozardo would look awfully good in a Cubs uniform.
 
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I don’t mind this deal. Hopefully both sides win on this (more so for the cubs obviously). Needed a corner infielder and this is a better solution than Chapman.
 
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This is one of those awesome prospect trades that rarely happen. Ferris is a high end prospect, but a long way from the majors. Busch looks ready to step in right now and prove if he can translate that bat to the MLB level.

I think it’s a good deal. Ferris is higher risk prospect and dealing from an area of depth for a guy who could potentially step in and solve that 3B position right away.
Looks like a smart move, a piece of the puzzle to fill Cub roster gaps at 1B, 3B and DH with potentially a power bat. And very little financial investment. I am pretty lukewarm about Madrigal being the Cubs everyday 3B as the Cubs need more power bats in their everyday lineup. Based on article Busch played majority of innings at 3B, but prior minor league experience was at 2B. And he projects to also play 1B.

Busch's fielding fit matches up with Christopher Morel. That might sound alarm bells for Morel's future as a Cub, but IMO they are also complementary because they can fill 2 of the 3 position holes: 1B, 3B or DH.

That would allow the Cubs to sign Bellinger and/or Hoskins to fill roster holes: CF, 1B or DH. Keep a young OF on the roster out of spring training, but create a complimentary role during 2024.
 
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MLB.com wasting no time updating prospects lists. Has Busch as our 3rd ranked prospect and Ferris as Dodgers 5th

Cubs Top Prospects (mlb.com)

Will be interesting if they view him as the day 1 starter at 3B or will he play 1B. Probably depends on if they still sign Hoskins or Bellinger but have to think 3B is the bigger need even with the Madrigal/Wisdom/Morel platoon it was looking like before. Still a path for Mervis if they were to sign one of them and put Busch at 1B, guess will have to wait and see if they reveal their plans for him first. If the trade was made with the idea he would be the 1B then they are going to need to explore a trade with Mervis while he still has some value. I just hate the idea of giving up on Mervis after such a small sample size in Chicago where he wasn't exactly given the runway he needed to get comfortable but at some point there needs to be some clarity with which prospects they view as possible long term guys and which ones don't have a path and start making deals to use some of those guys to fill other needs.
 
Safe to say Chapman is not in the Cubs plans based on this trade.

Also, definitely didn't have a trade with the Dodgers on my bingo card.
Bleacher Nation quote: “you could argue that Chapman is now a better fit than he was a couple of hours ago.”

That is, if the Cubs don’t feel Busch is playable defensively at 3B (and his stats show he does struggle) the focus may be transitioning to 1B and DH.
 
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My personal thoughts on the trade

1) This is insurance for whichever of Chapman/Hoskins you don’t get

2) This likely kills Wisdom/Madrigal PT

3) Wisdom/Morel/Mastro/Madrigal offer too much of the same thing, and one or two will be traded before the start of the year.
 
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My personal thoughts on the trade

1) This is insurance for whichever of Chapman/Hoskins you don’t get

2) This likely kills Wisdom/Madrigal PT

3) Wisdom/Morel/Mastro/Madrigal offer too much of the same thing, and one or two will be traded before the start of the year.

This is what I assume, too.
Along with that, I assume that Madrigal and Mastro are the bench utility guys with Morel possibly as the DH, and Wisdom on the way out. That's just what it looks like to me.
 
I am fully onboard with finally cutting ties with Wisdom. Been ready for that to happen for over a year now. Really depends on what direction they go but if Busch is going to play 3B primarily then Wisdom and Mastro will be the odd ones out most likely. I don't know if Wisdom's new deal still has any minor league options, Mastro likely will be stashed in Iowa. They are only paying Wisdom $2.73 this year so could give him away to a low budget team or just cut him and eat that.
 
Sharma, who is in my top 2 of in the know, says Busch is entering the Spring as the primary 1B

Either this is a ploy by the FO to get Hoskins to go down in price or it’s an indicator we’re focusing on Chapman
 
So if we resign Bellinger we have some flexibility when one of the prospects is called up.
1B/3B Busch
CF/1B Bellinger
CF Tauchman

So when Shaw, Mervis or PCA force their way to the majors Tauchman can go to the bench.
 
So if we resign Bellinger we have some flexibility when one of the prospects is called up.
1B/3B Busch
CF/1B Bellinger
CF Tauchman

So when Shaw, Mervis or PCA force their way to the majors Tauchman can go to the bench.

I love it. Tauchman as a 5th OF is a pretty good deal. That being said, he and Madrigal both would be serving as the high contact bench option, so I wouldn’t be shocked if one goes.
 

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