***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***
- Thread starter BigJCy
- Start date
It's a fly by troll. Our lineup has our future base. Swanson, Hoerner, Suzuki, Happ, Barnhart and possibly Wisdom. Plus a handful of guys hoping to rebound to previous high levels of success. With some really good prospects waiting in the wings. Currently 2nd in the NL in runs scored hardly sounds anything like career minor leaguers.
Yeah, even guys like Gomes and Hosmer are veterans who have been on World Series teams.
I really like the Happ, Swanson, Horner, and Suzuki core. I would like Bellinger to get a long term contract if he can have a bounce back year but PCA, Alcantara, and Davis are all going to be in the mix soon and our outfield will be overloaded.
The only thing we need right now is more pitching and a power bat at 1st. Mervis might solve that problem if he can keep up this pace in the majors. You also have Morel who looks like either a solid utility player or could be a trade piece for pitching.
I'm not expecting much this year but I think next year could be similar to 2015.
I don't see Wisdom as a long term piece. He's already 31 years old and while he can get on some hot streaks at times his cold streaks where he is a strikeout machine are frustrating. Not sure how they upgrade at 3B without a trade for FA signing as there wasn't much out there this past offseason but he's just not an everyday player on a good team IMO. He'll do for now I guess since they don't really have many options there.
Have a feeling as long as whoever at catcher handles the pitching staff well and has good defense behind the plate they will look past the offensive production for now. Amaya is probably the future there but he's been limited by injuries a lot throughout his minor league career. 2018 is the only season he's played over 100 games, 2019 he came close at 99 but he didn't play in 2020 due to COVID and 2021 just 23 games. Just 40 games last year after coming off elbow surgury and was mostly a DH I believe as they were just trying to get him some at bats. Still in AA at age 24 so he's going to have to show something soon here to get his shot in Chicago.
I doubt Wisdom is a long-piece because of his age, but I wouldn't have a problem with and don't have a hard time seeing the Cubs continuing to milk what they can from him while he's in his arb years. Small sample size, obviously, but his strikeout rate so far this season would be the lowest of his career, and he's been seeing more pitches than we're used to seeing from him. Maybe it's a fluke, or maybe he's made some adjustments now that he's been in the league for a minute and can be a little less streaky (or at least get to where his cold streaks aren't as bad as they've been in the past). At any rate, as long as he's an overall positive offensively (especially given the general lack of pop in the lineup) and keeps flashing a good glove, he's worth keeping around.
As for Amaya, I've basically written him off at this point.
Don't forget that Bellinger can also play first base. I know Mervis is waiting, but he, along with PCA/Davis/Alcantra/Canario, is just a prospect. I'm sure he'll be up fairly soon, so they should get a good look at him at the MLB level before having to make any decision on Bellinger (and that's assuming Bellinger continues to play at a level that would warrant giving him a big deal).
Hell, even if Mervis is the guy at 1B after a strong year this season, they could still sign Bellinger. Happ's contract isn't an albatross by any means, nor Suzuki's, for that matter. They would have more flexibility in the OF than it would appear at first glance.
If the Cubs are serious about signing Ohtani then a long term deal for Bellinger won't happen as it probably is going to take 50-60 mil a year to land him so don't see the Cubs spending 20 mil or so a year on Bellinger when they have cheaper options in the OF and 1B waiting. Originally I thought the Bellinger signing was trying to catch lightening in a bottle for 1 year. If he plays well he either helps the Cubs compete for a playoff spot or can be flipped at the deadline if the Cubs are out of the playoff mix.
There's zero chance that they sign Bellinger to an extension before FA. But if they aren't as serious about Ohtani as they should be, or if he just signs elsewhere, I could see them pursuing Bellinger (assuming his play/projection warrants doing so and Mervis and/or some OF prospects aren't looking so hot).
They were definitely trying to catch lightning in a bottle, but that doesn't necessarily preclude them from keeping him around.
Disclaimers: I know it’s the A’s and I know this team will have their rough patches but..
Holy **** is this team fun to watch. Pitching has been very good for the most part, Bellinger and Swanson have been great, especially on the defensive side. It’s fun to care about the Cubs again. Hopefully they can stay in the race and add a bat at the deadline
Holy **** is this team fun to watch. Pitching has been very good for the most part, Bellinger and Swanson have been great, especially on the defensive side. It’s fun to care about the Cubs again. Hopefully they can stay in the race and add a bat at the deadline
I'm guessing Mervis and Morel are the bats and they add a closer.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
