***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***
- Thread starter BigJCy
- Start date
It sure helps we are playing some pretty bad teams, but it is worth noting the first half of the season the schedule was loaded. After today, the next 7 games are going to show what this team really is.
The next two weeks will be brutal. Neee to find a way to go .500 then start stacking wins against the Sox, Tigers, Royals, and Pirates later in the month.
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If Candelario plays again today I think he's the non pitching priority.
He gives us solid platoons at 1B, 3B CF
1B L Bellinger R Candelario
3B L Candelario R Madrigal Wisdom
CF L Tauchman R Bellinger ( destroying lefties)
Morel basically becomes strictly a DH option.
I think they can deal Mancini as he's been serviceable. I just don't trust him in the field.
He gives us solid platoons at 1B, 3B CF
1B L Bellinger R Candelario
3B L Candelario R Madrigal Wisdom
CF L Tauchman R Bellinger ( destroying lefties)
Morel basically becomes strictly a DH option.
I think they can deal Mancini as he's been serviceable. I just don't trust him in the field.
1) interesting belly is off the market but Stroman is not. Curious if they’re actively shopping him. Based on returns for starters so far this year, wouldn’t shock me
2) Cubs took Rios off the 40 man, which opens a 40 man spot, but no moves followed. Not sure if a minor trade is coming or if someone is going to get added shortly, but no real reason to outright somebody without making a move
2) Cubs took Rios off the 40 man, which opens a 40 man spot, but no moves followed. Not sure if a minor trade is coming or if someone is going to get added shortly, but no real reason to outright somebody without making a move
Could see a situation where they sell Stroman but are cheap buyers too. Stroman can walk without compensation after the season and given his struggles lately they have young guys to fill the spot in the rotation while shedding a little payroll in the process and adding some more prospects. I think I read the Cubs are about $5 mil below the luxury tax threshold so they probably go over that if they are buyers. Trading Stroman would keep them out of luxury tax if they added some other pieces.
Only other thing I wonder with the Rios move is maybe they are thinking of bringing up Perlaza who has been on a tear lately but like you said maybe there is a trade in the works they will need the spot for.
He's been out with a back injury; played the last 2 games, I wonder if this is just a scheduled off day or if something is being worked out.
Given the lack of options, I wouldn't hate bringing Cron to the North side, but with a negative WAR and only having one season where his defensive WAR was a positive, I'm just not sure if the needle moves at all.
Good point. Given the foundation coming up, I think it would be silly to go over the luxury tax this year. Wait to take on the penalties next year.
Stroman clears space and probably adds to an already deep farm.
As I said earlier this week, finding someone who would take Smyly/Mancini/Barnhart for next to nothing would be a homerun; every penny counts for this luxury tax.
He's trying to make me eat crow the last couple innings but he's got a ways to go.
Candelario is the better fit being a switch that also plays 3B. Ideally if added we could deal Mancini and Wisdom or Barnhart leaving room for Amaya and Mastrobuoni.
Smyly maybe garners some interest but Mancini and Barnhart is wishful thinking given their lack of productivity and they also will be on the books for 2024 too. Barnhart would not be a huge hit for dead money of you cut him eventually but Mancini has a player option of 7ish mil he'd be nuts not to opt into at this point. Smyly is on the books past this year too but for a guy with his track record it's not a terrible contract if someone is looking for left handed pitching.
Apologies for dominating the thread but I post more when they're losing.
Here's my question let's say either way we resign Bellinger (absolute top priority). Would you rather sign add Otani or Chapman to play third and your choice of starter?
I'd choose the latter with Urias as the SP. Just scares me to have that much money in one guy.
We'd have Urias, Steele, Taillon, and Hendricks. Then leave the 5 spot open for the young guys. Nailing down 3B with a stud allows you to use Bellinger everyday between 1B, CF, RF.
Here's my question let's say either way we resign Bellinger (absolute top priority). Would you rather sign add Otani or Chapman to play third and your choice of starter?
I'd choose the latter with Urias as the SP. Just scares me to have that much money in one guy.
We'd have Urias, Steele, Taillon, and Hendricks. Then leave the 5 spot open for the young guys. Nailing down 3B with a stud allows you to use Bellinger everyday between 1B, CF, RF.
I'm with you here. As incredible as Otani is, you could probably get at least 3, maybe 4, quality guys to fill some glaring needs for the amount you'd spend on Otani. Baseball is a unique sport in that it's just hard for one guy to dominate. At the end of the day, you're taking 1/9th of the ABs, or for a pitcher 1/5th of the starts. I'd much rather have 3-4 quality guys that can help you each day.
Imagine being the Angels trying to re-sign Ohtani. Conservatively, you would have $125 million locked up with 3 players (Rendon, Trout, Ohtani) with arguably one of the worst farm systems. That franchise would have been smart to try and trade Ohtani and Trout this season and start over.
I've talked myself into being OK with just about any trade deadline scenario short of getting rid of top prospects in a "buy" situation. I'm kind of hoping they deal Stroman. I may be way wrong, but it feels like that ship is starting to sail. I'm all for listening on Belly and if you get something you can't refuse, go for it. But if not, keep him, see what the next month brings and hope it gives you a leg-up on resigning him.
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