MLB: ***Official 2019-20 Cubs Offseason***
- Thread starter ISUCubswin
- Start date
Probably. Seems like we don't really want to unload any of our team, and trying to stay under the luxury tax threshold. So either something has to give, or the struggle will be real.
I think we end up trading Q and Chatwood at some point, eating some of Chatwoods money.
When you’re having to tell guys who want to be Cubs and go sign elsewhere for $2 million that you just didn’t have the budget, that’s a problem.
When you’re having to tell guys who want to be Cubs and go sign elsewhere for $2 million that you just didn’t have the budget, that’s a problem.
Also, why this FO refuses to move Schwarber is beyond me, unless they believe the DH will come to the NL before his time in Chicago up
Signing Ross to manage should have been your clue they thought the championship window was closed.
I do believe this front office will be able to bring another championship to Wrigley. But like last time, it will have to come painfully on the front end.
I do believe this front office will be able to bring another championship to Wrigley. But like last time, it will have to come painfully on the front end.
I've been saying this for a long time. I dont get their infatuation with him, they could probably move him for some decent pieces a lot easier than KB or Wilson. And they need to open a spot up in the OF if they ever want to improve the offense too.
The scary thing is who are your starting pitchers if you trade Q and/or Chatwood? Darvish, Hendricks, Lester is all they have without bringing in someone cheap or going with an unproven internal option.
This is going to be a disappointing offseason and if they aren't going to add pieces to compete may as well start tearing this roster down for some impact prospects like they did when Theo took the job.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
I'd say they've raised the white flag for sure.
I’ve seen some (minimal) optimism on twitter that Castellanos really wants to be a Cub and is waiting on them moving some money around.
Any chance that is true?
Any chance that is true?
Yes. The Athletic had a piece on it last week. The writer still thought chances were very slim we end up getting it done though
That baseball team in Chicago has really made some impressive offseason moves!
...
Oh, wait, that was the White Sox?
The Cubs have done nothing of note?
Oh, ok. Crap.
...
Oh, wait, that was the White Sox?
The Cubs have done nothing of note?
Oh, ok. Crap.
Signing Castellanos seems like the worst possible move they can make.
If they're seriously going to trade Bryant this team is not going to compete. May as well do a rebuild at that point and get what you can for Quintana or any other tradable piece. The problem is you're then wasting prime years of guys you're not going to trade like Javy, Darvish, Hendricks, Rizzo. I think it's clear the owners and baseball operations team are not on the same page here - it's a mess.
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Agreed. Signing Castellanos makes no sense. I know its been beaten to death by the Chicago media, but Schwarber was BETTER than NC from the day he was acquired through the rest of the season. Is it sustainable for Kyle? I don't know. That same question can be asked of NC. The two players are very similar (both bad in the OF), and this lineup is already heavy from the right side. How many lefties hit 38 homers last year? Kyle is also younger and half the cost.
The cubs doing a half-ass rebuild won't work like you said. There's no scenario where the cubs trade KB for prospects and compete in 2020. You're wasting other guys primes. By the time these prospects we get in return for KB are ready, you're going to have less productive Rizzo, Javy, Darvish, Hendricks, etc. I'm not saying the cubs should or shouldn't move KB. But if you are going to move on from him, you might as well go full-reload and move Willson and Quintana too. If Chatwood or Kimbrel regain some value by the deadline, they should be dealt. Lester comes off the books after 2020, and you should have a very large bankroll to play with and potentially a new wave of prospects. Cubs have 4 of 5 legit prospects (most are years away) and not much after that. KB/Willson/Q would bring back a massive haul. Its always a crapshoot but at least they can sell the fanbase on this vision. Right now they feel stuck and I think we're all ready for a new chapter.
Off topic but I think Ian Happ being on the roster every day for a full season will be a significant improvement to the position player group. If you look at the # of AB's we gave Almora, Descalso, and co it will make you vomit. He needed to work on his swing in Des Moines but he looked much better after his call up. Happ and Schwarber definitely get more hate than they deserve, the expectations were just set too high.
Well said, I pretty much agree with all of this. Fangraphs projects Schwarber's WAR at 3.2 this upcoming season. Castellanos is projected at 1.6. I loved Castellanos in the second half this year but he's not worth a 3 or 4 year overpay for the Cubs.
I think the most likely path the Cubs take is trading KB to a team like the Braves for multiple upper level prospects. They'd be wise to continue to get max value on guys like Contreras, Quintana, etc if that is the route they choose. The Cubs have a nice group of top prospects but lack farm system depth like you said. Adding to that group of prospects while keeping cost down now makes some sense for going "all in" 2 to 3 years down the road.
Trading those guys for what? Throw in Contreras and maybe then a team would take them.
If you read the quote...MONEY. You obviously aren’t going to get any player worth a damn for either of them.
I will be honest, I do think an outfield of Schwarber, Happ, Heyward and an infield of KB, Baez, Hoerner, Rizzo, with Contreras behind the plate, is good enough to win the division, and who knows what happens in October (did anyone see the Nats winning it all?)
It would give us the second most talented outfield (behind the Brewers) and most talented infield and catcher in the Central
That being said, Hoerner has some things to work on in Iowa and I’d prefer to see Happ have more flexibility and be used as a Zobrist instead of expected to play in one spot most of the year.
That group also has a lotttt of strikeouts.
It would give us the second most talented outfield (behind the Brewers) and most talented infield and catcher in the Central
That being said, Hoerner has some things to work on in Iowa and I’d prefer to see Happ have more flexibility and be used as a Zobrist instead of expected to play in one spot most of the year.
That group also has a lotttt of strikeouts.
