MLB: ***Official 2022 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***

[ISUCubswin]

I would agree that Madrigal shouldn't be pencilled in as the Cubs 2nd of the future. For him to be effective, he would need to be .300 hitter.

If the Cubs can get a big bat at SS, then Hoerner can slide to 2nd. IMO that would give the Cubs 2 All-Star level middle infielders. The big question is price to sign one of the top FA shortstops. $25M, $30M?

Regardless, the Cubs need to find some pop at 1st, Left & DH. Ideally, the Cubs would get a high average & 25 HR's from each of those three positions in FA this winter.

Happ's a nice player, but .270 hitters with 15 HR's don't do much for me in LF.

If I had to guess, the Cubs will use September to see if Mervis or Wisdom can be 1B next year, and if not, they’ll try and extend Willson and throw him there.

Aiming for our next great team to arrive in 2024, I personally would be just fine going into 2023 with Mervis, Madrigal, Correa, Hoerner, and Contreras making up our infield. You essentially are giving the right side of the infield a try out to see if they can handle their spots or if they need to spend that offseason focusing on corner infielders.

 

[VeloClone]

I would love me all of that. I was on the Judge train until about a month ago, solely because I think he’s hit so many homeruns in that little league ball park that he’s going to get paid way more than he will be able to produce. Could be wrong, though.

Probably right. For the strength of his own numbers he should probably give a team that plays in another small ballpark a sweetheart deal.

 

[04clone]

If I had to guess, the Cubs will use September to see if Mervis or Wisdom can be 1B next year, and if not, they’ll try and extend Willson and throw him there.

Aiming for our next great team to arrive in 2024, I personally would be just fine going into 2023 with Mervis, Madrigal, Correa, Hoerner, and Contreras making up our infield. You essentially are giving the right side of the infield a try out to see if they can handle their spots or if they need to spend that offseason focusing on corner infielders.

I'd be a bit surprised to see Mervis up in MLB before the end of this year, if for no other reason, because I believe he'd have to stay on the 40 man roster for the entire offseason. If they wait until next year to bring him up, they can protect someone else on the 40-man roster (and they have a bunch of people who need to be on the 40-man, including several of the pitchers they just acquired in trades).

I think trying to re-sign Willson makes a ton of sense. The closest thing to a legit catching prospect they have, Amaya, is in AA and has been out with an injury all year, so there's no one imminently coming to fill the spot (though Higgins has been surprisingly good this year). The FA market for catchers is extremely weak this year. I think all of that adds up to the situation where you try to sign Willson to a 3-4 year deal and slowly reduce the amount of time he spends catching over the course of the deal.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[BigJCy]

 

[CyState85]

I love that the Cubs are cutting ties with Heyward but he has a $20 million deferred bonus after 2023 ($5 million for 4 years) as well. So he will make $42 million dollars from the Cubs by 2027 to not play baseball for them anymore.

$42 million is (on average) what 814 teachers in Iowa make a year. Im glad he gave a good speech during a rainstorm one October in 2016 but damn that is an expensive motivational speaker fee!

 

[ISUTex]

WOOOOo HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Damn I did not know that he was only 32, some team will pick him up next year, with the Cubs paying him, not to play for them.
Damn, I am glad he rejected that offer the Cards offered and chose to sign with the Cubs instead.

 

[CyJack13]

If I had to guess, the Cubs will use September to see if Mervis or Wisdom can be 1B next year, and if not, they’ll try and extend Willson and throw him there.

Aiming for our next great team to arrive in 2024, I personally would be just fine going into 2023 with Mervis, Madrigal, Correa, Hoerner, and Contreras making up our infield. You essentially are giving the right side of the infield a try out to see if they can handle their spots or if they need to spend that offseason focusing on corner infielders.

Wisdom is under team control through 2026, no need to extend him.

 

[CyJack13]

Finally. My least favorite Cub to watch ever. Never thought a major leaguer could hit so many weak ground balls to 2B. Good ******* riddance.

 

[RoseClone]

Damn I did not know that he was only 32, some team will pick him up next year, with the Cubs paying him, not to play for them.
Damn, I am glad he rejected that offer the Cards offered and chose to sign with the Cubs instead.

He did get a World Series Championship that he wouldn't have gotten in St Louis....and a lot of money.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

He did get a World Series Championship that he wouldn't have gotten in St Louis....and a lot of money.

And a lot of losing seasons along with that bright shining moment. Kind of like Haley's Comet, just occurs less often.

 

[RoseClone]

And a lot of losing seasons along with that bright shining moment. Kind of like Haley's Comet, just occurs less often.

True and I'm not going to debate organizations or his results but it is interesting that from 2016-2021 he won more games in Chicago than he would have in St Louis...479 to 468. This year will put him under that of course.

 

[isucy86]

I'd be a bit surprised to see Mervis up in MLB before the end of this year, if for no other reason, because I believe he'd have to stay on the 40 man roster for the entire offseason. If they wait until next year to bring him up, they can protect someone else on the 40-man roster (and they have a bunch of people who need to be on the 40-man, including several of the pitchers they just acquired in trades).

I think trying to re-sign Willson makes a ton of sense. The closest thing to a legit catching prospect they have, Amaya, is in AA and has been out with an injury all year, so there's no one imminently coming to fill the spot (though Higgins has been surprisingly good this year). The FA market for catchers is extremely weak this year. I think all of that adds up to the situation where you try to sign Willson to a 3-4 year deal and slowly reduce the amount of time he spends catching over the course of the deal.

Wilson is interesting, a lot is how much & contract length he's looking for.

But this year he has been 60/40 catcher & dh. I can see him catching less to keep his bat strong in Aug/Sep. But playing that much DH would seem to indicate, the Cubs aren't sold on Contreras as catcher for their young arms.

IMO the Cubs could play Gomes/Higgins at catcher on the cheap. Then the question would be if they project Contreras at 1st or DH. Obviously, Contreras has to be willing to play those positions.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

True and I'm not going to debate organizations or his results but it is interesting that from 2016-2021 he won more games in Chicago than he would have in St Louis...479 to 468. This year will put him under that of course.

True, but since 2007 the Cards have had one losing season, the Cubs have had seven. You won a WS, that is something, but the Cards have also won 11 WS to the Cubs 3, the last being 2011.

 

[cyfanatic13]

True, but since 2007 the Cards have had one losing season, the Cubs have had seven. You won a WS, that is something, but the Cards have also won 11 WS to the Cubs 3, the last being 2011.

11 with 9 of those being before 1983. Never understand fans that brag about things like that. Go on back to your Cardinals thread

 

[CyJack13]

True, but since 2007 the Cards have had one losing season, the Cubs have had seven. You won a WS, that is something, but the Cards have also won 11 WS to the Cubs 3, the last being 2011.

I can’t even imagine what it’s like to not have a World Series win since 2011.

 

[ISUCubswin]

11 with 9 of those being before 1983. Never understand fans that brag about things like that. Go on back to your Cardinals thread

Chiefs fans: Isn’t it great we have an elite QB, Hall of Fame coach, 7 straight playoff appearances and 4 straight AFC Championship appearances?

Dolphins fans: Our franchise has the same amount of super bowl wins and 3 more AFC Championships than you!

 

[ISUCubswin]

Regarding Mervis, I understand the 40 man predicament, but he has to be added in the next 2 years anyway and there are 4 outfielders and a handful of pitchers that can leave whenever. IMO, worth seeing if what you have is going to be a valuable contributor or if you need to look elsewhere, whether that be position changes in the farm or FAs.

 

[CYdTracked]

The Schwindel demotion sure makes you wonder if Mervis will get a look now as there is no way Frank gets much time with both Mervis and Rivas at 1B in Iowa.