***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

[Cyforce]

Smyly. Go with the vet to open the year in the cold.

It's definitely going to be Smyly, Wicks as the 4, 5 starters if they don't go get Montgomery.

Which is sad in so many levels.
Imanaga, how good is he going to be. Been giving up long balls this spring which was the knock on him going in.

Steele, how much you really want to lean on him. He's still a kid and is bound to level off a bit like he did down the stretch.

With Smyly or Wicks at the 5 you're dealing with depth as a position of strength. With both in the rotation you suddenly have a very average at best rotation.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

It's definitely going to be Smyly, Wicks as the 4, 5 starters if they don't go get Montgomery.

Which is sad in so many levels.
Imanaga, how good is he going to be. Been giving up long balls this spring which was the knock on him going in.

Steele, how much you really want to lean on him. He's still a kid and is bound to level off a bit like he did down the stretch.

With Smyly or Wicks at the 5 you're dealing with depth as a position of strength. With both in the rotation you suddenly have a very average at best rotation.

They also seem to not really think Ben Brown is a starter. He loses a ton of value if you convert him to the pen.

I'm perfectly fine with developing bats and buying pitching but it doesn't appear they're willing to pay market price for top arms.

 

[Cyforce]

They also seem to not really think Ben Brown is a starter. He loses a ton of value if you convert him to the pen.

I'm perfectly fine with developing bats and buying pitching but it doesn't appear they're willing to pay market price for top arms.

It will be interesting to see what they do with Brown coming out of spring training. He, Horton and Steele could be a fantastic trio in the future.

 

[isucy86]

I am OK with the Cub bats going into the season. Feel like there are enough solid bats that Cubs can experiment with over the first half of the season. If bats like Smith, Peralta, Cooper, Bote, Wisdom, Mastrobuoni and Madrigal struggle early, then it's time to give prospects like Shaw, Vazquez, Mervis, etc a shot.

I would love for Cubs to add Snell if they can get him with a Bellinger type deal. Cubs rotation is built around 90-92mph arms. Would be nice to add a 95+- arm to give opponent bats a different speed.

 

[Cyforce]

Chicago Cubs Lineup (3/12/24): Seiya Suzuki in Left Field

The Chicago Cubs lineup tonight features Seiya Suzuki in left field.

www.bleachernation.com

I really feel the Suzuki in left is preemptive to where is Bellinger going to play (RF) when PCA is ready to take over center. After all right is where Belli won his GG.

 

[cycloneman003]

They also seem to not really think Ben Brown is a starter. He loses a ton of value if you convert him to the pen.

I'm perfectly fine with developing bats and buying pitching but it doesn't appear they're willing to pay market price for top arms.

A lot of walks, a lot of strikeouts and shoulder issues last year. They have shown they are more than willing to give every chance to be a starter with prospects though, but bullpen very well could be his future.

 

[Cyforce]

P Wizzy with a walkoff bomb!!!

 

[BigJCy]

P Wizzy with a walkoff bomb!!!

 

[Cyforce]

So with Taillon likely to open the season on the IL I'm convinced they'll piggyback Smyly and Wesneski in that spot. Hoping for a combined 6 or 7 giving most of the bullpen a day of rest. I'd much rather see them go get Montgomery now instead of dealing prospects at the trade deadline.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[BigJCy]

 

[CYdTracked]

Pretty sure the Cubs are not going after any remaining big names still out there but after Snell had to take a 2 year deal its going to be interesting to see what Montgomery will get. Guessing he could continue to hold out and once an injury or a team that realizes they need more SP help will eventually come calling and pony up even on a 1 or 2 year deal.

 

[ISUCubswin]

There was a fan post I read (dude is not an insider nor has any connection) but it made me think, and now post -

Jesse Rogers said back in November that he didn’t expect us to be as active as we were leading on this offseason because we weren’t a World Series roster YET, but that if the prospects panned out, could have one in 2025

With just $152 MM committed to tax allocations including $14 MM which will be lost when options are declined on Bote and Smyly, Cubs are looking at roughly $100 MM before hitting the first tier. Assuming $15-20 MM will be used for pre-arbitration and arbitration salaries, you can assume the Cubs are looking at roughly $80 MM to spend in 2025.

What are the odds the Cubs lured Counsell with the idea they'd go all out for Burnes after 2024 (Burnes/Steele/Imanaga/Horton is a dirty 4 man rotation) and then buy whatever bat he wanted between Alonso/Bregman/Soto?

 

[Cyforce]

There was a fan post I read (dude is not an insider nor has any connection) but it made me think, and now post -

Jesse Rogers said back in November that he didn’t expect us to be as active as we were leading on this offseason because we weren’t a World Series roster YET, but that if the prospects panned out, could have one in 2025

With just $152 MM committed to tax allocations including $14 MM which will be lost when options are declined on Bote and Smyly, Cubs are looking at roughly $100 MM before hitting the first tier. Assuming $15-20 MM will be used for pre-arbitration and arbitration salaries, you can assume the Cubs are looking at roughly $80 MM to spend in 2025.

What are the odds the Cubs lured Counsell with the idea they'd go all out for Burnes after 2024 (Burnes/Steele/Imanaga/Horton is a dirty 4 man rotation) and then buy whatever bat he wanted between Alonso/Bregman/Soto?

Caissie is the 2025 bat I'm looking forward to. Kid has looked unreal in spring training. But yes I love that rotation.

Hopefully they use some of the available money to lock some of these guys up for years to come.

 

[BigJCy]

May mean nothing but Neris has been getting torched this Spring.

 

[isucy86]

May mean nothing but Neris has been getting torched this Spring.

He sure has.

Unless he has suddenly lost velocity or other analytics has changed, I would think he will be on the roster. My guess, it means he won't be in the circle of trust coming out of spring training.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

He sure has.

Unless he has suddenly lost velocity or other analytics has changed, I would think he will be on the roster. My guess, it means he won't be in the circle of trust coming out of spring training.

There are 9 million reasons why he'll be on the roster.

 

[CYdTracked]

I'm more interested in if they add any of the non roster invitees to the 40 man for opening day. Killian will go to the 60 day IL to open a spot but Cooper, Smith, and Edward's are all making a case to make the roster which means trading or DFA up to 2 of the 40 man guys to make room. Sounds like both Wisdom and Madrigal could start the year on the IL so Cooper has a good shot of making it. Sounds like Smith could get some DH and 1B work and Edwards has been surprising good in the pen so far.

 

[Shawker]

There was a fan post I read (dude is not an insider nor has any connection) but it made me think, and now post -

Jesse Rogers said back in November that he didn’t expect us to be as active as we were leading on this offseason because we weren’t a World Series roster YET, but that if the prospects panned out, could have one in 2025

With just $152 MM committed to tax allocations including $14 MM which will be lost when options are declined on Bote and Smyly, Cubs are looking at roughly $100 MM before hitting the first tier. Assuming $15-20 MM will be used for pre-arbitration and arbitration salaries, you can assume the Cubs are looking at roughly $80 MM to spend in 2025.

What are the odds the Cubs lured Counsell with the idea they'd go all out for Burnes after 2024 (Burnes/Steele/Imanaga/Horton is a dirty 4 man rotation) and then buy whatever bat he wanted between Alonso/Bregman/Soto?

On one hand I would love the Cubs to have Soto but on the other hand it will take an insane offer to land him and I'm not sure I would feel great about that. The guy already turned down something like 12 years/$450 million from the Nationals.

 

[Cyforce]

On one hand I would love the Cubs to have Soto but on the other hand it will take an insane offer to land him and I'm not sure I would feel great about that. The guy already turned down something like 12 years/$450 million from the Nationals.

Why build a farm system and never have the option to resign him.

Speaking of big contracts anyone believe Ohtani's interpreter stole 4 mil and placed those bets?