The Cubs lack slug at 1B, 3B, LF, RF & DH. Those are positions a team would like 25+ HR's in a season.
I'd be open to trade Suzuki and/or Happ.
***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***
- Thread starter BigJCy
- Start date
I'd be open to trade Suzuki and/or Happ.
Suzuki is a well-below average defender. He has a -1.0 defensive WAR as a Cub. His contract was for his bat, which is non-existent.
Tauchman's metrics were terrible defensively prior to this year, at which he has performed at a 0.0 defensive WAR.
I just wish I knew what style of baseball we were even attempting to play. Like I get we're trying to pitch to contact but we don't have the defense for it. On offense I just don't even have a clue what the goal is. We don't slug, we don't hit, we don't do fundamentals, we don't run the bases well.
My 2024 Opening Day Roster
C - Gomes ($6 Million)
1B - Torkelson/Vaughn/Wisdom v. Lefties (Going Cheap)
2B - Hoerner ($11.5 Million)
SS - Swanson ($25 Million)
3B - Chapman ($20 Million?)
RF - Bellinger ($25 Million)
CF - PCA (Cheap)
LF - Happ ($21 Million)
DH - Mancini/Mervis
I don't think you have an easy out in that lineup.
$116 Million
SP1 - Stroman ($25 Million)
SP2 - Steele (Cheap)
SP3 - Giolito ($25 Million?)
SP4 - Montas ($15 Million?)
SP5 - Taillon ($18 Milion)
$83 Million on SPs
Gives you just $39 Million for a bench and bullpen before hitting the first tier of the CBA .
C - Gomes ($6 Million)
1B - Torkelson/Vaughn/Wisdom v. Lefties (Going Cheap)
2B - Hoerner ($11.5 Million)
SS - Swanson ($25 Million)
3B - Chapman ($20 Million?)
RF - Bellinger ($25 Million)
CF - PCA (Cheap)
LF - Happ ($21 Million)
DH - Mancini/Mervis
I don't think you have an easy out in that lineup.
$116 Million
SP1 - Stroman ($25 Million)
SP2 - Steele (Cheap)
SP3 - Giolito ($25 Million?)
SP4 - Montas ($15 Million?)
SP5 - Taillon ($18 Milion)
$83 Million on SPs
Gives you just $39 Million for a bench and bullpen before hitting the first tier of the CBA .
I'm sure there's something in the numbers pulling them down but both guys field their positions at least on.par with major league average.
Lastly, living in reality and a positive note
A name on the farm to be watching - Haydn McGeary. Day 3 draft pick out of DII Mesa State. Starting first basemen for the Smokies. Great plate discipline, pretty good pop in the bat.
In 57 games, 9 dongs, 46 RBIs, 37 BBs, .284 BA, .401 OBP, .922 OPS.
He is averaging 1 double, triple, homerun, or walk per game, not including his 39 singles.
A name on the farm to be watching - Haydn McGeary. Day 3 draft pick out of DII Mesa State. Starting first basemen for the Smokies. Great plate discipline, pretty good pop in the bat.
In 57 games, 9 dongs, 46 RBIs, 37 BBs, .284 BA, .401 OBP, .922 OPS.
He is averaging 1 double, triple, homerun, or walk per game, not including his 39 singles.
Bleacher Nation had this article back in February
The tl;dr version:
Per FanGraphs, out of 26 right fielders, he was
- 22nd in defensive runs saved
- 20th in range
Per Statcast, out of 38, he was
- 31st in outs above average
- 31st in runs prevented
- 93rd out of 105 in jump
He is very good at catching the ball if he can get to the ball, the problem is he isn't great at getting the ball. Also, metrics show (though we don't need metrics) that he has a ******* cannon, one of the best arms in the game.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
RF in Wrigley is a very tough field. Day games, sight line and so on. I just don't remember any balls to Suzuki that I thought, "he should of caught that." Probably because he's always hustling.
As for Tauchman he's made a few exceptional catches and I don't remember anything bad sticking out.
Now Morel is the second coming of George Taco Bell but can look awful at six positions.
Morel is a DH but they can't stick him there full time because 1) David Ross apparently doesn't understand that you're supposed to put a good hitter there and 2) Mervis and/or McGeary, whichever one pans out, are going to have to play there because they can't play defense anywhere.
The Cubs have been chasing Ben Zobrist since he retired while not realizing a super utility guy that can hit like that is an absolute unicorn and not something that you can snap your fingers and make happen.
Morel has been a liability on defense. But it is heightened by Ross treating him as a utility player.
He's a plus bat and arguably the Cubs best hitter. Put him at 3rd full time for the rest of the season and see how his defense progresses. He has a great arm and plus speed to relegate him to DH at this point.
Seems like Madrigal can be their utility guy playing 2nd & 3rd. And Hoerner can bump to short when Swanson needs a day off.
At this time of year, it's easy to fall into "are the Cubs buyers or sellers"? They are currently 6 games back in the Division & WC loss column.
Maybe they should shuffle the chairs on the deck. Instead of trading top-end guys for future prospects, trade value for value. Hoping that a change of scenery helps resurrect a guy.
He's a plus bat and arguably the Cubs best hitter. Put him at 3rd full time for the rest of the season and see how his defense progresses. He has a great arm and plus speed to relegate him to DH at this point.
Seems like Madrigal can be their utility guy playing 2nd & 3rd. And Hoerner can bump to short when Swanson needs a day off.
At this time of year, it's easy to fall into "are the Cubs buyers or sellers"? They are currently 6 games back in the Division & WC loss column.
Maybe they should shuffle the chairs on the deck. Instead of trading top-end guys for future prospects, trade value for value. Hoping that a change of scenery helps resurrect a guy.
Agree 100%. He's been around a while, it's easy to forget he just turned 28.
IMO keeping a core group of: Stroman, Steele, Hoerner, Swanson, Bellinger, Morel(24) and Amaya (24) is they key to the Cubs being successful go forward.
At this point it's crazy not too. Got youth coming at 1B, Mervis, CF, PCA and RF Canario but Bellinger can play all of them at on near GG level at all of them. Even if all three pan out you can still play him full-time giving the young guys days of v. Tough match-ups. Plus Mervis and Canario hopefully develop into the type of bats you want to use at DH.
Took me awhile to get my head around no Suzuki going forward but I'm with you. Here's my 13 man non pitcher half of the roster.
1.Gomes C
2.Amaya C
3.Mervis/ Candelario 1B
4.Hoerner 2B
5.Swanson SS
6.Candelario/ 7.Morel 3B
8.Happ LF
9.PCA CF
10.Bellinger RF
11.Tauchman
12.Madrigal or Wisdom
13. Velasquez. Canario, and other minor leaguers with options.
So if Mervis isn't ready we can add at either corner inf or RF due to Candelario and Bellinger. Bellinger and Tauchman also give us a backup plan in CF if PCA needs more minor league ABs. Finally, the 12. spot gives us the freedom to add next deadline.
Bellinger is a Scott Boras client. There is no way Boras let's him sign an extension right now unless the Cubs offer something rediculous that is too good to pass on and we know this front office won't do that. He's going to hit the free agent market and Cubs will have to bid on his services along with many other teams. The question is if he's worth more to the Cubs to hold onto and see how this thing plays out or if they wind up selling at the deadline they get a decent prospect in return and bid for his services again in the offseason.
Same goes with Stroman and I like what he is saying too: https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...VsGcwzDiy0T7ZFAg0WpDaBg15r9SuUjauSEIBfZQuoqoE
These guys know this is a business too. The Cubs right now aren't there yet with this roster and there isn't anything wrong with selling then trying to resign these 2 guys in the offseason. I'm sure both their agents would rather let them hit the market where they likely will get better offers than the Cubs probably would offer right now.
Same goes with Stroman and I like what he is saying too: https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...VsGcwzDiy0T7ZFAg0WpDaBg15r9SuUjauSEIBfZQuoqoE
These guys know this is a business too. The Cubs right now aren't there yet with this roster and there isn't anything wrong with selling then trying to resign these 2 guys in the offseason. I'm sure both their agents would rather let them hit the market where they likely will get better offers than the Cubs probably would offer right now.
I would hope the Cubs go after a bigger power bat than Candelario in the off-season to fill in at 1B/DH.
My hope is Morel is the Cubs everyday 3B once Swanson comes back to see if he can be a solid defensive 3B in 2024.
Wisdom is a hard case because I think he could be a utility guy at 1B, 3B and LF. But he may be the kind of player who struggles at the plate playing a couple games a week. But his power would be a nice bat off the bench.
I'm tired of getting "decent prospects". This front office needs to put up or shut up. Resign Bellinger and Stroman then build from there.
Also for as much crap some give Suzuki, Happ hasn't even hit .200 since June 1 and we just signed him to an extension this season. Hoping that is one we don't eventually regret. I've always been hesitant on Happ as he's shown flashes of being really good at times but it's usually when the Cubs stink and the pressure is off. When the Cubs are good or in the hunt he seems to press and struggle.
It's mind boggling how some rip on Morel who is just 24 and skipped AAA last year when he was called up but will defend guys like Wisdom and other mediocre players the Cubs have brought in like they are big pieces to the roster. The Cubs just need to stick Morel at a position and let him develop defensive skills seeing regular playing time. He's probably the best bat in the lineup these days, just commit to a position so he can get comfortable. He's not going to be Zobrist defensively and they tried that with Happ some too until they finally committed to him in LF where he finally got comfortable.
