Every time I see a picture of Ricketts it's a face I'd like to punch. Really hard.
***Official 2024 Chicago Cubs Thread***
- Thread starter CycloneErik
- Start date
I don't respect either, myself. Jed doesn't do anything to make it look like he's ambitious, but it's pretty obvious that the Ricketts aren't looking for a championship contender.
I agree with this for the most part, Ricketts holds the purse strings to the money so that limits them in some ways. But I also blame this front office for not cashing out on the 2016 core about a year sooner when it became stagnet and couldn't compete. We lost a lot of trade value on those guys by holding onto them until their walk seasons and having to take rental price returns in prospects. And other than PCA so far we haven't seen a lot of return on the guys we got back either. Still have Canario and Killian from Bryant trade but neither look like they are going to be long term contributors. Alcantara came in the Rizzo trade but he's blocked at the moment. Still TBD on what kind of return Caissie will be for Darvish as he's the only remaining prospect in that deal left in the organization. Also this is the same front office that gave Happ an extension with a no trade clause when Suzuki already has one and we had all these OF prospects in the minors that were going to need a path in the near future too. Had we dealt away 1 or more of those guys when they still had a year or 2 left on their contracts and playing halfway decent we probably would have got a lot better prospect in return but instead we kept sending out the same group of guys that weren't winning games.
The free agency is what it is at this point. We've hit on some and completely missed on others the past fwe years but that is baseball. Did feel like this offseason was going to be different once they traded for Tucker but it turned out much of the last couple years where we ended up settling for guys outside the upper tiers of the free agents. Hopefully with the remaining money under the cap and prospect depth right now they can use that to acquire some help if the opportunity is there whether that is another bat or an arm for the rotation at some point. If we get off to another disappointing start like we have the past 2 years then Jed is likely a goner at this point. Gotta do something soon with some of this prospect depth and address the holes because we have too many guys that we need to either give a look at the big league level or cash in on with a trade to fill a need soon before they lose peak trade value.
Given the way the core have crashed in terms of health and the way current players' injuries are dealt with, I blame the front office for the medical treatment of our guys.
Shaw already dealing with a minor oblique injury. Hopefully opens the eyes of some people that they’ve now put their team in the hands of Vidal Brujan or Gage Workman
I think the FO has to take some of the blame for the NTCs. Those really hamstrung us.
The problem is they have to give somewhere if they refuse to give long term deals.
Happ could've gotten twice the years and money when he signed that deal but he REALLY wanted to stay in Chicago.
Cubs # 2 on this list:
JED HOYER, CRAIG COUNSELL AND THE CUBS (12 VOTES): Their curse-busting World Series was (gasp) nine years ago. Their last postseason win was (what?) eight years ago. And the Cubs are now entering their fifth season since Theo Epstein headed off to figure out the inner secrets of the pitch clock. So one voter said this as clearly as it can be said: “The Cubs have to win.”
You should know that our voters like this roster. It feels as though Hoyer, the club’s president of baseball operations, has pushed many of the right buttons. And there’s a reason Counsell is the highest-paid manager in the game. But when you’re the one team spending big money in the NL Central Thrift Shop, you need something tangible to show for it. Will this be their time?
“The Cubs,” said one rival exec, “feel like they’re under heavy pressure.”
JED HOYER, CRAIG COUNSELL AND THE CUBS (12 VOTES): Their curse-busting World Series was (gasp) nine years ago. Their last postseason win was (what?) eight years ago. And the Cubs are now entering their fifth season since Theo Epstein headed off to figure out the inner secrets of the pitch clock. So one voter said this as clearly as it can be said: “The Cubs have to win.”
You should know that our voters like this roster. It feels as though Hoyer, the club’s president of baseball operations, has pushed many of the right buttons. And there’s a reason Counsell is the highest-paid manager in the game. But when you’re the one team spending big money in the NL Central Thrift Shop, you need something tangible to show for it. Will this be their time?
“The Cubs,” said one rival exec, “feel like they’re under heavy pressure.”
I'd be skeptical of trading a package of top prospects for him without having an extension working out. We already did that with Tucker, don't need to trade away the future for 2 rental players. Now if they could work out a deal with an extension included in it I'd be much more open to the possibility.
Backup at 1B and maybe DH? He has started 11 games in the last 2 years at 3B while playing in a total of 13.
He has started 75 games at 1B the last two years while playing in 84.
Sad that the backup plan if Shaw is not able to hold down 3B for whatever reason is going to be some combo of Turner/Berti/Brujan/Workman depending on who makes the roster out of camp. Turner is 40 so I am not confident he could play 3B on an everyday basis if the worst case scenario happens. We needed someone as backup at 1B so fine with him there and he still was worth a 1.5 WAR last year in 539 plate appearances. The problem is with Suzuki already the primary DH he is not going to get a lot of AB other than a spot start or PH role without taking away AB from someone else. They already said they are going to give Canario some reps at 1B in spring training too as they need to find some AB for him since he is out of options.
With the Turner signing Workman is going to have to play really well in spring training to earn a spot otherwise we have to return him to Detroit or maybe find a trade to keep him in the system and send him to the minors. I don't see how else they can keep Workman with Turner, Berti, and Brujan in the mix with no minor league options amongst them. I guess it is still better than some combo of Wisdom, Madrigal, and Masterbouni but unless Shaw hits the ground running 3B is still the biggest question mark on the roster.
With the Turner signing Workman is going to have to play really well in spring training to earn a spot otherwise we have to return him to Detroit or maybe find a trade to keep him in the system and send him to the minors. I don't see how else they can keep Workman with Turner, Berti, and Brujan in the mix with no minor league options amongst them. I guess it is still better than some combo of Wisdom, Madrigal, and Masterbouni but unless Shaw hits the ground running 3B is still the biggest question mark on the roster.
Bench is set. Berti, Canario, Kelly, Turner. That's a massive upgrade from last year's.
I'd imagine they'll buy Workman's rights so that they can send him to Iowa.
Shaw is going to get a really long rope offensively and if he's even below average at 3rd, it's better than Morel/Wisdom/Madrigal/Paredes were last year. I don't really have any concerns with Shaw, the consensus is that he'll hit.
I'd imagine they'll buy Workman's rights so that they can send him to Iowa.
Shaw is going to get a really long rope offensively and if he's even below average at 3rd, it's better than Morel/Wisdom/Madrigal/Paredes were last year. I don't really have any concerns with Shaw, the consensus is that he'll hit.
