• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Chicago Cubs Thread - Playoff Push Pending

Joey Bart and Lamonte Wade Jr coming back for Bryant. Another solid haul. Wade seems capable and has 4 more years of control. Bart is still a top 100 guy and MLB ready catcher.

Cubs might have a top 8 farm now.
 
DaDeacs said:
Joey Bart and Lamonte Wade Jr coming back for Bryant. Another solid haul. Wade seems capable and has 4 more years of control. Bart is still a top 100 guy and MLB ready catcher.

Cubs might have a top 8 farm now.
Click to expand...

Apparently this is not correct. Instead, Cubs got a A ball OF and someone else.
 
DaDeacs said:
Apparently this is not correct. Instead, Cubs got a A ball OF and someone else.
Click to expand...

Alexander Canario, a 45 FV guy, the #9 prospect for the Giants - 21 YO at high A... eh. Other name is Caleb Kilian, the Giants #30 prospect - but a guy who is putting up solid numbers as a starter at AA this year... but he is 24, so take that for what its worth. Canario likely fits in the bottom half of the top 10 Cubs prospects somewhere - like 8-12 range.
 
ResilientDeac said:
Marisnick to the Padres
Click to expand...

Cubs get Anderson Espinoza from the Pads. He was a top 20 overall prospect in the MLB at one point in 2017 - but he was hurt for 3 straight years and hadn't pitched since 2016. Has looked not good at all for 2021 in high A, but the talent was there at one point. It was Jake Marisnick, so the fact that Cubs got anything is good.
 
That was a thorough housecleaning. There are ten pitchers and nine position players remaining on the active roster. Expect tonight's starters to be LF Happ, CF Ortega, RF Heyward, 3B Duffy, SS Alcantara, 2B Bote, 1B Wisdom and C Contreras. Chirinos on the bench. TBD starter. Remaining bullpen is Brothers, Jewell, Megill, Morgan, Ryan and Winkler.
 
We’re in DC so decided to take in the Nats/ Cubs game and instead will get Rochester vs. Iowa.
 
Stage Five: Acceptance.

The 2016 Cubs were awesome. Everything about that team was baseball as it should be. That moment in time can never be taken away. But it isn't coming back, either.

The 2021 Cubs were not the 2016 Cubs. The 2021 Cubs lost 11 games in a row during a month when they were in first place. In those 11 games, they were outscored 83-35. Would retaining Kyle Schwarber have changed that? If you looked at the Kyle Schwarber who finished 2020 with a .188 batting average and you saw that he would have the best hitting season of his career in 2021 (.253), good for you. Would Yu Darvish have changed that? Yu Darvish is 7-5 with a 3.27 ERA in 2021. Maybe, but not by himself. The 2021 Cubs just can't hit when it matters. Fittingly, Rizzo and Baez finished their Cubs tenures tied for 96th in batting average (tied with Gleyber Torres) at .248. The best player on the team Kris Bryant checked in at 56th overall with an average of .267. Willson Contreras is hitting .236. Heward is hitting below the Mendoza line. That's simply not good enough to get it done. If the goal is to win a championship, you have to hit it where they ain't*, and the 2021 Cubs weren't doing that. There was no path to a title for the 2021 Cubs as constructed, and watching these guys fail to live up to their former selves wasn't fun anymore. Painful as they were, I predict that time will tell that these steps were likely the correct moves.

* If you're curious, the best batting average in baseball is .328, courtesy of one Nick Castellanos.
 
Given the players weren't going to resign during the season or resign for a reasonable amount of $, this was really the only option. Baez believes he is worth 200M but he is probably more of a 15-17M guy over 4 years. If he isn't convinced of that now, he was going to go to the FA market to see -- and the Cubs can put in an offer if the market isn't what he anticipates. But either you were going to lose him because the market was too high or you were going to sign him to a reasonable contract. The same scenario exists but you now have added a solid prospect. IMO Rizzo is similar - the Cubs would keep him at a discount but not on some 20M+ over 5+ year contract. Bryant also believes he is worth 300M and I don't think the Cubs are interested in extending - it really doesn't make sense to pay 30M for Bryant for the next decade when he likely had ~4 more meaningful years of output. The decision there was to weigh the prospects vs. the qualifying offer. I think 2 prospects > the qualifying draft compensation.


Now the payroll is at bottom with only 2 semi-expensive players - Heyward and Hendricks. You likely keep Hendricks and see what you can do about 44M still owed Heyward. They potentially have the middle of the diamond solidified with Contreras, Madrigal, Hoerner, and Davis. If needed they will trade Contreras or sign him to a reasonable extension. They can fill in with FAs as needed and may be decent the year after next. The keys are going to be making sure 1 or 2 position prospects actually materialize and they are gonna need ~2 homegrown starters as well.

The foundation is there after today but some prospects need to develop.
 
They made an offer of 5/$70 to Riz. He said no, but he wanted to resign and said if they wanted to burn the whole team down he still wanted to stay. It's disappointing because he took an extremely team friendly deal earlier and they aren't rewarding him by meeting in the middle. Oh well, Jed said the offers still stand and while he is disappointed, he's keeping the door open. Not sure there's a spot for Baez anymore. Riz, yes. KB, yes. Not sure what the market is gonna look like for any of these guys, still a chance we see one back, but not holding my breath.

If Riz keeps bombing for the Yanks, they might keep him - but they got Gallo for another year and he can play 1B.
 
Ya - I feel Rizzo is the only one who could possibly return. The question is going to be will he be the 1B you need in another championship window should one open in 3 years. I suspect all 3 are done as Cubs and we have seen the peak of their careers.
 
It's over. Hoyer made offers and Baez, Bryant and Rizzo declined. They now have the opportunity to explore their value in MLB. Hoyer has the opportunity to retool the team without the constraints of veteran stars that have performed below expectations for the past two years.

I like Madrigal. He and Hoerner show the promise of .300 hitters that make contact, use the whole field and understand situational hitting. The new prospects have improved the farm system dramatically. Ten new members to the teams top 30 prospects if the four from the Darvish trade are included.

Ortega and Wisdom might be players beyond this year. They have been solid AAAA players and have an extended opportunity in front of them. Bote will get his first full opportunity to play every day. Happ has two months to right the ship with pressure squarely on his shoulders. Thompson and Steele might be ready to start. Manny Rodriquez has a four seam and a sinker that didn't go below 97 mph with a high 80's cutter and an 80 mph slider. We might even see Ben Leeper. Free agent from Oklahoma State in his first year of pro ball. In 32 innings between Tennessee and Iowa he has 51 K's, a 0.78 whip, holding opponents to a .117 average and has a 1.41 ERA. Got to be doing something right.

Going down a new path. Might as well see where it takes us.
 
I mean, Cubs need two big bats in the lineup - curious to see how they address it in the off-season- if they go short contract deals or look for long term answers. There aren't a lot of big name 1B or 3Bs on the market this year - assuming Freeman resigns with the Braves. They have a toooon of money, but no need for players at the deepest position - SS - unless they think they can sign someone that will move to 3rd.
 
Hoyer mentioned an interest in how well his final offers to Bryant, Baez and Rizzo would stand up once they entered free agency. That may determine his course of action regarding free agents. I would guess short term deals with the emphasis on acquiring young players offering longer term team control. Hoerner, Madrigal and Contreras will be his cornerstones. Everyone else is expendable.

Pitching will be a priority. Hendricks is the cornerstone. Alzolay, Steele and Thompson should get full shots at the rotation. If what I saw from Rodriguez last night is consistently repeatable, he is a closer in waiting. Wick and Wieck have impressed.
 
This thread was started April 6, 2015. Pretty good results over the years. Probably should be retired at the end of the season in honor of the championship we were able to celebrate. Then start a new thread for a new championship.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top