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Chicago Cubs Thread - Playoff Push Pending

Pilchard said:
After a bad start, Castro has heated up in July (.325/.356/.530/.886). Expect the Marlins to deal him by Wednesday.
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Have to assume so, $1 million buyout, and Marlins will likely eat some of the money - no reason to keep him if anyone wants him. Same with Walker and Granderson.
 
Granderson has hit over .250 once in the past nine years. Pass. Walker is limited to first. Pass. Starlin has a .979 career fielding average at 2B. He has hit .299 in August and September the past four years, including the .360 he hit in 2015 to lead the Cubs to the playoffs. Yes please.
 
Granderson looks like he is finished - even as he aged, he's always had an above average bat - this year he has fallen off the cliff, but he's a great clubhouse guy and solid veteran presence. Its possible someone takes a chance on him hoping a change of scenery can help with some left handed pop off the bench, maybe an August deal.

Always liked Curtis, good Chicago guy, gives back to the community.
 
He is one of the good guys. I've thought of him in the past and that playing in his hometown might light a late season fire. It appears he is past that due date. Heck, Castro is just daydreaming. He was traded away for next to nothing. Epstein had a reason other than to make room for the kids.
 
Giles getting hurt means he is likely off the table. Only other arms I've seen the Cubs linked to is Will Smith, but not sure the Giants are selling. Shane Greene still an option, but might cost more than the Cubs want to give up.
 
Wonder what it would take to pry away Starling Marte from the Pirates- maybe start with Almora, Happ, + prospects?
 
Deacon said:
Acquired David Phelps from the Jays.
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Coming off a TJ - low velocity right hander. Meh. Hatch was a 3rd rounder from a few years backed, has kinda stalled. Its not much to give up, but not sure Phelps is really an upgrade over anything we have right now. Maybe Brach. Hopefully this is just a stop gap for Strop and they will send Underwood back down tomorrow when Phelps is active and we are still looking for another pen piece.
 
HoosierDeac said:
Wonder what it would take to pry away Starling Marte from the Pirates- maybe start with Almora, Happ, + prospects?
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Marte is controllable for two more years, the likely end of his peak years, for $23 million total - will cost a lot. Cant see the Cubs doing it, would likely cost two of our top 3 prospects plus Happ or Schwarber. Although, the Pirates have been fleeced before.
 
Whelp, our 2B help is Tony Kemp. Flipped Maldanado for him. He was DFA'd by the Stros. He's a Maddon player, can play all 3 OF spots and 2B, he isn't going to hurt you in the field, can run a bit. Haven't been following him, but looks like his HR rate is way up and his batting average is way down - he may have followed the new trend of chasing launch rates, but still has a pretty low K rate.

Not mad, not impressed, but we'll see. He is also controllable through 2024, so if he plays well the rest of the year and regains, could be a decent piece to keep on after jettisoning Addy.
 
Thinking more, Cubs are saving $400k and Kemp will help a lot more than a 3rd catcher that can't hit. It's a fine swap, just won't fix our offense.

Assuming this will mean Robel gets sent back down - which is ok, let him come back up in September to help on the stretch run.
 
Cubs get Castellanos. Havent seen the return yet, but I cant expect it to be much. Guessing this will send Happ back down to Iowa.

All in all, decent upgrades to the offense, average increase for the pen. Not sure this gets the job done, but they are better now than they were yesterday.
 
Kemp is a career .312 hitter with a .389 OPB in the minors. Those numbers are consistent year to year over his minor league career. He can steal a base. He has been a sure handed defender at 2B (.990) and in the OF (.996) for Houston. He makes contact and draws a walk on 10% of his plate appearances. He is a 2B who has been stuck behind Jose Altuve his entire career and has become an OF in effort to get to the bigs. Put him at 2B and lead off, let him run and give him an chance to stick. He might shine if given a legitimate opportunity.
 
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The swap for Castellanos is Lange and Richan - both in the 10-20 range of prospects, probably a little more than I expected. Lange was a 1st rounder a few years back, Richan a 2nd rounder last year. Lange has looked halfway decent at AA after a promotion from high A ball, but his stuff was never excellent. Richan looked amazing last year in short season ball - moved up the rankings pretty quickly, has looked good, but inconsistent in high A this year, has good command, but not overpowering stuff.

We kept all our big name prospects, if the Cubs have anything like that with a 29th ranked system. The Brewers picked up another pitcher, but no one else in the Central got any better.
 
Cubs get the biggest bat on the market, which says something. And the biggest trades were all for AL teams - we don't have to worry about Verlander, Cole and Greinke unless we make the WS. Rest of the NL contenders didn't do much - Dodgers did nothing, Braves did nothing, Nats bulked up their pen, Brewers added a couple of middling starters.

Kemp and Castellanos should be able to settle in right at the top of the lineup against the right matchups - and Castellanos crushes lefties, which would make for a murderers row if we lined up Nick in the 2 hole followed by Bryant then Baez then Contreras.
 
The front office did their job. I agree that Happ and Garcia are most likely returning to Iowa. Castellanos will help against LHP. Kemp could solve problems at lead off/2B and inject some speed. Veteran relievers bolster the pen and an ace to close.
 
CJ sent to the Pads for some lefty reliever I've never heard of. Gonna need room on the 40 man for Castellanos and Phelps - assuming that's why CJ is gone, not sure what the other move will be.
 
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