Buttermaker
Well-known member
Bumping this for 2022 Cubs news.
I missed this got bumped.
I don't understand the Andrelton Simmons signing. I get that he is a top tier glove guy at SS and IF defense is clearly a big point of concern, but are we really going to start him on a regular basis? He provides less than 0 offensive presence (OPS'd .558 in 400+ ABs last year), on a team that still needs some proven hitters. I'm guessing this means we will see Madrigal in the DH role a bunch, which is ok, but this team needs 1-2 more consistent offensive bats to make any kind of noise. Wisdom, Ortega, Schwindel, Hoerner are super unproven - Happ and Frazier are inconsistent, at best - JHey is likely garbage - leaves Mads and Contreras as the bats to count on going into the season. Really want to add Simmons into that lineup?
For $4M I wouldn't necessarily count on him starting. I view him as a depth/platoon type of piece. I also wouldn't expect this team to contend no matter what the FO says. Davis will be up by June - that could come with some struggles. Kilian is likely to be up sometime this year - ditto. We've got pick a starter for the back end of the rotation. Madrigal is going to play 2B I suspect. Nico is going to be super utility guy.
Anyway, I think this is a bridge year to next season when the Cubs start pushing more chips in and really look to contend. I just don't think they can build a team deep enough to do so this year unless a ton of things go right. Next year the farm will be able to actually contribute more significantly IMO.
I do hope they go hard in on Correa.
I also would not be surprised to see them trade Willson before the season starts.
Someone help me understand why we dumped all of our good players over the last two years to end up with this roster. I will still pull for them/and/or enjoy sitting in the bleachers 2-3 times year while the rest of you saps are at work/posting in the Tunnels but it seems like we kept our powder dry and then the powder succumbed to dry rot.
We shaved our legs for this?
Kevin Alcantara
PCA
Reginald Preciado
Owen Cassie
Alexander Canario
These dudes are gonna be good. Like real good. Alcantara is 19 and 6'6 with room to grow and plus tools across the board. PCA is a legit gold glove CF right now - they are retooling his swing, if he can have a plus hit tool with the expected power, he will be real good. Cassie and Canario are power hitting COF under 22 years old - Preciado is likely the next big 3B to come through, he's 18 and just got done OPSing over .900 in rookie ball.
They did a great job getting pieces and pulling the farm system out of the cellar. Its rebuild time though, figured this year is a wash if they cant add a few more pieces, but starting in 2023, we should see Brennan Davis and Amaya as starters with growth from Madrigal and Hoerner, having 3-5 years of control on all 4, thats when you add high priced arms and a couple of bats. Problem is, Correa isnt going to be here next year or the year after - you lock him down now to have his 3-6 years of his contract be competitive years. But, oh well, the front office won a ring, so they get a pass.
Thoughts on the Contreras contract situation?