2017-2018 Free Agent Discussion thread

JP Hochbaum

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My first choice is a reclamation project in Henderson Alvarez. Still hitting 96 on the gun and a great sinker pitcher. Since his injury he has had control issues. Worth a cheap flyer.
 

CSF77

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They need to rework the pen first. Wade, Duensing and Strop were the only guys worth a damn and 2,are F/A.

So that is priority #1.

Then they need a SP to replace Jake.

After that A legit lead off.
 

JP Hochbaum

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They need to rework the pen first. Wade, Duensing and Strop were the only guys worth a damn and 2,are F/A.

So that is priority #1.

Then they need a SP to replace Jake.

After that A legit lead off.

I don't think they need to sign people in a specific order or priority just get it done.... :yep:
 

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My first choice is a reclamation project in Henderson Alvarez. Still hitting 96 on the gun and a great sinker pitcher. Since his injury he has had control issues. Worth a cheap flyer.
Exactly what we need another pitcher that can't throw strikes
 

TC in Mississippi

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I want them to just find arms for the pen. With the inconsistencies inherent in BP pitchers you can't count on a guy who is good one year being good the next, but you also can't count on him not being good either. Tony Watson would be a good FA target as would Bryan Shaw there are going to be some non-tenders that are appealing too. If you can't sign Wade Davis you probably have to look at Greg Holland who was great early and would look a lot better outside of Denver but you're dealing with Boras with him so he could be just as expensive as Davis. I still think a position player has to go in trade for a starter, but I would try to go after Darvish and hope Ohtani comes with him. I'm just not giving Jake $175-$200 mil.
 

JP Hochbaum

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What about Lorenzo Cain for lead off? It was apparent not having that steady guy at the top had an effect on their offense. Tired of the revolving door at closer also, Wade needs to be resigned .

That is exactly who I want. A rotation of Cain, Almora, Heyward and Schwarbs is formiddable and keeps us fresh.
 

beckdawg

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What about Lorenzo Cain for lead off? It was apparent not having that steady guy at the top had an effect on their offense. Tired of the revolving door at closer also, Wade needs to be resigned .

I like Cain but i see no way of making it work. He's going to cost probably $20 mil/year and you already have a full outfield. You'd have to move players for pitching and that's easier said than done.
 

beckdawg

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I want them to just find arms for the pen. With the inconsistencies inherent in BP pitchers you can't count on a guy who is good one year being good the next, but you also can't count on him not being good either. Tony Watson would be a good FA target as would Bryan Shaw there are going to be some non-tenders that are appealing too. If you can't sign Wade Davis you probably have to look at Greg Holland who was great early and would look a lot better outside of Denver but you're dealing with Boras with him so he could be just as expensive as Davis. I still think a position player has to go in trade for a starter, but I would try to go after Darvish and hope Ohtani comes with him. I'm just not giving Jake $175-$200 mil.

Mentioned him before but I think Pat Neshek is a guy they go after. He's always been a strike thrower. Assuming they re-sign Davis he'd be a pretty good 8th inning bridge to Davis. That would let you more liberally use Edwards to get out of jams. And given he's going to be 37 you don't have to sign him long term. 2-3 years tops is all he'd be looking at.
 
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I would assume if the Cubs sign Cain they would want to move one of our three outfielders. With heywards contract being untradable it would be either almora or Kyle. The way the bullpen performed it's looking like we need at least three new arms. They also need to drop Grimm and rondon .
 

anotheridiot

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That is exactly who I want. A rotation of Cain, Almora, Heyward and Schwarbs is formiddable and keeps us fresh.

But it does not answer your leadoff problem if its not an every day player.

Javy needs to start stroking the ball to right field, he has the speed and fearless needed on the bases. Yes, I am asking for him to become Theriot. One pitch per at bat you can be Glenallen Hill.

We have one more year of needing to keep Zobrist happy. Common sense tells you to let Schwarber work on catching again so we dont have three catchers again.

I really think Theo will panic and try to get a big name, but we have the big bats already. They need the players we currently have accept changing to being little bats.

We seriously have the talent, we just need it fixed and it starts with everyone hitting into shifts. 20 years ago players would adjust. They need to learn.

By the way, Jake had a realtor sign planted outside his house already. He is already negotiating.
 

beckdawg

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Outfielder Jon Jay is a free agent this winter, but he tells Madeline Kenney of the Chicago Sun-Times that his hope is to remain with the Cubs. “I love it here,” said Jay, who inked a one-year deal worth $8MM last offseason. “I cannot deny that. I absolutely love it here.”As Kenney notes, manager Joe Maddon effused praise for Jay for much of the season, highlighting his leadership and the consistent quality of his at-bats, even with two strikes. Jay was a frequent presence atop the Cubs’ lineup in the season’s final two months and ultimately finished out the year with a .296/.374/.375 batting line through 433 trips to the plate. Jay, Kenney notes, is well-liked and well-respected among his teammates. “Life isn’t about all the money and all these different things,” said Jay. “It’s about respecting people and treating people the right way. And that’s what I try to do.” The Cubs, however, do have a fairly crowded mix of outfielders with Albert Almora, Jason Heyward, Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ and Ben Zobrist all vying for playing time in 2018.

Saw this and figure it was worth mentioning. If he's not worried much about money he might be a decent re-sign.
 

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Jon Jay is terrific. Smart player, great bunter (only him and Quintanna can bunt on this team). Good defense. No crazy swings at balls in the dirt or 12 inches off the plate like so many others on this team. Big difference from the selfish hitters on this team. Great addition
 

CSF77

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I’d rather they trade for Billy Hamilton myself. Reds are looking to deal him for prospects and Happ has ties to Ohio and would be a home coming for him.

Jay is a great bench player but if we have to talk decreased pricing to find value it is moving backwards
 

anotheridiot

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Saw this and figure it was worth mentioning. If he's not worried much about money he might be a decent re-sign.

Those were the exact same people other than Soler vying for playing time in 2017 before Happ was even brought up to the majors and theo signed him anyway. We even had Kris Bryant out there like the second half of last year. Maddon kept KB at 3B the first half of last year to get him in the all star game.

My take was this was a prove it contract, people can say Jay proved it, and he should be closer to Zobrist at 16 million than Almora 560K.

The bottom line is eventually Human Nature takes over. I dont care if you are a salesman, they bring in an older salesman with a track record, yet you are paid less and produce more, you get disgruntled..

If you are the fry guy at burger king, and they hire someone for the grill, that was your spot, your promotion, you are disgruntled.

You are looking at KB making 1/25th of Heyward, 1/16th of Zobrist, 1/7th of Rizzo and eventually, you gotta let these dogs be the big dogs and not pay lesser players more for being here.

Javy made 609,000 this year. Heyward made 28,166,666 this year and Javy gets shit for swinging at bad pitches. Happ made 415,000.

Yes, this is the first arby year for KB, could be around 10 million, harper is at 13plus in arby 3.

If anyone heard the KB locker room interview, he did not seem too upset that some guys wont be there. Would be real interesting to know who that would be.
 

DanTown

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Mentioned him before but I think Pat Neshek is a guy they go after. He's always been a strike thrower. Assuming they re-sign Davis he'd be a pretty good 8th inning bridge to Davis. That would let you more liberally use Edwards to get out of jams. And given he's going to be 37 you don't have to sign him long term. 2-3 years tops is all he'd be looking at.

I hate chasing relievers as it almost never works, especially a guy in Neshek who just completed a multi-year deal were he was drastically worse after a one year random deal in St. Louis. I get he has skills but I tend to believe that his sub 1 BB/9 this year isn't him magically figuring it out and instead was randomness in bullpen arms.

Would rather take that money and spread out over three or four guys instead of betting it all on Neshek.
 

DanTown

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I’d rather they trade for Billy Hamilton myself. Reds are looking to deal him for prospects and Happ has ties to Ohio and would be a home coming for him.

Jay is a great bench player but if we have to talk decreased pricing to find value it is moving backwards

Billy Hamilton is an awful baseball player with one tool that doesn't help you if you don't have the others. Thankfully, the sport (and the Cubs) would never pay a prospect like Happ to get two years of Arb control for a below average player in Hamilton.

You could sign Jarrod Dyson, not trade Happ, and get a better player.
 

beckdawg

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I hate chasing relievers as it almost never works, especially a guy in Neshek who just completed a multi-year deal were he was drastically worse after a one year random deal in St. Louis. I get he has skills but I tend to believe that his sub 1 BB/9 this year isn't him magically figuring it out and instead was randomness in bullpen arms.

Would rather take that money and spread out over three or four guys instead of betting it all on Neshek.

He may be unsustainable but he's still at 9.03 k/9 and 2.54 bb/9 for his career. He's been a good reliever more than just this year.
 

JP Hochbaum

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The Cubs have also made it clear that they won't be trading pieces off the major league roster. They have been very transparent and honest about that.
 

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