Let the crazy ideas begin here.

[DB012031]

You still didnt answer "why not". An inning eater along with Bote/Happ/Almora might bring back a good player

Ok..I could see that happening but the question becomes who are you trading Q for? It almost has to be another Pitcher as without Q we now have 2 holes in the starting rotation ( well 1 if you work under the assumption that some combination of underwood/chatwood/Mills fills the 5th spot)

 

[Castor76]

1) Q isn't under contract next year unless the Cubs pick up his option and I doubt they would pick up the option just to trade him immediately. Maybe a deadline type move if they are out of the hunt but not before the season starts.
2) Why would the cubs pick up Sale and 6 more years of his contract at 30M, 30M, 30M, 27.5M, 27.5M and $20M in the final year. That is a horrible contract for a guy who's FB is losing 2MPH a year. That 4th year for Sale is a player option but Sale would be dumb to not pick it up as no one is going to give him a better deal at 34/35 years of age. If anything its Boston should be sending prospects and/or $$ to get out from that contract.

So you start with the straight up offer of Quintana for Sale. Sale's velocity dropped at the end of 2018, when everyone knew something was wrong that obviously carried over into this season. You also talk like Sale has been losing 2 MPH a year for 3 years now. 2017 until late 2018 would disagree.

 

[anotheridiot]

You still didnt answer "why not". An inning eater along with Bote/Happ/Almora might bring back a good player

remember they gave Bote an extension, 5/15. He was a league minimum value last year, did not deserve a raise for next year, and his AAV is gonna be 3 million. Bote might be the untradable guy on this roster. No untouchables, but untradables are Lester, Kimbrel, Heyward and Bote.

 

[Castor76]

Maybe the Cubs should ask for a B level prospect in addition because of the payroll they'd be taking on. It's a risk, but every contract is.

 

[CSF77]

Ok..I could see that happening but the question becomes who are you trading Q for? It almost has to be another Pitcher as without Q we now have 2 holes in the starting rotation ( well 1 if you work under the assumption that some combination of underwood/chatwood/Mills fills the 5th spot)

They could trade Q for:. Blank check here.

Push Chatwood into the 5.

Then target a Lefty upgrade like Bum or Ryu to slot between Yu and Hendricks.

My belief is Lester is now a back of the rotation lefty. And AI is right he is untradable. And you do not want 2 back of the rotations lefties in the rotation.

So targeting either Bum or Ryu makes sense then. Use Q to reboot the system.

 

[DB012031]

So you start with the straight up offer of Quintana for Sale. Sale's velocity dropped at the end of 2018, when everyone knew something was wrong that obviously carried over into this season. You also talk like Sale has been losing 2 MPH a year for 3 years now. 2017 until late 2018 would disagree.

Ok but do the Cubs really want to take on that Salary? My guess is no....

 

[Castor76]

Ok but do the Cubs really want to take on that Salary? My guess is no....

It's a 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other situation. It would come down to a physical and if the Cubs think he'll be that guy again. If so, the deferred money makes it doable, and the Cubs could ask Boston to stay on the hook for that. Otherwise they could ask for a prospect. Then it's only a 10 M increase in payroll if I'm understanding his deferred money correctly.

 

[anotheridiot]

I dont think Ricketts is going to be into bumping salary again, or even staying over 200 anymore. It was just one bad choice after another.

Now, will Ricketts bump salary by extending Bryant, Rizzo, Baez, Contrares? I think so, but not for new quarter billionaires.

That is really why job 1 needs to be moving Heyward, lose Hamels, eventually lose Lester, lose Q after next season (just stupid not to take the 10.5) 3 or 4 5-6.5 million guys in the pen (we know Phelps usage has bumped the option to 5 million), make up the pen with Wick, Wieck, Maples, Norwood, Underwood (the woods) gives Chatwood a more prominent role if he is not starter 5. Chatwood was throwing bullets man, when he had it he was unhittable, not just because he could not get the ball over the plate either.

Keep in mind, Yu has an opt out this year, and he pitched well enough to demand more money than 4/84 that is left if there is a buyer. Everything points to Darvish thinking he owes this team, but if he sees the roster deflating, he may not want to be here.

A whole lot of current mistakes could be out in a puff of smoke.

 

[Castor76]

I dont think Ricketts is going to be into bumping salary again, or even staying over 200 anymore. It was just one bad choice after another.

Now, will Ricketts bump salary by extending Bryant, Rizzo, Baez, Contrares? I think so, but not for new quarter billionaires.

That is really why job 1 needs to be moving Heyward, lose Hamels, eventually lose Lester, lose Q after next season (just stupid not to take the 10.5) 3 or 4 5-6.5 million guys in the pen (we know Phelps usage has bumped the option to 5 million), make up the pen with Wick, Wieck, Maples, Norwood, Underwood (the woods) gives Chatwood a more prominent role if he is not starter 5. Chatwood was throwing bullets man, when he had it he was unhittable, not just because he could not get the ball over the plate either.

Keep in mind, Yu has an opt out this year, and he pitched well enough to demand more money than 4/84 that is left if there is a buyer. Everything points to Darvish thinking he owes this team, but if he sees the roster deflating, he may not want to be here.

A whole lot of current mistakes could be out in a puff of smoke.

Depending on just how he arbitrations go, I think the Cubs could have a team payroll in the 190s.