Now that the season is over

[Castor76]

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

I am not claiming I will be right. I am simply saying I don’t know what the changes will be. I just don’t have a feel for it right now.

On one hand if they rolled out pretty much the same lineup, they’re still a very formidable team. on the other hand I won’t be at all surprised with some “surprising” shakeups.

Expect the unexpected.

Well, considering the original post was asking what we thought the Cubs "should" do and not "would" do, harmless speculation about the front office moves was the topic of discussion. It doesn't take Sherlock Homes level observation skills to point of the 3 most glaring weaknesses of the team and suggest they address those. With few exceptions, the Free Agent pool is already known. And there might be 50 players in baseball who can't be had in a trade. So the availability for speculation of moves is out there. Of course you're not claiming you'll be right. You're not putting anything out there to be either right or wrong.

You mention surprising shake up. What would you call a surprising shake up? Would it be trading Bryant? Trading Baez, Schwarber, and Bryant?

And dyslexia can have many different forms. The most common is the inversion of letters and numbers in how they are written. Another form is people combining words that have the same ending and starting letters, such as "withe" when you mean "with the." And yet another is a fixation of a person's name or other things incorrectly. Your brain will simply default to a spelling that's incorrect or a variation, but your eyes and brain don't recognize it when they see it. But I don't want you to speculate on how that could be possible. You might not have a feel for it.

 

[bears5150]

Can the Cubs just sign Cole like they should have done in the first place.

 

[Steve_A]

Can the Cubs just sign Cole like they should have done in the first place.

Agree the team needs an ACE

 

[CSF77]

Agree the team needs an ACE

Not sure which Cole he means.

The first place which means there has been opportunity is not the Cole that you are thinking of.

And hard pass on that Cole. Having 2 lefties pushing 40 is not a way to build a winner.

 

[zack54attack]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1183768756553764864

 

[CSF77]

But I'll give out needs:

1. They need a stable lead off. This should be priority #1.
2. They need to define next year. Are they doing a reshuffle or are they adding again?
3. They need a manager named.

Wants:
Rotation upgrade.
Set up upgrade to Wick

 

[CSF77]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1183768756553764864

My predictions:

Loretta: SDP
NYM: Beltran
Phill: Baker
KCR: Matheny
LAA: Maddon
Pitt: Jeff Banister
SFG: Hensley Meulens

Espade most likely sticks with the Astros and Geren with the LAD.

 

[JimJohnson]

My predictions:

Loretta: SDP
NYM: Beltran
Phill: Baker
KCR: Matheny
LAA: Maddon
Pitt: Jeff Banister
SFG: Hensley Meulens

Espade most likely sticks with the Astros and Geren with the LAD.

So Ross with Cubs? I'd like to see the Cubs hire Espada.

 

[Steve_A]

Kinda funny how the must sign Nick notions died after the season. Guess people came to their senses that he’d be a great add but not a logical fit.

 

[CSF77]

So Ross with Cubs? I'd like to see the Cubs hire Espada.

I believe it will end up Joe.

Theo most likely wants Espada to be able to steal info on how the Astros do business.

 

[CSF77]

Kinda funny how the must sign Nick notions died after the season. Guess people came to their senses that he’d be a great add but not a logical fit.

I agree. Cubs need to improve their D more with out creating a inadequate run producing team.

I believe what Theo mean by we fell in love with certain guys quote points towards Almora and Russell. Nico replaces one Nick replaced the other. Now they have to replace Nick. The best solution is moving Jason back to RF which puts his D value back into the plus. Then finding a real solution in CF.

 

[CSF77]

Other revamps are on roster construction.

Starting 8 should be stable and fixed.

Bench should be the flexible types.

So each bench player can play multiple positions but their difference is if the are a middle of the order or a lead off. Happ is middle of the order. Discalso is the closest thing they have towards a lead off. Bote was a disappointment year 2. He lacks flexibility.

 

[Steve_A]

Other revamps are on roster construction.

Starting 8 should be stable and fixed.

Bench should be the flexible types.

So each bench player can play multiple positions but their difference is if the are a middle of the order or a lead off. Happ is middle of the order. Discalso is the closest thing they have towards a lead off. Bote was a disappointment year 2. He lacks flexibility.

I'd like something like this btw.

(2B) Merrifield
(CF) Akiyama - https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=akiyam000sho
(3B) Bryant
(1B) Rizzo
(SS) Baez
(LF) Schwarber
(C) Contreras
(RF) Heyward

 

[fatbeard]

Other revamps are on roster construction.

Starting 8 should be stable and fixed.

Bench should be the flexible types.

So each bench player can play multiple positions but their difference is if the are a middle of the order or a lead off. Happ is middle of the order. Discalso is the closest thing they have towards a lead off. Bote was a disappointment year 2. He lacks flexibility.

How was Bote a disappointment? 1.5 WAR in 356 PAs and a 12.4 BB% is disappointing? From a guy with 566 career PAs?

 

[CSF77]

How was Bote a disappointment? 1.5 WAR in 356 PAs and a 12.4 BB% is disappointing? From a guy with 566 career PAs?

He is Jed Gryko. Don't get you panties in a bunch ok.

 

[fatbeard]

He is Jed Gryko. Don't get you panties in a bunch ok.

I mean, it sounds like your expectations were wildly inflated and shared by pretty much no one else, and now you're a bit sensitive about it.

Seriously, a 26-year old, cost-controlled backup IF who would probably get 3 WAR if you gave him 650 PAs is a pretty dumb thing to complain about.

 

[Chicagosports89]

I mean, it sounds like your expectations were wildly inflated and shared by pretty much no one else, and now you're a bit sensitive about it.

Seriously, a 26-year old, cost-controlled backup IF who would probably get 3 WAR if you gave him 650 PAs is a pretty dumb thing to complain about.

Honestly from watching him play, the more he plays the worse his WAR will be. When he plays consistently he either gets worn down or exposed. He was awful when he played for long stretches. Also his defense, which was supposed to be good, is in fact very bad.

 

[CSF77]

I mean, it sounds like your expectations were wildly inflated and shared by pretty much no one else, and now you're a bit sensitive about it.

Seriously, a 26-year old, cost-controlled backup IF who would probably get 3 WAR if you gave him 650 PAs is a pretty dumb thing to complain about.

If you read my OP it was fixed in the starting 8.

Schwaber LF
CF open
RF Heyward
3B Bryant
SS Baez
2B Horner
1B Bryant
C: Contreras

These are fixed positions.

Bench flexible.

Caratini is a exception as back up catcher.

So you want players that can play OF and IF. Their difference is if they are a back up lead off or a middle of the order bat. IE SLG or OBA.

So basically 3 guy we are talking about. Happ player just about every position outside of catcher. He is in and a middle of the order bat.

2nd guy Descalso. If his injury was a huge reason for his tank job. IMO bad signing but Theo was looking at his OBA which was around .350 the 3 year previous. His BA has always been sub avg.

So a fluke lead off back up and can field corner OF and 3B/2B. Not a fluke they need to eat contract.

Bote IMO is far more limited. Player 2 positions league avg. 3B/1B. Can be an emergency SS but you put your self at risk by doing so. OBA was decent .362 but his SLG was not .422 So he could be a back up lead off but he is limited to 2 positions which is not flexible. And not worth a roster spot. If he could play corner OF and lead off vs lefties then this dialog changes.


So over all yes he is a disappointment because he is not good enough to start and he lacks flexibility for a good bench player.

 

[CSF77]

But I just see you main priories as a guy that can play CF and a guy that can play SS at league avg. Then a back up catcher. Then a power bat that you can move around.

The best 2 are Russell and Almora and Almora failed vs LHP. Russell is a train wreck.

Almora: 64 wRC+ -1.1 DEF. He should be in the minors. 36% worse than a avg MLBP and brings minus value D.
Russell 81 wRC+ 3.3 DEF so he holds value. But he is 20% worse than a avg MLBP at the plate.

So this is really painting a real pix of what the team needs are.

 

[fatbeard]

Honestly from watching him play, the more he plays the worse his WAR will be. When he plays consistently he either gets worn down or exposed. He was awful when he played for long stretches. Also his defense, which was supposed to be good, is in fact very bad.

This is the natural cycle of the league making adjustments to a young player who then has to adjust in turn. There's nothing abnormal about it.