2020 MLB Offseason Thread

[CSF77]

yeah, I disagree with you so I clearly must know little about baseball. Wtf ever dude. You’re about the most pretentious asshole on this message board full of them. Congrats on that



the cubs will make a move this off-season to unload at least one of the “core” guys. Of course it’s unlikely they acquire Robles. It’s unlikely they acquire insert player name here because you’re singling out one player of thousands it could be. That’s what we do in the off-season, we speculate who it could be or who it should be. I’ve already listed why it would make a ton of sense to add an elite defensive CF, and you seem to disagree, which is fine. But don’t fucking act like it means the other person doesn’t understand the game because you differ with that individual. That’s childish as fuck.

It has nothing to do with what you said. First of all that was regarding Caratini and how you put him into box A as a crap player even though he has never had a full time job. That is the same logic used with LaStella until he proved Joe wrong with LAA.

You have no right to say shit about a hitter until he has been given a oportunity.

That is why I said you don't know Jack. People like you believe prospects are just trade chips for proven. Except every player has to go through the growth process.

Every time return your posts it is because your view is very narrow and look at the worst in a player. I see Caratini as potential. And I added that the raw numbers of 9% walks and 20% strike outs is something to build around as a hitter.

So I disagree with you completely.

And regards to trades. Right now Baez, Bryant and Schwarber are at low value. In business it is not smart to sell low. If it is a payroll issue and they have to cut overhead then it is fine and I respect it.

On Robles:. If Almora gets back to being a hitter then really what is the difference? Sure he is in the dog house. His walk rate sucks. But if you are aiming at GG D well got that. With Almora I feel that he got side tracked as a hitter. What got him up was contact hitting and solid D. That is who he is. The thing that Robles brings is speed. And I get that. We had that in Billy Hamilton and many scoffed at resigning him ,. .296 career OBA vs a .320 career OBA. Neither are Ricky.

Now Davis is another animal. His upside intrigues me because he is that naturally talented with out the long history in the game to back it. I don't see any of the options above as a better one. All would become back ups when he arrives.

 

[knoxville7]

It has nothing to do with what you said. First of all that was regarding Caratini and how you put him into box A as a crap player even though he has never had a full time job. That is the same logic used with LaStella until he proved Joe wrong with LAA.

You have no right to say shit about a hitter until he has been given a oportunity.

That is why I said you don't know Jack. People like you believe prospects are just trade chips for proven. Except every player has to go through the growth process.

Every time return your posts it is because your view is very narrow and look at the worst in a player. I see Caratini as potential. And I added that the raw numbers of 9% walks and 20% strike outs is something to build around as a hitter.

So I disagree with you completely.

And regards to trades. Right now Baez, Bryant and Schwarber are at low value. In business it is not smart to sell low. If it is a payroll issue and they have to cut overhead then it is fine and I respect it.

On Robles:. If Almora gets back to being a hitter then really what is the difference? Sure he is in the dog house. His walk rate sucks. But if you are aiming at GG D well got that. With Almora I feel that he got side tracked as a hitter. What got him up was contact hitting and solid D. That is who he is. The thing that Robles brings is speed. And I get that. We had that in Billy Hamilton and many scoffed at resigning him ,. .296 career OBA vs a .320 career OBA. Neither are Ricky.

Now Davis is another animal. His upside intrigues me because he is that naturally talented with out the long history in the game to back it. I don't see any of the options above as a better one. All would become back ups when he arrives.

so if I have no right to say anything about a hitter until he has been given “opportunity,” then how come you can make claims about him being a .300 hitter when he’s never done it? It’s great that he almost did it in the minors, but so far in over 600 AB’s(not exactly nothing) he is a .250 hitter with little power and an OBA of .330. That’s nothing special and certainly nothing to have to plug him into the DH spot over, which was the initial debate to begin with. Now you seem to think he can get better. And maybe he can. But let’s not act like this is some young prospect. Dude is already 27. He’s fully grown and developed. It’s more likely he is what he is at this point, as opposed to make some 50 point leap in batting average all of a sudden.

Robles is a better defender than almora. And more importantly adds speed to the lineup that almora does not. Almora has never been and never will be a base stealer. The cubs have no speed on offense. I never claimed Robles will be some star, but he will improve the defense and team speed. That’s a nice addition to make to any team.

also, cute how you try to label me as some type of fan. I was very pro la stella on this message board a few years ago, and people scoffed at the idea of giving him more playing time. So nice try...that pretentiousness is showing again

 

[CSF77]

so if I have no right to say anything about a hitter until he has been given “opportunity,” then how come you can make claims about him being a .300 hitter when he’s never done it? It’s great that he almost did it in the minors, but so far in over 600 AB’s(not exactly nothing) he is a .250 hitter with little power and an OBA of .330. That’s nothing special and certainly nothing to have to plug him into the DH spot over, which was the initial debate to begin with. Now you seem to think he can get better. And maybe he can. But let’s not act like this is some young prospect. Dude is already 27. He’s fully grown and developed. It’s more likely he is what he is at this point, as opposed to make some 50 point leap in batting average all of a sudden.

Robles is a better defender than almora. And more importantly adds speed to the lineup that almora does not. Almora has never been and never will be a base stealer. The cubs have no speed on offense. I never claimed Robles will be some star, but he will improve the defense and team speed. That’s a nice addition to make to any team.

also, cute how you try to label me as some type of fan. I was very pro la stella on this message board a few years ago, and people scoffed at the idea of giving him more playing time. So nice try...that pretentiousness is showing again

Again you are putting words in my mouth.

I said that he 'came up as a .300 hitter'. Of course that is your go-to because saying a unproven will be a .300 hitter is being a ass.

What I said is he is more likely the .266 hitter right now with a .180 ISO. BUT. this was in short stints and I believe Contreras got hurt and his PA's went up as his production did also.

I will lay this out as simple as I can.

Players will either get better or worse with added exposure. How you judge is not by BA or SLG. you judge by walk rate and strike out rates. That shows if the hitter is battling or not. Everything else comes with experience.

 

[knoxville7]

Again you are putting words in my mouth.

I said that he 'came up as a .300 hitter'. Of course that is your go-to because saying a unproven will be a .300 hitter is being a ass.

What I said is he is more likely the .266 hitter right now with a .180 ISO. BUT. this was in short stints and I believe Contreras got hurt and his PA's went up as his production did also.

I will lay this out as simple as I can.

Players will either get better or worse with added exposure. How you judge is not by BA or SLG. you judge by walk rate and strike out rates. That shows if the hitter is battling or not. Everything else comes with experience.

I didn’t put words in your mouth. I stated you said a .300 hitter coming up. Which, he wasn’t. He was a .290 hitter. But continue your delusions of grandeur. I’ll leave you to the cubs forum to talk to yourself like it seems most people have recognized and moved on well before me

 

[CSF77]

I didn’t put words in your mouth. I stated you said a .300 hitter coming up. Which, he wasn’t. He was a .290 hitter. But continue your delusions of grandeur. I’ll leave you to the cubs forum to talk to yourself like it seems most people have recognized and moved on well before me

So you are making symantics on .290 to .300? You are pathetic

 

[knoxville7]

So you are making symantics on .290 to .300? You are pathetic

LOL okay, act like .010 isn’t significant in baseball. Coming from the baseball nerd you are that bases everything off of the in depth numbers where differences like that matter...is well, you’re a pot calling the kettle black. Keep up the immature schtick. It’s a good look on you

 

[beckdawg]

Philly hiring Dombrowski is interesting. He's generally been very win now. Given the cubs are probably selling philly is probably a team to watch. They don't have the deepest farm system however

 

[CSF77]

Philly hiring Dombrowski is interesting. He's generally been very win now. Given the cubs are probably selling philly is probably a team to watch. They don't have the deepest farm system however

Seems Jed is leaning towards the deadline now to deal. Most of his chips are low value.


If it was my decision. I would start Marquez as the 5 and start Davis in CF and move Happ to LF. Leave this season as a transition and let them take their lumps.

At the deadline trade short term for long term replacements. Most likely Bryant rebounds and teams will be asking. By then teams will know their financial situations and will be better prepared to add payroll

 

[CSF77]

Cubs Claim Phillip Ervin
By Mark Polishuk | December 22, 2020 at 2:08pm CDT

The Cubs claimed outfielder Phillip Ervin off waivers from the Mariners, as announced by both teams. Seattle designated Ervin for assignment last week.
Ervin will return to the NL Central after spending four-plus seasons with the Reds, though his final act in Cincinnati wasn’t a pleasant one. After a solid .262/.326/.438 slash line over 571 PA as a part-timer for the Reds from 2017-19, Ervin had only a .324 OPS over 42 PA for the Reds in 2020. This led to a DFA in late August and a claim by the Mariners, as Ervin hit only somewhat better (.205/.340/.282) in 47 plate appearances for Seattle.
Ervin has experience at all three outfield positions, so he could be a useful bench piece for the Cubs as they figure out their new post-Kyle Schwarber outfield. The right-handed hitting Ervin has good numbers against left-handed pitching over his career, so he could spell Jason Heyward or Ian Happ when a southpaw is on the mound. Ervin could have an advantage in the battle for backup role since he is out of minor league options, so the Cubs would have to risk losing him on waivers if they wanted to send him down to Triple-A.

 

[CSF77]

Quick Hits: Cubs, Hoerner, Opening Day, Home Run Leaders By State
December 26th, 2020 at 12:32pm CST • By TC Zencka
Nico Hoerner earned a Gold Glove nomination after notching five Defensive Runs Saved in just over 200 innings at the keystone in 2020, but his versatility will make him more than a bit player for the Cubs moving forward. Thanks to his plus glovework, the 23-year-old was worth 0.7 bWAR in 2020 despite slashing .222/.312/.259. His defensive prowess will keep his name on the lineup card while his bat works to catch up, writes Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times. Hoerner played five positions including centerfield – the Cubs’ most glaring long-and-short-term hole. Ian Happ was the bulk starter in center in 2020, but he could move to left now that Kyle Schwarber was non-tendered. The Cubs are likely to add at least another name to their outfield mix, but don’t be surprised to see Hoerner continue to get looks there in the spring while competing with David Bote for regular second base reps.

 

[CSF77]

I'm not really a fan of moving him around. GG quality D and a contact bat. He fits the need at 2B.

I just hope that David goes forward with Nico as the everyday 2B. He is a first round pick and he deserves a shot to prove that he was worth it.

I would rather have Bote at 3B and Bryant in LF. Use Ervin as a PH/DH. The 4th OF just needs to be able to play CF in a pinch. I wouldn't make a huge investment. Davis is pretty close right now and it makes little sense to block him.

 

[Grimace]

I'm not really a fan of moving him around. GG quality D and a contact bat. He fits the need at 2B.

I just hope that David goes forward with Nico as the everyday 2B. He is a first round pick and he deserves a shot to prove that he was worth it.

I would rather have Bote at 3B and Bryant in LF. Use Ervin as a PH/DH. The 4th OF just needs to be able to play CF in a pinch. I wouldn't make a huge investment. Davis is pretty close right now and it makes little sense to block him.

I think wherever Nico goes he needs to play everyday, whether MLB or AAA. I think Happ is fine in CF, so Nico can stay 2B. I don't think where he or anyone else was drafted should have any bearing on anything going forward in their career. If Nico played in AAA much of 2021 that would be fine as long as he gets ABs and continues to develop whichever level he plays. He needs to develop better at taking more pitches and drawing more walks. He's a great contact guy like Almora and should take advantage of that better.

His D is already MLB-ready, but his bat is very mediocre at this point. Bote could start over Nico at 2B if Nico needs consistent ABs in AAA. Bote is nothing special either.

 

[beckdawg]

If the cubs were to sign James Paxton, how much worse do you really think they are than 2020? I was just thinking that yes they traded Darvish but part of the return was Davies right and they are saving a pretty decent chunk of money. Davies is getting $8.63 mil in arb and fangraphs is protecting an AAV on paxton of $15 mil. They were about a mil high on Kluber but if we humor that argument, those two are costing you like $24 mil where as Darvish was going to cost $22 mil himself.

Basically, I'm thinking are Paxton and Davies for $24 mil better than Darvish and whatever other player you'd sign for a very cheap price? I mean for example they could probably bring back lester for cheap but Darvish and Lester would be more expensive and I sorta feel like Paxton and Davies have more combined value than Darvish and Lester would.

Yes the cubs have also lost a few other parts namely Almora, Caratini, Kipnis and Schwarber as well as a few bullpen arms in Chatwood and Jeffries. But how much do those losses *really* hurt? Of those hitters, Caratini is probably the biggest impact from 2020 but he is a back up catcher and Contreras is probably a top 3 catcher in baseball now. Other 3 bats being lost are pretty MEH. The two bullpen arms were nice in 2020 but let's be honest, the cubs have found garbage off the street the past several years and came away with decent bullpens. Plus unless you're literally going for the WS or bust bullpens often aren't that impactful.

The 2020 club played at about a 91 win pace. I imagine they will also be subtracting Bryant. While he really didn't impact that win pace in a positive manner in 2020, i'm not going to say losing him doesn't matter. But as long as they have some way to fill his loss without being a totally nothing, they are still going to have a realistic shot of making the playoffs while at the same time getting prospects and freeing long term money.

I guess I'm just thinking this offseason doesn't have to be as bleak as people want to make it. I'd very much be willing to gamble on Paxton for like 2 years $30 mil and then try to patch the rest of the holes cheaply.

 

[CSF77]

If the cubs were to sign James Paxton, how much worse do you really think they are than 2020? I was just thinking that yes they traded Darvish but part of the return was Davies right and they are saving a pretty decent chunk of money. Davies is getting $8.63 mil in arb and fangraphs is protecting an AAV on paxton of $15 mil. They were about a mil high on Kluber but if we humor that argument, those two are costing you like $24 mil where as Darvish was going to cost $22 mil himself.

Basically, I'm thinking are Paxton and Davies for $24 mil better than Darvish and whatever other player you'd sign for a very cheap price? I mean for example they could probably bring back lester for cheap but Darvish and Lester would be more expensive and I sorta feel like Paxton and Davies have more combined value than Darvish and Lester would.

Yes the cubs have also lost a few other parts namely Almora, Caratini, Kipnis and Schwarber as well as a few bullpen arms in Chatwood and Jeffries. But how much do those losses *really* hurt? Of those hitters, Caratini is probably the biggest impact from 2020 but he is a back up catcher and Contreras is probably a top 3 catcher in baseball now. Other 3 bats being lost are pretty MEH. The two bullpen arms were nice in 2020 but let's be honest, the cubs have found garbage off the street the past several years and came away with decent bullpens. Plus unless you're literally going for the WS or bust bullpens often aren't that impactful.

The 2020 club played at about a 91 win pace. I imagine they will also be subtracting Bryant. While he really didn't impact that win pace in a positive manner in 2020, i'm not going to say losing him doesn't matter. But as long as they have some way to fill his loss without being a totally nothing, they are still going to have a realistic shot of making the playoffs while at the same time getting prospects and freeing long term money.

I guess I'm just thinking this offseason doesn't have to be as bleak as people want to make it. I'd very much be willing to gamble on Paxton for like 2 years $30 mil and then try to patch the rest of the holes cheaply.

The one guy that I would love to see is Bauer. He is exactly the guy to build around going forward. But he is limiting himself to a team in a winning window because he doesn't want to waste his prime in a rebuild vs trying to go for it. That includes teams that are not afraid to add at the deadline.

Sadly this will always be the Cubs 'heel' as long as Tom Rickett's is the owner. There will always be a spending limit in place and that is not a big market mindset.

Now that I got off my podium, they need a starter for sure. But in the current sense I see Jed using that as a future trade chip vs the intention of winning. So rebuild value will be a major factor in this. Now most F/A's know what is up. The Cubs are not intending to win this year and any player that accepts a deal will know where they stand going in. Get in rebuild value and win a ticket to a winner. That is what these pitchers are limited to right now.

Mike Foltynewicz would be my #1. He fits the profile of ace level talent that needs to reinvent his value base.

 

[knoxville7]

The one guy that I would love to see is Bauer. He is exactly the guy to build around going forward. But he is limiting himself to a team in a winning window because he doesn't want to waste his prime in a rebuild vs trying to go for it. That includes teams that are not afraid to add at the deadline.

Sadly this will always be the Cubs 'heel' as long as Tom Rickett's is the owner. There will always be a spending limit in place and that is not a big market mindset.

Now that I got off my podium, they need a starter for sure. But in the current sense I see Jed using that as a future trade chip vs the intention of winning. So rebuild value will be a major factor in this. Now most F/A's know what is up. The Cubs are not intending to win this year and any player that accepts a deal will know where they stand going in. Get in rebuild value and win a ticket to a winner. That is what these pitchers are limited to right now.

Mike Foltynewicz would be my #1. He fits the profile of ace level talent that needs to reinvent his value base.

The way you have been on his jock it feels that way.

35 Mil is a huge investment. And to be honest Bauer is not going to be worth it. We got that level of production out of Yu for 15 mil less per.

We don't need another ace. Yet. We have one. We have another in Marquez. Pitching was not the problem in 2020. It was the line up collectively shutting down. They fired Sledge so I'm guessing that they will add a coach that can work with these guys to get them back in tune.

They could do nothing and win with what they have. They won when the O was broken and that was a aberration vs a norm.

per usual, you’re all over the place. I mentioned signing Bauer to a 1 year deal and you acted like it was a terrible idea. Now, look at who is promoting Bauer to the cubs. Typical

 

[CSF77]

per usual, you’re all over the place. I mentioned signing Bauer to a 1 year deal and you acted like it was a terrible idea. Now, look at who is promoting Bauer to the cubs. Typical

It was after subbing to him. I got a better feel about who is is as a person and his intelligence when it comes down to pitching. His openness to his fellow team mates and to be honest him being a quality human being that gets that he is a part of the equation and not the answer. Players like that add to what is here and can learn and bring ideas to the table that makes the sum larger than the parts.

So what I said before was looking at him not knowing who he is as a person. After following him a bit on his You tubes and his insight into pitching. His break down of Giolito's no hitter was very informative and a solid starting point with him as a YouTube creator.

 

[CSF77]

yep Jed went this direction but not with the guy that I felt held the most trade potential.

Cubs To Sign Shelby Miller
By Mark Polishuk | January 17, 2021 at 9:13pm CDT

The Cubs have agreed to a deal with right-hander Shelby Miller, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (via Twitter). The non-guaranteed contract will pay Miller $875K if he makes Chicago’s big league roster, with another $600K available in bonus money. The signing will be official when Miller passes a physical.
Miller signed a minor league deal with the Brewers last winter but didn’t see any action, as he opted out of the 2020 season in August. Since the start of the 2017 season, Miller has tossed only 82 big league innings, thanks in large part to a Tommy John procedure that sidelined him for much of 2017 and 2018.
Still only 30 years old, Miller will be joining his sixth different organization in a pro career that has seen major highs and lows. Drafted 19th overall by the Cardinals in 2009, Miller posted very strong numbers over his first three MLB seasons — with St. Louis in 2013-14 and with Atlanta in 2015, after Miller was swapped to the Braves as part of a noteworthy trade that saw Jason Heyward go to the Cards. Unfortunately for Miller, he was part of another blockbuster trade a year later, going to the Diamondbacks and then never again regaining his early-career form.
There isn’t much risk for the Cubs in adding Miller as a reclamation project, as Miller could be one of a few veterans brought into camp on low-cost or non-guaranteed contracts as Chicago looks for veteran rotation depth. Beyond Kyle Hendricks and Zach Davies, the Cubs’ other rotation candidates don’t have much experience — projected third and fourth starters Adbert Alzolay and Alec Mills, and then a plethora of young arms competing for a look as the fifth starter.

 

[HSBOB]

Wasn't sure where to put this and didn't want to start a thread......

The great 'Hammerin' Hank' has left us.........R.I.P. Henry Aaron,bigger than Baseball in many ways!

 

[beckdawg]

Cubs are signing Austin Romine. I'm pretty satisfied with him replacing caratini. Decent defensively and wont kill you with his bat.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs are signing Austin Romine. I'm pretty satisfied with him replacing caratini. Decent defensively and wont kill you with his bat.

Defensively, Romine had minus-4 defensive runs saved and minus-3.1 framing runs in 2020. That followed a subpar showing in '19 (minus-1 DRS and minus-0.9 FRM) and an above-average performance in '18 (five DRS and 4.8 FRM). Romine has stopped would-be basestealers at a 23 percent clip for his career.