Time to blow it up

[CSF77]

David Ross can't call a play.

He did all right during the season. This was his first oportunity in a play off environment in his rookie campaign. Give the guy some slack.

I do believe that we should be grateful that he got them there. It could have been a whole lot worse.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

He did all right during the season. This was his first oportunity in a play off environment in his rookie campaign. Give the guy some slack.

I do believe that we should be grateful that he got them there. It could have been a whole lot worse.

Well to be clear, I’m not a Cubs fan. I know this though: the offense in the playoffs this year was very similar to the offense in the playoffs post 2016. There’s only one difference.

 

[CSF77]

Well to be clear, I’m not a Cubs fan. I know this though: the offense in the playoffs this year was very similar to the offense in the playoffs post 2016. There’s only one difference.

2017 was the last time that the team was competitive in the post season.

My point is we are spoiled now. Theo has created a team good enough for the fans to expect something other than playing for a draft pick.

Much of the talk is breaking it down to play for a draft pick yet again.

What I see right now is a team that needs to shed contract and short term. They need to add depth to a pitching staff that is losing 3 starters. They need to add depth to a bull pen also.

Again I see this as a retool not a rebuild. They will take 2021 as a transition year. They can go internal 100% if they push Marquez opening day.

From what Theo said they will not go into the f/a market. They will look at trades to retool the team.

So think on that level. The O lacks hitters. The have too many wait and slug types.

As far as management is concerned I expect the hitting coach axed. From reports I've read there has been a disconnect from the coach to the hitters. Davis said the message was not followed through by the players.

So removing some of the problem via trade IMO is a smart choice. Another smart choice is bringing in a person who already has the respect of the players. That is Manny Ramirez. He was the one that worked with Javy that propelled him to play at this level. I still see Javy as the future and putting those two together is a smart choice.

Javy said that his main problem was he could not do in game adjustment with video banned. Which means the hitting coach was not able to fix this issue. Which means they have to roll back the clock and have a hitting coach there to give in-game feedback to the hitters on adjustments. Manny is considered a hitting guru.

 

[knoxville7]

2017 was the last time that the team was competitive in the post season.

My point is we are spoiled now. Theo has created a team good enough for the fans to expect something other than playing for a draft pick.

Much of the talk is breaking it down to play for a draft pick yet again.

What I see right now is a team that needs to shed contract and short term. They need to add depth to a pitching staff that is losing 3 starters. They need to add depth to a bull pen also.

Again I see this as a retool not a rebuild. They will take 2021 as a transition year. They can go internal 100% if they push Marquez opening day.

From what Theo said they will not go into the f/a market. They will look at trades to retool the team.

So think on that level. The O lacks hitters. The have too many wait and slug types.

As far as management is concerned I expect the hitting coach axed. From reports I've read there has been a disconnect from the coach to the hitters. Davis said the message was not followed through by the players.

So removing some of the problem via trade IMO is a smart choice. Another smart choice is bringing in a person who already has the respect of the players. That is Manny Ramirez. He was the one that worked with Javy that propelled him to play at this level. I still see Javy as the future and putting those two together is a smart choice.

Javy said that his main problem was he could not do in game adjustment with video banned. Which means the hitting coach was not able to fix this issue. Which means they have to roll back the clock and have a hitting coach there to give in-game feedback to the hitters on adjustments. Manny is considered a hitting guru.

isn’t manny doing a player coach gig someplace? Doubt he’s going to drop that to just be a hitting coach.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

2017 was the last time that the team was competitive in the post season.

My point is we are spoiled now. Theo has created a team good enough for the fans to expect something other than playing for a draft pick.

Much of the talk is breaking it down to play for a draft pick yet again.

What I see right now is a team that needs to shed contract and short term. They need to add depth to a pitching staff that is losing 3 starters. They need to add depth to a bull pen also.

Again I see this as a retool not a rebuild. They will take 2021 as a transition year. They can go internal 100% if they push Marquez opening day.

From what Theo said they will not go into the f/a market. They will look at trades to retool the team.

So think on that level. The O lacks hitters. The have too many wait and slug types.

As far as management is concerned I expect the hitting coach axed. From reports I've read there has been a disconnect from the coach to the hitters. Davis said the message was not followed through by the players.

So removing some of the problem via trade IMO is a smart choice. Another smart choice is bringing in a person who already has the respect of the players. That is Manny Ramirez. He was the one that worked with Javy that propelled him to play at this level. I still see Javy as the future and putting those two together is a smart choice.

Javy said that his main problem was he could not do in game adjustment with video banned. Which means the hitting coach was not able to fix this issue. Which means they have to roll back the clock and have a hitting coach there to give in-game feedback to the hitters on adjustments. Manny is considered a hitting guru.

tl;dr

 

[CSF77]

isn’t manny doing a player coach gig someplace? Doubt he’s going to drop that to just be a hitting coach.

On August 29, 2020, Ramirez signed a one year deal with the Sydney Blue Sox to be a player-coach. They play winter league and it is a 1 year deal. I'm pretty sure he would come running if offered. Austrialian Baseball runs Nov-Feb.

Chicago Cubs system (2014–2016) and coaching[edit]
Ramirez signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs on May 25, 2014, to serve as a player-coach for the Iowa Cubs, Chicago's Class AAA affiliate in the PCL.[107] Ramirez hit a two-run home run in his first Iowa home game at Principal Park on June 30, 2014.[108] Cubs prospects Arismendy Alcántara and Javier Báez credited Ramirez for his help with their swings.[109] Baez also viewed Ramirez as a good mentor because of how Ramirez comforted him after the loss of his uncle.[110] On August 23, Ramirez sustained a knee injury. A week later, Iowa manager Marty Pevey announced that Ramirez was going to Arizona for an MRI. With only four games left in Iowa's season, Pevey said that Ramirez was no longer going to coach and play for the team. Pevey said that he was uncertain about Ramirez plans for the next season, as he thought that Ramirez disliked the travel associated with Class AAA baseball.[111]

On February 24, 2015, the Cubs announced that Ramirez was hired as a hitting consultant, and that he would split time between Chicago and AAA Iowa.[112] In 2016, Ramirez was a hitting consultant for the Cubs.[113]

Kōchi Fighting Dogs (2017)[edit]
On January 8, 2017, the Kōchi Fighting Dogs of the Japanese Shikoku Island League Plus independent league announced that they had reached an agreement with Ramirez to play for them in 2017.[114] He left the team on August 17 to return to the United States for treatment of a knee injury.[115]

(2018-present)[edit]
in April 2020, Ramirez expressed interest in returning to the Chinese Professional Baseball League but was not offered a contract by a team.[116] He later expressed interest in playing winter baseball for the New Zealand-based Auckland Tuatara of the Australian Baseball League if the leagues season is not cancelled due to Covid-19.[117]

On August 29, 2020, Ramirez signed a one year deal with the Sydney Blue Sox to be a player-coach.[118]

 

[CSF77]

tl;dr

Sounds like a Republican response to Covid.

 

[knoxville7]

On August 29, 2020, Ramirez signed a one year deal with the Sydney Blue Sox to be a player-coach. They play winter league and it is a 1 year deal. I'm pretty sure he would come running if offered. Austrialian Baseball runs Nov-Feb.

Chicago Cubs system (2014–2016) and coaching[edit]
Ramirez signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs on May 25, 2014, to serve as a player-coach for the Iowa Cubs, Chicago's Class AAA affiliate in the PCL.[107] Ramirez hit a two-run home run in his first Iowa home game at Principal Park on June 30, 2014.[108] Cubs prospects Arismendy Alcántara and Javier Báez credited Ramirez for his help with their swings.[109] Baez also viewed Ramirez as a good mentor because of how Ramirez comforted him after the loss of his uncle.[110] On August 23, Ramirez sustained a knee injury. A week later, Iowa manager Marty Pevey announced that Ramirez was going to Arizona for an MRI. With only four games left in Iowa's season, Pevey said that Ramirez was no longer going to coach and play for the team. Pevey said that he was uncertain about Ramirez plans for the next season, as he thought that Ramirez disliked the travel associated with Class AAA baseball.[111]

On February 24, 2015, the Cubs announced that Ramirez was hired as a hitting consultant, and that he would split time between Chicago and AAA Iowa.[112] In 2016, Ramirez was a hitting consultant for the Cubs.[113]

Kōchi Fighting Dogs (2017)[edit]
On January 8, 2017, the Kōchi Fighting Dogs of the Japanese Shikoku Island League Plus independent league announced that they had reached an agreement with Ramirez to play for them in 2017.[114] He left the team on August 17 to return to the United States for treatment of a knee injury.[115]

(2018-present)[edit]
in April 2020, Ramirez expressed interest in returning to the Chinese Professional Baseball League but was not offered a contract by a team.[116] He later expressed interest in playing winter baseball for the New Zealand-based Auckland Tuatara of the Australian Baseball League if the leagues season is not cancelled due to Covid-19.[117]

On August 29, 2020, Ramirez signed a one year deal with the Sydney Blue Sox to be a player-coach.[118]

he might. But the point I was trying to make is he’s getting to play baseball besides just coach. Limited amount of time he has to still play ball even at that level. That may be very important to him...I imagine it is...otherwise, why would he keep playing? It’s certainly not for $ or to prove anything. He just loves playing baseball it seems. The fact it’s winter ball might make it possible to do both

 

[CSF77]

he might. But the point I was trying to make is he’s getting to play baseball besides just coach. Limited amount of time he has to still play ball even at that level. That may be very important to him...I imagine it is...otherwise, why would he keep playing? It’s certainly not for $ or to prove anything. He just loves playing baseball it seems. The fact it’s winter ball might make it possible to do both

I was just looking at their website. It sounds like he wants to bring baseball to down under. But it is a 1 year deal and time wise there shouldn't be a conflict of interest as he would not be playing in MLB.

Regardless this is a muse vs a hardline driven opinion. But it is one that has value as there is Cub history going in.

 

[knoxville7]

I was just looking at their website. It sounds like he wants to bring baseball to down under. But it is a 1 year deal and time wise there shouldn't be a conflict of interest as he would not be playing in MLB.

Regardless this is a muse vs a hardline driven opinion. But it is one that has value as there is Cub history going in.

i wasn’t suggesting he would be playing in MLB. I was suggesting that the cubs hitting coach gig might conflict with the contract he already signed elsewhere and his desire to play would limit him to only that winter ball player/coach gig

 

[NCChiFan]

I agree, time to blow it up. Not sure this group of GM's can fix this though. How many years have they searched for a bullpen? One of the reasons the Cubs got the World Series ring... They rented a closer. Not impressed with Rizzo or Bryant or for that matter Jason Hayward when it comes to batting. etc...

 

[CSF77]

i wasn’t suggesting he would be playing in MLB. I was suggesting that the cubs hitting coach gig might conflict with the contract he already signed elsewhere and his desire to play would limit him to only that winter ball player/coach gig

I'm really not sure. On that site it said Dec and Jan was the games. So I'm really not familiar with their regular season.

 

[CSF77]

KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes To Post Ha-Seong Kim This Offseason
By Steve Adams | October 8, 2020 at 9:04am CDT

The Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization will post star shortstop Ha-Seong Kim for Major League clubs this winter, MLBTR has learned. He’d previously voiced a desire to be posted, and the team plans to honor those wishes this winter. All 30 Major League clubs will have the opportunity to bid on the infielder, who’ll turn just 25 years old next week.
Kim’s youth sets him apart from most other players who have made the jump from the KBO (or Japan’s NPB) to the Major Leagues. Current rules in the KBO stipulate that a player cannot be posted until he has accrued seven years of service time. Unrestricted free agency is granted after nine years. Kim’s first full season in the KBO came at just 18 years of age, however, which has him on pace to become available to MLB clubs a few years sooner than most of his peers. He’ll still meet the minimum age (25) and experience (at least six years) requirements set by Major League Baseball in order to be considered a professional rather than an amateur, meaning he can sign a Major League deal of any length and any amount.
While Kim didn’t hit much in that aforementioned rookie season — not surprising given his age — he’s been an average or better bat each year since, by measure of wRC+. However, it’s been the past two years in which Kim has taken his game to a new level. Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser wrote back in early May that Kim would be a Top 100 prospect if he signed at that point, and that was before Kim built on his 2019 breakout with a .304/.396/.522 slash in his first 551 plate appearances in 2020.
Dating back to Opening Day 2019, Kim is a .306/.392/.505 hitter — good for a 141 wRC+. In 2020, Kim has slugged a career-high 27 homers, walked more often than he’s struck out (67 to 58) and gone a perfect 21-for-21 in stolen bases. Over the past two seasons, he’s swiped 64 bags in 68 tries. Kim has also won multiple Gold Glove Awards for his work at shortstop in Korea and has some experience at third base. Given his age and 2019-20 breakout, he should draw interest from a wide range of Major League teams.
For those who need a refresher or who are unfamiliar with the posting process, the latest set of rules agreed upon between MLB and the KBO stipulate that all 30 clubs will be able to negotiate with Kim. The posting fee paid to the Heroes will be tied directly to the size of the contract signed by Kim. It is a separate sum that is paid out to the Heroes as opposed to an amount that is subtracted from Kim’s eventual contract. A signing team would pay 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM to the Heroes, plus 17.5 percent of the next $25MM and an additional 15 percent on any dollars guaranteed beyond $50MM.
With regard to contractual options and incentives, those clauses are also subject to subsequent fees. A Major League team would only be immediately responsible for posting/release fees on the guaranteed portion of the contract. But if Kim’s new team in the Majors exercised a club option for the 2025 or 2026 season, for instance, that team would owe a supplemental fee to the Heroes once that option is picked up.
Kim’s forthcoming addition to the 2020-21 class of free agent shortstops adds some youth to a group that is headlined by Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons and Jonathan Villar. Of that bunch, only Gregorius enjoyed a quality year by his standards, while each of the other three will be hoping for rebounds (to varying extents).

 

[greg23]

Assuming money is no object and winning is the goal:

Sign Bauer as the ace
Sign DJ to play 3b (Ozuna for LF backup plan)
Trade Bryant (Schwarber backup plan)
Resign Rizzo

Those 4 moves make this a more competent and interesting team

Bauer-Yu-Hendricks-Mills-Alzoloy

DJ
Happ
Rizzo
Baez
Schwarber
Contreras
Heyward
Hoerner
Pitcher

If the DH is implemented, I'd find a LF (or CF) with some defensive and on base ability and move Schwarber to DH (happ to LF)

Pipe dream; but its dream season

 

[CSF77]

Assuming money is no object and winning is the goal:

Sign Bauer as the ace
Sign DJ to play 3b (Ozuna for LF backup plan)
Trade Bryant (Schwarber backup plan)
Resign Rizzo

Those 4 moves make this a more competent and interesting team

Bauer-Yu-Hendricks-Mills-Alzoloy

DJ
Happ
Rizzo
Baez
Schwarber
Contreras
Heyward
Hoerner
Pitcher

If the DH is implemented, I'd find a LF (or CF) with some defensive and on base ability and move Schwarber to DH (happ to LF)

Pipe dream; but its dream season

not bad

If cash was off the table:

1. Sign Kim for 3B

2. Trade Bryant to LAD for Michael Busch (LH 2B MLB ready blocked by Lux) and Bobby Miller (RHP MLB ready)

3. Trade Schwarber to NYY. Estevan Florial LH CF with speed as a return. NY could use a LH power bat with their short RF porch. He would slot to LF.

4. Resign Jeffries to set up. The market is meh. I would promote Michael Rucker. In shorter stints his fastball sat at 95-96 mph, his curveball added some more power and he added a cutter. So I feel that he is ready as a middle relief pitcher. They may need to look at a LHRP external. Wieck has potential but they need something more seasoned.

Now as far as the rotation is concerned Miller would compete for a spot and he throws about as hard as Alzolay. So they could go with Yu, Hendricks, Mills, Alzolay, Miller going into the season. Marquez would be close and a strong ST might push 1 arm into the pen.

I would try to avoid 1 year contracts in general. The team needs to prove it can get deeper into the play offs before looking into rentals.

 

[CSF77]

But the line up

Happ LF
Baez SS
Rizzo 1B
Kim 3B
Heyward RF
Contreras DH/C
Caritini DH/C
Busch/Hoerner 2B
Florial CF

Pen would be
CL Kimbrel
SU Wick and Jeffries
LHRP Wieck and a F/A target.
MR Underwood and Rucker

Long relief Rae

Rotation
Yu (sits around 95 MPH)
Hendricks (89-91)
Alzolay (95-97)
Mills (89-91)
Miller (95-99)