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Post by irishcubfan on Aug 24, 2023 17:06:00 GMT -5
Thinking Candy will get at minimum a 3 to 4 year deal for at least 16 plus million per year if he has a semi strong or strong finish to the year in this very weak hitter free agent market. Another thing going for him is ability to play first or 3b. A lot of people are throwing out absurd contract numbers for another guy (yes,fully aware of his past injuries) with an on and off record. Thinking the Cubs will sign Candy in the off-season. This is definitely worth keeping in mind. Regardless of whatever happens with Ohtani the rest of the season, the landscape has changed. Any of the other tier A free agents likely saw a bump in their earnings ahead. This includes Bellinger, Chapman, and Candelario. Two years for Candelario based on the season he’s having seems too light, and in this market someone will push those numbers. 4/60 seems plausible to me, and I hope the Cubs aren’t the ones who pay it. Hope they don't as well. I assume it may be a quiet off-season for them, really only two positions not locked in given a healthy team. I am assuming PCA is the starting CF. A pipe dream for those who want Happ or Suzuki traded. Think there will be turnover with DH depending upon how they view Canario/Morel. Think upper level prospects will be removed (Mervis). Really the only positions in question are 3b/1b. Alonso would be a good fit and I can see the Cubs giving up the necessary prospects for him. To me, given their history of spending, Candy will be resigned and Bellinger will run to a higher bidder. Happ, PCA, Suzuki, Candy, Swanson, Hoerner, Alonso, Gomes/Amaya, DH Ill say Canario will surprise, lowish average plus HR power. It may be too righty of a line up. Rotation is simple, Stroman stays or goes. Pen will be piece mealed as usual but with more prospects this time around.
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Post by kfidd on Aug 24, 2023 18:59:49 GMT -5
I disagree about their history of spending having any relevancy for next season, especially considering the expectations/realities of the club in recent seasons. The Cubs are clearly back and they’ll need to continue to improve the roster just as they did last offseason. There is the good complication of such a developed and budding farm system at hand, but they’ll navigate that.
I’m not going to get into Bellinger again with my reasons for concern, but I do believe he will be priced out of Jed’s comfort level considering his risk. If the Cubs want to pony up big time for a risk, I would rather it be Ohtani, even in light of the recent news (and assuming he’s healthy enough to swing the bat next season). If you can get Ohtani the slugger on a short deal but high dollar deal, maybe one loaded with opt outs, I’d love to see it. 2-3 years, 40m per, opt outs galore? This is assuming he will be healthy to hit of course, but if he is deemed so a short term proven elite slugger that will be committed to get back to record setting FA talk sounds like a dream to me.
Regarding the corner infield spots, here’s another thought. Tampa got crushed by the injury to McClanahan and the stupidity of Franco. They have some really good young hitting talent, but they did just trade away Manzardo at the deadline. Could they be open to moving one of Diaz or Paredes for some help in other areas? Either would be welcome here, and maybe the Cubs have the MLB ready talent to work something out. Maybe, just talking fan BS. But let’s say there is a trade somewhere for one of Alonso or Diaz at 1B, or Paredes for 3B. Pair that with DH Ohtani and go internal at the leftover spot (3B - Madrigal, Vazquez, 1B - Mervis, Canario[?]), and the offense looks upgraded.
Would there be additional funds to add a starting pitcher? If not, Stroman and Hendricks is what it is and they continue to assess as the young arms further develop. If so, go big on Yamamoto. They whiffed on Senga (which apparently he wanted to go to a competitor, whatever, but the Cubs are now competitions and the Mets are LOLland), don’t make the same mistake with 25 year young Yamamoto. As with all free agent signings there is risk, but the Cubs have the deep farm system to stay relevant incase some players don’t work out, and they should have the pockets to absorb a high plus payroll.
Whatever happens I expect the Cubs will have a very active off-season ahead and the roster will be improved.
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Post by batman66 on Aug 25, 2023 7:44:18 GMT -5
I disagree about their history of spending having any relevancy for next season, especially considering the expectations/realities of the club in recent seasons. The Cubs are clearly back and they’ll need to continue to improve the roster just as they did last offseason. There is the good complication of such a developed and budding farm system at hand, but they’ll navigate that. I’m not going to get into Bellinger again with my reasons for concern, but I do believe he will be priced out of Jed’s comfort level considering his risk. If the Cubs want to pony up big time for a risk, I would rather it be Ohtani, even in light of the recent news (and assuming he’s healthy enough to swing the bat next season). If you can get Ohtani the slugger on a short deal but high dollar deal, maybe one loaded with opt outs, I’d love to see it. 2-3 years, 40m per, opt outs galore? This is assuming he will be healthy to hit of course, but if he is deemed so a short term proven elite slugger that will be committed to get back to record setting FA talk sounds like a dream to me. Regarding the corner infield spots, here’s another thought. Tampa got crushed by the injury to McClanahan and the stupidity of Franco. They have some really good young hitting talent, but they did just trade away Manzardo at the deadline. Could they be open to moving one of Diaz or Paredes for some help in other areas? Either would be welcome here, and maybe the Cubs have the MLB ready talent to work something out. Maybe, just talking fan BS. But let’s say there is a trade somewhere for one of Alonso or Diaz at 1B, or Paredes for 3B. Pair that with DH Ohtani and go internal at the leftover spot (3B - Madrigal, Vazquez, 1B - Mervis, Canario[?]), and the offense looks upgraded. Would there be additional funds to add a starting pitcher? If not, Stroman and Hendricks is what it is and they continue to assess as the young arms further develop. If so, go big on Yamamoto. They whiffed on Senga (which apparently he wanted to go to a competitor, whatever, but the Cubs are now competitions and the Mets are LOLland), don’t make the same mistake with 25 year young Yamamoto. As with all free agent signings there is risk, but the Cubs have the deep farm system to stay relevant incase some players don’t work out, and they should have the pockets to absorb a high plus payroll. Whatever happens I expect the Cubs will have a very active off-season ahead and the roster will be improved. They are in a position to have a terrific off season because of so many things. One they are now legit contenders already. I'm not claiming them to be on the Braves level , but we can stop the talk they are only in it because their division blows because they are in the wild card mix and they no longer play a very division heavy schedule. So being a legit contender they are going into the off season with a new mentality and they won't be targeting the shorter term sign to flip types that they do in seasons that could spin either way like they did last winter. And they will want to put the foot on the gas and move forward so the entire mind frame is different and there are not really a lot of holes to fill so they can focus on the corner infield spots and maybe a pitcher. On top of that , a lot of money is coming off the books and Ricketts is on record of saying the luxury tax isn't a binder when they are in a position to win. And on top of that , they are prospect drunk to the point they won't have room for all the top prospects even if like only 1/5 of the top 20 pan out it's going to be hard to roster more than that and they do have pitching prospects as a surplus , something they have not had for a long time.
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Post by kfidd on Aug 25, 2023 9:01:21 GMT -5
I disagree about their history of spending having any relevancy for next season, especially considering the expectations/realities of the club in recent seasons. The Cubs are clearly back and they’ll need to continue to improve the roster just as they did last offseason. There is the good complication of such a developed and budding farm system at hand, but they’ll navigate that. I’m not going to get into Bellinger again with my reasons for concern, but I do believe he will be priced out of Jed’s comfort level considering his risk. If the Cubs want to pony up big time for a risk, I would rather it be Ohtani, even in light of the recent news (and assuming he’s healthy enough to swing the bat next season). If you can get Ohtani the slugger on a short deal but high dollar deal, maybe one loaded with opt outs, I’d love to see it. 2-3 years, 40m per, opt outs galore? This is assuming he will be healthy to hit of course, but if he is deemed so a short term proven elite slugger that will be committed to get back to record setting FA talk sounds like a dream to me. Regarding the corner infield spots, here’s another thought. Tampa got crushed by the injury to McClanahan and the stupidity of Franco. They have some really good young hitting talent, but they did just trade away Manzardo at the deadline. Could they be open to moving one of Diaz or Paredes for some help in other areas? Either would be welcome here, and maybe the Cubs have the MLB ready talent to work something out. Maybe, just talking fan BS. But let’s say there is a trade somewhere for one of Alonso or Diaz at 1B, or Paredes for 3B. Pair that with DH Ohtani and go internal at the leftover spot (3B - Madrigal, Vazquez, 1B - Mervis, Canario[?]), and the offense looks upgraded. Would there be additional funds to add a starting pitcher? If not, Stroman and Hendricks is what it is and they continue to assess as the young arms further develop. If so, go big on Yamamoto. They whiffed on Senga (which apparently he wanted to go to a competitor, whatever, but the Cubs are now competitions and the Mets are LOLland), don’t make the same mistake with 25 year young Yamamoto. As with all free agent signings there is risk, but the Cubs have the deep farm system to stay relevant incase some players don’t work out, and they should have the pockets to absorb a high plus payroll. Whatever happens I expect the Cubs will have a very active off-season ahead and the roster will be improved. They are in a position to have a terrific off season because of so many things. One they are now legit contenders already. I'm not claiming them to be on the Braves level , but we can stop the talk they are only in it because their division blows because they are in the wild card mix and they no longer play a very division heavy schedule. So being a legit contender they are going into the off season with a new mentality and they won't be targeting the shorter term sign to flip types that they do in seasons that could spin either way like they did last winter. And they will want to put the foot on the gas and move forward so the entire mind frame is different and there are not really a lot of holes to fill so they can focus on the corner infield spots and maybe a pitcher. On top of that , a lot of money is coming off the books and Ricketts is on record of saying the luxury tax isn't a binder when they are in a position to win. And on top of that , they are prospect drunk to the point they won't have room for all the top prospects even if like only 1/5 of the top 20 pan out it's going to be hard to roster more than that and they do have pitching prospects as a surplus , something they have not had for a long time. Well said. Only question is do they really have a lot of money coming off the books? Not referencing sportrac or anything at the moment, just wondering. Heyward was the one who stood out but if we presume Stroman doesn’t opt out it’s pretty close to a wash, no? Then arbitration raises and the like, plus dead money tied up in Barnhart and Mancini. Cubs should spend regardless. But I’m not sure it’s the same situation as we once thought it was.
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Post by rvn11 on Aug 25, 2023 9:20:45 GMT -5
I’m not sure I like the idea of Candelario as our third baseman for multiple seasons ahead. For the second half push we are trying to make? He’s a great floor raiser and was a fine rental pickup, but the Cubs need to be thinking bigger than him for our offense as far as I’m concerned. A solid player this season with a less than solid track record, I’d probably rather see that money spent elsewhere and go with some internal option for the short term if no better options present themselves. I look at it the opposite. He may not be a "sexy" pickup, but I think he could be a great depth piece going forward, somewhat like a Zobrist type player from the last playoff push. I think Candelario is a pretty solid player who took a while to come into his own on some bad teams. I think he'd be a fantastic filler/roll player who would be extremely valuable surrounding an elite bat or two, and could also benefit from a better lineup around him. He may not raise a lineup much, but gives it much more depth. He solidifies 2 positions and as a switch hitter files a valuable role in matchups as this front office values. His flexibility makes it easier to acquire someone great that "only" does their 1 thing. I think if you can get him for 2-3 years then you can figure out a stud bat or two to anchor the lineup. He's got pop but isn't solely power focused, which I feel helps balance out a lineup. Thinking back on how excited he was to come back to Chicago, and how much he seems to be enjoying playing meaningful baseball, perhaps he's more motivated to stay here and take a lesser deal.
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Post by Returnofstevefitz on Aug 25, 2023 9:20:55 GMT -5
The Cubs have played well and beat some of the best teams in the NL. It shouldn't matter their division at this point. The window is open quicker than I thought it would be. they need to add on to stay within that window of competition
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Post by batman66 on Aug 25, 2023 9:33:04 GMT -5
They are in a position to have a terrific off season because of so many things. One they are now legit contenders already. I'm not claiming them to be on the Braves level , but we can stop the talk they are only in it because their division blows because they are in the wild card mix and they no longer play a very division heavy schedule. So being a legit contender they are going into the off season with a new mentality and they won't be targeting the shorter term sign to flip types that they do in seasons that could spin either way like they did last winter. And they will want to put the foot on the gas and move forward so the entire mind frame is different and there are not really a lot of holes to fill so they can focus on the corner infield spots and maybe a pitcher. On top of that , a lot of money is coming off the books and Ricketts is on record of saying the luxury tax isn't a binder when they are in a position to win. And on top of that , they are prospect drunk to the point they won't have room for all the top prospects even if like only 1/5 of the top 20 pan out it's going to be hard to roster more than that and they do have pitching prospects as a surplus , something they have not had for a long time. Well said. Only question is do they really have a lot of money coming off the books? Not referencing sportrac or anything at the moment, just wondering. Heyward was the one who stood out but if we presume Stroman doesn’t opt out it’s pretty close to a wash, no? Then arbitration raises and the like, plus dead money tied up in Barnhart and Mancini. Cubs should spend regardless. But I’m not sure it’s the same situation as we once thought it was. According to Cots they will be at 158,620 and that includes Stroman because he's an " opt out" candidate, not an option year guy so he's still figured in and it also includes the dead loss money guys. Gomes has an option that I'm sure will get picked up so that's another 6.5 to add back on , Hendricks 13.875 , not sure that gets picked up , so potentially add 20 to that if they both do get picked up. They currently sit at 227,757 , so almost 70 million comes off , with maybe 20 more back on with Gomes and Hendricks , and they don't have any expensive ARB players now , Madrigal 1.2 this season is currently the most expensive, so there will be no large arb salaries or increases to worry about . If Stro does opt out and they don't pick up Hendricks option then they could possibly have over 90 million come off.
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Post by kfidd on Aug 25, 2023 12:10:37 GMT -5
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Post by Clark Street on Jan 8, 2024 22:33:12 GMT -5
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Post by bryzzobrist on Jan 8, 2024 23:16:27 GMT -5
Also reading now that the Yankees have interest though ofcourse it might be a number of other things instead of real interest. Giants reportedly have interest. Stro likes the giants. If he gets an offer i bet he goes there. Dont count out the cubs either. If it comes down to it we may need to re-sign him.
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Post by batman66 on Jan 9, 2024 7:23:02 GMT -5
And within a day Nightengale flipped on the story saying there is mutual interest.
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Post by bryzzobrist on Jan 11, 2024 21:15:05 GMT -5
Whatre odds on wether or not stro dogs the cubbies now that hes in new york? Lol
2/37m w vesting option
Best of luck to Marcus! I didnt like him much at first but he grew on me quickly as an excellent teammate and having a good mental approach to the game, in addition to putting so much work in and having a great stretch for us last season.
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Post by rvn11 on Jan 12, 2024 9:07:00 GMT -5
Whatre odds on wether or not stro dogs the cubbies now that hes in new york? Lol 2/37m w vesting option Best of luck to Marcus! I didnt like him much at first but he grew on me quickly as an excellent teammate and having a good mental approach to the game, in addition to putting so much work in and having a great stretch for us last season. He's only got a 2 year deal with an option so anything said would still be somewhat fresh in other GMs minds if he'd be seeking another deal.
So, he opted out of 22M here for 2024 in efforts to get a longer deal, ends up with 2/37 with an option for a 3rd at 18. I wonder what numbers he would have been asking for in an extension and if that would have been of interest to him. My assumption is no but things changed with his injury. I would have liked to see him stay but wish him the best, hopefully for him this go round in NY goes better than the last.
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Post by Returnofstevefitz on Jan 16, 2024 17:00:30 GMT -5
My guess is the Cubs had no intention of extending him. Opt in or walk is my guess. Still, 55 million is more than 22 million, BY A LOT
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Post by batman66 on Jan 16, 2024 19:07:44 GMT -5
My guess is the Cubs had no intention of extending him. Opt in or walk is my guess. Still, 55 million is more than 22 million, BY A LOT He's getting 2 guaranteed years for 37 million with a vesting 3rd year option of 18 million if he pitches 140 innings or more this season so he's going to have to stay really healthy to get that 3rd year , his two seasons with the Cubs he pitched 138.2 and 136.2 .
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Post by bryzzobrist on Jan 16, 2024 20:33:50 GMT -5
Stroman thanks cubs in instagram post i cant see
I bet stroman could do well for the yanks. All down to health.
Current steamer projection 167ip 4.03 era 2.1 war Seems about right
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Post by bryzzobrist on Jan 19, 2024 0:52:04 GMT -5
Stro reportedly turned down an offer from the giants to play in new york. He is from ny but after his praise towards the giants in the past i was expecting them to have a good shot at him.
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