*****Official Cubs 2023 thread*****
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Good news if Conforto joins. Need some other pieces, but the Cubs got better today.
Oops. I read the Athletic notification as $117 million total. You’ll have to excuse me…I’m a little slow.
I get the offensive concerns and the past inconsistency, but he has been involved in a winning culture his whole career and he’s an elite glove. The Cubs now have a top-end defensive SS, move Nico to 2B where he was elite before coming over to SS and then Cody Bellinger in CF who‘s glove has always played, regardless of his offense. There’s a lot to like right there with a starting staff that pitches to contact. And his bat? Remember the offense the Cubs put out there last year? He’s an upgrade. He’s not the elite stick that some of the other guys were, but he’s a very, very good baseball player.
Swanson is a good signing. The team gets better with him at SS and Hoerner at 2B. What weighs on this signing is the underwhelming offseason in general. Lost Contreras, and the Cubs have no replacement. Most of the FA catchers are off the market. Without a trade the Cubs have an uninspiring duo of Gomes and Higgins. Higgins at least has positional flexibility.
Taillion was a nice addition, but no Senga. They needed pop at 1B and DH, and have not addressed this. Now it’s scrap heap time apparently. With Boxburger on board and the returning depth the bullpen looks good if a closer emerges, or a reclamation closer is added.
Taillion was a nice addition, but no Senga. They needed pop at 1B and DH, and have not addressed this. Now it’s scrap heap time apparently. With Boxburger on board and the returning depth the bullpen looks good if a closer emerges, or a reclamation closer is added.
It is a small thing, but I don't like losing the $500,000 IFA money that comes with the Swanson signing.
The Cubs are tied to two elite IFA prospects for the 2023 period.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...two-of-fangraphs-top-international-prospects/
The Cubs are tied to two elite IFA prospects for the 2023 period.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...two-of-fangraphs-top-international-prospects/
At catcher, first choice is a trade for Jansen. Fallbacks are a deal for McCann or sign Sanchez or Barnhart, all are better than Higgins.
What they want to do with Morel dictates what they do elsewhere, like at 1B, DH, 3B, utility. Some interesting names with position versatility are Mancini, Profar and Drury. If they are looking for more veteran-presence McCutchen and Grossman can play all the OF spots and wouldn’t demand everyday playing time.
Pitching…I like Eovaldi because he is more of a power pitcher compared to what they currently have. I’d also like to see them consider Lugo who wants to start but has been really good in relief, would provide flexibility. I’d like to see Chafin or Taylor Rogers in the bullpen.
There was an interesting piece up yesterday about trading for McCann and eating a lot of that bad contract to make the Mets throw in a prospect. If I didn’t want to win this year I’d do that deal.
Some have Francisco Alvarez as the top overall prospect, so with him and signing Narvaez, McCann can be had easily. If they attach Baty, that would be fantastic.
Cubs reportedly bringing back Smyly, which had been expected. I like the addition there and that probably closes out SP adds with Smyly either floating on the back end of the rotation or starting in the pen. Could give them a chance to start Wesneski in the pen like they did Steele and Thompson if they want to do that to build up his workload.
Also hearing talk of Conforto, who I like on a short, bounce-back contract. I think between days off, the DH, Bellinger being able to play 1B some and Happ’s ability to slide to CF, there would be plenty of ABs for Conforto. If he’s healthy, that’s a good stick to add to the lineup. After that, it’ll be a defensive catcher unless they trade for Danny Jansen from Toronto and then look for maybe a Mancini or Drury add at corner IF.
Also hearing talk of Conforto, who I like on a short, bounce-back contract. I think between days off, the DH, Bellinger being able to play 1B some and Happ’s ability to slide to CF, there would be plenty of ABs for Conforto. If he’s healthy, that’s a good stick to add to the lineup. After that, it’ll be a defensive catcher unless they trade for Danny Jansen from Toronto and then look for maybe a Mancini or Drury add at corner IF.
Agree. He pitched really well the second half of the season.
And the year prior was fantasies for the Braves out of the bullpen. Nothing to not like about that signing.
So I am seeing some threads about the demise of HORT on 12/31. Rumor is this place will survive. Will keep coming back for ***Official Chicago Cubs*** threads. Hope you all do to.
Except for Mitch the Yank. You can leave.
Except for Mitch the Yank. You can leave.
Swanson was a solid FA signing. Glad the org didn't go nuts on that contract. 7 years is fine too.
Everything I am hearing is that the team is giving Hoyer more money to spend than he is spending.
Funny thing is that I actually like that.
Find the right guys, to fit in the budget, to win. Do not sell out 2033 for a slightly better chance today.
I still plan on being a fan 2033 and want a chance to win then as well.
I think we are seeing that Ross and Hoyer value run prevention. They are better up the middle, and with the shift ending this becomes even more important. Gomes is better behind the plate than Contreras. We are losing offense, so I want to see how the next few weeks go. They need a professional, veteran hitter to platoon at 1B, 3B, DH. There are some names and combinations that work. Also, if they put Morel full time at 3B, they improve defensively there. I can see a Wisdom/Mervis platoon at first. Wisdom will DH a lot this year. But, they still need a guy.
The rotation lacks an ace, but overall there is quality and depth. The same for the bullpen.
Young. Rich. Super hot, athletic sex monkey of a wife. Living in a world class city. That checks a lot of boxes off.
The run prevention angle of this offseason is very clear, right down to the reports that the Cubs like Tucker Barnhart. With a pitching staff that may have 4 guys that throw > 40% ground balls, this is huge. Gold Glove in LF, Gold Glove in CF, Gold Glove at SS, Gold Glove potential at 2B. That’s a lot to like.
I’d lend a hand.
I wouldn't be in this thread if I wasn't a glass half full fan, but the more I study the Swanson signing I like it more and more. I think he projects pretty well offensively at Wrigley. He's going to put a few balls over both of the 368 signs.
I’m not going to re-write history and claim him as being higher on my list of the 4 than I had them, but I always liked Dansby. Fantastic D, good power will play. With this pitching staff, his defense alone, pushing Hoerner to 2B has massive value in 2 spots, then while he’s not Correa or Bogaerts or Turner with the bat, he immediately becomes one of the best 3-4 hitters in the Cubs lineup. I love that he plays gap to gap offensively and the Cubs have shown they can help a guy cut the K rate.
This last factor can be overrated, but it can also be underrated - he’s been a part of a winner in ATL basically his whole career. The guy knows a winning locker room.
He was never linked to the Cubs. Jon Morosi was on the Score this morning and he seemingly pulled Fulmer to the Cubs out of thin air. But, he doesn’t do that.
There will be another bat for sure. Maybe another catcher from the bargain bin.
Sounds like the Cubs have been talking to Trey Mancini for a while and the Cubs have been rumored to really like Tucker Barnhart’s D and the way he calls a game. Seeing buzz on Fulmer from a few places in the last 36 hours, so maybe something cooking there. Smyly still not really announced other than the one report (Passan?) that they were very close to a deal. Cubs also reportedly in on Michael Conforto, so we’ll see what happens there. Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a trade, either - Cubs are surplus middle infielders, bullpen arms and OF prospects, so we’ll see what happens.
Wow, Correa to the Mets.
I’d call the Mets first thing in the morning and say they would take McCann’s contract if the Mets added Baty to the deal. Baty’s path is now blocked.
I’d call the Mets first thing in the morning and say they would take McCann’s contract if the Mets added Baty to the deal. Baty’s path is now blocked.
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Heard on Boomer & Gio this morning that something minor came up during his physical with the Giants, nothing big, but enough to make them rethink a 13 year deal and get them out of it. I think there was some conflict within the Giants org about a 13 year deal and they took the physical as a way to get out. Mets jumped right in for 12 years overnight before anybody was awake.
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