The older he gets the more pronounced the injury possibilities. There must be strong reasons the Giants and the desperate Mets passed.
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Not a ton going on this week, so I took a look at Hosmer and jumped into some defensive metrics.
'Bout frickin' time...
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Cubs Injuries and Roster Moves
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Leiter was really good out of the pen in the 2nd half. I think this will end in Leiter getting traded - I don’t see him just sneaking through waivers to get released.'Bout frickin' time...
Cubs Injuries and Roster Moves
This roster moves and injury updates page will be updated throughout the offseason as news happens.
I like this move. It’s a deal that doesn’t tie either party down long term. It provides Mervis with the opportunity to go to Des Moines and solidify last years production gains, and he can move up at a more controlled rate. Best case he comes up full time in 2024, and we aren’t wedded to Hosmer and Mancini.
Love the move. Heard great things about his leadership abilities. He was their top choice at 1B and finally got a deal done.
There’s also wiggle room here if Mervis absolutely mashes in spring training for him to open in Chicago. I had been pretty solidly convinced that he would be on the Opening Day roster, now I’m certainly less convinced, but there’s still a path for him to play his way in. They’re not paying Hosmer and Mancini so much money that they’re locked into roles. I do think the best guy will play.
Cubs are currently sitting at $218M against the CBT at the moment, so that would give them $15M to play with. I think the Cubs will bring in one more reliever (Chafin getting some chatter right now) and I still think they’ll make a trade (maybe Madrigal). Offseason is not over yet.
Not sure I would go 2/$18 million with Chafin, although he’s pretty consistent. Matt Moore was really good last year. And MLBTR said some other teams are interested in McKinstry.
McKinstry isn’t all that popular with Cub fans for fairly obvious reasons, but he’s not without value. He can play 5 positions and with the lefty bat, I think he’s another who could be part of a minor trade or an added piece in a multi-player deal.
The Cubs blew through their IFA pool in one day, making 3 signings. The IFAs fascinate me even though the process is a little icky. We will be lucky to see these kids in the US within 3 years, but they replenish the system, and are intriguing. Curiously, one of them is US born, but raised in the DR. If nothing else he won’t count against the visa limit.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...s-today-welcome-to-international-signing-day/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...s-today-welcome-to-international-signing-day/
I enjoyed this one. I overcame much of my Hosmer bias. But, cut him if needed, Jed.
Tell me that the Cubs don't have a shot at winning the Central? The Pirates and Reds are embarrassments to baseball. Milwaukee has two dominating starting pitchers, a few other good ones, and, what else? They've gone cheap seemingly. I just don't know what they are trying to do.
The Cardinals have their way and all, but their rotation is a muddle. The Cubs have added a lot of good pieces, some of whom are worth it simply on average performance, and excellent pick ups if they produce to a higher level. I have said before I think Swanson will be more productive at Wrigley. Mancini will be more productive, too. If Bellinger plays good defense, and returns to something remotely like he was offensively when he broke into the majors it's a massive upgrade at a position that was a mess last year. Suzuki projects to improve with a year of MLB under his belt, not having to learn the nuances of every ballpark and acclimate to the US.
The starting staff is deep if not spectacular. The bullpen is stuffed with arms.
The Cardinals have their way and all, but their rotation is a muddle. The Cubs have added a lot of good pieces, some of whom are worth it simply on average performance, and excellent pick ups if they produce to a higher level. I have said before I think Swanson will be more productive at Wrigley. Mancini will be more productive, too. If Bellinger plays good defense, and returns to something remotely like he was offensively when he broke into the majors it's a massive upgrade at a position that was a mess last year. Suzuki projects to improve with a year of MLB under his belt, not having to learn the nuances of every ballpark and acclimate to the US.
The starting staff is deep if not spectacular. The bullpen is stuffed with arms.
I’ll keep harping on this point - the Cubs were 29th or 30th in baseball defensively in CF and nearly as bad at 2B. Cubs don’t miss a beat at SS with Swanson, Nico becomes potentially elite at 2B and Bellinger is very, very good defensively. Add the Barnhart/Gomes combo and the Cubs are going to be about as strong as it gets defensively up the middle, plus has Happ off a GG season in LF. Bellinger will make Seiya better defensively, too. With a pitching staff that largely pitches to contact, that will be massive.
Remember all those 1-run losses last year, especially in the first half? That’s how you flip that.…and the Cubs almost HAVE TO be healthier in the rotation than they were in the first half last year, when 80% of their starters missed significant time. And if they’re not healthier, they are now much deeper than they were at that point.
This team can absolutely contend in the Central.
Remember all those 1-run losses last year, especially in the first half? That’s how you flip that.…and the Cubs almost HAVE TO be healthier in the rotation than they were in the first half last year, when 80% of their starters missed significant time. And if they’re not healthier, they are now much deeper than they were at that point.
This team can absolutely contend in the Central.
Cubs claimed Julian Merryweather off waivers from the Jays yesterday and designated Manny Ramirez for assignment. I’m not thrilled about the Manny DFA, but Merryweather is interesting. When you look at his metrics, his stuff really pops - averaged 97+ on his fastball last year (higher than Manny) and has significatly above-average vertical movement on both a curveball and a hard (87 mph) slider. His numbers were poor, but when you look at his expected stats vs. his actual stats, there’s a big disparity. Sounds like he’s a guy the Cubs want to get into the pitch lab and tinker. He didn’t throw his curve much, so that might get more play and while his fastball has excellent run, he did throw a lot of heaters in the middle of the zone, so maybe the Cubs can tweak that. His slider whiff rate is 34% and the whiff rate on his slider is 29%, both well up from the 14% on his fastball. He’ll be an interesting guy to watch.
I like Manny, but he struggled after coming back from an injury last season. His velocity was down. And, even when he got out of trouble there were a few spots where it seemed like luck versus stuff. I think the Cubs aren't sold on his health.
If Bellinger plays his normal defense in CF, and simply produces to an average of his composite numbers in his first four years in the league the team is much better in one run games. In all games for that matter. He'd be the steal of the offseason
Pitching was quietly fantastic over the second half of last season.
I look at this as an indication that the Cubs are close to signing Chafin, because they're definitely going to need another LHP in the bullpen other than Hughes.
I’m hoping that’s true (and I think it might be). I think there’s also a pretty solid chance that Kay clears waivers.
You're right - Kay (and M. Rodriguez) cleared waivers and have to accept their outright assignments to the minors. As was mentioned earlier, the Cubs absolutely need another lefty in the bullpen, so if they don't sign Chafin or another solid major-league lefty, Kay might have a decent chance to make the opening day roster when Roberts and Heuer are put on the 60-day IL.
Having those guys clear waivers and go to Iowa (I don’t think Manny had a choice, but pretty sure Kay did) is huge. When you look back at last year’s opening day roster, the difference in depth is just off the charts. Part of it is the system developing further and the guys all being a year older and the talent rising, but the 5th catcher, the 8th starting pitcher, the OF talent at Iowa, it’s so much better. I know there needs to be more star power in Chicago, but I think this roster is already so improved from a team that, yes, only won 74 games, but they won 74 games in a season where 80% of their opening day rotation missed most of the first half.
I’m excited to see this team get back to it.
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