*****Official Cubs 2023 thread*****
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This is very interesting, especially after Tom Ricketts said in his end-of-year presser that Jed had more money on the table than he spent in 2022. Lots of rumors out there that the Cubs might be close to a deal on Correa or might be working on Bogaerts + Swanson. Cubs also reportedly one of the teams working on a trade for C Sean Murphy.
Now is the time. The Farm has been completely remade. The pitching development infrastructure is in place. There will be tremendous opportunity to snag a playoff spot in a weak NL Central in 2023 (as the top teams in NL East and NL West beat up on each other all season).
Agreed. I still think getting 2 of the SS is a longshot, but I love that as a goal.
The Trea Turner contract is bonkers, but a lot less bonkers than what the Rangers guaranteed Jacob DeGrom.
Woof. Some big names are sliding off the board, but my hope is that behind the scenes the Cubs are doing the hard work to land a few players. I am increasingly optimistic about Senga. Abreau going off the market seems to have thrown cold water on their 1B/DH pursuits. If they really wanted Josh Bell it seems like that deal would have been done quickly.
Woof. Some big names are sliding off the board, but my hope is that behind the scenes the Cubs are doing the hard work to land a few players. I am increasingly optimistic about Senga. Abreau going off the market seems to have thrown cold water on their 1B/DH pursuits. If they really wanted Josh Bell it seems like that deal would have been done quickly.
Bonkers is he took significantly less money. Padres offered him 341 million. Judge is going to get 350 +.
Meh, we don't know what the Padres offered for sure. Most guys like money, and don't turn down a giant pile of money. However, there is some reporting that he wanted to be on the East Coast, and that he's an offseason resident of Florida, and the most notable of the other suitors all have their ST facilities in Arizona.
And also, if you’re getting $300M guaranteed, how much more does it take to move the needle? I was surprised at the years and AAV, though….but I think Trea wound up where he wanted to be.
The latest on the Cubs and Senga.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...he-cubs-rejoining-the-kodai-senga-rumor-mill/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...he-cubs-rejoining-the-kodai-senga-rumor-mill/
I like Senga as an option. I’ve thought all along that something closer to Seiya’s contract was going to be more realistic (5/$75-85M), but this market probably lands him even closer to $20M AAV.
I'm assuming they would talk one into playing third? Not sure how I feel about that if so, that would take some serious ego coaxing. Could see a Arod/Jeter dynamic that could be a distraction but if they can pull it off why not
Both Correa and Bogaerts are viewed as guys who can slide to 3rd, and are probably aware that at some point in their career they are going to need to in order to stay in the majors if they want to make piles of money. If you believe the stuff out there, Correa is more receptive to it.
Bellinger moves my needle a little bit. Hopefully this clears the way for more deals. If he sucks it's just throw away money. My guess is he gets some starts at 1B, in addition to CF, with Josh Bell signing with Cleveland today.
Fingers crossed that Brennan Davis is ready for CF in 2024.
Fingers crossed that Brennan Davis is ready for CF in 2024.
Nice surprise. Typically when I see this bumped, my first thought is “oh shit what did they do now”
Like 1300 PA since 2019. 1.2 WAR and 78 +OPS. Expensive lotto ticket. At least it's only one year.
In 20 NLCS he dislocated his shoulder celebrating tying HR. Basically rehabbed all off season, then broke his tib or fib the first week of 21 season. Missed the first half and then had a rib or hammy injury. Pretty much wasted year due to health. He did have Series winning hit v the dirty Giants in 21 NLDS.
This past year he was healthy most of the year and never looked comfortable at the plate. At times he looked like a pitcher batting.
Dodgers would have had to pay him $19 million thru arbitration.
I hope he can bounce back as he came up big a lot for the Dodgers.
He gets an offseason to hopefully get stronger, correct some things that the injuries might have caused, and to think about how he needs to turn this into a prove it year, or he's going to be out of baseball in 2024.
I don’t get this. Why pay Heyward $20M+ to not play then pay $12+ (plus $5M buyout) for basically a different Heyward?
Bellinger is younger, and can play two positions. Even without the supposed injury this season, J-Hey was clearly slowing down, and just wasn't covering as much ground in the field. And, Bellinger, if he returns to his early form, has way more pop in his bat.
Manny Machado was a SS…until he wasn’t. Scott Boras even said today that Bogaerts is willing to move to 3rd ”down the road”, but that he’s on the market as a SS. Not sure about Correa, but Bogaerts will move off 3B, he just wants his big FA deal as a SS. I’m totally cool with that.
Pay dat man his money….and then move him to 3B.
It’s not just a lotto ticket. He has a great glove. Unless the Cubs were in the market for Judge/Nimmo, the pickings were slim this year. I’ll take Bellinger over Keirmaier, as the glove is similar at this point and Bellinger has more potential upside. That said, I’m looking at Bellinger as a glove-first OF. I expect a lot of Ks and solid power with a low batting average and kind of a mess at the plate. If the glove plays, the rest is gravy and there’s nothing stopping the Cubs from setting him to the side if Davis or someone else shows they’re ready for this job.
He also reportedly turned down multiple multi-year offers, so he clearly wants to be on a “prove it” deal. The Cubs will get his best effort, whatever that is, for one year.
Technically it’s a 1 year deal for $12M with a $5.5M mutual option in year 2…which means a $17.5M 1-year deal. If he sucks, the Cubs are not going to exercise his option at $12M and if he makes a huge rebound, he’s not going to take the $12M option.
Bellinger’s glove at this point is WAY better than Heyward’s, plus there’s some small hope of much better offense. JHey was an elite defender 7 years ago, but not anymore.
It doesn’t seem like $17M is going to stop the Cubs from making other moves, so I‘d be curious as to your reasons. 1 year blocks nobody and his $17M is gone after this year. Well, technically $12M this year and $5.5M next year, but either way it doesn’t move the needle on a $230M+ team payroll.
Crazy, but the Cubs got Taillon for less - 4/$68M. I love this pickup at that price. Taillon’s floor is a solid 3 who can eat innings, but if the Cubs can up the spin on his slider, there’s a lot to like here. Not sure I see an ace, but I think I see a guy who could be a solid/good #2.
Most importantly, this is more evidence for the SS on the market that the Cubs are serious about improving the roster and winning.
Bellinger alone was a C/C+ move
Taillon alone is a B move
Dansby Swanson alone is a B+/A- move
Xander Bogaerts alone is an A move
Dansby+Xander is an A+ move
As long as they are good with the move and Hoerner is cool with being at second I'd love it, just seems kinda too good to be true. I trust Jed, nice to get the ball rolling with CB and JT
Pffft. One move was low risk high reward, and Taillon is a solid #3 pitcher. They needed starting pitching help, and they got it.
If this is all that happens I'll allow people to be upset.
Good for him, but 3-4 years of that deal are going to be an utter disaster. He seems like a guy who will breakdown bigly as he ages.
Yeah, Bellinger provides a bridge for the Cubs at 2 positions, 1B and CF, while prospects like Mervis, Davis, and Armstrong can hopefully come into their own this season. The Cubs don't need to add a long term solution right now at those 2 positions, imo.
if we were getting 2017-2019 Bellinger I'd trilled, the 2020-2022 version isn't much better than Ian Happ
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