*****Official Cubs 2024 thread*****
- Thread starter QChawks
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- qcpizzasucks
Maybe, but more likely 2025. I started to get a 2015 vibe at times this season. They are still a little off, however. There is the beginnings of a solid core to build upon.
We'll go through the playoffs, and the Cubs will make a few book keeping moves, but the speculation begins as to who leaves? I can't see the team improving and Wisdom and Tauchman being on the roster. God bless Wisdom, great guy, and he hits the ball out of the park occasionally, but not enough to make up for the lack of contact, and what appears to be a regressing glove.
Do the Cubs pick up the team options for Hendricks and Smyly? What does Stroman do with his player option?Did Leiter blow his arm out? He's out of options, so he has to stick, or be released. Devastating when his splitter was working, a AAA pitcher without it.
Do you trust a Gomes / Amaya tandem behind the plate? I'm okay with that. Are you confident PCA can start day 1 in CF? I'm not. Where can the team add power? Can Bellinger be signed, or do we have holes to fill at 3B, 1B, and CF?
I can live with Tauchman, cannot give significant at-bats to Wisdom, Mastrobouni and Madrigal. 1000% that Stroman will be back, who’s going to give home close to what he’ll get next year? Hope Smyly is gone, I’m fine with Hendricks coming back. PCA depends on what happens with Bellinger. They absolutely have to find a 1B (the Hosmer, Mancini, Young, Mervis, Candelario quintet didn’t cut it). Would like to see Candelario back at 3B. Fine with Gomes/Amaya. Need at least one starter and multiple bullpen arms. Done with Wesneski unless he fills a middle relief role.
Sign Belli, let Hendricks go/trade him, sign Blake Snell and Jaun Soto, improve BP. Wisdom and Mastronobueno are gone. Tauchman gone. Bring up young talent.
Oh, as a nod to Hitman, get rid of Happ and Suzuki.
Oh, as a nod to Hitman, get rid of Happ and Suzuki.
Smyly’s team option is 2025. He has an opt-out in 2024 that there’s no chance he’s taking. He’s on the 2024 roster. Tauchman could be 4th OF, but Wisdom (and probably Madrigal) has to go.
I really think Wesneski could pop next year.
If Mastro isn’t the utility guy, it will be someone with the same player profile to be speed/bench bat/positional versatility. Mervis may be trade bait.
Cubs either pick up Kyle’s option or not, he won’t be traded. They can’t sign Soto.
Trade for Soto, drop Hendricks. Sign the Jap pitcher and Snell. Let the kids run wild.
You think I don't know what I'm talking about? Well I don't!
No clue how much they are willing to spend; but agree with everything said as far as needs. Wouldn’t mind seeing them try to get Matt Chapman. But if they are going to try to sign Bellinger, doubt they would drop that kind of coin for another position player, seeing how they need at leqst 2 starters and a few relievers.
Jap? Are you a Marine from 1944?
Soto might be an option. The Padres are making it clear they want to shed payroll. But, if you truck off a bunch of prospects to the Padres there has to be the framework of an extension in place.
It will be a recipe for disaster if Wesneski is in the rotation to start next year. Again, no problem with him in the bullpen, but there is no way I would count on him to start the year in the rotation.
They already have a utility guy in Morel, but I can live with MM as long as he’s not getting consistent starts.
He needs to get better against lefties, and he did as the season wore on. He and Brown should be key depth for the rotation.
Stroman (I assume he returns), Taillon, Hendricks (I don't see the Cubs passing on his option), Wicks, and Steele are a solid core. Assad proved he's a major leaguer this year, and is depth.
For the bullpen first thing is to figure out who of the guys who missed time this year is going to be able to throw a ball in 2024.
Fire Ross
Release Happ
No more Japanese players
Hire Joe Girardi
No big named free agents let the young players develop
Moral needs to be in the lineup everyday. If he played as much as Happ this season he would have had 40 home runs.
Ian Happ needs to be made an example of.
Suzuki should be on thin ice. Don’t be afraid to release him during the season.
Get Swanson back on track. If Ross and Happ are gone it would help immensely.
Don’t overpay for Bellinger.
Let the kids play and learn from their mistakes.
They have a great farm system don’t overreact and over pay for free agents.
Release Happ
No more Japanese players
Hire Joe Girardi
No big named free agents let the young players develop
Moral needs to be in the lineup everyday. If he played as much as Happ this season he would have had 40 home runs.
Ian Happ needs to be made an example of.
Suzuki should be on thin ice. Don’t be afraid to release him during the season.
Get Swanson back on track. If Ross and Happ are gone it would help immensely.
Don’t overpay for Bellinger.
Let the kids play and learn from their mistakes.
They have a great farm system don’t overreact and over pay for free agents.
I do not think Wesneski will be in the opening day rotation, but I do think he’s someone that may emerge later as an injury fill-in or whatever. I think they may add another starter to Steele, Stro, Taillon, Hendricks, Wicks. We’ll see. there’s no such thing as too much pitching.
As for utility, Morel needs to find a position next year. He may wind up being the 3B answer for the short term. He may also be trade bait.
Pete Alonso, anyone? The Mets don't seem interested in signing him to an extension. And, don't get you Belli hopes up. Boras will want to keep him on the market for as long as possible to drive up the price. That's his pattern.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2023/10/02/pete-alonso-interest-cubs-1/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2023/10/02/pete-alonso-interest-cubs-1/
Lots of decisions to be made.
Currently 46 on the 40-man. Only 4 are total free-agents (Candy, Fulmer, Duffey, Greene). Assuming that Stroman, Hendricks and Gomes all have options exercised, and that Belli and Boxberger don't, that leaves the roster exactly at 40 headed into the winter meetings.
From what I've read, Bailey Horn and Porter Hodge are the only players who will likely be added to the 40-man in late Nov to protect from the R5D. So, between that and the need for room on the roster for offseason signings (including Belli 🤞), it looks like there will be a number of non-tenders and/or trades in the next few months.
IMO:
Biggest non-tender candidates - Burdi, Heuer, Hughes, Leiter, Roberts, Young, Tauchman
Biggest trade candidates - Kilian, Rucker, Thompson, Madrigal, Mervis, Wisdom, Davis (Assad and Wes could also be valuable trade pieces, especially if the team plans on signing a free-agent starter).
It will be an interesting off-season. It will be even more interesting as we get into the 2024 season, as the organization will have a number of prospects who may be ready for the Majors who have yet to make their debut (Brown, Alcantara, Caissie, even Horton and Shaw).
Currently 46 on the 40-man. Only 4 are total free-agents (Candy, Fulmer, Duffey, Greene). Assuming that Stroman, Hendricks and Gomes all have options exercised, and that Belli and Boxberger don't, that leaves the roster exactly at 40 headed into the winter meetings.
From what I've read, Bailey Horn and Porter Hodge are the only players who will likely be added to the 40-man in late Nov to protect from the R5D. So, between that and the need for room on the roster for offseason signings (including Belli 🤞), it looks like there will be a number of non-tenders and/or trades in the next few months.
IMO:
Biggest non-tender candidates - Burdi, Heuer, Hughes, Leiter, Roberts, Young, Tauchman
Biggest trade candidates - Kilian, Rucker, Thompson, Madrigal, Mervis, Wisdom, Davis (Assad and Wes could also be valuable trade pieces, especially if the team plans on signing a free-agent starter).
It will be an interesting off-season. It will be even more interesting as we get into the 2024 season, as the organization will have a number of prospects who may be ready for the Majors who have yet to make their debut (Brown, Alcantara, Caissie, even Horton and Shaw).
The Kyle Hendricks decision looms. Personally I don't see any reason why the Cubs would not bring him back. He had some of the best numbers he's had this year, and every year we see the importance of pitching depth.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2023/10/06/kyle-hendricks-decision/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2023/10/06/kyle-hendricks-decision/
I’m starting to think they will decline the option, but sign him to a 2-yr deal for less AAV but more total money than his option 2/$20M or something like that and then he’ll retire as a Cub.
I’ll be surprised if they non-tender Roberts. Unless I missed some recent setbacks, it seems he’s been progressing well in his rehab and should be able to pitch in 2024. I don’t see them carrying him through TJ and then non-tendering him as he comes back. Agree with the rest, though Tauchman will largely depend on whether the Cubs plan on having him as the 4th OF. I’d also add Michael Rucker to the non-tender list (though if he’s not, you’re right he’s trade potential…I just don’t see him surviving the cut). Watch for the Cubs to sit at 38-39 on the 40-man for much of the offseason. They want spots to pounce on guys like Merryweather who get tossed on waivers by other teams.
I think I read that sometime in January we will kind of know what the spring roster will look like.
Is that accurate? Does the spring roster represent the opening day roster?
Is that accurate? Does the spring roster represent the opening day roster?
Mostly. You'll know who the Cubs parted ways with, and who they kept of their own FAs. For the most part. Bellinger just switched agents to Scott Boras, which probably means a protracted process for him. Boras has a history of holding his guys out until into ST. It in general seems to generate big contracts, but not necessarily the best options for the player. With guys like Pete Alonso and Juan Soto appearing to be available, I don't think the Cubs will dither until mid February with Boras over Bellinger.
It sort of depends on the market - last year most of Boras’s big guys were signed before Christmas, but you’re right, the prior few years, the bigger contracts ran longer.
Agree with the rest - we’ll have a pretty good idea who they’ve signed (or who they’re still in on) and who they’ve moved on from. They’ll have a slew of minor league/camp invite deals and we’ll have an idea which kids are getting ML camp invites.
It's going to be fascinating to see what happens with SO. Does a team go all in and roll the dice that he returns at some point as a two way player? The Angels are a freaking mess right now and he seems to be determined to move on, so does he sign a 1-2 year deal, then bet on himself again?
My gut says Shohei will just sign a massive deal. If he never pitches again (I think he will), he’s a massive left handed power bat in his prime who is really athletic and can surely rehab to the point where he can be an OF or 1B. That there, combined with his marketability in Japan and general global fame is probably a deal north of $350M, maybe $400M. Add in the pitching potential and he’s still going to get a shit ton.
If he does bet on himself, it won’t be a 1-year deal or maybe even a 2. I’d think a 4 or 5 year deal with an opt out at 3. Rehab and DH in year 1, get back on the mound in year 2. Show full health in year 3 and hit FA again for a smaller fortune.
I won't post every rumor, but the Cubs have been linked to Tyler Glasnow, and the Rays are surely going to move him. He's guaranteed $25 million in 2024. I'll pass, unless it's a reasonable package. Any team taking on that much payroll for a 1 year deal shouldn't overpay. Glasnow came on strong at the end of the season, but his overall innings don't suggest he can bump to 180-200+ innings. I am not interested in giving up a crown jewel of the farm system for a rental. Now, Theo probably held on too long to a lot of his players, but Jed needs to be judicious.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...snow-seems-likely-to-be-in-trade-discussions/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...snow-seems-likely-to-be-in-trade-discussions/
I wonder if the Rays would deal him for multiple guys not on the 40-man. They’re always up against a 40-man crunch with the number of young players they keep. Beyond that, I agree - not interested in an overpay for a rental (that goes for Soto & Alonso as well, though they’re obviously more valuable than Glasnow right off the bat.
If the team can get Heuer and Roberts to clear waivers, it makes sense to outright them to Iowa to make room on the 40-man throughout the off-season (I don't think either of them are eligible to choose free agency in that situation). They are then back to minor league contracts until they're ready to return. Pretty much the same thing they did with Wieck. If they don't clear waivers, then yeah, I'd imagine the team would hold onto them, especially Roberts.
With Heuer, I think that’s what will happen. Haven’t heard a specific ETA, but his most recent injury was pretty significant and he may not pitch for a chunk of 2024. He’s probably likely to clear, a la Wieck. Not so sure about Roberts. I think he’s in pretty good position to be ready to go by spring training, so there’s a much higher likelihood someone takes a shot at him with a waiver claim.
You are correct, though, if they do clear waivers they can’t move to free agency and would have to take an assignment to Iowa.
BN’s all system team. Not exactly scientific, but it is interesting. If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m a huge Moises Ballesteros fan, and he clocks in as the top catcher. He split time at 1B this season. The bat could be special. He has great contact skills, plate coverage, and the ability to go the other way. Pablo Alliendo is honorable mention. I’d be tremendously pleased if either replicates success at AA next year.
Luis Vazquez was a glove only guy at SS who added 20 lbs of muscle and blossomed at the plate in AAA this year. Potential breakout Jefferson Rojas is right behind him. Triantos is another very intriguing young guy at 2B with phenomenal contact skills.
www.bleachernation.com
Luis Vazquez was a glove only guy at SS who added 20 lbs of muscle and blossomed at the plate in AAA this year. Potential breakout Jefferson Rojas is right behind him. Triantos is another very intriguing young guy at 2B with phenomenal contact skills.
The 2023 BN Cubs All-System Team - Bleacher Nation
The top Chicago Cubs minor league performances this season from each spot.
www.bleachernation.com
Picking up Hendricks option is in no-brainer. At $16M, that’s #4 SP money.
