Chicago Cubs Offseason

[Johnny Sleeper]

Tigers are listening to offers on Scherzer and Porcello. They could trade one of them during the GM meetings this week.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Tigers are listening to offers on Scherzer and Porcello. They could trade one of them during the GM meetings this week.

I don't see us being a player in these talks.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

I do agree with that. I also do not think they move Scherzer unless they get a crazy offer. I think they will move Porcello to try to add some pieces to their farm, because if they do not have players to promote next year they are going to have a hard time re-signing Scherzer and replacing V-Mart and Torri Hunter after this season. It also increases the options on the trade market for pitching.

The pitching market this off-season is interesting. The best options, outside of Tanaka, are going to be hard through trade. Price, Samardzija and Porcello would all be the top starting pitcher FA if they were on the open market. So I can see teams trying to pursue the trade route before settling on long-term commitments to Garza, Ubaldo, etc.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I do think we're going to be a player for Price.

I also think we're going to take a shot at signing Ellsbury.

If we do make these two moves, this team could be much improved from a year ago. Depending on the development of Rizzo and Castro of course.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

I don't see them touching Ellsbury. He's going to get 6-8 years and $150M+. On top of that he will cost a draft pick. Theo has said repeatedly that they do not want to give up draft picks at this point of the process. I expect them to swing for Tanaka and if they miss then they will look at other pitching options. The only way the add Price is if they trade Samardzija, and probably Castro, to off-set the prospect cost.

They are not going to give up a package like Baez, Almora, Vogelbach and Pierce Johnson for Price unless they are replacing some of those pieces through other trades. I didn't realize Porcello was only 24, but with that being the case I could see them making an offer on him. Something like Vogelbach and Pierce Johnson for Porcello seems much more realistic then the type of package that would be required for Price. They could also trade for Porcello to drive up the demand on Samardzija by limiting the trade options for other teams and giving them a proven replacement for Samardzija while pitching prospects develop.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Let's keep in mind that Ellsbury is a Theo guy. So I wouldn't be shocked what so ever if we make a move on him.

As for Porcello, I wouldn't mind giving up a package that included Vogelbach, Johnson and Alcantara or something similar to that. As I've said before, guys I absolutely do not want to trade are Bryant, Baez, Almora and Edwards.

I could still see Samardzija being moved for a package of prospects, which will then be customized with a package of our own and sent away for Price.

 

[anotheridiot]

Let's keep in mind that Ellsbury is a Theo guy. So I wouldn't be shocked what so ever if we make a move on him.

As for Porcello, I wouldn't mind giving up a package that included Vogelbach, Johnson and Alcantara or something similar to that. As I've said before, guys I absolutely do not want to trade are Bryant, Baez, Almora and Edwards.

I could still see Samardzija being moved for a package of prospects, which will then be customized with a package of our own and sent away for Price.

I am thinking Scherzer might be a three way trade, so if we can move shark to another team and take those prospects with Vogelbomb and Alcantara it might happen. Detroit seems to like limited mobility first basemen.

I wouldnt rule out the Dodgers getting in on Scherzer though, especially if they dangle Puig. The talent is there for Puig, the leash is not, even moreso in LA.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

I really can't see the Tigers trading Scherzer. They have a narrowing window to win the World Series and Scherzer is much better then anyone else they would replace him with. Verlander, Fielder, Miggy, V-Mart, Hunter, etc are not getting younger, or better, and two of them have contracts expire after this season. Trading Porcello for some quality prospects makes sense as they have some other pitchers that can fill that rotation spot with Smyly who was a solid starter in 2012 and has more years of team control remaining.

There is no chance the Dodgers move Puig. I think the Dodgers end up making an insane bid on Tanaka to land him and with a rotation of Kershaw-Grienke-Ryu-Tanaka-random they will have one of it not the best rotation in baseball. The Dodgers are willing to trade Kemp, Eithier or Crawford as it will reduce payroll so they can pursue Cano or Price in addition to Tanaka.

Scherzer could end up being the first player with a qualifying offer the Cubs sign next off-season. This is assuming Baez, Alcantara and Bryant make it up this year and Almora and Soler are knocking on the door. Which is very realistic given where they all project to start the year and their performances so far. There is no way the Cubs get Price without giving up at least one of Baez, Almora or Edwards. Even if they move both Samardzija and Castro for prospect packages they would have a hard time getting the elite prospect that would be required to trade for Price. Keep in mind the last two pitchers the Rays traded. Garza brought in a top 25 prospect at the time in Archer and Shields brought in a top 5in Myers. There is no way they deal Price without an elite prospect in the deal unless they take Castro as that piece I don't see any way the Cubs can trade for Price without giving up at least one of their elite prospects.

 

[anotheridiot]

Former Cub Mueller candidate to be hitting coach - chicagotribune.com


ORLANDO, Fla. – Former Chicago Cubs third baseman Bill Mueller is a candidate to become the team’s new hitting coach, a major league source confirmed Tuesday.

Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said Monday at the general managers meetings that the team hopes to soon name all of their new coaches under new manager Rick Renteria. He said he expects the hitting coach that will replace James Rowson to come from outside of the organization.

The source also confirmed that minor league instructors Gary Jones of the San Diego Padres and Bruce Fields of the Detroit Tigers are candidates to become base coaches.

Mueller played for 11 seasons in the major leagues, including 173 games with the Cubs from 2001-02. He joined the Boston Red Sox in 2003, when current Cubs President Theo Epstein was in his first season as general manager in Boston. Mueller won the American League batting title that season.

Mueller has worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a special assistant to the general manager and most recently as a scout.

The Chicago Sun-Times first reported that the trio was being considered.


What a concept, an actual batting champion for a hitting coach. Things are looking up already.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I'd love this to get done. I'm not getting excited until we have him.

 

[navamind]

Daniel Bard struggling in Puerto Rican Winter League | HardballTalk

Would love to see Bard bounce back and make it back to the majors, but that's looking more and more unlikely. :-(

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Daniel Bard struggling in Puerto Rican Winter League | HardballTalk

Would love to see Bard bounce back and make it back to the majors, but that's looking more and more unlikely. :-(

Yeah, he's approaching the age of 30, I think his run could be coming to an end.

 

[anotheridiot]

The dollars are flying, Ruiz and Byrd in Philly, 16 million for Marlon Byrd, wow, Tim Hudson goes to the giants. Cubs signed a 34 year old AAA catcher lol.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

The dollars are flying, Ruiz and Byrd in Philly, 16 million for Marlon Byrd, wow, Tim Hudson goes to the giants. Cubs signed a 34 year old AAA catcher lol.

The Ruiz and Byrd signings were terrible. Ryno is going to back in the unemployment line in two years with the roster he is being stuck with. Hudson's ERA has gone up for three straight years and he is coming off a serious injury. $23M for 2 years might end up being around fair market value if he fully recovers and continues his steady decline, but there is no upside to giving that money to a 38 year old who has been clearly declining for years.

I'm waiting to see who ends up with Brian Wilson and some of the other bullpen arms. There are a few lower risk pitchers with upside like Josh Johnson who could be a nice addition. The offense is pretty much in a holding pattern until they get Baez, Bryant, Alcantara, Soler, Lake, Almora, etc sorted out in terms of long-term position and expected productivity. It's the pitching where I expect to see a few solid signings.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Bill Mueller new hitting coach

Chicago Cubs name Bill Mueller, Brandon Hyde, Mike Brumley as coaches - Cubbies Crib - A Chicago Cubs Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Awesome, I love this. Great move

 

[anotheridiot]

Great on the hitting coach. Thought we could upgrade from Bosio though. I guess Wood has a decent year so maybe he did something. McKay is leaving big shoes to fill, especially with the outfielders.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I don't mind Bosio. I think he's done a pretty decent job.

But I agree, McKay will be tough to replace.

 

[anotheridiot]

McCann to the yankees 85 million, incentives bring it up to 100 million. No word on Cano, Granderson, Ellsbury, somehow the Padres got Josh Johnson for 8 million one year deal. Thought he would have been a target for us.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Johnson made a smart play going to the best pitcher's park in baseball to re-establish himself and then get a payday next year. I don't expect to hear anything about Granderson or Ellsbury until the winter meetings. Cano will probably still be a FA in January like a few past big time FAs waiting for a team to panic late in the off-season and overpay. Fielder didn't sign until Jan 25th when he was a FA.

There have been a lot of Samardzija rumblings the past few days. It really looks like he'll end up in Toronto. They have the right pieces to match up well with the Cubs in trade.