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#Post#: 199094--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: brjones
Date: October 30, 2014, 10:12 am
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Heyward is an elite defender in RF, so he could probably handle
center. I know he's filled in from time to time over the last
couple of years because BJ Upton has been so bad. Although the
best alignment would probably be to move Soler to LF, keep
Heyward in RF, and play Alcantara in CF.
#Post#: 199096--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: Reb
Date: October 30, 2014, 10:27 am
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By the way, the only reason Heyward is a pending post-2015 FA is
that Braves did not do the Kris Bryant Needs Two More Weeks Of
AAA Seasoning Approach.
Heyward was on opening day 2010 Braves roster. Remember the 1st
inning 3-run homer off Z to open the season? Big hit but maybe
they'd now prefer an extra year of control?
#Post#: 199098--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: Reb
Date: October 30, 2014, 10:41 am
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--- Quote from: craig link ---
>
>
> Alcantara, Almora, Pierce Johnson, Underwood, McKinney, I
wouldn't think guys like that would be off the table, depending
on the player.
>
--- End Quote ---
Let's assume, for sake of discussion, you could acquire Heyward
for (a) Alcantara plus one more guy from Craig's list above or,
alternatively, (b) for any two of the above, and in both
alternatives, without any strong likelihood of extending Heyward
pre-trade but with the advantage of incumbency to re-sign him
during the 2015 season, is that a move you would support this
off-season?
#Post#: 199099--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: Playtwo
Date: October 30, 2014, 10:45 am
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No
#Post#: 199101--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: October 30, 2014, 10:46 am
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In Wrigley with a decent LF and RF I think he could play a
passable CF. If he regains his power he could be special.
#Post#: 199102--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: brjones
Date: October 30, 2014, 10:54 am
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One thing about Heyward--the narrative about the Braves'
collapse this season has been that they didn't have any veteran
leadership. But the Cubs' front office has been clear that they
want leadership from veteran players they acquire this
offseason. So that may be one box that Heyward doesn't check.
#Post#: 199103--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: davep
Date: October 30, 2014, 11:01 am
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--- Quote from: Reb link ---
>
> An established contender may do that, sure.
>
> So, back to my original question: cubs now in nowacrat mode?
>
> Interesting that some here think that.
>
--- End Quote ---
Like almost everything in the world, there is a spectrum between
the two, rather than an either/or choice.
The Cubs clearly should be, and are, further up the spectrum
away from buildican and closer to nowacrat. But there are still
conflicting priorities. When Epstein talked about free agent
pitchers, he used the time frame of 15 months, which would
indicate that this winter will not be an all-out nowacrat
effort.
What are the practical differences? I think that this winter
the Cubs will try to be more aggressive in signing free agents
than they were in the past, but will limit their efforts to what
they feel are "reasonable" bids. If they were in a pure
nowacrat mode, they would probably be willing to "overbid". A
hypothetical example of the difference. Last year, the Cubs, in
a mostly buildican year, bid 7 year, 140 million for Tanaka. If
he were coming out this year (age, health and marketsbeing
equal), they might bid 8 year, 200 million for him. Next
winter, if the prospects all have excellent years, their bid
might be an 8 year, 240 million one.
I don't think the Cubs are at the point yet where they would be
willing to trade a core player (Castro, Rizzo, Baez, Bryant,
Soler, Russell, Arrieta or Almora or whoever I forgot) unless
the offer was overwhelming.
#Post#: 199104--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: Reb
Date: October 30, 2014, 11:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
>
> In Wrigley with a decent LF and RF I think he could play a
passable CF. If he regains his power he could be special.
>
--- End Quote ---
Don't support the idea of trading for Heyward as a CFer.
First, i don't want a "passable" defensive guy in CF. We have
seen this post-season, especially KC, the huge value of plus CF
defense. This is why I think Almora development is a crucial
part of the rebuild. Also why don't support Alcantara as a
CFer---another maybe passable CFer. Need a guy who commands the
OF in CF.
Second, assuming Heyward has an excellent 2015 (that's the hope,
right?), he becomes a $20 per season FA. Seems debateable at
best whether Cubs should commit that kind of money to a position
player playing out of position (because Soler is in RF), or
maybe irrespective of position. Can you sign two major FA
starting pitchers in next 15 months with that kind of commitment
to Heyward?
#Post#: 199105--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: Reb
Date: October 30, 2014, 11:24 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: davep link ---
>
> Like almost everything in the world, there is a spectrum
between the two, rather than an either/or choice.
>
> The Cubs clearly should be, and are, further up the spectrum
away from buildican and closer to nowacrat. But there are still
conflicting priorities. When Epstein talked about free agent
pitchers, he used the time frame of 15 months, which would
indicate that this winter will not be an all-out nowacrat
effort.
>
> What are the practical differences? I think that this winter
the Cubs will try to be more aggressive in signing free agents
than they were in the past, but will limit their efforts to what
they feel are "reasonable" bids........
>
>
>
--- End Quote ---
That's fine and I think we all know that Cubs probably intend to
proceed in a reasonable manner.
Far more interesting (for me anyway) is a discussion about
specific circumstances as to whether Cubs will and should treat
the 2015 season as a contending year (as Theo basically said
already), aside from the obvious priority of long-term goals.
Hence, the Heyward discussion brought up by BR and CBJ. Think
that discussion gets to the nub of the Nowacrat notion for 2015.
Let's assume Cubs intend to act reasonably and get that out of
the way and that Cubs won't look to trade the very top-core
guys, but what about Theo and the contending 2015 club? Don't
get very far here without mulling over specifics, I think.
#Post#: 199106--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
DIR By: DelMarFan
Date: October 30, 2014, 11:36 am
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--- Quote ---
> is that a move you would support this off-season?
--- End Quote ---
I would think pretty hard about it. I wouldn't want to include
Almora, though.
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