URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Bleacher Bums Forum
  HTML https://bbf.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Archives
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 329909--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: brjones
       Date: November 7, 2017, 3:52 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: craig link ---
       >
       > Yeah, good points.  Is there a FA leadoff guy available?  If
       so, I haven't been thinking of him.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       I think the closest thing to a leadoff guy on the market is
       Lorenzo Cain.  He wouldn't be bad--he hit .300/.363/.440 in
       2017--but I'm not sure he's going to be worth what he's going to
       get paid in his 32-35 year old seasons.  Still, he wouldn't be
       the worst fit.
       I'm going to keep beating the Yelich drum until the roster is
       settled.  He's been a consistent 4.5 fWAR guy over the past 4
       years--he's more of an impact guy than people realize.  The
       Marlins are publicly stating they're not going to trade
       him...but I think that's a negotiating ploy.  If they're dealing
       Stanton, it's hard to believe they'd hold anyone on the team
       back if they got players that they wanted.
       --- Quote from: craig link ---
       >
       > I know Cubs have pitching problems.  But I'm a huge believer
       that a consistent, high-scoring offense can cover up a multitude
       of sins.  And I think it actually can make pitchers better.
       Pitching with a lead, or with the expectation that team will
       come back and score runs even if you give up a solo-HR, would
       seem to have a freeing influence, and allow guys to throw more
       strikes rather than needing to nibble so much.  Which seemed to
       be very much the Lester/Q/Montgomery/Arrieta approach as
       starters, and the Bosio/Contreras approach with the bullpen guys
       as well.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       I agree with this.  Plus, I'm not convinced the Cubs' pitching
       problems are as bad as they're being made out to be.  I think
       people are judging the loss of Arrieta, Lackey, and Davis in
       terms of their reputations, not their actual performance.  Those
       three guys combined for a total of 4 fWAR this year--upgrading
       over that is not hard.  They're going to make up more than half
       of that WAR just by having Quintana on the roster all year.  Add
       Cobb, a 5th starter who can eat 150+ innings with a 4.00ish ERA,
       and two of the second tier relievers (Reed, Shaw, McGee, Morrow,
       Minor, Swarzak, or Nicasio), and the 2018 pitching staff is
       likely significantly better than the 2017 version.
       #Post#: 329910--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: DelMarFan
       Date: November 7, 2017, 3:53 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Does Heyward have a no-trade?  Zobrist and at least one more do,
       as I recall.
       #Post#: 329912--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: brjones
       Date: November 7, 2017, 3:56 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Yeah, Heyward has a no trade.
       So does Melancon.  So does Samardzija, though his is limited to
       22 teams (and the Cubs weren't one of the restricted teams at
       midseason).
       #Post#: 329918--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: JeffH
       Date: November 7, 2017, 4:07 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Given what you know about them so far, would you offer any of
       the non-Bryant young Cubs the Anthony Rizzo contract this
       offseason?  How about if you had to bump the 2020-and-beyond
       values by $2-3 million per?
       18:$0.75M, 19:$1.25M, 20:$5M, 21:$5M, 22:$7M, 23:$7M, 24:$11M,
       25:$14.5M club option (or $2M buyout), 26:$14.5M club option (or
       $2M buyout)
       #Post#: 329920--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: davep
       Date: November 7, 2017, 4:14 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I would offer that contract to Russell, Baez and Contreras.  I
       would seriously consider offering it to Happ, and I wouldn't
       totally rule it out for Schwarber, depending upon the views of
       the scouting department and medical doctors.
       #Post#: 329921--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Playtwo
       Date: November 7, 2017, 4:14 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The Giants have serious OF problems, and Heyward would be a real
       asset for them defensively.  Samardzija would be a nice fit for
       the Cubs.  Not sure how to make a trade work, though, even
       forgetting about the no trade clause.
       #Post#: 329926--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: JeffH
       Date: November 7, 2017, 4:29 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       How about if you had to take Cueto instead of Samardzija?
       #Post#: 329927--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: CUBluejays
       Date: November 7, 2017, 5:11 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Samardzija over Cueto.
       
       The Cubs pay money and tell Heyward he's a great guy and it
       didn't work out.  If he stays with the Cubs he'll be Zobrist and
       Almora's back up.
       #Post#: 329929--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: brjones
       Date: November 7, 2017, 5:29 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
       >
       > If he stays with the Cubs he'll be Zobrist and Almora's back
       up.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Similarly, Sam Dyson was really effective for the Giants last
       year outside of his last two games in September.  If the Giants
       told Melancon he had to win the closer's job back, he might be
       more willing to move on.
       #Post#: 329930--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Chris27
       Date: November 7, 2017, 5:35 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Think that's a pretty fair trade considering the loss of
       Heyward's defense would be pretty stark depending on his
       replacement. Only real problem with Samardzija--and it's not a
       small one--is he allows a lot of home runs despite his home
       games in AT&T park.
       Heyward's owed 12M more over the three years Samardzija has
       left, but the Cubs would be out from under the last 65M of
       Heyward's deal.
       *****************************************************
       Page 24 of 424
   DIR Previous Page
   DIR Next Page