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#Post#: 481170--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: CUBluejays Date: October 11, 2023, 9:04 pm
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The Padres need to cut salary. The Cubs would probably have to
trade Happ or Suzuki to make Soto fit or they’d have to rotate
through DH and Morel doesn’t fit then.
#Post#: 481171--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: Reb Date: October 11, 2023, 9:10 pm
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Where Soto would fit in the lineup would be the least of
concerns.
He would play batter.
The concern is giving up a bundle for a pending free agent
represented by Boras.
Would be fabulous to have Soto. Don’t know how a trade would
work and what happens with him after 2024.
Think the report started with Bruce Levine and seems speculative
more than anything else.
#Post#: 481172--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: brjones Date: October 11, 2023, 9:16 pm
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[quote author=Ron link=topic=628.msg481168#msg481168
date=1697075319]
I keep seeing these claims that the Cubs are interested in
pursuing a trade for Juan Soto. Can someone explain the theory
for this? Where would he fit in the OF - who would play CF? Is
this just BS?
[/quote]
It's wishful thinking, just like Alonso. Hoyer and the Ricketts
family aren't interested in bringing in stars. Hoyer wants to
make moves in his comfort zone, and the Ricketts want to make
money.
#Post#: 481174--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: Deeg Date: October 11, 2023, 9:43 pm
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[quote author=Ron link=topic=628.msg481168#msg481168
date=1697075319]
I keep seeing these claims that the Cubs are interested in
pursuing a trade for Juan Soto. Can someone explain the theory
for this? Where would he fit in the OF - who would play CF? Is
this just BS?
[/quote]
BN particularly is obsessed with trading prospects for rentals
for some reason. Soto is not a guy where you worry about the
fit - you get him, and worry about everybody else fitting. But
is a trade for Soto in the last year of his contract realistic -
or smart? Doesn’t seem likely to me.
#Post#: 481185--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: craig Date: October 12, 2023, 9:33 am
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Interesting that the Cubs are dismissing two (and only two) of
their coaches:
HTML https://theathletic.com/4954429/2023/10/11/cubs-coaching-changes-2024/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&access_token=212065&redirected=1
1. bullpen coach Chris Young, and
2. game-strategy coach Driver.
"Sources indicated that neither Young nor Driver were pushed out
because of poor performance or a specific issue. "
"One thing multiple sources noticed with the young relievers
called up this season was how they didn’t seem to understand how
to best prepare for the daily grind of performing at the highest
level. "
Several thoughts, mostly wildly speculative questions that just
come into my head, I have no idea what the realities actually
are.
1. Wow, the batting coach is coming back!!! Cubs have been
turning over their batting coaches almost every year, but not
this time.
2. I wonder whether Ross drives the dismissals? Or if it's the
front office? Perhaps both in discussion, I assume? But I can
imagine FO faulting game-strategy decisions. "Why are you
bunting so much?" "Why are you having PCA try to steal?" BR
and deeg often faulted game-strategy choices; maybe FO did too,
and thus dismissed Driver?
3. I wonder how in-game decisions are made, between Ross and
Driver? Ross has a million other qualities and
responsibilities. Does he largely entrust in-game decisions to
Driver? Or is he making most of those himself, with input from
Craig? No idea how that works.
4. Is Driver the ambassador from the analytics guys upstairs?
They're doing their computing and passing it down to Driver, and
then Driver is supposed to be telling Ross? Or nothing like
that at all? If so, was he not great at communicating their
analysis to Ross, or forceful enough?
5. Or obviously it might have nothing to do with performance.
A guy might be rude, or drinking too much, or have a temper, or
be losing touch with players or other coaches, or occasionally
showing up late or unprepared. Who knows what kinds of
personality dynamics are involved.
6. Bullpen didn't do well this year. Assad rose through the
bullpen ranks. Adbert rose through the ranks and closed well
for months. So it wasn't exactly all failure there. Obviously
Palencia and Wesneski didn't emerge well.
"One thing multiple sources noticed with the young relievers
called up this season was how they didn’t seem to understand how
to best prepare for the daily grind of performing at the highest
level. "
7. What does that mean? Adbert and Assad didn't understand how
to prepare? Or is this really mostly a dig at Palencia and
maybe Wesneski?
8. In case of Palencia, I think this may speak to the challenge
of their development system. In minors, he started, so was
always on 6 or 7-day rotation schedule with lots of
"not-daily-grind" days in between. Then, minor league relievers
are used on VERY controlled, 3rd or 4th day usage. No minor
leaguers pitch back-to-back nights, and only rarely every other,
unless they're some Iowa vet. So if a guy's been in your system
for years and has never pitched twice in three days, or 3 times
within 5 days, is it surprising that they aren't really
accustomed to a "daily grind"?
9. Not sure Young helped Palencia or Wesneski much.
10. A bullpen coach is supposed to help pitchers with their
pitches. But, I'd think he's supposed to have a relationship
with them and be trusted as a communicator. I wonder if Young
excelled in that relationship/communication/trust department?
If many of the relievers were getting injured and were getting
"gassed", is it possible that he wasn't really a guy they
connected with and trusted well enough to say, "Coach, you know
my arm feels kinda dead. I wonder if I don't need some rest?"
Maybe it's Ross who handles all of that stuff, or a trainer.
But might it not also be somewhat the bullpen coach's roll to be
asking guys how they're feeling? And to somehow kinda know that
Fulmer, Adbert, and Leiter are pushing and over the edge?
#Post#: 481229--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: Ron Date: October 12, 2023, 9:47 pm
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Marquee has a piece on the Cubs' plans for Morel over the winter
and next year. It relies in part on Hoyer's comments about Morel
at his year-end press conference.
HTML https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/how-the-cubs-envision-slotting-christopher-morel-defensively-in-2024/
Hoyer certainly does seem to suggest that the Cubs will try to
work with Morel before next season to get him settled into one
position (other than DH presumably). The article hints that 3B
is the most likely spot, as others here have suggested. I
readily admit that I am not as adept as Reb at interpreting
Hoyereze, but it's hard to imagine what other spot would be
likely given the rest of the roster.
#Post#: 481233--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: Reb Date: October 12, 2023, 10:13 pm
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[quote author=Ron link=topic=628.msg481229#msg481229
date=1697165223]
Hoyer certainly does seem to suggest that the Cubs will try to
work with Morel before next season to get him settled into one
position (other than DH presumably). The article hints that 3B
is the most likely spot, as others here have suggested. I
readily admit that I am not as adept as Reb at interpreting
Hoyereze, but it's hard to imagine what other spot would be
likely given the rest of the roster.[/size]
[/quote]
Here’s my interpretation of Hoyer’s remarks.
One, there is no way in Heck that Hoyer publicly would say that
Morel’s best position is DH. Even if he may be thinking that, he
would never say that.
Two, Hoyer has no clue whatsoever whether Morel can play a
defensive position that fits the Cubs.
Three, Hoyer likes Morel’s bat and would like him to get ABs.
#Post#: 481234--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: craig Date: October 12, 2023, 10:14 pm
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I finally listened to Hoyer press conference. Made some
comments about PCA, from which I inferred PCA won't be assumed
as starting CF.
Talked about Taillon as being a big part of the future rotation.
Was asked about Hendricks. I don't recall the exact wording,
but was very positive about Hendricks' effectiveness, kinda
sounded like he got more from Hendricks than he had expected.
Don't remember the exact wording, but made some reference to
wanting Hendricks back, something to the effect of for this year
but beyond this year too... but also with some reference about
how that would depend on negotiations. I think this has been
suggested elsewhere, but how it sounded to me was that they'd
like extension at reduced price. As it stands, it's $16 with
$1.5 buyout.
Was asked about Stroman, and said almost nothing, that's up to
them. Didn't say anything along the "hope he's back" line, or
anything like that, or any phrasing like with Hendricks hinting
at extension.
#Post#: 481241--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: craig Date: October 12, 2023, 10:34 pm
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Reb, I think your read on Hoyer's Morel comments could be true.
Still, I wonder if the length of time he talked about it hints
it might also be otherwise? Hoyer could have avoided the
question, but instead he kinda belabored some of the defensive
qualities Morel does have, and the importance of trying to focus
on a position, and then he circled back to that single-position
point at the end. The very duration of his answer almost seemed
longer than it should have been if he's just trying to talk
around DH-only status. Heh heh, on the other hand, *IF* they
really did see 3B as good fit, why would that be so "hard", and
why would that require much conversation?
Two other long-shot improbable position possibilities for him:
1. Focus on CF this winter. *IF* PCA starts in Iowa, might
Morel compete with Tauchman for stop-gapping that position until
PCA gets recalled? If the hope is PCA is ready by July, you'd
not need to expect elite defense for some several-months
placeholders?
2. Focus on RF this winter? Even apart from the missed
flyball, Suzuki has been pretty slow and not very good in RF.
Could Morel just focus on RF, and perhaps at some point flip
RF/DH roles with Suzuki?
#Post#: 481244--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in ‘24
By: Reb Date: October 12, 2023, 11:19 pm
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[quote author=craig link=topic=628.msg481241#msg481241
date=1697168094]
….Two other long-shot improbable position possibilities for him:
1. Focus on CF this winter. *IF* PCA starts in Iowa, might
Morel compete with Tauchman for stop-gapping that position until
PCA gets recalled? If the hope is PCA is ready by July, you'd
not need to expect elite defense for some several-months
placeholders?
2. Focus on RF this winter? Even apart from the missed
flyball, Suzuki has been pretty slow and not very good in RF.
Could Morel just focus on RF, and perhaps at some point flip
RF/DH roles with Suzuki?
[/quote]
As to CF, easy to forget that Morel had more starts (50) in CF
in 2022 than any other Cub (Ortega had 47).
He was bad in CF—second worst in majors in OAA with minimum of
100 attempts. With PCA on the way, hard to see Cubs having
Morel work hard to focus on CF. From what I saw of Morel in CF,
don’t think he has CF instincts. Poor jumps.
If Morel is a legit .500 slugging guy and Cubs really want to
find him a position, how about 1B? He’s not 1B prototype guy
and nice to have a lefty bat there, but 1B is about offense.
Think maybe what Hoyer left unsaid is he’ll explore trade
interest in Morel. Bunch of years of control. Maybe can help
bring back a piece everybody would like. Like him as a Cub
asset, but takes value to bring back nice piece.
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