Chicago Cubs 2018 Season

[bdutts]

Luhnow just denied that a trade was imminent. So we’re back to nothing happening this offseason.

Not nothing really, but we’re more than a month since the Judge trade and almost that much (2 days shy) since the Osuna trade and there’s been pretty much nothing since.

We’re about 35 days from pitchers and catchers reporting and literally none of the top free agent starting pitchers have signed. The best free agent starter to sign is either Chacin or Chatwood. The best free agent position player to sign is either Cozart or Santana.

It’s like a game a musical chairs where no one is ever stopping the music or removing any chairs.

Astros get Cole. Good for the Cubs in that they won't face him until the WS but IMO, that makes the Astros the favorites, if not prohibitive favorites to repeat. People here are stoked.

 

[IanKEvans2]

Astros get Cole. Good for the Cubs in that they won't face him until the WS but IMO, that makes the Astros the favorites, if not prohibitive favorites to repeat. People here are stoked.

I have fond memories of the Cubs facing Cole in the postseason. Also, my favorite bat flip I can remember.

 

[Shane Walsh]

Was that the ball he put in the river in the wild card game?

 

[champaignchris]

The free agent signing we've all been waiting for finally happened!

That's right!

Brian Duensing re-signs with the Cubs for 2 years at $3.5M a year!

What?

 

[IanKEvans2]

The free agent signing we've all been waiting for finally happened!

That's right!

Brian Duensing re-signs with the Cubs for 2 years at $3.5M a year!

What?

I like it. The bullpen is shaping up. I'm really hopeful for Edwards Jr. to take a big(ger) step forward this year.

 

[IanKEvans2]

Brewers made a big splash yesterday, arguably the biggest of the very slow-paced offseason, adding free agent OF (and former Brewers prospect) and trading for OF Christian Yelich.

How about the Cubs make quick work and sign Yu in order to balance those bats out a little?

 

[champaignchris]

Even with the new additions, fangraphs has the Brewers 17 games behind the Cubs and in 4th place in the division.

The Cubs are going to sign Darvish, but it has very little to do with anything the Brewers have done.

 

[bdutts]

Brewers made a big splash yesterday, arguably the biggest of the very slow-paced offseason, adding free agent OF (and former Brewers prospect) and trading for OF Christian Yelich.

How about the Cubs make quick work and sign Yu in order to balance those bats out a little?

The Brewers everyday lineup is pretty tough. Not sure about their pitching, though.

 

[champaignchris]

The Brewers everyday lineup is pretty tough. Not sure about their pitching, though.

Their infield is putrid offensively. They just got their best two players via trade and are quite likely to trade their third best player for a mediocre to above average starting pitcher (who will immediately become their best starting pitcher) before the season begins.

(If they actually do trade Santana in order to allow for Braun to continue to wander around aimlessly in right field, they'll have nearly undone all the good work they did in acquiring Yelich.)

Think they'll look back on their third place finish in 2018 with fondness when Lorenzo Cain is 35 years old and they still owe him $35M?

They have a very good bullpen, though.

 

[bdutts]

Their infield is putrid offensively. They just got their best two players via trade and are quite likely to trade their third best player for a mediocre to above average starting pitcher (who will immediately become their best starting pitcher) before the season begins.

(If they actually do trade Santana in order to allow for Braun to continue to wander around aimlessly in right field, they'll have nearly undone all the good work they did in acquiring Yelich.)

Think they'll look back on their third place finish in 2018 with fondness when Lorenzo Cain is 35 years old and they still owe him $35M?

They have a very good bullpen, though.

Certainly, Shaw and Thames aren't putrid. Their infield doesn't have a high BA but their OPB is good and their OPS is good as well. I don't think they are favorites to beat the Cubs but certainly, second place and perhaps a wild card is possible if they get their starting pitching in line.

 

[bdutts]

interesting that a few agents came out yesterday, talking or at least hinting of collusion. Hard to prove for sure. Could it be that teams are trying to save money for next year?

 

[Illinoise]

interesting that a few agents came out yesterday, talking or at least hinting of collusion. Hard to prove for sure. Could it be that teams are trying to save money for next year?

There is definitely some of that. There is also a growing trend to not be one of the teams stuck in the middle. Not good enough to wins World Series but not bad enough to get potential impact talent in the draft. If you want to get really bad there is no reason to pay a middling starting pitcher $12 million when you can just run out cheap players. The tide may turn when attendance falls through the floor with the teams attempting this strategy. The Cubs were able to do it and keep attendance up. Miami on the other hand is going to be playing in an empty stadium for a few years I would guess.

 

[Illiniaaron]

To hop on what Illinoise posted the paradigm is changing in baseball. The cubs and astros have proven that the "tank" plan can be executed and done well. It seems like a decent percentage of the league is adopting the strategy. And there has just been no upside to paying players like Albert Pujols a gazillion dollars to ease into the sunset while your team doesn't contend for anything. The days of paying older players huge cash for past performance is pretty much over.

 

[IanKEvans2]

Yu!

 

[champaignchris]

Darvish at $21M per year for 6 years is ridiculously cheap. Predictions at the beginning of the season had him at close to $30M a year for six years. The Cubs are basically getting the sixth year for free.

There are opt outs, too. The Cubs are going to be below the luxury tax this year and have plenty of financial flexibility for next off season. (Harper.)

Theo is a boss.

 

[champaignchris]

Question now is whether the dam breaks. Will all the other free agents start signing or does this stay at a slow trickle?

 

[bdutts]

Question now is whether the dam breaks. Will all the other free agents start signing or does this stay at a slow trickle?

Probably since camps are opening next week.



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[bdutts]

Darvish at $21M per year for 6 years is ridiculously cheap. Predictions at the beginning of the season had him at close to $30M a year for six years. The Cubs are basically getting the sixth year for free.

There are opt outs, too. The Cubs are going to be below the luxury tax this year and have plenty of financial flexibility for next off season. (Harper.)

Theo is a boss.

Great deal. I couldn’t see giving that deal to Arrieta.



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[IanKEvans2]

Barring any drastic last-minute moves, the Cubs' opening day roster may look a little something like the this. With the rotation and position players appearing to be relatively stable (bordering on locks), the notable roster spot battles to look for in spring training seem to be for the final one or two RP spots and for the backup catcher position.

I am very excited for baseball to pick back up again!

Starting Pitchers:
1. Lester, LHP
2. Hendricks, RHP
3. Quintana, LHP
4. Darvish, RHP
5. Chatwood, RHP

Relief Pitchers:
6. Montgomery, LHP
7. Morrow, RHP
8. Strop, RHP
9. Edwards, Jr., RHP
10. Duensing, LHP
11. Cishek, RHP
12. Wilson, LHP
13. Grimm, RHP

Catchers:
14. Contreras, R
15. Gimenez, R

Infielders:
16. Baez, R
17. Bryant, R
18. Rizzo, L
19. Russell, R
20. La Stella, L

Outfielders:
21. Schwarber, L
22. Happ, S
23. Almora, Jr., R
24. Heyward, L
25. Zobrist, S

 

[South Farms]

so its open competition for the 9th inning 1-2-3 shutdown guy?


I agree with all other guys on there, per what I have been reading. I think the 2nd catcher spot is likely Gimenez, and Caratini might be odd man out with Darvish on the team now. Cant see Vic getting a spot unless he just tears it up in the Cactus league

 

[IanKEvans2]

so its open competition for the 9th inning 1-2-3 shutdown guy?


I agree with all other guys on there, per what I have been reading. I think the 2nd catcher spot is likely Gimenez, and Caratini might be odd man out with Darvish on the team now. Cant see Vic getting a spot unless he just tears it up in the Cactus league

I think the closer spot is Morrow's spot to lose, but it's not too difficult for me to see Edwards, Jr. making a big leap going forward. His stuff is so electric.

Your analysis on the Gimenez/Caratini analysis is likely spot-on, and seeing Caratini getting a full year AAA will be a positive for his development.

I'm always interested in the under-the-radar players that force themselves into at-worst a tough roster decision. My [hopeful] prediction for that player this season is Dillon Maples in the bullpen race.

 

[champaignchris]

Caratini might be more valuable to the Cubs as a mid-season trade chip than a future back up catcher. Both he and the team are probably better off letting him tear up AAA than having him sit on the bench 6 days of the week.

I think the only 25-man roster spot that may be up for grabs (barring injury, of course) is that last bullpen spot. It's Grimm's for the time being, but I think the Cubs are going to give Dillon Maples every chance in the world to beat him out in Spring training. Dario Alvarez will also be lurking for that last spot. The deeper bullpen means that if Grimm sucks out loud again, he'll be out of job quick.

(Grimm is so frustrating. With that fast ball/curve ball combo, he should be absolutely devastating out of the pen, and yet he goes stretches where he looks like he has no idea at all how to use those pitches to get anyone out.)

If Justin Wilson can be the Justin Wilson of any point of his career other than the 24 games he pitched for the Cubs last year, that pen will be deep and strong. I do wonder about Wilson, though. That was some borderline Rick Ankiel stuff going on with him after he came over from the Tigers. There's no reason to think he's forever broken, but we've yet to see him pitch well in a Cubs uniform.

I like Eddie Butler and Alec Mills as the 7th and 8th starters in the system. With Tseng and Alzolay knocking on the door, the organization's starting pitching depth is far, far deeper than it was just 9 months ago.

 

[bdutts]

Barring any drastic last-minute moves, the Cubs' opening day roster may look a little something like the this. With the rotation and position players appearing to be relatively stable (bordering on locks), the notable roster spot battles to look for in spring training seem to be for the final one or two RP spots and for the backup catcher position.

I am very excited for baseball to pick back up again!

Starting Pitchers:
1. Lester, LHP
2. Hendricks, RHP
3. Quintana, LHP
4. Darvish, RHP
5. Chatwood, RHP

Relief Pitchers:
6. Montgomery, LHP
7. Morrow, RHP
8. Strop, RHP
9. Edwards, Jr., RHP
10. Duensing, LHP
11. Cishek, RHP
12. Wilson, LHP
13. Grimm, RHP

Catchers:
14. Contreras, R
15. Gimenez, R

Infielders:
16. Baez, R
17. Bryant, R
18. Rizzo, L
19. Russell, R
20. La Stella, L

Outfielders:
21. Schwarber, L
22. Happ, S
23. Almora, Jr., R
24. Heyward, L
25. Zobrist, S

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Montgomery traded to someone like Baltimore for another bullpen arm since he has a desire to be a full time starter.


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[bobbob]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Montgomery traded to someone like Baltimore for another bullpen arm since he has a desire to be a full time starter.


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I think he's clarified his statements as to he wants to be fulltime SP or fulltime RP, that bouncing back and forth was too taxing.

But yeah, I would expect that talks are being had at the moment about him with various teams. I don't think we can use him to his full value as the roster currently is.

Right now, I see Wilson as the biggest question mark on the team. If he returns to form, that is a tough staff.

 

[illinifaninwi]

I think he's clarified his statements as to he wants to be fulltime SP or fulltime RP, that bouncing back and forth was too taxing.

But yeah, I would expect that talks are being had at the moment about him with various teams. I don't think we can use him to his full value as the roster currently is.

Right now, I see Wilson as the biggest question mark on the team. If he returns to form, that is a tough staff.

That's a very good roster but uninspiring relief corps. I'd expect the Cubs to make a big addition near the deadline.