Chicago Cubs 2021 season

#328      
Please hurry Brailyn !!!! I can't take this guy anymore. Is he in the mix for the all-time best Cub free agent signing ?

Williams is only in his second arbitration season and is actually making less this year than he was in his first arbitration year with the Pirates. As he’s basically a free player, I don’t think expectations should have been all that high for him.

It is frustrating seeing what someone like DeSciafini is doing with the Giants and knowing the Cubs could have spent just a bit more and gotten an actual MLB quality starter instead.
 
#329      
Williams is only in his second arbitration season and is actually making less this year than he was in his first arbitration year with the Pirates. As he’s basically a free player, I don’t think expectations should have been all that high for him.

It is frustrating seeing what someone like DeSciafini is doing with the Giants and knowing the Cubs could have spent just a bit more and gotten an actual MLB quality starter instead.
As a maybe tangentially-related aside, Tyler Chatwood is looking great out of the bullpen in Toronto.
 
#331      

KBLEE

Montgomery, IL
It's always nice when you can beat the Cards and the umps. The home plate ump was bad in general, but it seemed like the Cards were getting the benefit of his bad strike zone much more than the Cubs. And, luckily the play at 3rd didn't cost them where the guy was called safe even though he was out twice (force and tag).
 
#332      
It's always nice when you can beat the Cards and the umps. The home plate ump was bad in general, but it seemed like the Cards were getting the benefit of his bad strike zone much more than the Cubs. And, luckily the play at 3rd didn't cost them where the guy was called safe even though he was out twice (force and tag).
He was at the lowest correct call % of any umpire all season when Ross was ejected, 83.3%. Ended up at 85%, the 6th worst of the season thus far. Umpired Scorecards will release them sometime today, so we will see just how many calls the Cardinals got in their favor. Heard Wainwright had 31 called strikes last night, the most of any starter this season.
 
#333      
If the Cubs hadn’t made the Yu Darvish cash dump, they’d pretty easily be the best team in their division.

I’ll be curious to see if the increased capacity allowances will change the ownership’s stance on payroll. Cubs would likely be able to get some talent without giving up much in the way of prospects if they were willing to take on some contracts, something they haven’t been able to do these last few years as they were up against the luxury tax. They are currently about $65 Million lower in payroll than the last non-COVID season and about $55 Million under the luxury tax.
 
#334      
If the Cubs hadn’t made the Yu Darvish cash dump, they’d pretty easily be the best team in their division.

I’ll be curious to see if the increased capacity allowances will change the ownership’s stance on payroll. Cubs would likely be able to get some talent without giving up much in the way of prospects if they were willing to take on some contracts, something they haven’t been able to do these last few years as they were up against the luxury tax. They are currently about $65 Million lower in payroll than the last non-COVID season and about $55 Million under the luxury tax.
Hard to see them ready to add back a bunch of payroll 5 months after a clearly salary motivated trade of Darvish. I am expecting deals that add to the system not subtract.
 
#335      
Hard to see them ready to add back a bunch of payroll 5 months after a clearly salary motivated trade of Darvish. I am expecting deals that add to the system not subtract.
Ricketts', like many others, may not have known what 2021 would bring in terms of corona virus. Let's hope the budget has changed with opening stadiums to more and more people. I'm guessing we try and flip a few bullpen arms for a quality 3 or 4 starter and see where that takes us (assuming we keep winning with the arms we have). Hendricks and Davies have been stellar so far in May.
 
#336      
If the Cubs hadn’t made the Yu Darvish cash dump, they’d pretty easily be the best team in their division.

I’ll be curious to see if the increased capacity allowances will change the ownership’s stance on payroll. Cubs would likely be able to get some talent without giving up much in the way of prospects if they were willing to take on some contracts, something they haven’t been able to do these last few years as they were up against the luxury tax. They are currently about $65 Million lower in payroll than the last non-COVID season and about $55 Million under the luxury tax.
I assume most of that will be earmarked to retain 2 of the Rizzo, Bryant, Baez core.
 
#338      
The price tag on Baez and Bryant is starting to inch passed the 300 mil mark, can't imagine we hang on to both.
we wont, pretty sure they will trade/let go of Bryant in late July or at end of season .
personally .

I like all three guys, but its bad optics to keep / re-sign Rizzo and Bryant and not Baez.

Of the 3, I actually like Baez the most for reasons beyond his bat and glove.
 
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#340      
If the Cubs hadn’t made the Yu Darvish cash dump, they’d pretty easily be the best team in their division.

I’ll be curious to see if the increased capacity allowances will change the ownership’s stance on payroll. Cubs would likely be able to get some talent without giving up much in the way of prospects if they were willing to take on some contracts, something they haven’t been able to do these last few years as they were up against the luxury tax. They are currently about $65 Million lower in payroll than the last non-COVID season and about $55 Million under the luxury tax.
WRONG!!!!!! He can never stay healthy nor finish a season without wearing out. He is in a pitchers park which will help his numbers. He was not worth 22 million and if we would have played a full season last year, he would have broken down. Shoot, he was breaking down in Sept last season and he barely pitched a third of a season. I was glad we dumped him. I went to a lot of Rangers games when I lived in Dallas and Darvish was just an average pitcher. BTW, we had one for the oldest staffs last season so moving Q, Lester, Darvish got us back to the average range. I believe we are better off with this staff than staying with last years.
 
#341      
we wont, pretty sure they will trade/let go of Bryant in late July or at end of season .
personally .

I like all three guys, but its bad optics to keep / re-sign Rizzo and Bryant and not Baez.

Of the 3, I actually like Baez the most for reasons beyond his bat and glove.
We will not trade Bryant this year. I expect a trade in the offseason unless someone gives us a Mark Texiera haul in July. If we can get a legitimate major league ready 3rd baseman, a major league ready starter and two high prospects, I will listen but anything less than that, no deal
 
#342      
WRONG!!!!!! He can never stay healthy nor finish a season without wearing out. He is in a pitchers park which will help his numbers. He was not worth 22 million and if we would have played a full season last year, he would have broken down. Shoot, he was breaking down in Sept last season and he barely pitched a third of a season. I was glad we dumped him. I went to a lot of Rangers games when I lived in Dallas and Darvish was just an average pitcher. BTW, we had one for the oldest staffs last season so moving Q, Lester, Darvish got us back to the average range. I believe we are better off with this staff than staying with last years.
Couldn't disagree more with this take. Darvish pitched fantastic in 2019 in the second half of the season, went 180 innings total, which I'd consider a full healthy season. Then over his last two seasons now he's racked up 22 starts with a 1.9 ERA. He's the best strikeout starter in the history of baseball. He's worth something closer to 40 mil than 20 mil. Also he had a 2.7 ERA in September last season, I guess that's considered breaking down when you've been absolutely unhittable for the rest of the season.
 
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#343      
We will not trade Bryant this year. I expect a trade in the offseason unless someone gives us a Mark Texiera haul in July. If we can get a legitimate major league ready 3rd baseman, a major league ready starter and two high prospects, I will listen but anything less than that, no deal
How do you expect to get that much midseason for a guy on the last year of his contract? They would be lucky to get ONE of those things that you mentioned unless the other team was just trying to dump salary.

Also, who are you referring to trading in the offseason? You can't trade free agents.
 
#344      
How do you expect to get that much midseason for a guy on the last year of his contract? They would be lucky to get ONE of those things that you mentioned unless the other team was just trying to dump salary.

Also, who are you referring to trading in the offseason? You can't trade free agents.

Right on both counts. Bryant would likely get you something on the order of what the Orioles got in the Machado trade, which was basically, a top 100 prospect, two more prospects in the lower half of the system’s top 10, and then a couple other fringe prospects.
 
#345      
Couldn't disagree more with this take. Darvish pitched fantastic in 2019 in the second half of the season, went 180 innings total, which I'd consider a full healthy season. Then over his last two seasons now he's racked up 22 starts with a 1.9 ERA. He's the best strikeout starter in the history of baseball. He's worth something closer to 40 mil than 20 mil. Also he had a 2.7 ERA in September last season, I guess that's considered breaking down when you've been absolutely unhittable for the rest of the season.

Yu Darvish’s last 35 starts:

17-8, 219.1 innings, 2.22 ERA, 285 Ks, 34 BBs. No starts missed due to injury.
 
#346      
Of the 3, I actually like Baez the most for reasons beyond his bat and glove.

Javy is a fun, charismatic player. But signing him to a long term contract would scare the living crap out of me. His play is so volatile.

His immense physical talent is the only thing that allows him to keep up the batting average and power numbers he’s posting now. He makes contact so seldom, but when he does something amazing usually happens. When his physical talents start to erode with age, there’s a huge chance that his results are going to crater unless he changes his approach.

With Hoerner already in the fold, a top tier free agent class of Seager, Correa, and Story, and a second tier including Semian, Galvis and Simmons, I just don’t see giving Baez a huge extension.
 
#347      
Right on both counts. Bryant would likely get you something on the order of what the Orioles got in the Machado trade, which was basically, a top 100 prospect, two more prospects in the lower half of the system’s top 10, and then a couple other fringe prospects.
If the Cubs stay in contention for a playoff spot, which I expect they will, trading Bryant or any of the big names is going to be a difficult sell to the team and fan base. Small deals that don’t cost minor league talent is what I look for.
 
#348      
We will not trade Bryant this year. I expect a trade in the offseason unless someone gives us a Mark Texiera haul in July. If we can get a legitimate major league ready 3rd baseman, a major league ready starter and two high prospects, I will listen but anything less than that, no deal
KB, Rizzo, and Baez will all be FA at the conclusion of the season. The Cubs only options are to a.) trade them mid-season, b.) try to work out an extension during the season, or c.) do nothing and risk them signing somewhere else, giving the Cubs no return on a valuable asset.

C is only an option in theory, as it would be really dumb...

Re-signing all 3 isn't going to happen. Even signing 2 of them will take a tremendous amount of investment and commitment from the front office.
 
#350      
KB, Rizzo, and Baez will all be FA at the conclusion of the season. The Cubs only options are to a.) trade them mid-season, b.) try to work out an extension during the season, or c.) do nothing and risk them signing somewhere else, giving the Cubs no return on a valuable asset.

C is only an option in theory, as it would be really dumb...

Re-signing all 3 isn't going to happen. Even signing 2 of them will take a tremendous amount of investment and commitment from the front office.
Wouldn't a possible return for option C be making the playoffs this season, sounds pretty good to me.