Cubs are still charging major league prices for watching a minor league roster I assume.
Most of the people going to the games probably don’t even know they sold offCubs are still charging major league prices for watching a minor league roster I assume.
Most of the people going to the games probably don’t even know they sold off
So with all the trades does that mean we get the double-shot power of Happ and Heyward every day now?
Like who? This is part of the conundrum. The minors are so bereft of talent that there is no one knocking on the door at the AAA level. That's why journeymen like Wisdom, Ortega, and Alcantara are getting their shot. Davis might be ready next year, but he doesn't even have 50 games at AA under his belt.The Cubs should be doing whatever they can with Happ to get some value back with him. If he needs to play, play him. If he needs to sit, sit him. If he needs to get sent down, do that. He’s cheap. He’s under two more years of team control. He had a career .825 OPS before falling to pieces this season. Anything they can do to get him some positive momentum going into next year would be great.
Heyward should be riding the pine or released. He should be giving up PT to guys who actually might have a future with the team.
I could see it either way. They were favorites to win it all and you gotta capita just on those seasons whenever they happen.That's a really good question. I would tend to think no. Or maybe they make a trade for a "lesser" closer (not sure who that would have been back in 2016) to help them get over the edge and perhaps they'd still have a minor league piece or two that they gave up.
Good thought experiment, though.
Like who? This is part of the conundrum. The minors are so bereft of talent that there is no one knocking on the door at the AAA level. That's why journeymen like Wisdom, Ortega, and Alcantara are getting their shot. Davis might be ready next year, but he doesn't even have 50 games at AA under his belt.
Journeymen are getting a shot because they are bridging the gap instead of rushing guys through.Like who? This is part of the conundrum. The minors are so bereft of talent that there is no one knocking on the door at the AAA level. That's why journeymen like Wisdom, Ortega, and Alcantara are getting their shot. Davis might be ready next year, but he doesn't even have 50 games at AA under his belt.
Next TWO years. The only way they can salary dump him is if they package him with someone we have who is very good or if they assume the salary of someone else who has a crappy contract and sucks.Journeymen are getting a shot because they are bridging the gap instead of rushing guys through.
To your point, I see no reason to bench Heyward. He’s on the team and will be next year unless he has a magical end of the year and we can salary dump him.
I’d rather we not salary dump him if he doesn’t perform better because usually that entails a net loss in prospects.
Say all you want about Heyward’s performance, he is a leader in the clubhouse and the Cubs have a shortage in that department.
The Cubs farm system has a LOT of talent. They don’t have the high-end flashy names, but they have an extremely DEEP farm system. If you ask me, that’s a great approach to rebuilding. More than likely a few or more of the deep farm prospects will become major contributors. Maybe we could even lock up a Keegan Thompson or chase strumpf to a very team friendly deal before they break out. It’s a risk, but may be easier than trying to give a name everyone knows a deal early on - as the chances are lower that nobody in the Cubs top 30 today ends of contributing, than that any 1 individual player is a bust. Play the numbers.
Unless, as I mentioned, his offense comes back for the remainder of the season. Still don’t see it as likely, but a torrid august and September MIGHT be the only thing that could get any value from him.Next TWO years. The only way they can salary dump him is if they package him with someone we have who is very good or if they assume the salary of someone else who has a crappy contract and sucks.
Unless, as I mentioned, his offense comes back for the remainder of the season. Still don’t see it as likely, but a torrid august and September MIGHT be the only thing that could get any value from him.
If he is released, does he still count against the cap? I’m not that familiar with how that works
So are you of the opinion that Heyward provides absolutely no value in terms of leadership/mentorship?The Cubs are projected to be $110 million below the luxury tax next year. There is no way for them to spend enough such that Heyward’s salary has any bearing on the luxury tax one way or the other. However, if released, he will not count against the tax threshold. If released mid-season, his salary would count against the tax on a pro-rated basis.
They are not going to trade away a good chunk of the talent they just picked up just to get rid of Heyward’s salary, and it’s hard to imagine any trade scenario in which the Cubs don’t have to pick up a portion of Heyward’s salary. And keep in mind Heyward can nix any trade because he has 5 and 10 rights.
It will most likely be preferable to both the Cubs and Heyward to simply release him. The Cubs don’t give up any talent and Heyward gets to sign wherever he wants.
So are you of the opinion that Heyward provides absolutely no value in terms of leadership/mentorship?
To be fair - I don’t think we have an every day RFer knocking on the door of the majors for every day at bats. Seems like it would be better to pay him for leadership than pay him to play elsewhereI suggested that he could provide that mentorship about four pages ago. It all comes down to if he’s willing and the Cubs can’t find something more valuable for that roster spot.
$23 mil a year is a lot to pay for leadership. .200 BA with minimal power is unacceptable for a corner outfielder. I don't care how you slice it. His signing ended up being a disaster and will continue to be for another 2 1/2 years.So are you of the opinion that Heyward provides absolutely no value in terms of leadership/mentorship?
Who is he leading/mentoring? Most of these guys are in their late twenties or into their thirties. His WS rain delay speech has been milked for too long.So are you of the opinion that Heyward provides absolutely no value in terms of leadership/mentorship?
I simply asked your opinion…Who is he leading/mentoring? Most of these guys are in their late twenties or into their thirties. His WS rain delay speech has been milked for too long.
I wasn't trying to be snippy, just making an observation. Considering how this team has performed the last few years, how great was the "leadership" anyway? They have to figure out something nice to say about him. They're not going to say "yeah, he stinks."I simply asked your opinion…
I’m not referring to any singular speech. He is a veteran on a roster that will be very young in the second half. The word from inside the clubhouse has always been that he is a great leader in the clubhouse, with or without the speech.
So who should they play instead?I wasn't trying to be snippy, just making an observation. Considering how this team has performed the last few years, how great was the "leadership" anyway? They have to figure out something nice to say about him. They're not going to say "yeah, he stinks."
We won't be competitive until he's gone anyway, eat the salary the next two years and move on. Packaging him in a deal at the deadline would have been a gigantic mistake that I'm glad we didn't make. Let's hope some of these surprises we've had this year, namely Wisdom and Ortega, can continue to play well and be a piece in the future, or traded for pieces next year.$23 mil a year is a lot to pay for leadership. .200 BA with minimal power is unacceptable for a corner outfielder. I don't care how you slice it. His signing ended up being a disaster and will continue to be for another 2 1/2 years.
It doesn't matter this season. If they have a young player they want to look at in right, play him. If not, trot Heyward out there for the last fifty games. He won't be on the team the next time they are competing for anything.So who should they play instead?
You're right, but I wouldn't change a thing. Neither the Sox or Yanks have won a WS with the players we traded. But we won with what the Yanks gave us. I'll take that everyday. I got my WS win, and I only needed one. Any more is icing on the cake!The Cubs gave other teams too good in return. I.e. the yanks and white Sox.