Author Topic: Cubs in '18  (Read 75501 times)

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #345 on: November 13, 2017, 05:46:43 pm »
 Jon Heyman‏Verified account @JonHeyman
4m4 minutes ago

cubs and dodgers are among teams showing interest in zach britton, who's back on the block.

craig

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #346 on: November 13, 2017, 05:48:43 pm »
Patrick Mooney‏Verified account @MooneyNBCS

Source: #Cubs are not projected to pay the luxury tax this year after staying under the $195 million threshold.


Way to go, Mooney and Rogers!  That's good.  For the draft this year in particular, and for the international spending allotment, right?  And the lux tax also has a proliferation factor embedded too, right? 

It actually would have been surprising to go over.  Think HOyer was quite aware of the lux tax line, and seemed to be making a point of trying to get under it last winter.  They always try to position themselves to pick up some talent as needed at the deadline, so I would have expected they'd stay far enough under last winter to at least allow for some not-ginormous pickups like Q and Wilson. 

Obviously staying under lux was a preference and not a priority, though.  BEcause by all accounts they were pretty interested in Verlander, and his massive contract would surely have sent them flying past the line, no? 


brjones

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #347 on: November 13, 2017, 06:26:59 pm »
Jon Heyman‏Verified account @JonHeyman
4m4 minutes ago

cubs and dodgers are among teams showing interest in zach britton, who's back on the block.

Unless his price is really low, I think the Cubs should stay away.  So many warning signs last year--huge jump in walk rate, drop in strikeouts, multiple trips to the DL, and his velocity was down a tick.  I would be scared to give up much value for him.
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Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #348 on: November 13, 2017, 06:27:28 pm »
Unless Britton is a straight salary dump, that's a firm "no" from me.  I'm tired of giving up valuable assets for rental closers, especially ones coming off lousy years.

method

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #349 on: November 13, 2017, 06:29:04 pm »
why not just sign Reed and make him a closer. he did well filling in for Familia.

brjones

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #350 on: November 13, 2017, 06:32:13 pm »
That's my preference.  Sign 2-3 of the second tier relievers and have them compete (possibly with Wilson too) for the closer's role.  My personal preference would be adding some combination of Reed, Shaw, and McGee.  But there are a half dozen others that would be fits too.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #351 on: November 13, 2017, 06:33:10 pm »
Reed, McGee, Cobb and Chatwood would be a very solid mid-priced offseason.
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CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #352 on: November 13, 2017, 06:59:15 pm »
So many cheap bullpen options this year. I would be interested in a Gausman + Britton package, but I don’t have a clue why the Orioles would trade Gausman.

JeffH

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #353 on: November 13, 2017, 07:05:22 pm »
No on Gausman.  Bad, bad, bad face.

JeffH

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #354 on: November 13, 2017, 07:06:14 pm »
Craig, you're in Twins country.  What can you tell us about Kyle Gibson's raw stuff?

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #355 on: November 14, 2017, 08:17:15 am »
Henry Blanco is going to the Nationals as their bullpen coach. He was a quality control coach with the Cubs.

craig

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #356 on: November 14, 2017, 08:37:48 am »
http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/what-not-paying-luxury-tax-means-cubs-and-alex-cobb

Mooney article, not well written, seems to say that Cubs will receive 3rd-round picks for Arrieta and Davis.  That's not correct, right?  They are second round picks, so long as they're really under the lux tax?  Or are they really 3rd round picks? 

2nd, in the remotely unlikely even that Cobb was to sign for under $50, would that then mean that you wouldn't NOT give up 2nd pick as compensation? 

3rd, I wonder how that "$50" works, with incentives and stuff.  I assume that would be $50 in guaranteed?  Don't imagine there is any way he's going to sign below $50 guaranteed anyway.  But just curious whether there might be a creative way to construct a contract, where it wasn't all guaranteed but perhaps there were really easy-to-reach triggers.  For example, suppose only $45/4 guaranteed; but then year 5 is non-guaranteed $17, with a $4 mutual option (like Fowler had, I think, where he gets it whether Cubs opt out or he ops out), and with the Cubs losing their opt-out if he gets 30 innings between years 4 and 5.  So, at worst he gets $49/4.  With a super-teensy trigger for year 5 he almost surely gets $62/5.  (Maybe even something like that isn't competitive, beats me....  Just trying to understand what the constraints are on squeaking under the $50 limit.) 

craig

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #357 on: November 14, 2017, 08:47:59 am »
Craig, you're in Twins country.  What can you tell us about Kyle Gibson's raw stuff?

Very pedestrian.  He's bad, don't want him at all.  Has a good/decent arm (velocity) but nothing special; I guess maybe faster than the Cubs limited-velocity rotation, but it's not like he's got a big power arm or anything; bad control; he's supposed to be a groundball guy but he gives up a million HR's; "bad face" guy; even when he gets some guys out he seems to be struggling and laboring; often needs a lot of pitches to labor through.  Although on occasion when his location is on he can sometimes buzz through a lot of pitch-to-contact groundouts.  His K/BB/HR ratios are really bad, and it's no fluke.  Granted, I haven't watched him much, more likely radio while going somewhere.  It's also my sense that he is NOT a move-to-the-bullpen away from being a really good reliever, either.   


JeffH

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #358 on: November 14, 2017, 09:09:06 am »
Mooney article, not well written, seems to say that Cubs will receive 3rd-round picks for Arrieta and Davis.  That's not correct, right?  They are second round picks, so long as they're really under the lux tax?  Or are they really 3rd round picks?

If the team was not a revenue sharing recipient or the free agent signed for less than $50MM guaranteed, the team will receive a compensatory pick after Competitive Balance Round B, which takes place just prior to the draft’s third round.

The picks will be just prior to the start of the third round.

craig

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Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #359 on: November 14, 2017, 09:12:38 am »
Thanks, Jeff, that's what my memory was, after 2nd round. 

(What Mooney had written:  "This status also means that if Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and All-Star closer Wade Davis decline their qualifying offers and sign elsewhere as free agents, the Cubs will receive two third-round draft picks.")