Author Topic: Cubs in '18  (Read 75601 times)

CUBluejays

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17347
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #630 on: December 07, 2017, 05:29:11 pm »
I would say I’m neutral. There are things to like and things to be scared about.

The Cubs always needed 2 starters so I’m not sure it says anything about Ohtani.

craig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13098
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #631 on: December 07, 2017, 05:36:02 pm »
Haven’t gotten a great deal from my source but was told that nothing will happen until Ohtani situation has been determined. My guess is that the signing of Chatwood is indicative of the Cubs being told they aren’t getting Ohtani. This is assuming that he was straight forward with me.

Thanks jhawk.  Being optimist, I'd spin/hope it differently.  They needed to add two rotation starters.  If Chatwood is one of them, there's still plenty of space for Ohtani.  So, not going to sign Arrieta or Darvish or Cobb or Lynn until Ohtani is determined.  But this in itself isn't that big of a signing, this isn't the big stuff.  Obviously any starter, and any >$10/year addition, isn't "nothing".  But maybe in your friend's eyes, this is kinda "nothing" relative to the bigger move he's expecting. 


brjones

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 25868
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #632 on: December 07, 2017, 06:14:52 pm »
Isn't that exactly what he is, an anti-awful #5 starter, only with a chance to perhaps be better than just anti-awful?

Well, he's anti-awful when he's on the field. But staying on the field has been a major problem for him. If he's out for 60 games and is struggling to get through 5 innings when he's healthy because he throws so many balls, there are a lot of innings that are going to have to be covered by the worst relievers on the team and guys like Butler or Tseng.

When the team is already really good, I'm just a big fan of filling less important roles (back end starters, middle relievers, bottom of the lineup) with as much certainty as possible. It's kind of like when Hendry needed a LH hitting right fielder after 2008 and went for the injury-prone upside in Bradley instead of taking the relative certainty of the more boring, steady bats on the market that year (Raul Ibanez or post-Phillies Bobby Abreu, to name a couple). Obviously, Bradley's personality made him far more risky than Chatwood. But there is some similarity in the on-the-field risk where you don't have a clear understanding of what or how much you're going to get.

I hope it works out. And despite my doubts, I'm fairly optimistic it will be fine because the Cubs' front office has a really good track record. But it's just taking on more risk than I think is necessary for this team.

(By the way, I think this would be an excellent move for a team like the Angels, Mariners, Pirates, or Rays who are close to contention but have limited resources and need to take a risk on an upside player or two.)

CUBluejays

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17347
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #633 on: December 07, 2017, 06:25:23 pm »
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/what-the-cubs-might-see-in-tyler-chatwood/

Just adds more info. My worry is the walks and injuries. The stuff is intriguing.

CurtOne

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27253
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #634 on: December 07, 2017, 06:47:31 pm »
You guys need to look at the big picture and the brighter side of all this: better Chatwood on the DL than Ohtani.

Jes Beard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17183
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #635 on: December 07, 2017, 08:59:38 pm »
One thing the Cubs have done better than the rest of MLB over the last few years is to keep their starters relatively healthy.

If that is in fact a function of conditioning routines or use or anything else other than random chance, it could portend good things for Chitwood's health with the Cubs, and if he remains reasonably healthy with the Cubs, he could prove a very nice signing..

guest61

  • Guest
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #636 on: December 07, 2017, 09:37:57 pm »
Chitwood, Jes?

We aint talking about Hoosiers here.

brjones

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 25868
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #637 on: December 07, 2017, 10:53:13 pm »
Well, if this is right, the Cubs are on Stanton's very limited trade list.

Craig Mish @CraigMish
Now told Stanton will approve :

Dodgers
Yankees
Cubs
Astros

guest61

  • Guest
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #638 on: December 07, 2017, 11:26:47 pm »
To hell with that unless they'll trade him for just Heyward.

Deeg

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16926
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #639 on: December 08, 2017, 12:10:30 am »
Well, if this is right, the Cubs are on Stanton's very limited trade list.

Craig Mish @CraigMish
Now told Stanton will approve :

Dodgers
Yankees
Cubs
Astros


LOL.  Just our luck.

Stanton is a legit great player, but it's hard to see that deal ever making sense for the Cubs.

craig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13098
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #640 on: December 08, 2017, 01:01:02 am »
Not sure.  Cubs have a window now, and not sure how long it's going to last. 
Stanton is a premium player with a contract that is very reasonable during the upcoming window. 
Next five years, Stanton is at a Heyward-caliber price, with his prime overlapping very nicely with the Cubs prime window. 

What he'll be 6-10 years from now, that might be a bad deal then.  But if they have a dynasty during his next 5, to which he would greatly contribute, what would be so bad about that? 

May also be that 6 years out, if contract inflation continues, that his contract won't look so bad. 

We can worry about his 2024 contract in 2024, but he could be really really good value to a contending team over the next handful of years.  Heh heh, and adding another .900-1.050 OPS guy in the middle of the lineup, rather than Zobrist, would be a big impact. 
Agree Agree x 1 View List

CUBluejays

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17347
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #641 on: December 08, 2017, 06:20:53 am »
Cubs Insider reporter that a a Japanese reporter following Ohtani flew from LA to Chicago. What that means I have no clue.

If Heyward would opt out I’d trade for Stanton, but $50+ million in RF seems hard to stomach.

Ray

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2101
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #642 on: December 08, 2017, 07:43:09 am »
Stanton would be a lot cheaper than Bryce Harper next year. 

CUBluejays

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17347
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #643 on: December 08, 2017, 08:02:36 am »
Original report came from Sun Times about the reporter.

I guess you could platoon Heyward/Almora in CF and change Stanton’s opt out date.

CurtOne

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27253
Re: Cubs in '18
« Reply #644 on: December 08, 2017, 08:12:33 am »
So, he's rejected the Giants and Cardinals?  Interesting.  Actually, that list looks like he wants to be a Dodger.