Bleacher Bums Forum

The Twins have put Eddie Rosario on waivers just to see if he'll get claimed before they have to non-tender him tomorrow. He's pretty much in the same position as Schwarber, so it seems pretty doubtful the Cubs are going to be able to trade Schwarber.

Schwarber was the only guy I thought could get non-tendered amount the core. Defensively limited corner outfielders are going to be a common site of the free agent market.

The Twins have put Eddie Rosario on waivers just to see if he'll get claimed before they have to non-tender him tomorrow. He's pretty much in the same position as Schwarber, so it seems pretty doubtful the Cubs are going to be able to trade Schwarber.

Schwarber has to be aware of all this. Maybe he would accept same salary as 2020 ($7)?

Would you offer that if you were Hoyer?

Schwarber has to be aware of all this. Maybe he would accept same salary as 2020 ($7)?
Would you offer that if you were Hoyer?

Totally agree with the point.  Players and agents can't be blind to the market realities, and they may need to take what the market will offer. 

I don't know whether I'd offer $7 for Schwarber, personally.  I can't read the market at all. 

And I don't really have any idea where the Cubs are at budget-wise.  I can't even guess? 
*Maybe they have maintained a good reserve of cash, so that losing $150M is a small dent in their funds? 
*Perhaps they need to get under the luxury tax, but that's their only spending constraint?
*Or maybe, given the losses last year, and given that vaccine probably won't be fully applied before June, perhaps they need to get down to $150 or whatever?  Who knows? 

Without knowing how much discretionary spending they think they have, it's hard to figure how to apportion that between LF, 2B, SP, SP, SP, and relief?  Or whether using ~$18M of discretionary on Bryant is wise.

For Schwarber, part of me thinks that maybe in the present market, and with the present configuration of Cubs offense, it might be better to NOT offer him $7 right now?  But instead to really graciously tell him you're still very interested, but it's probably most fair to both him and the team to let him explore the market and see what the market will bear? 
*Maybe you'll end up getting him back for $3M, with some incentive clauses?
*Or maybe for the same $7M you might get a guy whose WAR might be not much better, but who might perhaps have a slightly different profile, and might be somewhat more consistent?  Beats me. 

But yeah, $7M right now seems a little too much for Schwarber. 

The Cubs could really use a corner outfielder who could contribute offensively.  So if there is a pool of available corners, perhaps that's a good thing for us?  Back when the Cubs became a power in 2015, a couple of modest-priced defensively limited guys like Dexter and Coghlan really helped turn the offense on.  HOyer may need to gamble, and hit, on some bargain-type guys like that. 

I think the problem is that the best corner outfielders who might be in the Cubs' price range are guys like Schwarber and Rosario, who basically just continue the problem of having too many hitters with similar flaws. I just don't see anyone on the market with much upside. At best, they'd just be treading water in that market.

The one possible exception I see: Adam Eaton has an offensive profile the Cubs would want if they could get the pre-2020 version. He looked like he was about done this year and isn't likely to be playable in the outfield much longer, so he'd probably be in the Cubs' price range. But he does stick out to me as the one guy who could diversify the lineup and contribute some on-base skills if they get lucky.

I think the Cubs would be better off adding a good centerfielder so they can move Happ to LF, but there aren't really any options on the free agent market. If you squint really hard, maybe Jackie Bradley Jr. would fit? He's a flawed hitter, but at least he's a Gold Glove level defender with occasional good years at the plate. With the lack of options out there, though, I bet he'll be too expensive for the Cubs.

Well, I wouldn't say it's replacing bad hitters with other bad hitters. It's more like replacing a good hitter with flaws (like Schwarber) with a good hitter with different flaws (like 2016 Fowler, or a pre-2020 Eaton type). Sharma has written about it several times, and Theo brought it up in a few press conferences over the last year or so...too many hitters in the Cubs lineup can be exploited in similar ways. So there are days where the Cubs just don't have a chance when they run into a pitcher who can exploit 2/3 of the lineup.

Unfortunately, the Cubs don't have the money to sign good players with different flaws right now. So they're stuck finding the right lightning in a bottle candidate.

I'd love for the Cubs to sign Brantley (I was hoping they'd do it two years ago). His bat really is a perfect fit for what the Cubs need. But there's zero chance the Cubs will pay what it would take to get him.

Any interest at all in Rodon as a LIAB candidate?  Hie velocity at least was decent last season.