Bleacher Bums Forum

Markakis is a big no for me. He’s been good enough to be an average regular just twice in the last 6 seasons.

Bob Nightengale @BNightengale
Several teams have inquired on Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber but they’ve all gotten the same response from #Cubs. No, he’s not available

I can't imagine the front office telling other teams that Schwarber isn't available. I assume most teams are looking to buy low...but if they're not, this front office would at least discuss him with other teams.

Or Bryant wasn’t really available either...

I think the problem with trading Schwarber is that if you are looking to improve the offense trading him means getting two impact hitters this offseason.

Schwarber can still improve and Im still not sure he's not the best hitter we've got.

His stats at the start of his career are very similar to Rizzo's.

For the back up catcher I wonder if the Dbacks would have an interest in Avila for Kintzler swap. Kintzler makes $900,000 more, but it would free up the catching position for Kelly and Ryan for them. For the Cubs it gives them a lefty backup that can throw and his framing was better last year.

That would make a lot of sense. Kelly and Murphy would be a logical tandem—-and Avila odd man out with a big contract. Could see Cubs reacquiring him for a contract back.

Alternatively, if Jays interested in a Chatwood-Martin swap, could see that.

When Nightengale is on Buster’s podcast, it is pretty obvious that Buster has very high regard for Nightengale and his insights. Not just that he has Nightengale on the show periodically, but also the tone from Buster. My perspective is that Nightengale still among the best. 

All I know is that I've unfollowed him on Twitter several times over the years because he occasionally reports transactions as done that never happen (I ultimately re-follow him at the start of every offseason/trade deadline). He might still be one of the best--if there are 100 national reporters throwing rumors out there, he's probably top 10 or so...but there are only a handful that are really good at it (Rosenthal, Passan, Sherman, Heyman, Olney, Morosi (when he's not focused on other sports)).

For the back up catcher I wonder if the Dbacks would have an interest in Avila for Kintzler swap. Kintzler makes $900,000 more, but it would free up the catching position for Kelly and Ryan for them. For the Cubs it gives them a lefty backup that can throw and his framing was better last year.

Even if his framing numbers were better last year, hasn't he had a reputation for being a butcher in that department for a while?

I had kind of the same idea with Jason Castro a week or two ago (I think I posted it here)...Mitch Garver was strong his his 300 PA last year, and Willians Astudillo is a sensation (at least in Jeff Sullivan's mind) and needs somewhere to play. So that makes Castro an $8 million third catcher. Kintzler has a positive history in Minnesota; adding Duensing in too is basically even money. And Castro seems to have that leader/good defender reputation that the Cubs are looking for.

Harper 10/350 with opt outs, Brantley 5/80 or McCutcheon 3/45?  Go.

Harper 3/135.

How could you do that?