Author Topic: Cubs in ‘23  (Read 54925 times)

Robb

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #360 on: November 21, 2022, 10:08:26 pm »
The constant sniping really ruins what is otherwise an excellent place for Cub information and opinions.
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Deeg

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #361 on: November 21, 2022, 10:20:06 pm »
One more thing on Bellinger.  Just how elite is his defense, really?

According to the DRS leaderboard at The Fielding Bible, Bellinger was 18th among 30 CF with at least 500 innings last season (0 DRS).  Stretch it out to the last 2 seasons and minimum 1000 innings, he’s 17th of 26 (-1 DRS).  You can cherry pick stats (like OAA) where he looks better, but the total picture is a guy who’s good - not elite.  And how elite does a guy’s defense have to be to justify being among the handful of worst hitters in baseball?

Reb

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #362 on: November 21, 2022, 10:25:21 pm »
For me, I would fill CF in 2023 with a caretaker short-term guy who can play defense and hit a bit.

That's because Cubs top prospect is a CFer whose ETA is probably some time in 2024.

Don't see logic of filling CF with a 5-year commitment player who will cost $100M. Spend that money elsewhere. Nimmo is a nice player but the clubs going hard after Nimmo should be clubs looking for a long-term fit in CF.  Cubs figure to have CFer in waiting and he's going to be inexpensive for a bunch of seasons when he gets here.  So, Nimmo not a fit, seems to me.

Not against having a CFer playing a corner--if Nimmo were to move over to a corner--but Happ just deservedly won a Gold Glove playing a corner, so LF defense not a priority to upgrade. 

Just re-sign Happ (and Hoerner) and stop the bleeding of good Cubs players taking a walk in free agency.

CurtOne

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #363 on: November 21, 2022, 10:27:44 pm »
Bellinger will benefit greatly from the no shift rule.  When he didn't strike out, he had a lot of atom balls.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #364 on: November 22, 2022, 01:02:16 am »
Bellinger will benefit greatly from the no shift rule.  When he didn't strike out, he had a lot of atom balls.

That’s the hope.  His peripherals were pretty bad anyway, but that might help him de-awfulize a little.

Christian Vazquez followed BN on twitter, make of that what you will.  Better hitter than Gomes, has occasionally even been a good one.  Average framer and thrower, well-regarded as handler of pitchers.  Would rather have Narvaez (elite framer, left-handed bat) but either would be a solid addition.

JeffH

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #365 on: November 22, 2022, 08:18:31 am »
Vazquez and Ross were teammates for a short time on the 2014 Red Sox.

CurtOne

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #366 on: November 22, 2022, 08:24:34 am »
Frankly, it wouldn't shock me if Hoyer didn't trade Suzuki.  Why not?  He's a huge chip and could bring back a haul of prospects we never heard of or a star front line pitcher.  If you're saying, he would never do that.  Look at all the work he did to get him to the Cubs.  That would be stupid.  Tell that to Darvish.

Right now, deeg's head is exploding.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #367 on: November 22, 2022, 08:36:38 am »
One more thing on Bellinger.  Just how elite is his defense, really?

According to the DRS leaderboard at The Fielding Bible, Bellinger was 18th among 30 CF with at least 500 innings last season (0 DRS).  Stretch it out to the last 2 seasons and minimum 1000 innings, he’s 17th of 26 (-1 DRS).  You can cherry pick stats (like OAA) where he looks better, but the total picture is a guy who’s good - not elite.  And how elite does a guy’s defense have to be to justify being among the handful of worst hitters in baseball?

DRS is the only defensive stat that has him rated like that.

OAA is the only defensive stat that uses statcast batted ball, positioning, jump, speed and route efficiency.  It is the closest stat to what major league teams are using. Bellinger is above average in arm strength, speed and jump. He’s just fine for 1 year as CF.

Bellinger as is will give you slightly below league average offense against righties, left handed power, decent defense and a short term commitment. If the shoulder is healed and the lower leg injury was the issue last year then he could have significant upside if healthy. You don’t need the upside to improve the Cubs though. He is a perfect low cost gamble.
All he costs is money and it $X won’t affect what the Cubs do this off-season.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #368 on: November 22, 2022, 09:45:59 am »
Quote
Frankly, it wouldn't shock me if Hoyer didn't trade Suzuki.  Why not?  He's a huge chip and could bring back a haul of prospects we never heard of or a star front line pitcher.  If you're saying, he would never do that.  Look at all the work he did to get him to the Cubs.  That would be stupid.  Tell that to Darvish.

Right now, deeg's head is exploding.


TBH, I’m not sure what you’re saying here (especially with that double negative).  Are you saying they should consider trading Suzuki?  That they shouldn’t?  That trading Darvish was smart?  Or stupid?


In any case trading Darvish was dumb, and so would trading Suzuki.  If you want to make a positive impression for future Japanese imports you don’t convince them to sign and then trade them a year later.  And in any event I doubt teams see a lot of excess value in Suzuki’s contract after the year he had - it looks about right.

guest405

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #369 on: November 22, 2022, 10:11:39 am »
According to Jon Morosi Dansby Swanson and Carter Hawkins both went to Vanderbilt and Dansby's old lady plays soccer for some girls team in...Chicago.

Ron

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #370 on: November 22, 2022, 11:12:12 am »
Per Dusty's post about Dansby Swanson, his fiance is Mallory Diane Pugh. She is an American soccer player who plays as a forward for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League.  I suppose that might make it more appealing for him to sign with the Cubs.  Who knows how interested he would be otherwise, or how interested the Cubs are in him.

CurtOne

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #371 on: November 22, 2022, 11:36:57 am »
MLB star Dansby Swanson started dating American soccer player Mallory Pugh in 2017. The two met through Swanson’s former teammate and Pugh’s brother-in-law, Jace Peterson, who is married to Pugh’s sister Brianna.

Reb

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #372 on: November 22, 2022, 11:43:15 am »
In addition, Dansby Swanson’s cousin Greta is married to a stunt man who was a stunt double for Kevin Bacon during the 1990s.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #373 on: November 22, 2022, 12:37:06 pm »
Frankly, it wouldn't shock me if Hoyer didn't trade Suzuki.  Why not?  He's a huge chip and could bring back a haul of prospects we never heard of or a star front line pitcher.  If you're saying, he would never do that.  Look at all the work he did to get him to the Cubs.  That would be stupid.  Tell that to Darvish.

Right now, deeg's head is exploding.

Luckily for Deeg's head, Suzuki has a full no trade.

guest405

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #374 on: November 22, 2022, 01:00:25 pm »
MLB reporter Jon Heyman of the New York Post was on 670 The Score on Tuesday morning and said that the Cubs are in the mix for two-time All-Star Cody Bellinger, who was recently non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I’ve heard his name connected to the Cubs,” Heyman said of Bellinger. “I think the Cubs are really looking at those great shortstops, so that’s the big story with the Cubs. Are they going to get (Carlos) Correa or (Xander) Bogaerts or one of those guys, (Trea) Turner? That’s the big story. They’re looking at catching. I know they’ve talked about (Christian) Vazquez and some other catchers.

“I have heard Bellinger connected with the Cubs.”

Bellinger hit .210 with 19 homers and 68 RBIs last season.

When Bellinger is raking, he can do damage as he hit .305 with 47 homers, 15 stolen bases and 115 RBIs in winning the 2019 National League MVP award.

Since that sensational year, he has hit just .203 in 295 regular season games.