Bleacher Bums Forum

On CF, didn't realize LAD may just non-tender Bellinger.

If that happens, given our holes at 1B and CF, he'd be right at the top of my list. At worst you get really good CF defense on a stopgap contract. And if he's able to stay healthy and revert even partially to prior form...

I knew you’d come around.

Bellinger's slugging these last two years has been .389 and .302.

He’s broken or he wouldn’t be a non-tender candidate. It is a pure upside play that your hitting infrastructure can fix him.  He had a .203 ISO against righties and a wRC+ 92  so he could be a strong side platoon with good defense at worst.  Let Morel play in CF against lefties. If you fix Bellinger though that would be a great move.

On CF, didn't realize LAD may just non-tender Bellinger.

If that happens, given our holes at 1B and CF, he'd be right at the top of my list. At worst you get really good CF defense on a stopgap contract. And if he's able to stay healthy and revert even partially to prior form...

I really want us to graduate beyond dumpster diving better organizations' trash.

OOA is a pretty great stat for outfielders. It takes into account positioning, distance traveled, batted ball data.

Bellinger was 12th in CF OOA with 5. He has in the same group as Bader, Harris, Rodriguez and Nimmo.   Ortega was 40 and Morel was 43.

He improves the team and he has some upside, even if it is unlikely. If he wasn’t going to make $17 million in arbitration the Dodgers would probably want to keep him. Trent Grisham, if he gets DFA or is available in trade, would be another guy to go after.

I really want us to graduate beyond dumpster diving better organizations' trash.

Deeg, context.

I'm talking about Bellinger as a last piece while proposing the Cubs spend $90M to bag Correa, Senga, Abreu, etc.

A Bellinger acquisition would keep a little payroll cushion for the trade deadline while getting some upside - however unlikely - from the position.

Then direct your complaint to ownership, cause no one here is thinking that way.

Bellinger is not a trade candidate. Hard to believe that anybody is going to commit a $17 arb salary to him, other than perhaps the Dodgers if they decide to offer him a contract.

If Dodgers non-tender him, he’ll be a FA.

Bellinger is a way better defensive CFer than anybody Cubs played out there in 2022, other than perhaps Hermosillo. A definite defensive upgrade.

We know that shoulder surgery for pitchers often imperil their career. Ditto for Bellinger. Not sure that anybody has a more violent swing than Bellinger and his surgically repaired front shoulder doesn’t seem to be holding up to pitching velocity. We know what happens when a guy tries to work around velocity vulnerability——he just opens up more holes in his swing. It’s been a sad case for a guy who seemed maybe headed to HOF at one time.

Not really keen on giving Nimmo a long multi-year contract and doubt Cubs will pursue him aggressively. So, could see taking a short deal on Bellinger at right price. Why not.

Who knows, maybe Bellinger just needs two years post-surgery for some kind of semi-recovery. Seems a longshot but who knows.

Then direct your complaint to ownership, cause no one here is thinking that way.

Pretty sure no one in the Cubs is either. 

Several people are in favor of signing Bellinger at the right price.  But I have not seen any suggestions on what the "right price" should be?  What is the highest the Cubs should offer, if he is non-tendered?