Bleacher Bums Forum

“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'm still skeptical they'll be in on any shortstop except maybe Swanson. They were supposed to be a top candidate to sign one last year too.

Sean Murphy is the catcher they should target if he's actually available even if he costs a prospect or two the Cubs don't want to give up. He's a career .257/.335/.485 hitter on the road and he seems to be great at all the things Contreras (supposedly) didn't do. I think he has another level if he gets out of the terrible ballpark in Oakland. But trading away significant prospects is probably off the table this offseason.

Vazquez is probably the next best option, but it would be a significant downgrade from Contreras.

I'll lose my **** if they waste money on Swanson.  It isn't because Swanson is a bad player, he just isn't what the Cubs need.

Again, a little introspection - that’s all I’m suggesting.  Sometimes taking that hard look in the mirror can be a good thing.

Why?  Since the Cubs are insistent that they need a shortstop, maybe they should check with the Padres.  They may be tired of their guy's shtick by now.

Most of the guys we're talking about what not have been non-tendered if they were this year's Cubs.

"#4 of the FA SSs", as if they were all going to cost the same.

It is a valid point that, when we talk about the 4 top shortstops, we begin to think of them as equal and interchangeable.  But that is far from the case.  A quick look at the stats shows that Swanson isn't in the same class as the other three, and isn't really much of an improvement over Hoerner at shortstop.  Swanson isn't the "star" player that so many people on this board seem to think that is essential to victory.

Granted, all things being equal, a shortstop has a substantial premium merely because of his position.  When it is determined that a shortstop prospect will be unable to continue at shortstop, his value drops substantially, because a better than average hitting shortstop becomes an average hitting second baseman, or a below average hitting third baseman.  And yet not a single person has really mentioned that when we move Hoerner to second base, he loses value merely because the hitting requirements of the position are much higher.  While it is true that a great shortstop can probably play most other positions on the field, when he does so, he loses value to the team.

Like BlueJay, I will be quite disappointed if the Cubs sign Swanson to a contract that is anywhere near the price or length of Correa or Turner.  I would much rather leave Hoerner at short, and put the money into a top pitcher or third baseman.  Bogaerts is slightly different than the other three, since a great many people believe that a move to third base will happen sooner rather than later, and that will probably enter into his contract price.