Author Topic: Cubs in ‘23  (Read 54895 times)

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1650 on: January 26, 2023, 05:15:19 pm »
Couldn't happen to nicer and more deserving people.

guest405

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1651 on: January 27, 2023, 09:28:08 am »
I read something yesterday that we're still after a closer and another bat.

I will say Im intrigued by Alzolay closing.

craig

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1652 on: January 27, 2023, 10:38:31 am »
I read something yesterday that we're still after a closer and another bat....

Not sure I see where a bat would fit, exactly?  Or with much urgency?  Suppose Hosmer as starting 1B.

Premise: Mancini, Barnhart, Morel, and Madrigal.  That leaves just one bench spot. 
1.  Current options: Mervis, McKinstry, Mastrobuoni, Velasquez, Hill, Bote. 
2.  I don't see much urgency for some outside vet? 

Madrigal and Morel have options, and HOyer seems veteran-obsessed.  So maybe he wants to send them down to have options-flexibility?  So, maybe my premise is faulty? 

*IF* looking outside, what would he target? 
1.  3B, good enough to platoon with or compete with Wisdom? 
2.  Generic utility LH infielder? 
3.  RH outfielder with platoon-CF capacity?

I just don't see much urgency here, at the FA level, given the little cash Hoyer has left, and given the lack of FA options at low price. 

A trade might be different, but off-season trades don't seem to be in the Hoyer/Theo playbook. 

craig

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1653 on: January 27, 2023, 10:42:01 am »
I read something yesterday that we're still after a closer and another bat....

It's a given he's going to add at least one big-league reliever.  This suggestion is "closer", others have suggested lefty.  Don't think cash for both a "closer"-candidate RHP and a could-be-pretty-good lefty. 

Unless he's going to sign a good lefty as closer, I'm guessing it's one or the other. 

guest405

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1654 on: January 27, 2023, 11:18:15 am »
Source: The Cubs are adding pitcher Tyler Duffey as a non-roster invite who will compete for a bullpen job in spring training. Duffey made 295 appearances for the Twins across the last eight seasons, and the Cubs have a good track record with those types of free-agent relievers.

craig

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1655 on: January 27, 2023, 12:09:28 pm »
Duffey is a nice no-risk pickup.  Last year was bad, but he was solid in 2019-2021.  Vulnerability is the HR. 

Reb

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1656 on: January 27, 2023, 12:50:36 pm »
Of the relievers still on the market, kind of intrigued by Michael Fulmer—who has been mentioned by some here.

Has turned into a heavy slider guy (65%) as a reliever, with a very low barrel% last season. Still doesn’t throw enough strikes. View him as an upside guy—maybe a potential closer—but risky as he seems to be remaking himself as a reliever and could go south.

Hard to put a total dollar value on Fulmer given the upside/risk but he might be my choice among the guys still out there.

craig

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1657 on: January 27, 2023, 01:32:38 pm »
Agree, reb.  Fulmer would be a nice guy to add.  He's stacked a couple of solid years, and I agree has some upside to be a little better.  Not quite 30, so *IF* you add him and he's good, you could have a good player for a while.  Hoyer may feel different, but I would not be obsessed with one-year-only contract. 

davep

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1658 on: January 27, 2023, 03:06:18 pm »

Madrigal and Morel have options, and HOyer seems veteran-obsessed.


Your comment startled me, since the way I read his performance since he took office, to me he seems "farm system" obsessed.  Almost all of his trades have been veterans (Darvish, Bryant, Baez, Rizzo, and for that matter, all of the relievers in the past 3 years have been veterans for farm hands.

Certainly, most off his lesser acquisitions have been for veterans, but if very few cases did he have a farm hand ready to come up.  But when he did, he did not seem reluctant to use bring up and use Wisdom, Morel, Velasquez, along with Thompson, Hughes, Effross and Roberts.

It may be that, like me, you have doubts about whether he might give in to the temptation of trading Canario, Mervis, PCA, Alcantara, Cassie, etc., for vets that can perform sooner, or with more certainty, rather than take chances on prospects with a higher ceiling, but a less secure floor.  I keep hoping that my fears are from decades of Cub front office stupidity, rather than the track record of Hoyer.  His treatment of Mervis may give us more information.

But in the meantime, bringing in tons of free agent relievers, sorting out the ones that succeed and then flipping them, seems like a decent way to pass the time.

craig

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1659 on: January 27, 2023, 04:14:10 pm »
Dave, Hoyer wants to do some winning this year.  So I think he's into stocking-vets mode.  Not with the intention of adding sign-and-trade guys, but just to try to win more this season, and perhaps get into the playoffs. 

Scenarios change.  If we're losing come July, vets will get traded and retrospect will suggest sign-and-trade was always the intent.  But right now, Hoyer is trying to win.   

Ron

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1660 on: January 27, 2023, 11:32:48 pm »
Interesting and unconventional article on the role "mental wellness" played on Dansby Swanson's improvement as a player and rise as a leader.
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http://bbf.createaforum.com/index.php?action=post;topic=612.1650;last_msg=467363

guest405

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1661 on: February 01, 2023, 02:20:04 pm »
Baseball season's getting awful close.

We still need a closer.

davep

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1662 on: February 01, 2023, 03:25:55 pm »
Espinosa, if they think he is ready.

JeffH

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1663 on: February 01, 2023, 03:30:47 pm »
Espinosa, if they think he is ready.

Estrada.
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davep

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Re: Cubs in ‘23
« Reply #1664 on: February 01, 2023, 03:35:35 pm »
All those Latinos sound alike.
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