Author Topic: Cubs in '21  (Read 118616 times)

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2055 on: July 29, 2021, 06:02:48 pm »
Not a bad return for Rizzo. Two prospects with some dings but especially in Alcantara’s case, a fair amount of upside.

If taking on Hosmer (I’m sure the Pads will eat part of the salary) means better players coming back, I’m all in favor.
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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2056 on: July 29, 2021, 06:04:43 pm »
Fangraphs has Alcantara as a 50 FV guy, which would put him #3 in Cubs system.

Longenhagen on Alcantara:

TLDR
Long, lanky and loaded with tools and projection, Alcantara has massive potential but still has plenty to prove.
Full Report
I've made no change to Alcantara's FV from last year since I can't find anyone from outside the Yankees org who has seen him, though his ranking among the 50 FV prospects in the system has changed based on continued conversations about him with front office personnel from other clubs. For context, Alcantara was fourth on my international list in 2018, and was one of the players the Yankees promoted from the DSL to the GCL in the middle of the summer of 2019. He was part of New York's DR instructs in the Fall. Athletic 6-foot-6 outfielders who can rotate like Alcantara can are rare, and this young man might grow into elite power at maturity. He is loose and fluid in the box but does have some swing-and-miss issues, though it's not because lever length is causing him to be late -- it's more of a barrel accuracy issue right now. This is one of the higher ceiling teenagers in the minors, but of course Alcantara might either take forever to develop or never develop at all.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2057 on: July 29, 2021, 06:07:20 pm »
Going to be tough getting my head around actually seeing Rizzo in a Yankees uniform. Sad.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2058 on: July 29, 2021, 06:14:25 pm »
I think SD and TB are big-time in the mix for Kimbrel, but I hope we don’t get frozen out by the Scherzer trade.  The buzz is that Hosmer’s contract alone would net one of their top four prospects, and if that’s the case I’m not sure why the Cubs wouldn’t do that.

The Rays system is, as usual, ridiculous.  They could give you 2-3 guys that would make our top 10 and barely make a dent in their system.  But does the 16 million option on Kimbrel have any appeal for them with their perpetually modest big league payroll limitations?

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2059 on: July 29, 2021, 06:17:43 pm »
I would've preferred they traded everybody but Rizzo. While his production has declined, sometimes you don't just cheer the hits you cheer the person.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2060 on: July 29, 2021, 06:23:29 pm »
But does the 16 million option on Kimbrel have any appeal for them with their perpetually modest big league payroll limitations?

It's still an asset even if they didn't want to use it for themselves.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2061 on: July 29, 2021, 06:24:05 pm »
I would've preferred they traded everybody but Rizzo. While his production has declined, sometimes you don't just cheer the hits you cheer the person.

Nope.  You cheer the laundry.
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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2062 on: July 29, 2021, 06:25:18 pm »
It's still an asset even if they didn't want to use it for themselves.

Right, if can’t afford him in 22, they could trade Kimbrel in off-season and get significant chunk of value back.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2063 on: July 29, 2021, 06:27:29 pm »
Rizzo got a lot more value back than I expected, which tempers the loss.

Doesn’t hurt when Red Sox and Yankees BOTH want your guy.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2064 on: July 29, 2021, 06:31:22 pm »
Alcantara has a career 22% K rate stateside as a 6'6" 16-18 year old.  That is nuts.
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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2065 on: July 29, 2021, 06:38:05 pm »
I think SD and TB are big-time in the mix for Kimbrel, but I hope we don’t get frozen out by the Scherzer trade.  The buzz is that Hosmer’s contract alone would net one of their top four prospects, and if that’s the case I’m not sure why the Cubs wouldn’t do that.

The Rays system is, as usual, ridiculous.  They could give you 2-3 guys that would make our top 10 and barely make a dent in their system.  But does the 16 million option on Kimbrel have any appeal for them with their perpetually modest big league payroll limitations?

On Hosmer his contract runs through 2025, that why you don’t do it. It is going to be a decent guess that there is at least another luxury tax or a hard salary cap. Even if the Cubs just cut him that is going to be less money that the Cubs can spend at some point when they actually try and be good in the future.

The Cubs aren’t going to be competitive next year no matter how much Jed tries to sell it. They can pay his whole contract this year and next year and the Cubs could still run under $100 million on the payroll for next year.

They Cubs should take all the bad short term contracts that teams have for prospects, just not ones that last for another 4 years.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2021, 06:40:15 pm by CUBluejays »

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2066 on: July 29, 2021, 06:39:19 pm »
Rizzo will have to switch numbers in New York.  44 has been retired for Reggie Jackson.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2067 on: July 29, 2021, 06:40:31 pm »
Maybe he can do the old Carlton Fisk thing.  Oh, wait...
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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2068 on: July 29, 2021, 06:52:10 pm »
On Hosmer his contract runs through 2025, that why you don’t do it. It is going to be a decent guess that there is at least another luxury tax or a hard salary cap. Even if the Cubs just cut him that is going to be less money that the Cubs can spend at some point when they actually try and be good in the future.

The Cubs aren’t going to be competitive next year no matter how much Jed tries to sell it. They can pay his whole contract this year and next year and the Cubs could still run under $100 million on the payroll for next year.

They Cubs should take all the bad short term contracts that teams have for prospects, just not ones that last for another 4 years.

I admire your optimism in thinking Hosmer's $15m annual salary is going to be pushing the Cubs against the cap/LT in the next four seasons, given that apart from Hendricks and Heyward they basically have nothing allocated.  Who are you expecting the new owner to be?

With Rizzo bringing back two pretty decent prospects, at least on paper you:d expect KB to fetch more.  He's having a better season and has far more defensive value with his versatility.

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Re: Cubs in '21
« Reply #2069 on: July 29, 2021, 06:59:23 pm »
I'm guessing the Yankees think the short RF porch will be Rizzo-friendly?