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Author Topic: Hot Stove  (Read 102182 times)

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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2595 on: December 17, 2025, 03:12:50 pm »
Quote from: CurtOne on December 17, 2025, 11:46:56 am
But my perception is that Jim Hendry connected personnally with players in a way that Theo and Hoyer do not.--Craig

BINGO

The other part about Hendry vs. Hoyer, for all of Hendry's faults, you never could question his competitive drive and his desire to put a real winner on the field as much as he could.  If Hendry wanted a guy and had the budget and/or prospects to get him, he did his best to get it done.  This try to get to 90 and sneak in the playoffs philosophy (sorry it's what it is) is just frustrating.

Also that Kyle Tucker trade to me now is just....ugh. 
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2596 on: December 17, 2025, 03:23:18 pm »
Weaver also got 2/22, which I also would have done. Not a number that should have scared off a serious organization.

Theo quit mainly because he knew Ricketts' spending days were over and he wasn't interested in the kind of organzation the Cubs were becoming. I doubt sentimentality over breaking up the core had anything to do with it.
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2597 on: December 17, 2025, 03:55:35 pm »
In a letter to the Cubs, president Theo Epstein explains why he is stepping down
The Athletic obtained Theo Epstein's goodbye letter he sent to colleagues.
The Athletic · nytimes.com


"...I am excited about the Cubs’ future despite the obvious short-term challenges. This organization has myriad strengths, starting at the top. Tom and his siblings have managed to do exactly what they said they would do in their first decade: improve Wrigley Field, invest in the community, and put revenues back into the baseball operation to produce sustained winning and a World Series. It’s exciting to think what they can accomplish over multiple generations of club stewardship. Meanwhile, Crane Kenney and our talented partners in the business operation are poised to resume their track record of outstanding revenue growth when we move past the current crisis..."

He also talks about how his presence is going to get in the way of the tough choices that need to made. 
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2598 on: December 17, 2025, 04:04:43 pm »
Don't know what Hoyer's budget is, but he's got one.  He's got a lot left to spend.  He's wanting to spend what he's got as efficiently as he can. 

If the remainder of his winter planning was to sign Mahle and Willi Castro, he'd not flinch at spending a $10+ chunk on a late reliever. 

That he has flinched at the $10+ relievers supports the logic that he intends to spend a big chunk on a big ticket starter. 
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2599 on: December 17, 2025, 04:09:24 pm »
Quote from: Deeg on December 17, 2025, 03:23:18 pm

….Theo quit mainly because he knew Ricketts' spending days were over and he wasn't interested in the kind of organzation the Cubs were becoming….

Let’s stop making stuff up…..enough baloney already.

As noted in the piece posted by CBJ, Theo said in his introductory presser in 2011 that he believed in staying for 10 years. He said that from the day he was hired. And that was length of tenure running Red Sox too. Theo initially signed with Cubs for five years and then signed a 5-year extension in 2016. There was a reason the extension was five years: 5 + 5 = 10.  Left a year early to allow Hoyer to begin making changes that would impact future seasons when Theo would be gone in any case.

Nothing to do with how Ricketts was running the organization.

Theo in 2011:

"Bill Walsh of the 49ers said it best," said Theo. "After about 10 years in sports, there comes a time when you have to consider change for the benefit not only of the individual involved but also for benefit of the organization.”
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2600 on: December 17, 2025, 04:20:30 pm »
Quote from: craig on December 17, 2025, 04:04:43 pm

That he has flinched at the $10+ relievers supports the logic that he intends to spend a big chunk on a big ticket starter. 

Very possible. That might well be the case.

But, still appears that Cubs in on Bregman and seems very unlikely that Hoyer has the budget for both Bregman and a big ticket SP.

Maybe Cubs not really in on Bregman, who knows. But, a year ago, Sharma said no way Cubs were in on Bregman—yet they were. Now, Sharma says Cubs are in on Bregman. So, gone feom being a skeptic to a believer. So, perhaps Sharma is correct about that now,

I wonder if the SP is actually going to come via trade…and not free agency. And/or a closer-type reliever via trade.
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2601 on: December 17, 2025, 04:29:21 pm »
My concerns, obviously, are that "intending" to spend on a big-ticket starter doesn't mean you will.
1.  the target may not choose you.
2.  Other teams might badly outbid what you anticipated would be a winning bid.
3.  Your assessment of a competitive bid might be dumb, given that your "value" calculations don't seem to factor inflation very well. 

Also possible that Hoyer will sign his kinda-big-ticket (for-him), but the guy won't help all that much?   
-How much did Neris or Pressly help? 
-How much did Tucker help over the last four months? 
-Gallen or Suarez have been good at times, and might be very good.  But Gallen was worse than any of our starters last year.  The guy Hoyer signs might end up basically Assad-esque?
-Imai might be really good.  But maybe he'll be kinda middle-rotation guy, who knows? 
-Bregman might be very good.  But he might be kinda like adding an Ian Happ to the middle of the lineup.  Will he do that much to make the offense go?

Hope Hoyer gets one or two good players, and that they end up playing really well and proving to be good values.  And hope that PCA/Caissie/Shaw/Moises/Amaya can hit, so that the offense is strong. 
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2602 on: December 17, 2025, 04:29:57 pm »
I can't imagine there have been many cases where a team has had eight(!) open spots on the 40-man this late in the offseason.
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2603 on: December 17, 2025, 04:34:09 pm »
Quote from: craig on December 17, 2025, 04:29:21 pm
My concerns, obviously, are that "intending" to spend on a big-ticket starter doesn't mean you will.
1.  the target may not choose you.
2.  Other teams might badly outbid what you anticipated would be a winning bid.
3.  Your assessment of a competitive bid might be dumb, given that your "value" calculations don't seem to factor inflation very well. 

Also possible that Hoyer will sign his kinda-big-ticket (for-him), but the guy won't help all that much?   
-How much did Neris or Pressly help? 
-How much did Tucker help over the last four months? 
-Gallen or Suarez have been good at times, and might be very good.  But Gallen was worse than any of our starters last year.  The guy Hoyer signs might end up basically Assad-esque?
-Imai might be really good.  But maybe he'll be kinda middle-rotation guy, who knows? 
-Bregman might be very good.  But he might be kinda like adding an Ian Happ to the middle of the lineup.  Will he do that much to make the offense go?

Hope Hoyer gets one or two good players, and that they end up playing really well and proving to be good values.  And hope that PCA/Caissie/Shaw/Moises/Amaya can hit, so that the offense is strong. 

Jed is putting all his eggs in the basket of "guy isn't getting projected offers and we can poach him late" basket. But what if that doesn't happen? Let's be realistic - if the Yankees are in on Imai, we're not getting him. There are already reports King's price has risen above the paltry levels we're comfortable with. Is it Gallen or bust? If you sign him that's not the worst thing in the world. Indeed, if you have to overpay a little because there are no other options. But what if Gallen doesn't courtreously wait until all the serious clubs are sated before he signs - what then?
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2604 on: December 17, 2025, 04:34:55 pm »
Quote from: Deeg on December 17, 2025, 04:29:57 pm
I can't imagine there have been many cases where a team has had eight(!) open spots on the 40-man this late in the offseason.

It’s not eight.

It’s seven open spots.
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2605 on: December 17, 2025, 05:08:40 pm »
Quote from: craig on December 17, 2025, 04:29:21 pm
My concerns, obviously, are that "intending" to spend on a big-ticket starter doesn't mean you will.
1.  the target may not choose you.
2.  Other teams might badly outbid what you anticipated would be a winning bid.
3.  Your assessment of a competitive bid might be dumb, given that your "value" calculations don't seem to factor inflation very well. 

Also possible that Hoyer will sign his kinda-big-ticket (for-him), but the guy won't help all that much?   
-How much did Neris or Pressly help? 
-How much did Tucker help over the last four months? 
-Gallen or Suarez have been good at times, and might be very good.  But Gallen was worse than any of our starters last year.  The guy Hoyer signs might end up basically Assad-esque?
-Imai might be really good.  But maybe he'll be kinda middle-rotation guy, who knows? 
-Bregman might be very good.  But he might be kinda like adding an Ian Happ to the middle of the lineup.  Will he do that much to make the offense go?

Hope Hoyer gets one or two good players, and that they end up playing really well and proving to be good values.  And hope that PCA/Caissie/Shaw/Moises/Amaya can hit, so that the offense is strong. 

craig displaying his unbridled optimism again.
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2606 on: December 17, 2025, 05:26:47 pm »
Quote from: Reb on December 17, 2025, 04:34:55 pm
It’s not eight.

It’s seven open spots.

I like having 7 open spots.  (I wish we had more good prospects, but different issue).  What do do with 7?
1.  Sign 3-4 FA's.  Heh heh, Imai, Bregman, Castro, Fairbanks!  :) :) . Won't be those four, obviously, but 3 or 4 will go to FA's. 
2.  Use 2-3 for waiver guys.  As other teams complete their FA additions, a whole bunch of 40-man rosters will get overfilled, so guys are going to get waived.  Having 3-4 spots open mean the Cubs will be able to pick up some interesting guys.  Hopefully there will be a few pitchers with both talent and options, and Cubs "infrastructure" will be able to create some value?  I like that space to take some shots.
3.  Save 1-2 for non-roster invites.  Assume Hoyer will sign a group of non-roster guys.  If things work, one of them will look good in camp, will make the roster, and will end up being productive.  Having 40-man space provides opportunity. 


So having the spots I think provides some fun opportunity to add/create talent. 
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2607 on: December 17, 2025, 05:37:27 pm »
Quote from: craig on December 17, 2025, 05:26:47 pm
I like having 7 open spots.  (I wish we had more good prospects, but different issue).  What do do with 7?
1.  Sign 3-4 FA's.  Heh heh, Imai, Bregman, Castro, Fairbanks!  :) :) . Won't be those four, obviously, but 3 or 4 will go to FA's. 
2.  Use 2-3 for waiver guys.  As other teams complete their FA additions, a whole bunch of 40-man rosters will get overfilled, so guys are going to get waived.  Having 3-4 spots open mean the Cubs will be able to pick up some interesting guys.  Hopefully there will be a few pitchers with both talent and options, and Cubs "infrastructure" will be able to create some value?  I like that space to take some shots.
3.  Save 1-2 for non-roster invites.  Assume Hoyer will sign a group of non-roster guys.  If things work, one of them will look good in camp, will make the roster, and will end up being productive.  Having 40-man space provides opportunity. 


So having the spots I think provides some fun opportunity to add/create talent. 

You can talk all you want about flexibility but that's just spin, really. No other MLB clubs has fewer than 35 slots filled (as of a week ago). The Cubs left a bunch of guys unprotected and still got no one claimed. They have several guys they did put on the 40 who would certainly have gone unclaimed. They have a boatload of players hitting FA after '26 unlikely to be re-signed. At this point the depth of talent in the organization - from the front office down - is terrifyingly inadequate.
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2608 on: December 17, 2025, 05:44:06 pm »
Quote from: Reb on December 17, 2025, 04:20:30 pm
...still appears that Cubs in on Bregman and seems very unlikely that Hoyer has the budget for both Bregman and a big ticket SP.

Maybe Cubs not really in on Bregman, who knows. But, a year ago, Sharma said no way Cubs were in on Bregman—yet they were. Now, Sharma says Cubs are in on Bregman. So, gone feom being a skeptic to a believer. So, perhaps Sharma is correct about that now,

I wonder if the SP is actually going to come via trade…and not free agency. And/or a closer-type reliever via trade.

1.  Agree, Bregman is certainly on the "big ticket" menu. 

2.  Cubs were "interested" and "in on" 50-100 guys, I think.  Being "in on" Bregman doesn't mean odds are very high that he's the guy we end up making a best-offer for.  But yeah, while not probable it's certainly possible! 

3.  Koolaid Craig, but I'd still like to dream that somehow budget will allow for two big tickets, BOTH Bregman AND a big-ticket pitcher!  :):)  Not realistic, I realize, but without known budget, not 100% impossible? 
-Shaw fill the utility role, and fill bench just with kids/minimum-wage.
-Squeeze in one RH reliever somehow, or maybe not even. 
-Roll with Palencia as closer; Maton and the two vet lefties; believe that you can fix Hodge and that he'll be good; and suddenly you could get by with existing bullpen, prospects, and minimum-wage non-roster guys.  *IF* you stretched the budget to fit Bregman+Gallen, you wouldn't absolutely need to spread any other $$ around. 

So yeah, I'd love for Bregman and starting pitcher, and don't complain about no other $$$ signings. 

4.  Very unlikely, though.  Probably one big ticket, no more, no less.  Whether that be Bregman, Bellinger, Tucker, or a pitcher.  It's not going to be just Mahle and Willi Castro. 

5.  Agree, *IF* the single Ticket is Bregman, trading for the best pitching you can get from your pool of Alcantara/Long/Wicks/Assad/Brown is plausible.  Not sure how good of a guy you'd get, but that's fun to imagine. 

But yeah, there's going to be a big ticket, whether Bregman or other.  Whoever it is, I hope he works out well! 
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Re: Hot Stove
« Reply #2609 on: December 17, 2025, 09:12:46 pm »
Bo Bichette is willing to play 2B:

Bo Bichette Reportedly Open To Playing Second Base
Free agency's top shortstop could sign ... as a second baseman. MLB Trade Rumors explains why it makes sense for Bichette to change positions.
MLB Trade Rumors · mlbtraderumors.com


That probably means he's not getting much interest as a SS, and he's probably not going to sign as big a contract as expected. He's a much better target for the Cubs than Bregman, but that would mean that Jed Hoyer would have to spend on a riskier player. Jed, take on some risk.
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