Chicago Cubs Offseason

[ChicagoIrish]

Every fan is delusional about the value of their own players. Fans are most delusional about the value of their own prospects. I've head some people say the Cubs could get David Price for Alcantara, Vogelbach and C.J. Edwards and I just have to laugh because that package wouldn't be enough to get a Samardzija type from another team, much less get David Price.

No sense in talking Cubs baseball, with people who don't know anything about the Cubs.

Why waste your time?

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

We lack Top 100 prospects? Hmm weird because I'm pretty sure Bradley, Skaggs, Eaton, Gregorius, Owings, and Davidson are all top 100 prospects. C'mon man.

Again, I said the D-Backs lack top 100 prospects at a position of need for the Cubs. Who's top 100 list are you looking at? Minor League Ball Top 75 Prospects: End of Season Update - Minor League Ball That is a top 125 list from a few weeks ago that has Bradley, Davidson and Owings. The problem is of all the guys you listed only Bradley and Skaggs are positional fits. The Cubs have four top 30 prospects that play SS, 3B, CF and RF with another top 75 at 2B. Then they have a 23 year old SS who is a two time all-star.

They need pitching prospects not position players which they have waves of working their way up in the minors. Again, I'm not trying to insult the D-Backs as they have a good system and some very good players. They are just not a good fit for a trade with the Cubs. The Cubs have several mid to back-end rotation types in the system that are less then two years away. What they need are 1-2 high ceiling pitching prospects. They will have a better chance of getting that from the other teams interested in Samardzija then the D-Backs.

 

[Davis_Mike]

With the pitching market the way it is right now someone will "overpay". In a world where Lincecum just got $17.5M/yr, the best pitching on the open market is a Japanese pitcher who will cost $60M+ just to talk to, and Matt Garza wants $20M+/yr a good pitcher with two years of team control has a lot of value.

No one took the bate on Samardzija in July when he had more value than he does now. I highly doubt KC would make the same mistake 2 years in a row & overpay for a low end #2/#3 SP, And the Blue Jays likely won't bet the farm again in 2014 like they did in 2013. The market for Samardzija is a lot smaller than you think.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

The Samardzija rumors from this morning are that the Royals are offering Kyle Zimmer and other small pieces. The D-Backs will not include Bradley, but are offering "multiple high end assets". Towers apparently wants Samardzija very much. It looks like unless the Blue Jays get involved the choices will be Zimmer and lottery tickets or several quality pieces from the D-Backs with none of them being Bradley. I'd rather have Zimmer unless the plan is to flip some of the incoming prospects with some currently in the Cubs' farm for Price.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

No way do I want a trade with Arizona without Bradley being involved. Unless we're working on flipping those prospects. I think getting Kyle Zimmer would be great, but I'm hoping we're not looking to flip Zimmer in a future trade.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Peter Gammons is reporting that the Cubs will name a new manager tomorrow (Thursday). Boston is not going to allow the Cubs to interview Lovullo so if he was the top choice, as many have speculated, it is a good thing they made sure they had other options in place.

Heard a quote that was supposed to be from someone in the KC front office about Samardzija: "We were willing to pay top dollar for a fully loaded [Ford] F-150 but by the time we got to the dealership someone else thought they were buying a Lotus.". If that is true is makes me wonder what exactly the D-Backs are offering since Bradley isn't supposed to be on the table. I've heard rumblings of some big, 5+ player, packages for Samardzija and Russell.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Interesting quote.

I don't know how Samardzija could bring a big package in return. But if a team is looking to overpay for him and Russell, then that's a win for us.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Luckily for Cubs fans, KT is not very smart. He'll probably offer you Skaggs, Owings, Pollock, Delgado and a lower level prospect for Shark and Russell which would really piss off the entire AZ fan base.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Luckily for Cubs fans, KT is not very smart. He'll probably offer you Skaggs, Owings, Pollock, Delgado and a lower level prospect for Shark and Russell which would really piss off the entire AZ fan base.

I've seen that package as a possible offer a few places. The other names getting thrown around are Trahan and Eaton. If Towers is really dumb enough to give up Skaggs, Delgado, Owings/Davidson, Pollock/Eaton and Trahan I will laugh. That is a package that neither fan base will really be thrilled with, but where both front offices will feel they did what was best for their team. Towers will have added another gritty player and upgraded the current rotation while having kept Bradley. The Cubs will have added several more good, but not great, prospects and would be in position for a strong follow-up move as they would really have too many infielders that need to be in AAA or the majors.

To put that in perspective with the Garza trade, the most recent trade of a similar talent to Samardzija, the Cubs got C.J. Edwards, Mike Olt, Jutin Grimm and Neil Ramirez. That was for a few months of Garza and is a similar package to what the above Arizona package would be for two years of Samardzija, probably with Russell, and the ability to get a compensation pick if they let Samardzija leave in two years. If we were to say Skaggs and Edwards were about equal, Delgado and Ramirez are of similar value, Owings/Davidson is comparable to Olt with Pollock comparable to Grimm. That would mean the difference in one and a half seasons and a compensation pick is pretty much Trahan. Take in the market value of a pitcher like Samardzija, see Lincecum's 2yr/$35M contract, and the price that Shields got, a top 5 prospect and another top 100, and that deal is more fair then the fans of either team, myself included, want to accept.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Keith Moreland leaving WGN radio.

WGN Radio?s Cubs broadcaster Keith Moreland leaving booth | WGN Radio

I don't know if anyone listens to the radio, but I do once in a while, and Moreland was purely awful. Thank God he's leaving.

 

[BigDDude]

Keith Moreland leaving WGN radio.

WGN Radio?s Cubs broadcaster Keith Moreland leaving booth | WGN Radio

I don't know if anyone listens to the radio, but I do once in a while, and Moreland was purely awful. Thank God he's leaving.

Looks like LOTS of changes afoot for the Cubs.

Within the last 2 days, I have read: The Cubs will be hiring Padre coach Rich Renteria as their new manager.

Wrigley Field will no longer be serving Old Style beer.

WGN may lose the rights to show Cubs games.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Looks like LOTS of changes afoot for the Cubs.

Within the last 2 days, I have read: The Cubs will be hiring Padre coach Rich Renteria as their new manager.

Wrigley Field will no longer be serving Old Style beer.

WGN may lose the rights to show Cubs games.

For the better I hope. Nothing wrong with changing a few things here and there when you haven't won in 100+ years.

The WGN television deal wasn't a surprise. I've been hearing about this for the last couple years. The Cubs are focusing on having their own Cubs Network, which I'm personally on board with.

Plus all the renovation talks. As long as Wrigley isn't tore down, I'm fine with the renovations.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

WGN can keep the games, but their contract is up after this season. WGN is paying $20M for their share of the games that have a market value of $80-100M so the Cubs should see a significant increase in revenue soon.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Screw WGN.

I want our own Cubs network.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Cubs have too many games already sold to comcast through 2019 to start their own network at this point. While that seems to be the end goal it can't happen until at least 2020.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Yeah this has been talked about for a couple years now.

Not to mention, a lot can change by the 2020 season.

Any suggestions on who replaces Keith Moreland? Maybe Dave Otto, Kerry Wood, Mark Grace?

 

[anotheridiot]

Cubs will announce the official hiring of Renteria, three year deal with two one year options after.

Renteria will not be in attendance at the press conference.

Moreland leaving will not bother me. A guy that works with Pat Hughes for two or three years should be a great announcer. Pat had to put comments on T's so Moreland would give his insight.

I dont know what Hughes deal is like, he takes off the fifth inning to use the toilet and has been taking series off during the year. I really wanted an ex cub on TV, not the bitter ass they hired so a complete shakeup would be fine for me.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Any suggestions on who replaces Keith Moreland? Maybe Dave Otto, Kerry Wood, Mark Grace?

I'm going to guess Wood and then in a few years he'll move to the TV booth.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I'm going to guess Wood and then in a few years he'll move to the TV booth.

I'm hoping you're right.

I really like Pat Hughes, and I like Len as well. I'm not a fan of JD, and didn't like Moreland at all. Kerry Wood would be a major upgrade in the radio booth.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Baseball America released their top 10 Cubs prospect list and the biggest surprise on the list is C.J. Edwards at #3. Ahead of Almora and Soler. Pierce Johnson was 6th. I think we are getting to the point where we can stop complaining about a lack of top pitching prospects in the organization. Edwards is going to be a top 20 prospect on some lists and Pierce Johnson will be top 100 on several lists.

2014 Chicago Cubs Top 10 Prospects - BaseballAmerica.com