MLB: ***Official 2022 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***

[ISUCubswin]

Per Jesse Rogers, Smyly is returning to the Cubs.

I'm a little nervous about this. Per Spotrac, we're at a payroll of $201 million before Smyly. I'm assuming he's going to be making at a minimum $10 million, since that's what he just declined.

Luxury tax is set at $233, so we're probably looking at roughly $20 million to spend after this deal.

 

[ISUCubswin]

I'm assuming your starting 5 (in no particular order)

Stroman
Hendricks
Taillon
Smyly
Steele

Far from elite, but very serviceable.

Alzolay, Assad, Brown, Killian, Sampson, Thompson, Wesneski can all step in. Part of me thinks we'll see someone get traded.

 

[CYdTracked]

Unless Wesneski looks bad in spring training I'd be surprised if he doesn't break camp in the rotation. He just looked way too good late in the season to bring out of the bullpen or start in Iowa. Smyly may be the long lefty out of the pen for now. Hendricks is the big wild card, can he stay healthy and will he pitch well enough to keep a spot in the rotation. I think Stroman Steele and Taillon are locks for the rotation with Wesneski a favorite to claim one of the last 2 spots. Killian and Assad probably start the season in Iowa with Thompson and Sampson in the pen. Lot of depth for once, still did not land that top of the rotation ace they need but a lot of solid middle to the backend rotation guys that will be fighting for rotation and roster spots.

 

[Cyforce]

I'm assuming your starting 5 (in no particular order)

Stroman
Hendricks
Taillon
Smyly
Steele

Far from elite, but very serviceable.

Alzolay, Assad, Brown, Killian, Sampson, Thompson, Wesneski can all step in. Part of me thinks we'll see someone get traded.

I think the 2 former yankees will be 2,3 in the rotation. I've seen the possibility of a 5 man using 6 guys allowing extended rest.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Hendricks is done, IMO.

He's not getting those 2-3 MPH back and he's lost just enough of the control where he can't get away with throwing 84.

 

[TClone99]

Hendricks is done, IMO.

He's not getting those 2-3 MPH back and he's lost just enough of the control where he can't get away with throwing 84.

I wouldn’t write a guy like that off. I think he figures out how to get enough back to compete.

 

[Shawker]

Per Jesse Rogers, Smyly is returning to the Cubs.

I'm a little nervous about this. Per Spotrac, we're at a payroll of $201 million before Smyly. I'm assuming he's going to be making at a minimum $10 million, since that's what he just declined.

Luxury tax is set at $233, so we're probably looking at roughly $20 million to spend after this deal.

I think they have more room than that. I'm seeing approximately $181 million before Smyly not $201 million.

 

[ISUCubswin]

I think they have more room than that. I'm seeing approximately $181 million before Smyly not $201 million.

My guess is that estimation either isn't including Heyward's $22 million or the projected arbitration.

 

[GoHawks]

My guess is that estimation either isn't including Heyward's $22 million or the projected arbitration.

I think it's the latter. When you click into the Cubs it doesn't give figures yet for arbitration guys

 

[Cyforce]

I read Amaya is supposed to be full go by spring training. I wonder if they are going to use Higgins as the primary backup and have Amaya and a journeyman at AAA? Not ideal but saves money that can be used elsewhere.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

I'm assuming your starting 5 (in no particular order)

Stroman
Hendricks
Taillon
Smyly
Steele

Far from elite, but very serviceable.

Alzolay, Assad, Brown, Killian, Sampson, Thompson, Wesneski can all step in. Part of me thinks we'll see someone get traded.

That bullpen is yikes

 

[TClone99]

That bullpen is yikes

Cubs have lots of promising (and some proven) bullpen pieces. The development staff has sort of been becoming “reliever whisperers” recently as well.

 

[cycloneman003]

That bullpen is yikes

Yeah that's just a terrible take. If nothing else, the Cubs have been exceptional at developing solid bullpen guys. Wick, Hughes, and Boxberger are all proven to be solid plus Smyly will be out of the pen some I'm sure. Heuer/Roberts coming back from TJ. Alozlay is high upside if moved to the pen full time. Uelman had his moments last year. Then a ton of young talent to work in (Rodriguez, Wesneski, Killian, Jensen, Estrada). Probably going to add another veteran to the mix too I'm sure.

The only issue would be a lack of a proven 9th inning guy, but generally speaking not worried about the pen at all.

 

[CYdTracked]

Let's not forget that Heuer should be coming back too. Not sure what his timeline is but if he is anything like he was prior to his injury he's another solid bullpen arm.

I'm not too concerned with the pitching staff at this point. While they did not land a top of the rotation Ace what they do have is a lot of depth and versatility now on the staff. Sill concerned with the corner infield spots. Hoping Mervis can be the man at 1B but 3B really concerns me. Not sure what options are left out there though.

 

[ISUCubswin]

I find it interesting the Cubs demanded Baty for Contreras and the Mets said no, then gave him 13 games last year, and decided they didn’t trust so they signed Correa. Baty is essentially blocked now. They have corner outfielders that are more proven and he won’t have a corner infield spot.

 

[CYdTracked]

Its crazy how deep into luxury tax some of these teams are going to be after this winter. There is something wrong when teams can essentially spend a quarter to half billion in payroll as fans still have to pay the ridiculous prices to go to games. I love baseball but at some point sports are going to price their way out of my budget if the trends keep up and the costs get passed down to the fans.

 

[CycloneErik]

Good offseason so far. Looks like we got the best SS for us, and they seem serious about putting something together.

 

[CycloneErik]

Its crazy how deep into luxury tax some of these teams are going to be after this winter. There is something wrong when teams can essentially spend a quarter to half billion in payroll as fans still have to pay the ridiculous prices to go to games. I love baseball but at some point sports are going to price their way out of my budget if the trends keep up and the costs get passed down to the fans.

Oh. they're there for me. I can't likely afford Wrigley ever again. It's a TV game for me.

 

[04clone]

I find it interesting the Cubs demanded Baty for Contreras and the Mets said no, then gave him 13 games last year, and decided they didn’t trust so they signed Correa. Baty is essentially blocked now. They have corner outfielders that are more proven and he won’t have a corner infield spot.

It wasn't just Baty. They also had Escobar, a proven, $10M per year player, at 3B. I know they aren't acting rationally, but surely Baty has more value to them as a trade chip than as a rarely used backup. (Correa and Alonso are both going to start every game they are physically able to start, so Baty would get minimal ABs at the MLB level.)

 

[CYdTracked]

Oh. they're there for me. I can't likely afford Wrigley ever again. It's a TV game for me.

Yeah, my kids are getting old enough where they might enjoy a trip to Wrigley soon and I hate to think what that is going to cost when we do take them. Not concerned about hotel/parking because that's just part of vacation and we'll do other things while in Chicago but between the ticket prices and concessions for a few hours of entertainment it is getting ridiculously expensive. Definitely going to wait till the Cubs get good again before we plan a trip because I'm not paying good money to see the crap they have put out there recently.

My wife and I probably saw one of the worst games I have seen at Wrigley when Rich Mills couldn't even record an out in the first inning against the Cardinals in a game in 2010. Got yanked after just 6 batters giving up 6 hits and 5 runs on just 16 pitches. Down 5-0 before the Cubs even got to bat and they wound up losing 7-1. The roster that year wasn't terrible but they finished 75-87 and I just remember sitting there after the top of the 1st was over feeling deflated and knowing the next 3 hours could be a rough one after how brutal that inning was.