***Official 2024 Chicago Cubs Thread***

[isucy86]

I guess I’d rather him throw an inning or two 4-5 times a week in the 7/8/9 spots and buy a guy who can consistently get through 6 over have Assad throw 5 innings and then hand the ball to Brewer/Smyly/Nittoli/Hodge/Thompson for the last 4

Feel like the part that is broke in your above scenario is the Cubs current relief staff vs. Assad being limited to a 5 inning starter. In the modern era of baseball, if I can find a #3/#4/#5 starter who caps at 5 innings with a 3.00 ERA- I'd be ecstatic. IMO with starters throwing fewer innings, teams need to do a better job developing 2 inning relief pitchers who can go 2-3 times a week.

Also easy to pile on Cubs FO this year when Merryweather, Alzolay, Almonte and Leiter have all spent time on the IL. I would agree Hoyer's moves this past offseason were lackluster. But they have been highlighted by injuries to guys who were going to be relied on heavily in leverage situations.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Feel like the part that is broke in your above scenario is the Cubs current relief staff vs. Assad being limited to a 5 inning starter. In the modern era of baseball, if I can find a #3/#4/#5 starter who caps at 5 innings with a 3.00 ERA- I'd be ecstatic. IMO with starters throwing fewer innings, teams need to do a better job developing 2 inning relief pitchers who can go 2-3 times a week.

Also easy to pile on Cubs FO this year when Merryweather, Alzolay, Almonte and Leiter have all spent time on the IL. I would agree Hoyer's moves this past offseason were lackluster. But they have been highlighted by injuries to guys who were going to be relied on heavily in leverage situations.

Agree. But I can’t help but wonder if part of the MJL, Merryweather, and Alzolay injuries have to do with being overworked at the end of last season. Guess we’ll never know

 

[BigJCy]

Cubs catching a break here. Both Harper & Schwarber out for the Cubs series next week.

 

[Cyforce]

Cubs catching a break here. Both Harper & Schwarber out for the Cubs series next week.

That should help some at least.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[CycloneErik]

Nittoli, we hardly knew ye.

Probably the best thing for his own safety.

 

[CYdTracked]

Geez the injury bug continues. Roberts looked sharp the 1 time a saw him in Iowa earlier this month. Probably about time to call him up anyways.

 

[isucy86]

Would be curious how Thompson fractured his rib. Crazy how a guy has a couple nice outings and next day he's on IL.

That said, Lopez career indicates he a step up over most of existing pen. And hopefully Roberts should settle into a solid 7th/8th guy.

 

[CYdTracked]

Would be curious how Thompson fractured his rib. Crazy how a guy has a couple nice outings and next day he's on IL.

That said, Lopez career indicates he a step up over most of existing pen. And hopefully Roberts should settle into a solid 7th/8th guy.

It's all just lipstick on a pig at this point. Even if Roberts and Lopez come in and have some good innings the hitting has been atrocious lately that even games we get good pitching we can't trust them offense to give them enough runs to win.

 

[David Freshman1982]

Sell it all. Any player over 25 yo is eligible to be moved. Phone lines are open. Let's go.

 

[NoCreativity]

Sell it all. Any player over 25 yo is eligible to be moved. Phone lines are open. Let's go.

I'm at that point, i honestly don't care if any of these position players are on the roster next year. This offense is absolutely atrocious. I've been watching baseball for over 40 years and have never seen this many sub .200 hitters in the lineup every night. Decent hitting pitchers used to be able to bat .190-.200 before the DH rule in the NL.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Zero accountability for the ********.

Counsell could’ve made a statement for the entire team benching Bellinger for that clown **** on the bases. He didn’t.

Counsell could’ve defended his guys when Swanson took second on the passed ball. He didn’t.

And the money keeps flowing in for these *******.

 

[NoCreativity]

Zero accountability for the ********.

And the money keeps flowing in for these *******.

Weren't Colin Rea and Trevor Megill former Cubs prospects who we just let go for some batting practice balls? I also noticed Iowa Cubs legend Estrada is looking decent for San Diego this year.

This front office is completely clueless right now.

 

[Cyforce]

Qell we're getting close to sell off time. If you could cut bait with 5 guys who would they be?

1. Swanson 6.5 yrs left 163 mil, save 28 mil in 25
Hoerner can play the position nearly as well and opens 2B for some offense.

2. Taillon 2.5 yrs left 44 mil save 18 mil in 25
He just folds when the pressure is on he's the anti Assad

3. Happ I know NTC but this is a regardless post
2.5 yrs 50 mil 21 mil off 25
Let the young guys show their stuff rest of year.
Open spot for FA in 26

4. Smyly 6.5 mil 2.5 mil in 25
Shown he has a little value in long relief

5. Neris 4 mil
Don't care just want him gone.

If they could do this total savings would be 365 mil 69.5 in 25.

Of course Happ and Swanson would have to agree to go to contenderd

Keeping Suzuki, think he's a solid 5 or 7 guy in the order.
Keeping Hendricks somebody has to eat innings with all the injuries and you need life long guys around the organization.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Qell we're getting close to sell off time. If you could cut bait with 5 guys who would they be?

1. Swanson 6.5 yrs left 163 mil, save 28 mil in 25
Hoerner can play the position nearly as well and opens 2B for some offense.

2. Taillon 2.5 yrs left 44 mil save 18 mil in 25
He just folds when the pressure is on he's the anti Assad

3. Happ I know NTC but this is a regardless post
2.5 yrs 50 mil 21 mil off 25
Let the young guys show their stuff rest of year.
Open spot for FA in 26

4. Smyly 6.5 mil 2.5 mil in 25
Shown he has a little value in long relief

5. Neris 4 mil
Don't care just want him gone.

If they could do this total savings would be 365 mil 69.5 in 25.

Of course Happ and Swanson would have to agree to go to contenderd

Keeping Suzuki, think he's a solid 5 or 7 guy in the order.
Keeping Hendricks somebody has to eat innings with all the injuries and you need life long guys around the organization.

Smart move is get rid of all of them but realistically no team is taking Swansons terrible contract and Happ has too many things going on in Chicago for him to leave.

Taillon and Bellinger are the only two who realistically could be sold off this year. I could also see Hoerner going somewhere with Triantos being near ready and seemingly being the same player with more power and speed.

 

[CyState85]

The only guys that are realistically being traded are Bellinger, Wisdom, and maybe Hendricks. Bellinger would be the only one to bring a haul of prospects.

 

[CyState85]

If the Orioles offered two top prospects for Steele, would you do it?

 

[ISUCubswin]

If the Orioles offered two top prospects for Steele, would you do it?

I'm not trading anyone who is cheap and could help win in 2025.

 

[CyState85]

I'm not trading anyone who is cheap and could help win in 2025.

Coby Mayo and Cade Povich for Steele and Wisdom—-let’s just say.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Dansby's deal. He was just over 5 WAR last year and will hit 4 WAR this year.

He's exactly what you signed. He's a defense first SS that has some pop and strikes out a little more than you'd like. It's what he's always been and you'd expect he'll be for the next 3 or 4 years.

This is where the FO has warped people. He got a mid-line deal perfectly commensurate to what he is. People are expecting Seager or Betts for half the money.

7/$177M should be absolutely nothing for a team with the Cubs resources but because Jason Heyward, we panic when a guy that isn't making superstar money isn't a superstar.