Offseason Roster Thread (2020-2021)

[Laika]

Tanaka is very interesting to me. Definitely would take him. More of a backend guy going forward but just seems so reliable... command guy with extensive playoff experience.

[Spanky99]

Tanaka's prime advantage over the others typically listed is he was actually healthy and pitched well last year. Almost everyone else mentioned was hurt

 

Exactly, lets get it.

[Orgfiller]

Maybe we look overseas again for some pitching...

 

MLB.com's Jon Morosi reports that Kohei Arihara is "increasingly likely to be posted by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters prior to Thanksgiving."

 

Arihara took home the Japanese version of the Cy Young Award in 2019 with a 2.46 ERA, 0.919 WHIP, and 161/40 K/BB ratio in 164 1/3 innings (24 starts) for Hokkaido. He then followed that up with a 3.46 ERA, 1.168 WHIP, and 106/30 K/BB ratio over 132 2/3 innings in 2020. The 28-year-old right-hander could draw interest from several MLB teams this winter given the lack of high quality starters on the free agent market.

 

That K/BB in 2020 looks pretty mediocre. I looked at his NPB stats and they're nowhere near the good Japanese pitchers (Darvish, Tanaka, Maeda) and significantly worse still than some pretty bad Japanese MLB pitchers (Yamaguchi, Yusei Kikuchi). The best case scenario I can see from stats alone is Hisashi Iwakuma and the latter was still a good deal better in the NPB. I obviously also have no idea what I'm talking and could not know less about NPB run environments in recent years.

[saskjayfan]

The only exciting arm out there over Tanaka is Bauer, Kluber could be close. Meh, I want him and Springer.

 

Charlie Morton was a 6 win pitcher in 2019. You add in his post season innings and he was just as good in 2020. I don't get why he doesn't get more love. He had a FIP under 3 in 2019 and it was just over 3 in 2020. Morton on a one year would make me way more excited than Tanaka on a multi year deal. There are way too many quality starters out there on the free agent market next year to be tied down to Tanaka.

[Spanky99]

Charlie Morton was a 6 win pitcher in 2019. You add in his post season innings and he was just as good in 2020. I don't get why he doesn't get more love. He had a FIP under 3 in 2019 and it was just over 3 in 2020. Morton on a one year would make me way more excited than Tanaka on a multi year deal. There are way too many quality starters out there on the free agent market next year to be tied down to Tanaka.

 

I wouldn't throw Charlie out of bed for eating crackers, lol. I never said anything like that, I just posted his Steamer600 projections. Or would you be upset if we acquired Tanaka?

[saskjayfan]

I wouldn't throw Charlie out of bed for eating crackers, lol. I never said anything like that, I just posted his Steamer600 projections. Or would you be upset if we acquired Tanaka?

 

I just really like the free agent pool next year and if it takes 3 years for tanaka that's too much for me. Somehow he avoided Tommy John for his entire Yankee contract, but that elbow worries me a bit.

[L54]

Charlie Morton was a 6 win pitcher in 2019. You add in his post season innings and he was just as good in 2020. I don't get why he doesn't get more love. He had a FIP under 3 in 2019 and it was just over 3 in 2020. Morton on a one year would make me way more excited than Tanaka on a multi year deal. There are way too many quality starters out there on the free agent market next year to be tied down to Tanaka.

 

People aren't talking about Morton because he's expressed a desire to stay in or close to his home in Florida. There was thought that he may retire this year. He's not coming to Canada and he's definitely not playing in Buffalo.

[Jimcanuck]

People aren't talking about Morton because he's expressed a desire to stay in or close to his home in Florida. There was thought that he may retire this year. He's not coming to Canada and he's definitely not playing in Buffalo.

 

I heard he is going to retire if he doesn't get a contract from Marlins or Rays. Probably Atlanta would be alright with him also, and is a quite possible landing spot

[Terminator]

I think we should sign Charlie Morton. He'd look good at the top of the rotation.

[Spanky99]

I think we should sign Charlie Morton. He'd look good at the top of the rotation.

 

He sure would, but that ain't happening.

[L54]

I heard he is going to retire if he doesn't get a contract from Marlins or Rays. Probably Atlanta would be alright with him also, and is a quite possible landing spot

 

I imagine he'll be back in TB on a one year deal. Atlanta would be a good fit and definitely a more exciting team than the Rays.

[BTS]

How do you guys feel about targeting Charlie Morton? He’s been pretty good the last few years and nobody is really talking about him.

[Jimcanuck]

Guys what about Jon Lester? 12 straight years with 2 WAR or more, until this COVID year.

[Laika]

Guys what about Jon Lester? 12 straight years with 2 WAR or more, until this COVID year.

 

Puke gif

[glory]

If the Cubs are possibly retooling/rebuilding, what about Darvish at 3/59? Had a great second half in 2019, and then followed it up with an even better 2020 by beating up on the same scrubs that Bauer beat up on. It would be his age 34-36 seasons, so who knows how long he holds up, but he looks a lot better than the non-Bauer FA options.

[Laika]

If the Cubs are possibly retooling/rebuilding, what about Darvish at 3/59? Had a great second half in 2019, and then followed it up with an even better 2020 by beating up on the same scrubs that Bauer beat up on. It would be his age 34-36 seasons, so who knows how long he holds up, but he looks a lot better than the non-Bauer FA options.

 

Darvish and Kimbrel for some C prospects

 

edit - I thought Kimbrel was a bigger sandbag but he only has one year left on his deal. Maybe it'll take a B prospect because Yu should be worth more than his deal.

[max silver]

If the Cubs are possibly retooling/rebuilding, what about Darvish at 3/59? Had a great second half in 2019, and then followed it up with an even better 2020 by beating up on the same scrubs that Bauer beat up on. It would be his age 34-36 seasons, so who knows how long he holds up, but he looks a lot better than the non-Bauer FA options.

Yes please, Darvish possesses ace level stuff and fully recovered from his elbow issues has really put things together. What would the cubs demand in return I wonder?

[connorp]

Darvish and Kimbrel for some C prospects

 

edit - I thought Kimbrel was a bigger sandbag but he only has one year left on his deal. Maybe it'll take a B prospect because Yu should be worth more than his deal.

 

Trade your legit Ace on your huge market winning club for some B and C prospects. I can’t imagine why Hoyer wouldn’t be all over that, agreed

[glory]

Darvish and Kimbrel for some C prospects

 

edit - I thought Kimbrel was a bigger sandbag but he only has one year left on his deal. Maybe it'll take a B prospect because Yu should be worth more than his deal.

 

Curious what Yu by himself would cost if he's made available. He's been a beast the last season and a half (5.4 WAR, 2.54 FIP, 12.04 K/9, and 1.20 BB/9 in his last 25 starts dating back to last season). It might be wishful thinking as he does have 3 years left on his deal, and if the Cubs rebuild/retool, they might look to move the impending FA's rather than him (or simply try for one more year in a s***** division), but if they are open to moving him, then he'd be my top target. Depends what direction they plan to go in.

[Spanky99]

Darvish and Kimbrel for some C prospects

 

edit - I thought Kimbrel was a bigger sandbag but he only has one year left on his deal. Maybe it'll take a B prospect because Yu should be worth more than his deal.

 

That's a lot of dough for guys their age. Although Darvish would be sexy AF.

[Laika]

Trade your legit Ace on your huge market winning club for some B and C prospects. I can’t imagine why Hoyer wouldn’t be all over that, agreed

 

The Red Sox just traded away Mookie Betts, lol. Cubs probably aren't trading Darvish but it has more to do with their lack of rotation depth than anything else. It's widely expected that they will try to move veterans and shed payroll as they retool.

[Jays24]

Report: Wong turns down mutli-year deal from Cards, Blue Jays interested

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2053939

 

Is he good enough for us to put Biggio out of position and have a weak left side of the defense? Don't want to see Biggio at 3B tbh.

[connorp]

The Red Sox just traded away Mookie Betts, lol. Cubs probably aren't trading Darvish but it has more to do with their lack of rotation depth than anything else. It's widely expected that they will try to move veterans and shed payroll as they retool.

 

That’s an awful comparison lol. In one case you’re taking about moving a guy you know is going to cost 10/300 at minimum and it’s understandable what they did. Cubs are in one of the largest markets in sports and they built back a winning brand. They just won the division and there’s another upstart team across the way now.

 

They aren’t dumping YD’s salary. It’d take something significant (mlb close prob) for the fan base to chew on

[John Balkabella]

No.

 

It would be a Wong move.

[Laika]

That’s an awful comparison lol. In one case you’re taking about moving a guy you know is going to cost 10/300 at minimum and it’s understandable what they did. Cubs are in one of the largest markets in sports and they built back a winning brand. They just won the division and there’s another upstart team across the way now.

 

They aren’t dumping YD’s salary. It’d take something significant (mlb close prob) for the fan base to chew on

 

It's not a comparison. It's an illustration of why your general point is wrong. Big market clubs can and do trade elite players, and sometimes they do it for weird reasons and the returns are underwhelming.

 

I never said they'd dump his salary. Maybe one of the pieces is a major league ready B prospect they can sell to the fans as a possible core piece, and they dump Kimbrel in the process.

 

Look, I think you need to develop a broader BJMB personality than "guy who disagrees with Laika". I love knowing that I am in your head 24/7 but come on, be your own man.

[connorp]

It's not a comparison. It's an illustration of why your general point is wrong. Big market clubs can and do trade elite players, and sometimes they do it for weird reasons and the returns are underwhelming.

 

I never said they'd dump his salary. Maybe one of the pieces is a major league ready B prospect they can sell to the fans as a possible core piece, and they dump Kimbrel in the process.

 

Look, I think you need to develop a broader BJMB personality than "guy who disagrees with Laika". I love knowing that I am in your head 24/7 but come on, be your own man.

 

Perhaps I do try to drag you into debate too often. I’ll be mindful of that but if your smartest guy in the room schtick needs to be checked at times, I feel it’s my duty now that Boxy retired. At least on occasion. But less frequently. Point taken

[Stangstag]

Report: Wong turns down mutli-year deal from Cards, Blue Jays interested

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2053939

 

Is he good enough for us to put Biggio out of position and have a weak left side of the defense? Don't want to see Biggio at 3B tbh.

 

I could see Biggio moving to the OF for a few seasons if Teo or Lourdes are delt... Say we deal one of them for Lindor and sign Wong, that gives us those two up the middle, Bichette at 3B and Biggio in LF/RF

[Jays24]

I could see Biggio moving to the OF for a few seasons if Teo or Lourdes are delt... Say we deal one of them for Lindor and sign Wong, that gives us those two up the middle, Bichette at 3B and Biggio in LF/RF

 

I really hope we dont go another season with Grichuk at CF, which is why I didn't consider Biggio in the OF. We already have 3 corner OFs on the roster so we'd have to get rid of 2 of them for Biggio to fit there full time.

 

Aside from 2b, I feel Biggio wont be a plus defender at any position and could be the odd man out when we begin upgrading our roster. Hope he proves me wrong because I love his game/potential/decision making offensively.

[Terminator]

How do you guys feel about targeting Charlie Morton? He’s been pretty good the last few years and nobody is really talking about him.

 

I would sign him but I heard he's a registered sex offender in the state of Florida so he has to reside there. He can get a waiver to travel for a limited number of away games (that's why he only wants to pitch for half the season) but otherwise that means he has to play for the Rays or Marlins.

[Terminator]

Report: Wong turns down mutli-year deal from Cards, Blue Jays interested

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2053939

 

Is he good enough for us to put Biggio out of position and have a weak left side of the defense? Don't want to see Biggio at 3B tbh.

 

He's a really good defensive 2B. Signing him and moving Biggio to 3B would improve our run prevention quite a bit IMO. I'd def consider Wong as an option.