The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Cubs put in a claim for Hamels. If Theo trades one of our top prospects for this guy, I'm going to lose my ****.

Side note: I saw this on Twitter and some Phillies fan said they should be able to land both Bryant and Russell. Yeah, okay pal. lol

Interesting. Not sure if it's just Theo using a waiver claim to block someone? Or if we really have interest? Given the lack of quality front line SPs coming available, this might be the only way to get an ace with no potential aces in our system.

This might actually be a good time to take advantage of an embattled RAJ, who was miffed that he couldn't get anything done. Perhaps his expectations have been lowered a bit. He's already gone on record saying they will probably punt on '15 and '16 in no uncertain terms. If that's the case, how does having Hamels around help the cause?

If anyone has the farm system to get Hamels, it would be us. Although Bryant will go nowhere and RAJ will like it. I'd be open to to dealing some combo of Christian Villanueva, Arodys Vizcaino, C.J. Edwards, Gleyber Torres, and Albert Almora for Hamels. But, if I had to guess, I'd say it will center around Soler.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

idk...i have always liked Hamels...even yelled at him during warmups at Wrigley in 08 to come to the Cubs...but that was a while back.

he's only 30, and his numbers haven't declined...but I'd rather give up an infielder than Soler, if it's a must that we take Hamels

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

You guys are crazy. Hamels is already 31, and the Cubs should not give up ANY of their top 20 prospects for him. If they're going to do that, then why did they get rid of Samardzija?

My guess, is that Theo put a claim to see if he can mug them and get Hamels for basically nothing. Call their bluff.

[k_mac]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

You guys are crazy. Hamels is already 31, and the Cubs should not give up ANY of their top 20 prospects for him. If they're going to do that, then why did they get rid of Samardzija?

My guess, is that Theo put a claim to see if he can mug them and get Hamels for basically nothing. Call their bluff.

I think you're overreacting a little bit about the whole situation. I'd agree that we probably shouldn't give up any of our top 5/6 guys for Hamels, but extending that to 20? That's crazy. I'd happily part with guys like Arodys Vizcaino, Dan Vogelbach, Victor Caratini, Jeimer Candelario, Corey Black or Christian Villanueva if it meant getting Cole Hamels. Now, RAJ would scoff at a proposal of some of those guys, but as a fan, I wouldn't bat an eye at losing that for someone like Hamels. Yes, he's 31, but what other pitchers who are that good/remarkably younger are going to be traded?

I like what WTNY said about trying to take advantage of Amaro right now, because he has to be feeling the pressure of not doing anything at the deadline. It's worth a shot, even though we're very, very likely to do nothing here. Remember when the Dodgers claimed Cliff Lee off of waivers like this a few years back and nothing happened? Same scenario.

The Phillies are more than likely going to pull Hamels back, because why be stuck having to deal him to the Cubs (or better yet, letting him go for nothing) when they can shop him to the entire league here in a few months.

We got rid of Samardzija because he wanted much more money that what he was worth and couldn't get anything done in extension talks. That, and he netted us a top 10 prospect in the game. Hamels has nothing to do with that, as he's signed through 2018 with a 2019 option.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Jimminy Christmas is the ball ever jumping off Baez's bat. Nice little move of the Cubs to promote him at the Rockies. Doesn't hurt.

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Remember when I said I don't like that little hitch in Baez's swing?? Yeah, I'm an idiot. lol

Sweet mercy, does that ball explode off his bat. Goodness...

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Wow, that's it.....that's the list. Notice the battery percentage also.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Considering that I hadnt heard of Joe Cunningham untill i read this and googled him, Im not sure if this is good news...

Hopefully Baez will have a couple hundred more homers than Cunningham did. He finished w/ 60 some.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

This Baez guy is pretty good.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

This Baez guy is pretty good.

Average at best........

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Can someone EXACTLY explain to me why it would "hurt" the Cubs, if they called up Bryant?? How exactly does losing a year of service time hurt them at the negotiating table?

Yes, they lose a year of control on him, but does it really matter??

EDIT: Point being, he's NEVER going anywhere. How much money is actually lost?

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Can someone EXACTLY explain to me why it would "hurt" the Cubs, if they called up Bryant?? How exactly does losing a year of service time hurt them at the negotiating table?

Yes, they lose a year of control on him, but does it really matter??

EDIT: Point being, he's NEVER going anywhere. How much money is actually lost?

Yeah, I don't really understand it either. It's not like the Cubs will be keeping a $90M payroll in 6 years. They'll be able to afford his final arbitration year whether it's $5M or $20M.

Maybe it's more that they'll lose half a year of evaluation at the MLB level before deciding to offer a long-term contract?

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I'd be shocked beyond belief if he turns out to be a bust.

I look at it like he's their 'Mike Trout'. Dude will NEVER go anywhere. Cubs fans would storm their front-offices with pitch-forks if they let him walk in 5/6 years, regardless of how much is being talked about.

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I'd be shocked beyond belief if he turns out to be a bust.

I look at it like he's their 'Mike Trout'. Dude will NEVER go anywhere. Cubs fans would storm their front-offices with pitch-forks if they let him walk in 5/6 years, regardless of how much is being talked about.

Eh, you can't say all of that yet. Mike Trout looked like just another prospect after his first stint in at the MLB level. There is always a risk of failure when someone moves to the highest level.

He looks great right now, but Bryant could still flame out. The more I think about it, the more I believe keeping his service clock from starting yet is about the evaluation process rather than his eventual arbitration cost. If he struggles relative to expectations for 4-5 years, they'll want that extra year of service time to make their decision.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Honestly, I'm fine with waiting a little longer for Bryant. We've been waiting so long to really be relevant again... I can wait a little longer. The team as is is already exciting to watch again with Alcantara in the lineup and Arrieta and Hendricks in the rotation. One of the best things about being a sports fan for me is slowly watching all of the pieces start to come together until that one year when it finally really clicks.