2018 Chicago Cubs

[k_mac]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Edit: Sonny Gray is available...I wonder what it would take to get him? The Yanks are kinda set at most positions...doubt the Cubs have anything to offer, but maybe...

Tyler Chatwood and a prospect for Gray would be ideal for us because of the salary relief but less than ideal for the Yankees.


Where would Gray go with Lester/Hendricks/Q/Darvish/Hamels? I get the need for an insurance plan but Gray pitched to tune of a near 5 ERA last year. There are cheaper and better alternatives out there if depth is what you'd like to see.

[fugazi]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

There was a great article on...somewhere...about Gray and how we was top-tier when away from Yankee Stadium, but literally got beat up at home. The splits were historic, in terms of opponents OPS home vs away.

To be fair, I'm not assuming Darvish will give anything at all.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

A few things in catching up on this convo here...

1. Let's not throw dirt on the coffin of Kris Bryant just yet. I actually thought he had been improving each season until 2018, in which he struggled with a bum wing for most of the season. I think all this current chatter about how the front office wants to trade him before he gets expensive is dumb. Or about how he and the since-departed Chili Davis may not have been a good match...Who cares? Chili is gone. The Cubs should bank on Bryant and we'll see how he rebounds in 2019.

2. Darvish, like Bryant, was hurt for essentially the entire 2018 season. I was one of Darvish's harshest critics because I thought he was dogging it. I even sided with A-Rod when he blistered Darvish on the set of a Sunday Night Baseball game. But, then it came out that the Cubs' medical stuff had basically missed something on Yu's exams (which makes a ton more sense now why he went to get checked out by the medical staff of the Texas Rangers). So, Darvish was legit injured last season, and everyone doggy piled on him to boot. As with Bryant, let's see if he can get healthy again for 2019 and perform up to his Texas Rangers levels. The starting staff probably won't improve much, but still figures to be solid and veteran if overpriced and unspectacular. Especially with a healthy year from Darvish and a full season of Hamels, rather than an injured Darvish and a half-season of Chatwood like last year. Lester, Quintana, and Hendricks all figure to remain middle-of-the-road, 2/3/4-quality dudes.

3. My enthusiasm for Addison Russell ran out last season. And this was before his ex-wife came out and basically said he was a sociopath. Thus, I'd be pretty disappointed if Addy remained a Cub for more than one reason.

4. The front office will need to sift through the talented, but redundant group of players like Happ/Schwarber/Bote and figure out whether Willson Contreras is just going to be a seat-warmer for Amaya or if Willy's 2017 midseason surge was for real. Need to exchange some of these spare parts for value while they still have some.

5. Veterans such as Rizzo, Zobrist, and Heyward aren't going anywhere. I am somewhat bullish on Heyward improving a bit even though he went into a deep slump for the 2nd half of 2018 just when we thought he was finally rounding into form. At age 36/37, Zobrist was easily the most consistent and enjoyable hitter to watch on the 2018 Cubs (even if his wife's rendition of Benny and the Jets really sucks compared to Elton John's).

6. Tyler Chatwood needs to never throw another competitive pitch for the Cubs. I don't care if it's a straight buyout or what, but the guy made a mockery of a usable 25-man roster spot for all of 2018. By August, the team had literally zero confidence in him in all but the moppiest of mop-up scenarios. Even then, he made a couple of blowout wins more anxiety-inducing than they needed to be.

7. The bullpen needs a closer it can depend on. Morrow is not that guy. Morrow could be a great 8th inning man, though, with Strop filling in when Morrow inevitably gets hurt. I'd like to see a trade for a closer or for the Cubs to be ultra-aggressive going after a Kimbrel type. I have to think the Cubs know this, that they can't get to September and October and hope that Jesse Chavez, Randy Rosario, Dillon Maples, Brandon Kintzler and co. is going to dunk on playoff-caliber lineups.

8. As for the coaching staff, it sounds like things were incredibly dysfunctional last season, with both Chili Davis and Jim Hickey potentially not coming back. Personally, I didn't really see anything positive that Hickey brought despite his reputation in Tampa and with Joe Maddon. There weren't any testimonials from the pitching staff about how "Hickey helped me to realize that _________, so now I am pitching much better." The entire rotation regressed en masse. In fact, the only thing I even remember Hickey doing last year was making some harsh public comments about Yu Darvish. If Maddon is the one picking these coaches, then shame on him. If it's the front office, then shame on them. Getting the absolute most out of these young players really needs to be the only thing the coaching staff is getting paid to do.

[k_mac]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

It's crazy to me how fast the script has flipped on this franchise in the media. We've got a talented roster that under-performed last season still winning 95 games. Kris and Yu being healthy would have vastly changed the outlook on this season. That's losing an MVP and a guy you're paying to come in and be a lock as at least your number 2 pitcher. I don't know.. maybe I'm being a Cubs apologist here but I am still optimistic about this core. Am I disappointed in the way the season played out? Yes, but I'm also not ready to press the panic button like some (not targeting any of you guys specifically, just ranting).

Seeing Buster grasp at air for clicks yesterday with the "Cubs listening on Bryant" stuff was pathetic. I think the front office has their work cut out for them in the upcoming months, but blowing it up because we had a 95 win season is asinine. Sometimes, like this year, that's not good enough (especially with how well the Brewers finished) but they controlled their own destiny and that's exactly the position you want to be in.

WTYN, just to piggyback off some of the things you said:

I don't think Russell has accepted anything other than his suspension. I'm all for rehabilitation, but if you don't accept you were in the wrong (for at least something there) you can't fix the problem. That's not a guy I want to support and I'll be a bit disappointed if he breaks camp with the team. Couple that in with the fact he never lived up to his offensive ceiling and I don't think we're talking about a guy another team would take on. 2018 was his first year that he hit .250. Even without the baggage, it would have been time to move on and hand the reigns to Javy.

I don't even know what to say about Chatwood. I hope it doesn't take a significant prospect to rid ourselves of that contract. In a perfect world we ship him and Russell off in the same deal, but I don't think any team is dumb enough to accept that.

I'll end this with a little offseason free agent wish list:

Back-end bullpen guy (preferably a lefty) - Miller, Britton, Ottavino. Please just anyone besides Kimbrel. You throw in another piece to the Morrow/Strop combo and I think that could be successful.

Another, cheaper bullpen option - Sipp or maybe a guy like Cody Allen coming off a down year after being dominant? Joe Kelly probably priced himself out of this range with a dominant postseason. Would love to have Trevor Cahill back but I think someone offers him a contract with a guaranteed starting position.

Backup catcher - Willy caught 1100 innings this last season. I'm sure that didn't help with his offensive regression. Caratini isn't the answer right now or maybe ever. Go out and grab a guy that is an above average pitch framer please.

Marwin Gonzalez - give me all the super utility guys one team can handle

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

The real questions are:

"Who is the real Kris Bryant?"

and

"Where does the SP improvement come from?"

I'll be honest...given Russell's regression offensively, Zobrist's age (can he beat the clock again?), Heyward's albatross of a contract, and Schwarber's seeming to plateau (though he had 10 less k's and 19 more walks)...plus the slight decline of Hendricks and heavy use of Strop...I'm kinda bearish on the Cubs. Last season did not inspire confidence...but maybe having the post-season off will do them some good...2015-2017 they played an awful lot of baseball.

I hope we see what Schwarber/Bryant/Rizzo or Schwarber/Baez/Rizzo/Bryant looks like in a lineup next year.

late but the guy who was going to win another MVP before he hurt his shoulder. He was on pace to annihilate his previous MVP season. if his shoulder is all good then I'm not too worried. but shoulders man that's why they should be all in on Harper or Machado. I don't know what to believe in cubs rumors but there is no way in this championship window should they be worrying about the tax.

they should also be looking at getting a decent SS because the defense is better with Javy at 2B. I concur I would be all in on Marwin Gonzalez, also wouldn't mind McCutchen either.

does the SP need improved on?

Lester/Q/Darvish/Hendricks/Hamels is kinda fine. the bullpen is where you add, but don't bring Justin Wilson back he's just not dependable but do bring Jesse Chavez back he was excellent prob need more than that though.

I think Willson easily bounces back next year. but I will be really disappointed if they don't at least make strong offer for Machado or Harper.

[Jr.]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Jim Hickey resigns: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...pitching-coach

So new hitting and pitching coaches in back to back years. Interesting

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

It's exceptionally strange that the Cubs are replacing both major coaches (hitting and pitching) after a single year with the team. Hopefully they trash whatever interview process they used last year to find these guys.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Carrie Muskat must've retired, because a dude is now doing Cubs beat reporting for MLB.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Also saw this nugget in an article: https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/joe-ma...bs/c-301133296

Maddon noted that he plans to be more involved with the coaches next season.

"That will be the part that will be different," Maddon said. "I've always kind of stayed free of coaching, because I really want to stay out of coaches' way so they can do their job. I've always felt that is the right way to do it. But this year, I'm going to get a little more hands-on involved in actually coaching."

Maddon said that decision is influenced by Epstein saying earlier this offseason that he expects the manager to be "re-energized" by what lies ahead for the Cubs.

God forbid he does more than be a figurehead...really sounds to me as if Maddon has been coasting.

[k_mac]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Carrie Muskat must've retired, because a dude is now doing Cubs beat reporting for MLB.

Pretty sure she was let go. At least some of the tweets she sent out made it seem that way

[Jr.]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

So the cubs trade for Torreyes, seemingly so replace Russell. But they tener Russell a contract and not Torreyes.

What am I missing?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Operation Sports mobile app

[Jr.]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Good explanation about the Russell tender and Torreyes non-tender

https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/12/1/18120967/addison-russell-contract-ronald-torreyes-non-tender-cubs-2019-roster

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Looks like the Cubs' coaching staff for next season is all but complete. Here are the newbs:

Hitting Coach: Anthony Iapoce (ugh, a name I will have to look up how to spell)
Asst to the Regional Hitting Coach: Terrmel Sledge (double consonant guy 1)
Pitching Coach: Tommy Hottovy (an internal candidate hire, double consonant guy 2)
QA Coach: Chris Denorfia

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Also saw this nugget in an article: https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/joe-ma...bs/c-301133296



God forbid he does more than be a figurehead...really sounds to me as if Maddon has been coasting.

Following up on this point, here are some comments from Theo Epstein:

Cubs manager Joe Maddon told the Tampa Bay Times last month that he planned on getting more involved in hands-on coaching next season. During Thursday's news conference, Epstein said Maddon's remarks merely reflected the organization's emphasis on having a heightened sense of urgency during the 2019 campaign.

"We're all accountable -- me, especially -- for what happened last year," Epstein said. "That's the first step. And then it's, 'How do I get better?' If that wasn't our best, what is our best and how do we get there? And I think that's the mindset Joe is in. ... I think it's sort of a return to his roots. The Joe Maddon who's buzzing around in the middle of all the action, talking to his players all the time and really engaged with what's going on on the field and in his players' lives, that's the very best Joe Maddon.

"And I think if he can make small adjustments to give even more of himself to that pursuit, then the whole organization is going to be better off. He's really excited about sort of the challenge that this year presents for him and for us, and I'm excited by his attitude about it."

I'm not sure how anyone can read this and not get the sense that the organization thinks Joe Maddon has been flat coasting or lazy. Kind of a weird situation in that I really doubt they still see Joe as the right guy for this job going forward (hence his lame duck status), but they'd get killed in the media if they went and fired the Cubs' only living World Series manager.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Following up on this point, here are some comments from Theo Epstein:



I'm not sure how anyone can read this and not get the sense that the organization thinks Joe Maddon has been flat coasting or lazy. Kind of a weird situation in that I really doubt they still see Joe as the right guy for this job going forward (hence his lame duck status), but they'd get killed in the media if they went and fired the Cubs' only living World Series manager.

It would be hilarious if they offered the job to Rick Renteria...