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MLB 2014-2015 Offseason |OT| Playoff Dreaming

C

chicagocubsfan

Member
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said today that he believes the club is prepared to compete in the NL Central next year, as MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat reports. “I think we’ve proved we can be very competitive in this division,” said Epstein, “and when you have a chance to compete, you should set your sights high and that means our goal is the Central title next year.”

While those words would appear to indicate that Chicago will increasingly be willing to dedicate resources to improve the production of its current roster, Epstein cautioned that the team would not “sell out just for 2015.” It will, however, look to add talent — in particular, some starting pitching, a pen lefty, and new outfield options — through all available mechanisms, including free agency.

Epstein says, unsurprisingly, that the team remains committed to relying on its young talent to drive a resurgence. In spite of his struggles, Javier Baez is expected to open the season as the starter at second. Other less experienced players will presumably keep or expand their roles as well. Epstein specifically addressed relievers Neil Ramirez and Justin Grimm, who he said would stay in the pen rather than being stretched out as starters.

Certainly, the Cubs are a fascinating team to watch as free agency approaches. Many of the club’s best prospects have already reached or are nearing the major league level. Future salary obligations are minimal. And long-anticipated Wrigley Field renovations — which have often been connected to payroll capacity by ownership and the front office – are now underway.
Click to expand...
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/09/epstein-says-cubs-intend-to-compete-in-2015.html. Get hyped y'all.
 
C

chicagocubsfan

Member
zulux21 said:
Is there another Donaldson? the only one I can find is Josh Donaldson and he isn't set to become a free agent for 4 more years... and I can't really see the A's trading an 8 war guy that is at most going to be paid like 3 million.
Click to expand...

All the rumors in the past few days is that the A's are going to look at trading him and Samardzija to maximize their value and rebuild again.
 
Z

zulux21

Member
chicagocubsfan said:
All the rumors in the past few days is that the A's are going to look at trading him and Samardzija to maximize their value and rebuild again.
Click to expand...

I could see trading smardzija no problem... but last I checked the oak team was pretty young and could easily compete again next year, why would they want to go back into rebuilding already next year instead of going for it?

I mean they still have 4 pretty decent SP
and won't be losing any good players from their bullpen or starting line up to free agency?

I would imagine if they are going to go back to rebuild they would need to just sell the whole damn team, which at this point seems really stupid, so I find it really hard to believe such rumors.
 
C

CygnusXS

will gain confidence one day
Well, if Donaldson is available I'd love to get him. No way in hell the Braves could trade for him though.
 
M

Mr. Enigma

Member
Braves announced that assistant hitting coach Scott Fletcher and third base coach Doug Dacenzio will not return in 2015.

Braves have hired former Astros manager Bo Porter to be the new third base, outfield, and baserunning coach. Porter was previously the Nationals' third base coach before he was hired by the Astros.

The rest of the coaching staff remains in tact.
 
R

Rafa=FedKilla

Banned
chicagocubsfan said:
All the rumors in the past few days is that the A's are going to look at trading him and Samardzija to maximize their value and rebuild again.
Click to expand...
Only symardjazya has thrown his last pitch in an A's uniform. Never want to see him have success again. All this talk about wanting pitch in Chicago again, for the Cubs or Sox. Shut the fuck up. It was a pennant race.
 
Z

zulux21

Member
Rafa=FedKilla said:
Only symardjazya has thrown his last pitch in an A's uniform. Never want to see him have success again. All this talk about wanting pitch in Chicago again, for the Cubs or Sox. Shut the fuck up. It was a pennant race.
Click to expand...

If the cost was mostly just taking the contract off the A's hands (and a couple minor league players that aren't in the white sox plans for the next 3 years) I would take him on the white sox as a 4th starter... if they want much more than that though I would pass as he will likely get like 10mil for 2015.

I am hoping the white sox manage to make some decent trades where they mostly eat salary this off season though since they have at least 40 mil to play with.
 
J

jakncoke

Banned
Mr. Enigma said:
Octavio Dotel has retired due to failed rehab of his elbow injury.
Click to expand...

March 20, 1993: Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent.

Pretty crazy he probably been in pro baseball for longer than some mlb-age has been alive lol, i wasnt even 5 when he signed.
 
C

chicagocubsfan

Member
Some Yankees writer says that he hears the Cubs will sign Lester and Scherzer. IDK if we need both tbh. And I don't have confidence that Scherzer will continue to be elite.He also said that both would be a waste of money since offense sucks now.

But if that happened I'd still be ecstatic.
 
J

jakncoke

Banned
BzWkUfcCUAEVzkZ.png:large


SS to 1B. Go go Jordy
 
E

eznark

Banned
The guy I was playing at SS this year in my OOTP team had 45 errors. .880 fielding percentage.

He also had like a .580 slugging and .440 OBP. His total war was only 3.5. It's the most amazing season ever.
 
C

chicagocubsfan

Member
Cubs offseason Outlook
The Cubs enter the 2014-15 offseason with the highest expectations since Theo Epstein took over as club president in October 2011. Starting pitching should be the team’s main focus this winter.

Guaranteed Contracts

Starlin Castro, SS: $44MM through 2019
Anthony Rizzo, 1B: $37MM through 2019
Edwin Jackson, SP: $22MM through 2016
Jorge Soler, RF: $20MM through 2020 (may opt for arbitration once eligible)
Ryan Sweeney, OF: $2MM through 2015
Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections via Matt Swartz)

John Baker, C (5.141): $1.1MM projected salary
Wesley Wright, RP (5.105): $2MM
James McDonald, SP (5.074): $1MM
Chris Coghlan, LF (4.148): $1.4MM
Luis Valbuena, 3B (4.148): $3.1MM
Justin Ruggiano, RF (4.019): $2.5MM
Travis Wood, SP (4.004): $5.5MM
Pedro Strop, RP (3.156): $2.4MM
Jake Arrieta, SP (3.145): $4.1MM
Felix Doubront, SP (3.120): $1.3MM
Welington Castillo, C (3.009): $2.1MM
Non-tender candidates: Baker, McDonald, Wood
Contract Options

Kyuji Fujikawa, RP: $5.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Tsuyoshi Wada, SP: $5MM club option (no buyout)
Jacob Turner, SP: $1MM club option (no buyout)
Free Agents

Carlos Villanueva
For a last-place team that finished 16 games under .500, the 2014 Cubs had several positive developments. 25-year-old Anthony Rizzo emerged as one of the best first basemen in baseball. 24-year-old shortstop Starlin Castro bounced back to his 2011-12 form. 22-year-old right fielder Jorge Soler battled hamstring injuries but still tore through Double and Triple-A and saw his success carry over for a month in the Majors. On the pitching side, Jake Arrieta emerged as a potential ace with a 2.53 ERA in 25 starts and Hector Rondon had a successful run as the team’s closer. A lot of building blocks fell into place under new manager Rick Renteria.

In March, I questioned the Cubs’ choices of position players Rizzo and Kris Bryant over power arms Andrew Cashner and Jon Gray. The Rizzo and Bryant choices, plus this summer’s acquisition of Addison Russell and drafting of Kyle Schwarber, suggest president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer have implemented a strategy favoring the stability of position players to begin their rebuild. The plan has come up smelling like roses so far, as the team’s collection of young hitters is the envy of baseball.

Rizzo has first base locked down for the Cubs potentially through 2021, on what’s become one of the game’s most team-friendly contracts. Though Luis Valbuena did an admirable job at the hot corner in 2014, third base belongs to Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Kris Bryant. If the Cubs wait a few weeks into April to select Bryant’s contract, they’ll control him through 2021 as well.

The Cubs’ middle infield logjam represents a good kind of problem. Castro, signed potentially through 2020, was one of the game’s ten best shortstops in 2014 despite missing most of the season’s final month. Powerful 21-year-old Javier Baez made his big league debut in August, playing second base and then switching to shortstop when Castro went down. Baez struggled at his new level, as many prospects do, but has the second base job entering 2015. Then there’s Addison Russell, the key piece in the deal that sent Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland. The 20-year-old Russell raked at Double-A and is knocking on the door to the Majors himself.

Valbuena, 28, had his first full season as a regular, posting a solid .249/.341/.435 line while playing third base and a bit at second. If we pencil in Rizzo, Castro, and Bryant at their respective positions for 2015, only second base is available for three players ranging from good (Valbuena) to potential All-Star (Russell and Baez).

Trading Castro, Russell, or Baez this offseason could be jumping the gun, since Baez has yet to succeed at the big league level and Russell has yet to reach Triple-A. A safe plan would be to begin 2015 with a Castro-Baez middle infield, and if Baez hits and Russell is knocking down the door come July, the team can more seriously consider trades at that point or even move someone to the outfield. Trading Valbuena this winter could make sense, though he’d be a good backup plan at second base. The Cubs need a backup plan for Baez, who struck out in 41.5% of his plate appearances as a rookie. Among players with 200 or more plate appearances, that’s easily the worst strikeout rate in baseball history.

Valbuena was one of the ten best offensive third basemen in the game this year and is under control through 2016; a team like the Red Sox could have interest. He could also be marketed as a second baseman, especially since the free agent market is weak at that position.

Soler should have the right field job locked down heading into 2015, but last year’s 86 games marked a career high. We won’t know if Soler’s hamstrings can hold up for 130+ games in the Majors until he does it. Over in left field, former 2009 Rookie of the Year Chris Coghlan had a resurgent year and should have the job heading into next season. The 2014 Cubs used a host of center fielders, the most interesting of whom is 22-year-old Arismendy Alcantara. A very good prospect in his own right, Alcantara took his first reps at the position this year after previously working as an infielder. As with Baez, Alcantara should get first crack at the 2015 job despite rookie growing pains.

The Cubs’ outfield has enough uncertainty that keeping veterans Sweeney and Ruggiano around makes sense. The team would be justified entering Spring Training with their current outfield pieces, though I’d consider an offseason run at Colby Rasmus on a one-year deal. Rasmus would bring power and upside with no long-term risk, and Alcantara could get further acquainted with center field at Triple-A or be an oft-used super-utility player in the Majors. Another outfielder who could fit is Yasmany Tomas, if the Cubs see star potential in the Cuban free agent, consider him worth a potential $100MM contract, and don’t mind creating something of a long-term surplus in the outfield.

Behind the plate, 27-year-old Welington Castillo played acceptably but saw his batting average and walk rate decline from 2013. The Cubs don’t have to make a long-term decision on Castillo, who is entering arbitration for the first time. The team does have a potential star catcher in the pipeline in 2014 first-rounder Kyle Schwarber, but he needs to prove he can stick at the position. In the spirit of adding position player talent now and worrying about a potential surplus later, the Cubs could make a run at the best free agent catcher, Russell Martin. Signing Martin would signal the Cubs intend to take a leap forward into contention in 2015, though he could require upwards of $50MM as well as the forfeiture of the Cubs’ second-round draft pick.

Epstein whiffed on the biggest expenditure thus far in his Cubs tenure, Edwin Jackson. Jackson now has two years and $22MM left on his contract. According to a late August report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cubs and Braves engaged in talks in July to swap Jackson and B.J. Upton. That could be revisited, but it’s not the best match since Upton has more than twice as much money remaining on his contract. Other disappointing contracts with between $16-30MM remaining include Cameron Maybin, Chris Johnson, Aaron Hill, Allen Craig, Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher, and Carlos Beltran. While those players have been letdowns, their teams may not be as close to the breaking point as the Cubs seem to be with Jackson.

Regardless of Jackson, the Cubs will need to explore adding starting pitching from all angles. The 2014-15 free agent class is rife with options for all parts of a rotation. The Big Three are Max Scherzer, Jon Lester, and James Shields. Lester is the most obvious fit for the Cubs, as a player who joined the Red Sox around the same time Epstein did and was a big part of the executive’s success there. That he isn’t eligible for a qualifying offer is helpful, but Lester’s price tag will probably exceed $150MM. If they prefer the trade market, the Cubs could try to swing a deal for the Phillies’ Cole Hamels, who is owed $96MM through 2018.

One big name starter alone probably wouldn’t be enough to push the Cubs into contention. Arrieta looked like an ace this year, but his 176 2/3 pro innings marked a career-high, and he missed the season’s first month recovering from a shoulder injury. Kyle Hendricks posted a sparkling 2.46 ERA in 80 1/3 innings as a rookie, but his scouting report and lack of strikeouts suggest a back of the rotation starter. Though his ERA bounced around in his three years with the Cubs, Travis Wood profiles at the back end of a rotation as well and could be non-tendered or traded. The other immediate options are projects who once showed potential: Jacob Turner, Felix Doubront, and Dan Straily. If the Cubs want to keep Turner they’ll pick up his $1MM club option, as renewing him would cost at least 80% of his 2014 salary, which comes to more than $1.5MM.

The Cubs would do well to add one or two mid-tier starting pitchers even if they sign one of the Big Three. Wada could be in that mix after a successful 13-start run, though the Cubs would probably want him for less than his $5MM club option. The Cubs will likely set their sights higher and go for Kenta Maeda, Brandon McCarthy, Francisco Liriano, or Justin Masterson. Masterson comes with the Epstein connection plus other helpful factors such as the lack of a qualifying offer and a likely short-term deal. Epstein has succeeded in the free agent starting pitcher bargain bin over the years, finding Hammel, Wada, Scott Feldman, and Paul Maholm on the cheap.

The Cubs’ bullpen has talent. Rondon is the incumbent closer, while Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez, and Pedro Strop also pitched well. The Cubs could cut Wesley Wright loose and pursue a better option from the left side, with Andrew Miller profiling as the top southpaw reliever on the free agent market. Right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa is likely to have his option bought out after missing most of his two-year term with the Cubs due to Tommy John surgery. The 2014 Cubs led the NL in relief innings, and the ten pitchers who tossed 14 or fewer innings apiece accounted for a 6.91 ERA. The nine hurlers who had 21 or more relief innings tallied a cumulative 3.04 mark. Better starting pitching could have a significant trickle-down effect on the bullpen in 2015.

Alfonso Soriano is finally off the books for the Cubs, who owe $25.5MM to five players under contract for 2015. They could spend another $17MM or so on arbitration eligible players, bringing total commitments to around $43MM. What is an appropriate payroll for the 2015 Cubs? It seems they could reasonably sit around the middle of the pack with a $110MM payroll, and they could also roll over unspent money from 2014. A $70MM war chest would be more than enough money to add the players necessary to compete next season.

In the longer-term, the Cubs should raise their payroll to be top five in baseball, befitting of their status as a major market team. Though their short-term television rights are an open question, the Cubs’ potential TV deal for all their games following the 2019 season will be what Epstein called a “paradigm shifter” for club revenue, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Improvements to Wrigley Field, which are now underway, will “move the needle,” according to Epstein. The Cubs have begun their renovation project despite a pending lawsuit between rooftop owners and the city of Chicago regarding the team’s plans to erect signs that will affect the rooftop view.

Regular season winning percentages in the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer Cubs era have increased from .377 to .407 to .451. Though he could sign an extension, Epstein only has two years left on his contract. Aggressive acquisition of starting pitching this offseason should mark the end of his three-year rebuilding plan
Click to expand...
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/10/offseason-outlook-chicago-cubs-5.html#disqus_thread
 
E

eznark

Banned
Woah, just notice Alcides Escobar is near the bottom. Didn't realize he was having a down year defensively?
 
O

Opiate

Member
So who do we feel the biggest catches are this offeseason? Let's say, the top 5 players? Scherzer, Shields and Lester seems like the obvious one to me, and J.J. Hardy is probably in there as well, given the relative dearth of good shortstops.
 
C

CygnusXS

will gain confidence one day
Opiate said:
So who do we feel the biggest catches are this offeseason? Let's say, the top 5 players? Scherzer, Shields and Lester seems like the obvious one to me, and J.J. Hardy is probably in there as well, given the relative dearth of good shortstops.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that BJ Upton is available.
 
C

chicagocubsfan

Member
Opiate said:
So who do we feel the biggest catches are this offeseason? Let's say, the top 5 players? Scherzer, Shields and Lester seems like the obvious one to me, and J.J. Hardy is probably in there as well, given the relative dearth of good shortstops.
Click to expand...

I'd go with the 3 SP, Hanley Ramirez, and Victor Martinez.
Nelson Cruz, Russell Martin, Yasmani Tomas, Sandoval, and Andrew Miller as honorable mentions.
 
M

matthewwhatever

Member
I think Melky will end up being a good get for whatever team signs him. He's a little scary to watch in the field, but he's a pretty good hitter. There are also calls for the Jays to not pick up Adam Lind's option, in which case he'd be one of the best hitters available, but I have to assume there's no way AA doesn't keep Lind around for $7m/year.

Curious to see where Colby Rasmus winds up, and for how long and how much. I can't imagine the Jays will offer him a QO, so he'll come no strings attached, but at the same time, he's all over the place.
 
O

Opiate

Member
As a Cardinals fan, I don't even know what to do in the offseason. Here are our position players already signed through next year:

Yadier Molina: 2.4 WAR this year, 6.5 WAR the year before (injured this year)
Matt Adams: 2.3 WAR
Kolten Wong: 2.2 WAR
Jhonny Peralta: 5.8 WAR
Matt Carpenter: 3.0 WAR
Matt Holiday: 2.6 WAR
Jon Jay: 2.8 WAR
Peter Bourjos: 1.4 WAR

With Oscar Taveras and Randal Grichuk as young up and coming potential outfielders if any of the above prove inviable.

There's no super obvious weakness there. No space to fill. You can upgrade, for instance, second base, but to really clearly upgrade you'd have to get someone who was far more expensive. You wouldn't want to pay for a guy who averages (for instance) 3 WAR, because the difference between that guy and Kolten Wong is super minimal given that Wong is young and likely to improve. You'd basically want a superstar who could take 2.5 WAR position and turn it in to 5+ WAR.

The Cardinals remain so flush with possibilities that I don't see the need to get anything. The only thing worth getting would be a superstar, because they already have "good enough" at every single position, and "slightly better than good enough" isn't a big enough improvement to rock the boat for.
 
BFIB

BFIB

Member
I never would have thought it two months ago Opiate, but I really am thinking the Cards are showcasing Grichuk to see what he's made of. And so far, he's handled himself quite well. Well enough that I think the Cards are going to package Taveras in a blockbuster deal for Tulo, with Taveras/Adams going to Colorado for Tulo. Peralta shifts to 1B.

Just a gut feeling.
 
L

Lee Chaolan

Member
Was a pretty disappointing division round, although I've never been crazy about 5 game series.

Hopefully best of 7's improves things.
 
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