Cubs' Prospects FUTUREBONER thread

[Tony]

So is the thought that the Cubs would trade for him and then hope for an extension (which seems dumb unless they plan to go for a title next year)? Or just wait to sign him when he's a free agent? Spending a likely $150 million+ for a pitcher who will turn 31 in the first year of the deal is kind of terrifying, given all of the pitcher injuries recently.

Okay, let's take the trade part off the table, because that part doesn't work - no need to trade prospects when you're not contending for a top of the line guy. 

Assuming we're talking free agency, then yeah, I'm all for it.  A few reasons:

1. I know this is cliched, but it's not my money, so I don't care.
2. We were fully prepared to shell out for 29-yer old Samardzija, this doesn't feel that different compared with that.
3. Bronson Arroyo aside, isn't a 31-year old pitcher safer than a 25-year old pitcher?
4. GREAT PLAYERS WANT TO PLAY FOR THE CUBS

If he's an FA signing I'm all for it. I'm not a fan of trading for him. And you're right - they wouldn't trade for him because they have no reason to. Price, on the other hand, has every reason to become an FA considering the pay day that is most assuredly waiting for him.

There is a reason to trade prospects for him (or anyone for that matter): The likelihood of every prospect panning out is pretty low. The trick is to properly evaluate which ones pan out or to trade for a guy who helps win you a title.

Like some guy did in trading Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez for Josh Beckett.  Heavy price to pay, but good trade.

The Red Sox traded their prospects for Josh Beckett because they were on the verge of the winning the World Series and needed a proven ace.
When the Red Sox traded for Beckett, he was 2 years removed from winning World Series MVP against the Yankees, which was pretty important in their desire for him. 

Pretty big leap to justify that for the Cubs in 2015.

Yeah and that's the only season we're talking about since he walks after 2015. Unless Chuck thinks the Cubs are going to win the World Series next year. I'd like to smoke some of that Manischevitz.

Why trade for the guy and then sign him to a new deal? Just wait. Keep your assets. Worst case scenario is he doesn't sign with the Cubs. Big deal.

It all depends on who is available when.  If you can get a Price now and no one appears to be available even approaching this quality in the next two years or so, you get him now.  That's exactly why Theo bid on Sanchez 2 years ago and Tanaka this year: They were available.

I've got no problem hoarding the prospects.  But if they trade 2 guys for Price and sign Lester in 2015 knowing they are going to be .500 now and go for it in 2016, I'd eat 2015's salary cost in a heartbeat. Especially since payroll for 2015 is only $31mm at present and probably around $50mm with arbitration calculated.

He'll be available now and then, but now we have to give up prospects, and then we don't.

[CBStew]

David Price told reporters that winning a championship with the Cubs would be "the coolest."

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/david-price-winning-world-series-cubs-would-be-coolest?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo

"Winning absolutely is something you want to do," Price told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Being a part of something special is also something you want to do. You can take that to a first-place team. You could take that all the way to a last-place team like the Cubs. With the talent they have coming up they could be a very special team in a few years as well. That would probably be the coolest city to win a championship in. They haven't done it in I'm not sure how long. To do that there that would be the coolest city to win a championship in right now."

Anyone here feel like looking that up?

How old was Stew?

It's going to take more than adding David Price and the Fab Five to make that happen.   Someone is going to have to make a deal with Satan.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

So is the thought that the Cubs would trade for him and then hope for an extension (which seems dumb unless they plan to go for a title next year)? Or just wait to sign him when he's a free agent? Spending a likely $150 million+ for a pitcher who will turn 31 in the first year of the deal is kind of terrifying, given all of the pitcher injuries recently.

Okay, let's take the trade part off the table, because that part doesn't work - no need to trade prospects when you're not contending for a top of the line guy. 

Assuming we're talking free agency, then yeah, I'm all for it.  A few reasons:

1. I know this is cliched, but it's not my money, so I don't care.
2. We were fully prepared to shell out for 29-yer old Samardzija, this doesn't feel that different compared with that.
3. Bronson Arroyo aside, isn't a 31-year old pitcher safer than a 25-year old pitcher?
4. GREAT PLAYERS WANT TO PLAY FOR THE CUBS

If he's an FA signing I'm all for it. I'm not a fan of trading for him. And you're right - they wouldn't trade for him because they have no reason to. Price, on the other hand, has every reason to become an FA considering the pay day that is most assuredly waiting for him.

There is a reason to trade prospects for him (or anyone for that matter): The likelihood of every prospect panning out is pretty low. The trick is to properly evaluate which ones pan out or to trade for a guy who helps win you a title.

Like some guy did in trading Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez for Josh Beckett.  Heavy price to pay, but good trade.

The Red Sox traded their prospects for Josh Beckett because they were on the verge of the winning the World Series and needed a proven ace.
When the Red Sox traded for Beckett, he was 2 years removed from winning World Series MVP against the Yankees, which was pretty important in their desire for him. 

Pretty big leap to justify that for the Cubs in 2015.

Yeah and that's the only season we're talking about since he walks after 2015. Unless Chuck thinks the Cubs are going to win the World Series next year. I'd like to smoke some of that Manischevitz.

Why trade for the guy and then sign him to a new deal? Just wait. Keep your assets. Worst case scenario is he doesn't sign with the Cubs. Big deal.

It all depends on who is available when.  If you can get a Price now and no one appears to be available even approaching this quality in the next two years or so, you get him now.  That's exactly why Theo bid on Sanchez 2 years ago and Tanaka this year: They were available.

I've got no problem hoarding the prospects.  But if they trade 2 guys for Price and sign Lester in 2015 knowing they are going to be .500 now and go for it in 2016, I'd eat 2015's salary cost in a heartbeat. Especially since payroll for 2015 is only $31mm at present and probably around $50mm with arbitration calculated.

He'll be available now and then, but now we have to give up prospects, and then we don't.

Seriously.

[SKO]

I do love the idea that we need to trade some prospects because not all prospects pan out so the smart thing is clearly to reduce the surplus of hitters we have now and hope to god we kept the right ones. All for a pitcher that will probably hit the open market.

[CBStew]

I do love the idea that we need to trade some prospects because not all prospects pan out so the smart thing is clearly to reduce the surplus of hitters we have now and hope to god we kept the right ones. All for a pitcher that will probably hit the open market.

We could spare a shortstop or two.  Maybe even one who is not a prospect.

[SKO]

I do love the idea that we need to trade some prospects because not all prospects pan out so the smart thing is clearly to reduce the surplus of hitters we have now and hope to god we kept the right ones. All for a pitcher that will probably hit the open market.

We could spare a shortstop or two.  Maybe even one who is not a prospect.

Why? They can play other positions. I'm not even saying that none of them ever will or should be traded, but you shouldn't be looking to give up assets just because you theoretically can afford to do so. Certainly not for something as short-sighted as one year of David Price when you don't have a contender to field around him that year anyway.

And I'm just going to need a show of hands here as to who actually thinks the Cubs should trade Castro or just plain wants them to so that I can ignore your opinions from now on.

[Bort]

Why on earth would anyone the Cubs trade anyone for a pitcher that could not turn the Cubs around this year if every inning he threw was scoreless?

EDIT: Damn it, Bortbrain.

[SKO]

Right now the Cubs have one top of the rotation looking guy in Arrieta. They have hopefully enough starting pitching prospects between CJ Edwards and Kyle Hendricks and Beeler and whoever else to have at least one or two #3 or #4 types from their own system. As we've said ad infinitum they've shown an ability to identify cheap, innings-eating #2-#3 types in free agency and could just sign and then keep one of those guys, for once. I don't see any reason not to just pay out the ass for whoever they have to get in free agency and hoard that fucking stockpile of prospects until they themselves have had the chance to evaluate each and every one of them at the major league level. Not trade them away because VALUE.

[thehawk]

Why on earth would anyone the Cubs trade anyone for a pitcher that could not turn the Cubs around this year if every inning he threw was scoreless?

EDIT: Damn it, Bortbrain.

I could see doing a trade next year, in order to, in effect, get an exclusive negotiating window with Price to get an extension done (and maybe (please, please please) to make a playoff push in '15).  Of course that would be a much shorter rental, and might not require us to give up one of our "Fab 5" or "Great 8" (its so nice to have too many prospects to count).  Hopefully by that point construction on the new clubhouse would be well underway also (I think that, while not a main point for a FA, having a good working facility would be a good thing to see, and its been promised for so long that having shovels in the ground is likely the only way to show its going to get done).

[PenFoe]

I do love the idea that we need to trade some prospects because not all prospects pan out so the smart thing is clearly to reduce the surplus of hitters we have now and hope to god we kept the right ones. All for a pitcher that will probably hit the open market.

We could spare a shortstop or two.  Maybe even one who is not a prospect.

Why? They can play other positions. I'm not even saying that none of them ever will or should be traded, but you shouldn't be looking to give up assets just because you theoretically can afford to do so. Certainly not for something as short-sighted as one year of David Price when you don't have a contender to field around him that year anyway.

And I'm just going to need a show of hands here as to who actually thinks the Cubs should trade Castro or just plain wants them to so that I can ignore your opinions from now on.

In the abstract, without any sense of return, I have no desire for the Cubs to trade Castro. 

[Quality Start Machine]

I do love the idea that we need to trade some prospects because not all prospects pan out so the smart thing is clearly to reduce the surplus of hitters we have now and hope to god we kept the right ones. All for a pitcher that will probably hit the open market.

We could spare a shortstop or two.  Maybe even one who is not a prospect.

Why? They can play other positions. I'm not even saying that none of them ever will or should be traded, but you shouldn't be looking to give up assets just because you theoretically can afford to do so. Certainly not for something as short-sighted as one year of David Price when you don't have a contender to field around him that year anyway.

And I'm just going to need a show of hands here as to who actually thinks the Cubs should trade Castro or just plain wants them to so that I can ignore your opinions from now on.

The Cubs have no interest in trading Castro, Rizzo or any key prospects. Or if they do, it would represent a radical deviation from the plan that is close to fruition. Now, once Baez and Russell are in Chicago and they have a surplus of position players, it will also be the time when they start thinking toward contention. At that point, every option is on the table.

[InternetApex]

I do love the idea that we need to trade some prospects because not all prospects pan out so the smart thing is clearly to reduce the surplus of hitters we have now and hope to god we kept the right ones. All for a pitcher that will probably hit the open market.

We could spare a shortstop or two.  Maybe even one who is not a prospect.

Why? They can play other positions. I'm not even saying that none of them ever will or should be traded, but you shouldn't be looking to give up assets just because you theoretically can afford to do so. Certainly not for something as short-sighted as one year of David Price when you don't have a contender to field around him that year anyway.

And I'm just going to need a show of hands here as to who actually thinks the Cubs should trade Castro or just plain wants them to so that I can ignore your opinions from now on.

The Cubs have no interest in trading Castro, Rizzo or any key prospects. Or if they do, it would represent a radical deviation from the plan that is close to fruition. Now, once Baez and Russell are in Chicago and they have a surplus of position players, it will also be the time when they start thinking toward contention. At that point, every option is on the table.

Non-contending teams don't trade prospects. Unless they're run by Jim Hendry and Matt Garza is available. Because if you're Jim Hendry and that guys is available, you gotta get that guy.

[Slaky]

Seriously hate the idea of trading Castro. He's got such a great contract and he's a CURRENT all-star. Why on earth would you trade that.

[SKO]

Seriously hate the idea of trading Castro. He's got such a great contract and he's a CURRENT all-star. Why on earth would you trade that.

But they have like, four shortstops in the minors. It really makes you thing

[Saul Goodman]

And I'm just going to need a show of hands here as to who actually thinks the Cubs should trade Castro or just plain wants them to so that I can ignore your opinions from now on.

I'm with Pen and Slak.  They shouldn't be shopping him, but just listening.  If they get an offer that matches Castro's value that will make their team better, sure, but I don't want him traded just to trade him.  His contract is very team-friendly, he looks like he's on his way to a career year, and he's also extremely durable (which I don't think he gets enough credit for beyond this message board).

With that said, if any of them are going to be traded, I think he's the most likely of the 'young core' to be moved.