Cubs Offseason 2014: So, what did your team do this offseason? Isn't that cute.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/12/10/cubs-manager-joe-maddon-details-his-pitch-jon-lester/8fviX3gZkPTFLKWXJaqSqO/story.html

During the conversation, Maddon found out Lester likes to hunt and fish.

"At that time I didn't know that Davey Martinez (Maddon's bench coach in Tampa Bay) was going to be part of our staff. So now we can line up these hunting trips on the road. As part of the Rays, our guys liked to hunt and fish a lot, like to shoot things. We would set things up on different road trips. Like a couple of years ago Wade Davis shot a black bear in Toronto prior to the playoffs.

"I thought that was outstanding," Maddon added. "That gave me even more confidence putting him in a game, like in the seventh or eighth inning, facing a normal right-handed hitter, he shot a black bear, 300-pound black bear. I like when the guys do things like that. He relayed to me the fact that he likes to hunt and fish. I assured him that I don't, but I respect it."

[RW]

I'm not even really that sold on Headley either. I'd probably rather see them live with a bit of a LF black hole for a year and get a better idea what they have in Bryant, Soler, Schwarber, etc., then address that need either midseason or next winter. Just mentioned it as a way they could shore that up a bit going into 2015 if they were totally all-in.

That's why I'd really be interested in Upton if they could get him without giving up too much presumably due to him not being under contract past this year. You get a guy that can be a big part of contending in 2015, and then they could either try to extend him or let him go if they feel confident in the guys they've got coming up.

I believe the Cubs are one of the teams on Upton's limited no-trade list, which could complicate matters a bit.

I may just be a stalker/lurker, but I thought that I read/heard somewhere that his no-trade list concerning the Cubs may be a negotiating tactic in getting an extension before a trade is agreed to.

[Tonker]

I'm not even really that sold on Headley either. I'd probably rather see them live with a bit of a LF black hole for a year and get a better idea what they have in Bryant, Soler, Schwarber, etc., then address that need either midseason or next winter. Just mentioned it as a way they could shore that up a bit going into 2015 if they were totally all-in.

That's why I'd really be interested in Upton if they could get him without giving up too much presumably due to him not being under contract past this year. You get a guy that can be a big part of contending in 2015, and then they could either try to extend him or let him go if they feel confident in the guys they've got coming up.

I believe the Cubs are one of the teams on Upton's limited no-trade list, which could complicate matters a bit.

I may just be a stalker/lurker, but I thought that I read/heard somewhere that his no-trade list concerning the Cubs may be a negotiating tactic in getting an extension before a trade is agreed to.

Wow.  SUPYAD.

[CubFaninHydePark]

Can anyone explain to me why signing a 30 year-old 3 WAR pitcher, who is only going to get older (and hasn't been a +4 or better WAR pitcher since 2011), for gobs of money is a good idea?

Liriano at $13 million is a way better deal.  This signing is Soriano part deux, but perhaps even dumber.  Trading for Cole Hamels would've been far, far more clever.  Signing Scherzer would've been the better investment.

Maybe they'll still do one of the latter, but Lester is getting way more money than he deserves, and unless the Cubs are the new Dodgers or Yankees where money is limitless, overpaying for players is probably not a dominant strategy.  Especially for six years.  I'm all for making a splash, but not if it's a cannonball gone awry into some sort of ugly belly flop.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Liriano at $13 million is a way better deal.  This signing is Soriano part deux, but perhaps even dumber.  Trading for Cole Hamels would've been far, far more clever.  Signing Scherzer would've been the better investment.

Sucks that those options are off the table now.

[Eli]

Can anyone explain to me why signing a 30 year-old 3 WAR pitcher, who is only going to get older (and hasn't been a +4 or better WAR pitcher since 2011), for gobs of money is a good idea?

Who are you talking about? I'm guessing from context it's Jon Lester, but it can't be, since Lester was a SIX-WIN player in 2014 and hasn't been below 3 WAR since he got to the majors in 2007.

[Eli]

Also, even if you somehow believe Lester is just a "3 WAR pitcher," that's now worth about $22.5 million anyway. So even by CFiHP's standards, his contract should basically be fine.

[SKO]

Also, even if you somehow believe Lester is just a "3 WAR pitcher," that's now worth about $22.5 million anyway. So even by CFiHP's standards, his contract should basically be fine.

We have established multiple times CFIHP has a special stat site that gives him numbers that make his point whether true or not. It's reduced Cutler's career TD:INT ratio when convenient, lowered Lester's WAR, and also fails to point out subtle differences between Lester and Liriano like Lester not spending most of the last five years cashing checks from a tub.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Also, even if you somehow believe Lester is just a "3 WAR pitcher," that's now worth about $22.5 million anyway. So even by CFiHP's standards, his contract should basically be fine.

We have established multiple times CFIHP has a special stat site that gives him numbers that make his point whether true or not. It's reduced Cutler's career TD:INT ratio when convenient, lowered Lester's WAR, and also fails to point out subtle differences between Lester and Liriano like Lester not spending most of the last five years cashing checks from a tub is a very good troll.

Paul'd.

[CubFaninHydePark]

Baseball reference has is WAR in 2012 as 0.7, 2013 as 3.0, and last year as 2.7/1.9 before and after the trade.  The trend in his WAR has also been consistently down from his peak in 2009.

I hope he dominates, but the trends suggest that he'll probably be an above-average pitcher, not an ace, at best.

[Eli]

Baseball reference has is WAR in 2012 as 0.7, 2013 as 3.0, and last year as 2.7/1.9 before and after the trade.  The trend in his WAR has also been consistently down from his peak in 2009.

I hope he dominates, but the trends suggest that he'll probably be an above-average pitcher, not an ace, at best.

Well, your first two sentences entirely contradict each other. Also, BR primarily bases its WAR on ERA, which is pretty flawed.

As for the trend of his career, his FIP has gone down three years in a row and his other peripherals are generally holding steady, if not improving. He's been adapting his arsenal as he's aged* a bit and broke out a new cutter last year that was really effective, which should be right up Bosio's alley.

* Speaking of age, Liriano is actually older than Lester and is just as likely to throw 50 innings as he is to throw 150.

In conclusion ... why am I bothering with this?

[Slaky]

Baseball reference has is WAR in 2012 as 0.7, 2013 as 3.0, and last year as 2.7/1.9 before and after the trade.  The trend in his WAR has also been consistently down from his peak in 2009.

I hope he dominates, but the trends suggest that he'll probably be an above-average pitcher, not an ace, at best.

Well, your first two sentences entirely contradict each other. Also, BR primarily bases its WAR on ERA, which is pretty flawed.

As for the trend of his career, his FIP has gone down three years in a row and his other peripherals are generally holding steady, if not improving. He's been adapting his arsenal as he's aged* a bit and broke out a new cutter last year that was really effective, which should be right up Bosio's alley.

* Speaking of age, Liriano is actually older than Lester and is just as likely to throw 50 innings as he is to throw 150.

In conclusion ... why am I bothering with this?

I don't know.

[SKO]

So if this Rasmus thing happens I think I'm okay with that. Should I be okay? Is everyone else okay?

[PenFoe]

So if this Rasmus thing happens I think I'm okay with that. Should I be okay? Is everyone else okay?

I think it depends what his role is.

Ultimately, I'm hopefully that Alcantara is better, or at least going to be.  And Rasmus shouldn't be taking tons of ABs from him. But, Rasmus really excels versus righties, so I don't know how this really allows Alcantara to still play a lot, unless Ramus is clearly a 4th OF from the get-go. 

I don't have a problem with Rasmus, just curious to see what his role would be.

[SKO]

So if this Rasmus thing happens I think I'm okay with that. Should I be okay? Is everyone else okay?

I think it depends what his role is.

Ultimately, I'm hopefully that Alcantara is better, or at least going to be.  And Rasmus shouldn't be taking tons of ABs from him. But, Rasmus really excels versus righties, so I don't know how this really allows Alcantara to still play a lot, unless Ramus is clearly a 4th OF from the get-go.  

I don't have a problem with Rasmus, just curious to see what his role would be.

I'm really kinda hesitant to just hand Mendy the starting CF job. I obviously want him to pan out but I feel like one bona-fide center fielder on the roster would be a good thing to have.

I kind of view Baez and Mendy as similar boom/bust types and I am not so optimistic as to think both are going to pan out. I'm more bullish on Javy because of the upside, but I'd like a legit center fielder there to step in case Mendy keeps struggling, because I doubt his defense will be good enough in CF at this point to make him anything but a massive black hole if he can't contribute a lot with his bat right away.