2015 Cubs Offseason: Building a Winner Around David Ross

[SKO]

So at what point can we expect the first wave of pitching arms that they've begun to collect the last few years (i.e. Dylan Cease, Carson Sands et.al) to wash ashore? 

Pierce Johnson might show up next year. Carl Edwards is already here.

This is not what we're looking for here.

Thank you.

I'm referring, specifically, to the last 2 drafts, where it seems they began to stockpile a bunch of high-upside 18 year old arms.

I'm mostly hoping those guys tear up AA ball in time to be trade chips at the deadline because based on this year's deadline the rest of the league hasn't quite adopted Theo's "bats are harder to find" approach to prospects and the currency of the game is still pitching prospects.

Just so I understand, you've moved on from trading all the Cubs young bats to all their young arms, correct? 

I'm all for trading young arms that are likely to either fail to pan out or tear their everything for older, proven arms so long as they are contending with a core built around young, cheap hitters that are harder to find and far less likely to suffer career altering injuries, yes.

[PenFoe]

So at what point can we expect the first wave of pitching arms that they've begun to collect the last few years (i.e. Dylan Cease, Carson Sands et.al) to wash ashore? 

Pierce Johnson might show up next year. Carl Edwards is already here.

This is not what we're looking for here.

Thank you.

I'm referring, specifically, to the last 2 drafts, where it seems they began to stockpile a bunch of high-upside 18 year old arms.

I'm mostly hoping those guys tear up AA ball in time to be trade chips at the deadline because based on this year's deadline the rest of the league hasn't quite adopted Theo's "bats are harder to find" approach to prospects and the currency of the game is still pitching prospects.

Just so I understand, you've moved on from trading all the Cubs young bats to all their young arms, correct? 

I'm all for trading young arms that are likely to either fail to pan out or tear their everything for older, proven arms so long as they are contending with a core built around young, cheap hitters that are harder to find and far less likely to suffer career altering injuries, yes.

I'm not against trading the young pitchers, I'm just trying to decipher your position du jour.

[SKO]

So at what point can we expect the first wave of pitching arms that they've begun to collect the last few years (i.e. Dylan Cease, Carson Sands et.al) to wash ashore?  

Pierce Johnson might show up next year. Carl Edwards is already here.

This is not what we're looking for here.

Thank you.

I'm referring, specifically, to the last 2 drafts, where it seems they began to stockpile a bunch of high-upside 18 year old arms.

I'm mostly hoping those guys tear up AA ball in time to be trade chips at the deadline because based on this year's deadline the rest of the league hasn't quite adopted Theo's "bats are harder to find" approach to prospects and the currency of the game is still pitching prospects.

Just so I understand, you've moved on from trading all the Cubs young bats to all their young arms, correct?  

I'm all for trading young arms that are likely to either fail to pan out or tear their everything for older, proven arms so long as they are contending with a core built around young, cheap hitters that are harder to find and far less likely to suffer career altering injuries, yes.

I'm not against trading the young pitchers, I'm just trying to decipher your position du jour.

To be fair other than when Eli dressed in a devil costume and hopped on my shoulder to whisper that they should trade Schwarber for Hamels and I temporarily believed him I have been pretty consistent about NOT trading Soler/Schwarber/Baez for the most part if they can avoid it. I am absolutely willing to trade Gleyber/Almora/McKinney and every other overvalued redundant prospect they have left in the system.

Basically if they weren't on the Cubs active roster yesterday I am cool with trading them and pretty much always have been. As far as guys on said roster I am still open to trading Castro or Baez and would MAYBE part with Soler or Schwarber for an elite arm like Felix but probably not.

They've got the position player core they need right now and their window of contention is as open as it is ever going to get. Trade anyone and everyone in the minors right now if it gets you the pitchers you need to win a title in the next 3-4 years.

[Armchair_QB]

I'd rather keep the position players and sign starting pitching. The core of the line-up is under arbitration for awhile. They can afford to back up the Brinks truck for pitchers. If they deal anybody, deal Baez.

[Quality Start Machine]

So at what point can we expect the first wave of pitching arms that they've begun to collect the last few years (i.e. Dylan Cease, Carson Sands et.al) to wash ashore? 

Pierce Johnson might show up next year. Carl Edwards is already here.

This is not what we're looking for here.

Thank you.

I'm referring, specifically, to the last 2 drafts, where it seems they began to stockpile a bunch of high-upside 18 year old arms.

Those guys are at least 3 or 4 years away. The Cubs have been loathe to move those guys up the ranks at a rate of greater than one full season per level.

[SKO]

Basically:

DO NOT TRADE UNDER ANY OR ALL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Bryant, Rizzo, Russell

TRADE ONLY IF THE RETURN IS LIKE, CHRIS SALE:

Schwarber

TRADE ONLY IF THE RETURN IS LIKE, FELIX HERNANDEZ MAYBE BUT DAMMIT I LOVE HIM SO THIS IS HARD:

Soler

TRADE IF YOU CAN GET A YOUNG COST-CONTROLLED SP WITH A FASTBALL IN THE 90S FUCK YOU KYLE HENDRICKS:

Castro/Baez/Any Guy Currently in the Minors.

TRADE FOR LITERALLY ANYTHING:

Chris Coghlan.

[Eli]

To be fair other than when Eli dressed in a devil costume and hopped on my shoulder

You should be so lucky.

[R-V]

I'm not going to post a recap of Theo's press conference from today because I assume everyone on this board is getting the notable nuggets one way or another, but I just want to say I am REALLY excited to see what this offseason brings after hearing him acknowledge and discuss the same weaknesses we've all seen. Feels real good to have this dude in charge instead of some of the well-meaning clods of the past.

[PenFoe]

I'm not going to post a recap of Theo's press conference from today because I assume everyone on this board is getting the notable nuggets one way or another, but I just want to say I am REALLY excited to see what this offseason brings after hearing him acknowledge and discuss the same weaknesses we've all seen. Feels real good to have this dude in charge instead of some of the well-meaning clods of the past.

Except for the part where he loves Hammel.

[R-V]

I'm not going to post a recap of Theo's press conference from today because I assume everyone on this board is getting the notable nuggets one way or another, but I just want to say I am REALLY excited to see what this offseason brings after hearing him acknowledge and discuss the same weaknesses we've all seen. Feels real good to have this dude in charge instead of some of the well-meaning clods of the past.

Except for the part where he loves Hammel.

Trade value, dude.

Also it's possible that he's being upfront - that they actually did bring him back too soon from that injury because they had no other good options in the rotation.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I'm not going to post a recap of Theo's press conference from today because I assume everyone on this board is getting the notable nuggets one way or another, but I just want to say I am REALLY excited to see what this offseason brings after hearing him acknowledge and discuss the same weaknesses we've all seen. Feels real good to have this dude in charge instead of some of the well-meaning clods of the past.

Except for the part where he loves Hammel.

Trade value, dude.

Also it's possible that he's being upfront - that they actually did bring him back too soon from that injury because they had no other good options in the rotation.

Ah shit, if Hammel was hurt all this time I'm going to have to take back everything I've said/tweeted about him in the last month.

[Slaky]

I'm not going to post a recap of Theo's press conference from today because I assume everyone on this board is getting the notable nuggets one way or another, but I just want to say I am REALLY excited to see what this offseason brings after hearing him acknowledge and discuss the same weaknesses we've all seen. Feels real good to have this dude in charge instead of some of the well-meaning clods of the past.

Except for the part where he loves Hammel.

Trade value, dude.

Also it's possible that he's being upfront - that they actually did bring him back too soon from that injury because they had no other good options in the rotation.

Ah shit, if Hammel was hurt all this time I'm going to have to take back everything I've said/tweeted about him in the last month.

I don't hate Hammel. Especially as a 5. But they probably need at least 3 really good starters if they want to improve on this.

[Saul Goodman]

I haven't heard this from anyone else but Boers and Bernstein's "sources" have concluded Jeff Samardzija will be a Cub next year. Please no. I know I need to consider the source but hearing his name makes the hate bubble up like heartburn. They're also convinced next year's center fielder is Kris Bryant. Again, no.

[SKO]

I'm not going to post a recap of Theo's press conference from today because I assume everyone on this board is getting the notable nuggets one way or another, but I just want to say I am REALLY excited to see what this offseason brings after hearing him acknowledge and discuss the same weaknesses we've all seen. Feels real good to have this dude in charge instead of some of the well-meaning clods of the past.

Except for the part where he loves Hammel.

Trade value, dude.

Also it's possible that he's being upfront - that they actually did bring him back too soon from that injury because they had no other good options in the rotation.

Ah shit, if Hammel was hurt all this time I'm going to have to take back everything I've said/tweeted about him in the last month.

I don't hate Hammel. Especially as a 5. But they probably need at least 3 really good starters if they want to improve on this.

I'd like to see them add one top of the rotation guy through trade probably (I still want Tyson Ross), and then one mid-tier free agent who has proven he can throw 200 innings a year without falling apart, which Hammel has never done. Then Hendricks and Hammel can battle to be the 5th starter, Hendricks' stellar fucking FIP be damned.

[Canadouche]

I'd rather they grab an established pitcher via free agency, trade for a respectable, young #3 pitcher (who still has the potential to blossom in to a top end starter) and maybe take a risk by grabbing a scrap-heap pitcher who may or may not make it with the team.

Equally important, how do they improve the bullpen next year? Presumably with trades?