2017-2018 Cubs/MLB Offseason: HOT FUCKING STOVE

[Saul Goodman]

Theo let Yelich go to the Brewers. The Plan sucks.

[D. Doluntap]

Cain, too?! The plan sucks. Bring back Hendry!

[Quality Start Machine]

Cubs Twitter is especially precious today, as the Brewers made two moves to fix a nonexistent problem...unless either Cain or Yelich can throw unhittable strikes for 6 innings.

DOOOOOOOM!!!

[SKO]

Cubs Twitter is especially precious today, as the Brewers made two moves to fix a nonexistent problem...unless either Cain or Yelich can throw unhittable strikes for 6 innings.

DOOOOOOOM!!!

They got barely a win last year out of their center fielders and they just added one who was worth 5.3 wins last year and has averaged 3.5 wins a year since 2014. Christian Yelich is a 4 win player annually which adds at least a win over Domingo Santana if he's the one they move or almost 3 wins more than what the declining Braun gave them last year. I'd say adding about 6-8 wins to a largely replacement level outfield is fixing a problem.

They're also in talks with Arrieta and Darvish and have a considerably better farm system than the Cubs have right now, not to mention they are now able to offer Santana (30 HRs, 3.0 bWAR) in a trade for more pitching, which rumors say they are doing right now. The Cubs are the better team, but the gap narrowed and not by a small amount, and with the Cubs having all of three reliable starting pitchers right now it's not hard to see where the race can get a lot tighter than it should be if the Cubs don't add a top of the rotation starter in response.

There is a difference between "DOOOOM" and being unhappy that your team has stood still and is, on paper, projected to be worse than they were last year while a division rival adds two 4+ win guys in a single day.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Cubs Twitter is especially precious today, as the Brewers made two moves to fix a nonexistent problem...unless either Cain or Yelich can throw unhittable strikes for 6 innings.

DOOOOOOOM!!!

In fairness, this probably means they'll be dealing from their excess of outfielders to bolster their rotation.

At the same time, though, I do find the pearl-clutching amusing.  The Cubs stumbled and bumbled their way to 92 wins during a World Series-hangover season in which Schwarber and Russell had down years and won the division going away against a Milwaukee team that overperformed.  They are going to have a better 2018 regular season.  For fuck sake, people, have some dignity.   

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

DPD

Cubs Twitter is especially precious today, as the Brewers made two moves to fix a nonexistent problem...unless either Cain or Yelich can throw unhittable strikes for 6 innings.

DOOOOOOOM!!!

They got barely a win last year out of their center fielders and they just added one who was worth 5.3 wins last year and has averaged 3.5 wins a year since 2014. Christian Yelich is a 4 win player annually which adds at least a win over Domingo Santana if he's the one they move or almost 3 wins more than what the declining Braun gave them last year. I'd say adding about 6-8 wins to a largely replacement level outfield is fixing a problem.

They're also in talks with Arrieta and Darvish and have a considerably better farm system than the Cubs have right now, not to mention they are now able to offer Santana (30 HRs, 3.0 bWAR) in a trade for more pitching, which rumors say they are doing right now. The Cubs are the better team, but the gap narrowed and not by a small amount, and with the Cubs having all of three reliable starting pitchers right now it's not hard to see where the race can get a lot tighter than it should be if the Cubs don't add a top of the rotation starter in response.

There is a difference between "DOOOOM" and being unhappy that your team has stood still and is, on paper, projected to be worse than they were last year while a division rival adds two 4+ win guys in a single day.

For fuck sake, people, have some dignity.   

[SKO]

DPD

Cubs Twitter is especially precious today, as the Brewers made two moves to fix a nonexistent problem...unless either Cain or Yelich can throw unhittable strikes for 6 innings.

DOOOOOOOM!!!

They got barely a win last year out of their center fielders and they just added one who was worth 5.3 wins last year and has averaged 3.5 wins a year since 2014. Christian Yelich is a 4 win player annually which adds at least a win over Domingo Santana if he's the one they move or almost 3 wins more than what the declining Braun gave them last year. I'd say adding about 6-8 wins to a largely replacement level outfield is fixing a problem.

They're also in talks with Arrieta and Darvish and have a considerably better farm system than the Cubs have right now, not to mention they are now able to offer Santana (30 HRs, 3.0 bWAR) in a trade for more pitching, which rumors say they are doing right now. The Cubs are the better team, but the gap narrowed and not by a small amount, and with the Cubs having all of three reliable starting pitchers right now it's not hard to see where the race can get a lot tighter than it should be if the Cubs don't add a top of the rotation starter in response.

There is a difference between "DOOOOM" and being unhappy that your team has stood still and is, on paper, projected to be worse than they were last year while a division rival adds two 4+ win guys in a single day.

For fuck sake, people, have some dignity.   

I'm not worried so long as the Cubs bolster their rotation. Cobb would be OK, I'd prefer Darvish. If they sit pat and Milwaukee adds pitching it's not quite panic time but it'd show an annoying reluctance on the part of ownership to capitalize on the contention window even if it means paying the luxury tax and would allow a division they should dominate easily become more of a contest than it should ever be.

If that's DOOM, fine, enjoy your pom poms and maybe just move on if your response to everything is just LOL CUBS FINE. Brewers may have over-achieved last year and yet outside of some guys like Sogard there aren't many obvious flukes or batted ball issues that seem to indicate a necessary regression, some times prospects and players just break out and do better than anticipated and stay that way, just ask Jake Arrieta or Willson Contreras. The Cubs should plan as though an 86 win team just added two 4+ win players and their 92 win team is treading water, if that. They still have to replace Jake's production somewhere and I don't see Montgomery being the guy to do that.

[SKO]

DPD, but not to mention my concern is hardly the division anyway, as it stands right now the Cubs roster is worse on paper than the Astros, Dodgers, Indians, about the same as the Yankees, Nationals, Red Sox per projections. If we're just taking the division for granted than the concern should be maximizing title chances because I don't really want to roll into the playoffs deciding between Tyler Chatwood or Mike Montgomery getting a playoff start.

[SKO]

TPD, but the way I see it if everything breaks right the Cubs as currently constituted are a 93ish win team, if they have a slow start/some guys struggle/injuries/Russell or Schwarber don't improve as we hope, that could drop to 86-88ish wins. I think the Brewers/Cardinals ceilings are about 85-88 wins right now. So I mean there's probably only a 25% chance or less that the Brewers/Cards peak and the Cubs underachieve enough to boot the division away, but they have the resources to add a guy like Darvish and stamp that 25% down to nothing. They should do that, IMO. Sorry to panic and stuff, but when it comes to controversial statements, "the Cubs should keep adding good players that help an obvious team need like starting rotation depth" is the kind of bold, outside the box thinking I stand behind.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

DPD, but not to mention my concern is hardly the division anyway, as it stands right now the Cubs roster is worse on paper than the Astros, Dodgers, Indians, about the same as the Yankees, Nationals, Red Sox per projections. If we're just taking the division for granted than the concern should be maximizing title chances because I don't really want to roll into the playoffs deciding between Tyler Chatwood or Mike Montgomery getting a playoff start.

Are you having a laugh?  You've spent the better part of the last 12 hours quaking in your boots about the Germans Brewers and now all of a sudden they're hardly a concern?  C'mon.

None of those other teams are markedly superior to the Cubs anyway; at least not to the extent that the ups and downs of 6 months of baseball won't even that out.  The Cubs are as good a team as any in baseball--nobody else has come within 1 round of the World Series in each of the last 3 seasons.  The whole point of this franchise is that their nucleus has been so strong, young and locked-in that they'll be competing for league supremacy annually.  That hasn't changed just because the Brewers all of a sudden are throwing on some big-boy pants.  Making a deal as a RESPONSE to their moves is knee-jerk idiocy that is the hallmark of dipshit, inferior franchises.  If they make a move--and I agree they need to get 1 more starter--it's to shore up what they already have.  It's certainly not because OTHER teams have suddenly gotten better.  They're supposed to get better.  The Cubs are the hunted.  This is what we wanted and now we have it.  Stop shitting your pants.

[SKO]

DPD, but not to mention my concern is hardly the division anyway, as it stands right now the Cubs roster is worse on paper than the Astros, Dodgers, Indians, about the same as the Yankees, Nationals, Red Sox per projections. If we're just taking the division for granted than the concern should be maximizing title chances because I don't really want to roll into the playoffs deciding between Tyler Chatwood or Mike Montgomery getting a playoff start.

Are you having a laugh?  You've spent the better part of the last 12 hours quaking in your boots about the Germans Brewers and now all of a sudden they're hardly a concern?  C'mon.

None of those other teams are markedly superior to the Cubs anyway; at least not to the extent that the ups and downs of 6 months of baseball won't even that out.  The Cubs are as good a team as any in baseball--nobody else has come within 1 round of the World Series in each of the last 3 seasons.  The whole point of this franchise is that their nucleus has been so strong, young and locked-in that they'll be competing for league supremacy annually.  That hasn't changed just because the Brewers all of a sudden are throwing on some big-boy pants.  Making a deal as a RESPONSE to their moves is knee-jerk idiocy that is the hallmark of dipshit, inferior franchises.  If they make a move--and I agree they need to get 1 more starter--it's to shore up what they already have. It's certainly not because OTHER teams have suddenly gotten better.  They're supposed to get better.  The Cubs are the hunted.  This is what we wanted and now we have it.  Stop shitting your pants.

Then we're just arguing semantics here. It doesn't matter whether you think the intention behind a move is "adding to the team they have" or "responding to Milwaukee," either way it achieves the same thing.  My point was never MILWAUKEE IS THE FAVORITE NOW, DOOM. It's "boy, the Cubs should probably not just be content with what they have right now, even if they're still the favorites in the division those odds did just go down (however slightly) and they should do whatever they can to improve those odds and they have the money to do so."

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

DPD, but not to mention my concern is hardly the division anyway, as it stands right now the Cubs roster is worse on paper than the Astros, Dodgers, Indians, about the same as the Yankees, Nationals, Red Sox per projections. If we're just taking the division for granted than the concern should be maximizing title chances because I don't really want to roll into the playoffs deciding between Tyler Chatwood or Mike Montgomery getting a playoff start.

Are you having a laugh?  You've spent the better part of the last 12 hours quaking in your boots about the Germans Brewers and now all of a sudden they're hardly a concern?  C'mon.

None of those other teams are markedly superior to the Cubs anyway; at least not to the extent that the ups and downs of 6 months of baseball won't even that out.  The Cubs are as good a team as any in baseball--nobody else has come within 1 round of the World Series in each of the last 3 seasons.  The whole point of this franchise is that their nucleus has been so strong, young and locked-in that they'll be competing for league supremacy annually.  That hasn't changed just because the Brewers all of a sudden are throwing on some big-boy pants.  Making a deal as a RESPONSE to their moves is knee-jerk idiocy that is the hallmark of dipshit, inferior franchises.  If they make a move--and I agree they need to get 1 more starter--it's to shore up what they already have. It's certainly not because OTHER teams have suddenly gotten better.  They're supposed to get better.  The Cubs are the hunted.  This is what we wanted and now we have it.  Stop shitting your pants.

Then we're just arguing semantics here. It doesn't matter whether you think the intention behind a move is "adding to the team they have" or "responding to Milwaukee," either way it achieves the same thing.  My point was never MILWAUKEE IS THE FAVORITE NOW, DOOM. It's "boy, the Cubs should probably not just be content with what they have right now, even if they're still the favorites in the division those odds did just go down (however slightly) and they should do whatever they can to improve those odds and they have the money to do so."

I think they're been looking for another starter all postseason and that hasn't changed in light of yesterday's activity is my point. 

[Brownie]

It's certainly not because OTHER teams have suddenly gotten better.  They're supposed to get better.  The Cubs are the hunted.  This is what we wanted and now we have it.  Stop shitting your pants.

When I am elected to be your President U.S. Senator Congressman Governor State Legislator County Board President County Commissioner Village Preisdent Village Trustee School Board Member Park District  Board Member MWRD Commissioner Township Supervisor Township Trustee Township Republican Committeeman, I will promote the "SKO Act," a federal state law county village ordinance non-binding resolution preventing teams that do not play home games between 3200N and 4000N and 1600W and 800W in Chicago from improving themselves in the offseason, unless said improvement includes giving a 31-year-old injury-prone outfielder a huge contract.

[SKO]

DPD, but not to mention my concern is hardly the division anyway, as it stands right now the Cubs roster is worse on paper than the Astros, Dodgers, Indians, about the same as the Yankees, Nationals, Red Sox per projections. If we're just taking the division for granted than the concern should be maximizing title chances because I don't really want to roll into the playoffs deciding between Tyler Chatwood or Mike Montgomery getting a playoff start.

Are you having a laugh?  You've spent the better part of the last 12 hours quaking in your boots about the Germans Brewers and now all of a sudden they're hardly a concern?  C'mon.

None of those other teams are markedly superior to the Cubs anyway; at least not to the extent that the ups and downs of 6 months of baseball won't even that out.  The Cubs are as good a team as any in baseball--nobody else has come within 1 round of the World Series in each of the last 3 seasons.  The whole point of this franchise is that their nucleus has been so strong, young and locked-in that they'll be competing for league supremacy annually.  That hasn't changed just because the Brewers all of a sudden are throwing on some big-boy pants.  Making a deal as a RESPONSE to their moves is knee-jerk idiocy that is the hallmark of dipshit, inferior franchises.  If they make a move--and I agree they need to get 1 more starter--it's to shore up what they already have. It's certainly not because OTHER teams have suddenly gotten better.  They're supposed to get better.  The Cubs are the hunted.  This is what we wanted and now we have it.  Stop shitting your pants.

Then we're just arguing semantics here. It doesn't matter whether you think the intention behind a move is "adding to the team they have" or "responding to Milwaukee," either way it achieves the same thing.  My point was never MILWAUKEE IS THE FAVORITE NOW, DOOM. It's "boy, the Cubs should probably not just be content with what they have right now, even if they're still the favorites in the division those odds did just go down (however slightly) and they should do whatever they can to improve those odds and they have the money to do so."

I think they're been looking for another starter all postseason and that hasn't changed in light of yesterday's activity is my point.

Right, and it may just be GM talk from Theo, but they seem to have a "wait it out" approach to these pitcher contracts that might let someone one up them on a guy like Darvish, and are content to roll with the guys they've got if they have to. Considering their payroll right now is down quite a bit from the last two years and well below the luxury tax level they should be aggressive in getting guys like Darvish and squeezing everything they can into these next 4 years. They can afford to get Darvish and Harper next year and pay the luxury tax.

[Quality Start Machine]

It's gotten so bad that last night I wound up arguing with some clown who is convinced the Cubs need Lance Lynn.