Certainly an interesting strategy the Cubs are taking this offseason.

Edited January 24, 20242 yr by CWSpalehoseCWS

18 minutes ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Certainly an interesting strategy the Cubs are taking this offseason.

I still don’t get why people are freaking out.  They will land Bellinger and possibly Chapman.

5 minutes ago, fathom said:

I still don’t get why people are freaking out.  They will land Bellinger and possibly Chapman.

Even if they do land Bellinger they still aren’t really any better than they were last season.

I’d hate to be the team that give Bellinger 150++

5 hours ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Certainly an interesting strategy the Cubs are taking this offseason.

Busch is likely their 1B and they could still sign Bellinger for CF.  Hoyer is slow-playing the market so as to not overpay.

1 hour ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Busch is likely their 1B and they could still sign Bellinger for CF.  Hoyer is slow-playing the market so as to not overpay.

And Boras is waiting for $175-200 million, not $140-165.

$170 million seems close to the compromise point.

This definitely takes Corbin Burnes off the market, by the way.

Plus they can bring up their shiny new CFer without worrying about service time.

7 hours ago, fathom said:

I still don’t get why people are freaking out.  They will land Bellinger and possibly Chapman.

Well they will always have you to tell them it’s all good 

Chapman might be done…certainly well post peak.

“Assuming he's healthy, Hoskins should slot right into the middle of the Brewers' lineup while also giving new manager Pat Murphy another potential option at designated hitter.

Defensively, Hoskins doesn't fit the profile of the current Milwaukee roster; he accounted for minus-nine outs above average in 2022 – much lower than even former Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez.

However, the team's need for offense at the corners is such that it's willing to deal with that potential shortcoming in order to add Hoskins's bat while at the same time keeping him away from the NL Central-rival Chicago Cubs, who had reportedly been interested in signing him.

Milwaukee first basemen combined for a .231 average, 23 homers, 79 RBI and an OPS of .681, collectively one of the (worst) first (base) performances at the position in the majors in 2023.”

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2024/01/23/brewers-reportedly-agree-to-terms-with-ex-phillies-slugger-rhys-hoskins/72332868007/

Edited January 24, 20242 yr by caulfield12

Hoskins is great against LHP, which is something the Brewers needed help with last year (and doesn’t hurt the Cubs have three LHP)

52 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Chapman might be done…certainly well post peak.

Are you talking about Matt or Aroldis.  Because he is talking about Matt, and Matt doesn’t seem to be done at all

10 hours ago, fathom said:

I still don’t get why people are freaking out.  They will land Bellinger and possibly Chapman.

Agreed, been saying this for awhile.  No one wants to pay these two guys big bucks but they fit the Cubs needs.  The Cubs do have a replacement for Bellinger in CF in PCA.  And unless the Cubs want no bat Madrigal or no glove Morel starting at 3B, Chapman still makes sense for them.  No one has signed them yet.  Both are Boras clients.

Edited January 24, 20242 yr by WhiteSox2023

14 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

Are you talking about Matt or Aroldis.  Because he is talking about Matt, and Matt doesn’t seem to be done at all

Neither Chapman is “done”.  No idea what he talking about.

Rex Chapman?

10 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Neither Chapman is “done”.  No idea what he talking about.

Certainly not the one who posted 4.4 war on a playoff team last season (granted his elite defense makes that number pop)

1 hour ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Neither Chapman is “done”.  No idea what he talking about.

The 755 OPS…which is closer to 675-700 if you strip out the first six weeks.

Turning 31.

At some point his defense will start to slip.

You’re paying at least 65% for past performance with this contract.  Maybe you get two decent years…maybe…but the other 2-3 are going to be pretty terrible, something like Longoria’s collapse.

 

Matt Chapman has a .205 batting average with 84 hits, 12 home runs, 33 RBIs and 49 runs scored in 113 games since May 1, 2023.

fWAR paints a story of diminishing defense well off his 2021 peak…and at some point falling off a cliff…it also paints a picture of a player falling from the 4’s into the 3’s and losing more and more by the years in all likelihood.

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/matt-chapman/16505/stats?position=3B

1 hour ago, Kyyle23 said:

Certainly not the one who posted 4.4 war on a playoff team last season (granted his elite defense makes that number pop)

Actually his offense was higher than his defense…but that was really carried by April 2023.

The rest of 2023, he hit just .205 with 12 homers and 33 RBIs, or what you might expect out of Conor Gillaspie.

 

He wants to be paid $30 million for at least 4-5 years, but he’s likely a low $20s and falling further hitter…and it was 3.5 fWAR vs. the quoted 4.4 bWAR, a pretty significant spread.  Certainly his agent wants him to be regarded as the same player he was in his 20s, from 2017-2021.

 

We can let Sports Guy and Rolle Tide assess how much he’s worth to the Orioles, lol.

Nobody on this board would favor signing him for $150 million and five years.  It’s the primary reason why he is still unsigned.

Ah yes, not signing for 5/150M in January = done 

 

but seriously, I bet RME JICO and Mr Showtime have thoughts also

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

The 755 OPS…which is closer to 675-700 if you strip out the first six weeks.

Turning 31.

At some point his defense will start to slip.

You’re paying at least 65% for past performance with this contract.  Maybe you get two decent years…maybe…but the other 2-3 are going to be pretty terrible, something like Longoria’s collapse.

 

Matt Chapman has a .205 batting average with 84 hits, 12 home runs, 33 RBIs and 49 runs scored in 113 games since May 1, 2023.

fWAR paints a story of diminishing defense well off his 2021 peak…and at some point falling off a cliff…it also paints a picture of a player falling from the 4’s into the 3’s and losing more and more by the years in all likelihood.

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/matt-chapman/16505/stats?position=3B

I wouldn’t sign Chapman to the contract he is expecting to receive as a Boras client, but I don’t think he’s done.  He’s probably going to be productive for a couple more seasons, but he’s going to receive too many guaranteed years.  But this is the running theme of most MLB contracts these days, especially when Boras is the player’s agent — the player is productive for about half the contract.  Why do you think Bellinger is unsigned as well?  Boras is asking for the moon.  Is Bellinger done too?

Edited January 24, 20242 yr by WhiteSox2023

13 hours ago, fathom said:

I still don’t get why people are freaking out.  They will land Bellinger and possibly Chapman.

Which will be bad contracts before the ink drys so I'm not sure that is their play.

The risk on Bellinger is he needs to be as good as last year and Chapman is more sizzle then steak at this point  is actaully better then I thought.  The thing will be, how long to they want to be on the books with him.

By signing both now though they win the offseason and get some media roll into spring training which is important but staying with what they have may be the better play if they have faith in the young guys and looking at sustainability.  Chapman does line up well with Dansby as does Bellinger but the Dodger trade signifies to me that they are moving in a different direction but who knows.

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 20242 yr by Harry Chappas

2 hours ago, Harry Chappas said:

Which will be bad contracts before the ink drys so I'm not sure that is their play.

The risk on Bellinger is he needs to be as good as last year and Chapman is more sizzle then steak at this point  is actaully better then I thought.  The thing will be, how long to they want to be on the books with him.

By signing both now though they win the offseason and get some media roll into spring training which is important but staying with what they have may be the better play if they have faith in the young guys and looking at sustainability.  Chapman does line up well with Dansby as does Bellinger but the Dodger trade signifies to me that they are moving in a different direction but who knows.

 

 

 

The Cubs poop money and none of these potential contracts are going to impact them very much in the grand scheme of things.  They aren’t like our Sox in which one bad signing like Benintendi screws their payroll over completely.

Also, would you rather have your favorite team be in position to sign a guy like Bellinger, or would you rather see your team’s big offseason acquisition be Fedde?

Edited January 24, 20242 yr by WhiteSox2023

3 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

Ah yes, not signing for 5/150M in January = done 

 

but seriously, I bet RME JICO and Mr Showtime have thoughts also

8 minutes ago, Mr. Showtime said:

?