2012 Winter Meetings Rumors & Discussion (12/2 - 12/6)

[CubbieSteve]

Believe it to be more of a 'check in' conversation then a 'go ahead and make this happen' deal...

Hopefully it went something like:

"You guys want to just give us Francouer?"

"Not really."

"Ok. Bye."

[Yagyu+]

It's going to be awfully hard for Francoeur to give fans beer money at Wrigley with the baskets in the way. Although, I suppose they work both ways, however, and serve as a popcorn safeguard.

Unless it was a dream, I believe he stole food from a White Sox fan.

EDIT: No dream. "Frenchy has some popcorn."

EDIT: I had no idea Francoer had pizzas delivered to fans. Pretty good story.

[CubbieKid17]

It's going to be awfully hard for Francoeur to give fans beer money at Wrigley with the baskets in the way. Although, I suppose they work both ways, however, and serve as a popcorn safeguard.

Unless it was a dream, I believe he stole food from a White Sox fan.

EDIT: No dream. "Frenchy has some popcorn."

EDIT: I had no idea Francoer had pizzas delivered to fans. Pretty good story.

Haha, both of those are awesome.

[GatorJimmy]

Yea I would love some frenchy in right field if we are going to win next year anyways. He is more entertaining and better than a sappalt/campana platoon.

[cubsbears1225]

This is F-ing brutal. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked my phone to see if the Cubs did anything and of course they didn't. Im so tired of searching twitter and to only find Dale's ear getting shot, a dead pitching coach, and a new cubs color man.

With that being said, now I am up and can not go back to sleep.

[cubswin25]

This is F-ing brutal. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked my phone to see if the Cubs did anything and of course they didn't. Im so tired of searching twitter and to only find Dale's ear getting shot, a dead pitching coach, and a new cubs color man.

With that being said, now I am up and can not go back to sleep.

Relax nobody has really done anything. Other then the Red Sox overpaying for a few guys. The Nats overpaying for Haren with all his injury risks and the Giants overpaying to keep their world series team in tack. Not to mention the Rays trading for a disliked shortstop coming off a bad offensive year. Hopefully today business picks up, especially for the Cubs.

[cubswin25]

Jason Grilli‏@GrillCheese49
Early trip to Nashville. Long journey to get to this point but this is what I worked for. Will be a full day. #pumped

Maybe he's coming to sign a contract today. Hopefully with the Cubs.

[1908_Cubs]

This is F-ing brutal. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked my phone to see if the Cubs did anything and of course they didn't. Im so tired of searching twitter and to only find Dale's ear getting shot, a dead pitching coach, and a new cubs color man.

With that being said, now I am up and can not go back to sleep.

People who have been expecting the big moves have been looking for things that weren't likely to ever happen to begin with.

The Cubs have been active as much as people want to pretend they haven't. We've added two mid-rotation SP and a closer/set-up arm. Just because they don't come with the big dollar sign attached to them doesn't make them non-active or non-quality players.

I think another poster had asked the question about when people have decided this FO has gone from great to completely inept. And I think this idea runs across from the idea that they haven't signed "big" contracts. As this team's constructed we're better than we were last year, and there's probably still going to be an OF'er added, another BP arm, and possibly one or two other parts. We're probably not a playoff contender, but we're moving up in the world. Someone else had said "well we're just a 3b, a RF and a TORP from being a contender". And someone else said "So are half the teams in the MLB". We may appear not to be that far away.....but we're competing with half the league for common issues.

So just relax. I think some people have had expectations that floated entirely too high. They're moving alone a plane of adding some assets (guys like Feldman and Baker could turn into a nice 3-4 SP for this team for years to come if they rebound - and will likely to be amenable to sign extensions with the team). I'm not the biggest fan of the offseason but they're not incompetent either. The other thing is that the offseason is 3 months long, not 3 days. Just because the moves haven't been made during the winter meetings, doesn't mean the moves may not be coming later on this offseason, either.

[TrialNError04]

These winter meetings make me hate the new cba even more.

You can give aging veterans all te ridiculous contracts you want (see victorino, shane) but we are going to penalize the **** out of you for spending ten times less on kids signing their first contracts.

Made no sense at the draft, makes less sense now...

[IlliniCubs]

Think this season is the one where come July, you'll start to see a serious asset uptick. From what I'm hearing, they (FO) are still attempting to weed everything out that they feel needs to be before they'll be ready to seriously contend. Also heard that Theo was a bit taken aback by just how much infrastructure work needed to be done and is open to a 2 year extension to compensate for 'lost time'. (TY, 12/4)

So TY, when you talk about an "asset uptick" I'm assuming you mean major league ready/producing assets correct?

[RedHeadsRule]

I would've done Lake for Escobar, especially considering he's got two $5 million options in 2014 and 2015.

[ABE32]

Abe go to bed before you get yourself drunk banned!

Damn bro you should have let them respond...nothing I said in there was offensive really...and I was right on point. I commented on them not thinking Greinke will get 160 million and they also see Granderson moving.

[CPorter07]

So um, nothing happened. Sans a hissy fit and seizure about commonly misused sayings and jargon. Maybe there should be a rule that no one is allowed to post after 11:20 on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Kind of, um, pathetic boys.

[cubswin25]

I would've done Lake for Escobar, especially considering he's got two $5 million options in 2014 and 2015.

The thing is Escobar would just be a stopgap at third for this year. Come 2014 you are gonna hope that one of Vitters, Villanueva or Baez are ready to take over that spot. Sure maybe you can trade Escobar again, but with the baggage around him. It's far from a sure thing they get a prospect better then Lake in return. The point is the Cubs don't wanna trade any high upside assets for guys they see as stopgaps.

[ABE32]

The thing is Escobar would just be a stopgap at third for this year. Come 2014 you are gonna hope that one of Vitters, Villanueva or Baez are ready to take over that spot. Sure maybe you can trade Escobar again, but with the baggage around him. It's far from a sure thing they get a prospect better then Lake in return. The point is the Cubs don't wanna trade any high upside assets for guys they see as stopgaps.

Escobar would be an asset himself more valuable than Lake as he is a SS and a major league SS at that that has had some good if not great seasons. He is not some throw away piece and with his salary you should make that move. The return they got back was a notch below Lake from what I am reading. I would have done it but the fron office must really see something they like in Lake.