2019 - 2020 Off Season Thread

I figured I would find a way to contribute after a couple years off. ( Mods maybe sticky this?)

Let's get out of the "rest of the season" thread - and move into the off season. Clearly, there is going to be PLENTY to talk about.

Many failures by this front office and coaching staff (Chatwood, Darvish, No Verlander signing, Morrow, Kimbrel, Weak Farm system, moving backwards with players like Almora, Happ, Russell, Schwarber, etc.) have lead us to an interesting situation as an organization. They have definitely shouldered SOME blame for their poor decisions, without specifically stating where they went wrong. They have now begun moving in a different direction with the decision to let Joe Maddon sign elsewhere.

Let's start this off-season by thanking Joe for his success, his contributions, and the great memories he helped provide - some of which, none of us ever thought we would live to see. With a lot of good, there was also a decent amount of bad. Over the last couple seasons we have seen his "laxed" style of managing, player friendly mentality start to carry over into the players themselves. I know many here will always love him, and some may always dislike him. Regardless of where you lie, he contributed a lot to our favorite ball club. Treat him like it.


NOW - let's get into it. Many interesting decisions to come. Trade Kris Bryant? Extend Wilson Contreras with this Miguel Amaya in the wing? Trade Quintana? Sign Cole/Strasburg? Bring back Castellanos? The list goes on and on.

Here we go...

While they might be considered as failures due to the 2018 season, I think Chatwood and Darvish (who might have been our best pitcher in the end) righted the ship this season.

Also, I think Happ was showing some promise these last couple of months, and Schwarber in the 2nd half had some really good numbers.

In the end, this will be an interesting offseason

Still want to see what a new manager would do with Chatwood. I want him to get high leverage looks early on, especially since I don't anticipate much spending on the bullpen over the offseason (roster could use bigger changes, probably still with limited budget space).

Anyway, I think the most plausible path to a dramatic offseason is trading Bryant to free up room for a big free agent. I don't anticipate an enormous return for Bryant given that he has just two arb years left and has been banged up to close out two consecutive years, so I question whether or not they'd pull the trigger. A healthy Bryant was still pretty much classic Bryant, and it's not like he's re-injuring the same part of his body all the time.

Hate to say it, but I think 2020 is going to be a "regroup" year. Trade Bryant and Contreras for sure. Maybe Q as well, and get the best prospects they can get. And then not spend the bigger money to replace any of those guys. Maybe Happ goes to center, Javi goes to 3rd, Hoerner goes to SS and Bote plays second and Caratini catches. Chatwood goes into the rotation and if Q is traded, the 5th spot goes to Graveman, Mills, Alzolay or some low budget FA pitcher they sign. Also sign some other low priced bench players.
Not a team that will compete next year, but they reset on the luxury tax. And the next year guys like Lester and Chatwood will also be gone (and maybe Q-if not traded). They can load up on free agents without going over the first level of the luxury tax, and some of the young guys they get in trade can also be player in 21'.
Like I said, I do not like the idea. But IMO it is a very real possibility. And, the only reason I can see them avoiding this idea is next year is year 1 of the new TV deal.

Javy's probably their best trade chip right now factoring in cost. But it really seems like they'd prefer to extend him. So, I'm looking at Bryant and maybe Contreras as the biggest determinants of whether this offseason is a repeat of last year's in terms of roster building or a legitimate reboot.

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Originally Posted by rcal10

Hate to say it, but I think 2020 is going to be a "regroup" year. Trade Bryant and Contreras for sure. Maybe Q as well, and get the best prospects they can get. And then not spend the bigger money to replace any of those guys. Maybe Happ goes to center, Javi goes to 3rd, Hoerner goes to SS and Bote plays second and Caratini catches. Chatwood goes into the rotation and if Q is traded, the 5th spot goes to Graveman, Mills, Alzolay or some low budget FA pitcher they sign. Also sign some other low priced bench players.
Not a team that will compete next year, but they reset on the luxury tax. And the next year guys like Lester and Chatwood will also be gone (and maybe Q-if not traded). They can load up on free agents without going over the first level of the luxury tax, and some of the young guys they get in trade can also be player in 21'.
Like I said, I do not like the idea. But IMO it is a very real possibility. And, the only reason I can see them avoiding this idea is next year is year 1 of the new TV deal.

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If they're trading Bryant and Contreras, I'm thinking that they'd be targeting pre-arb guys or players who are cheap 1 year transition pieces along with prospects. I think they're still going to try to hang in there with the Brewers and Cardinals (who are fine teams, but not powerhouses), which also makes me think they're not going to move on from Q given that he's one of three functional starters they have on board.

The Cubs were eliminated with what, 3-4 days left in the season? A season where they punted CF and 2B for at least four months. I’d rather see them fill holes, not create new ones.

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Originally Posted by Cubboy

The Cubs were eliminated with what, 3-4 days left in the season. A season where they punted CF and 2B for at least four months. I’d rather see them fill holes, not create new ones.

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Definitely see your point, but I think you are looking short term, while many of us are picturing long term. I don't believe Bryant, Contreras, Chatwood, Happ, Almora, Schwarber are part of those long term plans, personally.

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Originally Posted by Cubboy

The Cubs were eliminated with what, 3-4 days left in the season? A season where they punted CF and 2B for at least four months. I’d rather see them fill holes, not create new ones.

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I would too. Like I said, a short reboot is not what I would want. It is what I think will happen. If you go over the luxury tax year after year the penalties get more severe. That is why teams try to get under every so often. If the Cubs are going to move from Bryant and Contreras of any of the core guys, IMO, they will also try to stay under the luxury tax next year and go for it again in 2021. I just do not see something like trading Bryant for prospects and then signing Donaldson to play 3rd. Or trading Contreras and then signing Grandal. Or even spending for a high end starting pitcher. I could be wrong, and actually hope I am. But if I was a betting man, I would bet the Cubs will be under the luxury tax in 2020.

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Originally Posted by chi-townlove1

Definitely see your point, but I think you are looking short term, while many of us are picturing long term. I don't believe Bryant, Contreras, Chatwood, Happ, Almora, Schwarber are part of those long term plans, personally.

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I think of that group, Schwarber is. Maybe Happ as well.

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Originally Posted by Cubboy

The Cubs were eliminated with what, 3-4 days left in the season? A season where they punted CF and 2B for at least four months. I’d rather see them fill holes, not create new ones.

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Filling holes when you have a mediocre farm system and are up against your budget requires creativity. That might have to mean taking a dollar at one position and breaking it into quarters so those holes are covered, which is why I mentioned a focus on pre-arb big leaguers or adequate stopgaps along with prospects.

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Originally Posted by NoChiInChamp

Filling holes when you have a mediocre farm system and are up against your budget requires creativity. That might have to mean taking a dollar at one position and breaking it into quarters so those holes are covered, which is why I mentioned a focus on pre-arb big leaguers or adequate stopgaps along with prospects.

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What would an adequate stopgap look like in a Bryant trade? So would it be someone like Seager (Seattle) and then a top prospect or 2 for Bryant? The problem with that is Seager makes too much money. But if you take a younger, cheaper stop gap you get less in the prospect world. If you pay a stop gap almost as much as Bryant, you get better prospects, but you do not get under the luxury tax. Which, IMO, will be a goal this off season.
(BTW, not looking for comments on the Seager scenario. It was the first thing that came to my head and I am not suggesting it). Pick any stopgap you want. If the guy is cheap and basically a league average everyday player the Cubs get less prospects. If his salary is higher and has time left, the Cubs get a better prospect. But in that event the Cubs do not lower their team salary.

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Originally Posted by chi-townlove1

Definitely see your point, but I think you are looking short term, while many of us are picturing long term. I don't believe Bryant, Contreras, Chatwood, Happ, Almora, Schwarber are part of those long term plans, personally.

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I think it's very early to suggest someone as good as Bryant isnt in the teams plans. They may look to trade him. They may look to extend him. What they do with him is very much debatable. I could see it going either way.

Schwarber has been given every opportunity to succeed in Chicago. He was a monster in the 2nd half. I don't know why people think he isn't in the long term plans. Our FO has always seemed to love him. His second half had some great under lying numbers to suggest it's a sustainable change. You have to roll the dice on him as a franchise.

Chatwood and Almora are obviously not long term pieces.

The off-season will have to address what the Cubs think their window is. It will be nearly impossible to trade Bryant and keep 2020 open. It will be very interesting to see where they go.

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This is a very nice tribute to Joe.

https://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=2...bBVLAbi9cgNQnc