Outfielder Jon Jay is a free agent this winter, but he tells Madeline Kenney of the Chicago Sun-Times that his hope is to remain with the Cubs. “I love it here,” said Jay, who inked a one-year deal worth $8MM last offseason. “I cannot deny that. I absolutely love it here.”As Kenney notes, manager Joe Maddon effused praise for Jay for much of the season, highlighting his leadership and the consistent quality of his at-bats, even with two strikes. Jay was a frequent presence atop the Cubs’ lineup in the season’s final two months and ultimately finished out the year with a .296/.374/.375 batting line through 433 trips to the plate. Jay, Kenney notes, is well-liked and well-respected among his teammates. “Life isn’t about all the money and all these different things,” said Jay. “It’s about respecting people and treating people the right way. And that’s what I try to do.” The Cubs, however, do have a fairly crowded mix of outfielders with Albert Almora, Jason Heyward, Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ and Ben Zobrist all vying for playing time in 2018.
More from the division…
- Jose Peraza is already playing winter ball in Venezuela as he prepares for the possibility of an everyday role as the Reds’ shortstop in 2018, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. While there’s still a chance that Zack Cozart could be back in Cincinnati next season, Peraza is the favorite to take over the position if Cozart receives more lucrative offers elsewhere. Peraza is currently the top internal option at short, Sheldon notes, and the fleet-footed 23-year-old tells Sheldon that he plans to get as many reps at shortstop as he can this winter in order to work on his defense there. Peraza has bounced between short, second base and the outfield with the Reds and didn’t rate favorably there in the estimation of Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating, though focusing on one position could of course help to improve those results.
- Though Tyler Glasnow’s rookie season produced disastrous numbers at the MLB level, the Pirates were heartened by improvements he made in Triple-A following a June demotion, writes MLB.com’s Adam Berry. Glasnow overhauled his mechanics last winter in an effort to improve his command, but he ultimately felt the changes adversely impacted his velocity and the overall quality of his secondary offerings. Glasnow went back to his old mechanics in Triple-A and utterly dominated minor league hitters (1.93 ERA, 13.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 in 93 1/3 innings). While he didn’t generate positive results in his September return to the bigs, Berry points out that his velocity and spin rate were both much improved. Glasnow should be in the mix for a rotation spot in Pittsburgh again next season, though the Bucs have a number of young MLB-ready options, as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd pointed out in yesterday’s Offseason Outlook for the Pirates.
Jay did a nice job, but I think it’s time to move on. Almora and Happ should play more. Zagunis can play a Szczur-type role and the money can be allocated for pitching.
I’d rather see your son traded for some pitching. He may yet become a serviceable LF’r but we are in a win now mode and he’s not making it easy on the team.
You won’t get much of a return on him.
You’re not baseball smart. 30 HR’s with his small amount of time? Yeah him and a someone else get a decent return
No. Bryant or Rizzo would. Not him.
“he may yet become a serviceable LF”…lofl
Yea and Heyward is gonna try another swing change that makes him worth his contract…
I guess you did not watch the second half of the season.
His OBP and BA were both up 20 or so points, this year. Anyone who knows baseball knows that is closer to what we should have expected from him than the huge homer year he had.
So, that would exclude you.
Kyle is already serviceable in the OF.
Trade him to an AL team for a middling BP arm while they still can,otherwise you’re looking at a collision with the CF of epic proportions. Madden needs to stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room just put players where their best suited and most comfortable.
I did watch the second half. He was improved. But he still wasn’t good. Unless you’re into another Dave Kingman.
You must have some pretty low standards if you think a second half OPS of .731 makes him worth that contract. Right Field defense is nowhere near important enough to make up for that kind of hitting in a corner outfield spot when you factor in the amount of money he’s making.
Ding ding ding!!! Winner winner!! Jay in left Almora in CF. Heyward in right. Happ gets a lot of time in center and some in left and a few at 2B. Zoe’s declining, needs less playing time. Joe Maddon needs to start letting guys roles be a little bit more defined. Almora everyday CF. Jay the same in LF. Javy at 2B. Or I short and Addi at 2b. We stopped rolling when Javy stopped playing short. Just saying. And Maddon ABSOLUTELY CANNOT play only 11 guys and 3 pitchers in the playoffs. He shredded his entire ballclubs confidence in the Wash series in games 2-4. And it showed against LA. He made every wrong call. He uses more guys more times during the season and then just stops in the playoffs. Some guys have to be upset. And I wouldn’t think many relievers are chomping at the bit to come play for him.
While I do agree with most of what you said, I don’t think Javy playing short had anything to do with them rolling; it’s a coincidence at best. They stopped rolling when they stopped hitting the baseball. It’s the same thing that happened when they faced the Mets a couple years ago. Too many strikeouts and too much reliance on the home run.
There is no need for Z. Even without him, we still have extra OF
Happ is highly overrated. Also, not a big fan of his little Baby Huey attitude. Seems like he has the potential to be a clubhouse cancer.
Happ is far from overrated. He’s one of the cubs best players. Not a single cubs player has any bad attitude. Don’t know what team you follow but it ain’t the cubs. They have the most likeable able roster in baseball.
They lost, but hey , there’s always last year……
One of the Cubs’ best players??? LOL. And I don’t follow the Cubs? That must be some good weed.
“He’s not overrated, he’s one of their best players”
Well, that sums it up pretty nicely…
The Pirates need to sit Glasnow down on a couch with a sports psychologist (or a team of them) all winter.
Working on his mechanics or delivery is pointless until they address the deer in the headlights look on his face and the warm stream of liquid running down his leg EVERY time he takes the mound.
He doesn’t miss the strike zone because of a mechanical flaw, he’s scared ****less to challenge MLB hitters.
Contrast him with a guy like Chad Kuhl whose stuff is nowhere near as good but who went toe to toe with Kershaw in Dodger Stadium in his first big league start and hasn’t back down since.
The thing with Glasnow is his stuff is so good he’ll be given far more chances to fail than most people. He’ll get one or two more chances to be a starter and then will be tried as an elite bullpen arm if he fails. If he fails as a high leverage guy, he’ll still get a chance to kick around as a Kevin Jepsen type.
Everytime Glasnow is on the mound, he looks like Jeff Locke. He looks like he has no idea what he’s doing.
And Kuhl’s debut was in PNC Park, just letting you know.
Some pitchers should begin their MLB experience in the bullpen, Glasnow is one of those guys. Get your feet wet in low leverage situations and then gradually get a feel for it all and make the move to the rotation. He’s only 24 next year, he’ll be fine as it starts to come together for him.
That’s a good idea–let him have some success in the 6th inning before you plug him in the rotation.
Glasnow is a classic AAAA pitcher, for whatever reason. ’Experts’ love pitchers with stuff, but if they don’t have command, they invariably fail.
Jay needs to comeback to STL. Most likely Grichuk and Piscotty will be gone and Jon Jay would be a nice guy to pinch run and come in to play defense later in the game for Fowler. It’s just an idea but it would really help the team and the already good bench
$8 million is a lot for a guy to pinch run and come in for late inning defense. And who knows, he may get more next year as salaries generally road unless a player has a bad year.
You think he is going back there to sit the bench?
I didn’t say to sit on the bench but I should have said a platoon role to swap in if someone in the outfield is struggling and or injured. It’s not like he was an everyday player with the Cubs. If we are talking about him playing everyday it would be with a non consenting team like the phillies, Marlins, White Six etc… but I wouldn’t rule the Cardinals out
He doesn’t want to go back to St.Louis. He’s a Cub, and he loves Chicago.
That doesn’t mean anything at all Jay doesn’t pick whether the Cubs re sign him or not. And to be honest I doubt they bring Jay back with Schwarber, Heyward, Happ, Zobrist, and Almora all being able to play outfield.
We don’t know what the future holds. If I could predict the future, I’d be living the high life, like a Rothschild.
At the PRESENT moment, he’s a Cub, and he wants to stay a Cub. Until we hear differently, we can assume the Cubs have mutual interest — especially with how much Maddon has praised him.
If peraza doesn’t have plus D at short he’s not going to be very useful. Slap hitting low obp SS
I met Jon Jay and Danial Descalso during the Cardinals Spring Training Camp, during their rookie seasons when I was interviewing players for a local radio station. They were both a delight to be around from the time they first walked up to the Cardinal Clubhouse, until they were both sent packing by Cardinals. Jon Jay only was a consistent .300 leadoff hitter, experienced base runner, a very adequate outfielder and a very well liked and respected person. Why, I don’t know, but the Cardinals tried to run him and a few others off when they became salary arbitration eligible. The Cardinals haven’t been “The Cardinal Way” since they ran off Jay and 3 well respected other back up players. That’s the leadership role and player dedication that Jay brought to the Cardinals!!! When he says money isn’t everything, he means it! If the Cubs don’t resign him, if for not only his leadership and dedication to the organization, they are a fool!!! Plus, if the Cubs don’t sign Jay back, they will see some of the younger current players attitudes will deteriorate. Just as the Cardinal Way left when Jay and others left, the Cubs will lose a most valuable tool that they may not even know exist within their current roster. We truly miss The Jon Jay way in St. Louis. He’s currently better than the 2017 center fielder then currently have!!
Such an odd comment they didn’t run Jay off, they traded him for Gryko in SD. They had a surplus of OF, Jay was coming off a down season and they got a good player in return for him. Do you follow baseball at all?
I don’t miss Jay at all and hope the cubs do bring him back. Plenty of guys like Jay around.
Jon Jay is not better than Dexter Fowler and it’s not even close
Didn’t like Jon Jay at first, but he grew on me. Hope he returns. They need to re-sign Davis. I am hoping the cubs re-sign Arrieta as well. I have a feeling they’ll sign Yu Darvish. He’d look much better in cubs Blue.
No way they sign Darvish. He’s going to want 7 years at huge $$ and Theo won’t do that, especially for an injury gamble like him. I look for Cubs to sign or trade for someone who will take 3 or 4 years tops.
Guessing the cubs will be going after Lance Lynn. They like to stick it to the Cardinals. Just like they took that very valuable Hayward away from them. Snicker snicker snicker.
If the Cubs sign Darvish and Arrieta, then they’ll be pushed well over the luxury tax line for the foreseeable future. Especially once you consider that they’re going to have huge arbitration salaries to pay soon.
Combine that with a desolate farm system and you’re practically asking for another 108 year drought
They are not going to sign them both. Highly doubtful they do either. 108 years with what he have? Lol Yeah, keep hoping.
Money can still buy championships. Just look at 2 of the 3 teams left: the Dodgers (first in payroll) and the Yankees (second).
The stars for those respective teams were drafted by the organization
Ok? That’s not really how it works, but ok. Glad to see CC, Gonzo, Ethier, Kaz, BMAC, and all leading this team to its 1st WS appearance. But hey take the lazy easy narrative it’s all good.
Well…..Surprise, Surprise!!! Dusty is out as Washington’s manager! Ousted from the Dodger organization, Out as Giants manager, out at Cincinnati, out as the Cubs manager and on and on. When are people on these premier teams going to figure out that Dusty is washed up and has been for 20 years.
Dude theirs a whole article about it…
Jose peraza may not work out at short. The braves saw him as a second baseman only due to a weak throwing arm and that was one of the reasons he was traded. Arm strength isn’t everything of course, a quick release can make up for a lot but it will be an uphill battle.
I believe, when it is all said and done, Almora may be the odd man out. His OBP agsainst RHP is below .300
Happ, Heyward, Kyle and Jay.
Zo can play OF in spots and will be the backup at 2B.
He still gets decent time, as well all know Baez needs to sit against some types of pitching, namely anyone with a good slider.
Baez will also slide to SS for 20 games a year, giving Zo or Happ (maybe) some more time at 2B
EIther Jay or ALmora goes, although I could see Happ out.in a trade
Are they gonna pitch to?
Lackey and Arrieta made 16 million each. Plenty of cash to throw at someone for a year or two.
Cubs like the depth they have here. No sense holding Almora back any longer.
Heyward would be shopped and they might have room in that outfield
Shopped to who? Most teams have way cheaper defensive replacements…
Whose going to want that non hitting overpaid has been?
They should attempt to resign Jay at the right price. I believe that Happ is the odd man out. With his very limited use in the playoffs, it seems quite foreboding that he’s not part of the plan. Besides being strictly a homerun guy, his defense is evenly atrocious in all positions that he was played.
Happ just turned 23. He was a rookie It was a surprise that he was called up so early this year. Do Theo and Jed have a history of trading good young position players like this?
Turn on the ALCS tonight and watch Starlin Castro try for the World Series.
Good for Starlin, but he’s not.better than Russell, Baez, or Happ. The player they moved salary space for was Zobrist. Flags fly forever.
Yea 27 and counting!!!!!
Gotta get past your pally Kershaw first.