Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein held an interesting chat today with Waddle and Silvy of ESPN Chicago (audio link). He likened his desire to acquire a premium free agent to a second helping of dessert — of course, he wants it, but he just can’t have it — and says the organization still believes it can find improvement from its current roster. Epstein insists there’s positive energy within the friendly confines; despite the lack of roster activity, he says, the offseason has otherwise been a proactive one in which the entire organization has focused on hitting the ground running from the start of the present season. At the tail end of the talk, the veteran baseball executive also gives a detailed account of the organization’s stance on embattled shortstop Addison Russell. It’s well worth a listen, regardless of one’s general viewpoint on that subject.
Elsewhere in the division…
- The Brewers still have interest in bringing Wade Miley back to the organization, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy in his latest inbox column, and Miley thoroughly enjoyed his time with the Milwaukee organization. However, Miley’s camp is still holding out for a multi-year deal, and the Brewers have a fairly large collection of arms from which to choose as it is. Jimmy Nelson, Jhoulys Chacin, Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Zach Davies, Chase Anderson, Junior Guerra and Adrian Houser are all options to start for Milwaukee. Given that depth, it seems that GM David Stearns is content to see if Miley’s price (or the price for any pitching target) comes down to a more palatable point.
- The Cardinals still don’t have a defined timeline regarding right-hander Alex Reyes’ return from shoulder surgery, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The prized 24-year-old prospect has been throwing recently, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak tells Goold that Reyes is “long-tossing without limitation.” The expectation, per Mozeliak, is that Reyes will progress to mound work within the next two weeks. However, he’ll also have an “individualized build-up” in Spring Training, and his return to pitching in a game setting will be determined based on milestones within that personalized program. Reyes has long been touted as one of the game’s most promising arms, but he’s never reached 120 innings in any professional season. Given that he’s already had Tommy John surgery and now last year’s shoulder surgery, one can imagine the Cardinals will be particularly cautious in getting him back up to speed.
ramonskee
The Cubs the mystery team in on Machado!
Not they’re not.
Yes they are!
No… maybe they are. No they’re not.
When do pitchers and catchers report??
Saint Chris
If the Cubs spent a little wiser over the last couple of years, Machado and Harper could be realistic, but having the Darvish, Heyward, Zobrist, and Chatwood contracts makes it impossible. Theo is great building a team from the ground up, but pretty terrible at signing big-money free agents, Carl Crawford likely being the worst contract he’s handed out.
TacoCat
Zobrist was a great signing, the others not so much. Hopefully Darvish redeems himself, Chatwood & Heyward are lost causes.
Saint Chris
I love Zobrist and he has produced, but paying a super utility player 14m a year, to a certain extent, hurts.
joepanikatthedisco
Heyward reminds me a little of Markakis where he looked like a star at first but then lost his power and settled into being this 1 WAR per year type guy who’s *just* decent enough to keep getting PAs.
I also think Heyward could have a random bounceback year like Markakis did this season. His swing still looks great to me.
Saint Chris
Heyward is a good player. He’s just not 20+ million a year good.
joepanikatthedisco
Hosmer’s contract is still the worst. 21 million a year to be the second best first baseman on the NL’s worst hitting team north of Fort Lauderdale.
megaj
I thought they would try to move Heyward and eat about half of his contract because I do think he is 10M per year good, especially when you consider his defense. I would be totally fine if he could hit .280 this year with an OPS of around .750. That being said, I wish they would just let the young guys-Schwarber, Almora, and Happ have the outfield to themselves this year. So hard to bench a 20 million dollar player though.
daved
Hosmer only gets $13M a year for the last 3 years of the contract. Finally, a smart back end part of a long term deal.
davidcoonce74
By “smart” I assume you just mean relatively less awful Hosmer isn’t very good and a small-market team should probably allocate their resources for a more necessary asset than a below-average first baseman.
daved
By smart I mean, it’s better to pay any player more on the front end of a long term contract than on the back end. I think ALL these long term contracts (6+ years) are the dumbest thing a team can hand out, but that is the nature of the beast in baseball, so be smart about it if you do it.
kbarr888
The Off-Season isn’t over yet, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs are still working on finding a taker for Heyward. It’s a tough sell, and Heyward does have “Partial No Trade Clause” in 2019-2020……….but if they pay 50% and throw in a decent mid-level prospect (one with some upside)……they could still find a deal.
I think the Giants might match up…..they could use his defense in that cavernous RCF wasteland. Maybe add someone like A. Ademan or T. Giambrone to the deal……..both lower level IF prospects.
johnrealtime
Eating half of his contract means that another team would have to be willing to take on 50 million over 5 years. Heyward would not get that deal on the open market, teams are not going to take on assets for the opportunity to pay him that much. I think about 25 million is probably the most a team would take on and that would mean the Cubs eat 75+ million dollars. Not going to happen and they’re probably better off hanging on to him and hope that he improves some
daved
Do you think a 32 year old McCutchen is worth 3/50? If so, then I think a number of teams would take Heyward at 5/50.
steelerbravenation
Exactly and if the Cubs were willing to eat say $25 million I don’t see how that would be a bad aquisition for the Braves. He would be coming home to where he was most successful & he would be playing with his best friend in Freddie Freeman. If they could get that contact down into the McCutchen range I think he is worth that.
johnrealtime
I do not think he is worth that and I think the Phillies bid against themselves. I also think that Andrew has been a much better hitter than Jason, even in his recent “down” years, and his great seasons in the past far exceeded heywards.
That is a good point to bring up though, it is always possible that a team would take more than I would think, but I still think the Cubs would bristle at having to send 50 million dollars with Heyward to another team
holstein1986
That would be a disaster to give it to Happ, Almora, and Schwarber. Happ at best is a utility man, Almora is a great defensive option, and Schwarber needs to be in the American League. I’d take a used bucket of balls to get Schwarber out of town!
petrie000
You should watch baseball before commenting on it if you think one of the best LFers in the league last year is somehow only fit to be a DH…
custardflan
Heyward is nowhere near the hitter Markakis is. Markakis was an all star last year as I recall. Heyward wouldn’t even start for a lot/most teams. That signing was terrible.
mkeyankee
Again, Heyward projects at 1/$5m in he was a free agent today…
mkeyankee
The cubs had Almora take nearly 25% of the outfield Schwarber was responsible for lmao. That is the only reason the stats favored him. Anybody with even a single functioning eye can see Schwarber is by far the worst outfielder in MLB. I’m a Brewer fan and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE if Chicago puts him out there again.
Joked around with cubs fans that Almora is like Kelly from Bad News Beara when it comes to Schwarber. Your a vacuum Almora, I want you sucking up flyballs.
mkeyankee
Cutch can hit, Heyward can not.
dfinmozarks
Granted Hosmer was weak on offense last year. Consider his offense the previous years in KC and there’s room to think he will bounce back. He’s still one of the standouts on defense and a team leader which the young San Diego team needs. He also moved from one of the weakest pitching divisions in the AL and a ball park that suited his line drive style of hitting to one of the toughest pitching divisions in MLB and a ballpark renown for being tough on hitters.
davidcoonce74
Hosmer was awful defensively in 2018. And the NL is the easier league to hit in.
megaj
If making only 1 error all year and making 11 assists with a cannon arm is the worst, then their must be some really amazing outfielders out there at the moment. You clowns really need to do some research, the guy has improved drastically on his defense and actually didn’t rate poorly at all last season. EVERY team, including the ones you tools are fans of would LOVE to have Schwarber.
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
Hwyward and Zo were good signings. Lester was great too. Darvish was hurt.. when healthy he can be an ace.
They basically traded starlin castro for ben Zobrist..I’d take Zo all day over Castro
seth3120
Hayward is a horrible deal. I’m not saying Darvish can’t rebound he’s had a number of successful years but hurt doesn’t explain his year last year. He was getting shelled long before any of that came about. So much so that some even speculated the injury was an excuse to rest him and try to right the ship. I may not believe that but Darvish needs some sort of adjustment if you’re expecting him to just come back from injury the old Darvish you might be wishing he was still on the disabled list
johnrealtime
Heyward was not a good signing, he was not a decent signing, he was a very bad signing. I can understand the logic of it being worth it since the cubs won the championship and they may not have without him but under no circumstances was it a good signing. Take your Cub blinders off, maybe imagine that the Cardinals or the White Sox signed him to that contract. But then you’d probably just be horribly biased in the other direction
mkeyankee
Heyward is the worst contract in mlb followed by Chris Davis in Baltimore.
Cubbie991
Not true. He has has a couple of overpays, Lester was a great sign along with Zobrist. Extending Rizzo with a very team friendly contract was a steal. Darvish will not be injured all year again.
Saint Chris
So Lester and possibly Zobrist are good signings. That’s two out of six. And the four bad signings–Heyward, Morrow, Chatwood, & Darvish–total $369,000,000. It’s more than “a couple of overpays,” Doofus.
gregstruth89
I just hope darvish is well enough to throw batting practice.
dfinmozarks
St Chris —- Is rude and crude your normal means of making a point? It doesnt work..
Saint Chris
If my comments sadden you, perhaps try shouting up the basement stairs to your mother, see if she’ll make you a cup of chamomile tea.
smallball
Agreed. As a Red Sox fan, I saw it. Built a great farm, constructed a great roster, drafted well but couldn’t navigate free agency. Too many to list between Boston and Chicago. Should just stick to what he’s good at.
Mikel Grady
That’s baseball. If someone else signs darvish and he wins 20 games, Cubs suck why didn’t they sign him chatwood is lights out with Someone else and Theo choked. You don’t win all signings . Which gm has? Astros? They traded for cole . Didn’t win last year ? Yankees ? Traded for Stanton didn’t win ? Maybe dodgers 2017? Got Darvish didn’t win? 2018 got machado didn’t win? Just extended Kershaw? How will they work out ? Maybe it’s a blessing ? Keeps Cubs from signing Harper or machado for 10-14 years 350-425 million and cripple a team when they are 36-40 years old
anthonyd4412
Nothing wrong with the Zobrist contract
mkeyankee
You lost all credibility when you saud Zobrist was a good signing lmao
Priggs89
How was he a bad signing? I’m far from a Cubs fan, but he has been very good 2 out of the 3 years he has been there…
He’s certainly not any worse than DJ LeMahieu, and he just got $12M/yr.
daved
Credibility lost? Zobrist has had 2 seasons with the Cubs with an OPS over .800 and was the WS MVP in 2016. You call that a bad signing?
mkeyankee
$14m for a fading utility player is a bad signing. Take the homer blinders off.
Mikel Grady
Let’s see zobrist got game winning hit for World Series victory . First in 108 years. How many gems would sign a player with crystal ball they would win one world series with zobrist contract ?
Chubbies
It’s the last year in his deal. Could be alot worse. Zo can still get on base better than heyward,happ,almora,russell,etc . Zo also had a career high in average last year. Not bad for an old guy
daved
Sure is weird. Zobrist hasn’t played like he is fading utility player, but if you say so, it must be true.
Rob B
Seems to me they wanted to sign Heyward just to block St Louis as much or more than they actually wanted/needed him. Not only did they hinder themselves, they saved the Cards on that one.
dfinmozarks
Rob B —- good point. Moz offered him the same deal the Cubs did but Heyward bailed to go to a younger team with more upside potential. He’s always been an all star on defense and probably will stay one. His offense is sometimes above average but mostly not. Overall, it looks like a bad deal for the Cubs. Heyward stepped into a great offer.
daved
Yep, “saved” the Cardinals and won a WS. And the “saved” Cardinals are still looking for a playoff spot since the Cubs “saved” them from Heyward.
tjdchi
Love it.
Dbird777
Miley will fall right into the Reds’ lap. He’ll be our 5th starter after we get Kluber or Keuchel.
Saint Chris
Looks like it may be Sony Gray you’re getting, not Kluber or Keuchel. Although, adding Gray then adding Kluber or Keuchel would give the Reds a pretty dynamic rotation.
Dbird777
Even if we don’t get Gray, I think we get one of Kluber or Keuchel. And if we don’t do Miley then DeSclafani makes for a perfectly good 5th starter.
Saint Chris
I would rather sign Keuchel than trade Senzel or Suarez for Kluber.
iverbure
And the reds will still finish 4th
Kelly Wunsch N' Munch
Brewers are due to come back down to earth. It’s still the Cubs division to lose.
Randia
Reds will not trade for Kluber, he feasts on bad teams ( the Indians played 88 games against teams with a cumulative record of 376-596. A .387 percentage.) And as he has shown in the playoffs. He routinely gets rocked against quality teams with a 9.64 ERA in the last two post seasons. Why would the reds or any team really trade for that? Especially when he has to face quality teams like the Cubs, Brewers, and cardinals 57 times a season.
There’s a reason the Indians are desperately trying to move him and not Bauer, Carrasco or clevenger. They know he can no longer beat quality teams
daved
Maybe the Reds want Kluber because his career record against NL Teams is 14-7 with a 2.62 ERA, a WHIP of 0.948, with 177 Ks to just 17 walks.
holstein1986
Not
Randia
And most of those starts were against the reds. Nice try though.
Kluber was 15-3 against sub 500 teams last year. Which is why the Indians playing 88 Games against teams with a .387 percentage is important. Why give up a Senzel or a Suarez type prospect for a guy on the downside of his career? An old and expensive one at that. Like I say there is a reason the Indians are pushing Kluber and not Bauer, Carrasco or Clevenger. It’s because they know he can’t win against quality teams any longer
Randia
And daved. They aren’t trading for who Kluber was in the past. He WAS a great pitcher. But he’s clearly not that any more. One look at his game logs tells you that. If he’s traded he won’t be facing the worst teams in baseball any longer.
Teams like the Dodgers Astros and Yankees who have large analytics departments backed away for a reason
daved
So even though it’s a FACT that it’s a bit easier to pitch in the NL, you still dismiss that Kluber would be bad? Did you see what Hamels did in 12 starts when he came back to the NL last summer? $17M is expensive? 3rd in CYA voting last year. Yep, he has just lost it. The Reds likely won’t get him, but if they do, they won’t give up a lot because of his age and the contract has 2 team options after 2019. The Indians can keep him one more year then buy him out for $1M.
daved
I didn’t realize that 4 starts out of 24 was considered “MOST?” In your words, nice try though.
Randia
It is easier. But you’re thinking about their best prospects. Why trade them for a guy on the downside of his career? An expensive one at that? Gray a bounce back candidate is much cheaper in assets and in term. just like the acquisition of Harvey last year and Wood this year. Upside plays with little risk. Kluber isn’t that
daved
The Reds won’t trade their best prospects for one year of Kluber, that’s likely why the trade won’t happen. If they work out a deal for lower end prospects, then maybe they make a trade. Lastly, like I said earlier, he is NOT expensive. In today’s baseball, $17M is NOT expensive. Get off that word. It simply is not.
Mikel Grady
But if betting wins over under, you like Brewers over 83 though?
Randia
Look at his logs daved take a particular look at the runs allowed against the Astros, redsox, Yankees etc. ànd 4 out of 24 IS a lot when there are 12 NL teams I don’t believe he’s faced any NL team as often as the reds
daved
I can’t have this discussion any longer, and last time I checked, there were 15 NL teams, not 12. He would pitch against 14 of them.
Randia
For a team like the reds? 17M is expensive they had a 96.5M payroll let year so Kluber would represent nearly 20 % of their payroll how is that not expensive?
daved
They’ve had higher payrolls. They can afford it
Randia
So facing the reds 4 times in 24 games when there are 14 teams still comes out to an average of less than 2. 4 is much more than less than 2 daved. So you admit you were wrong.
The trade won’t happen because he’s expensive and declining it’s as simple as that. Kluber is living off his reputation and the fact that the Indians faced the EASIEST SCHEDULE IN BASEBALL HISTORY last year and that’s a fact.
Randia
They probably can but why do it for a pitcher in decline with little upside. If the Indians give him away yeah maybe but not for any top prospects
daved
I guess I have to go against my word and respond again. Last year, on this easiest schedule, Kluber mowed down 3 pretty good teams like Milwaukee, 13 IP, 11 K, 1 BB, 2.77 ERA; Houston, 13.1 IP, 17 K, 0 BB, 1.35 ERA; and Seattle, 16.2 IP, 18 K, 4 BB and 2.70 ERA. Lastly, if the Indians face this easy schedule every year, like you say, how come Bauer and Carrasco have NEVER won the CYA or finish higher than Kluber any year of the CYA voting? Let me hear that answer. Or is Kluber the only pitcher on Cleveland that faces this “easy” competition?
Randia
Kluber 4 runs in 1.2 innings against Tampa
7 runs in 4 innings against the pirates
6 runs in 7 innings against the yankees
6 runs in 1.2 against the cardinals
And a 9.64 ERA against the red Sox and Yankees the last 2 playoffs.
daved
answer my question involving Bauer and Carrasco.
Saint Chris
Kluber has more team control than just one year.
daved
I know. They are team option years. So if he sucks this year, like Randia claims he is/does, then whoever he plays for can pay him off for a whopping, $1M.. That’s why I keep saying he’s NOT expensive.
mkeyankee
Suggest you Google who won the central in 2018 before commenting.
dfinmozarks
No way. The Brewers have improved and the Cubs have not. The Cards are my team and they have improved enough to possibly make post season play but they haven’t improved enough to go far unless one of their rookies like Reyes has a stellar year. We still need a LH hitter with pop and another proven reliever. I figure them for 2nd place with about 90 wins and about 4 games behind the Brewers and 2 games ahead of the Cubs …unless they sign some extra talent like Moose. It seems like everyone but the owner knows we need more depth to do well in the post. It’s a critical year too because unless we show the players we want to compete to go for it all, we may lose 3 key players who will be FAs next winter. But it sure seems like our owner is satisfied with filling the seats more than going after another ring.
excusemeflo
Wasn’t Reyes’ injury a lat muscle?
cards81
That’s what I thought….?
daved
The lat muscle is responsible for the extension and internal rotation of the shoulder joint.
kbarr888
But I don’t think it’s correct at all to call it “Shoulder Surgery”……since the Latissimus Dorsi starts under your armpit and wraps around your side, connecting to your back
“The Latissimus Dorsi muscle is one of the largest muscles in the back. There muscle is divided into two segments, which are configured symmetrically along the backbone. The muscle is located in the middle of the back, and it is partially covered by the Trapezius.”
…just saying…..
socraticgadfly
Sadly, from what I’ve seen on Twitter, a lot of fellow Cards fans are counting their Reyes chickens before they hatch. Gimme at least 25 MLB innings out of him before I make any assumptions as to what he has to offer this year. That’s why I want Mo to still go get another starter. (Waino isn’t, contra some of those same Kool-Aid drinkers, and Wacha is an injury waiting to happen himself.)
dfinmozarks
That was the story last fall. Now we hear it is a shoulder problem. Hard to know which story is correct. Maybe both. That would be real bad news. He could become a franchise player if we can keep him off the DL. That’s what they hoped for with Fowler too.
Houston We Have A Solution
Signing Harper or machado would be stupid for the cubs.
They need to replace 5 guys who are free agents after 2019 in the pen, need to get younger as those 5 are 31+
They’re gonna need to get extensions to Bryant Rizzo Baez Hendricks in the next 3 years
Gonna need to replace Lester Quintana Hamels in the rotation the next 3 years.
And have Darvish and Hayward on the books till 2024.
Padres should swing a deal for Ian Happy in return for taking Chatwood from the cubs- 2 years left on Chatwood contract and put happ at 3B.
basebaIl1600
Cubs will be hilariously bad in a few years. Baez is the only player they should extend, Rizzo will age horribly and Bryant isn’t worth a 200M+ contract.
thegreatcerealfamine
“Bryant isn’t worth a 200M+ contract” This is an hilariously bad take. wtf
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
Your right hes worrh 240mil minimum. Which is why the Cubs have yet to offer him any extension and it will be at least 2 more years. 3 til he potentially hits free agency.
adshadbolt1
How will rizzo age horribly he, is always going to get his walks and has a simple swing that doesn’t require a lot of effort that would cause him to decline.
em650r
Rizzo will be in the AL as a DH in a few.
I could see the Cubs trading Heyward though or cut him
petrie000
That’s not a why, just so you know.
thor would look better in red
Rizzo is a quality 1B why would he need to be a DH by the time he is 33?
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
They are not letting rizzo walk. He loves chicago too much. The organization the city and and everything else.
He has 3 years left at like 35mil total. They need to give him at least a 7 year extension of at least 120mil
everlastingdave
When Bryant hits free agency, unless the rules involved are completely different than they are now, he’s going to clear $200M with ease. I’m wondering if I’d give him more than I’d give Machado.
Steven Chinwood
ok an MVP, ROY, a 21.6 career WAR, versatile and can play multiple positions, and will only be 29 at FA. Yea he won’t get a contract for over 200 million, says no one.
petrie000
Says no one who thinks before posting, anyway
A lot of other people actually say it, though, so really it’s just a good measure of who you don’t have to take seriously…
mistry gm
Bryant will NEVER re-sign with the Cubs at any price and I don’t blame him.
Steven Chinwood
Do you have inside info to provide with this statement?
davidcoonce74
I would assume it’s because of the very blatant service-time manipulation the Cubs engaged in when Bryant was coming up. Yes, every team does it, and the Cubs were smart to do it, but it can’t leave a good impression for Bryant and his representation. It was just so blatant.
johnrealtime
I think Bryant is smart enough to realize that most organizations would have done the same thing. He has a lot of strong ties to the organization and seems to like it there. At the end of the day though I think he’ll probably go to the highest bidder, which may be the Cubs.
I honestly don’t understand the above comment about Rizzo aging poorly, he is a good fielder and has a great swing. It’s always possible, but he hasn’t had recurring injuries that would be destroying his body
petrie000
Bryant doesn’t strike me as a complete fool, so I see no reason why he’d rule out the Cubs.
If their willing to pay him as well as anybody else, he doesn’t have to move, and he’s already a fan favorite, he’d be a moron to walk away over some contrived grudge.
Priggs89
What if he wants to move?
And he’d be a fan favorite anywhere he goes. So that argument doesn’t hold a lot of value.
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
Why would he leave. They know how the leach Scott Boras works. They have yet to offer him any extension. The 200mil over 8 years was fake news. And it never happened .
petrie000
If he wants to leave he wants to leave, I never implied he’d definitely do anything.
My point is merely everybody saying he’s definitely leaving because of a debunked rumor that he’s mad at the Cubs are full of hot air
He’ll do what’s best for him and his family, not for the click bait headlines
mkeyankee
Bryant will get paid. There is a lot of negative energy there from the cubs manipulating his servive time so there is very little chance he stays in Chicago.
Mikel Grady
Amaya ,Aloza ,little ,ademan ,Lange coming up. Sign madbum , sale or getting cole next year. That trout guy is pretty good. Get him in 2 years? Teams can reload quickly
megaj
I have completely fallen off the Bryant bandwagon. At first, I was a huge fan, but his inability to hit with runners in scoring position, and his attitude is very off putting. A class act like Baez gets totally low-balled and doesn’t say a word, but Bryant thinks that his buddy Harper is getting hosed because nobody wants to dish out 300M. I actually think they would be better off trading him for younger, solid pitching. Totally worth losing Bryant to get Syndergaard IMO.
augold5
Baez is a class act?
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
Yes. He plays the game the way it should be played. Rizzo does the same thing. Rizzo has literally never done anything wrong in his life. Hes a modern day Jim thome. Great guy on and off the field.
Priggs89
Yah, tell that to Austin Hedges and Elias Diaz.
mike127
megaj—so obviously you didn’t listen to Bryant’s interview yesterday that included a good portion about his buddy Harper—said absolutely nothing about him “getting hosed”. Was quite happy for him and actually said “it’ really none of (his) business.”
kbarr888
I think Kris Bryant “is a class act” himself. He’s had plenty of opportunity to be an ass about things, but he always seems to keep his cool, he’s not a strong reactor, and he thinks before he speaks.
Those are all good qualities to have.
Whether or not he signs an extension or becomes a FA, is completely up in the air right now, I’d guess.
johnrealtime
It sounds like your views on whether a player is a class act or has a good attitude is directly related to how well they played in their most recent season. Baez has matured but I wouldn’t quite put him in “class act” territory and I have never seen Bryant with an attitude problem. Seems like a pretty thoughtful and supportive dude all around
megaj
I like the fact he doesn’t scream the F-bomb when he whiffs in front of kids in the first row like most of the team does (Even Rizzo). Yes, he is quiet and well spoken. In my post I mentioned the lack of clutch hitting, runners in scoring position, and his take on how much money other players should be getting. He did say he had a problem with the FAs not being offered what they are worth and the players are upset about it. That is a fact, don’t twist my words to fit your own opinion. When he said he doesn’t ask Bryce anything, he was talking about where he would sign genius.
Mikel Grady
Degrom and syndergard? Nola?
pplama
If Theo had actually spoken to domestic violence experts as he claimed, he NEVER would have spoken to the victim and put any of the onus of Addison’s punishment on her. It’s not surprising he lied, the cubs protected russell or have now used her as a partial scapegat. But it sucks.
PS- It’s also not Russle’s “2nd chance” as Theo clams. There have been various credible accusations against him since 2013 the Cubs have turrned blind eyes to.
mkeyankee
Cubs are an absolutely terrible and shameful organization for their actions regarding Russell. Well beyond baseball.
Mikel Grady
Yankees and Chapman?
Mets Famila?
Puig dodgers?
Osuna blue jays?
Sano Twins?
Olivera Braves
Reds for taking puig?
Steven Wright Red Sox?
Reyes Rockies ?
Torres padres?
All bad organizations for keeping ?
Vanilla Good
shouldn’t it be Astros Osuna?
megaj
We live in a world where Chris Brown is still putting out music after beating the hell out of his girlfriend, and a world where Michael Vick still played football after he drowned dogs. I think it is fair to give Russell a second chance for a lesser offense that is usually resolved by a divorce. If the guy gets help and really tries to change, I will support him.
bradthebluefish
Theo Epstein confuses me. How can you be pleased with a team filled with injured and underperforming players?
Saint Chris
He’s not pleased; he just has to put a good face on the current state of the team. He had the Cubs set up to be dominate and just signed the wrong guys. Everyone is eager for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado this off-season, but they could just turn into the next Jason Heyward–overpaid and underperforming.
TwinsTrio
Well said. Fans have always been willing to fork out hundreds of millions of the owners’ money to get every player they want….. without the capacity to understand the limits.
The excuse is always “those owners are billionaires”. But they didn’t become rich by making poor reckless financial décisions…. or by fielding a team that loses money because of oversigning free agents. It’s called, a “budget”.
davidcoonce74
The Cubs aren’t anywhere near close to “losing money.” No team is losing money, although Cleveland claims they are; without opening the books, we don’t really know.
kbarr888
Finally….a comment that looks at things from the proper perspective.
Most Fans have tunnel vision, and don’t truly understand that “baseball is a business”………
TwinsTrio……..I Salute You!!!!!!!
ACK
“The excuse is always “those owners are billionaires”. But they didn’t become rich b”y making poor reckless financial décisions…. or by fielding a team that loses money because of oversigning free agents. ”
Correct, Ricketts got his $$$ from daddy. I’m sure there was a lot of financial wisdom and hard work there.
Tom Ricketts is the embodiment of a self made man whose baseball financial decisions are a perfect example of his business success…/sarc
mkeyankee
Didn’t realize you were the Cubs accountant…facepalm. You obviously have no basis whatsoever for your opinion and are literally pulling BS out of the air. Facts are facts and the cubs do not have any money to sign premium free agents. Just let that bounce around your head for awhile maybe it will resonate eventually.
megaj
Chris- Pretty valid view. It was his signings of Heyward, Darvish, and Chatwood that probably prevented this team from becoming a true juggernaut or dynasty. That was Epsteins fault, not Ricketts. But here is a hypothetical for you: What if Darvish pitches great this year and Heyward has his best year as a Cub? Are they still busts? What if Chatwood finds some control and actually shows value as a reliever and spot starter? Its all about timing, the best teams with the best players don’t always get the ring- see the Cubs for 108 years prior to 2016.
TwinsTrio
You’re quite right in that Darvish and others could have a great year. So many of them struggled last year for various reasons, and the team still had and they still had a solid season.
The team is still world series calibur, if everyone stays healthy and performs.
Saint Chris
You are right: All of those “busts” could have great years. But when valuing a contracts performance, having the very first year be a total bust, as was the case with Darvish, Chatwood, and to a lesser extent, Morrow, makes the contracts look horrible. How much are those guys worth on the open market right now, if they were free agents? Chatwood and Morrow would be looking at minor league deals, and Darvish would be looking for a 1-year deal in the 8-10m range to build some value. Heyward? What is his value? 5 million? 6 million? The Cubs are paying him over 20 million this year.
dfinmozarks
Morrow was injured last year but had stellar seasons before that which is why he got a good offer. Someone isn’t thinking logically if they think he would be heading to the minors.
Saint Chris
Morrow being injured is the story of his entire career.
Mikel Grady
Easy don’t make experts mad who think Harper and Machado are going to hit 50 hrs and 125 rbi at age 40 and never miss a game
dfinmozarks
That’s a fact. Pujols is a classic example of that. He got a monster 10 year contract at age 32 when most big body sluggers like him are done by age 36 or 37. That equates to the second half — and the more lucrative half he will most likely be underperforming and a load on the Angels. Detroit has had a pair of sluggers like this dragging their team down badly for a long time.
jasonpen
His team still won 95 games last year. First in the NL. Then they went like 14 innings in the Wild Card game, after playing 41 games in 40 days. Not sure anyone could consider that a bad season.
They’ll have a full season of Hamels and a healthy Darvish. To go along with bounce back years from Bryant and Contreras. Remember, they won 95 games and their team was “filled with injured and underperforming players.” -your words.
95 games.
megaj
I agree with you Jason, but I really want Happ and Schwarber to be full time at the start of the season. Maddon can’t shield lefties from Schwarber forever, he needs to figure it out in real time. Maybe a successful showing in spring training could help his cause. His OBP was still very good against left handers so its not that big a risk. I think Happ is on the verge of really breaking out if he can just get in the lineup every day. It is so hard to sit one day, and then get in a rhythm the next. Start him at 2B or CF every day. If it isn’t working out, then go back to platooning with Almora and utilize his pop from the left side.
daved
How did the Cubs win 95 games and be 1st in the NL, but then they lost the WC game? They weren’t 1st in the NL. The Brewers were with 96 wins.
3eyedjohnny
Setting up Joe to be the fall guy?
daved
If injured and under performing players cranked out 95 wins, imagine what healthy and performing players can do. I sometimes wonder if people read their comments before they hit the “post comment” icon?
Priggs89
Imagine if Baez falls back to earth… It’s not very often you see guys change absolutely nothing about their horrible approach and have a breakout year.
jdgoat
What are you talking about? Baez was a top prospect for a reason. He lit up the minors and then struggled to start his major league career. Like a lot of players do….
Priggs89
I’m talking about him swinging at every pitch thrown in the direction of home plate and being incapable of taking anything other than an intentional walk. That’s why he struggled to start his major league career. He didn’t change that at all, and all of a sudden he has a monster year? I’d buy into it a heck of a lot more if he made any changes in his approach, but like I said, that didn’t happen. He still swings at everything under the sun. Sorry if I need a larger sample size.
mkeyankee
Baez reminds me of Schoop in 2017.
BarrelMan
The notion of Adrian Houser starting games for Milwaukee is a stretch. He has worked as a starter in the minors in recent years but to poor results. He’s also out of options, so would need to earn a spot in the bullpen or miraculously beat out the competition for an Opening Day rotation spot to ever be a starter for the Crew.
Moneyballer
When the cubbies are sitting 3rd in that division looking up at St Louis and Milwaukee they will realize the non-moves they made or moreover the previous wrong moves they made (cough heyward, cough darvish) have really cost them.
someoldguy
yes he can most certainly have that dessert, and can afford it.. There is no reason they can’t they have plenty of money. they are valued at about 3 BILLION dollars.. but as long as fans will buy a less talented team there is zero reason for them to spend for a more talented team..
TwinsTrio
There are a lot more expenses than just salaries, and that’s why there’s a limit. Contracts like Heyward’s and Darvish can cripple a team enormously when they are injured or under-perform.
The Rangers and Tigers are still paying Prince Fielder through 2020, and he hasn’t played the game in years.
someoldguy
in 2009 the team was valued at about 1 Billion, 10 years later it is valued at 3x that amount.. 3 billion.. it is pretty easy to see those contracts are not hurting the team as people suggest. in fact you cannot show a team that has lost value. those contracts aren’t holding them back. it is desire for higher profit margins.
cubie17
When a team is “valued at X”, that doesn’t mean someone comes along and writes you a check for the difference of what you paid and the current value. You have to sell the team to get money. They have already spent big on players plus are privately financing the expansion and renovation of Wrigley Field. Heyward is a bad contract with the potential to get less bad, but it’s too early to say that about Darvish or Chatwood. Epstein is a genius and I think Cubs fans should stand by him, with the expectation that there will be a mistake here and there between all the good moves. He is human after all.
megaj
I personally feel they still have the most talented team in the central. Who has a better starting 5? Who has a better lineup? Defense? Baez, Rizzo, Contreras, Almora, and Heyward are the best at their positions.. Even Russell is one of the most elite defenders in the game, no matter what your opinion is of his personal life. They may lack a true closer, but that’s about it. Edwards, Strop, Cishek, Montgomery, and Morrow are way above the average bullpen already. Spring training may yield hope in that department, who knows. That Maples kid has crazy good stuff and could be a factor.
cmking
You could argue most talent but that certainly isn’t a given. The bullpen was strong during most of last season but Joe has an early hook and that wore them out, as evident the past 2 postseasons.
Cubs have a few great defenders but their issue was consistently putting runs on the board. It was feast or famine all year. 10+ runs one day, shutout the next.
Priggs89
I’d love to know what you’re using (other than sportscenter) to come up with these defensive rankings. Fangraphs had all besides Contreras as mediocre at best last year – and they had Rizzo as one of the absolute worst fielders in the league at first base…
mkeyankee
He is using homervision.
cmking
I took a look at Fangraphs and it doesn’t support what you’re saying about Rizzo. He is a couple years removed from GG and Platinum Glove and is one of the best at 1B. Fangraphs had him at 5 or 6 best in MLB from the past year.
Betts is right there with Heyward at RF but they are the cream of the crop. Baez makes the spectacular plays and boots the routine ones, much like Castro when he was a cub.
Almora will push for a GG in next couple years but I don’t think the same about Contreras. He has a cannon and is very athletic but is still relatively new to catching.
megaj
Rizzo won a gold glove, not sure what you are talking about. Contreras mediocre? Some sites do factor in “framing” which is very subjective, but he is one of the best fielding catchers in the game.
Kayrall
Yu Darvish literally fell off the stage at the cubs convention tonight.
WubbaLubbaDubDub
Seriously? Time to google for videos….
Kayrall
Yes, seriously. Fell off the back of the stage after being introduced to superman by Soulja boy.
fasbal1
I’m sure he hurt himself.
cmking
Looking forward to an interesting and fun NL central race.
joepanikatthedisco
Why don’t the Brewers abandon the notion of Starting Pitcher and just have pitchers pitch until (a) they show signs of wear, or (b) they reach, say, 60 pitches.
They’ll only need 3 or even 2 pitchers in some games.
They’ll keep pitchers from getting stale and facing hitters 3+ times, when they are less effective statistically.
Hader has already been used like this. Like Andrew Miller he is a former starter who can handle high pressure long relief situations.
The A’s tried this in the 90s.
It’s a perfect plan for a team whose best relievers are FAR more effective than their best starters, and whose young “future starters” are currently bullpen guys.
pdxbrewcrew
12 man staff. 6 pitch one day. 6 the next. Rinse, repeat. Nobody faces anyone in the lineup more than once. Do your best to have pitchers that have varying arm angles and secondary pitches, so the batter doesn’t get the same release point and non-fastball in the same game.
I’ve always thought this could be a winning strategy.
I have a hard time believing a team can’t find enough pitchers that can throw effectively 1 to 2 innings every other day. Most relievers are starters that could throw 1 or 2 innings but not 5 or 6. Hader and Peralta are the types that are perfect for this system. They could easily throw 2 innings every other day.
Kelly Wunsch N' Munch
Terrible idea. Trying to “reinvent the wheel” so to speak. There’s a reason why for over 100 years baseball has had “starting pitchers” take the load if you will. There’s far too many variables involved when changing pitchers so often. There’s too many pitching changes as it is. Let alone pinning yourself into a corner from the get go every game by design.
davidcoonce74
I think that”sit too rigid, but I do think this is the way baseball is heading. Yous aw it last year with Tampa and the “opener” and the Brewers’ use of Hader. The Dodgers did this a bit too; getting their starters out of games relatively early. I think it’s smart, because starting pitchers always get hurt and starting pitchers are needlessly expensive. Just one example: David Robertson, who has been one of the very best relievers in baseball over the last half-decade, just signed a 2 year/23 million dollar contract. Lance Lynn, who is the very definition of a league-average starter, signed for 3/30. The difference in bulk innings doesn’t make up for the higher-leveraged performance that Robertson excels at.
As much as we want to romanticize the 220-inning starting pitcher and say “that’s how baseball’s always done it,” it’s 2019 now. Everybody throws 98 MPH and everybody gets hurt. (Pitchers have always gotten hurt; we just didn’t hear about it back then. They just faded away). As much as we all dislike pitching changes, this is the smart way to actually manage a baseball game, on the granular level: put players in the position in which they can be most successful. In another era Hader would have been tried as a starter and would have almost certainly gotten hurt; conversely, if Rich Harden were coming up now with a smart team, he might have a good Hader-like role and a long career.
The Dodgers, who are one of the smartest teams in baseball, have done this with a guy named Rich Hill. For years people in baseball understood Hill could be dominant in short bursts, but wasn’t suited for a bullpen role because he couldn’t pitch back-to-back days. So the Dodgers basically looked at his pitches, said to him “throw the curveball, all the time” and they get him out of games early, utilize strategic DL stints throughout the season, and get 135 outstanding innings from him every year. No he’s not Roger Clemens, throwing 230 amazing innings every year, but a traditional usage pattern would have ended Hill’s career. Credit the smart teams for utilizing an asset in a way that maximizes his value.
csspackler
Smart take. Kudos.
Strike Four
It all depends on the pitcher, and we all have the inning-by-inning data so we can even use something basic like ERA here, so if a pitcher has a career 3.00 ERA in the 5th inning but a 5.00 ERA in the 6th inning, then simply never let him out there for the 6th. Or use “through the order” ERA’s. It doesn’t have to be so jarring, but with some guys we can use different tactics.
GarryHarris
For a team to do that, the position players would have to be minimalized into a skeleton crew to carry the extra relievers required to maintain that mode. There’s just not enough quality relievers to load up on.
History shows us that great bullpens are not sustainable. Without inning eating SP, the bullpen will wear out and become ineffective. They also need the right Manager who uses them for the optimal situations.
The ideal is a 4 man rotation with spot starters and auditioning starters to take the 5th spot as needed.
Rallyshirt
They got their World Series, but stayed for a $260M team of lovable losers.
xXabial
Steven Wright for Reyes.
DarkSide830
Cards should learn from what the Reds did with Iglesias and move him to the bullpen. as goos as a starter he could be, he could work out much better for them as a closer. perhaps they can then try to give Hicks some looks in the rotation himself.
Randia
Reds will not trade for Kluber, he feasts on bad teams ( the Indians played 88 games against teams with a cumulative record of 376-596. A .387 percentage.) And as he has shown in the playoffs. He routinely gets rocked against quality teams with a 9.64 ERA in the last two post seasons. Why would the reds or any team really trade for that? Especially when he has to face quality teams like the Cubs, Brewers, and cardinals 57 times a season.
There’s a reason the Indians are desperately trying to move him and not Bauer, Carrasco or clevenger. They know he can no longer beat quality teams. Once teams like the Dodgers and Yankees took a deep dive on him they backed away.
earmbrister
Domestic violence victims and people immigrating for a better life.
You have some strange “triggers”.
kreevich
Sure, the Cubs could eat half of Heyward’s contract and let someone else have him at a reasonable rate. Or, they could realize that they’d have to eat half of it and play him themselves at that reasonable rate. He is a good outfielder… why let someone else have him at the reasonable rate?
Strike Four
Or just keep him as a well-paid bench option and get Harper to add in the mix?
Why do fans in the offseason suddenly think every starting player is going to play 162 or even 130 games? It’s ridiculous how the concept of depth is glossed over in the offseason for “must. be. every. day. player.” attitudes. Why?
reflect
Do the Cubs not realize they can just dump salaries? They know that’s allowed, right?
petrie000
No, actually, it isn’t.
MLB contracts are guaranteed. They can cut the players but they still have to pay them full value, minus the veteran minimum if he signs with somebody else.
reflect
I meant by trade obviously. The Dodgers just did it a month ago, for example.
Cubs can easily go “hey you can have X if you also take Heyward”. Then do it again for Zobrist.
ConorMc
Don’t bury the lede on the NL Central. If you’re a baseball fan in Western PA, you will be in purgatory for the rest of your existence.
Shawn40
Piecemeal bullpen, aging rotation, no leadoff hitter, Chatwood Darvish Heyward. What’s not to like from our current roster.
midway_monster85
The Cubs are worth 2.9 billion dollars they can sign whoever they want, they are choosing to be cheap. As Cubs fans we probably won’t see another championship anytime soon. Where’s that wheelbarrow full of money Tom.
Down with OBP
Please. Can we not refer to Addison Russell as “embattled”? He is an intimate partner abuser. He was suspended. Looking over people even with drug suspensions, no one refers to them being embattled. This may seem like a minor point, but the use of language is important. It almost seems like he’s the one overcoming obstacles and the abuse he engaged in, and this language used to describe it, reinforces the obstacles women face daily. I get it – the focus is on the athletes for sports sites like this — but that just means you have to be even more aware of the power dynamics at play. And ending it with a “whatever anyone’s viewpoint on the subject” is pretty tone deaf as well. Try using the same phrases if we were talking about a killer who was suspended from baseball. Would we call him embattled? Would we suggest that all views are valid concerning his suspension from baseball? Sugar coating intimate partner violence to make the news more palatable for the misogynists out there. Disappointing.
midway_monster85
This is rediculous. Everyone knows violence of any kind is bad. At the end of the day these are allegations. Russell has been suspended and will pay his due. Is he guilty? Could be. Is he innocent? Less likely, but he is already being punished for something that could POSSIBLY be false. The Cubs shouldn’t release him or trade him at a rock bottom value until he is proven guilty. That being said I don’t want Russell on the team for the long run I do agree with he has to go, but the Cubs are entitled to get themselves in better position to be without him for the time being.
Strike Four
Terrible take. The Cubs ownership are utter scumbags for not immediately releasing him. Also “The Cubs shouldn’t release him or trade him at a rock bottom value until he is proven guilty.” is everything thats wrong with the game right now. Who gives an honest crud about his value? If it was Trout, the same goes for all. The concept of “bigger than the game” is entirely lost on you. Grow up.
Randia
I disagree this is a country of laws and while I do agree that sugarcoating the seriousness of these alleged actions is appalling, so is acting precipitously and releasing him. To me that is just as bad. Putting him in administrative leave until his case is adjudicated or until the commissioners office holds a hearing as was done with Roberto Osuna is fine. This is serious and needs to be addressed as such.
midway_monster85
How would you like to lose your job over allegations? If he is guilty which he probably is of course he should be punished, but there absolutely positively has to be a process. He hasn’t been convicted, but has already been punished. If that mountain of evidence existed we wouldn’t be having this discussion because Russell would be in jail. You have to let the process do its job, without it everyone is at the mercy of somebody else’s word. Nobody should have the ability to ruin somebody else’s life without a “small mountain of evidence.” That’s especially true when your dealing with previous lovers.
Randia
There is nothing wrong with your position midway. Down is referring to MLBTR s continual effort to frame the issue as less serious than it is. Their use of language to downplay the issue which they have done several times going back years is appalling. We all understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty but MLBTR is so afraid of possible legal action that they fail to report the facts as impartially as they should almost to the point of being an advocate for the accused.
mkeyankee
You know his ex was hospitalized after he beat her, several times? There is, literally, a small mountain of medical evidence. Not sure why you are willfully ignoring a painful truth to support a baseball team but says a lot about you as a man.
megaj
If you have that mountain of physical abuse proof on you, you better turn it in to the police because they haven’t seen it. Really sick of these millenials who have grown up not understanding the difference of a toxic relationship and true crime. Russell and his wife went through what a thousand different young couples go through daily with the added element of sudden success and money. A divorce and a restraining order would have done the trick, but no it had to become national news. He was a total controlling jerk who let his ego and temper get the best of him. He does need help, and it looks like he is getting some. The need to crucify these athletes, comedians, actors, and whoever else just because they are in the limelight is so cynical and hypocritical. I think it says more about a man to not judge someone you personally don’t know and be able to support another who has made mistakes.
Randia
MLBTR is particularly guilty of this. The use of the word alleged is fine. But MLBTR repeatedly goes beyond the pale to sugarcoat this particular issue. I don’t know if it’s because their staff is predominately white males, but their continual effort to avoid and mitigate the seriousness of this issue is offensive
3eyedjohnny
Without Zobrist and Heyward the Cubs don’t have a WS Banner.
megaj
How did Heyward help win the WS? You mean that dumb speech that “supposedly” lit a fire in the other Cubs? They really should have never been in that position in the first place, but Maddon kept pulling his starters early and was in full panic mode throughout the series. If Heyward would have contributed anything at all offensively, they also could have wrapped it up earlier.
Randia
Kluber 4 runs in 1.2 innings against Tampa
7 runs in 4 innings against the pirates
6 runs in 7 innings against the yankees
6 runs in 1.2 against the cardinals
And a 9.64 ERA against the red Sox and Yankees the last 2 playoffs.
As I said Kluber benefits from the EASIEST SCHEDULE IN history
daved
Are you going to answer my question?