Already out of playoff contention, the Cubs’ late-season downward spiral continued with a loss to the lowly Pirates on Thursday. The Cubs have now dropped nine straight, including a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh’s hands. Thanks in part to their September unraveling, there’s sure to be notable changes to the Cubs’ roster (and perhaps the coaching staff) over the next several months. Here’s the latest on a few members of the organization who will head into the offseason with uncertain futures…
- Left-hander Cole Hamels has been one of the Cubs’ top starters overall this year, but he – like many of his teammates – hasn’t performed at his usual levels this month. Hamels is scheduled to start Chicago’s game Saturday in St. Louis, which could go down as his last with the Cubs. The soon-to-be 36-year-old is on his way to free agency, though he does seem open to staying where he is. “It was a dream come true,” Hamels told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com of his time with the Cubs. “I love pitching at Wrigley. And to be able to put a Cubs uniform on, this is a tremendous organization and one of the best fan bases you can ever play in front of.” Hamels, whom the Cubs acquired from the Rangers before the 2018 trade deadline, has earned $20MM this year after the club exercised his option last offseason. Although he won’t do that well again on his next deal (not on an annual basis, at least), Hamels has produced enough in 2019 to reel in another solid payday. An oblique injury has helped limit the longtime workhorse to 137 2/3 innings, but he has still turned in a respectable 3.92 ERA/4.22 FIP with 8.83 K/9, 3.66 BB/9 and a 47.5 percent groundball rate.
- Hamels’ fate won’t be officially determined until at least November, whereas an answer on manager Joe Maddon’s future should arrive within a few days. Maddon, also without a contract for next season, said Thursday (via Bastian) he’s “certain” he’ll know by the start of next week whether he’ll remain in the Cubs’ plans. “I’ve got to know by Monday, yeah,” said Maddon, who will be traveling back to his hometown of Hazelton, Pa., by then. Chicago’s fifth-year manager expressed optimism earlier this week that the team will bring him back, but president of baseball operations Theo Epstein hasn’t tipped his hand.
- Unlike Hamels and Maddon, middle infielder Addison Russell is under the Cubs’ control for next season. That doesn’t mean he’ll stay with the franchise, though. To the chagrin of many observers, the Cubs stuck with Russell this year after a domestic violence suspension, bringing him back for $3.4MM in his third-last season of arbitration eligibility. However, the weak .226/.300/.385 line Russell has posted in 234 plate appearances in 2019 could help make him an offseason non-tender candidate. Asked if he’d welcome a change of scenery, Russell offered (via Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times): “You could look at this a lot of different ways. The grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side.”
Bring back Mad and Ham but let Russell move on.
Maddon says he doesn’t give a sh** if the Brewers don’t like that he will sit his starters against the Cardinals this weekend. What a classless thing to do and say. Looks like Castellanos and Schwarber may play to reach personal goals of 60 doubles for Nick and 40 HRs for Schwarbs
He’s doing what any manager would, he just doesn’t lie or filter himself when explaining it
Exactly! Plus the Cubs need to start their rookies and see what they’ve got. Time to start thinking about next year.
That was very dumb on his part. His team has collapsed horribly in two straight seasons while the Brewers showed guts and passed them both times. Joe should keep his mouth shut and get himself ready to be a free agent
Let’s hope Theo keeps him around until the other teams that will have openings fill there manager spots. Then let him go , I say treat Maddon like the classless act he is
Sorry, but when have the Brewers won a World Series?
Yea that classless guy who is the only Cubs manager in anyones lifetime who has won a world championship. Is that the guy?
And you want the Cubs to not just let him go but screw him over.
The one with no class is you Stubby66!
Oh Stubby there is more. Do tell genius how Theo can keep him around when Maddon is a free agent genius!
Yes, the very classy Cubs showed their class by trading for a domestic abuser (apparently they specialize in domestic abusers) because, as any good Cub fan will explain, if your bullpen is in real trouble, moral concerns are null and void.
And in the last 100 years Milwaukee has won the same number of World Series championships as the Cubs have.
Ha-ha! Of course, the city of Milwaukee has only had an MLB team for a fraction of the time that the Cubs have been in Chicago. The Braves were relocated from Boston in 1953, won a World Series in 1957 and then departed for Atlanta in 1966. The Brewers came to Milwaukee in 1970 when the 1969 expansion Pilots relocated from Seattle after just one season in the Emerald City.
cheers!
stubby and tycobb are dorks
Hey Newport, WTH are you smoking, dude? Milwaukee does NOT have the same number of World Series championships as the Cubs.
2016, DUH.
The cubs World Series is all you joker cubs fans have got. Why don’t we talk about your teams astronomical payroll, underperforming, overrated team that has now crapped the bed two years in a row? Rest his starters? I really don’t think it will matter anyway as obviously the cubs can’t even win with them. Go cubbies.
Then wouldn’t he risk losing out on the best available managers too?
He was just what the Cubs needed when the Cubs got him yes he makes some really bad Bullpen moves but he can only make the moves with the people that he’s got in his bullpen.. but to say he is classless and a bad manager is very stupid he did get us to a World Series after 108 years
Wow, one ring in 100+ years and now you play who won the WS ?!? Brew knocked the Cubs out twice and ate your lunch, twice. Good thing you did win in 2016 or you’d be finding another Bartman to run out of town…
@Tim Newport Short memory for a Brewers fan. Brewers signed Francisco Rodriguez after he had been arrested for assault when he was with the Mets and kept him even after a DV incident in 2012.
Ryan Bruan… Yeah same guy who smeared a working man, to hide his roid use.
Can we talk about the cubs trading for Chapman than. Guy choked out his girlfriend and your team trade for him. As for braun, I’ll admit he is no Sammy Sosa.
If the Brewers win 1 in the next 58 years they will tie the Cubs
He was asked a question and he answered it. MLB wants him to answer.
The police determined that he did not try to choke his girlfriend and she admitted it. The police report is public record online.
No charges were filed.
1. He can’t keep him around without signing him to a new contract. He’s a free agent at the end of the season.
2. They are not going to sign him to fire him
3. They will lose out on the best candidates if they sign him
I don’t see anything wrong with it. Who cares? Legitimately, 3/4ths of their inf is dealing with injuries so not sure there is a need to sugar coat it. Guys with injuries aren’t going to play, because well there needs no explanation.
It’s not like the Rockies are going to be any different against the Brewers. Both teams will face weaker than normal teams.
Classless? Says the guy who just clearly doesn’t get it AND named after Ty Cobb … get a clue.
Maddon, in his usual low class way, really is just stating the obvious. Starters are hurt and would be stupid to play them. He could have said that but had to try to manufacture some dramatics into his quote. Usual Maddon.
I agree with gozurman.I thought Joe could have worded this quite differently.The integrity of the game is at stake here,and all he had to mention was that he was going to shut down the injured players and play his first team otherwise.
He would expect the Brewers to do the same thing if their situations were reversed.
I am guessing that he sees the writing on the wall that he will not be re hired.
I thought that he had more class than that.
Someone asked a question and he answered it. My guess is that there are more Cub fans that would rather have Milwaukee win the division than St. Louis. He did not say that they were going into St. Louis to make sure the Cardinals won the division. He said he didn’t give a —— what the Brewers thought. Nor should he. What about the Nationals, the Braves??? This affects their matchups, as well.
It seems silly that he needs to explain. There are injured guys and pitchers they don’t want more innings on their arms.
The second team will probably play harder then there washed up first team
Yeah but Maddon doesn’t care if the brewers don’t like that he’ll sit his starters vs the cardinals this weekend
I have zero issue with a manager looking out for the best interests of his own team. If they were in contention he’d ask guys with nagging injuries to suit up but they aren’t so he won’t put them at risk which is the wise choice. That being said I’d be shocked if he was retained. He won a World Series but since then it’s been nothing but unmet expectations. The payroll is maxed. Like most years contracts will come off the books but you can bet Ricketts didnt agree to go into the luxury tax to not make the postseason. A shake up has to be made and it’s the logical choice. You’d think if they were retaining him they wouldn’t leave him twisting in the wind right now. Theo knows what his decision is by now. If he was keeping him one would think he’d have ended all this speculation and let everyone know Maddon would be back but he’s passed at every chance to do that
A lot, because no one cares about the Bridgeport Pale Hosiery.
Maddon is gone. I’m hoping for Joe Girardi
Damn guys! Girardi could win with the powerhouse yanks when they were healthy. Why do you want him?
Because your typo is correct.He did win with the 2009 Yankees.I think that he he has had his eye on this job,and the Cubs have the money to pay him.
There’s no way they keep Maddon. Especially for over 7 million. They’ll sign Girardi.
Maddon makes $6 million. Not over $7 million. It was $5 million but had escalator in his contract for winning the world series. Money well spent I say.
Whatever anybody thinks of Joe,he should always be revered as the manager who brought the WS trophy back to the Cubs.
You misunderstood. He’s gonna want a raise for his work in Chicago if they want to resign him.
You don’t know that.
Addison Russel minus personal issues plus potential for improvement equals a number greater than Elvis Andrus.
Not even close. Russell is a drag.
Russel is a drag, tycobb016
can I have what you’re smoking?
At some point you have to say Russell just is not very good at baseball.
if only addy could hit the ball as well as he did his ex wife, he wouldn’t be an non-tender candidate
Andrus is overrated.
Andrus may be overrated, but he is still way, way, way, waay, better than Addison Russell.
How many friggin Cubs stories a day are they gonna post? It’s been like two to three a day for weeks now. There’s more than one or two teams in baseball
Well, it’s not like anyone cares about the White Sox.
No one that matters cares about the cubs.
but but but bill murray matters! lol.
Lol I’m sensing some jealousy because the White Sox have horrible ownership, a horrible front office, and a horrible fanbase. Sorry, but the Cubs are 100x more relevant.
Jerry Reinsdorf sucks as an owner of the Sox and Bulls. That said, what’s so special about the Ricketts family? cubsfans have such pathetically low standards.
I’m not jealous it’s just annoying every day there is an article on them sometimes two. They are not going to the playoffs we get it. There are 10 teams that are going. How about some articles on them
Better than the Tribune Company and PK Wrigley, that’s for sure.
The Hot Stove has not heated up yet for the ten teams going to the postseason.
@rayrayner what he said. Why would a site called “MLB Trade Rumors” be posting articles about teams that are still in contention for the World Series? If any of those ten teams goes deep, that dramatically changes their outlook for the future. You can’t write articles based on that shifting ground. It would be pure speculation.
Aww, there it is. The Sox trolls are butt hurt because it will always be a one team town. Doesn’t matter if it’s local or network TV, newsprint, radio or the interwebs you guys belong where you should be and that’s lower than worm dung. Feel bad for the intelligent and non trolling Sox fans and there are a few but you morons continue to show off that GED education of yours.
I’m sure page hits and views are significantly higher for Cubs articles
They’ve got to be. How else would the world learn about the cubs fans suffering? I know I personally enjoy hearing the excuses of the common cubs fans. The same cubs fans who said the brewers were a joke and that there use of the bullpen would catch up with them. The same cubs fans that said the brewers were a third-fourth place team. Where’s dray?
Popularity is it’s own reward to a cubs fan. Other than making the owners richer, I don’t see how it matters how many lemmings follow the worst sports franchise in North American sports history. The Sox lead the cubs in wins head-to-head, so they are less pathetic. Plus the Sox have more championships during the last century. cubs fans should thank the Sox for pushing the cubs to win more after 2005.
hmmm. How many years do you think there are in a century. Both teams have 1 in the last century, one has 1 in the last decade, and the Cubs have more overall wins and pennants in the last century
hmmm. How many years do you think there are in a century. Both teams have 1 in the last century, one has 1 in the last decade, and the Cubs have more overall wins and pennants in the last century. Sox do win on a couple of fronts, though. Sox lead in players banned for life in the last century (8-0), World Series where they took money to lose (1-0), and games forfeited because of classless fans (3-0)
There seem to be a lot of Brewers and Sox fans clicking…
Yeah, they like to pile on,
It’s what happens when jealousy rules your brain. I don’t click on articles of those teams because I don’t care about them. Jealousy is for the weak mind.
Awe, how cute!!! Cubs fans and White Sox fans arguing over which team is more pathetic.
Yep. 3 World Series championships each. Decisively below average.
The Cubs have 9 championships, which I believe is in the top 5 overall
1907, 1908, 2016. = 3
That’s what I always say, that’s why I try to stay out of all the bashing. I don’t hate the Cubs cause they don’t have any direct impact on the white Sox
It doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that all three of these names will be gone before the offseason hits the contract tender date of December 1st.
Joe Maddon will know first when the front office tells him early next week that he should seek another managerial position as his current contract expires.
Cole Hamels will become an official free agent 5 days after the conclusion of the World Series.
Addison Russell will not be offered a contract by the tender date. The Cubs will finally cut bait with their once promising SS and let some other team deal with his arbitration eligible contract and domestic abuse baggage going forward.
Correction: Hamels will become a free agent at the conclusion of the World Series. Teams have 5 days to offer QO’s to their own eligible FA’s. Additionally, December 2nd will be the official deadline date this offseason for clubs to offer 2020 contracts to their unsigned players.
Nothing but lack of class on Joe’s part.
If Joe needs an answer by Monday. I think Theo should give him the answer tonight before boarding the plane. Rather than put him out and have to fly back on Monday, let him take a bus home tonight.
The Cubs looked best tonight when Schwarbs was mock coaching and Joe was hanging with the players.
Theo sure cut Miggy quickly for publicly criticizing Jake after poor performance on both their parts.
Yes that is a classless move. It doesn’t mean anything to the Cubs as far as win’s loses but the Brewers are still competing against the Cardinals for that Divisional Crown. Cubs are obligated to field a competitive team. Especially after stating the NLC is the most competitive division while they were still in first. I thought it was a Joke at the time, because at the time the Cubs were in 1st but had the 6th best record in the NL.
For the time being Joe still represents the Cubs and all he is doing is thumbing his nose at the Cub fans. If they want to see a spring training game, maybe they should “Wait til’ next year” and go to Arizona rather than attending or tuning in this weekend.
Do you really think the Rockies are going to field a real team against the Brewers? It’s not like both sides don’t have it the same here for the last three games
I’m not a cubs fan, but the Cubs owe no obligation to the Brewers. They hold an obligation to their players though. So Rizzo, Baez, Bryant are not and should not be playing along with any other nagging injuries. How they field their team after that is totally up to their interpretation. Games in March-Sep count the same so the missed opportunity to be in the drivers seat is more of an onus on the Brewers than the Cubs, especially seeing as how their downfall has occurred.
Very true but you could also say that all the Brewers put their ego aside and just worked hard as a team. Something I think any fan at times has wondered about the Cubs. Now there has been plenty of times where not all but some players of Cubs shot their mouth off and when the Brewers put them in their place. Excuses come about what we have or they just sit there and pout and say were still the better team. Well Brewers for two years have proven them wrong. But then what do I know I’m a dork
oh and by the way Chicago Cubs fans since we want to keep going back a hundred years on this blog let’s talk about when you guys played the New York Yankees in 1932 and tried to get Babe Ruth drunk stinking drunk so you could win you did and yet he still hit like crazy against you
Lack of class?? You mean like 98% of the cubs fans screaming for Maddon’s head? Highest winning percentage in the pathetic history of that franchise.
The pathetic history of that franchise. Only the Yankees, Giants, Dodgers, Cardinals, and Red Sox have better historical winning percentages than the Cubs and only the Giants have won more games.
Mike-Check your history book.
You sound like the Robert George post.
Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.
Maddon sounds a bit bitter
Always does.
I am tired of hearing about Joe Maddon and his “stylish” glasses. He looks like his name should be window face.
the fans that want maddon gone are the fans that only have grown up with one manager, joe maddon.
I’ll have to poll my 7-year old grandaughter and 5-year old grandson when I see them on Saturday.
It is crystal clear that Maddon AND Bryant will not be a Cub in 2020. If there is one person that believes the Cubs will pay Bryant and Boras when they ask for at least as much as Machado, please seek help immediately. They have to trade him while the two years of control still can bring a nice return. As far as the skipper, well they need an “anti-Maddon”. Someone that can play small ball, get on his players, preach fundamentals, and stress the importance of situational hitting- all areas Maddon failed at = Go get Girardi or Farrell. They BADLY need starting pitching, so they spend some of that money coming off the books to get G.Cole. Trade Bryant to NY for Syndergaard and a prospect. Rotation solved. You have Thor, Darvish, Cole, Hendricks, and Lester which is pretty solid. If Lester retires, then you can take Quintana’s option, otherwise let him go. Make the kid Aldzolay a reliever or trade him along with Russell and Almora for a lead-off guy like Merrifield or possibly Blackmon (who would look great as a Cub). Cubs have no heat in the bullpen, so go get a flamethrower, re-sign Kintzler, continue to develop Wieck and Wick, and pray that Kimbrel returns to form and there is the beginning to a passable bullpen. Keep Schwarber at all costs as that guy is turning into a beast at the plate and really starting to look good in the field as well- at a reasonable price to boot. If they do this and can avoid the injury bug, this configuration would have a great shot to get back to playoffs.
How you managed to say nothing smart or that could possibly happen in such a long post is truly impressive.
You know he put his ideas out there and can respect that.He is talking baseball which is what I like doing and like the ideas so therefore I can respect that. Bottom line I think Maddon is classless. I personally think Renteria could have done a better job with this team. Yes Maddon won a WS once with the Cubs. But this team should have been a dynasty and have a lot more division titles with bigger gaps. Bottom line besides the WS he fail to make this team what they should have been period
Long post? Didn’t mean to strain your brain there pt57! Come back here in a couple of months. If the Cubs still have Maddon and Bryant I will personally apologize for wasting your time. The Cubs have more money coming off the books in a very long time with an unhappy fan base that wanted to see more in the last off-season. They will be making LOTS of moves. If they don’t pick up a premier starter and make significant changes, I will also apologize. I have been posting here for years and I have a good track record. Hell, I even regrettably predicted Heyward being a Cub a full year before it happened. You will learn kiddo
Actually pt57, I am so confident in my predictions that if Joe Maddon is still a Cub on October 1st, I will come back here and apologize.
You better erase your post, you are already being proved wrong insulting me. Maddon is officially gone like I have been saying for months. Stick around. Bryant will be gone. They will pick up a premier starter. They will pick up a FA SS or 3B. My guess is Gregorius. You will learn kiddo
That offer would come no where close to get Merrifield. Fixing a baseball team is not as easy as you think it is. Other teams will need to want what you are offering and you need to beat all the other teams that may make an offer for that same player. Many teams could beat that offer for Merrifield. One final comment – Russell has no trade value.
I see if we could trade Bryant to Atlanta for Pasche, Kyle Wright and Bryce Wilson. Donaldson is leaving Atlanta. We may have have to sweeten the deal but it helps them and help restock our farm system. KC is going to want a ton for Merrifield. I wonder what Seattle would want for Dee Gordon or have Hoerner as 2nd baseman. One thing out line up lacks are contact hitters. We need to hit and run more. Just musings.
Atlanta will never do that. They have Riley ready to step in away 3rd. Plus they’d be getting Bryant for only 2 years while giving up 18 years of team control for 3 of their top 7 prospects….. I want what you’re smoking.
Also, Dee Gordon sucks.
Gordon doesn’t suck. his batting average was 274 this year. Makes contact and steals some bases. also plays 2nd base. Maybe they make a deal with Atlanta and maybe they don’t. Like I said its just musings.
It seems to me that Hoerner has upside.Gordon is past his prime but I do not doubt that he can be had for peanuts with his high salary.Jerry DiPoto is of course the Monte Hall of baseball.Gordon was a very good player just a few years ago.
That doesn’t address the Braves pressing needs. And that package would address the Braves most important need in SP, so no I don’t think the Braves would have any interest in that. They have the ability to resign Donaldson, and have Riley in the wings with OF going to be a secondary need. Gordon could be had basically for salary relief, although he’s not a lead off hitter, and has been a below league average hitter. Whit is going to cost what the Cubs don’t have and then some. I’ll never understand a big market team that should be in contention trying to trade a guy like KB, although I guess it makes sense since the development of the young guys has somewhat fizzled and moves haven’t really translated.
People don’t want a so called spousal abuser in Russell but yet want a two time convicted rood user in dee Gordon makes sense …now with nico hoerner and Javier Baez where are are you going to play the two time convicted rood user in dee Gordon…who if he gets caught one more time gets a permanent ban
I will always be grateful to Joe Maddon for getting the Cubs players over the hump and willing it all in 2016. However, the disappointing finish to last year, and the total collapse this year makes me feel new leadership is needed. I’m not sure if popular ex-Cubs Girardi, Ross, or Sandberg would be right for the job, I’ll leave that to Theo. Theo’s put together 3 championship teams, I’d give him the chance to do it again. I hope he signs Castellanos, and keeps Schwarber. Hoerner has been impressive, see if he can win the 2nd base job in spring training. Russell’s stats have dropped off, time for a change of scenery. I’d consider trading Bryant, maybe for a dependable starter, a couple good relievers, and a useful position player, but wouldn’t trade him just to trade him. I hope the Cubs play well against the Cards, it would be sweet revenge to knock them out of first place, making them a wild card team.
I friggin’ hate Maddon, but he’s right on this one.
One month ago I wrote on here that the Cubs collapse would happen and that they would finish “barely above” Cincy. They signed Kemp and brought back Russell and losers bring losing. Still a 65 year Cubs fan but some players should never have been on the roster.
This bunch clearly underachieved the past few years and while Maddon is culpable the lion share of blame falls in the laps of the front office and the players. The front office for not replacing Fowler, bad signings and trades and the players for not stepping up.
Georgia- Pirates fan here and I agree with you except that they did replace the overhyped Fowler with a more overhyped Hayward.
To accurately rate a GM one needs to analyze all of the trades and signings in a list and rate each one by initial rating and ultimate one while allowing time for the latter.It seems to me that Theo was very good to the end of 2016 and fairly poor since then.
Heyward* and they were both on the team in 2016. Heyward was not signed to bat lead off or to play center field.
John- thank you for the corrections.
The Heyward deal was panned by many observers as it seemed that the Cubs were bidding against themselves.
The same thing happened with the Cards and Fowler.
It always amazes me when posters like us seem to have a better sense of some signings and trades than the GM making them.
Mendoza it does not seem like you have a better sense if anything. You said Heyward replaced Fowler which is incorrect. Then you say the Cubs bid against themselves for Heyward when the Cubs were not even the top bidder.
If you do not know what your talking about do some research and stop embarrassing yourself.
Word-I thanked John for correcting me.
Are you the MLTR Police?
As a fan of another team I do not know the specifics from three years ago but that does not mean that I cannot express an opinion and when shown wrong I admit it.
John is a gentleman.
You are an a hole.
Heyward was signed to play center field. Fowler fell back in the Cubs’ lap for another year when the O’s could not agree to a long-term contract with Dexter during spring training.
Also, the Cards apparently outbid the Cubs in $ for Heyward but did not offer any opt-outs.
How did they replace Fowler with heyward they were teammates in 16
Some of these trade proposals you Cubs’ fan make on here are pretty funny! It makes me wonder if you guys are on drugs or just stupid! Russell and Alzomany for Merrifield to Bryant for Syndregard? You morons have no clue how it really works!
The best was reading someone say the Cubs will get Strasburg and Cole! You guys make my day!
BVT-keep in mind that this site is for entertainment purposes only!
Some of these people seriously think some of the above mentioned trades or signings are going to happen!
Tell you what some of you are pretty darn sanctimonious.
Hamels likely goes home to Cali for his next contract. LAA, LAD and SD all are looking to competent in 2020, need SP, and have the $$$ to sign him. My guess is LAA.