The Cubs are showing “continued interest” in Royals’ second baseman/outfielder Whit Merrifield, reported Jon Paul Morosi of MLB Network earlier this week. The two-time reigning MLB hits leader is guaranteed just $15.25MM over the next three seasons (with a team option for a fourth) under the affordable extension he signed with Kansas City in January.
It’s not difficult to see why the Cubs are interested in Merrifield, but they (or any other suitor) will have a hard time prying him away from KC. Merrifield (31 in January) has been extremely durable and productive the past three seasons. Since the start of 2016, he’s taken 2,404 plate appearances of above-average hitting (.296/.344/.445, 109 wRC+), while chipping in elite baserunning and passable defense at multiple positions. The Cubs have an uncertain mix at Merrifield’s primary position, second base. Addison Russell is a non-tender candidate, and Ben Zobrist is a free agent. Nico Hoerner, David Bote and Robel García are promising options to varying extents, but none is a proven MLB contributor. Merrifield would be an unquestioned upgrade.
Of course, that combination of productivity and affordability has made him a staple in Kansas City, which hasn’t expressed any desire to let Merrifield go. Royals’ general manager Dayton Moore wouldn’t move Merrifield for anything less than a “crazy” offer (in the executive’s words) at July’s trade deadline. More recently, Moore admitted that no one on the roster is entirely untouchable given the club’s ongoing rebuild, although he then lauded the All-Star as a player and person, giving no indication the front office has seemingly changed course on trade discussions.
With the Royals’ resistance to trading Merrifield in the past, it seems unlikely anything will come to fruition with the Cubs or any other team in the immediate future. If Kansas City were to market Merrifield aggressively, other teams beyond Chicago would surely enter the fray. That said, it’s interesting that Theo Epstein and the rest of the Cubs’ front office have considered a Merrifield pursuit as one of the many options on the table for a team seemingly poised for a roster restructure this offseason.
Morosis “showing interest” nonsense are the worst form of clickbait reporting…
Morosis?
Some kind of secret code?
Maybe a disease?
Yes. If the Royals put Merrifield on waivers today, every team would be “interested”, every team would want him. It is a matter if any teams want to give up enough where the Royals are willing to make a trade.
Of course. These type of articles say that the cubs have been looking into acquiring said player (assuming the source isn’t BS), not just that they would take him for free
Cubs aren’t getting Whit. I don’t doubt the quotes in this article but the deal is never gonna actually happen. I am willing to bet 1 linear inch of my excised scrot seam. I mean it. The actual seam. I will bring the scalpel myself.
Hold ya to it!
Sick.
Goes to a rumors website. Doesn’t want to see any rumors.
Lmao
The audacity
That’s not a rumor… a rumor has to have some validity to it. That’s like saying I’m interested in Jennifer Aniston. I’ve got as much chance at dating her as the cubs do of getting Merrifield.
If there were only 29 other men in the world perhaps.
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance!” — Lloyd
Rumors don’t have to have validity. That’s what makes them rumors not fact.
That is a false equivalency. Were the Cubs willing to pay the price, they COULD acquire Merrifield.
You, however, have ZERO chance at Anniston no matter what you do (no offense, none of us do).
A rumor has to have some possibility of becoming reality, otherwise it’s just noise. MLBTNoise.
If you’re a major league baseball team, and you have players, there is “some possibility” of Acquiring ANY player… Even if in your opinion it is unlikely. So it is a rumor.
There needs to be a new “It” girl. Jen is way too old to be a first round pick anymore.
Look up the definition of a rumor
Steve… My only question for you is why did you always take so much time in between your pitches? You literally took the most time to pitch an inning of anybody in MLB. It frequently cost your team momentum. I’ve even heard Mets announcers chew you out on television while you were pitching. I know you heard about that. What gives Steve?
I was never in that much of a hurry to get home to your mother
You apparently were never in a hurry to actually win ball games either. Man… We might actually have the real Steve Trachsel here. I can’t think of anyone else who would get offended by my last question and I certainly can’t think of anyone (Mets fans included) who would like him enough to make his name and picture their screen profile. Hey Steve… Thanks for the good times. It was fun watching my Braves bash your teams head in over and over again. It was even more fun listening to your own announcers complain about you and point out that it was frequently all your fault. Slowest pitcher in baseball is a hard title to earn. You have to work hard to suck that much. When I was a kid my Dad flew me up to Queens for a day trip just to watch the Braves play at Shea. He specifically picked a day Steve Trachsel was pitching because he knew the Braves would win. He was absolutely right and I had a great day. I’m not making that up. That happened. It was awesome. The funny thing was all the Mets fans got bored of sitting through 30 minute long half innings. I loved it though. It was just a bunch of 30 minute periods of my Braves offense dominating.
Lmfao
No shiiiii
You forgot the “Sherlock” part…..
Of course they are interested. What team isn’t?
It will cost way more than any team should be willing to give up for him.
I’m hard pressed to think of what the Cubs would be willing to part with that would convince KC to move him? KC is rebuilding–but i see no young pitching the Cubs can spare. Bryant is useless to KC at the price he’d command for a couple years. Maybe Schwarber and a prospect or two? But no–KV already has a DH type from the Cubs in Soler.
The only way the Cubs could attempt to pull it off is if they trade Bryant, Contreras and Schwarber to other teams for prospects and package some of those prospects in a deal that would include Nico…
Any other way would not happen and even then why would the Royals do it seeing they have a team friendly contract and also a fan favorite?
Oh, I have interest in Ana de Armas, but my chances to land her is about the same as a Cubs and Royals trade!
Your first paragraph is entirely possible, though I doubt they’d trade all three.. But two of them may be gone and depending on the return, that would at least make the idea more realistic.
If they subtract Bryant, Contreras, and Schwarber, then they’re blowing it up and rebuilding again. They’re not going to add Merrifield if that happens.
Nico Hoerner; Adbert Alzolay; and another pitcher like Yovanny Cruz, Justin Steele, or Tyson Miller should be enough.
It makes sense. The Royals won’t be able to compete while Merrifield is still there, and the Cubs only have 2 more years before the clock strikes midnight on that 2016 core. They won’t be able to compete after roster attrition takes its toll.
The Royals trading Merrifield would be a public relations nightmare for the Royals. It’s not going to happen
Why do all the Cubs’ fans think every AL team is dying to get Schwarber?
Brian Roberts v2.0
My thoughts exactly. Different contact situation but still, similar buzz.
Why report this? Yes they are interested and have been. No, they won’t part with what it will take to get him! You will have to overwhelm KC, not send some spare parts.
For almora, schwarber, and Quintana?
Your kidding right?
Throw in Kimbrel and done deal??
Idk the Royals may ask for Darvish as well.
Yeah I was being sarcastic. Cubs are u likely to acquire merrifield
Aren’t***
Kyle Schwarber, Brennen Davis, Riley Thompson maybe
lol!
I wouldn’t trade Schwarbs. You’d have to give me Merrifield and two more players.
The Royals don’t have any contracts bad enough to lower Merrifield’s value that much. Sorry.
“I wouldn’t trade Schwarber” That thinking, coming from Theo, is exactly why the Cubs are in the situation they are in.
Yep!
Agreed.
But I could see him finally hitting worth a crap next year.
He’s been a player the last two years y’all. Above average big leaguer
He has a little value. But really anyone can hit 30 dingers in the current MLB.
Schwarber is an even shorter-term asset than Merrifield. The Royals would want youth.
Everybody’s interested in Whit!
The Royals AREN’T interested in trading him!
Unless…Bryant for Whit straight up! That MIGHT get it done!
LOL!!!!!
At face value, that sounds kind of insane. Digging deeper, the Cubs would receive someone who is under team control for longer at a fraction of the price who has been more durable throughout their career, while giving up their own All-Star caliber player.
If they did this in conjunction with signing someone like Mike Moustakas and the combined salaries per year added to about equal to what Bryant will make over the next two years, it’s not that crazy (I expect Bryant to make 17-20M or so in arb this year, probably 25-28M or so for 2021 before becoming a free agent).
I’m not sure if I would do it, but it’s not that nuts of an idea when you take that scenario into consideration.
It makes lots of sense for the Cubs, but why would the Royals want Bryant at this point in their rebuild or whatever they are doing?
Exactly. Makes no sense for KC unless it was to sell tickets. But as a Cub fan, it’s a deal I’d make.
You’ve lost your mind. Bryant has way more value than Merrifield.
Not if he wins his grievance…
Why would the Royals want Bryant? To ensure that they beat out the Tigers for fourth in the division the next 2 seasons?
Bryant wouldn’t get less than Max Fried,Drew Waters, Bryse Wilson and William Contreas. As it was suggested by a writer and there was an article in mlb.com
It would take a third team…
Mystery team gets Bryant
Cubs get Whitfield
Royals get picks from cubs and mystery team.
You can’t trade picks. And the Cubs don’t have anyone in their farm system worth Merrifield.
Sorry prospects* …not sure why I said picks. The Cubs would only need to include 1 or none depending on what a 3rd team could send to KC for Bryant from the Cubs
Not sure the Cubs have any “prospects” after The Theo farm burning.
The cibs need to stop having interest in Merrifield. He’s not worth what Dayton Moore is going to ask for.
He wouldn’t be worth it if he sent 100% of Merrifields salary and asked for jason Heyward and offered to pay for 75% of his remaining salary
Hoerner is a top-50 prospect, basically a younger, cheaper, longer-term “Merrifield Lite.” Throw in some young pitching, and the Royals probably wouldn’t do better.
For that reason. Cubs keep Nico Hoerner. Why would anyone trade a 22 year old and more for someone who found his stroke at 29. Nico is 22. Gotta keep him and see what he can do. Merrifield will give you maybe 2 more good years. His value will only plummet
Oh, they definitely have the prospects. That farm system is no longer all that thin. It lacks power hitters. It certainly doesn’t lack for power arms and it has four very good position players in Nico, Amaya, Davis and Morrel. They are essentially one trade away for two very good prospects from having a sure fire Top 10 system again.
And its BECAUSE the article said so that that’s what the Cubs will get for him?
The Braves wouldnt pay that much for one or two years of Bryant.
That’s the most random thing. Why would it be 1 year. He has 2 years left. He’s not winning his grievance case. The cubs did nothing wrong and only Boras wants to continue it. Bryant said himself he understands it’s a business and almost immediately dropped it.
If he’s traded it will be next year.
For the record I never said it was a good trade proposal. I just copied and pasted. The the atlanta beat writer
I get that you loathe the idea of trading away from the Cubs’ core. You need to listen to what the FO has said though. They’ve made it clear they will look to do exactly that this offseason. They can’t resign everyone. And given they won 84 games last year on the back of an offense that was feast or famine with the home run and a staff that started to creak with age it is time they began a retool. Not a rebuild but a retool. Do you really think the current team gets it done? Of course not. And much as it is easy to just say sign someone there’s only so much ownership is going to invest given they already have the second highest payroll in MLB committed to 2020 right now.
@wrek305
I think the Braves would stop at Fried. If that is truly the type of package the Cubs want for Bryant then he definitely isn’t getting traded.
Probably but I didn’t propose that trade some beat writer from mlb.com did. Bryant would easily bring back 4 players. Possibly 5
The Braves would not stop at Fried. The question is whether the Braves will just wade into FA to solve all their holes. If they want Bryant there is no way the Cubs stop at Fried. The Cubs have four tradable assets. They are going to figure out which one yields them the greatest bang for the proverbial buck. And not only that, they can afford to show a bit of patience. Injuries and the like during the season has a way of making contending teams more open to surrender what a seller wants afterall. And the Braves may or may not become the buyer that says screw it, the time is now.
Feels like five years from now the Royals are going to be where they are now.
Royals fans are very nice people. The owners would like to give them a homegrown star to root for. It is “entertainment” after all…..
What’s more important: long-term wins or how warm and fuzzy Whit Merrifield makes Royals fans feel?
Kinda like the warm fuzzies some Cubs fans have for Schwarber.
No one is saying that the Cubs need to keep Schwarber to give Cubs fans “a homegrown star to root for” or because “it is entertainment after all.”
Contreras and Schwarber?
Too much. Schwarbs stays.
Royals say no.
Whit Merrifield isn’t even worth Willson Contreras straight-up. Grandal and d’Arnaud are both off the market. A team looking to make a significant upgrade behind the plate has no other option.
They’d have to get a third team involved. KC has Perez coming back, they’re paying him too much not to catch.
Contreras would have to be a corner OF, and that eliminates a lot of Contreras’s value. Merrifield also has an extra year of control.
when Whit is definetly on the decline of his career. Schwarber is much more of a MLB player all around than he was 2 years ago. He will be an allstar for quite a few years longer than Whit also. WAR#’s will be similar also between the two as well so I dont get the hate for Schwarber and the ultra love for Whit its insne and proposed by ultra cub trolls and there are many here.
Bryant for Whit would definetly need a 3rd or 4th team to get it done. Bryant is at a super star tier and whit is a star teir. Bryant makes 40ish mil over the next 2 years while Whit is cost controled for those 2 years plus 2 more when he is declining but still worth 5 or 6 mil easy enough. But KC dont need Bryant but they could flip him for the coveted elite prospects that they will need for a shorter term rebuild.
It’s great when you write something that has no basis in fact.Since Schwarber has never been an all star why should we believe Schwarber will be an all star longer than Merrifield. Second last year Merrifield had a 4 WAR Schwarber a 2.3 WAR which is a huge amount.Also you claim Merrifield is in decline. .On what basis do you claim that His lifetime batting average is 296.Last year he hit a 302,Last year he hit 16 hrs 4 more then he had the year before..Finally last year Merrifield had a. .7 dWar Schwarber a -.8.These two players are not in the same stratosphere and the fact that you and other Cubs fans continue to pretend they are close to equivalent leads me to believe Cubs fans no very little about baseball.
Who else do the cubs get. Contreas is worth 3 players alone. He’s not being traded. You dont trade the best catcher in baseball for someone who is 4 years older and will be on the downfall in less than 2 years.
Haha. He said, “best catcher in baseball” lol
In what world is Contreras the best catcher in baseball?
in what world is he benching Salvador perez?
Yankee and White Sox homer boys- “Best” anything is always subjective. But he is at least on the same level as Grandal and Sanchez.and even haters can’t dismiss a 27 yr old, 2 time All Star with 3 years of affordable control. A much better defensive catcher than Sanchez and younger than Grandal, he’s the most valuable catching asset out there right now.
Have you seen him play? Maybe molina is the best but Contreas is far and away #2. No one comes close.
No doubt Molina was the best. He wasn’t last season, but in his heyday no one else was close.
And that would make Contreas #2 no one comes close
this one
your probably too young to remember Gary Carter I am guessing
Contreras is not the best catcher in the MLB. Contreras is good but not the best catcher in MLB. As of next Contreras might be the second best catcher in Chicago with Grandal catching for the White Sox.
Grandal wishes he was as good as Contreas. white Sox just overpaid him 50mil. He’ll be traded within 2 years
sorry we already have Salvador Perez the best catcher in baseball.
Realmuto
Lol Realmuto isn’t as good as Contreas on his worst day.
Everyone who thinks pitch framing is a stat its not. That’s the only thing you can say Realmuto is better than Contreas at. Otherwise realmuto cant throw anyone out. he’s a decent hitter Contreas is better.
Pitch framing will go out the window when the computer programmed ump’s take over home plate duties via camera programmed to scam height of the batter and already know the width of the plate. They have been threatening that for a couple of years now.
In what world is Contreras better then Realmuto. How about for once Cubs fans use facts instead of making baseless claims. First I hear Schwarber is unbelievable and next I hear Contreras is the best catcher in baseball.Man how didn’t the Cubs win everything with so many stars in there lineup.
Good grief. We’re talking about a guy who posts a career OPS+ of less than 110. He isn’t worth two everyday players who hit for power.
Can’t we do better than “passable defense?”
Agreed. Maybe “decent defense “?
The question is whether Whit can do better than passable defense
Didn’t Theo learn his lesson the LAST time he made a trade with the Royals?
You mean when he got rid of a DH? Probably not.
He got rid of a “DH”? I didn’t know the cubs traded Schwarber.
Pretty sure Soler was a DH this season and every single year that he’s had to play the field regularly, he’s finished with fewer than 100 games under his belt.
Schwarber, in the meantime, has stayed on the field all season long with the exception of his freak knee injury from an actual collission back in 2016.
Aren’t you tired of posting since the LAST time you made a comment that failed to add anything of worth?
You mean when he traded for a front line reliever who was his team’s most valuable player and carried the team on his back to the NLCS. I doubt that was a hard lesson for Theo. His window was open. He went for it. And it almost worked. That’s what teams with open windows should do. Go for it.
Merrifield for Hoerner, Alzolay, and what else?
2B/SS Nico Hoerner and C Miguel Amaya just to keep the Royals from hanging up the phone on Theo. KC would probably want LHP Brailyn Marquez as well.
You’re insane. Alzolay and Nico Hoerner gets Merrifield and 2 top prospects just to start talks.
You understand how prospects work right
No, Cubs fans don’t understand anything.
Yes I do and I can make a ridiculous trade offer like everyone too.
Whit Merrifield isnt worth Schwarber Alzolay , nico Hoerner and happ. That’s more ridiculous then mine I made up. Merrifield shouldn’t get more than 2. Mid-level prospects that are not ranked in the top 100
Why would we trade an All Star Under control at a cheap price, perfect lead off hitter for two junk Cub mid level prospects?? It will take Ian Happ, Hoerner and a midlevel pitcher, Abbott?
Hoerner is the cubs future 2B he’s not going anywhere. And he’s 8 years younger as well. whit Merrifield will breakdown at 33
He will be a liability for the Cubs in the short term. The Royals can afford to play him while he develops. I didn’t know the Cubs were rebuilding like the Royals. I thought they were more ‘win now’ and needed an All Star leadoff 2B who can play any position well. Good luck to your Cubs.
I don’t think it would take an added prospect. Probably Nico and Happ get it done. Those are two guys who would eventually play every day in KC. I get why the Cubs would have some interest. I also don’t get it unless it is tied to a much larger move though.
Happ doesn’t help the Royals. He has the same amount of team control as Merrifield. Happ would have to go to a 3rd team for some youth.
Hoerner as the headliner, Alzolay as the 2nd piece, and a 3rd and 4th piece from another interested team who wants Happ.
Question: who wants Happ? Is there any reported interest?
It must be great that you know when a player will breakdown.Can you let us in on the secret, Did Nelson Cruz breakdown at 33?How about Justin Verlander?.Derek Jeter hit a 316 at age 38I So then explain why Merrifield is going to break down with information stronger then I say so
Cubs also interested in Mike Trout
I heard that one too. Cubs also interested in Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease and Glyber Torres
Let me join in on the fun. Just in: Cubs interested in Jacob deGrom and Cody Bellinger.
Cubs should trade with the Orioles for Villar. Probably would only cost 2 or 3 A-ball or Dominican Republic teenage specs.
Some contender should anyway. Villar is a good player
The O’s may hold on and see if Villar can be flipped for a better package at the trade deadline. Then again, why pay him 2/3 of that high $10+ arb salary when you’re a lock to win fewer than 70 games?
Ah, a Morosi click bait article about interest. Of course there is interest along with 28 other clubs but no one’s going to pony up the assets it will take to get him.
Upgrading their woeful pitching should be first priority for the cubs, not Merrifield.
Trade Contreras and almora with Alzolay for Whit and 2 top 100 putchers prospects.
Too much
Too much from the Royals. I agree.
Moore would hang up after Theo says Contreras since he has no need for a catcher who is only under team control for the same length as Merrifield yet will cost more. Expecting the Royals to throw
In two top 100 pitchers as well just makes this deal ludicrous
So you’re implying that Whit is more valuable than Contreras?
Yeah, to the Royals, Whit is more valuable. They already have an all-star catcher (Perez) under control for the foreseeable future. Contreras would do nothing for them.
We need OFs, either power corner type to move Soler to DH fulltime or an everyday CF. Relief pitchers, but I don’t think the Cubs have any to spare.
Why do the Royals want Contreras? To reflip him?
Once again “chisoxcity” shows not only how anti-Cubs he is but also extremely bad judgement about everything. Maybe he’s just here for comic relief, lol.
I’m “showing extremely bad judgement” for suggesting the cubs upgrade their pitching? What is the point of trading for Merrifield now, when the rotation and bullpen can’t keep the ball in the park? The cubs needed Merrifield 2-3year ago. You’re too late.
I wouldn’t go higher that Horner and Miller. This would be a Time saver on Nico’s development vs a intellegent trade.
Who wouldn’t be interested in Whit Merrifield? Dude hasn’t stopped hitting since his game winning single down the right field line in the College World Series.
Considering that “Dude” who happens to be 30, had that hit in 2010, and didn’t make the majors until 2016 as a rookie, I’d say maybe you better rethink your comment about him not stopping hitting since!
He’s good, but not that good….his value is high to the Royals, not nearly as much to clubs with lots of talent..
lol you need to relax.
This feels like the old Brian Roberts or Jake peavy to the Cubs rumors. Rumors won’t die but it ain’t gonna happen
Hoerner, Schwarber, and a top 3 minor league prospect (at least) for Merrifield.
Way too much
Wow, when did this guy become Babe Ruth?
No the cubs would get 3 high level prospects just for Schwarber alone Hoerner just adds value to him.
Merrifield is going to fade by may 2021..his value wont get higher than now. he’ll be traded for one ML Player and 2 lower level prospects. At most . Royals so send cash to the team that gets him .
Lol, lol, lol, lol. Keep them both and let Merrifield sit.
David Bote has definitely earned a shot at a full year of playing time.
Why has David Bote earned anything? He is atrocious in the field and is an average hitter.
David Bote will never be full time.
Alzolay, Almora jr., Shwarber, Happ, Underwood jr for Duffy , Merrifield , Sparkman..
Stop with the interest in someone that will be 31. They need to get younger not older.. I’d rather have Nico Hoerner. He would be who the royals would want along with miguel Amaya and probably 2 others.. not worth the risk.
The trade proposals on this site have gotten worse and a worse over the years, but I think they’re at an all time level right now. Worst than the Teheran trades of 2016.
Nothing could be worse than the Teheran’s an ace trades proposals back then.
When is someone gonna recommend Chris archer and his great contract for Pete Alonso?
I’m interested in Margot Robbie.
Can you put together a big enough package?
Well done. Well done indeed.
Uncouth
It doesn’t make much sense for the Cubs given the cost. Otherwise, sure. He’s the top of the order cog they’ve been missing since Dexter Fowler was allowed to walk.
The Royals, on the other hand, should be rebuilding and should sell high on a 31 year old baseball player who is leaving his prime.
wtf are the cubs going to trade to kc, other teams prospects? Not to be mean…
They could package Schwarber, Hoerner, Happ, and another organizational top 10 for Merrifield. It’s obviously a huge overpay, but I wonder if even that is enough to tempt Dayton Moore who, for whatever reason, seems to think Merrifield is Mike Trout lite.
I wouldn’t trade Schwarber for Merrifield and 10 top KC prospects. there are other options so don’t trade the farm for him either.
The Cubs have a top 50 prospect and a top 100 prospect. If they were to go the route of prospects, it could be done.
This could happen:
Along with Whit Merrifield, the Cubs could take on either Danny Duffy’s or Ian Kennedy’s contract.
The Royals will likely get Ian Happ and perhaps my favorite Cubs prospects: RP-R Jeffrey Passantino and SP-R Cory Abbott.
That’s not a bad idea. KC can dump some significant payroll by giving up Danny Duffy and Ian Kennedy with Merrifield. The Royals can take back Tyler Chatwood, who makes about what Duffy makes, but only for 1 year.
Merrifield, Duffy, and Kennedy for Chatwood, whatever the Cubs can get from a 3rd team for Happ (probably 2 decent prospects), Alzolay, and another raw prospect with high upside.
Turning Merrifield into 4 prospects, $19 in dumped payroll in 2020 (Duffy+Kennedy-Chatwood), and $15 in 2021 (Duffy) is absolutely something the Royals should consider.
As for the Cubs, they can flip Danny Duffy to whoever takes Happ. Maybe the White Sox can take Duffy’s entire contract with Happ for Steele Walker, Tyler Johnson, and either another prospect or an Evan Marshall/Leury Garcia major league piece, whichever they prefer.
Cubs end up with Merrifield, Kennedy at a payroll cost of only $5 million more than Chatwood, and another player or prospect.
Royals end up with Alzolay, Walker, Johnson, another prospect from the Cubs, Chatwood to eat some of those innings, and $34 in savings.
White Sox end up with a LH rotation piece and another really good young player to add to their collection of youngsters.
Uh huh. I’m interested in six mega-mansions in prime locations, a fleet of Lamborghinis and another fleet of private jets, and an infinite tab limit at every bar. *crosses arms* I await your counteroffer.
Did you know that 4 years ago, The Royals exposed Whit Merrifield to the Rule 5 draft?
Yankees could get him. Frazier and Bird. I know, Birds not a yankee any more, but they would still trade him.
Bring the Mets into the fold, Cubs! Happ, another Cubs prospect maybe, Gimenez, Peterson to the royals, Bryant to the Mets, Whit and Dom Smith to the Cubs.
From these comments (and others), it seems like Cubs fans have a very inflated sense of Schwarber’s value.
Right. He only led them in home runs, had 92 RBIs, brought his BA up 25 points in the last 30 days of the season and had the same amount of errors as “golden glover” Heyward but had more outfield assists. I don’t think they are inflating his value at all. Watch a game sometime, then comment.
I’ve got the trade and checked with Xbox GM and it is:
Almora
Russell
Chatwood
Happ
To the Royals for
Whit!
Get’er done Theo and make that trade happen…
Yes, I am joking and the reality is the Cubs do not have what it takes to make this move.
I agree with some just stick with Nico and let see how the season goes because making a trade with the Royals is not wise at this point.
My XBox let me trade Zobrist for Merrifield straight up.
Get a PS4 and play The Show then.
Those 4 for Merrifield and 75% of his contract then it’s a done deal.
I checked with my 1982 Atari GM and had nearly the same deal sans Russell.. KC is going to want the moon and stars for Whit and he aint worth it.
Why would the Royals consider trading Merrifield to the Cubs for a package centered around Hoerner along with veterans? The Royals have Witt in their farm system who is going to be better than Hoerner. Meanwhile the Royals are in rebuild and need a young pitcher to develop in their farm system for a few years which is something the Cubs don’t have in their farm system.
These trade proposals by you Cubs’ fans make no sense for both the Cubs and Royals! Theo needs to rebuild the Cubs’ farm system and not rip away whatever else is in it, which is not much right now.
Why would the Cubs even consider trading for a 2B when you have Hoerner, Bote and Russell? All three are players that can play multiple positions and cost less. If this team does anything it should be for another starter, depth in the OF and the relief corp. I’d be looking at John Gray from Colorado, maybe a Cole Calhoun or Dickerson in the OF etc.
Because Hoerner is unproven, and Bote/Russell aren’t quality starters.
Keep talking “chisoxcity”, I love comedy.
K.
Of course the Cubs are looking at him. He’s making basically no money for the next 4 years and they have so many horrendous contracts on the books that they can’t afford to add any significant salary. Lester (at this stage of his career), Heyward, Kimbrel, Chatwood, and Yu “Garbish” are all horrendous contracts. Plus they have free agency coming up after this year for Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have really put this team in a VERY BAD spot moving forward.
Bryant to the Phillies for prospects, prospects to KC for Merrifield. Keep the rest in tact. Do NOT trade the rest of the core OR Hoerner.
you mean after2021
Padres get Willson Contreras C
Royals get CJ Abrams SS, Luis Campusano C, Tyson Miller RHP
Cubs get Whit Merrifield 2B / CF, Gabriel Arias SS
1. Royals have Merrifield tied up in a very good contract and will only take a huge haul in return.
2. Cubs are close, but a 2B is the least of their worries.
3. Cubs lack the top young prospects a team like the Royal would want.
The Cubs are not lacking in the minor leagues. That is just tired old news. They have four guys in the prospect1500 top 130. And they have more on the way. They have a lot of power arms down on the farm. It is fair to say they lack more than a couple power bats across the board on the farm. And it is also fair to say the best prospects save Nico are not MLB ready in 2020. But they have some potential studs down theire. FWIW, Brennan Davis’ stats at A ball line up very similar to Javy Baez and Elroy Jimenez when they were at the same level. It isn’t Davis’ fault people are just now catching onto his insane potential. I just don’t see why the Cubs mortgage much of anything for Merrifield unless they do some other work first.
I’m not sure I’m understanding the cubs plan this offseason. Cut fat / cost? But willing to give up good players that aren’t exactly that expensive to slightly rebuild a farm? Or maybe trade for someone that’s gonna empty the farm? Lol
The team won 84 games last year. They have no contact hitters in the line up and an aging rotation. And their core is all coming up for FA in 2022 and 2023. They have been pretty clear they want to trade out of that core to improve now and spread out the service time log jam. Realistically what are you going to get for Schwarber right now? Not a big bump of prospects. Almora gets you a bag of peanuts. So the candidates to move are:
– Contreras
– Bryant
– Rizzo
– Baez
– A pitcher not named Kyle Hendricks or Yu Darvish
They aren’t going to move all of them. They are trying to extend Baez per their own web site. Hope that helps.
Baez and Rizzo are untouchables. Contreas should be as well. it would be like trading DJ Lemehieu for ian Stewert all over again if the cubs traded Contreas baez or rizzo. Bryant has the highest value and will bring back at least 4 players. Maybe 5. Unless it makes them immediately better. They’re better off not trading him now. And waiting til winter 2020
Not really. Look if I’m them, I start paying / extending these guys as much as I can. Forget the farm and ride this wave as long as they can. Granted your right, that hitting has suffered a ton. But still, can’t just fold. Playoff teams, World Series teams bring in a lot of revenue. Now that rotation, it needs some youth. I agree there
Did you actually read what I just wrote. They are trying to remain competitive but they cannot afford to extend all of those players. That is more or less exactly what Epstein has said. So someone is going to get traded and it may very well be this offseason. They aren’t going to trade just to make a trade. But look for one or more pieces to get moved. Keep in mind the Cubs basically have a slugging festival of an offense that strikes out a ton and is pretty woeful at getting on base – especially out of the leadoff spot. They could realize some addition by subtraction here and get a couple of really good prospects into the farm as well. That farm system is not all that far away from being a top 10 system again simply because they have 4 of the prospect1500 Top 130 in baseball already. Problem is all but one of those four isn’t close to MLB ready. So yeah, they will be looking to extend one or two of those guys. But there is no way they can afford to extend them all and there are good odds Bryant wouldn’t extend anyway. As for someone’s notion that Rizzo is “untouchable” – that’s just silly. The only player whom they have opened discussions with per them is Baez. None of the others. Not saying the won’t. But it tells you who among those four is ready to talk.
Rizzo has said several times he does not want to ever leave the cubs and wants to finish his career with the Cubs. Baez has said that too. They can give 3 of them extensions. Bryant is the odd man out with a leach of an agent telling him to leave Chicago. Bryant wont get Arenado money at best he’ll get 230mil for 9 years. Boras hasn’t ruled out any extension talks he said as long as it’s a “fair offer” they have yet to have any talks.
Who cares what the players have said. What is going to make the team better. That is all you should give a crap about as a fan. This was a low OBP, feast or famine team. And no, they really can’t give three guys extensions that would run more than 60M a year. Not if they want to have any depth to their roster given the fact Darvish and Heyward are both signed up to similar deals already. 2016 is over. You need to move on.
Man I have dwindling faith in commentors on this site. Everyone keeps talking about Schwarber. Why the hell would the Royals want Schwarber? He’s far from an outfielder at the K and is only under control for 2 more years. The Royals would rather just keep Merrifield who fits the Royals better and will be good for at least another 2 years. We need prospects, not throw-ins. Unless Schwarber comes with 2 additional prospects it just doesn’t make sense. That being said I don’t see how the Cubs are a good match for a Merrifield trade in any way unless the trade starts with Hoerner.
Merrifield is intriguing to the Cubs because he isn’t likely to bail on his team in May because his psycho christian wife cheated and he has to take time off (for whatever reason) to get divorced, unlike the guy Merrifield would replace. If he continues as a supersub, he has more remaining value. However, if he continues to play a majority of his games at 2B, 2B age like milk and the Royals should be more aggressive in shopping him since they won’t be competitive until 2025 or so.
Merrifield played primarily in the outfield this year due to Nicky Lopez.
Did not know his positional splits this past year, thanks for clearing that up. If he floats more time at 3B/OF corners, it’d add 3-5 years to the useful life of his career.
interesting way to take a complete shot at ben zobrist who is a hall of famer and had a personal life situation that was completely out of his hands. i guess that makes whit ‘intruging’
Quitting in May for a divorce? I understand getting divorced but punting on a dream job (and missing out on $10 million-plus) is too Beta for my taste. Theo was banging his head on his desk lit pissed that he had to trade for Nick Castellanos because of the biggest load of bs to happen during the 2019 season (that includes the Astros “cheating”)
Willson Contreras for Whit and Sal Perez?
Don’t need Whit……we have Nico who will be the next Ryne Sandberg….I kid you not !
These Cubs proposed trades people are saying are just plain crazy……I would hang up the phone on both sides……….both Contreras & Caratini trade value have sky rocketed in the last few days…….I was at first trading Contreras, but now I am hedging to trading Caratini………one will go no matter what……..
Addison Russell will be let go……but he will find a new team very fast…….about 15 teams are ready to jump on him.
I think Starlin Castro would fit in nicely as a Zobrist replacement……would be a good reunion to have and he has matured since he left the Cubs….
Now here is a rumor coming from California……..Angels looking to get both Bryant & Lester………..Angels need to win in 2020 !
So many bad takes on what the Cubs would trade for him, what the Royals could reasonably demand and what the Royals would actually want. Why would the Royals want Bryant, Schwarber or Contreras. They are going into a rebuild. Schwarber is a FA in two years. Merrifield would not be remotely enough to land Bryant and why would the Royals want that salary? And the Royals don’t need Contreras whose service time ends before Merrifield’s anyway. I could see a combo of Happ and Nico being a reasonable haul for a 31 year old who posts a slight better than norm OPS+. Merrifield is not an on base machine bc he rarely walks. Question is why do the Cubs do that particular deal. There are also a host of bad takes on here about what the Cubs are looking to do this offseason. Epstein has been very clear. They will not be able to afford all of Contreras, Bryant, Baez and Rizzo when they all come up for FA in two years. So they want to remain competitive in 2020 while trading away at least one of those pieces. A trade for Merrifield along the lines I outlined would make the Cubs better in 2020, no doubt. But it does nothing to relieve the service time log jam. So if a Merrifield trade is going to happen it will be “a” move, not the move for the Cubs.
As for this notion the Cubs lack the prospects to get this deal done, their farm system is no longer a complete wasteland. They now have several promising players. What it lacks are power hitting options. It has quite a bit of pitching depth and some promising position players in Amaya, Nico, Morrel and, especially, Brennan Davis. All of those guys, save Nico, are at least a year away from being ready though. The pitching doesn’t have any sort of sure fire ace, but plenty of guys who project as good mid-rotation options and a few young guys with enormous upside (Gallardo, Cruz, Marquez, Franklin) even if none are sure things. I just don’t see the Cubs wanting to unload to get Merrifield unless he is a second step as opposed to a first.
He is EXACTLY the player needed by the Mets! Matz, Nimmo and Nido in a package for Merrifield, Perez (or another catcher) and a pitcher salary dump or two…
Cubs might want to address the bullpen first. As nice as Merrifield would be on that team the Cubs still need to hold leads and close games. The mound is where that starts.
Just another article for a Major Market Team so Cubs fans will look at the article. Next it will be the Mets or Yankees
I heard they’re interested in Mike Trout too
Admittedly, he’s a bit older than the standard Hazen acquisition, but the skill set (defensive versatility, high contact, decent defense, and strong baserunning) seem to fit the typical Hazen DBacks profile. Does anyone think the last year of Robbie Ray, + J.B. Bukauskas (premium pitches but erratic control and some recent injury concerns) and Liover Peguero (young SS prospect with loud tools and helium) gets Moore to give up Merrifield?
Royals would have zero interest in the last year of Robbie Ray. Negative interest even because he’d hurt their draft position.
There’s also the fact that he would be eligible for a QO if not dealt in-season (or flip him at the deadline if he’s showing signs of life); bonus pools matter in the draft, not just pick position. If anything, Ray helps their draft position more than Merrifield does. I don’t think any team out there has negative interest in a premier K pitcher, as long as it’s for the right price.
There’s also the fact that acquiring him would cost them more than the value of the QO and that if they trade him in-season the return won’t be as good as what they gave up to get him because he’ll only have 2 more months of control and won’t be eligible for a QO.
Acquiring Robbie Ray hurts the Royals. Deal with it.
Seems odd they wouldnt move him, especially since they are rebuilding and wont be competitive until at least 2048
In that case the Royals shouldn’t even be targeting top prospects for Merrifield, only their offspring.
Can’t agree more about trading whit. Royals won 59 games in the worst division in baseball and act like a 31 year old is going to help them any time soon. If they are smart they shop him to everyone and take the best offer. The cubs have plenty of minor league depth to get a deal done.
Javy should be our 2B