2015 Winter Meetings (Day Three)

Submitted by CTSteve on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 6:53am

Maddon finally gets his Zobrist, Castro is a Yankee, and Dusty Baker reminds everyone why he should never be allowed near a microphone.

In other news, the Cards traded Jay for the soon-to-be All-star Gyrko, and AZ meets Altanta's asking price for Miller.

Supposedly, the Cubs are not done, so let's get at it!

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Winter Meetings

Comments

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 7:33am  
Like I said in the previous thread. Javy is staying. Maddon loves the guy because he can probably play all nine positions. Yes, he can probably pitch, too. In fact, Javy is a bit like Zobrist with a lower OBP and a lot more power. Now, I hope I'm wrong about Heyward and they go make their big splash on him. I hate modern free agency, but if you're gonna do it, do it on a guy his age who probably hasn't reached his ceiling yet.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 7:46am  
I'm glad they got something for Starlin, especially someone who could actually have some very high upside still. I think the Cubs approach to starters points to a possible multi-pitcher approach to the fourth and fifth starters where you have basically 3 guys pitching in one game and plan it that way. The Cubs are really stocking up on swing man types. I liked Starlin a lot, but I lost trust in him. Even during his great run at the end of the year, I just couldn't get excited to see that he was in the on deck circle. That sinking feeling just never went away. I hope he has 10 great years with the Yankees. It may turn out that we'll look back someday and think, Warren what? Who was that guy? But the trade had to be made I think. And that was a nice reward for that end of season effort on his part. The Yankees. Hate them if you want, but what ballplayer can't love the idea of being in a Yankee uniform? Good luck Starlin, you won me over again with your no whining, balls out play at the end of the year, my trust issues not withstanding!

Submitted by Ryno  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 8:24am  
I saw a graphic on my twitter last night regarding Zobrist: "36.7 WAR from 2006-2014, 14th best in MLB" (@MLBStatoftheDay), so that's something. My only problem with all of this is that Castro was traded for a guy I've never heard of. That just seems wrong to me- but then again I haven't stayed up-to-date on the Yankees so I guess I just have to trust that the Cubs know what they are doing.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:13am  
Castro for Zobrist, Warren and a PTNL. Love these moves. While their line up gets older in the short run, they gain defensive and lineup flexibility. Given the depth of young middle infielders in the majors and minors, swapping a [25/26] year old for a 34 year old in return for additional pitching depth seems like an efficient use of resources. As the it is more or less salary neutral, it allows them to acquire a center fielder or additional pitching.

Submitted by Charlie  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 11:07am  
These are good udeas up in here.

Submitted by Tito  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:10am  
I had no real problem with Castro, but it feels like he was about the least-beloved Cubs "star" of recent vintage. I was hoping he'd go instead of Baez. The more I read about Warren, the more I like him. A good friend of mine who's a Yankees fan said he was sorry to see him go.

Submitted by Brick  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:21am  
I understand Zobrist's nickname is "Zorilla." Is that set in stone, or can we give it another round of brainstorming? (I also will exercise a veto on "Benzo.")

Submitted by QuietMan  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:30am  
Zoby? Or is that too Quade-esque?

Submitted by Tito  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:33am  
It's funny, I remember when Quade would say those and the Cubs media would roast him, on Twitter especially. And then I'd read/listen to other managers and a lot of them do the same thing.

Submitted by Charlie  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 11:09am  
Zobroastrianism The Mark of Zobro The Big Zobrowsky

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 1:49pm  
Zobroastrianism +1 Although not a nickname I don't think, it would be what happens when someone achieves something. "Alcantara has stayed in the minors because he was unable to live up to the Zobroastrianism philosophy that Maddon expected." "Castro wouldn't subscribe to the Zobroastrianism faith, so he was traded." "Baez may be a Zobroastrianism convert, but probably more in the field than at the plate."

Submitted by Ryno  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:23am  
The Zolocaust?

Submitted by QuietMan  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 3:21pm  
Maddon calling him Zo at the presser...

Submitted by Jackstraw  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 5:06pm  
So late in the afternoon, or early in the evening, he'll be The Twilight Zo?

Submitted by John Beasley  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:23am  
I love that we could lose Jake, Jon, John, Jason, and Kyle for the season and still have a legit chance to not be a bottom-5 rotation. That's pretty amazing. Go TheoCorp.

Submitted by Newport  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 9:42am  
Pretty sure they would be a bottom 1 rotation if they lose their entire rotation.

Submitted by John Beasley  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:00am  
Warren, Wood, Richard, Cahill, Edwards is probably not the worst rotation in baseball and has a realistic chance to be average.

Submitted by Charlie  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 11:10am  
Both halves of this hypothetical are silly. I approve.

Submitted by crunch  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:08am  
"Joel Sherman ‏@Joelsherman1 #Cubs finished 2d for Shelby Miller. Were willing to include Soler. But Atl liked #Diamondbacks deal too much to pass up"

Submitted by Ryno  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:25am  
That deal was absurd. No way the Cubs should try to compete with that.

Submitted by jacos  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:44am  
"But Atl liked #Diamondbacks deal too much to pass up" No shit!??! HHAHAHA! Dave Stewart and LaRussa are idiots.

Submitted by The E-Man  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:49am  
As CRUNCH always says, "The Diamondbacks are only an arm injury away from..."

Submitted by crunch  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 10:57am  
it's leg injury, not arm injury...and it's about guys who's game depends on their legs to get hits, stretching doubles, or getting stats-inflating triples that highly relies on leg health. there's more than a few guys out there who are a leg injury away from having their doubles/triples turn into singles/doubles and becoming outs they didn't beat to the bag attempting singles. that said, i think greenkey/miller/corbin/hellickson/anderson/ray can hold the fort down until a.bradley shows up mlb-ready.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 1:52pm  
I thought they brought LaRussa in to fix Stewart's idiocy.

Submitted by twcoffee  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 4:48pm  
Actually, Towers was GM when LaRussa was brought in. He is the one who hired Stewart.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 11:16am  
“We can continue to listen to anything that comes our way,” Epstein said. “We still have a little bit of a potential surplus with our position-player group and we haven’t moved any of our emerging players yet in any deals. But we don’t have to act out of need or desperation. We can be pretty selective.” http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/what%E2%80%99s...

Submitted by crunch  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 11:27am  
pretty much...and they have 3+ months before they have to seriously think about what they're doing with their on-hand talent going into spring training. they only "need" a CF'r and it seems baez might be an option there rather than tossing prospects wildly to fill the need. aside from having youth, baez is an extremely hard worker who would most likely give it his best trying to adapt to CF. they can wait for their deal, if one's available.

Submitted by jacos  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 12:16pm  
I think it's going to be Span on a 1 year flier.

Submitted by The E-Man  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 12:33pm  
Jaco - your movie is out; SEE IT! http://jacopastorius.com/film/

Submitted by jacos  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 12:58pm  
haha, thanks!

Submitted by billybucks  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 6:04pm  
Now that they have their OBP guy, Baez in CF might be more feasible, assuming he can handle the position.

Submitted by crunch  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 5:58pm  
"Pirates acquired LHP Jon Niese from the Mets for 2B Neil Walker." mets land on a n.walker trade after losing out on zobrist

Submitted by crunch  on Wed, 12/09/2015 - 7:19pm  
"Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat Hoyer also doesn't anticipate #Cubs doing anything more in Nashville. Still do need CF. Still exploring free agents/trades"

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  • Dolorous Jon Lester 10 hours 36 min ago (view)

    Lame. He was intriguing 

     
  • crunch 12 hours 45 min ago (view)

    cubs release matt dermody...he's heading to japan.

     
  • Cubster 19 hours 10 min ago (view)

    The Jared Porter story gets worse and does involve the Cubs...

    "The Jared Porter situation is equally a Cubs and a Mets problem. The Mets need a new GM. The Cubs need to reevaluate themselves as an organization.

     
  • Cubster 21 hours 59 min ago (view)

    and they are including amusement tax, healthcare costs (Doc Adams doesn't come cheap!), social security and political donations to the City and the Governor of Nebraska. 

     
  • bradsbeard 22 hours 24 min ago (view)

    It all depends what you count as "payroll." If you include the $11M in Lester and Descalso's buyouts plus the $3M sent in the Darvish trade you get to somewhere like $145M. If you include the $15M in estimated share of player benefits, you get to $160M. I think that last year, including player benefits, they were slated to be up around $205M for MLB payroll before the pandemic. 

     
  • crunch 1 day 8 hours ago (view)

    not sure, but i think it's around 130-135m right now even with bryant/baez/contreras still on board...including the 3m to set darvish free and other random $$ expenses on the roster.

    tack on another 3-4m for happ when that gets settled....plus other odds/ends that have a chance to make the roster (s.miller, a.morgan, j.holder, etc) and other pre-arbitration guys...

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  • George Altman 1 day 8 hours ago (view)

    Seriously, what's the 2021 payroll number? Currently at approximately $165M and after they trade Bryant, Baez, & Contreras  - $130M. Is that it, $135-140M.

     
  • crunch 1 day 9 hours ago (view)

    Q to the angels...supposedly 1/8m

     
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    pete ricketts (the governor of Nebraska ricketts) is a key part of an anti-gambling Nebraska group called "Gambling With The Good Life" that actively lobbied their open legislature...including a speech by pete...to keep gambling illegal in Nebraska.

    he last spoke for the group to the state government in-session 3 months ago.

    ...it's also worth mentioning all of this is separate from the Draft Kings/Wrigley Field deal that flew under the radar toward the end of the season that will put a sportsbook directly in wrigley field, itself.

     
  • Charlie 1 day 18 hours ago (view)

    Of all the things, why does this most make me want to punch

     
  • Cubster 2 days 15 min ago (view)

    I thought the Cubs had lost a rising star in Porter, seems the just got lucky with him leaving the organization. 

     
  • crunch 2 days 7 hours ago (view)

    jared porter...damn dude...mets gm, ex cubs director of scouting...

     
  • crunch 2 days 11 hours ago (view)

    cubs freeing up that chatwood + lester loot sure did help...wait...sigh.

     
  • Cubster 2 days 11 hours ago (view)

    Plus Chatwood signing w Bluejays is done.

     
  • crunch 2 days 12 hours ago (view)

    ...and done.  1 year deal with a mutual option.

     
  • Cubster 2 days 13 hours ago (view)

    Dolorous in discussions with the Washington Schwarbs.

     
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