Cubs @ Cardinals: Series Thread (Games 71-73)

Arizona Phil 10/03/2023 - 10:18 pm (view)

It used to be that teams did not want to trade within their own division for PR reasons, but I don't see that with Ben Cherington in Pittsburgh or with Hoyer / Hawkins in Chicago, so the Cubs might target Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes and closer David Bednar.

Hayes is a Gold Glove defender, a decent enough hitter (105 OPS+ in 2023), and he's under control at a VERY reasonable price ($8.75M AAV) through 2029 (with a club option for 2030). 

Bednar is first-time salary arbitration-eligible post-2023 and under control through 2026. 

One thing about the Cubs is that they can afford to overpay (which is what they would have to do to get both Hayes and Bednar) with a package consisting of a decent young MLB position player to replace Hayes in the lineup (like Christopher Morel, who could play LF in Pittsburgh) and prospects like outfielders Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, or Kevin Alcantara (Pirates pick one, leaving the other two for the Cubs), a power-hitting 1B-DH like Matt Mervis or Haydn McGeary (Pirates pick one, leaving the other one for the Cubs), SS Luis Vazquez (who is MLB-ready but will never play SS in Chicago), 3B B. J. Murray (who could replace Hayes at the hot corner in Pittsburgh by 2025 if not sometime in 2024, and he obviously would be blocked in Chicago if the Cubs get Hayes), and an MLB-ready SP like Hayden Wesneski. 

crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:02 pm (view)

boog and glanville calling the PHI@MIL game on ESPN2.

crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:59 pm (view)

bellinger is my #1 want, but i fear he's the #1 want of many teams and will get crazy money + years, with the years being the big sting.  they need to replace bellinger's production if they don't get him no matter what position(s) played.

George Altman 10/03/2023 - 10:40 pm (view)

I hope their top priorities are Bellinger, 2 RPs better than Fulmer/Boxberger (ideally 1 LH), and a 3B (Chapman my 1st Choice). That will put them right up to $237-257M AAV limit, but I don't see a playoff berth doing anything less.

If they really want Alonso, Morel would be a good opening piece of that offer. 

Unfortunately, Stroman will opt in ($23.7M) and Smyly ($11.5M) will be back. Steele, Taillon, Assad, Wicks will be rotation pieces. Would love a SP2 FA but don't see how they keep an effective offense and improve their bullpen while adding that.

crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

i cannot imagine getting a legit 3rd, whether signing or via trade, isn't the highest priority for the team.  it's almost obvious they don't see morel there.

Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:19 pm (view)

I’m just hoping they have an actual 3B next year so we don’t need to worry about the M boys, Bote, and P Whiffy eating all the 3B at bats next year.

Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:13 pm (view)

Willson was a OF/3B when we signed him too.

On a less successful but still got to the show note, PJ Higgins was another college IF converted to C

crunch 10/03/2023 - 10:03 pm (view)

truth...and personally, i'd give him ABs (especially at 3rd) over the 2 singles-hitting-ceiling guys that got the shot.  i'm sure he can cover the ob% and defense while surpassing the power of anything masterboney and madrigal brought to the team.

i don't view bote as a solution at 3rd, but i find it hard to believe he couldn't outperform either of the main options they had there for a huge chunk of this season.

KingKongvsGodzilla 10/03/2023 - 10:47 pm (view)

Color me impressed by this assignment for Trice right out of the draft as a convert. Seems worth following after the success of Caratini

Dolorous Jon Lester 10/03/2023 - 10:33 pm (view)

Bote always has great spring trainings.