2K24: Chicago Cubs

[Controller Jacobs]

Baseball Reference Page
mlb depth charts
cot's contracts - team page
cot's contracts - 2014 spreadsheet
mlbtraderumors - team page
fangraphs - team page
fangraphs - park factors

prospects - rhd, with team highlighted

[Controller Jacobs]

Last year of Soriano's contract.
They've got four of rhd's top 25.

They haven't been major players this offseason, so far. I think it's reasonable to expect their roster salaries will be back up by 2015. Question is whether they want to starting signing the SPs this year or wait a year to ride out Sorianos's contract and develop the young guys.

[Hornsby]

Soriano's with the Yanks now...

[Controller Jacobs]

Soriano's with the Yanks now...

$14M of his contract is still with thee Cubs

[Hornsby]

$14M of his contract is still with thee Cubs

Take thee to a nunnery!

[Davros]

Question is whether they want to starting signing the SPs this year or wait a year to ride out Soriano's contract and develop the young guys.

I don't see them grabbing high tier SPers right now as they have almost enough "veterans" to limp through the year. Here is a possible starting rotation as of today:

Jeff Samardzija
Travis Wood
Edwin Jackson
Jake Arrieta
Carlos Villanueva/Kyle Hendricks/Chris Rusin

Others to consider for the #5 slot would be Justin Grimm and Brooks Raley, but they would need magnificent spring performances or injury cascades to be considered. Neil Ramirez probably won't be ready until later in 2014. Pierce Johnson and C.J. Edwards are probably not 2014 options at the moment, but the team may not want to block them for 2015 if they keep improving. I can't see Arodys Vizcaino being more than a reliever in 2014 after his injury woes.

Given how Theo and Jed have been running the team the past few years, I expect them to grab a few reclamation projects to create some rotation depth and to have people to flip in July. Re-signing Scott Baker seems likely. Similar guys in their early 30s like Edinson Volquez and Jeff Niemann probably will be considered as well.

Of course, this all assumes that Samardzija isn't traded. It is hard to imagine a trade that does not bring a ML ready rotation arm back in return, so that guy (or guys) would be slotted in the rotation. Hopefully someone in that trade would be close to Shark's caliber by 2015.

[revo]

Cubbies made a few minor signings today: Ryan Kalish, Ryan Roberts, Liam Hendricks & John Baker.

[Don Quixote]

Cubbies made a few minor signings today: Ryan Kalish, Ryan Roberts, Liam Hendricks & John Baker.

Hendriks is gone already, on waivers to Baltimore.

From Rotoworld--

"Cubs claimed RHP Brett Marshall off waivers from the Yankees.

Marshall was designated for assignment by New York lat week to clear a 40-man roster spot for new outfielder Carlos Beltran. Marshall, 23, posted an ugly 5.13 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 120/68 K/BB ratio over 138 2/3 innings this past summer for the Yankees' Triple-A team."

He's only 23, so unless he's really a stiff it's surprising that the Yankees gave up on him. Does anyone have some relevant, objective information on him? Prospect? Suspect? TYF (Typical Yankee Farmhand)?

[Don Quixote]

Cubs sign Jason Hammel to a one-year deal, apparently for $6 million plus $1 million possible in incentives.

They also signed James McDonald to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Low risk, medium reward.

[Mendoza_Line]

Names like Bryant, Alcantara, Baez, Almora, Soler and Olt are popping up in Spring Training.
Will any of these guys make the roster come opening day?

[Gregg]

Names like Bryant, Alcantara, Baez, Almora, Soler and Olt are popping up in Spring Training.
Will any of these guys make the roster come opening day?

I think the only one that is a maybe is Olt.

There really is no reason for the Cubs to bring up any of the others as they do not plan on competing this year.

[Hornsby]

Names like Bryant, Alcantara, Baez, Almora, Soler and Olt are popping up in Spring Training.
Will any of these guys make the roster come opening day?

Alcantara might be a dark horse for the 2nd base job...keep an eye on him. They can't fool anyone with Darwin Barney anymore...and the fan base is getting restless enough that management has to throw them a bone before they end up with too many empty seats in Wrigley.

[Davros]

Alcantara might be a dark horse for the 2nd base job...keep an eye on him. They can't fool anyone with Darwin Barney anymore...and the fan base is getting restless enough that management has to throw them a bone before they end up with too many empty seats in Wrigley.

I see Alcantara's chances of making the team for Opening Day as microscopic right now. Besides the fact that the front office does not want to start the clock on their prospects too soon, the guy is currently hitless this spring in limited action (.000/.182/.000). It seems more likely that if Barney were to lose playing time, it would be to Emilio Bonifacio, Ryan Roberts, or Luis Valbuena (if Olt were to take the 3B job from him).

Baez has looked solid this spring in the limited number of TV games he has appeared in. The silly kneebend in his home run swing that he had last March has started to vanish, though the swing itself remains incredibly violent. If the Cubs miraculously find themselves near contention in June, the team may be tempted to promote him then. My gut still feels like he will have to wait until 2015.

[joncarlos]

Olt probably does make the team, just because they have Christian Villanueva and Kris Bryant manning 3B at AAA/AA and really no place in the high minors to put him, unless they move his position. I don't think they're ready to move Bryant to the OF yet, not for Olt anyway.

[whalewang]

Olt probably does make the team, just because they have Christian Villanueva and Kris Bryant manning 3B at AAA/AA and really no place in the high minors to put him, unless they move his position. I don't think they're ready to move Bryant to the OF yet, not for Olt anyway.

That's pretty good insight that I never considered before.