It’s crazy how one move can change the perspective of an entire offseason, yet here we are. If you were to write the Cubs’ needs on paper and listed them when the offseason began, how many holes needed to be addressed? They needed a frontline starter, rotation depth, bullpen help, a closer, a lead-off man […]
Tag: Offseason
Would Realignment Help The Hot Stove?
Admittedly, the inactivity of the hot stove has led a lot of us to get lost in our own minds about why it might be. And there might not be a more dangerous gaggle of people to get lost in their own heads than baseball writers and analysts, at least in the sports world. This […]
The PECOTA Gap Between the Cubs and Dodgers
On April 10th, the Cubs will play their first real game at Wrigley since the World Series, and they’ll do so against the Dodgers. The rematch of the NLCS should be a well-played series between two evenly-matched teams. This offseason, many comparisons of the two teams have been made, and the consensus seems to be […]
C.J. Wilson: Potential Offseason Target
Pitching rotations can appear to be sure things when it’s the offseason or even when it’s spring training, but they have a nagging penchant for never finishing the same way that they started. Teams need depth in this way, and sometimes it comes from within the organization, and sometimes it must be acquired from without. The […]
While We Have Time: A Look at Some Minor Acquisitions from the Offseason
Every team’s offseason transactions list is dotted with players who are unlikely to make an impact at the MLB level in the immediate future. But, of course, any player who is actively signed by a big league organization has at least something intriguing about them. It could be a certain rate stat, a certain pitch, and intriguing […]
Depth, Flexibility, and Time: Why the Cubs’ Offseason Makes Sense
We’re now solidly in the falling action stage of the 2016 offseason. Almost all of the biggest moves have already been made (we imagine), and now teams are left to fill in any remaining holes as best they can. The holiday time is a quiet time for baseball. This lull gives Cubs fans time to catch our […]
It’s Time to Move on From Dexter Fowler
Cubs fans have already said goodbye to Dexter Fowler once, and they undoubtedly did not anticipate not only finding themselves in a position where they would be preparing to do it again but also that it would somehow be even harder than the first time. His surprise and well-chronicled return to the Cubs in late February sparked a […]
Controllable SP Trade Targets: The Affordable Edition
For the past couple of years, many of us have pointed out the lack of controllable starting pitchers in the Cubs organization. With the minor league system still lacking impact arms at the upper levels, the Cubs might have to look outside the organization to acquire controlled arms. Given the extremely steep price of proven […]
Cubs Decline Jason Hammel’s Option, Choose Long-term Upside Over Depth
On Sunday afternoon, Theo Epstein released a statement explaining that the Cubs had bought out Jason Hammel’s 10 million dollar option for next year. The statement, in full, is copied in the tweet below: The #Cubs today announced that the club has declined the 2017 option on Jason Hammel’s contract. pic.twitter.com/sJ22n2VQ8N — Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) […]
Cubs Player Profile: Jake Arrieta
“I probably shouldn’t have gotten half an hour into this press conference without giving kudos to him for just an incredible, breakthrough season.” That was Theo Epstein, talking to the media the day after the Cubs had been eliminated by the New York Mets in the NLCS. He was referring to eventual Cy Young winner […]