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Chicago Cubs Thread - The Ricketts are too poor to pay players


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22 hours ago, hrubes20 said:

I'm never happy with a season that ends in no playoffs, and this team was especially frustrating because they were far and away the most individually talented in the division.  But we all know that baseball is much more than that.  

Even as a Brewer fan, I thought this all year as well.  We (the Crew) seem to have better team chemistry which can sometimes make up for a lack of talent.  I think the Cards have the third best talent, but they are about to lock up the division.  I like Maddon a lot too as a coach so I don't even know where the blame should go.  Strange year in the NL Central.

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1 hour ago, Breesus mode said:

I know it’s baseball and anything can happen, but I just don’t think we had enough gas to win it all this year.

Likely not.  But the playoffs are just such a crapshoot, and the individuals on the team are talented enough to go nuts in a short series and propel the team. I'm bummed.  

33 minutes ago, titanrick said:

Even as a Brewer fan, I thought this all year as well.  We (the Crew) seem to have better team chemistry which can sometimes make up for a lack of talent.  I think the Cards have the third best talent, but they are about to lock up the division.  I like Maddon a lot too as a coach so I don't even know where the blame should go.  Strange year in the NL Central.

It's on the FO for team construction.  Part of it was unexpected when Zobrist missed the entire year, but there weren't any other guys on the team that could hit leadoff or be counted on to make contact with runners at 2nd and 3rd.  So many rallies ended because of a lack of contact.  The bullpen was a huge letdown for most of the year as well, with our 7th, 8th, and 9th inning options to start the year all being terrible or injured all year (Carl Edwards/Pedro Strop/Brandon Morrow).  Some terrific options emerged eventually (Rowan Wick/Brad Wieck) but the damage was done.  

But to be fair, Joe earned some of the blame as well.  He continues to not know how to manage a bullpen.  He insists on starting guys that have no business starting like Daniel Descalso and Albert Almora.  His lineup constructions were very questionable much of the time.  I would guess his time as Cubs manager is over, whether rightly or wrongly.

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So on to the offseason:

Free Agents/No Longer Owed Money:

Cole Hamels - $20,000,000 

Ben Zobrist - $12,000,000

Brandon Morrow - $9,000,000  (Assuming $12,000,000 team option not exercised)

Steve Cishek - $6,500,000 

Pedro Strop - $6,250,000 

Brandon Kintzler - $5,000,000 

Brian Duensing - $3,500,000 

Addison Russell - $3,400,000

Nicholas Castellanos - $2,875,000 

Mike Montgomery - $1,144,000 

Tony Barnette - $1,000,000  (Assuming $3,000,000 team option not exercised)

Xavier Cedeno - $900,000

Other random pitchers - Roughly $2,000,000 

Other random players - Roughly $1,000,000 

TOTAL COMING OFF THE BOOKS: $74,569,000

 

Lower Guarantee Money:

Jon Lester - $7,500,000 less

TOTAL COMING OFF THE BOOKS: $7,500,000

 

Automatic Raises:

Anthony Rizzo - $1,600,000 (Assuming team option exercised)

Kyle Hendricks - $4,600,000

Craig Kimbrel - $6,000,000

Tyler Chatwood - $500,000

Jason Heyward - $1,000,000 (Assuming he doesn't opt out)

Yu Darvish - $2,000,000 (Assuming he doesn't opt out)

Kendall Graveman - $2.550,000 (Assuming team option exercised)

David Bote - $400,000

Daniel Descalso - $1,000,000

David Phelps - $500,000 (Assuming team option exercised)

TOTAL AUTOMATIC RAISES: $19,650,000

 

Estimated Arbitration Raises:

Kris Bryant - $7,500,000

Javy Baez - $5,500,000

Kyle Schwarber - $4,000,000

Willson Contreras - $3,000,000

Albert Almora - $500,000

TOTAL ESTIMATED ARBITRATION RAISES: $20,000,000

 

Pre-Arb Players

Ian Happ

Victor Caratini

Tony Kemp

Kyle Ryan

Brad Wieck

Rowan Wick

Nico Hoerner

Alec Mills

Dillon Maples

James Norwood

Allen Webster

Duane Underwood

Adbert Alzolay

Robel Garcia

Other Players With Club Options:

Jose Quintana - $10,500,000 (Same as 2019 and guaranteed to be picked up)

Derek Holland - $6,500,000 (Not likely to be picked up)

 

Option Buyouts and Other Sunk Costs:

Brandon Morrow - $3,000,000 buyout

Derek Holland - $500,000 buyout

Brad Brach - $5,000,000 minus whatever new contract he signs is worth

Total Owed: $8,500,000 (Maximum)

 

TOTAL AVAILABLE FOR FREE AGENTS (Assuming no increase in budget) - (74,569,000 + $7,500,000) - (19,650,000 + 20,000,000 + $8,500,000) = $33,919,000

 

That's not a ton of money available, IMO.  

 

Edited by hrubes20
Forgot Lester makes $7.5 million less
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8 hours ago, hrubes20 said:

So on to the offseason:

Free Agents/No Longer Owed Money:

Cole Hamels - $20,000,000 

Ben Zobrist - $12,000,000

Brandon Morrow - $9,000,000  (Assuming $12,000,000 team option not exercised)

Steve Cishek - $6,500,000 

Pedro Strop - $6,250,000 

Brandon Kintzler - $5,000,000 

Brian Duensing - $3,500,000 

Addison Russell - $3,400,000

Nicholas Castellanos - $2,875,000 

Mike Montgomery - $1,144,000 

Tony Barnette - $1,000,000  (Assuming $3,000,000 team option not exercised)

Xavier Cedeno - $900,000

Other random pitchers - Roughly $2,000,000 

Other random players - Roughly $1,000,000 

TOTAL COMING OFF THE BOOKS: $74,569,000

 

Lower Guarantee Money:

Jon Lester - $7,500,000 less

TOTAL COMING OFF THE BOOKS: $7,500,000

 

Automatic Raises:

Anthony Rizzo - $1,600,000 (Assuming team option exercised)

Kyle Hendricks - $4,600,000

Craig Kimbrel - $6,000,000

Tyler Chatwood - $500,000

Jason Heyward - $1,000,000 (Assuming he doesn't opt out)

Yu Darvish - $2,000,000 (Assuming he doesn't opt out)

Kendall Graveman - $2.550,000 (Assuming team option exercised)

David Bote - $400,000

Daniel Descalso - $1,000,000

David Phelps - $500,000 (Assuming team option exercised)

TOTAL AUTOMATIC RAISES: $19,650,000

 

Estimated Arbitration Raises:

Kris Bryant - $7,500,000

Javy Baez - $5,500,000

Kyle Schwarber - $4,000,000

Willson Contreras - $3,000,000

Albert Almora - $500,000

TOTAL ESTIMATED ARBITRATION RAISES: $20,000,000

 

Pre-Arb Players

Ian Happ

Victor Caratini

Tony Kemp

Kyle Ryan

Brad Wieck

Rowan Wick

Nico Hoerner

Alec Mills

Dillon Maples

James Norwood

Allen Webster

Duane Underwood

Adbert Alzolay

Robel Garcia

Other Players With Club Options:

Jose Quintana - $10,500,000 (Same as 2019 and guaranteed to be picked up)

Derek Holland - $6,500,000 (Not likely to be picked up)

 

Option Buyouts and Other Sunk Costs:

Brandon Morrow - $3,000,000 buyout

Derek Holland - $500,000 buyout

Brad Brach - $5,000,000 minus whatever new contract he signs is worth

Total Owed: $8,500,000 (Maximum)

 

TOTAL AVAILABLE FOR FREE AGENTS (Assuming no increase in budget) - (74,569,000 + $7,500,000) - (19,650,000 + 20,000,000 + $8,500,000) = $33,919,000

 

That's not a ton of money available, IMO.  

 

You're not factoring in trades which are going to happen.

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Farewell to Joe Maddon.  He was at the helm of the most successful period of Cubs baseball in over a century.  His lineups and pitching management drove me nuts, but the guy is the absolute best at managing a clubhouse.  Early reports are that the Angels will be firing Brad Ausmus to bring Maddon back.  For those that don't know, he had various roles in the Angels organization for like 30 years before getting the head gig in Tampa.  Great for him, if this is how it turns out.

Also, gimme Grandpa Rossy.

 

Edited by hrubes20
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12 hours ago, hrubes20 said:

Farewell to Joe Maddon.  He was at the helm of the most successful period of Cubs baseball in over a century.  His lineups and pitching management drove me nuts, but the guy is the absolute best at managing a clubhouse.  Early reports are that the Angels will be firing Brad Ausmus to bring Maddon back.  For those that don't know, he had various roles in the Angels organization for like 30 years before getting the head gig in Tampa.  Great for him, if this is how it turns out.

Also, gimme Grandpa Rossy.

 

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this. 

Really don't want Girardi. Who are the other candidates beside him and Ross?

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14 hours ago, Blazer026 said:

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this. 

Really don't want Girardi. Who are the other candidates beside him and Ross?

Mark Loretta (bench coach under Maddon), who wouldn't be a bad choice.  Joe Espada (bench coach for Astros) is a name I've seen mentioend as well.  Raul Ibanez and Sam Fuld are two other former players that apparently are well respected and thought of as future manager types.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/25/2019 at 11:59 AM, hrubes20 said:

Estimated Arbitration Raises:

Kris Bryant - $7,500,000

Javy Baez - $5,500,000

Kyle Schwarber - $4,000,000

Willson Contreras - $3,000,000

Albert Almora - $500,000

TOTAL ESTIMATED ARBITRATION RAISES: $20,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

Per FG, their estimated raises are:

KB - $5,600,000

Javy - $4,100,000

Schwarber - $4,610,000

Contreras - $3,500,000

Almora - $1,000,000

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Not a huge fan of Ross or Girardi. Girardi seems too old-school, Ross seems like he's just too close to the current group of players. Ross would be a fine choice for the manager after this next one, but I'm not sure if he would be a great fit right now. 

I'm not sure that a manager really matters all that much in MLB today except for how they manage the clubhouse and stuff like that. I feel like most of the start/sit and even bullpen decisions are heavily influenced by the information that managers receive from the front office. They're more there to handle the players and media than anything else. Maddon may have been one of the last few to have a significant amount of pull. 

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