Merry Christmas guys. Thank you for all the great work this year on the podcasts. You bring great comments and have a really enjoyable rapport with your viewers!
High leverage relievers and maybe one more bat. Let our talented kids fill the back of the rotation and long relief roles. If we get that kid from Japan, then that is even better. Keep the prospects and develop our own.
This x 1000! They are pretty solid with starters for now...and SP is definitely something that becomes more available mid season, anyway. Elite closers are necessary, and the Cubs do not have anyone with that experience. Hodge has the stuff, but not sure if he's it, or he's the 8th inning guy. If Ben Brown is in the Pen and not a Starter(which makes sense for his health and inning count), he has nasty stuff, but does he have closer mentality?...better off as a 6-7 inning or long relief guy that also "opens" for 2-3 innings sometimes.
Prospect hoarding is dumb. Especially with how all the cubs prospects outside of 2 have regressed in value in the ranking this year falling out of the top 100
I remember game one of the 08 playoffs for so many reasons. Earlier that day it was finally the day that my former wife and I met with our lawyer to finally pick up the settlement check from a years long lawsuit against a doctor in the death of our daughter. Despite meeting with the lawyer and picking up a check for $800,000 the only thing on my mind that day was the Cubs. This was our year, the best record in baseball 97 wins 100 years since our last championship. I was so excited, then the game started DeRosa homered early to give us the lead. This was the year it was finally happening. Then the fifth inning happened and it all went away.
In some cases. But I believe on average, peak years for most MLB players are considered to be the 5-6 year period of ages 27-32. The official "prime" of most players.
I'd go for Lopez but I'd also want Willi Castro from them. Cubs need depth on their bench. Castro played SS, 2B, 3B, LF, and CF last year. Average bat but great defensively everywhere. He's the kinda player the cubs need. They currently have 0 infield depth and no one that can fill in if Nico isn't ready or Shaw just sucks at 3rd.
I thought a one year deal for Verlander made a ton of sense, especially at this stage of his career. But you can miss me with Max. He's toast, unless he wants to convert into a closer, maybe even an old school Sutter-type that comes in in the 7th. Beyond that... he'd have to be rock bottom cheap.
Bear with me...Why not Kyle Gibson as 5th starter. Cheap (maybe $12m, 1yr), veteran FA, dependable. (32 starts last 2 years). Ground ball pitcher. Good clubhouse presence. Allows Wicks, Brown, Assad to be in the pen until they're ready to start. Spend money on 2 closer types and DeJong to back up Shaw and maybe Busch.
Lopez sounds okay, and since his peripherals suggest he’s better than his ERA maybe the Cubs’ pitching lab along with plus defenders could improve his numbers? Hope we make a move soon.
Why send out more prospects, sign a few more relievers and maybe a utility bat. Let the kids compete for long relief and the back of the rotation. The fruit is ripening, time to start harvesting, not giving it away.
Thats what I keep saying, we have a solid rotation. Everyone is WAY too happy with removing Assad from the rotation for guys like Boyd (who had a HIGHER ERA than Assad last season)
@ plus several in the high minors that are waiting to pop. Trust the system! Young hitters need at bats, would love to see Cassie up, but can we get him enough at bats?
Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah! Pablo Lopez would definitely solidify the rotation. What are your thoughts on possibly trading for Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcántara? Coming off Tommy John, but from what I’ve heard he’s ready to go and back to throwing upper 90’s. He’s owed $17.3 M in 2025 and 2026 ($21 M team option in 2027).
The Cubs have about 40M before hitting their self imposed CBT. They could use upgrades at 3B, SP, and BP (2 arms maybe). As it stands, they can pick 2 of those to address without major moves. To get Seattle to break up their guys and it not be Castillo, you'd have to blow them away with an offer. Not saying they'd take it, but offering Nico, Brown, Assad, Alcantara, and Rojas for Logan Gilbert would be a huge move for the Cubs and give Seattle back 2 top 100 prospects, 2 MLB ready pitchers, and a huge upgrade to their 2B for them. Another possible could be a 3 team trade with the Cubs sending Nico to Seattle and Alcantara and Wicks to Minny with the M's sending Harry Ford to Minny and the Cubs getting Lopez from the Twins. Cubs payroll goes up about 6-7M but they have their rotation set.
Merry Christmas Matt and Sam! Sorry to say I disagree but why isn’t Burnes an option? What’s the point of trading Bellinger, one of your best players, to not spend the money on someone else? Why spend the money on Castillo when you’d have to give up players to get him? Without Harry Ford in the deal too it’s not worth it. Spend a little bit more than Castillo’s contract on Burnes. Imagine the rotation being Burnes, Steele, Imanaga, Taillon, Boyd with those other guys out of the pen.
If Dansby uses the whole field, as he did on occasion last year, he will improve. Hoerner needs to cut down his swing and just play his game. PCA needs a breakout but I'm not optimistic. Shaw may have a rocky start but by mid-season he may be our best hitter outside of Tucker.
Not gonna lie. The absolute DORMANT Jed Hoyer since Tucker & trading Bellinger is concerning to me as Starting pitchers are coming off the board. We shouldn’t be waiting for Roki. Go get what you need and if Roki falls in your lap, everyone slides down. Simple. I don’t like this feeling. This happened last off season. Names kept coming off the board. There are great….not good relievers out there right now. GREAT. Jed cannot be middling down the road again. You gotta GOOOOOOO. Pick a side. Trade aggressively or sign aggressively since you got Tucker. Keep going. Dodgers told everyone you need starters and more starters and then after that more starters. They all went down with injuries. I feel waiting does more harm than good right now. We all know the money is there. I fear nothing else happening. 😢
I'd love either of Verlander or Scherzer.... but not for what they'd want to be paid, and not knowing if they'd be available in October. On it's own, no doubt. Same with Pablo if it was just having him for what his deal is.
Why is the success of Marquee dependent on money being spent on players. What about Wrigley revenue? Full grandstands and ballpark, bustling Wrigleyville, massive concession spending, plus merchandise. This sounds like total BS!
How about Pivetta? They may be able to get him cheaper due to him being attached to a QO. I know the stance they don’t pursue these free agents but come on! Act like the Chicago Cubs
Not sure if the Twins want or could use him but if we trade Nico and maybe a lower level prospect for Lopez the Cubs essentially are only taking on about $10m, at this point every little bit should help MN
So the Twins are basically doing what the Cubs did with Bellinger. Salary dump, give them a low-level pitcher and nothing else. Or dont do it, another Taillon-esque guy, blegh.
1 thing that's not being talked about enough is the Cubs Farm system right now. After the top 7 or so there is a massive dropoff. Almost no depth at all. It's why the experts have been dropping them in the rankings. They went from a top 2-3 system to out of the top 10 very quickly. Just something to watch. If they trade another 1 or 2 of the top guys this system will turn into one of the 5 worst in baseball.
Merry Christmas Sam and Matt, wider Cubs community and all baseball fans.
I wish you a Merry Christmas as well!
I like Lopez for his durability, if he really is available.
Merry Christmas guys. Thank you for all the great work this year on the podcasts. You bring great comments and have a really enjoyable rapport with your viewers!
Merry Christmas Matt and Happy Hanukah Sam! Hope you both have a wonderful holiday! Hopefully we get some cubs news over the break!
Sending love straight from Canada. Matt and Sam are the 👌 BEST. Much success with all you do. Go CUBS go!❤
Hey, could you guys do a segment on the best way to watch the Cubs on TV?
Matt reads that opening like he has a gun to his head lol. Keep up the good work guys, I listen every day!
Funny note about that trivia for Zambrano’s no hitter. The next day Ted Lilly threw a 1 hitter. My buddies and I went up after watching the no-hitter
Get yourself season tickets already!
Thanks for the show guys! LET'S GO CUBS!!! ⚾️✌️💙🐻
High leverage relievers and maybe one more bat. Let our talented kids fill the back of the rotation and long relief roles. If we get that kid from Japan, then that is even better. Keep the prospects and develop our own.
Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to all.....Go Cubs!
Jhoan Duran the type of Closer who carries you to à WS is available. Get the Closer!!!! 104Mph and Elite off speed stuff. Twins stadium starts shaoong
This x 1000! They are pretty solid with starters for now...and SP is definitely something that becomes more available mid season, anyway.
Elite closers are necessary, and the Cubs do not have anyone with that experience. Hodge has the stuff, but not sure if he's it, or he's the 8th inning guy. If Ben Brown is in the Pen and not a Starter(which makes sense for his health and inning count), he has nasty stuff, but does he have closer mentality?...better off as a 6-7 inning or long relief guy that also "opens" for 2-3 innings sometimes.
He's pretty good, but not the level of pitcher that's worth giving up the prospects for right now. Keep them for the aircraft carriers.
Prospect hoarding is dumb. Especially with how all the cubs prospects outside of 2 have regressed in value in the ranking this year falling out of the top 100
I agree with the OP
@@randylewis8628 I'm ready to win another WS this year not 6 years from now
I remember game one of the 08 playoffs for so many reasons. Earlier that day it was finally the day that my former wife and I met with our lawyer to finally pick up the settlement check from a years long lawsuit against a doctor in the death of our daughter. Despite meeting with the lawyer and picking up a check for $800,000 the only thing on my mind that day was the Cubs. This was our year, the best record in baseball 97 wins 100 years since our last championship. I was so excited, then the game started DeRosa homered early to give us the lead. This was the year it was finally happening. Then the fifth inning happened and it all went away.
We need a closer
But if we can also swing Burnes WOW 😊
CUBS CLOSER in 2025? Who will it be? Soooo Important.
Don't sleep on Pearson. I think you could add him to the list of possible starters.
Lopez is a better pitcher than Luzardo or Taillon.
Thanks for the research, Sam. Sounds good, depending on what we give up for him.
Age 28 does not mean his best years are ahead of him. It means he is who he is.
That’s not necessarily true
New to baseball huh?
In some cases. But I believe on average, peak years for most MLB players are considered to be the 5-6 year period of ages 27-32. The official "prime" of most players.
Umm, heard of Jake Arrietta?
We need game changers
This would be a good move ⚾
I'd go for Lopez but I'd also want Willi Castro from them. Cubs need depth on their bench. Castro played SS, 2B, 3B, LF, and CF last year. Average bat but great defensively everywhere. He's the kinda player the cubs need. They currently have 0 infield depth and no one that can fill in if Nico isn't ready or Shaw just sucks at 3rd.
I thought a one year deal for Verlander made a ton of sense, especially at this stage of his career. But you can miss me with Max. He's toast, unless he wants to convert into a closer, maybe even an old school Sutter-type that comes in in the 7th. Beyond that... he'd have to be rock bottom cheap.
Bear with me...Why not Kyle Gibson as 5th starter. Cheap (maybe $12m, 1yr), veteran FA, dependable. (32 starts last 2 years). Ground ball pitcher. Good clubhouse presence. Allows Wicks, Brown, Assad to be in the pen until they're ready to start. Spend money on 2 closer types and DeJong to back up Shaw and maybe Busch.
Lopez sounds okay, and since his peripherals suggest he’s better than his ERA maybe the Cubs’ pitching lab along with plus defenders could improve his numbers? Hope we make a move soon.
You forgot Meriwether and Tyson Miller in the bullpen
Why send out more prospects, sign a few more relievers and maybe a utility bat. Let the kids compete for long relief and the back of the rotation. The fruit is ripening, time to start harvesting, not giving it away.
Thats what I keep saying, we have a solid rotation. Everyone is WAY too happy with removing Assad from the rotation for guys like Boyd (who had a HIGHER ERA than Assad last season)
@ plus several in the high minors that are waiting to pop. Trust the system! Young hitters need at bats, would love to see Cassie up, but can we get him enough at bats?
@@WithFearGamingAssad was a high wire act much of last season.
You want a guy who is Chapman on roids 😅 Jhoan Duran can get this team a World Series.
Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah! Pablo Lopez would definitely solidify the rotation. What are your thoughts on possibly trading for Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcántara? Coming off Tommy John, but from what I’ve heard he’s ready to go and back to throwing upper 90’s. He’s owed $17.3 M in 2025 and 2026 ($21 M team option in 2027).
Road to 12k subscribers
The Cubs have about 40M before hitting their self imposed CBT. They could use upgrades at 3B, SP, and BP (2 arms maybe). As it stands, they can pick 2 of those to address without major moves. To get Seattle to break up their guys and it not be Castillo, you'd have to blow them away with an offer. Not saying they'd take it, but offering Nico, Brown, Assad, Alcantara, and Rojas for Logan Gilbert would be a huge move for the Cubs and give Seattle back 2 top 100 prospects, 2 MLB ready pitchers, and a huge upgrade to their 2B for them.
Another possible could be a 3 team trade with the Cubs sending Nico to Seattle and Alcantara and Wicks to Minny with the M's sending Harry Ford to Minny and the Cubs getting Lopez from the Twins. Cubs payroll goes up about 6-7M but they have their rotation set.
2025; the road to the Central!!
Considering what his price would be, I’m down to take a flier on Scherzer is all other options disappear
I was at game 2 of the 2008 NLDS where every Cubs infielder recorded an error and Manny Ramirez hit an absolute tank to center above the batters eye.
That could be a good move.
Merry Christmas Matt and Sam! Sorry to say I disagree but why isn’t Burnes an option? What’s the point of trading Bellinger, one of your best players, to not spend the money on someone else? Why spend the money on Castillo when you’d have to give up players to get him? Without Harry Ford in the deal too it’s not worth it. Spend a little bit more than Castillo’s contract on Burnes. Imagine the rotation being Burnes, Steele, Imanaga, Taillon, Boyd with those other guys out of the pen.
If Dansby uses the whole field, as he did on occasion last year, he will improve. Hoerner needs to cut down his swing and just play his game. PCA needs a breakout but I'm not optimistic. Shaw may have a rocky start but by mid-season he may be our best hitter outside of Tucker.
Not gonna lie. The absolute DORMANT Jed Hoyer since Tucker & trading Bellinger is concerning to me as Starting pitchers are coming off the board. We shouldn’t be waiting for Roki. Go get what you need and if Roki falls in your lap, everyone slides down. Simple. I don’t like this feeling. This happened last off season. Names kept coming off the board. There are great….not good relievers out there right now. GREAT. Jed cannot be middling down the road again. You gotta GOOOOOOO. Pick a side. Trade aggressively or sign aggressively since you got Tucker. Keep going. Dodgers told everyone you need starters and more starters and then after that more starters. They all went down with injuries. I feel waiting does more harm than good right now. We all know the money is there. I fear nothing else happening. 😢
How would you feel about kyle Gibson? Better than nothing?
@ love it for sure. What about you?
@@gregthegroove Wouldn't mind a one year deal
What about getting him and Duran in a deal?
Minor Deal
Any new cubs pitchers yet😊
NO WAY !!
Where is porter hodge do you guys even watch the games😅😅😅
Anything below
I'd love either of Verlander or Scherzer.... but not for what they'd want to be paid, and not knowing if they'd be available in October. On it's own, no doubt. Same with Pablo if it was just having him for what his deal is.
Why is the success of Marquee dependent on money being spent on players. What about Wrigley revenue? Full grandstands and ballpark, bustling Wrigleyville, massive concession spending, plus merchandise. This sounds like total BS!
Jon Gray may be available
@@joanshortall7333 jon gray is trash
How about Pivetta? They may be able to get him cheaper due to him being attached to a QO. I know the stance they don’t pursue these free agents but come on! Act like the Chicago Cubs
Merryweather?
Lopez is a big risk...50/50. Get Jack Flaherty or trade for someone more reliable.
4+ era is not worth it. how is that worth giving up prospects for?
Why is Burnes an "unrealistic" option for 2025? Too much money?
merry christmas fellas! and happy hanukkah from this half jew! may we find Roki under the tree tomorrow or for one of the 8 days of Hanukkah !
Right now the Cubs if they get lucky will make a wild card otherwise they suck
Another #3or 4 starter
Not sure if the Twins want or could use him but if we trade Nico and maybe a lower level prospect for Lopez the Cubs essentially are only taking on about $10m, at this point every little bit should help MN
They need to improve the lineup as well. It’s weak as is.
I don't think we need a starter tbh
Brain dead take
So the Twins are basically doing what the Cubs did with Bellinger. Salary dump, give them a low-level pitcher and nothing else. Or dont do it, another Taillon-esque guy, blegh.
Yay. "Solving" the lack of a top-of-the-rotation ace by signing another "nice" pitcher.
1 thing that's not being talked about enough is the Cubs Farm system right now. After the top 7 or so there is a massive dropoff. Almost no depth at all. It's why the experts have been dropping them in the rankings. They went from a top 2-3 system to out of the top 10 very quickly. Just something to watch. If they trade another 1 or 2 of the top guys this system will turn into one of the 5 worst in baseball.
Jed lucked out on Tucker, he's not signing anyone worth a thing. Hoyer is out of a job after this up coming season, he destroyed this team
More mediocrity 😮
Roki > Lopez
Anything below