Expect the Cubs to Move Fast on Another Signing
Literally within 24-hours… everything has changed. The landscape of baseball changed. If Shohei Ohtani is the player we expect, the LA Angels have become a threat in the AL West. I saw it best when Jon Heyman this…
jeter helped the yankees win 5 world series. and counting …
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 9, 2017
With the landscape changed, expect the Cubs will move quickly to sign a player before the Winter Meetings. There are a couple of players the Cubs want and one of their signings should be official by tonight.
I have gotten information from Cubs sources in the past, but I do not have insider knowledge on any of this. I am only going off of my experience in following this team for 40 years and covering the team for various sources for nearly six years. I have learned a sense of how Theo Epstein, the Chicago Cubs, and the nature of how baseball tends to work over that time period.
Alex Cobb
Alex Cobb to the Cubs has been the worst kept secret in baseball. He played for Joe Maddon for three years in Tampa. He played under Jim Hickey in Tampa. He has publically stated that he would like to play in Chicago.
The Cubs sent his representative an offer before Thanksgiving, and they have mulled over since. Per sources, the Cubs offer was in the four-year $54 million range. The thought is Cobb wants $15 million per season, and the Cubs offer is $1.5 million short.
But Cobb had also received an offer from the New York Yankees. Presumably in the same neighborhood. With the Giancarlo Stanton trade, perhaps New York is a more attractive spot for Cobb. I’m a huge Cubs fan, but on paper, the Yankees have a better shot at winning a World Series. I can see this being a reason for Cobb’s decision.
I think the Cubs have already begun picking up the chase. As soon as Ohtani agreed to terms, as soon as the Stanton news sprung, the focus shifted back to Cobb. To get this done they should just split the difference. That makes the Cubs offer a $57 million deal over four seasons. Boom. Done.
If Cobb balks at that – Lance Lynn, Andrew Cashner, Jaime Garcia, John Lackey, and many other second tier guys are on the market. Or they look to a trade. Looking at Toronto for Marcus Stroman, or Baltimore for Kevin Gausman, or Kansas City for Daniel Duffy.
Brandon Morrow
I’m not sure what the market really is for Brandon Morrow. Go ahead and search his name on MLB Trade Rumors (or click here for that search) and there isn’t much at all. Even searching him on Twitter, there isn’t much more than people suggesting he would be a good fit for their ball club.
The chase for Morrow apparently isn’t as heated as the Cobb chase. I don’t expect Morrow to sign before the meetings start (Sunday) but I do think he will be inked by Friday. The Cubs will walk out of the meetings nearly complete. Maybe there will be a small trade or roster depth move, but they will be complete.
But to complete the roster, the Cubs need another arm or two for the pen. Cobb and Morrow will not do it alone.
Jake McGee
I am actually surprised the Cubs didn’t pounce on Jake McGee as soon as the Texas Rangers signed Mike Minor. McGee is a legit lefty reliever. He has excellent reverse splits, features a 95 MPH fastball almost exclusively. He has a curve and a slider but threw them 7% of the time in 2017.
Regardless, Jake has shown if you can locate and have command, you only need one pitch.
The Cubs need a lefty reliever, Jake is the best of this group:
Fernando Abad (32), Craig Breslow (37), Xavier Cedeno (31), Jorge De La Rosa (37), Brian Duensing (35), Zach Duke (35), David Holmberg (26), Ian Krol (27), Francisco Liriano (34), Boone Logan (33), Jake McGee (31), Eric O’Flaherty (33), Oliver Perez (36), Glen Perkins (35), Robbie Ross (29), Kevin Siegrist (28), Tony Watson (32)
Even though he might be the best in that group, McGee would be wise to take an offer sooner rather than later. In a market that has a ton of similar like arms, holding out could eventually cost you money (ask Dexter Fowler).
I have a strong feeling that the team will sign someone by midnight tonight. Which pitcher, I don’t know, but I believe a lot of fans will wake up to the news that one of the three are Cubs. What is great about this Cubs front office is, they could go completely off script too. We could see them land a coveted pitcher that has years of control instead of Alex Cobb. Maybe they flip the script and acquire Zach Britton contingent on an extension.
That is why writing hot stove stories is fun, that is why reading hot stove stories is fun. Hopefully the actual hot stove continues to be fun.
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