GM Meetings – Craziest Cubs Rumors

The GM Meetings are underway and we are sitting back and both, showing why certain Chicago Cubs rumors make sense, and why others are complete garbage. One thing I will warn, just because a trade doesn’t happen doesn’t mean it wasn’t talked about. Just because it takes ESPN four days to report the same rumor a smaller site may find out, also doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. I run one of the smallest Cubs blogs (or, well, Chicago blogs) and I have had some chatter come my way.

I am going to do something a little bit different in this article. I am going to talk about some of the early rumors and then I will lean on several other blogs, websites, and a little kitty from Twitter to help talk about what has been passed around the internet.

Charles the Cat on Twitter

The first thing I want to talk about is Charles the Cat. I’m not sure who he/she is. I don’t know where they get their information, mostly I don’t know why there aren’t more people following the cat? I do know the cat has been first and right on a number of Cubs dealings over the past couple of years. So when Charles the Cat begins to talk about trading partners, players names, and other information – I listen, and so should you.

Alex Cobb

I have also been very much in on Alex Cobb being a Cub for the next several years. The guy has that Tampa connection. He has been a very good pitcher (outside of an injury). His stuff isn’t reflective of region, stadium, opposition.

It sounds likely that come Thursday when Cobb turns down his Qualifying Offer, he will become a Chicago Cub. Here is the latest on where we might be at.

Update on SP Alex Cobb: I've been told Cobb's agent has initially asked for a 5 year deal. The #Cubs are steadfast at 4 years. Confident a deal will be worked out at 4. Hearing 4/56M is where the #Cubs are currently at. #HotStove

— Charles the Cat™ (@CharlsMeow) November 13, 2017

When you look at other websites, we see that there is mutual interest, there seems to be progressing conversations. This is a rumor that makes sooo much sense, I don’t think it is a rumor at all. This is happening, and outside of a major upset, Cobb will be a Cub by weeks end.

• NBC Sports talks about how Cobb’s underuse is a huge asset for the 30-year old pitcher.
• Brett Taylor over at Bleacher Nation mentions how the Cubs contacted Cobb early in the process.
• Jesse Rogers at ESPN talks about how Cobb checks off a lot of boxes on the Cubs list.
• Evan Altman at Cubs Insider talks about how the implication of the luxury tax could have affected a Cobb signing and any deal for a player who denied a Qualifying Offer.
• I’ll toot my own horn in mentioning very early on that the Cubs and Cobb should find a way to marry.

Zach Britton

There was some talk about the Cubs inquiring about Zach Britton before the July 31st trade deadline, now it is sparking up again at the GM Meetings.

This isn’t uncommon. Teams will have contact sometimes for years discussing a particular trade. So it makes sense that the Cubs and Baltimore would rekindle a discussion from June or July.

My only problem with it, and the cat agrees, is, the Cubs should be past dealing for a closer that will be a rental.

Unless a SP is packaged like maybe Gausmann I don't see the Cubs giving up anything significant for yet another rental arm. It's a model they are trying to stay clear of moving forwards. https://t.co/myPq1b8SvH

— Charles the Cat™ (@CharlsMeow) November 14, 2017

I don’t know what the Cubs would be willing to part with for Britton, but I’d expect the O’s would want something significant.If Baltimore wants someone off of the Cubs 25-man, the Orioles will absolutely have to add a starter that has multiple years of team control.

Here is a sampling of what the internet is saying.

• Bleacher Report thinks adding an elite closer like Britton keeps the Cubs in World Series contention.
• Al Yellon talks about how he would stay away from Britton due to injuries, current price vs Wade Davis, and him being a rental.
• Cubbies Crib noted that the Cubs seem to be involved in every player available, and should have a chance of really improving the roster.

Dance Partners

The Cubs are certainly going to be very popular at the meetings. With Theo being open about trading from the 25-man, anyone with a surplus of pitching will call. What is interesting, years ago people believed pitching was the way to build an organization. What we have begun to learn is, it’s not entirely true.

Pitchers are incredibly hard to draft, and consistently hit on. While some teams have great methodologies on drafting pitchers, it seems for every Clayton Kershaw there’s 3,000 Rick Ankiel’s. Heck, even hitting on one, all it takes is one pitch thrown poorly and that fireball stud can’t hit 85 on a gun any more.

This is why the Cubs placed their rebuild on young, talented, versatile, position players. Someone that can hit is more likely to continue hitting. Then, when you have too many guys crowding a couple positions, you trade one or two for a pitcher with two or three years of control.

The #Cubs have the pieces to set themselves up nicely for next winter's FA extravaganza. Now they just need to find the right dance partner. #Athletics #Indians and #Rays are their most likely dance partner this winter. Who will get the last dance? #HotStove

— Charles the Cat™ (@CharlsMeow) November 14, 2017

Each of these teams have pitchers that are attractive for a team like the cubs, and the Cubs have players that are attractive to them. The Oakland Athletics would absolutely love someone like Kyle Schwarber. Regardless of 2017 performance, Kyle is a “moneyball” player. He sees pitches, gets on base at a rate 100 points higher than his average. Then he adds a power component that would pair nicely with Khris Davis. I can see the Cubs having interest in Sean Manaea, a 26 year old with a world of potential.

Cleveland should benefit from talking trade for Javier Baez. Not only are Javy and Indians shortstop, Francisco Lindor, buddies, Cleveland would like to trade current second baseman, and Chicago native, Jason Kipnis. This is also a great spot for Schwarber to land. The Indians will have a need for another bat with Carlos Santana likely leaving, and Kyle can be a force in a lineup that includes Lindor, Edwin Encarnacion, and Jose Ramirez.

The Rays seem to be the same conversation we have every year – will the Cubs pony up for Chris Archer?

I would hope that the Cubs brass doesn’t get involved in those conversations, but like it has been said for so many years – the Rays have young controlled pitching and the Cubs have young controlled hitting, a match made in baseball heaven. If you think about it, the Cubs have guys that would flourish in the American League East. Sluggers, that would be able to pad their home run totals with six-plus games in Fenway, six-plus games in Yankee Stadium, six-plus games in Toronto, six-plus games in Baltimore. Tampa has pitching that the Cubs could be very interested in outside of Archer.

Alex Colome is a closer who is under control until 2021. His 47 saves in 2017 paced the league and he has shown the ability to go more than one-inning on occasion (huge for playoff baseball). Jake Odorizzi is another guy. An Illinois resident that took a step back in 2017, and could benefit from playing meaningful baseball.

Shohei Ohtani

I had written a piece on how we should expect the Cubs to be involved in the Ohtani talks last week. While most liked the news, a lot of people responded by mentioning that the Cubs do not have the money to sign Shohei.

This is neither a right or wrong response. The Cubs do not have as much money as some others, but you would be foolish to think this is where Ohtani will earn his money. The Cubs can offer Ohtani a maximum signing bonus of $300,000 and the most he can earn is $3.5 million from the Texas Rangers. Sure, 3.2 million shekels is a lot of coin, for most non-athletes, movie stars, brain surgeons, or tech company CEO’s. But he is an athlete, but there is more.

If Shohei waits two years, just two years, he would be able to come to the states as a bonafide free agent. He would be able to make generational wealth before suiting up for his first MLB baseball game. This for a guy that is earning $270 million jpy a season, which equates to about $2.4 million.

His jump to America isn’t about what a team can offer him financially, it is about playing the game in the most competitive league in the world. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he wait two years and then sign a $200-million deal? He is looking for a stage to play on, and his real compensation will come off the field.

So how might the Cubs be luring him to Chicago? Well this could go a long way…

#Cubs are one that I know of. Were mulling over a ST invite just a week ago. Could it help with Otani? He did have Ichiro posters on his wall growing up. #Hotstove https://t.co/oUIH7hNsDS

— Charles the Cat™ (@CharlsMeow) November 15, 2017

Inviting the most decorated and successful Japanese player to Spring Training as a conduit could help with Ohtani (there are apparently two correct ways to spell his last name, Otani or Ohtani).

• Cubs Insider touches on the Cubs brass and their public non-statement/statements on Ohtani and the likelihood of the Cubs coming to Chicago.
• Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami talks about how important it will be to allow Shohei Ohtani play both ways.
• Back in September, Joe Maddon mentioned how it will be incredibly difficult that a two-way player sees time hitting and pitching.

Retention

There is a thought that the Cubs and Jake Arrieta are a match that mean most to one another. If that makes any sense…

Jake is a curious case on the open market. There will be teams that are interested, but those same teams might be willing to save their resources for next offseason and not this season. The Cubs, who if we are really honest, only ‘need’ to find a legitimate replacement for Arrieta. Alex Cobb will be a very nice addition to the Cubs rotation, but he really only strengthens from the middle, whereas Jake strengthens it from the top.

• Jerry Carsnick polled 40 baseball executives and they came back saying Jake will likely end up in Texas, but the Cubs are still a possibility.
• Jon Heyman of FanRag mentions that the Minnesota Twins will likely be in on Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta talks this offseason.

Wade Davis and the Cubs might not be over. But Theo’s words on a new deal with the Cubs made things sound unlikely.

“We think the world of Wade, on the field and off the field,” Epstein said Monday. “We’re definitely going to talk to him.

“Not only did he have an outstanding year in terms of his performance, but he was a terrific leader in the bullpen. He was really valuable to those other guys down there. Any club would love to have him in their clubhouse.

“We’ll certainly engage with him. He knows that we’re not known for giving long multiyear deals to relievers, but it’s definitely worth talking.”

Surprisingly, John Lackey could very well play in 2018, and if so, the Cubs would like to talk. If the team were to fill a fourth starter spot, John would be a good fifth starter option. He puts in innings, he guts out his starts, has ability, we just wouldn’t want to see him in a relief role.

The Cubs have agreed to, talk about it this offseason, but I am certain there will be a lot of fans highly against Lackey’s return. If John does pitch in 2018, he’ll likely be getting haircuts in a town other than Chicago.

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