MLB Hot Stove 2019-20

[JWags85]

The Padres are about to make a real run at LAD's consecutive division title streak.

Blake Snell was eyebrow raising. Immediately following that up by going right to Darvish is wild

[Dish]

I'm shocked that's all the Cubs got back for Darvish and Caritini, wow.

[Pakuni]

I'm shocked that's all the Cubs got back for Darvish and Caritini, wow.

Seriously. Not even one top 100 prospect.
These two SD trades show how well the Sox did with the Sale, Eaton and Quintana deals.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

To this untrained eye, it looks like the Cubs are dumping money. Maybe Herr Ricketts is selling the team.

[Dish]

I've heard whispers for a few years now about the Cubs financial woes, and that eventually it was going to hit them hard and have mentioned it here a few times. Theo knew, I don't think Kasper left because of it, but he knew too. It's not a coincidence that they're cutting costs and depleting the MLB roster after a year of Marquee.

To think that they fought hard to manipulate Bryant's service time for a 7th year, and now year 7 is here, and he has limited value and they're going to be a low 70 win team in 2021.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I've heard whispers for a few years now about the Cubs financial woes, and that eventually it was going to hit them hard and have mentioned it here a few times. Theo knew, I don't think Kasper left because of it, but he knew too. It's not a coincidence that they're cutting costs and depleting the MLB roster after a year of Marquee.

To think that they fought hard to manipulate Bryant's service time for a 7th year, and now year 7 is here, and he has limited value and they're going to be a low 70 win team in 2021.

Marquee has been a major flop and it was before COVID. Never should have left that deal to a Domer.

[Pakuni]

@DanJFederico: The Cubs are also eating some of Darvish's salary in this trade, according to a source

[Pakuni]

@DanJFederico: The Cubs are also eating some of Darvish's salary in this trade, according to a source

Whoops ...
@DanJFederico: I believe I got bad info on this part of the deal. Looks like the deal was a salary dump on the Cubs part. My apologies on that

[Lennys Tap]

I'm shocked that's all the Cubs got back for Darvish and Caritini, wow.

If that's today's market for a stud starting pitcher I hope the White Sox go after Castillo.

[HutchwasClutch]

I'm shocked that's all the Cubs got back for Darvish and Caritini, wow.

As a casual observer of baseball outside the Brewers, doesn't he have quite a bit of mileage on his arm? Not to mention he's in his mid 30's.  He seems a risk to give up a lot for.  I wasn't surprised to hear the Cubs were trying to move him. 

[MU82]

Total salary dump by the Cubbies.

[Jockey]

Whoops ...
@DanJFederico: I believe I got bad info on this part of the deal. Looks like the deal was a salary dump on the Cubs part. My apologies on that

The Rays got 2 Top 7 prospects from the Padres for Snell. Cubs got a #5 starter and no Top 10 prospects for Darvish. Worse than just a salary dump.

[MU82]

The Rays got 2 Top 7 prospects from the Padres for Snell. Cubs got a #5 starter and no Top 10 prospects for Darvish. Worse than just a salary dump.

In true salary dumps, where you are desperate to get rid of an extremely overpaid pitcher who has a lot of mileage on his arm, you don't have any leverage to get anything of note in return.

Darvish is a 34-year-old pitcher with a recent injury history and nearly $60M left on his contract.

Snell is 28, relatively low mileage, signed for the next 3 years at a relatively attractive $41M total.

Huge difference. Lots of teams want a pitcher - and a contract - like Snell. Few want a pitcher/contract like Yu.

[🏀]

Sell the team Ricketts.

[Dish]

Interesting going through Twitter to see David Kaplan saying what I've been hearing (for a while now) about the true Cubs financial troubles. I believe he's the first person in Chicago media to mention it.

[Shaka Shart]

Interesting going through Twitter to see David Kaplan saying what I've been hearing (for a while now) about the true Cubs financial troubles. I believe he's the first person in Chicago media to mention it.

Open the books then. Is it financial troubles? or "Financial troubles"

[Silent Verbal]

Cubs hire Jon Sciambi to replace Kasper.  That's a freaking coup for them.  He's very similar to Kasper in terms of style and humor.  Not even really a step down, just different, and I think he'll vibe well with JD.  I'll give the Cubs credit, they knocked it out of the park with this hire.

[MUfan12]

Boog is one of the best. Tremendous hire.

The TV and Radio teams for both clubs are really strong. Chicago fans are lucky.

[The Sultan]

So it isn't Chris Myers?

He really is a great hire for them.  I spent some mornings this past summer watching him do KBO games and he was fantastic.  Really has a good vibe for basketball play by play

[dgies9156]

Only 104 more years until the NEXT Chicago Cubs World Series Championship.

The Darvish thing was a head-scratcher. As a long-time Cardinals fan, one could see from the outside that the biggest weakness the Cubs had was pitching. That's not going away anytime soon. Lester was past prime two years ago and I wasn't impressed with the rest of the staff. The team is becoming a typical Chicago Cubs team -- swing for the fences and hope the offense is just good enough to overcome weak pitching.

The NL Central will be a toxic waste dump this year. The Cardinals look like the 1960s era Los Angeles Dodgers -- if they hit .250 as a team (unlikely) it's a moral victory. The Reds are trying but have consistently been unable to produce a play-off caliber team. The Cubs are the Cubs and the Brewers and Pirates are, at best rebuilding.

Do we have a division winner with 83 wins this year?????

[WI inferiority Complexes]

As a long-time Cardinals fan, one could see from the outside that the biggest weakness the Cubs had was pitching.

The Cubs were 10th in team ERA and 21st in team OPS last season. As far as I know, these stats are the same for everyone, even long-time Cardinals fans from the outside.

[cheebs09]

Yea, I don't think starting pitching was the big issue for the Cubs. Their bullpen was a hot mess.

Also, I don't know that the Brewers are rebuilding. Their roster has a bunch of turnover every year because of the one year flyers Stearns signs. Their core is still there. If they trade Hader and Woodruff for prospects, I'd say they are rebuilding.

[wadesworld]

If Burns is relatively close to what he was last season, the Brewers will be competitive, mainly because the NLC is a bunch of bad baseball teams.

[Jockey]

With Hendricks, Davies and Mills - you have 3 guys who average in the upper 80's on their fastballs. Wonder when the last time that a team's top 3 starters all failed to average 90 mph.

[buckchuckler]

Lindor and Carrasco go to the Mets.