Thursday, April 2, 2020
Hot Stove League Review: Cubs
The Cubs are in a really weird place. They still have the core of the 2016 World Series Champion team in place. Unlike the Giants, their core is still extremely productive. The complementary pieces they have brought in over the years? Not so much. On top of that, their owner, Tom Ricketts, seems to have developed a sudden allergy to spending 1 cent more than the first CBT threshold. So Theo Epstein spent the entire Hot Stove League season getting outbid on players who were supposed to be "value" acquisitions. Let's break it down:
Free Agents Lost: Cole Hamels(LHP), Nick Castellanos(OF), Steve Cishek(RHP), Brandon Kintzler(RHP), Pedro Strop(RHP), David Phelps(RHP), Derek Holland(LHP), Kendall Graveman(RHP), Tony Barnette(RHP), Ben Zobrist(UT), Addison Russell(SS).
Free Agents Signed: Steven Souza(OF), Ryan Tepera(RHP), Jeremy Jeffress(RHP), Dan Winkler(RHP).
Trades: Acquired Jharel Cotton(RHP) from the A's for cash considerations. Acquired Alfonso Rivas(1B) from the A's for Tony Kemp(OF). Acquired Casey Sadler(RHP) from the Dodgers for Clayton Daniel(IF), Acquired Travis Lakins(RHP) from the Red Sox for a PTBNL or cash(later lost on a waiver claim).
Rule 5 Draft: Trevor Megill RHP(Padres).
Minor League Free Agent Signings: Jason Kipnis(2B), Brandon Morrow(RHP), Hernan Perez(IF), Josh Phegley(C), Tyler Olson(LHP), Jason Adam(RHP), Ian Miller(OF), Carlos Asuaje(IF), Danny Hultzen(LHP), Rex Brothers(LHP), Noel Cuevas(OF), Corban Joseph(C).
Summary: The Cubs may well get breakout seasons from Ian Happ(CF) and Nico Hoerner(2B) and make everybody forget their pathetic Hot Stove campaign, but they are still stuck with a rapidly aging and thin rotation and with not much behind Craig Kimbrel, who is aging himself, in the bullpen. Theo found himself diving way deeper into the dumpster than Farhan Zaidi and that's really saying something!
Grade F!
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Cubs seemed like they were stuck this off-season. Reports were Nick Castellanous was interested in re-signing but the Cubs had no payroll room. Kris Bryant trade rumors were popping up as well. If their core players continue to produce, they should contend for the NL central, if not maybe they should look to move a few core pieces to get younger players, which improves their payroll situation as well. It reminds me a little of the Giants in 2018, who were up against the CBT tax and acquired Cutch and Longo. I wonder if Evans had made more acquisitions to get younger/cheaper players, instead of adding vets like Cutch and Longo with their salary to a team with core players who weren't producing, would Evans have kept his job. Don't get me wrong I like Cutch and Longo, but was acquiring them good for the long term health of the franchise? The owners probably got tired of spending big money on payroll with no results and decided to change the direction of the team.
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