JotCast | Cubs Offseason Chat With Tim Dierkes

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Tim Dierkes

1:58

If think if he gets that into the 25-26% range he gets pretty interesting as someone who could sustain 120 wRC+ or better

Dale

1:58

Can Matt Mervis be the Cubs regular 1st baseman or LH DH going forward?

Tim Dierkes

2:00

I think there's still a fair chance he pans out as a big leaguer. Tricky thing is the Cubs aren't in the position to promise him 300 PA to try to figure it out. Seems like the only path for him to stick on this year's team was to hit the ground running and he did not.

Cubbies fan

2:00

HYPOTHETICAL: What if the Cubs made the playoffs in 2021 and never got rid of the 2016 core? How do you think the team roster would look now?

Tim Dierkes

2:01

Kind of a cautionary tale right? Most Cubs fans wanted to lock up the core, I'm pretty sure, but if you had Rizzo, Bryant, and Baez on the types of deals they would've required you'd probably be hamstrung by them right now.

And this isn't me on my high horse - I'm sure I would've applauded extensions. Those guys were cool

Joe

2:02

Prediction on a Matt Chapman contract? I could stomach 3-4 years at $15 AAV.

Tim Dierkes

2:02

Boras guy, we're at 6/150.

Guest

2:02

Matt Chapman would be a great fit for cubs. Had another down year. Any idea of his market? Willing to do short term higher AAV?

Tim Dierkes

2:03

6/150 is pretty aggressive with the way he hit, I will admit. I suppose if the market was not to his liking at all he could do one of those Josh Bell style two-year deals with the opt-out. But it mostly makes sense for Chapman to max out this winter, he's 31 in April.

Ivy Caretaker

2:03

How off-the-walls would it be for the Cubs to make a trade to bring Rizzo back? Maybe the club’s in desperate need of that veteran figure role

Tim Dierkes

2:04

He's coming off a bad year, and would be a really fun pickup for the Cubs. It's not off the wall to me

Ivy Caretaker

2:05

Did the Cubs make a mistake in not signing Castellanos when they had the chance?

Tim Dierkes

2:06

He signed for 4/64 with an opt-out that winter. I don't think that would've been bad for the Cubs, but he still would've opted out.

Guest

2:06

Why are you down on Jordan Wicks? Aside from a lousy start in his last game of the year, he pitched really well.

Tim Dierkes

2:09

Generally speaking the SP I'm high on are gonna strike out a lot more hitters than Wicks does. As far as I know he was only ever supposed to be a back of the rotation guy. Those are important.

Doug

2:09

Do the Cubs commit towards making Morel their project at 3rd base or simply put Candalerio there???

Tim Dierkes

2:09

If I had to guess, I'd say the Cubs do neither of those things.

Non Cub Fan

2:09

Why the negativity toward Snell?

Tim Dierkes

2:10

Backing up the truck for a guy who walks 13% of hitters and doesn't really provide innings (even by current standards) just seems really risky

Ivy Caretaker

2:11

Hypothetical - Hoyer’s at an impasse and has to sign one of three pitchers this off-season - Yamamoto, Nola or Gray. Assuming the Ricketts give him the money he needs, who does Hoyer sign?

Tim Dierkes

2:11

Yamamoto is the easy choice - and I think much better than the other two - but I think that will be reflected in a much higher price.

azchuck

2:12

Do you sense the Cubs to be in on impact type bats, Soto, Ohtani, Trout or do you sense they wont do much at the top of the trade market if they sign Bellinger? I think the lineup needs length to contend.

Tim Dierkes

2:12

If think if they were to re-sign Bellinger they'd otherwise be pretty quiet on the position player side.

Guest

2:13

Calling it: Gio Urshela/Nick Madrigal platoon at 3rd, Morel focuses on right to push Suzuki into quarter time DH role for injury, while not overexposing M’s glove. Please tell me I’m wrong!

Tim Dierkes

2:14

I don't think the Cubs have plans to mess with Suzuki in RF. You gotta leave him alone - he's their best chance at a true breakout player next year. Could see the Cubs adding an Urshela type for 3B. They preferred Morel at DH this year, which I get, but you have to wonder if he could learn one position given his athleticism and arm.

Scotty H

2:15

Gut feeling: is Jed still running the show after say 2025? I think if the team under performs for another two seasons, he has to be the first to go, right?

Tim Dierkes

2:15

That seems like a fair assessment. I think if the 2024 team misses the playoffs, Ricketts would take a hard look at letting him go, and definitely would if they miss both '24 and '25.

the division rvals, brewers and cubs

2:16

Urshela is on the angels, they would need to wait until he is a free agent or trade for him.

Tim Dierkes

2:16

I think he's a free agent this winter!

Ivy Caretaker

2:16

Is Steele a perennial Cy Young candidate, or were the peripheral stats in his favor this year?

Tim Dierkes

2:17

I guess I'd say his numbers don't indicate a 3.06 ERA pitcher next year, but still a really good one. If we just saw his career year that would not surprise me. That isn't a dig...I like him, he's good at baseball

2:18

Just, most guys cannot pitch like a 3.06 ERA pitcher year in year out

Alright one more poll and then I'm out...

Will the Cubs trade for Pete Alonso or Juan Soto?

Yes (10% | 3 votes)

No (90% | 27 votes)

Total Votes: 30

2:19

Best song

Go Cubs Go (90.5% | 19 votes)

Orioles Magic (9.5% | 2 votes)

Total Votes: 21

I know this is a Cubs chat but it's not really fair to vote until you give this bad boy a spin

2:20

Alright, unpopular opinion, but Orioles Magic is a much better song

2:21

We need to throw that vote out to a less biased crowd. Thanks for chatting! I hope your week has all the promise Kevin Orie once did.

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