Post by Strategist on Jan 22, 2020 10:51:18 GMT
2018 Review:
Record: 78-84 3th in NL Central. R/G Scored: 7th (NL) R/G Against: 8th (NL)
2019 Review:
Record: 63-99 5th in NL Central. R/G Scored: 14th (NL) R/G Against: 10th (NL)
Looking at their team I would have guessed that they would have performed better. Decent lineup. Decent Rotation. Decent Bullpen. Alas they didn't. Lets take a look at their future.
Future:
Salary Cap: 129.6 Mil in contracts right now but with team options that will probably be declined in Wainwright, Gyorko, and Anderson so realistically could get down to somewhere around 100. No real upcoming FAs.
Lineup: Next year this lineup will be much better. Lead by NL MVP 1B Cody Bellinger, C Wilson Contreras and 3B Yoan Moncada. Bellinger has a monster projection and hitting in hitter friendly Wrigley should put up monster numbers next season. Contreras and Moncada are borderline superstars as well. Fill in the lineup with above average hitters in LF Justin Upton, RF Steven Piscotty and SS Paul DeJong (actually more average but rated as one of the best defensive SS in the game the last few years should be well above average as a player overall). 2B Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit very well in 90 games last season and I would think would get a decent projection and rating although his defense is suspect. About the only spot that could use an upgrade is the CF spot but Micheal A. Taylor does provide above average defense at least. It wouldn't shock if this team finished somewhere in the top 5 of the NL in runs scored.
Rotation: The talent here isn't the same. Masahiro Tanaka, Adam Wainwright, John Means and Chase Anderson are all going to rate out right as average SP or a little below average. There isn't any talent in the minors that will be ready to help next season so if the Cubs want to compete they will need to make some upgrades to the top of their rotation. Really need an ace, a #2 and another average SP for depth and insurance against injury or poor performance. We all know it is hard to find elite starting pitching so if they could at least get a solid #2 type pitcher it would go a long way towards building a competitive staff.
Bullpen: In better shape then the rotation but still needs a couple of guys to fill out the back end. Roberto Osuna is elite but around him the mostly have depth pieces. Everyone needs starting pitching so it may be easier to fill out a bullpen and then focus on the rotation.
Trades Overview:
SS Ehire Adrianza to NYM for SP Tommy Romero, and SP Ljay Newsome - The Cubs were already set at SS and 2B so Adrianza was just going to be a UT for them. Traded from their strength to get to lower tier prospects. Solid Move.
RP Giovanny Gallegos to NYM for SP John Means - Gellegos was pretty elite last season for the Cards but Means also pitched well and SP are more valuable than RP so I think this was a decent move.
FA Overview:
SP Adam Wainwright 2 yr 28 Mil - 10-10 3.71 ERA in 32 GS. Provided above average production and the 2nd year is a team option so the Cubs can decide if an average pitcher is worth 14 mil. I would lean to say it is a little on the expensive side but with how hard it is to attact SP in our league it might be closer to actual value. The Cubs have the cap space that they could easily keep his contract on the books. B+
Overall: B+. Only 1 signing but worked out well with a chance to provide some value in year 2.
Record: 78-84 3th in NL Central. R/G Scored: 7th (NL) R/G Against: 8th (NL)
2019 Review:
Record: 63-99 5th in NL Central. R/G Scored: 14th (NL) R/G Against: 10th (NL)
Looking at their team I would have guessed that they would have performed better. Decent lineup. Decent Rotation. Decent Bullpen. Alas they didn't. Lets take a look at their future.
Future:
Salary Cap: 129.6 Mil in contracts right now but with team options that will probably be declined in Wainwright, Gyorko, and Anderson so realistically could get down to somewhere around 100. No real upcoming FAs.
Lineup: Next year this lineup will be much better. Lead by NL MVP 1B Cody Bellinger, C Wilson Contreras and 3B Yoan Moncada. Bellinger has a monster projection and hitting in hitter friendly Wrigley should put up monster numbers next season. Contreras and Moncada are borderline superstars as well. Fill in the lineup with above average hitters in LF Justin Upton, RF Steven Piscotty and SS Paul DeJong (actually more average but rated as one of the best defensive SS in the game the last few years should be well above average as a player overall). 2B Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit very well in 90 games last season and I would think would get a decent projection and rating although his defense is suspect. About the only spot that could use an upgrade is the CF spot but Micheal A. Taylor does provide above average defense at least. It wouldn't shock if this team finished somewhere in the top 5 of the NL in runs scored.
Rotation: The talent here isn't the same. Masahiro Tanaka, Adam Wainwright, John Means and Chase Anderson are all going to rate out right as average SP or a little below average. There isn't any talent in the minors that will be ready to help next season so if the Cubs want to compete they will need to make some upgrades to the top of their rotation. Really need an ace, a #2 and another average SP for depth and insurance against injury or poor performance. We all know it is hard to find elite starting pitching so if they could at least get a solid #2 type pitcher it would go a long way towards building a competitive staff.
Bullpen: In better shape then the rotation but still needs a couple of guys to fill out the back end. Roberto Osuna is elite but around him the mostly have depth pieces. Everyone needs starting pitching so it may be easier to fill out a bullpen and then focus on the rotation.
Trades Overview:
SS Ehire Adrianza to NYM for SP Tommy Romero, and SP Ljay Newsome - The Cubs were already set at SS and 2B so Adrianza was just going to be a UT for them. Traded from their strength to get to lower tier prospects. Solid Move.
RP Giovanny Gallegos to NYM for SP John Means - Gellegos was pretty elite last season for the Cards but Means also pitched well and SP are more valuable than RP so I think this was a decent move.
FA Overview:
SP Adam Wainwright 2 yr 28 Mil - 10-10 3.71 ERA in 32 GS. Provided above average production and the 2nd year is a team option so the Cubs can decide if an average pitcher is worth 14 mil. I would lean to say it is a little on the expensive side but with how hard it is to attact SP in our league it might be closer to actual value. The Cubs have the cap space that they could easily keep his contract on the books. B+
Overall: B+. Only 1 signing but worked out well with a chance to provide some value in year 2.