Sherman - Cubs (and others obv) expected to be in on Alex Gordon

[Bryant's Disco Ball]

yeah, not sure how the heck that happened.

Yeah that was weird. But it was a good post either way.

[Bryant's Disco Ball]

yeah, not sure how the heck that happened.

Yeah that was weird. But it was a good post either way.

[jersey cubs fan]

you did that on purpose

[Bryant's Disco Ball]

you did that on purpose

Maybe.

[biittner77]

Ahh good stuff. Guess I shouldn't be too happy for the cute little Royals anymore after 2 pennants and a title, but its good to see them able to re-sign their key free agents and keep their team going strong.

Is Gordon really that key to them? He seems more like a nice guy to have around to a disinterested observer. Though it is meaningful that anyone who could walk didn't.

I mean he's averaged 5.5 wins over the last 5 seasons and that number is being held down by 2.8 wins over 104 games last year. Obviously age is a factor but based on his last 5 seasons he's certainly a key piece of their team.

and 2.8 wins in 104 games is roughly a 4.2ish win full season pace

I pay almost no attention to teams like the Royals. When I think of them, I think of Hossmer and Morales being the important guys. I was surprised to see that Gordon is right up there with them.

[Tryptamine]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

[weis21]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

[Tryptamine]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

You'd have to find someone who would give you good value for Soler, so any kind of move would kind of hinge on being able to do that.

[Cubswin11]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

Keep them, with what they bring to the table and what Fowler brings all 3 would see significant time. Those 3 could serve as a pseudo platoon. Fowler starts against all LHP, occasional RHP to spell Soler and late inning defensive replacement. It probably isn't hard to get all 3 to about 500 PA's without doing anything drastic. What Fowler brings is a very nice hedge against the downside to Schwarber and Soler, albeit a likely expensive and more of a nice to have, than need to have hedge.

Figuring out a way to bring Fowler in as the "4th OF" would be my dream move for the offseason finisher, trade Coghlan for the best AA-AAA SP who could contribute this year if needed. I know it's very unlikely, but maybe Fowler doesn't see the big deal out there and liked his time here so much/wants to be a part of what we have built and the weak market next year and signs a 1 year deal for decent AAV (going from Coghlan to Fowler in terms of dollars is maybe a net of an additional $7 million max) or a 3 year deal with an opt out after the year.

[Sammy Sofa]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

Trade them both for Stanton.

[Tryptamine]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

Trade them both for Stanton.

I might get railed for it, but I wouldn't make that trade unless MIA was willing to eat one hell of a lot of money.

[TomtheBombadil]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

Trade them both for Stanton.

I might get railed for it, but I wouldn't make that trade unless MIA was willing to eat one hell of a lot of money.

You should be, Stanton is the man. Guy was on pace for 60 HRs last year.

[Tryptamine]

With the seeming lack of market for hitters this offseason, does Fowler come back to the Cubs? We know they offered him a 2 year deal this offseason but he wanted more years. With guys like Gordon,Cespedes and Upton struggling to get 4 or 5 year deals, things can't be looking good for Fowler. I'd take him on a one year deal where he can't be offered a QO in 2017.

What would you do with Schwarber/Soler? Trade one?

Trade them both for Stanton.

I might get railed for it, but I wouldn't make that trade unless MIA was willing to eat one hell of a lot of money.

You should be, Stanton is the man. Guy was on pace for 60 HRs last year.

Guy is also making a stupid amount of money. You realize that you could have Strasburg/Soler/Schwarber in 2017 instead of just Stanton, right?

[davell]

They'll attempt to piece together things around him before they trade him off. He's still cheap this year and next, 9 and 14.5 mill. I don't think they'll even truly consider dealing him until after that. I don't see Fernandez going anywhere either until mid season of NEXT year at this stage, the more I look at how they line up. It's entirely possible the Marlins actually stuck themselves with Stanton's entire deal. He's got the opt out at age 30, with at least 7/218 left on it. Harper's imminent record deal will start pushing salaries on up quite a bit, but Stanton will need some health in order to feel comfy opting out of that. My guess is they'll trade him in 2018, when his salary hits 25 mill and he's pissed anyway that they've dealt Fernandez by then and are starting another rebuild.

[TomtheBombadil]

Guy is also making a stupid amount of money. You realize that you could have Strasburg/Soler/Schwarber in 2017 instead of just Stanton, right?

His contract is very team friendly. He's making a combined $23.5 million over the next two seasons and $100.5 million over the next 5 years before his opt out. Give me Stanton over that trio and a pitcher - preferably Fernandez - over that trio.

[sneakypower]

Schwarber was on pace for 44 HR this year and basically plays for free

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, but he's a big galoot and the day his baseball career ends after he cartoonishly leaves a galoot-sized hole in the bricks will make me sad. I don't like being sad.

[Coach C]

Ahh good stuff. Guess I shouldn't be too happy for the cute little Royals anymore after 2 pennants and a title, but its good to see them able to re-sign their key free agents and keep their team going strong.

Is Gordon really that key to them? He seems more like a nice guy to have around to a disinterested observer. Though it is meaningful that anyone who could walk didn't.

I mean he's averaged 5.5 wins over the last 5 seasons and that number is being held down by 2.8 wins over 104 games last year. Obviously age is a factor but based on his last 5 seasons he's certainly a key piece of their team.

and 2.8 wins in 104 games is roughly a 4.2ish win full season pace

I pay almost no attention to teams like the Royals. When I think of them, I think of Hossmer and Morales being the important guys. I was surprised to see that Gordon is right up there with them.

Wow....

Just.... Wow....

[David]

Ahh good stuff. Guess I shouldn't be too happy for the cute little Royals anymore after 2 pennants and a title, but its good to see them able to re-sign their key free agents and keep their team going strong.

Is Gordon really that key to them? He seems more like a nice guy to have around to a disinterested observer. Though it is meaningful that anyone who could walk didn't.

I mean he's averaged 5.5 wins over the last 5 seasons and that number is being held down by 2.8 wins over 104 games last year. Obviously age is a factor but based on his last 5 seasons he's certainly a key piece of their team.

and 2.8 wins in 104 games is roughly a 4.2ish win full season pace

I pay almost no attention to teams like the Royals. When I think of them, I think of Hossmer and Morales being the important guys. I was surprised to see that Gordon is right up there with them.

I'm not sure but I think hosmer was kinda crappy before last year...or was that just moose tacos?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

To be fair, there probably aren't a whole lot of people outside of the KC metro area that give a [expletive] about the Royals. They won the friggin WS, and I'd struggle to name 5 players.

[David]

To be fair, there probably aren't a whole lot of people outside of the KC metro area that give a [expletive] about the Royals. They won the friggin WS, and I'd struggle to name 5 players.

Can you name 5 players from any non-Cub (or Cub between 2009-2014) team?

[XZero77]

To be fair, there probably aren't a whole lot of people outside of the KC metro area that give a [expletive] about the Royals. They won the friggin WS, and I'd struggle to name 5 players.

Can you name 5 players from any non-Cub (or Cub between 2009-2014) team?

I would think just about anyone here could, if they pay any attention at all.

[David]

To be fair, there probably aren't a whole lot of people outside of the KC metro area that give a [expletive] about the Royals. They won the friggin WS, and I'd struggle to name 5 players.

Can you name 5 players from any non-Cub (or Cub between 2009-2014) team?

I would think just about anyone here could, if they pay any attention at all.

XZero77, meet Sammy Sofa

[XZero77]

To be fair, there probably aren't a whole lot of people outside of the KC metro area that give a [expletive] about the Royals. They won the friggin WS, and I'd struggle to name 5 players.

Can you name 5 players from any non-Cub (or Cub between 2009-2014) team?

I would think just about anyone here could, if they pay any attention at all.

XZero77, meet Sammy Sofa

I was going to add "except mojo", but I figure he could at least name five Cardinals. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Sammy Sofa]

Pujols, Alfred Molina, Dracula, Blacula and Son of Kong.