Backtobanks

It should have happened last off-season when his trade value was sky high. He still has decent trade value, but it will probably decrease because he is labeled a utility player. The Cubs should have traded players like Wicks and Alcantara while they still had some trade value.

Nobody is taking Swanson unless the Cubs pay 70% of the money owed and Ricketts wouldn't do that.

Swanson + Taillon for Skubal + Greene and we'll toss in $1 million because we're generous.

Earlier you said that players typically play to the back of their baseball card, Contreras has .817 Slug, and OPS+ of 120, and an AVG WAR of 4.5 over 11 years. He is outhitting those numbers this year, but you could still count on him adding a lot to this lineup everyday.

I don't know about the highlighted part. Putting a batter in the everyday lineup who has a .918 slug and an OPS of 160 and is on his way to a 6 WAR could go a long way in covering some of the black holes and slumps.

If we're looking for a bat and the money could be worked out, Willson Contreras would make sense.

It sure isn't the game that we grew up with. Mediocrity has overtaken stars - batters who hit .240 that strikeout twice a game are considered stars because they hit 25 HRS and pitchers who throw 5 innings per start are considered Cy Young candidates.

Don't forget the pitching staff of Boyd, Imanaga, Taillon, Horton, Palencia, Keller, Thielbar, and Pomeranz, some of whom had career years while the rest had very solid numbers.

Probably because the Cubs don't have very many healthy prospects to trade.

Those two could be headliners in a package for Duran + Early/Tolle.

Ramirez is now up and can be the utility IF, but if we don't get some rotation help soon it won't matter. I don't think we'll be replacing 2 corner OFs next year because Jed is too cheap to sign any other FAs and too afraid to trade the prospects needed to acquire a big-name replacement. Now might be the time to take a chance and get Duran and Tolle/Early from the Red Sox for Shaw plus others.

I've been saying this for a long time. Shaw is a utility player on the Cubs' roster and yet he has the trade value to be the first piece in a TOR trade. His trade value is decreasing daily. Other teams may have a need and picture him as a solid, controlled IF, so trade him now.

5 innings is about par for the course in modern MLB. The last time MLB starters averaged 6 innings pitched was about 30 years ago.

All of the stories about the Mets struggling suggest that they might be sellers. If that happens, Peralta would be a nice addition to the rotation.

Expand the deal to include a utility IF along with the major target i.e. Early + Kiner-Falefa for Shaw + low pitching prospect.