Which homegrown talent could Jed Hoyer consider extending on the Chicago Cubs? | CHGO Cubs Podcast

In early in 2023, Jed Hoyer locked up Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner with contract extensions. With the Braves and Dodgers getting extensions signed this offseason, could the Cubs consider extending any of their homegrown talent? Join Cody Delmendo, Ryan Herrera, and Corey Freedman for Thursday’s edition of the CHGO Cubs Podcast.

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#Cubs #ChicagoCubs #FlyTheW

[Applause] [Applause] Yeah Hey Chicago what do you say this is chgo Cubs podcast oh man happy Thursday Cody Doo Ryan Herrera and my good friend our good friend Cory Freeman he’s here H just back from La yeah he openly willingly openly did I need to say willing he openly came in today knowing

He has to talk about this team again tomorrow with the lack of anything happening willingly would have been the better way to say it willingly came in no one forc him to no no we didn’t force him he was just like I’ll come in credit to you I

Would say I’m happy to do it but I would be lying at this point is is he looking forward to spending an hour talking about nothing again no and then doing it again tomorrow no if you like talking about nothing hit the like button thank

You all right I see some of y’all in the chat Galvin you’re in the Twitter space last night shout out to you Tanya you were also in the Twitter space last night uh Ricky the thumbnail for this episode makes me want to punch Hoyer in the face even more can we sign someone

Please for the love of God I didn’t even see what the thumbnail was and it better not be Daniel disal it’s just Jed it’s just j a closed up version of him just Jed hash just Jed oh man so we’re off to a a hot start here

On the CH Jo Cubs podcast today um because we were just you know trying to not talk about the same thing every single day I saw this morning or maybe it was last night I’m getting my times messed up I saw the the Braves extended Chris Sale like a two-year extension

Years yeah I I think it was like a a kind of restructuring of his contract but like the was it two years 38 million and then like options for the next two year something like or year after either way I saw that obviously we know that the Dodgers extended Tyler glass now

After they traded for him mhm those are different from this particular scenario but we have not talked about this in a while the act of extending a homegrown player for the Chicago Cubs uh because the Cubs extended Ian ha and niik Herer last year and kind of showed that hey we

Want to invest in our homegrown players something that they hadn’t done for a while it felt like so because there’s nothing going on I feel like that right now is a good time to talk about this potentially um so in notion here I I put down like four

Names that came to my mind and like potential guys that the Cubs could extend maybe this season or you know maybe at the end of next season all right and those four that I wrote down you guys can add uh you can add to that

List the chat let let us know what you think uh maybe it’s a name that we didn’t list or that I didn’t list but I wrote down Christopher Morell Pete Crow Armstrong Kyle Hendricks and Justin steel so Justin steel was the first one that came to my mind um just obviously

Top five sa young finish last year has not a lot of service time but it’s starting to get a little deeper into his major league career someone that the Cubs field could build the rotation around however looking at kind of his situation and his um service time

Situation like he’s a super two player he earned an extra year of arbitration this year so he has four years of arbitration um moving forward he’s also 28 going to be 29 in July it doesn’t feel like that’s a extension candidate to me I know the Cubs bought out Nico herner’s uh last

Two arbitration years plus a first year free agency he’s also 25 26 um a little on a position player side I don’t know that changes anything but Justin steel to me even though he was one of my first uh one of my first thoughts looking at what his situation is just doesn’t feel

Like that’s a extension candidate right now maybe you get a couple years down the line and they want to extend him a few years past the end of the arbitration cut off potential there right now I don’t see it happening I think that’s one of those things where like if they thought it

Was beneficial to them to buy out those Arbors just not have to deal with going to arbitration with him every year especially you know he’s a guy if he’s going to continue to be in those Sai Young races and stuff like his arbitration cases will continue to get

Get higher and higher more aggressive than some other folks right but that’s just one of those things that like the it it only benefits Justin steel so like it’s like a nice thing to do but like you said the age thing is really where that’s complicated because he’s not a

Free agent until 2028 you’re talking he’ll be like 32 33 depending on he was born in July so looking at that didn’t help me but if anyone’s listening it might help you to do that math so like he’s going to be like 32 you could buy

An extra year or two and just kind of have that settled but that’s just one of those things the timing of it just doesn’t really benefit the Cubs to do that I I think the the bigger issue with like the conversation is we just don’t

Know a lot about these guys so PCA sure if you could get him on a friendly thing like the the Braves have done oh the the Brewers who did the Brewers just yeah yeah for set set foot but that’s going to be a conversation of what he thinks

He’s worth cuz at this point you know we have a very small difficult sample on PCA so I don’t know what their urgency is going to be there and then I think you would start to look at other guys fast movers I think Kate Horton Matt

Shaw not that I’m advocating to do it but I think those are the types of players where you see other teams look and say hey let’s get in front of this like we really believe in this guy let’s just settle this now before we have to deal

With massive ARB raises and things like that but yeah well and then Morell too like he’s young he he I think he would fit the mold more if not for the amount of control the Cubs still have on him too like they have through 2028 like they similar scenario like they could

Want to buy out some of those arbitration years but obviously they have two they have this year and then 2025 pre-arb so like they don’t necessarily have to do it then if they want to buy out the next three years after that for arbitration it’s possible

And then maybe a year or two in a free agency if if he’s even still with the Cubs like that’s still going to be a question mark I think um it’s possible but like I’m kind of in the same boat with that where it’s like right now I

Don’t see any urgency from the Cub side to do that for Morel because of the number of years of control he they have on him his service time all that just timing I think this just timing like these guys could be extension candidates in the future but if we’re talking about

It right now the timing just doesn’t feel right for that yeah I hate to I I hate to take the position of like the the team in this instance I’d rather the guys get their money but like yeah Christopher Morell is not a free agent

Till like the end of this decade so it there there’s just no reason for them to do that you know like I don’t always like to look at things through that Cutthroat of a lens but like unless Jed’s just feeling generous like I don’t know why you would lock some of these

Guys up I do see Gary talking about it I assume that’s why he was on your list like extending Hendrick even for a short period would help you lower the annual average value things like that maybe just make things a little easier but at this point they have so much room before

The first level of the luxury tax that they’re not spending it on do they need more room for for something they have like $50 million before getting into one of them and not do they need to save an extra like three before we can do something other than backup catchers or

Yeah Minor League catchers excuse me not even backup catchers I guess I’ll push back for the sake of Devil’s Advocate at least on PCA because at least just on the base of how we’ve seen some of these other teams do things right like the Braves like you mentioned the Braves

Mentioned the Brewers extending Cho if the Cubs and and this is purely if the Cubs are as high on PCA as many people in the chat or or even us right yeah some people might think that I’m not just cuz I said the other day that I

Would trade him for Haz the whatever bum of the week I know bar I know bum of the week all right but if if the Cubs view PCA as part of the future as someone that they really value like I I’m not I’m not against doing

Something for him you know what I mean like some something like what the Braves are doing like if isn’t that what what we want the Cubs to strive to be is to be like the Braves and the Dodgers yeah you know what I mean like that’s that’s the

Only thing that I can say I and I I have my questions about PCA at least when it comes to the hitting and so sure it’s a risk but it’s a risk no matter what yeah AB it’s a risk with every player you know I think I think that’s one of the

Where whereas like I don’t disagree with you knowing the front office and how kind of risk averse they are and trying to maximize the reward while minimizing the risk like you can’t do that 100% but they look at things how can we maximize the return and the

Reward off this whatever it is while also minimizing the risk and giving an extension to a guy who’s played who has had 19 played appearances in Major League Baseball who has a lot of control left and you still don’t necessarily know how his game will translate at the major league level is

To me just doesn’t feel like a move this front office is interested in could they surprise us because they feel really good about what PCA does I mean I wouldn’t rule it out but I I I would lean more towards that that’s not a move that the front office is looking to make

I think it also just depends on how confident they are in certain projections on guys which I think is why the Braves and even the Brewers you know with their top prospect are making those moves you’re looking into the future and saying we want to secure this now we

Believe in it enough if we can get it done now we know we’re getting the right end of that deal and you know you’d have to ask the Cubs if they feel that strongly cuz I think for now on some of them it does make more sense to like

Kind of pump the breaks and say hey let’s see how this plays out a little bit we can always revisit this yeah uh someone in the chat says can we classify Cody as a PCA hater from Alex L wite are you I’m not a PCA hater Barb if except Barb thinks that but

However there’s someone else in the chat who compared PCA to Albert alur and honestly you should be banned from the chat for saying that in my personal opinion please don’t ban him from the chat thank you for being here but I I kind of like that should be illegal bro

I’m sorry like there there’s a lot different things about PCA compared to Albert more and the only reason that you’re probably saying that is just on the outskirt of looking at it is that they were both defensive like everyone talked about their de their defense on

Their way through the miners I think PCA is gonna hit more than Albert Al well and also I we don’t have to get into this because I in the year 2024 we don’t need to be talking about Albert Amura I agree but he wishes he was ever the

Defender that PCA was that he the the con job that he pulled on everyone in convincing them he made some good catches but the reason he made a lot of those catches is because he had no jump whatsoever on most balls right again I’m getting I I can get heed

About certain players yeah Barb is right he was a nice young man I wish him well in whatever he’s doing right now’s doing now with the Reds like two years ago right remember remember when he with the Reds and he like wrote that article yeah

And like I think it was from the he was on the score and he like basically threw the Cubs under the bus and then he got DFA later because he was hitting for like two weeks so he was like oh credit to the Reds like they didn’t give up on

Me and then again he got DFA at the end of something he doeses he does have the uh the tag up in game seven to his credit that catch he made in San Francisco in the NL DS in the game that they eventually lost but it it did keep

Them alive in that game sure he had some nice moments but let’s be real he never lived up to any hype but I definitely don’t think he was as touted as highly touted as a prospect except for the fact that he was drafting the first round but

I don’t think he was ever looked at I mean he was he was as far as I remember never the Cubs Prospect and especially not when it was as deep as it was people talked about him because he was a high draft pick yeah um anyway going back to

The extension talk to get off the subject of Albert Alura uh I know you you mentioned hrx you mentioned Hendrick and that’s actually a name that thinking about like we’re talking about extensions sometimes feels like we’re talking about like young players like players that are kind of

Breaking out and and maybe deserve a raise buy out a couple years of free agency form that kind of stuff but I think Kyle Hendrick actually of of I’m kind of looking at it and and the mold of guys on the roster right now that I could actually see an extension even

Coming this year um like K Hendrick kind of fits that mold for me like he’s what 33 something like that he’s had his extension in the past like he signed that one in 2019 um but he’s on a one-year deal right now and it’s fairly High salary right so like when you talk

About um lowering aav that’s a way to do it is by giving them couple more years or another another year or two and and dropping the aav um but Jed has talked about wanting to keep Kyle Hendricks around like after like like longer than just the one year right they they

Clearly didn’t couldn’t come to terms or they haven’t broached the extension subject I’m not exactly sure what the uh situation was but they they picked up the club option on Kyle Hendricks to keep him around this year um I think that that’s still a possibility to do next off Seas or maybe

In the middle of the year or something I doubt it’ll be in during the middle of the year it’s still a possibility because they want to keep Kyle Hendricks around I think I think when you go back to even you know may right he hadn’t made his season debut yet they didn’t

Know for sure they had no expectations on him they didn’t know what they were going to get from Kyle Hendrick because he’d had a couple down years had the injury and he was out for so long and and they did all the these things to try to get him you know

Increase in velocity all that kind of stuff but they didn’t know what they were going to get for him they definitely weren’t going to extend him before this season he had what four months of like he he wasn’t 2016 17 even 18 Kyle Hendricks but he was a pretty

Solid stabilizing force in that rotation where um I don’t know if you’d feel amazing if he was starting a playoff game for you but you wouldn’t you wouldn’t feel like uncomfortable with him on the B like you had some confidence that he could perform had

They got to the playoffs right so he he proved to them that he still had something left in the tank he could still be a good pitcher for them not at the price that he’s getting paid now uh he’s he’s gotten paid in the past or

Even maybe this year um so all that is to say like if they they they liked what KY Hendricks did this last year he proved to them he still he still has something and they have said they want to keep him around I could still see

Even though it didn’t get done this off seon I could still see an extension being in the works to keep him around as a veteran presence as a stabilizing force in the rotation as a you know back even just a back end of the rotation guy I could still see Kyle Hendrick

Being around the CU the Cubs past 2024 um and obviously an extension is a way to do that yeah I think the most realistic for sure is is Kyle Hendricks and it always blows my mind some of the slander I read in the chat chat or on social media about Kyle Hendrick

Considering how much everyone loved the other guys that the Cubs traded away and like Kyle Hendrick only pitched the most important game ever at Wrigley Field and well and the most important game in Cubs history as well uh I understand that he is not a you know you’re not an ace type

Pitcher but he’s always just been very consistent very good admittedly I was wrong about him going into last year and he proved me wrong I think he proved a lot of people wrong someone on social media uh the other day told me that he was cooked after I basically said that

He proved everyone wrong into being more productive than we thought he would be and and I I was really confused by that so like basically what I’m getting at is he’s still pitching well enough to where you could extend him on a two or threeyear deal and be okay with that if

You have Kyle Hendricks as your four or five starter for years to come yeah you’re doing pretty well man and he’s a veteran he’s got all the he’s got the playoff experience other pitchers on the staff have talked about him and how he’s helped them uh you know develop certain

Pitches uh learn how to be a pitcher you know not just use the talent that they have or the stuff the elite stuff that they might have I think especially for someone like Jordan Wicks I mean if you can keep Kyle around I mean obviously he’s got to perform but similar in the

Way that they attack guys I think that’s a very valuable asset for someone like Wicks is like you have someone who has made a lot of money and success with less velocity strong change up all that stuff like I I like that but I do think this conversation highlights you know

One that it’s disappointing in a sense that we don’t have more obvious candidates for this because there’s so many of these prospects we just don’t know a lot about like you don’t really have that like the Braves made a lot of those moves cuz they saw a little bit

And were like okay let’s lock this up now we know what we we have and but it also highlights I think that like the I I think why some people are so frustrated at the lack of spending and how slow this offseason’s been CU you do have several guys that are locked up

They’re going to be here for at least a certain number of years there’s a a strong enough group that’s going to be here I think throughout the entire duration of what Craig council’s initial contract is and then you have a ton of guys who were talking about who are

Providing value to to like Christopher Morel Etc who make nothing and aren’t going to make anything for several years so I think the LA the the the fact that we don’t have more obvious answers than Kyle Hendrick for like a year or two highlights one that some of these guys

Have not progressed and aren’t truly ready for that conversation yet but also you you have the ability to inject more to that core because you have so many guys that you don’t really have to pay any money to yeah like you look through that Bullpen too I saw people talking

About guys like alai Miguel Amaya there’s no reason to like some of these guys are pre ARB guys there’s there’s no reason to be doing that so it does highlight I think two sort of not great things about where this Cub’s roster is set up is that you don’t have those

Obvious young extension candidates because you’ve gotten them playing time or they’ve proven a little bit at the MLB level and you you are getting away with getting a lot of production from certain parts of this roster for very little money yeah cuz even if you look

At like happen and horer last year like hap was going to be a free agent you just you you gave him an extension his first three years of free agency Herer was already in arbitration he had already um you know agreed to that first year of uh of his arbitration deal um

And you you bought out you gave him a little bit more than what he would have made for uh the first two or his last two years of arbitration ation uh but in return you got the one year of his free agency he’s now under control for so

Like though those were the two obvious candidates last year they got it done um for both of them and like but they were still like they were they were obvious because they were further along in their situations than what like you said like guys right now have years of control

Some of them have years of total control like no not even arbitration here so I think when we’re talking about extensions like that again like have had the Cubs have someone that’s like the like the Brewers again we talked about them giving their top prospect U was an

8-year deal right eight years like 80 million whatever has made his debut exactly have if the Cubs had someone like that like again it’s like I don’t I still don’t even think with this front office that that just the risk of that is something they are completely interested in doing could they surprise

Us and do something like that sure uh but just the way this front office runs doing something like that for a guy that’s never or you know PCA who’s very early made made very few starts in his major league career or hasn’t made his major league debut it just doesn’t feel

Like a um a route the Cubs want to go down so I think when we’re talking about extension candidates it has to be those guys that are further along in their service time and Major League careers and just I think this year is where at a moment where they don’t really have

Those guys that that that make themselves obvious candidates I think well I did say at the beginning of the conversation either this year or next off season so I mean I don’t know I I think if you you want to talk about down the road yeah like I don’t know but with

The way the kind of hype that Kate Horton is getting the the the the the very fast to direct to directory that he is he’s had like I mean he went from from being drafted a year a year ago or two years ago I guess you can technically say to he’s probably going

To make his debut this year you know he he seems like with the value that he might that he projects to have he seems like someone that I would if if I’m a full believer and I think the Cubs are a full believer in him because it was controversial when they

Took him for no reason at all for no reason again no reason but it was and I mean many of those draft people experts Prospect GBU believed that he was the best pitcher in the draft that year and we know how valuable pitching is you know how expensive pitching is like

Maybe Kate Horton is that guy down the road that maybe I don’t know like it it is interesting to kind of talk about this though whenever it just comes down to the fact that we’ve talked ourselves or we’ve basically said without saying that the Cubs are very very very uh

Healthy organ organizationally and they have a lot of guys on cheap deals so why are we not improving the roster right now that’s basically what we’ve said for the last 20 minutes yeah yeah I mean it’s just it’s just a topic we wouldn’t be on if they were doing anything but

Yeah I mean you can only discuss the Merit of signing Cody Bellinger so many times I think we’re at like probably like 15 or 16 so far this offseason I will say oh go ahead no I was going to say like it’s I think the whole thing is

It’s just about timing like there are guys right now that in a couple years probably make them El extension candidates and it’s some of the same guys we’re talking about U but just timing wise if we’re talking about even this year or even potentially next offseason that still may be a little too

Early but for sure I I would sit here and say Kate Horton should you know if he continues on the trajectory he’s on should put himself in a pretty good spot for an extension down the road guys like that like guys that are on this trajectory the Cubs really believe in like there’s

Going to be a few of those guys that do put themselves in extension position it’s just about timing I think yeah uh before we do these ads I want to point out a very funny comment from Mike Taylor who says and this is related to the almore conversation the very short

One that we had he said just say everyone contributed to the 2016 World Series but not as much as minori Kawasaki very true very true yeah never forget Cubs Legend um you know what’s also legendary comed it’s getting easier for businesses to switch to electric vehicles that’s

Something we can all get behind for the health of the planet and for the well-being of all of us who share it yes Cody for sure the electric grid is evolving to meet your cleaner energy needs as we all move with confidence toward an electric tomorrow whether you

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Go electric if you want a business don’t wait start making your plan today to switch to electric vehicles good for business good for the planet good for all of us go to comed.com clean I was reading our very very friendly chat that has nothing but positive things to say Ryan did you say

Comed.com clean yeah go now and see how going electri connects us to a better way of doing business and a better future for generations to come will do you know what else everyone should do you should work on your flooring all right some of us have New Year’s

Resolutions mine’s lose 30 PBS I’m already 7 pounds down credit to me Ryan he doesn’t have resolutions Luke he wants to work out more work out more in 2024 all right but you know what’s even better than all that getting new flooring all right and with Empire today

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Today all listeners can receive a $350 off discount when they use Chromo code chgo restrict restrictions apply C Empire today.com chgo for details and Godfather can attest he did this so credit to him oh Godfather will be our like he was our guinea pig he told us in the chat and

I’m going to always remember so um what else well the chat’s talking about whether they need to do something by Cubs con yeah we kind of talked about that a little bit yesterday and um I mean listen I don’t want the Cubs to it’s not going to change what people

Think I I I do agree like and I I know Nan isn’t necessarily like the biggest fan of how the Cubs operate at times but he he was in the Twitter space last night very very even in the chat saying like you know at this point like if this

Is what you’re doing you have to see it through Cubs is an arbitrary deadline If he if Jed Hoyer gets booed at Cubs con which also I’m almost positive he won’t I’m not a Cubs con guy but I’ve been before and like people go with their families to like get autographs and like

Enjoy being a Cubs fan it’s not the the it’s not Cubs Twitter it’s not Cubs Twitter showing up with their pitchforks to yell like I’m not saying it’s all positive and that people that go to Cubs con don’t care but like that’s not what they’re there for that’s not what Cubs

Con exists for if you want to go and yell at Jed Hoyer like be my guest but I I don’t but I think a lot of people go to like play Bingo and meet Andre Dawson I don’t think they’re there to yell about the luxury tax

Threshold it’s it’s it’s a it’s a madeup deadline that he if if your if you’re Jed Hoyer and your strategy which we don’t know that it is maybe it is maybe it isn’t is to wait out Cody Bellinger’s Market until he has to take a deal that

Works for you Jed Hoyer not Scott Boris and Cody Bellinger then you have to you have to hold that line you can’t cut that strategy off because you don’t want to get booed at Cubs con right you know and that’s basically what I was going to

Say but I will say this it is one week until sh ima’s like deadline is here which would be next Thursday which is a day before four Cubs con and John Haymon on his little Bleacher Report stream that he he’s been doing all offseason yesterday he listed three teams that he

Believes are interested in imanaga and it was the Giants Red Sox and Cubs so uh yeah I mean we kind of talked about him a little bit yesterday look it was passing rep reported that he’s going to want or he’s looking to get over a $100 million contract which he’s like a

Honestly the way I look at him because I don’t know a ton about him cuz he’s from Japan I look at him kind of like kodai senga last year I of course SGA Got 5 years 85 million which looks like a steal for the Mets right now

But he’s 30 years old he’s been very he’s been one of the best pitchers in Japan over large amount of time he he feels like a good fit for the Cubs so I mean a left-hander obviously on the older side but has been very successful in the npb

And so he’s not obviously on that same level as someone like Yamamoto who’s 25 years old and you’re making this big long deal and hoping he’s anchoring your rotation for the next decade it’s obviously a different thing but I think you know you pair him with Justin steel hopefully an improved Jameson tyone

Maybe you make other depth moves there yeah you know so it’s it’s not necessarily addressing the rotation in the way that I was hoping mhm but it’s it’s still it’s an upgrade positive and he would have the potential to be as good or better than Marcus strowman like similar

Age you know what I mean so it’s like at least you’re getting to the point where hopefully you’re replacing strowman’s Baseline level production yeah and you know I think you you mentioned the age so he’s not going to get like a major long-term deal definitely I don’t see

Him getting anything near what you know Yamamoto got what is it 12 years ended up being for Yamamoto 12 years 325 million this is going to be a different not going to get that um and as we’ve talked about the Cubs front office is um you know less averse to to giving a

Little higher aav to limit the years so it could end up being a contract that fits more with the Cubs want just in general um and was it Heyman that mentioned the Cub’s interest and you know kind of looking back at it I don’t

Know if it was just kind of like a um you know this this is a like speculation or informed speculation whatever um but yeah no it’s uh we’re talking about his posting period ends in a week so just in general we should have a we’re going to know sometime in the

Next week um for the Cubs like we’ve yeah we’ve talked about it they need to improve obviously the roster overall but definitely the rotation um imanaga would be an improvement just by signing him you know he’s never pitched in the big league so we don’t exactly know how he’s

Going to translate over U but we said the same thing about Yamamoto and he got 12 years and 350 million or what it’s amazing how many like guys from Japan and Korea have come over this offseason I I don’t remember an offseason where this many guys from Japan or Korea have come over

Here one I I think that’s something also that I I’ve kind of said that you know when the Cubs are striking out on yamam MO or quot IO last year I mean you look back a year prior did the average person even know who those guys were you know

Did did everyone know who yoshinobu Yamamoto was 13 14 15 months ago like probably not I did no I but that’s what I’m saying is like I think I first heard of him from the World Baseball Classic so that’s what I’m saying is like you having you’re going to have more and

More guys that you just have like just because you you’re halfway across the world right like you’re you’re watching Major League Baseball these guys are pitching in Japan or Korea uh or you know batters too that are really good they’re just not exposed as much to people watching MLB living here so

You’re going to have more guys it’s seemingly every year that you just hadn’t heard about previously that come out and they’re like oh this guy’s actually really really good and so the you know the Cubs if they’re doing things right should be in on a lot any

Of these guys that do come up in the in the ensuing years but um if imaga is the guy for them you know I don’t know how much it’s going to take but we’re going to have our answer in week it’s it is interesting to hear because we hadn’t

Really heard a lot of imanaga cubs talk in the last I don’t know a couple months right not not a ton um and now Heyman talking about it yesterday with now a week left go um it’s kind of interesting and to see where that all ends up but um

Yeah we’re going to see because uh there there are obviously teams that because the Dodgers seem to be signing everyone there going to be other teams that need need the pitching need the upgrade and the rotation need um a little bit of a splash so there’s as Heyman put it as

Jeff passon wrote yesterday there are other suitors for imaga so I guess we’ll see now I think all three of us here are pretty like Pro imaga being on this team yeah another guy that I’m not so sure about and this isn’t slander to him but

I’m not so sure that it’s an absolute must if even if the don’t get Cody Bellinger back is Matt Chapman and we haven’t talked a ton about him because his Mark has just been very quiet but I was watching a video that MLB Network put out before the show it was like

Harold Reynolds and Matt bouron talking about Matt Chapman’s market and I think Harold Reynolds said something along the lines of like he just should just go back to Toronto uh because they don’t have a a good Third Base replacement it would have been like cin bio and like a

Platoon of Cav Boo and some other guy that I’ve never heard of um and I can’t remember who it was but they slid someone else in the video and he said that you know if Bellinger doesn’t come back to the Cubs then the the Cubs could

Pivot to Matt Chapman as a you know because they see it as a potential fit now obviously the Cubs have all these questions at third base like do they do they think that they can play Morell at third has he has not shown that so I I

Don’t know but I think fans want to see him have a position right people are high on Matt Shaw but he’s a prospect you don’t know but he’s highly touted but you don’t know um those those are the two main things right then you obviously have magical

And wisdom I don’t forget about I don’t forget about magical I’m not only because you’re sitting here I mentioned it I see Cory’s face wanting to blow up and I’m sure Brendan is like at home wanting to like punch well yes I mean we can’t make any moves we don’t want to

Cut into the playing time of Nick Madrigal of course that’s why Jed hasn’t done anything like you can’t you can’t block these Uber talented players right so I guess like uh Rogan in the chat he says if Matt Chapman wants a long deal will he block Matt Shaw that’s kind of

My concern and I’m pretty high on Matt Shaw all right so like it’s kind of okay he can play third or you can move him to Second maybe move Nico to third I don’t know I don’t know like Nico’s offense hasn’t projected or hasn’t played out to

A level where I want that at third base you know but I also don’t we we don’t know what Mata is going to be at the Major League level so it’s a it’s a big question mark there I think the thing for Chapman is the contract which unfortunately is the case with everybody

That the Cubs are going after but I think in particular on Chapman I think if he if that market really craters and you can get him on a real shortterm two to threeyear deal for little money I I wouldn’t hate it just because he’s a really good Defender

Right and if you’re not going to load up the offense you you can win a lot of games by playing really good defense and you can help out and make your pitching staff better by playing really good defense especially when you don’t have a pitching staff that is just swinging

Miss throwing the ball past everybody you know the the trick with Chapman is that he had a very strange year he’s he’s on the wrong side of 30 and last year he had an 88 WRC Plus in the second half after I think April or May he his

Offense went like this but he is in the 998th percentile in both average exit velocity so how hard he’s hitting the ball and Barrel rate so he’s baring barreling the ball in the 98th percentile of the league like you look at his baseball Savant page there’s a

Lot of red which is what you want but the results in the second half went way down so the question is do you believe that he was getting unlucky how you know you’d have to dig in deeper to that batted ball profile is he hitting the

Ball too much on the ground is he hitting it too high in the air whatever it might be to square with all those things so it it’s it to me again you have some options potentially at third base like you do want Morell playing you do have younger guys that but there’s

Also some question like when you listen to some of those Prospect guys I think our friends over at uh Cubs on Deck like they’re not super sold I don’t think on Shaw like for sure being able to play Third Base defensively at the major league level so I don’t know how much

You’re like really weighing that I think it’s it’s really an issue of like at one point I think going into last year you would have thought Matt Chapman would be looking at a pretty sizable deal he seemed like a the the best option at third base and someone that would get a

Pretty strong deal that is not the case and I think it just depends like how if you can get it to kind of like yeah screw it for a couple years type type money and and contract I I I’m interested in it but a big deal I think

There’s just too much to figure out with his baded ball profile and like why the results weren’t lining up with some of those metrics yeah oh I agree with like if if you can get them on a short deal I remember even like a month ago I thought it was it was

Definitely on MLB Network they were projecting his his contract around you know 4 years 80 million which is what 20 million a year over four years which is not terrible it’s not bad like you the pro is like you said they would have arguably I don’t even honestly you

Probably can’t even argue it against it they would have the best defensive middle infield in baseball or the best defensive infield in baseball I no matter who they put at first base to have Chapman Swanson and Herer on like on on that infield they would they would

For sure be the best defensive infield in in baseball in my opinion and so there’s value in that and there’s a lot of talk and I don’t know if you guys have seen this but there’s a lot of talk about how the the the power at Roger Center

Like for players has like there’s something about that ballpark that’s affected like home runs like Vlad Junior’s numbers went down have gone down the last two years there and he’s hit more home runs away from Rogerson like I don’t know if that’s affected Matt Chapman or not but like that’s

Interesting to me makes me wonder how he would play or how he would hit at Wrigley you know what I mean sure so these are all things I think perhaps the Cubs are looking into as an option but I really don’t think he’ll be a cub unless

Bellinger is not back and maybe that becomes a second tier option so I I brought it up because they were talking about him on MLB Network today and whatever but I do think the fans that think he’s just not good at baseball are a little they’re being way too

Overreactive to this just based off his second half of last year like you said he is a very good baseball uh it would be a a solid signing it just doesn’t put the team over the top it doesn’t necessarily even make the team better he’s a solid signing I think if you’ve

Made other biger moves it’s all about what they do after they sign him like he’s just not a guy who is going to put the team over the back he to me I’ve said this multiple times on so like I think in Twitter spaces that I’ve done

Or whatever but like to me he’s like Danby Swanson 2.0 like he is a defensive wizard he will give you offense in in stretches and like that’s that’s to me that’s what he what he has been throughout his career I don’t know if he brings those same leadership qualities

That Dansby Swanson does but as far as the numbers that you look up on baseball reference that’s what what I think of and it’s not bad to have two Dansby Swanson’s I guess but where the Cubs are right now and what they need it’s like

Okay if you did sign him then what are you going to do after to make the offense better so yeah I mean yeah I’m with you guys in that Chapman would be an improvement to the roster Improvement to the lineup obviously a a very good defensive signing to make for that

Infield uh I I do think the the one of the cons I don’t know if we’ve said is just the you know the organizational flexibility you limit that if you sign him to a longer term deal obviously because um you know comparing it to Bellinger Bellinger would probably be your opening

Day center fielder right you have P car Armstrong coming up eventually um but he can also play first base which is a position the Cubs just don’t have a clear first basement of the future at this point whereas you know Matt Chapman you put him at third base you limit

Obviously who else can play there Morell if you really wanted to give him a run at third base you can’t do that anymore um and then Matt Shaw’s there James triantos I know Cory you you’ve been high on him for a long time since the

Very first show like that I think so and so that’s like a a POS a spot where not saying the Cubs have enormous depth there but they do have options of guys that could potentially play there in the future and I’m not saying the Cubs need

To make moves this year based on what they want to do in the future like hope happens in the future but I think it is something to think about is how does making that signing how do you balance or um you know what’s the balance between how much

Does he improve your roster Now versus the versus longterm what does that what does it do to your organizational flexibility is the does it outweigh it or does it not I think that’s something to just got to think about and that’s probably something the Cubs would weigh if they’re in any discussions with

Chapman yeah and I agree with the chat it it does create sort of a situation where like the team feels like it needs more power it needs more Slug it needs some of that from the left side and again if you’re not able to fulfill that with free agents or trades or anything

Like that like yeah there’s other ways to try to win games playing good defense and pitching is is a way to try to win games but I think that’s sort of the thing you have to weigh like I I would question obviously somebody can DH but like does signing someone to play Third

Base like Chapman who not really sure somebody in the chat are saying he maybe was hurt after April last year but like who knows and sometimes that stuff doesn’t heal it was like a wrist injury yeah so it it sort of becomes a thing where it’s like well is are they better

Off trying to let Morell play Third Base and hoping that works out because he offers you potentially more Slug and that kind of power the lineup needs or does it make sense to try something I don’t know like I said I think if if the price is right I’m interested but again

Chapman works much better as like a secondary piece in a bigger off season like we found our Slugger we have that left-handed Pop Let’s improve the defense a little bit give Morell a little bit of a softer landing spot like as a headliner it’s the same as I feel

About Hoskins too many questions they don’t really move that needle in terms of like oh yeah this is how this team is going to win games that they did win in 2023 there’s a lot of like secondary moves and things that like sure they help they add depth but

With where the Cubs are that’s that’s not what they need they need those like push you over the top get you kind of back to those levels moves now I will say that if the Cubs do sign Bellinger and then they decided that they wanted

To go get Chapman too I would be a little bit more intrigued I don’t know if the offense would get to where we want you would I think I would talk myself into some prospects coming and you know maybe bolstering the offense a little bit like

We all want to see uh as much as we want to see the Cubs just spend a ton of money on free agents and stuff too but I I I do think that the offense is better than what we saw in the second half from him in Toronto I just don’t

Know what it is but if you have Cody Bellinger in the lineup you add him May been more so over the course of his career so I I’m not against it it’s just not like my it’s not even really my third or fourth priority there’s certain moves you know I think outside of

Bellinger and certainly guys like Otani or stto that were of a certain level that it’s like regardless of the context I’m interested it’s good like just do it there’s a lot of these other things where it’s like I can’t really tell you how I would feel about signing Matt

Chapman because I would need to know the rest of the moves I need to know what the rest of the roster looks like if you tell me they traded for Juan stto I don’t care what the wrestling roster looks like I’m all in they should have

Done it same with Otani and some other guys and that’s not to say those are the only guys like that but just Matt Chapman’s one of those where it’s like I can’t tell you if I like it or not unless I know what the rest of the off

Season looks like if that’s the only move on offense I hate it I hate it a lot if it’s the third best move to improve the offense and I think okay sure yeah you’re trying to build a better depth and a more well-rounded team okay but all surrounds this entire

Offseason surrounds surrounds Cody Bellinger coming back honestly this point which and I was I was talking to unless they make some crazy trade that I was talking to uh our friend Sean Anderson of the chdo White Sox podcast big of you like yes big of me and it’s

That’s that’s a little worrisome isn’t it yeah like I I think it’s a I love Cody Bellinger I’ve always wanted them to bring him back I wanted that at the trade deadline I’ve always been on Cody Bellinger I think it’s bad that the offseason hinges on someone who is not a

Slam dunk I love Cody Bellinger he was great for the Cubs I believe in the changes he’s made there’s hours at this point of audio and video of us breaking down Cody Bellinger so our feelings are very clear we’ve had nothing else to talk about but I do think that it is

A concern that as Gary says one belly gets you back to where the offense was last year sort of right we’ve talked about how you’re not hopefully starting with as much garbage as you did last year they Tucker barnhard signed somewhere else they can’t bring him back

Folks I know that some people were uh Trey man is not coming back stay man with the Reds is no I don’t know the but I I I just think it’s it’s a little concerning that we sort of feel like it all hinges on Cody Bellinger like there’s a lot of legitimate concerns

With Cody Bellinger he was he had two awful seasons and he looked like a different player I believe in the changes but I I do think it’s a little concerning that like it feels like this offseason hinges on someone who is you don’t know not a sure thing whatsoever

Yeah no that’s I me that’s that’s valid concern for sure cuz you know I I think the Cody Bower gets you back to even in a way that’s correct but also like you have some of your top prospects are actually going to be coming up this year more guys developing nicoo horn or

Chrisopher morale type things so I think there is just you’re not necessarily back at even in real life like on paper yeah you are but um no I’m with you Cory because that’s that’s a concern that yeah you’re going after a guy and and and you’re you know some people would consider a

Successful season if you got him and not successful if you didn’t and he’s a guy that had one good season after two really bad ones in a third down year right like it’s not it’s not a slam dunk and to assume that it is is not to assume that

It is a slam dunk or or just putting all your eggs in that basket is just not taken into account the fact and that goes back risk and and you know Galvin says it in the chat and it it goes back to what we talked about relative to like

Cubs con like no the the concerns on him are why you can’t put some arbitrary datea on it if Jed is holding the line of like listen this is what we’re comfortable with I don’t care that you have Scott Boris I don’t care that you won an MVP however many years ago like

This is the line we’re holding you have to hold it yeah I if if Toronto looks like they’re out they’ve made some moves that maybe indicate they’re not going to make that Splash and you don’t get the sense that someone like San Francisco or something is going to come over the top

And go crazy for Cody wait it out like he liked it here you know you can match an offer if you have to if things get to that point but there’s no reason to rush it because it’s not a it’s not a slamed DK there’s clearly a level that Jed is

Comfortable with and in this case I don’t necessarily hate it but the Devil’s Advocate to that is that you better be sure that if you wait it out you going to get you make the move you can’t get out bid at the last minute cuz then you’re showing up to not Cubs con

But Mesa with a big bag full of nothing like it’s like what Luke said a few weeks back when he was questioning are the Cubs playing a game of chicken with with Scott Boris and based off history if they are playing a game of chicken with Scott

Boris I don’t like I don’t like how I don’t like the Cubs chances but this is their offseason to prove that they are that they that they can do that they can do this and I’ve seen it in the chat a little I know you have to do another ad

Read but I see Blake snow coming up a lot yeah I go ahead he walks too many guys that’s the long and short of it for me like he he’s a he’s a really good pitcher obviously you just want to sa young he’s had many successful years but I think just not

The best fit with this Cub’s rotation it it again it’s all relative like they need more true swing and Miss keep guys off the bases type guys I think Snell just walks too many guys for the contract that he’s going to get and I think when you have a contract that’s

Already built up of some guys that have question able control at times and guys that don’t throw very hard it just isn’t the move for me just with the fit on this roster this team where this team is at at this current moment in time so I’m not particularly interested but they

Apparently he’s interested in the Yankees that was like that came out today so which was actually surprising because he’s basically been linked to every team on the west coast he’s like a Washington guy right so and uh well I was gonna say Corey said that it made

It’s not the move for him you know what should be the move for you Corey Corey is game time um let me tell you about game time you shouldn’t have to worry when you’re buying tickets to your next big event game time is the fast and easy

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Time I’m looking at game time right now actually um you know the Bulls have been playing a lot better recently except for the last two the last two but like you know overall last few weeks have looked a lot better a little more fun if you’re

Interested in going to a Bulls game like tomorrow uh at home against the Hornets I mean you can get you can get tickets for $60 range stuff like that so cheaper for these Blackhawks games that Sarah’s showing us right now Blackhawks right here on the screen like yeah it’s

Like Blackhawks Conor bdar if you’re interested in that uh more Bulls games you know our guy Kobe White’s playing well the Bulls are are they’re looking better recently if you’re interested uh go to game time and get some tickets there uh game time has last minute tickets Flash Deals Zone deals it’s easy

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Download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed and before you go to game time you know you can go to FCO get all your sports gear get fitted out right uh just months away until opening day right get fitted out the best sports gear around hoodies shoes signs bobbleheads and everything

In between it’s uh almost baseball season like I said Aloha sh aloha shirts straw hats PA those bags everything you need for a game we got set decorations as we always say we got the Hayden wisneski one uh we got the Clark the cub one we got those overalls I was wearing

On our Christmas episode we did where Stucky was a a version of Stucky claws I’ve never seen in my life um but I was wearing those the the the ones that Sarah’s showing right now on the screen those things are electric over that look at that Aloha shirt right there yeah the

Aloha shirt there that I mean you can get everything here man you can get everything here all right uh so check out foco.com or click the link in the description below for all non pre-sale items use promo code cho10 for 10% off so perhaps you can get

That Hawaiian shirt for 10% off all right get get it then go to game time get a ticket to you know if you want to get bulls or Black Ox gear go to go to a game there you go and uh when the when those teams are bad at least you’re

Decked out in your favorite sports gear that’s all I can say all right I’m used to watching my team suck so if you’re not going because your team suck well then you haven’t been to a game in God knows how long all right Cory season ticket holder he’s he’s experienced that

He’s experienced yeah but you know what I could use game time for uh I have a flight on Sunday to Houston so on Monday night I could look for a ticket to watch Michigan win the national championship wonder if wonder if FCO has uh some Michigan gear for you well we

Take look let me I got to say I got to say probably I’m probably y’all are not ready if they win that game on Monday night you know I’m I’m rooting for Michigan I’m rooting for we rooting for Harbaugh I’m rooting for Jo’s just upset because his team lost because he’s a

Texas Fan yeah Joey SP is overall screaming not back yeah I mean Washington almost blew that game that Texas honestly should have won of because of how almost B that game um I guess we got a few what we got a minut minute or two left no not really we

Don’t really don’t yeah it’s been an hour okay well I was sh we didn’t get to talk about horor far yeah we didn’t we did not talk about we ran out of time yeah uh there was next time oh yeah Gary you know Gary kept making he he remains uh

Consistent with his bit related to the Chapman stuff if all else fails I’m with you Gary we got Jake Slaughter man we got Jake Slaughter he’s coming and boy will I talk self into him as much as you have for the last two years brother all

Right so Gary also said I’m banned after saying Harbaugh’s name I guess does everyone hate Harbaugh is that is that a thing why do people hate Harbaugh all of Chicago wants him to be the coach at least they did like a month ago he’s a former bear want them wants him to be

The bear be honest i’t I haven’t been paying attention much to the to the Harbaugh if there’s anything going on but um people were talking about him being the Bears coach he’s a former bear so that’s just a rumor that’s not going to happen no he is a former bear well

Yeah that barb in the chat Washington would be cool too Barb in the chat shout out to your godmother she asked will we be at the convention next week I believe we we will at least be around there we will be at the convention you guys are

Going to boo Jed Hoyer isn’t that yeah yeah Cody will be in the Middle with his Pitchfork yeah with my Pitchfork I’ll be leading all of cubs Twitter into the Sheridan Hotel to completely embarrass Jed and Carter Hawkins with a sign that says luxury tax yeah EX exactly exactly I can’t wait

Pray for yourselves Jed you’re going to need a prayer um anyway yeah no we I on the re we we should be there at least I’ll be there for Friday and Saturday hang out doing stuff for sure hanging out I don’t know whatever so yeah so if

You’re at Cubs convention next week give us a shout out we’ll be around yeah or if you see us just come and say hi we’re very normal people thank you Sarah all right uh Corey and Brennan tomorrow you’re going to talk about this team again tomorrow

Corey credit to you I’m so happy to not talk about this team tomorrow have fun unless unless an e like something actually happens brenon will text me and and say like hey what’s the what are we doing you know what’s the structure I don’t know man I don’t

Know turn the turn the button on Barb has been asking why you guys are never live but I think it’s just cuz your schedules are different well so last week we were live oh okay the schedule allowed for it but it’s it’s it the the real answer is Brendan’s real job

Doesn’t allow for it so there’s your answer Barb this is just his fun job yeah right yeah yeah so you won’t be live tomorrow but people will be able to watch you guys talk about this team and we do we read we do read the comments we

Try to respond to a lot of them etc etc okay so them tomorrow we’ll be back on Monday hopefully Luke is back by then uh has not felt good this week so everyone uh you know tweet at Luke tell him to get better yeah that way he can lead the

Show and I don’t all right uh thanks for checking out the Cho Cubs podcast we’ll see you next week or tomorrow Goodbye we all sitting like the mayor