The Rundown: Cubs have plenty of options to improve roster, O’Neil finally gets overdue HOF touch, concern exists about Correa’s return

It may be a while before owners and players reach agreement in their collective bargaining negotiations, and Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins still have some work to do after the season resumes. The front office duo have made significant upgrades to the lineup in an almost intentional way, but the team still has some holes to watch out for. The two executives earned solid B’s for the moves they’ve made so far, even if the overall score remains incomplete.

Chicago made five moves this winter:

1. Claimed compensation Wade Miley Turn off Red Devil’s immunity and immediately exercised his $10 million option for 2022.
2. Buying Harold Ramírez to serve as a platoon midfield and bench depth.
3. Signed Yan Gomes to one two-year contract, worth $13 million to serve as a backup to begin with Willson Contreras. Gomes also offers Hoyer and Hawkins some flexibility in case they decide to trade Contreras.
4. To add Clint Frazier on a one year agreement to provide depth of field.
5. Signed starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to one three-year contract, making Chicago’s rotation greatly increased.

The Cubs still need a player to start with fire, a missed shot and possibly a midfielder, additions of which will go a long way towards building the depth needed to become an application. possible candidate in the playoff. Some rumors attached Carlos Correa to Chicago and someone pointed out Cubs and Yankees are lovers to land superstar midfielder. Even if Hoyer and Hawkins meet Correa’s reported requirements, they must have enough money to sign a good midfielder.

Assuming Cubs denotes Correa, it is possible that Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos would be a bit too expensive to add. Hoyer may not want to bring back any old Cubs. Seiya SuzukuI could be an option, but Cubs is not listed as one of the current preferred targets for signing Japanese imports. Then again, Chicago was not seen as a possible destination for Stroman. Available options include Jorge Soler, Michael Conforto, Eddie Rosario, Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, and Joc Pederson.

The main office may have to go the commercial route to get an interesting start, and they have enough ammo to get a top contender if they want to move a high-end player like Contreras, Ian Happ, or Brailyn Márquez. When the Dodgers bought back Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from Nationals, Washington received top advertising prospects Josiah Grey, catcher Keibert Ruizand subsections of tournament depth in Gerardo Carrillo and Donovan Casey.

Hoyer and Hawkins probably don’t want to trade from the top of their minor league system. However, if both really believe in the future of DJ Herz, Caleb Kilian, and Jordan Wicks, move Márquez or Adbert Alzolay, along with capturing potential customers Miguel Amaya, could provide the necessary parts to get the Cubs into World Series competition. That kind of package might be enough to buy Frankie Montas and Matt Olson from the letter A if Chicago is also willing to include an additional piece or two. With good depth on and off the field, adding a player like Nico Hoerner, Kevin Implemented, Ed Howard, Chase Strumpf, or Cole Roederer because the lottery ticket for any potential trade may be enough to get something done.

Such a blockbuster sale could allow Frank Schwindel to become the team’s designated attacker and would allow the Cubs to skip signing a centre-back, based on rotation that includes Jason Heyward, Rafael Ortega, Happ, Ramírez, and possibly Frazier. Brennen Davis may also be an option as early as Opening Day.

Cubs . News & Notes

Odds & Odds

Savannah bananas really know how show respect when you order from the group from their website.

MLB . News & Notes

Besides O’Neil, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva and Bud Fowler earned the right to vote in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday through the Eras Commission process.

Miñoso received praise from Oliva for his MLB accomplishments and his work mentoring Cuban-born players.

Dick Allen reduce a shame vote vote into the Hall of Fame.

Former Dodgers midfielder Yasiel Puig Not have fun with baseball media these days.

Correa, Bryant and Schwarber top the list the best remaining free agents.

Yankees have contacted Rangers about Isiah Kiner-Falefa shortstop trading.

Justin Verlander still technically a freelance agent and stuck in a CBA limbo because his two-year, $50 million deal has yet to be made official.

From the Bargaining Table

The tournament introduced players to Some topics are not negotiable in CBA discussions.

Like Bud Selig before him, Rob Manfred should be considered the poster guy for bargaining in bad faith and poisoning collective bargaining, which will merge nicely into the next point.

In a guest column for Yahoo Sports, economics professor Andrew Zimbalist of Smith University pointed out that the media has done a great job. raise the temperature of the ongoing negotiations “With provocative rhetoric” while referring to contract negotiations.

The current labor dispute stems from the same issue that has plagued production unions in recent years: The pay structure in which young workers may never earn as much as those with more tenure.

Today’s Jones Baseball

A 99 mph heater and a knee-smashing ball proved to be too much for a failing Astros team in May 1998 started by Kerry Wood, one of the all-time great performances in MLB history.

Extra time

O’Neil on legendary players Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson is the best baseball story.

They said it

• “You can’t just make plans and not change them if things change. Obviously, the offering market is very quick. “ – Hoyer
• “City [of Chicago] got a huge welcome on social media and I’m so happy. This fanbase is incredible, so I can’t wait to pitch here.” – Stroman
• “I think [the Cubs] definitely want to win now”. – Stroman

Song Walk Up Monday

Full Force Gale by Van Morrison – A nasty Nor’easter, a man equivalent to the storm that has caused The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in November 1975, was expected along the western shore of present-day Lake Michigan. Those are two prelude songs to keep you warm on a dreary Midwest Monday.