Cody Bellinger's salary on his deal with the Chicago Cubs will pay him $30 million this season, $30 million in 2025 (if he doesn't opt out after Year 1) and $20 million in 2026 (if he doesn't opt out after Year 2).
$30 million seemed like the obvious destination here. The terms aren’t the length or total dollars he was looking for, but it’s a good safety net for him if he doesn’t sustain the success. I wouldn’t object to him having an MVP season if he decides to do that.
It will be interesting to see how Counsell thinks in setting his lineups. Ross was obviously in love with Tauchman and kept working him into the lineup even after he turned back into a pumpkin. I’m much more on team Get Your Best Hitters As Many PAs As Possible, but I guess I could see Madrigal working his way up there if he looks like the guy he was before his injury.
berselius:
I’m guessing Wisdong finally ends his streak of somehow managing to stay on the 40-man with Belli coming back.
Cubs might also do Mervis a favor and trade him to a team that can give him some playing time, like they did with Nellie last year. The writing was on the wall when they traded for Busch and it’s even harder to see how he fits on the roster now.
I would rather have Chapman if he has to scale his demands back similarly to Bellinger, but I still feel Madrigal managed to push himself up to Cromulent Role Player last year and don’t mind seeing him in the back of the lineup.
If the Morel 3B experiment works out that would be awesome but I’m definitely not counting on it (dying laughing). I guess they did pull it off with Madrigal last year, and I was equally skeptical.
While it’s maddening as a fan to watch this front office work so methodically and with such opacity, this is now a pretty damn good offseason. I have to think the Cubs are favorites to win the Central at least.
Comments
My napkin math says AAV is around $26.7MM which should give them a cushion below the tax
Rice CubeQuote Reply
$30 million seemed like the obvious destination here. The terms aren’t the length or total dollars he was looking for, but it’s a good safety net for him if he doesn’t sustain the success. I wouldn’t object to him having an MVP season if he decides to do that.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I too would be okay with an MVP season
berseliusQuote Reply
Good thing I didn’t check my phone while fighting jet lag, I would have been up even later (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Our long national nightmare is over.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I don’t think the Cubs do anything else major (though A+ to Jed for patience), so here’s a stab at the lineup and roster
2B Hoerner
LF Happ (S)
SS Swanson
CF Bellinger (L)
RF Suzuki
DH Morel
1B Busch (L)
C Gomes
3B Madrigal
And 26 man
Catchers
Gomes
Amaya
IF
Busch
Hoerner
Swanson
Madrigal
Morel
Mastrobuoni
OF
Happ
Bellinger
Suzuki
Tauchman
PCA or Canario?
Pitchers
Steele
Imanaga
Taillon
Cyle
Wicks
Assad
Alzolay
Neris
Merryweather
Cuas
Leiter
Smyly
Almonte
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m guessing Wisdong finally ends his streak of somehow managing to stay on the 40-man with Belli coming back.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I agree for the most part though I think PCA gets regular play in Iowa so he doesn’t rot on the bench /Ross’d
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m glad I wasn’t just talking out of my ass about this one
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlbpa-boss-tony-clark-shuts-down-rob-manfreds-idea-for-offseason-signing-deadline-more-damage-to-players/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
berselius,
It will be interesting to see how Counsell thinks in setting his lineups. Ross was obviously in love with Tauchman and kept working him into the lineup even after he turned back into a pumpkin. I’m much more on team Get Your Best Hitters As Many PAs As Possible, but I guess I could see Madrigal working his way up there if he looks like the guy he was before his injury.
berseliusQuote Reply
Man, way to go Jed for getting me to actually think about lineups for the first time in forever (dying laughing). Catching that hot stove fever.
berseliusQuote Reply
Cubs might also do Mervis a favor and trade him to a team that can give him some playing time, like they did with Nellie last year. The writing was on the wall when they traded for Busch and it’s even harder to see how he fits on the roster now.
berseliusQuote Reply
Accursed guy who shares his name with a prominent musician
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Huh, maybe AC Favorite Nick Madrigal wasn’t quite as good as I remembered at the plate. First half 95 wrc+, second (mostly injured?) half 68 wrc+.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I would rather have Chapman if he has to scale his demands back similarly to Bellinger, but I still feel Madrigal managed to push himself up to Cromulent Role Player last year and don’t mind seeing him in the back of the lineup.
berseliusQuote Reply
If Madrigal would kindly stop grounding the ball to an infielder that would give me way more confidence
Rice CubeQuote Reply
If the Morel 3B experiment works out that would be awesome but I’m definitely not counting on it (dying laughing). I guess they did pull it off with Madrigal last year, and I was equally skeptical.
berseliusQuote Reply
Morel is doing a bit of a shuffle and it seems to be helping him, but also N=2 or so right now (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Couldn’t think of a better answer for CLE-BOS than Kluber.
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 329 9/9:
Rarity: 16
IMMACULATE!
🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩
Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
PerkinsQuote Reply
Today’s practice squad
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Where bellinger smh
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
They gotta figure out which guy to boot or trade first I guess
Rice CubeQuote Reply
While it’s maddening as a fan to watch this front office work so methodically and with such opacity, this is now a pretty damn good offseason. I have to think the Cubs are favorites to win the Central at least.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Sounds like he is indeed in the building
https://twitter.com/sahadevsharma/status/1761820143372693938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1761820143372693938%7Ctwgr%5E91b0673aa4e4c2c510c41b4502e25b6b2ade4ff6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fcubs%2F2024%2F02%2F25%2Fteammates-quite-happy-to-have-cody-bellinger-back-with-the-cubs%2F
berseliusQuote Reply
Same day that Dexter Fowler showed up in 2016 (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Hope it brings similar luck
berseliusQuote Reply
Lisa the legend
https://twitter.com/MLBNetworkRadio/status/1761846615982170262?t=5mIfqqrXKZIn32FBH7gGyw&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Looks like a snooze of a game I recently missed though heard Morel handled 3B well
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Garrett Cooper –> Cubs (NRI)
https://twitter.com/CraigMish/status/1761942264740217268?t=RcpeCvnP6uDEx4oa48mlKg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
New shit you can listen to –> https://www.obstructedview.net/podcast/dreamcast-83-o-hai-lisa/
Rice CubeQuote Reply