Thanks to Smokestack for pointing us to the best possible title for this one. RC, BVS, and Berselius hang out to talk about whatever this team is right now and how we hope for some good fortune in 2023 with spring training around the corner. Among our topics: We also told jokes about a corn cob dress but decided not …
The Division is a Pipe Dream
Projections are just projections, and as they say, it’s in the hands of the players to play well and buck the narrative. Although it hasn’t been officially published yet, as we all surmised, the Cardinals are likely to repeat as NL Central division champs again: FanGraphs already has the projections for the other four teams in the division, including the …
Cubs Lineup Readjustment
See, I told you it was too early to set a lineup because just a few days after this post, the Cubs did a thing: The Cubs have agreed to sign Trey Mancini to a two-year contract, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers (Twitter link). Mancini, a client of the Frontline agency, can opt out of the deal following the 2023 season if …
Ate at Arby’s, On to the Next
Previously, we talked about the remaining arbitration-eligible Cubs and the impending deadline: That deadline has since passed, and you can see every arbitration case has been settled before they have to bring in the agents and front office bad-mouthers: Checking the Cots Contracts tracker, it would appear the Cubs are about $22MM below the first luxury tax threshold, and as …
A Little Realignment Exercise Because I’m Bored
I recall AC or some other jabroni did this once upon a time but I can’t find it. Anyway, let’s do the news bits first. The Challenges in Oakland and Tampa Bay As has been said numerous times by the oft-reviled commissioner of baseball, MLB expansion to 32 teams is inevitable, but first they have to resolve the situations with …
Probably Too Early Pre-Convention Cubs Lineup Construction
One reason this is probably too early is because of the overall feeling that the Cubs are done tinkering with the position players after they reportedly agreed to a deal with Eric Hosmer (yay) and won’t be in the running for Carlos Correa anymore since he signed with the Twins (dying laughing) and will likely just look for ways to …
Eat at Arby’s: Or Just a Quick Look at the Cubs Arbitration Guys
This Friday is the Cubs Convention, and also happens to be the deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit their salary figures for 2023 (other key dates remain but this is probably the biggest one coming up). The gist is that if they can’t come to a compromise, the team submits one number, the player submits another, and then …
The Calm Before the Storm
I haven’t written anything since last year (technically true), but there hasn’t been much going on regarding the Cubs anyway aside from a few anticipated DFAs to allow the reported signings to become official. In the meanwhile, like many of us who are bored out of their minds, I’ve been reading the slow drips of news that have come out …
Cubs New Year’s Resolutions for 2023 and Beyond
Well, well, here we are at the end of 2022, and it’s been fun to hang out with all you jabronis here at Obstructed View, very much appreciate you letting me rant on a semi-regular basis about the Cubs and baseball. The Cubs, of course, have done what they could and/or wanted to since they missed out on a bunch …
Diving Into the Bargain Bin
The Cubs have probably finished building their roster via free agency for the most part, and we covered the biggest signing plus the basic plan for 2023 in our last podcast. Based on the official signings and Cots Contracts, the Cubs still have about $20MM to spend (if they choose to) before they hit the first luxury tax threshold, but …