The Rundown: Hoyer Stymied at GM Meetings, Soto Has Five Initial Offers, Free Agency Predictions
I don’t know about you, but I get a kick imagining Jed Hoyer combing the halls of his San Antonio hotel in his pajamas knocking on doors and trying to find a taker for Cody Bellinger. Hoyer’s desire to shop the outfielder was the worst-kept secret of the GM Meetings according to Bob Nightengale. The writer and Chicago’s top executive have an incendiary past, and dropping that information won’t help patch things up. The optics aren’t great for the Cubs, whose frugal ways tend to steer premium players and their agents away from the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.
Hoyer hordes greenbacks so tightly that Ebeneezer Scrooge would be impressed. In doing so he makes the Cubs, who were the darlings of Major League Baseball a decade ago, look soulless, if not somewhat smug and analytically snobby. Theo Epstein, Jon Lester, Ben Zobrist, and Joe Maddon once helped to make Chicago a premium destination for free agents. Hoyer marches to the beat of a vastly different drum, carefully positioning himself behind his self-made limited vacancy sign. I do like to picture him in a turn-of-the-century nightshirt and sleep bonnet while desperately trying to trade Bellinger with no takers. That makes me smile. God bless us, everyone.
Cubs News & Notes
- Mike Scioscia believes the Cubs want Matt Shaw to be their future third baseman. That’s sort of accurate. The rookie infielder is much more valuable if he can play multiple positions.
- Shaw is one of the early favorites to be named 2025 NL Rookie of the Year.
- New FO hire Tyler Zombro called Tyler Glasnow a “north-south supinator.” I like him already but confess that terminology is way above my pay grade. If Zombro makes bona fides out of Cade Horton and Ben Brown or gives the Cubs an edge in signing Rōki Sasaki, he’s worth whatever Hoyer is paying him.
- Hoyer’s search for a stronger bullpen could lead him to non-tendered relievers Jordan Romano and Kyle Finnegan.
- Phil Bickford is this year’s shot-in-the-dark addition to Chicago’s bullpen. Put him in the team photo with Edwin Escobar, Colten Brewer, and Richard Lovelady.
- How well would you sleep if the Cubs agreed to trade second baseman Nico Hoerner and reliever Jack Neely to the Mariners for righty starter Emerson Hancock?
- Seiya Suzuki is the obvious choice to play DH unless Hoyer finds a new home for Bellinger.
Odds & Sods
A couple of things to unpack here:
- Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig look more like mobsters or politicians (is there a difference?) than baseball players.
- The dapper threads are almost as spicy as their play on the field. The pair combined for 107 home runs, 338 RBI, 307 runs, and 24.5 WAR in 1927. Conversely, the 2024 White Sox finished with 133 dingers, 485 RBI, and 507 runs. The ’27 Yankees won their 41st game on June 21. The ChiSox won their 41st game on the last day of the ’24 season.
- Kids at a college football game? That happened?
- Wearing those old-timey leather helmets to a football game is so rad.
- I can neither confirm nor deny that the lad with his helmet on his shoulder is former Bear great George McAfee, but he does look like a future Monster of the Midway. You know, when they were monsters.
Today In 1927: Lucky kids crowd around baseball legends Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig on the sidelines of the #NotreDame vs. #USC football game at Soldier Field, Chicago! #OTD #MLB #Yankees #History pic.twitter.com/s60n4PZuZW
— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) November 26, 2024
Central Intelligence
- Milwaukee: Jim Bowden said that trading Devin Williams from the Brewers to the Phillies for Alec Bohm makes a lot of sense for both ballclubs.
- St. Louis: Third baseman Nolan Arenado is reportedly willing to play first base if it will help the Cardinals move him to a contending team.
- Cincinnati: The Reds are receiving high praise for getting starter Brady Singer from the Royals for Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer.
- Pittsburgh: Sasaki to the Pirates? I don’t see that happening.
Tuesday Stove
Juan Soto reportedly has offers on the table from the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Phillies, and Dodgers.
The Angels agreed to a three-year, $63 million contract with starter Yusei Kikuchi.
The Red Sox and Mariners have discussed a trade involving Triston Casas and Bryan Woo.
The Phillies are interested in Willy Adames and Alex Bregman, which indicates they will likely trade Bohm.
Bregman will be targeted by the Yankees if New York loses Soto.
Dodgers players split $46 million from a record $129 million playoff pool. Players getting a full postseason share will receive $477,441.00.
The league has changed the Rays’ 2025 schedule due to potentially rainy weather. They’ll play 47 of their first 59 games at home and 69 of their final 103 games on the road.
Black Friday Door Busters
Some analysts believe the hot stove thermostat will be set to broil before the last turkey sandwich gets devoured this weekend. Who will be the first to sign? I expect one of the top 15 free agents to sign before December 1 except Sasaki. I’ll order them from likeliest to least likeliest and give you the suitors.
- Soto – Mets
- Blake Snell – Dodgers (note: I wrote this on Tuesday morning and it was not published until today. I’m very proud of this prediction, especially because nobody saw it coming).
- Corbin Burnes – Mets
- Max Fried – Cubs
- Pete Alonso – Yankees
- Bregman – Yankees
- Jack Flaherty – Royals or Braves
- Anthony Santander – Phillies
- Adames – Red Sox
- Sean Manaea – Orioles or Phillies
- Tanner Scott – Yankees
- Teoscar Hernandez – Red Sox
- Christian Walker – Mets
- Luis Severino – Red Sox
- Sasaki (eventually) to the Cubs
Extra Innings
It’s just over 18 years later and Alfonso Soriano still owns the fourth-largest contract in team history. The Cubs have paid five players $100 million or more. Can you name the other four?
𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟔
The Cubs sign Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year, $136 million contract.
— This Day in Chicago Sports (@ChiSportsDay) November 20, 2024
Bear-ly Worth Watching
- It’s almost as if finding new and excruciating ways to lose games is embedded in Matt Eberflus’ DNA.
- Thanksgiving is going to be a special day for me. I have to pretend like I enjoy turkey, and I get to watch the Lions spank the Bears.
They Said It
- “I talked about our young players in this experience, and I don’t know if anybody benefited more than Shaw did, from when we started working out about a month ago in Arizona and where he ended up. He also had the opportunity to work with two of the best infield coaches that we have in the United States — Dino Ebel and Keith Johnson. The work they put in with Matt — it paid off quickly. You saw him play great defensive third base in this tournament. It’s a newer position for him, but with the Cubs, I think that’s where they’re projecting him to play as he gets in the major leagues.” – Scioscia
- “On the defensive side, [Shaw] improved so much in just one month. On the offensive side, I think you saw his ability to drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark, and he also runs the bases well. He’s got a great future.” – Scioscia
Tuesday Walk-Up Song
Today’s long-distance dedication goes out to Jed from Theo.