Chatwood to Cubs - 3 years $38 million

[KeithStone53151]

I think this puts the Cubs out of the running for Arrietta and Lynn. The Cubs still need to get a bullpen piece or two which would put them at their budget limit or very close.

 

I don't think they were targeting those guys, but I disagree with that. With this signing, and depending on the per year payout, the Cubs will be roughly $140 million payroll for 2018. Plenty of room left under the luxury tax threshold for Arrieta/Lynn plus a closer, bullpen arm, backup catcher and backup CF.

 

The Cubs have about $40m left on their budget. That means they have to sign a closer at a maximum of $15m a year, another bullpen piece at about $8m a year and a backup catcher at about $2m a year. That leaves the Cubs about $15m for another starting pitcher and I don't believe that gets them Arrietta or Lynn. It would get them Cobb or any other starter on the market but not Lynn or Arrietta.

 

i think Cobb projects to get similar to Lynn, while Arrieta projects to get significantly more. They could always go a bit cheaper on the bullpen arm and/or backload a couple deals. Backloading would probably be a bit silly in the long run considering all the new guys hitting arbitration and/or getting arbitration raises next year, but who knows with that front office

[monty57]

Chatwood was my top choice for the Brewers due mainly to him being one of the only guys under 30 on the market. Sucks that he went to the Cubs, but now it's time to see what Stearns does to improve our pitching.

[502 to Right]

If he's healthy the Cubs got an effective starter. If he's not healthy the Cubs will shrug their shoulders and write off the $38m. It has to be nice to have craploads of cash for payroll.

[Humans Need Water]

I don't care about Chatwood because I still prefer to sign a vet for 1yr until Burnes takes over or trade a prospect (nobody that's part of the future) for a vet with 1yr remaining on contract. 2018 has Chase, Davies, Woodruff, Hader + vet.....still leaves Suter, Guerra, Wilkerson internally to fill in if needed and Nelson back at some point. No way I'd pay the price for any of these FA pitchers

[Fear The Chorizo]

meh - Brewers can't give upwards of 40 Million over 3 years to a free agent pitcher whose #'s just aren't very good. Guy also hasn't ever pitched over 160 innings in a season - doesn't exactly scream mid-rotation stalwart in his prime to me.

 

yet another case in point why developing your own starters or developing a pile of prospects to acquire controllable starters is the way the Brewers need to build rotations.

[brewmann04]

relax glad we didn't through that money at him but think we see DS swing a trade

[pacopete4]

Supposedly the Yankees are all over Cobb. Bidding war would be fatal.

 

I wish we could draft our own TOR's.

 

We already traded for one in Hader and there are there might be some in the pipeline we just don't know about yet. Be patient.

[KeithStone53151]

If he's healthy the Cubs got an effective starter. If he's not healthy the Cubs will shrug their shoulders and write off the $38m. It has to be nice to have craploads of cash for payroll.

 

It's easier for them, but not quite that easy as their payroll issues have been noted.

[KeithStone53151]

I wouldn't have hated signing Chatwood, the price is a bit steep in my opinion though. I do hate the Cubs getting him as he has potential to be good. And pretty much anything the Cubs do I'm going to find a reason to hate by default.

[TJseven7]

If we did this I'd be saying that's too rich but I'm hopeful... due to 3 yr especially. Use 2.. flip 1.

 

If anyone else did this id be saying it's too rich but might pay off and meh.

 

Since the cubs did this im not happy. It feels 8-11 mil too high but I'd prefer him and a upper teir RP to signing arrieta to a beastly contract. This was a frugal and wise move by a big money club. Feels like Quintana again... they beat us to the punch by pricing us out.

 

Really.sucks that the cards and cubs have now landed 2 shorter term mid priced upside candidate arms. You know the ones I'd wish we sought. If we added those 2 at 2/16 and 3/30 id be over the moon saying keep swarzak and add another quality rp and away we go!

[trwi7]

Oh no, we didn't sign a guy for almost $40 million who might become a middle of the rotation starter away from Coors.

[danzig6767]

Given how expensive free agent pitching generally is and the good road splits of Chatwood, this seems like a reasonable risk and price tag for the Cubs.

 

If he can stay healthy and keep his ERA somewhere in the 3's, that's a big win for the Cubs at this price. They mainly have to try and get him to cut down the walks.

[JosephC]

I remember looking at that 3 years, 20 million dollar guess by MLBTradeRumors and just scratching my head over that one. I'm certainly no expert but it was pretty obvious that number was ridiculously low.

[LouisEly]

I don't care about Chatwood because I still prefer to sign a vet for 1yr until Burnes takes over or trade a prospect (nobody that's part of the future) for a vet with 1yr remaining on contract. 2018 has Chase, Davies, Woodruff, Hader + vet.....still leaves Suter, Guerra, Wilkerson internally to fill in if needed and Nelson back at some point. No way I'd pay the price for any of these FA pitchers

+1. Either get someone on a one year deal or get a #1/#2 under control for several years and take on salary. No half-arseing it with multi-year deals for #3/#4 starters.