2015 Cubs Offseason: Building a Winner Around David Ross

[Oleg]

I know the defensive metrics are particularly kind to him but, the more I think about it, the more I want The Cubs to sign Span for CF.

I assume you meant aren't there, but yeah I'd be fine with that if the years/price were right. Fowler's defense wasn't particularly stout either per the metrics but Wrigley's center field proved to be far more manageable for him.

And Span will be a lot more affordable, both in dollars and years, than Fowler will be.

How would Span compare to Austin Jackson?

Span's K rate is also much, much better than Jackson, by about 2:1.  He's a low K, high BB guy, which seems to fit with what Epstink was talking about in his news conference.

If they can get Span on a 3/36 deal, I'd say they should jump all over it.  There's a chance Jackson gets less.

[Oleg]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

I highly doubt it.  He may get something close to 4/50 on the market.

But, that draft pick The Cubs get might be pretty nice.

[Tonker]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but my understanding is that, yes: it's a one-year contract after which the player is a free agent.  And yes, I think it's around $16MM.  I'd say the chances of Fowler taking it are slim: if he has a bad year, or gets seriously hurt, he's fucked.  Somebody will give him that kind of money for more years.

[R-V]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but my understanding is that, yes: it's a one-year contract after which the player is a free agent.  And yes, I think it's around $16MM.  I'd say the chances of Fowler taking it are slim: if he has a bad year, or gets seriously hurt, he's fucked.  Somebody will give him that kind of money for more years.

Yeah, and this isn't like the NBA or NFL where a player might gamble on that one year deal in anticipation of a huge jump in the salary cap following that season (and therefore a huge jump in the multiyear dollars that would be on the table). I think I've seen speculation about Kevin Durant doing something like this next summer.

[Oleg]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but my understanding is that, yes: it's a one-year contract after which the player is a free agent.  And yes, I think it's around $16MM.  I'd say the chances of Fowler taking it are slim: if he has a bad year, or gets seriously hurt, he's fucked.  Somebody will give him that kind of money for more years.

Yeah, and this isn't like the NBA or NFL where a player might gamble on that one year deal in anticipation of a huge jump in the salary cap following that season (and therefore a huge jump in the multiyear dollars that would be on the table). I think I've seen speculation about Kevin Durant doing something like this next summer.

The NBA is just fucking weird with their cap.  I think the expectation is that their cap will jump exponentially in 2017, right?  So, the top free agents are all eyeing that (with the max contract value going up too).  That's why Lebron keeps signing one year and two year deals, right?

Football is weird because of non-guaranteed contracts.  Also, they don't get to decline a franchise tag.

The only thing that would keep Fowler from taking a multi-year deal is if he thinks this free agent class is so string, that it depresses his market.  I don't think it's enough to keep him from taking a multi-year deal and security.  Plus, he'll be a year older and I think teams are much better at evaluating players than they used to be.

[Eli]

I know the defensive metrics are particularly kind to him but, the more I think about it, the more I want The Cubs to sign Span for CF.

I like Span. I think he could come at a discount after being dinged up most of last year. My unlikely wish is they grab him for CF and Heyward for RF, which would offset a lot of Schwarber's shortcomings defensively. And they'd be a good 1-2 combo at the top of the order (if Maddon could handle back-to-back lefties).

[Canadouche]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

The rules have changed in recent years, but Maddux once accepted a qualifying offer from the Braves because he knew that the amount of money they'd owe him for that one year was more than what he'd make with any other team. I believe this was before the 2003 season, and we all remember what happened during that following off-season.

[Oleg]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

The rules have changed in recent years, but Maddux once accepted a qualifying offer from the Braves because he knew that the amount of money they'd owe him for that one year was more than what he'd make with any other team. I believe this was before the 2003 season, and we all remember what happened during that following off-season.

Back then, they weren't qualifying offers.  It was arbitration.

[CT III]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

The rules have changed in recent years, but Maddux once accepted a qualifying offer from the Braves because he knew that the amount of money they'd owe him for that one year was more than what he'd make with any other team. I believe this was before the 2003 season, and we all remember what happened during that following off-season.

Back then, they weren't qualifying offers.  It was arbitration.

IMHO the system was greatly improved by the introduction of Huebitration.

[Saul Goodman]

I know the defensive metrics are particularly kind to him but, the more I think about it, the more I want The Cubs to sign Span for CF.

I like Span. I think he could come at a discount after being dinged up most of last year. My unlikely wish is they grab him for CF and Heyward for RF, which would offset a lot of Schwarber's shortcomings defensively. And they'd be a good 1-2 combo at the top of the order (if Maddon could handle back-to-back lefties).

New meme alert: Eli hates Jorge.

[Oleg]

I know the defensive metrics are particularly kind to him but, the more I think about it, the more I want The Cubs to sign Span for CF.

I like Span. I think he could come at a discount after being dinged up most of last year. My unlikely wish is they grab him for CF and Heyward for RF, which would offset a lot of Schwarber's shortcomings defensively. And they'd be a good 1-2 combo at the top of the order (if Maddon could handle back-to-back lefties).

New meme alert: Eli hates Jorge.

I don't think that's new.

[Saul Goodman]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

The rules have changed in recent years, but Maddux once accepted a qualifying offer from the Braves because he knew that the amount of money they'd owe him for that one year was more than what he'd make with any other team. I believe this was before the 2003 season, and we all remember what happened during that following off-season.

And of course, Babe Ruth notoriously accepted the Red Sox's qualifying offer only to be sold to the Yankees. Long history with those qualifying offers.

[PenFoe]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but my understanding is that, yes: it's a one-year contract after which the player is a free agent.  And yes, I think it's around $16MM.  I'd say the chances of Fowler taking it are slim: if he has a bad year, or gets seriously hurt, he's fucked.  Somebody will give him that kind of money for more years.

The internet tells me that no one has ever accepted a qualifying offer.

However, Brett says that this is the year this will change (not with Fowler, per se.)

[Oleg]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but my understanding is that, yes: it's a one-year contract after which the player is a free agent.  And yes, I think it's around $16MM.  I'd say the chances of Fowler taking it are slim: if he has a bad year, or gets seriously hurt, he's fucked.  Somebody will give him that kind of money for more years.

The internet tells me that no one has ever accepted a qualifying offer.

However, Brett says that this is the year this will change (not with Fowler, per se.)

Does Brett mention who?  Cause teams don't tend to give out those QOs unless they know the player won't accept.  If the player accepts, it means he's not worth it and I think teams have a pretty good idea of those types of things.  At least that's my take.

[Quality Start Machine]

Another thought on Fowler....and my understanding may be...PANKISH....but has anyone ever accepted a qualifying offer and does it work similar to an NFL player who's been tagged a franchise player--i.e. 1-year fat contract then FA again?  As I understood it, Fowler's QO would be maybe 16 mildo?  Any chance he would roll the dice on another solid season and maybe win a CHAMMENSHIP (both which would increase his value for next year, though only marginally at best)?  

Just say no and I'll put it to rest.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but my understanding is that, yes: it's a one-year contract after which the player is a free agent.  And yes, I think it's around $16MM.  I'd say the chances of Fowler taking it are slim: if he has a bad year, or gets seriously hurt, he's fucked.  Somebody will give him that kind of money for more years.

The internet tells me that no one has ever accepted a qualifying offer.

However, Brett says that this is the year this will change (not with Fowler, per se.)

Does Brett mention who?  Cause teams don't tend to give out those QOs unless they know the player won't accept.  If the player accepts, it means he's not worth it and I think teams have a pretty good idea of those types of things.  At least that's my take.

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