Cubs re-sign Fowler for one year with mutual option

[JohnBriggs12]

In somewhat of a stunner, Dexter Fowler, thought to have reached agreement for a 3 year deal with O's has signed for one year with a mutual option back with the Cubs. Good news is this means Cubs won't get compensation pick, and they've already lost their first round pick by signing both Lackey and Heyward.

 

It's going to be interesting to see how they divvy up AB's among Schwarber, Heyward, Soler and Fowler. Guessing this nixes the idea of Baez playing CF and Zobrist playing some OF.

 

I still say Cubs are a possible landing spot for Lucroy at some point. They have a piece in Baez who's without a position.

[yfinn6]

No thanks to Baez, unless other pieces are added.

[Fear The Chorizo]

They have a piece in Baez who's without a position

 

I would argue they have multiple pieces without a position - Their depth is crazy right now, but it likely means that Maddon won't be able to keep everyone happy with enough everyday PT unless injuries hit them hard. As much as I'd hate to see Luc with the Cubs, catcher is the one position the Cubs could use a substantial upgrade - and they have the pieces (young MLB-ready high ceiling talent, prospects in lower levels with impact talent) to make a deal happen.

 

That said, I can't make Baez the centerpiece of any deal involving Lucroy - there's just too much risk of him being unable to realize his enormous potential at the plate.

 

Cubs would hang up immediately, but I'd ask for Schwarber - he's without an everyday position too. He's either a DH or a 1B at the MLB level. Cubs won't move Rizzo, so they're stuck trying to hide Schwarber in a corner OF spot and hope nobody hits him the ball.

[danzig6767]

 

I still say Cubs are a possible landing spot for Lucroy at some point. They have a piece in Baez who's without a position.

They already have Miguel Montero and he's signed through next season at 14 million per.

[brewcrewdue80]

Cubs just gotta love this. Here's a 15.8mil QO. Declined. Here's a 8mil contract with 9mil option for next season re:2/17mil or 5mil buyout re 1/13mil. They got him for far less than if he'd just accepted the QO. Sure they could make a trade now at some point during the season, say if Soler outperforms him, Schwarber is terrible behind the plate and you gotta keep him as an OF. Neither play well, Fowler gives them a higher floor, as does Montero. This season will help determine where these youngsters belong on the field. Zobrist as Baez bat protection. Montero, Fowler, and Zobrist any of them can be traded easily when/if the youngsters lay claim to the position.

[nate82]

Schwarber is terrible behind the plate and you gotta keep him as an OF.

 

Schwarber from the eye test looks equally as terrible in the OF. Schwarber should really be a DH or a 1B he looks like Adam Dunn in the OF towards the end of Adam Dunn's career.

[brewcrewdue80]

Nate I'm probably with ya on being just a 1b/DH. But that bat....I just believe it's too highly thought of to be traded away. It's an obvious far better bat than Yuni B ever had in his best years, and teams put up with his atrocious defense at SS! For it. You'd have to be offering a legit #2SP with Ace potential to pry his bat away from me at this point. The AL teams with DH place to put Schwarber just don't present that drooling type. Plus you have that DH talk. Cubs got their guy if that happens. He's gotta be terrible and costing Cubs wins with his defense to force the GMs hand in to trading him.

[Ennder]

Cubs need pitching not hitting.

[502 to Right]

I was afraid this might come together when Fowler went so long without signing in free agency. Moving Heyward back to RF while having a solid CF who doesn't break the bank is a win/win for the Cubs. Heyward is exceptional in RF. Plus, they can trade Soler for something better than the draft pick they would have gotten had Fowler signed elsewhere.

[Boomer5]

They just signed Victorino to a minor league contract too????

[Boomer5]

Nate I'm probably with ya on being just a 1b/DH. But that bat....I just believe it's too highly thought of to be traded away. It's an obvious far better bat than Yuni B ever had in his best years, and teams put up with his atrocious defense at SS! For it. You'd have to be offering a legit #2SP with Ace potential to pry his bat away from me at this point. The AL teams with DH place to put Schwarber just don't present that drooling type. Plus you have that DH talk. Cubs got their guy if that happens. He's gotta be terrible and costing Cubs wins with his defense to force the GMs hand in to trading him.

 

He is an interesting case. In the playoffs, he looked like the worst defensive OF I have ever seen but it seemed like he hit a HR in every game he played too. Still, his hitting numbers on the season weren't that great and did get worse as the season went on until the playoffs.

 

I cant imagine the Cubs trading him until they figure out exactly what he is. If there is any hope he can become a catcher, I dont know there is a trade out there that would satisfy the Cubs. In 20 games as a C, he was a 1037 OPS. Thats Johnny Bench stuff.

[Fear The Chorizo]

If Schwarber were even a poor defensive catcher, he'd be the everyday backstop for the Cubs - think Piazza in his heyday with the Mets. Problem is he's worse than atrocious behind the plate - he's a prototypical DH, though.

 

Johnny Bench was among the greatest defensive catchers ever...20 games of Schwarber putting on gear and chasing past balls while mashing would be compared more accurately to what 20 games of David Ortiz offensive output would be if the Red Sox let him catch.

 

If the NL adopting the DH isn't imminent, the Cubs will have to trade him or Soler unless they'd rather move Rizzo towards the end of his current contract - Schwarber has no defensive position unless you stick him at 1B and live with him there. You can at least attempt to hide him in left or right on occasion to keep his bat in the lineup.

[Ennder]

I don't really get what Fowler is doing, I guess he just wants a chance at a ring. He left a lot of money on the table to do it though. He should have just taken the qualifying offer if that is what he wanted.

 

As for the Cubs OF glut, someone will get hurt, whether it is in the OF or the rotation and they can use the extra OF to plug the hole.

[endaround]

I don't really get what Fowler is doing, I guess he just wants a chance at a ring. He left a lot of money on the table to do it though. He should have just taken the qualifying offer if that is what he wanted.

 

As for the Cubs OF glut, someone will get hurt, whether it is in the OF or the rotation and they can use the extra OF to plug the hole.

 

Not sure what you mean? Fowler had no choice. Baltimore looks to have pulled everything when the Gallardo deal was put in limbo and it sounds like what Baltimore was leaking they were offering was not what they were really offering. No other team wanted to give up the draft choice for Fowler so he was stuck with trying to get back on the market next year.

[Oldcity]

If the Brewers were to send Lucroy to the Cubs, I'd target Addison Russell over Schwarber. I doubt they'd go for it, but they have some depth, and Russell hasn't really broken out yet.

 

Pipe dream, though.

[brewcrewdue80]

If the Brewers were to send Lucroy to the Cubs, I'd target Addison Russell over Schwarber. I doubt they'd go for it, but they have some depth, and Russell hasn't really broken out yet.

 

Pipe dream, though.

 

Especially after the Cubs traded Starlin Castro who was the only player blocking Russell and while not special, would be hard to sit down for Russell. Kinda like Segura trade making room for Arcia in very near future. Happened a year earlier though.

[Ennder]

I don't really get what Fowler is doing, I guess he just wants a chance at a ring. He left a lot of money on the table to do it though. He should have just taken the qualifying offer if that is what he wanted.

 

As for the Cubs OF glut, someone will get hurt, whether it is in the OF or the rotation and they can use the extra OF to plug the hole.

 

Not sure what you mean? Fowler had no choice. Baltimore looks to have pulled everything when the Gallardo deal was put in limbo and it sounds like what Baltimore was leaking they were offering was not what they were really offering. No other team wanted to give up the draft choice for Fowler so he was stuck with trying to get back on the market next year.

 

Not how I saw it all. The Orioles players thought Fowler was signed, they were even told he was on his way to camp. The Cub deal came completely out of nowhere and was a shock to the Orioles who still had the offer in place. The deal he took was significantly below the offer they had out. Basically he had a change of heart and went for the best chance at a ring. The deal was also a shock to the Cubs as he just showed up and nobody had any idea he was coming at least on the team.

[AdvantageSchneider]

The free agent pool in thin next year beyond Carlos Gomez, so he wants to opt out and take another crack at it next year. Well see if it pays off.

 

But in the short term not accepting the QO was a mistake.