Episode Summary:
This week, I'm joined once again by Bleed Cubbie Blue's Sara Sanchez to run back one of their favorite offseason exercises: rebuilding Jed Hoyer’s winter—within real-world limits.
No extra spending. No fantasy trade machines. Just the actual signings, the real budgets, and some sharper roster decisions. If Jed had done things a little differently… could this team have been even better heading into 2025?
Let’s find out.
🔍 What You’ll Hear This Episode:
🧩 The Ground Rules
Every player must be signed at their actual 2024-25 deal
Total budget capped under the CBT
Cubs moves can be kept or replaced—but not rewritten
No hypothetical trades allowed (sorry, no Soto deals)
🔄 The Kyle Tucker Trade: Keep It or Rewind?
Both hosts start with a shared assumption: Tucker stays
But what about the price—Cam Smith vs. Matt Shaw?
Is an extension now in the works… and what would it mean?
❌ Bellinger’s Future: On the Roster or Cashed Out?
One host keeps Bellinger—and uses him to deepen the bench
The other trades him—and spends the cash immediately
Two paths, two very different Cubs rosters
🔥 Pitching Picks: Safe Bets or Big Swings?
One side goes bold with a top-of-market starter
The other builds depth with three arms for less money
Which bullpen duo did both agree on skipping?
🎯 The Bullpen Fix
Forget Presley and Teelbar—there were better options out there
See who got signed, for how much, and who has closer experience
Did Jed aim too low when the Cubs needed late-inning reliability?
🧢 Catcher Carousel: One Popular Signing Gets Swapped
One veteran got replaced by a proven glove-first backstop
Another move brings in more offense and framing
Who got cut? Who got trusted? And what about Amaya?
📋 Bench Battles & Utility Choices
Gage Workman stays—but does he play?
One roster added a $1M corner bat
The other opted for a more versatile veteran with playoff chops
🧮 Roster Recaps & Budget Check-Ins:
💼 Rotation Headlines
Who brought in Walker Buehler on a 1-year prove-it deal?
Who bet on Cal Quantrill and a young core instead?
🛠️ Bullpen Anchors
AJ Minter, Carlos Estévez, Chris Martin, Ryan Stanek…
Only a few were chosen—but which duo got the nod?
🧠 Bench Construction
Why Ty France might be a better play than Justin Turner
Where Jonathan India slots into one version of the roster
Why keeping Alexander Canario could’ve changed the outfield picture
🧾 Final Thoughts
What happens at the trade deadline if money’s still on the table?
Which reworked roster looks better on paper—and on the field?
And what would it take to make Kyle Tucker a Cub for life?
🎧 Listen & Subscribe
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!
Let us know which version of Jed’s offseason you would’ve chosen—and who nailed it in this exercise.
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