2016's Around Major League Baseball

[TC in Mississippi]

Of SF, St Louis and the Mets - I'd still prefer to face the Cards. Yes, Madison wouldn't be available for Game 1 of the NLDS, but we'd still see Cueto. Cueto goes hot/cold but he has the ability to shut anyone down. Baumgarten would be available for Game 3, right?




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Of the three, and as crazy as it sounds, I think the Mets pitching scares me the least and offensively they're not close to what they were at this time last year. Their rotation for the NLDS would likely be Colon, an ouchy deGrom and Syndergaard. If you're talking the Cards it would probably be Wainright, Garcia and Martinez. While even that weakened Mets staff has better stats than the STL guys, I can't discount the rivalry factor. I think the Cubs can beat any of the three but if their vulnerable in these playoffs it's in the NLDS and I think overall the Mets are the worst of the three. That said I seriously doubt SF gets in at this point. STL could knock them out this weekend.

 

[cubsmann]

The Pittsburg Pirates

WTF has been happening to the Pirates? Once we swept them and went up like 12 games and then eventually pulled away by basically winning almost every game started by Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks,and Lackey. Its crazy to watch these guys. Did you guys not notice how fucking hard the win was blowing straight out. Any Cubs player with a brain and ability (of which we currently have 40 guys but will cut their asses down to 25 and the best performers will in the post season roster. There are at LEAST 3 roster spots available for Tommy LaStella, Munenori Kawasaki,Chris Coglan, Jorge Soler, Matt Szczur,

But they have been playing sorry baseball since the All Star Break when we beat them at home the day before the all star game and then 5 fucking position players and 2 pitchers went to the All Star game and there should have been 8 guys from this team that will be all stars next year.

check out this article, some good reading.

http://rumbunter.com/2016/09/16/pittsburgh-pirates-where-did-it-go-wrong/

 

[anotheridiot]

There is one roster spot open now, its either MsStella or Coghlan. Scuzzy and Soler are locks if healthy. No way Joe bets against Georgie after what he did in the playoffs last year, basically he and Javy were the offense.

 

[cubsmann]

There is one roster spot open now, its either MsStella or Coghlan. Scuzzy and Soler are locks if healthy. No way Joe bets against Georgie after what he did in the playoffs last year, basically he and Javy were the offense.

Its gotta be Coglin man. The guy has been hot as hell lately and you have to ride hot bats. The guy has driven in a lot of runs lately. He's a way better clutch hitter and has proven himself to be.

 

[anotheridiot]

I can understand the argument for Almora though, for the late inning defense. I just cringe when Joe puts Coghlan at third, second or first. Cant see him doing it in the playoffs, but if he uses his bench, I would prefer to see Contrares at third or first.

Anyway, as far as the pirates, I never liked their manager, he is one of those that has a window and then his attitude and 100 mph gum chewing just gets on these multi millionaires nerves. That window has closed. They definitely have talented players and still decent pitching. Their problem will be getting rid of too much of this lineup so they get new guys that will listen to the manager instead of changing the manager.

 

[A.C. Milan]

LOL Puig and Bumgarner started a brawl

 

[A.C. Milan]

Gary Sanchez has 19 HR in 45 games

 

[Parade_Rain]

Cool article on 538 about the MLB managers and which ones are the best at managing bullpens.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/baseballs-savviest-and-crappiest-bullpen-managers/

Note that Maddon isn't on the best or worst list. Bochy is one of the best. Dusty is one of the worst.

 

[brett05]

Gary Sanchez has 19 HR in 45 games

Most homeruns ever in first 45 games. I think he's making a case to be the next Willie McCovey

 

[brett05]

Cool article on 538 about the MLB managers and which ones are the best at managing bullpens.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/baseballs-savviest-and-crappiest-bullpen-managers/

Note that Maddon isn't on the best or worst list. Bochy is one of the best. Dusty is one of the worst.

I appreciate what they are trying to do even if I do not agree with the method.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I appreciate what they are trying to do even if I do not agree with the method.

Brett, and I mean with a lot of respect, you are a tough customer. I actually admired the method although there certainly might be another way to go. Again though, much respect, you know your baseball and you hold fast to what you believe.

 

[brett05]

Brett, and I mean with a lot of respect, you are a tough customer. I actually admired the method although there certainly might be another way to go. Again though, much respect, you know your baseball and you hold fast to what you believe.

Honestly, I am just glad someone is thinking about this and trying to figure something out.

I am pretty close minded when it comes to the pressure situation. As I have stated in the past, I am a firm believer that the pressure of losing a game outweighs losing a lead. I might be alone in the camp, but that never stopped me before. Though it also means I can be convinced otherwise which adds to my happiness that someone is trying to figure this out.

 

[DanTown]

So this isn't a bashing post, just a question to Cubs fans (and the Sox fans who post here) about the other team in Chicago

White Sox win totals the past five years
72 (six games left)
76
73
63
85

Here are their top 3 hitting/pitcher in WAR those years

Hitters
2016 - Eaton (6.0), Fraizer (2.1), Abreu (1.7)
2015 - Eaton (3.7), Abreu (3.0), Thompson (1.5)
2014 - Abreu (5.3), Ramirez (3.2), Eaton (3.1)
2013 - Ramirez (3.2), De Aza (2.5), Rios (1.7)
2012 - Rios (3.9), Pierzynski (3.5), De Aza (2.7)

Pitchers
2016 - Sale (5.2), Quintana (4.6), Gonzalez (2.4)
2015 - Sale (6.2), Quintana (4.8), Samardzija (2.6)
2014 - Sale (5.2), Quintana (5.1), Putnam (0.7)
2013 - Sale (4.9), Quintana (3.5), Jones (2.0)
2012 - Sale (4.7), Peavy (4.4), Floyd (1.7)

Tim Anderson might soon be a 2-3 WAR guy but outside of that, where is the value coming from? They've been so inept at developing or finding mid-level talent to be 2-4 WAR guys for them that I think they might have to dump everyone who won't be there in three+ years when they want to compete again. And it seems like they don't want to completely rebuild so they're stuck with being too good to get the top prospects in a draft and not good enough to seriously compete for anything. I don't know, just sad to see a team that keeps trying to win this way.

 

[Parade_Rain]

They need to gut the team and start over.

 

[fatbeard]

They need to gut the team and start over.

Reinsdorf won't allow it. They're going to be mired in mediocrity until he dies.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Reinsdorf won't allow it. They're going to be mired in mediocrity until he dies.

Agreed. The Bulls are pretty well screwed, too, unfortunately.

 

[SilenceS]

Astros probably just destroyed their playoff chances tonight. Up by 2 in the ninth. They give up 6 to the Angels. lol

 

[Omeletpants]

Astros probably just destroyed their playoff chances tonight. Up by 2 in the ninth. They give up 6 to the Angels. lol

Thanks for the AL Playoff series update

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Agreed. The Bulls are pretty well screwed, too, unfortunately.

Loyalty only works in sports when you're loyal to the right people. When you're loyal to lunkheads it rarely goes well.

 

[brett05]

So this isn't a bashing post, just a question to Cubs fans (and the Sox fans who post here) about the other team in Chicago

White Sox win totals the past five years
72 (six games left)
76
73
63
85

Here are their top 3 hitting/pitcher in WAR those years

Hitters
2016 - Eaton (6.0), Fraizer (2.1), Abreu (1.7)
2015 - Eaton (3.7), Abreu (3.0), Thompson (1.5)
2014 - Abreu (5.3), Ramirez (3.2), Eaton (3.1)
2013 - Ramirez (3.2), De Aza (2.5), Rios (1.7)
2012 - Rios (3.9), Pierzynski (3.5), De Aza (2.7)

Pitchers
2016 - Sale (5.2), Quintana (4.6), Gonzalez (2.4)
2015 - Sale (6.2), Quintana (4.8), Samardzija (2.6)
2014 - Sale (5.2), Quintana (5.1), Putnam (0.7)
2013 - Sale (4.9), Quintana (3.5), Jones (2.0)
2012 - Sale (4.7), Peavy (4.4), Floyd (1.7)

Tim Anderson might soon be a 2-3 WAR guy but outside of that, where is the value coming from? They've been so inept at developing or finding mid-level talent to be 2-4 WAR guys for them that I think they might have to dump everyone who won't be there in three+ years when they want to compete again. And it seems like they don't want to completely rebuild so they're stuck with being too good to get the top prospects in a draft and not good enough to seriously compete for anything. I don't know, just sad to see a team that keeps trying to win this way.

They are not good at all at developing offensive talent. The shake up needs to happen in the trenches. They are fine at developing pitchers, but have not turned the corner like the Cubs have by gutting the minor league process.

2017 the team will have a few 2+ bWAR players as it stands: Eaton, Abreu, Frazier, Cabrera. Can Anderson take a small step up and cross over? I think so. I think he's a future 3-4 bWAR type. Can Saladino get there at 2b with regular playing time? Maybe. It will be a while before we see Collins but I have to admit with our inability to develop talent offensively, I am taking a prove it before I trumpet it stance. They need two solid 2-4 bwar players to have a complete lineup. They don;t have to be the Cubs, Red Sox, They just can't keep being a bottom 5 team offensively.

The pitching is extremely good. It's what the White Sox really do well at.

Getting worse for higher picks is not a need at all. Making the correct talent evals and doing the development is. So far, Kenny is still there and Jerry isn't budging on fixing the broken talent system.