Cubs vs. Dodgers

[CSF77]

Great. Tallon busted his left nut and now we have a scab pitching....

 

[TL1961]

Sssssshhhhh !!

 

[Hawkeye OG]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1649514346400104450

 

[TL1961]

I don't think Smyly had a chance to get the runner, but one can't help wonder what on Earth was the catcher trying to do?

Edit: Seeing it from a different angle made me change my mind. I think the runner could have been thrown out.

 

[Castor76]

Great bounce back today. Beating Urias twice is no easy task.

 

[SilenceS]

This has 2015 vibes all over it. Its just fun to watch them

 

[Castor76]

This has 2015 vibes all over it. Its just fun to watch them

I've had the same feeling since Spring Training. 2024 looks more like when a lot of prospects should be ready, like 2016, and the team is going to shine earlier than expected. I'm still holding that grain of salt until at least the 40 game mark, but 12 wins before 20 games played and 2nd best run differential in MLB is no joke.

 

[JP Hochbaum]

This has 2015 vibes all over it. Its just fun to watch them

Kind of sort of. 2015 we were .500 until the second half and then exploded.

This team has been a top 3 NL team out of the gate and putting up crazy run diffs, this is more like 2016 than 2015. But I want 50 games of this before I commit to this statement lol.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs are going to address the staff before anything happening

Side note. Brown is dominating AA and Wicks Is not far behind him. Those two should hit Iowa mid season and be eligible for MLB late season.

Potential rotation candidates or trade chips

 

[beckdawg]

Interesting side note... cubs are 3rd in the majors right now in stolen bases with 24. Last season they had 111 which was 4th highest. Seems like the changes to base size have made a decent impact. They are roughly 13% into the season and already have ~22% of last years total.

 

[jooo83]

Cubs need to win today. Can't lose 3 out of 4 at home.

 

[Diehardfan]

Interesting side note... cubs are 3rd in the majors right now in stolen bases with 24. Last season they had 111 which was 4th highest. Seems like the changes to base size have made a decent impact. They are roughly 13% into the season and already have ~22% of last years total.

The base size is a marginal help....the new rule that limits the pitcher's throws to first is what's really got teams running more.

 

[jooo83]

Hard to criticize Stroman after how good he looked in his first 4 starts. But the Cubs needed a win today and he sucked. An ace gives the team a chance to win when you need it.

 

[Castor76]

The base size is a marginal help....the new rule that limits the pitcher's throws to first is what's really got teams running more.

Imagine if that rule was in place during the 80s with all the guys who were SB kings. Rickey may have stolen 200 bases in a year.

 

[Diehardfan]

Hard to criticize Stroman after how good he looked in his first 4 starts. But the Cubs needed a win today and he sucked. An ace gives the team a chance to win when you need it.

He's not an ace....never has been, never will be. Only starter on this team that is even close is Steele and he's not there yet either. I don't care what the stats say, this team is short on pitching. No closer, lack of a top tier starter and an overall average pen. They are .500 team or thereabouts. But amazingly enough, in today's MLB....that might be enough to make the playoffs.

 

[CSF77]

He's not an ace....never has been, never will be. Only starter on this team that is even close is Steele and he's not there yet either. I don't care what the stats say, this team is short on pitching. No closer, lack of a top tier starter and an overall average pen. They are .500 team or thereabouts. But amazingly enough, in today's MLB....that might be enough to make the playoffs.

Jed is going to have to deal some blue chips this year. The good this is they are good enough to even consider doing this.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Jed is going to have to deal some blue chips this year. The good this is they are good enough to even consider doing this.

No they aren't

 

[CSF77]

No they aren't

They aren't good enough or going to trade?

 

[Discus fish salesman]

They aren't good enough or going to trade?

Not good enough. I'd rather not trade top prospects or really any worthwhile prospects if you still aren't going to be a world series contender

 

[CSF77]

I'll go out in a limb here.

They are currently #2 in team O behind the Rays.

Pitching #9 in ERA.

So they need pitching.

Othani alone changes the dynamic of the team.

Adding him removes the need of holding onto Hayden and Mervis. It also opens up Brown as a top.of the rotation pitcher.

They need a closer. Bottom of the league in saves and that sucks for a +.500 team

I don't think that they are that far.

I would put PCA and Horton off limits.

Of who they have:

Brown, Wicks, Alcantera all have weight. Davis starts ripping apart Iowa then he becomes a blue chip. Mervis is also a blue chip now. Moved up to #6 on MLB Cubs rankings and wrecking the ball. Othani removes the need of retaining him.

Cubs could do:

Mervis, Brown, Hayden, Davis, Kilian

Othani, Jose Quijada.

That gives a Ace and a LH late inning arm. Both are needed.

LAA gets 3 pitchers and 2 hitters. Howard or Hernandez would also be considered.

This addresses the biggest areas of concern this year and adds a core hitter.

After that Jed should focus on extending Othani to become the face of the franchise for the next 10 years.