IST: Cubs@Reds

[CSF77]

Happ was missing pitches by a foot in his first couple games and was very discouraged. Since then he has been doing very well.

I think 2B ends up his new home. He has worked hard at it and he deserves a legit chance at it.

 

[CSF77]

I wouldn't be upset if they signed him, but everyone here seems to think we should do that after a week. Why would we not wait? It has literally been 8 games, right?

Like I said. I've seen enough. Watching him swing it looks like a 2nd.Bryant up there. I'm sold.

 

[JimJohnson]

Also was reading that Nick really likes his teammates. They are clicking already. I doubt that it would be a issue on anyone if he gets signed. I find it refreshing to have a guy that just hits.

Where are we going to get the money to sign him? We will have to replace Hamels at year end. And also spend a ton of money revamping our awful pen.

 

[TL1961]

Where are we going to get the money to sign him? We will have to replace Hamels at year end. And also spend a ton of money revamping our awful pen.

The pen won’t cost a ton of money.

 

[anotheridiot]

I wouldn't be upset if they signed him, but everyone here seems to think we should do that after a week. Why would we not wait? It has literally been 8 games, right?

Priority needs to be on signing Baez, no doubt his arby number gets to double digits this year anyway, he still may take what will be considered a rizzo deal when he signed his.

 

[CSF77]

Where are we going to get the money to sign him? We will have to replace Hamels at year end. And also spend a ton of money revamping our awful pen.

Hamels -20M
Zobrist -12.5M
Strop- 6.25M
Cishek -6.5M
Kintzler -5M
Duesing -3.5M
Morrow -6M if they take the 3M buy out. They could also retain for 12M and have a premier set up for Kimbrel.

The pen should look like:

Kimbrel 9th
Morrow 8th (or a F/A)
Wick/Alozay/Ryan 7th

That leaves 2 spots.
I would go with Underwood and I would want a MR lefty also. Use Russell to flip for one. They have Weick also as LH depth. Steel should be in AAA then

Knowing Jed he will make deals and minor league deals to bolster his 40 man.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Castellanos is a 0.7 WAR player in 8 games as a Cub. He was only 1.1 in his previous 100 games as a Tiger.

Updated slash line:

.424/.457/.879/1.336

 

[CSF77]

Priority needs to be on signing Baez, no doubt his arby number gets to double digits this year anyway, he still may take what will be considered a rizzo deal when he signed his.

IMO players will sign if they want to be a Cub for life.

The only guy that concerns me is Bryant. But even he seemed open to extension.

I'm pretty sure that Tom Ricketts will spend up to to first threshold to retain. It is up to Theo to decide who is worthy of the investment.

Going forward you have to pay Rizzo, Baez, Bryant and Contreras. That is your core. Schwarber would have to take a Hendricks type deal. He is not a all-star talent.

 

[fatbeard]

I think 2B ends up his new home. He has worked hard at it and he deserves a legit chance at it.

Did Happ change his swing at all in the minors? It still looks too long to me for a guy who will never be a real power hitter. If he could ever get his K% down he could be an excellent leadoff hitter.

 

[zack54attack]

Good win. they finally got the bats going when starting on the road. Usually the bats are dead the first 2 games of the series and explode in the last game.

Get one more. Split is good enough. If they can get more great.

5-5 on this road trip would be an improvement.

Wow. A new cubs poster that actually makes sense and doesn't troll.

Welcome and we hope you stay.

 

[fatbeard]

Priority needs to be on signing Baez, no doubt his arby number gets to double digits this year anyway, he still may take what will be considered a rizzo deal when he signed his.

Rizzo has one of the worst, most lopsided team-friendly deals in MLB. If Baez takes one like it he should have his head checked. He's a $300mil contract on the FA market.

 

[zack54attack]

Did Happ change his swing at all in the minors? It still looks too long to me for a guy who will never be a real power hitter. If he could ever get his K% down he could be an excellent leadoff hitter.

From this article: https://www.cubsinsider.com/2019/06...nues-to-work-toward-more-consistent-approach/

A lot of that has been the result of mechanical changes that are hard enough for any hitter, let alone one who swings from both sides of the plate. Then you’ve got the approach changes, trying to be more aggressive early in counts. Top it off with the more nebulous emotional aspects, which range from anger to feelings of inadequacy, and you can see how we’re not talking about a quick fix.

Of all the habits Happ is working to establish, talking with the local media hasn’t been one of them. At least not early on. But The Athletic‘s Sahadev Sharma had established a rapport over the last couple seasons and was able to get Happ to open up ($) about what he’s been working on this season. I’m including some quotes here for the sake of context, but you really need to go read the whole thing.

“The acceptance and getting past the fact that you’re not there was definitely difficult,” Happ told Sharma. “I think being able to work with [minor-league hitting coordinator Chris] Valaika and have him with me for the first few weeks to work with helped. When the success wasn’t there left-handed, he helped me continue to figure out what the next steps were to work back to a place where I felt comfortable in the box.”

 

[anotheridiot]

Rizzo has one of the worst, most lopsided team-friendly deals in MLB. If Baez takes one like it he should have his head checked. He's a $300mil contract on the FA market.

I just took Tony's numbers from when he signed that deal and added some to where it would basically be the same.

That is not who Javy Baez is. He is at a measly 5, so getting to 10/11 next year, 16-18 the year after in his final two years of arbitration and you are giving him 20-25 for the next few years.

We have seen Mike Trout and Arrenado not want to deal with free agency the way things are going over the past two off seasons. I really dont see Rizzo getting a 300 million deal, or Bryant, so will Javy become that money whore where it changes him from who he is?

He wants his few acre stray dog park in Puerto Rico and to take care of his family. I am pretty sure he knows it does not take 300 million to be happy. 300 million means your family, your kids family and your grandkids family dont need to work a day in their lives. The money whores in todays game are doing it for themself.

 

[Omeletpants]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/08/09/cubs-pack-home-uniforms-in-order-to-end-road-woes/

 

[Omeletpants]

Anyone know where Rizzo ranks offensively among MLB 1st bm

 

[CSF77]

Did Happ change his swing at all in the minors? It still looks too long to me for a guy who will never be a real power hitter. If he could ever get his K% down he could be an excellent leadoff hitter.

They leveled it. But I'm good with Heyward. His BB:SO are excellent. That is a key trait for leading off. That is why Rizzo excelled and Schwarber and Happ failed. They struggle with controlling the strike zone.

 

[TL1961]

Anyone know where Rizzo ranks offensively among MLB 1st bm

Cant find out. Like you, I have no access to the internet.

 

[TL1961]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/08/09/cubs-pack-home-uniforms-in-order-to-end-road-woes/

Yesterday’s news. Literally.

 

[JimJohnson]

IMO players will sign if they want to be a Cub for life.

The only guy that concerns me is Bryant. But even he seemed open to extension.

I'm pretty sure that Tom Ricketts will spend up to to first threshold to retain. It is up to Theo to decide who is worthy of the investment.

Going forward you have to pay Rizzo, Baez, Bryant and Contreras. That is your core. Schwarber would have to take a Hendricks type deal. He is not a all-star talent.

How does Bryant seem open to an extension when he reportedly turned down a $300M deal at the end of 2017?

 

[JimJohnson]

Hamels -20M
Zobrist -12.5M
Strop- 6.25M
Cishek -6.5M
Kintzler -5M
Duesing -3.5M
Morrow -6M if they take the 3M buy out. They could also retain for 12M and have a premier set up for Kimbrel.

The pen should look like:

Kimbrel 9th
Morrow 8th (or a F/A)
Wick/Alozay/Ryan 7th

That leaves 2 spots.
I would go with Underwood and I would want a MR lefty also. Use Russell to flip for one. They have Weick also as LH depth. Steel should be in AAA then

Knowing Jed he will make deals and minor league deals to bolster his 40 man.

Morrow is done. He will never pitch for the Cubs again.