IST: Cubs @ White Sox

[Chief Walking Stick]

Lmao giolito 5.77 era... lester should play the stopper role here.

Go Cubs!

 

[CSF77]

Murphy 2B
Zobrist RF
Baez SS
Rizzo 1B
Bryant LF
Heyward CF
Contreras C
Schwarber LF
Bote 3B

I really think that Happ is gone next year. Seems they would rather use Bote vs him vs a RHSP.

Now an issue could be Bryant long term at 3B. This might be a early signal that they have to adapt. Machado makes a ton of sense if so.

But seeing this line up I’m feeling a revenge screw incoming.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Murphy 2B
Zobrist RF
Baez SS
Rizzo 1B
Bryant LF
Heyward CF
Contreras C
Schwarber LF
Bote 3B

I really think that Happ is gone next year. Seems they would rather use Bote vs him vs a RHSP.

Now an issue could be Bryant long term at 3B. This might be a early signal that they have to adapt. Machado makes a ton of sense if so.

But seeing this line up I’m feeling a revenge screw incoming.

Seems like the best lineup they could throw out there. Who is the DH? You have two LF listed. I'm going out on a limb to guess Schwarber, lol.

 

[CSF77]

Murphy 2B
Zobrist RF
Baez SS
Rizzo 1B
Bryant LF
Heyward CF
Contreras C
Schwarber LF
Bote 3B

I really think that Happ is gone next year. Seems they would rather use Bote vs him vs a RHSP.

Now an issue could be Bryant long term at 3B. This might be a early signal that they have to adapt. Machado makes a ton of sense if so.

But seeing this line up I’m feeling a revenge screw incoming.

Accually Josh Donaldson might makes sense also. Deflated value and a SH. Might get a bargain which helps afford retention

 

[CSF77]

Seems like the best lineup they could throw out there. Who is the DH? You have two LF listed. I'm going out on a limb to guess Schwarber, lol.

Yep

 

[chibears55]

Murphy 2B
Zobrist RF
Baez SS
Rizzo 1B
Bryant LF
Heyward CF
Contreras C
Schwarber LF
Bote 3B

I really think that Happ is gone next year. Seems they would rather use Bote vs him vs a RHSP.

Now an issue could be Bryant long term at 3B. This might be a early signal that they have to adapt. Machado makes a ton of sense if so.

But seeing this line up I’m feeling a revenge screw incoming.

Gotta feeling a couple guys will be gone next year....

 

[CSF77]

Gotta feeling a couple guys will be gone next year....

Perfect situation:

Honestly status que. Cheaper cost with solid wRC+.

But if Bryant forces a move to LF then the chips start falling.

Schwarber now becomes expendable.

3B opens and they could stay in house with Baez at 3B and Zobrist at 2B. Their production justifies it. Then you have Bote who plays both. Nico Most likely at AA and very close.

Now if the Russell drama blows up then I would be more interested in Manny as now you need a major rework and adding a more flexplayer like Manny who can hold down the left side while Baez moves as needed.

It should prove to be interesting to say the least

 

[TL1961]

Psssst....Joe. Wake up.

Man on 3rd is your pH. He won't need to bat again. Pinch run the fast guy and assure yourself you get that extra run home.

EDIT: Sorry, Joe - saw you did just that (while at 2nd). My bad.

 

[TL1961]

Brewers dropped their game to Pittsburgh.

Let's get this one and knock that number to 6.

 

[Diehardfan]

 

[TL1961]

That's similar to the picture I would not have posted.

 

[Diehardfan]

That's similar to the picture I would not have posted.

I wasn't happy with it either....see replacement.

 

[beckdawg]

I was thinking about the cubs offense and something occurred to me as a potential solution. Cubs need to add some speed. Baez is the only player this year with over 10 steals and a problem with Baez is probably always going to be his OBP(.327 this year). This year it's good but we're not talking about a guy in the .350's who's constantly on. I don't say that to knock him just that my point here is he's often not on base enough to truly use his speed.

Anyways to get back to my point, when the cubs go through funks they can't create their own scoring opps. When Baez does get on we've seen his speed allow him to take second and often create scoring situations that otherwise wouldn't exist. I think that's part of the problem when they have trouble scoring. Some nights you're just not going to get a lot of hits. In those situations you need to be able to increase your scoring opps on the base paths.

The problem I see is i'm not sure there's an easy answer for that this offseason. Most of the guys you'd actually want with speed probably aren't getting traded. So, I'm not entirely sure how you address that. I suppose you just add decent speed guys where you can and hope it adds up rather than going big on one sb guy.

 

[kapooncha]

Beck, do you see Cubs going after Machado hard in the offseason?

 

[beckdawg]

Beck, do you see Cubs going after Machado hard in the offseason?

Well... I think there's like two things at play. The first is are the cubs going to spend big money in FA. They are going to be near the luxury tax threshold and any big ticket guys are going to push them over. That being said, I think yes they will. They will have money coming in from the new TV deal and if you're not going to spend money now when are you? You have a competitive team.

So, if we assume the cubs are going to go after a big ticket guy the talk large becomes Machado or Harper. For me it's Machado. I get that people think where's the fit? Before all the Russell stuff I still thought it made sense. Basically my idea was you push Bryant into a corner OF spot which improves your defense overall. Now that Russell is a giant question going forward I think it makes even more sense.

I don't know for a fact that the cubs have changed philosophy with regards to hitting. However, in the past they drafted/signed a lot of high walk high power guys who had strike out issues. Their more recent moves have been to draft/sign zobrist/heyward like players who have low k rates but who might otherwise suffer in terms of power. Harper has a 24.8% k rate this year. And while given his past I wouldn't quite put him in the Schwarber tear of power/k guys, he been below league average. Machado has a 15.1% k rate this year and 16.5% on his career. He's also a better defender than Harper at a more important defensive position of either 3B/SS. And I'm not entirely sure how much this factors in but Machado on his career is a .308/.376/.519(131 wRC+) hitter with RISP and Harper is .276/.428/.472(130 wRC+). Harper has the edge in walk rate by a ton but I think i'd rater the better slugging/BA from Machado.

Plus, I also like the fact that Machado is another multi position guy. That has saved this team this year. By having him at either SS or 3B and having Bryant in the OF you have a lot of parts who can move around and fill other positions if someone gets hurt. Baez can play basically anywhere. Machado could play 3B/SS and probably 2B if you needed though they have a lot of depth there already. Bryant can play corner OF/3B and probably 1B if Rizzo were hurt. Russell if cleared to play and still with the team covers a number of positions. Heyward can play all 3 OF positions...etc.

 

[beckdawg]

Oh and Machado would also provide a small bump to speed as he can probably be a 15-20 SB guy fairly easy.

 

[kapooncha]

Oh and Machado would also provide a small bump to speed as he can probably be a 15-20 SB guy fairly easy.

If we land Machado, I'm guessing that probably means we try to trade Schwarber/Russell? Maybe even Almora. We don't seem to be using him a ton although I like him as a player.

 

[ijustposthere]

Provided Russell is innocent, I'd prefer to trade Schwarber and get Machado. Rizzo, Baez, Russell, Machado, Contreras is deadly defensively.

 

[kapooncha]

Provided Russell is innocent, I'd prefer to trade Schwarber and get Machado. Rizzo, Baez, Russell, Machado, Contreras is deadly defensively.

Agreed. I hope Cubs don't cave to public pressure in letting Russell go. If he's guilty, give him a lengthy suspension to save face with the public but let's hold on to him.

 

[beckdawg]

If we land Machado, I'm guessing that probably means we try to trade Schwarber/Russell? Maybe even Almora. We don't seem to be using him a ton although I like him as a player.

Well keep in mind I'm still sorta thinking about the pre-Russell allegations here but my original thought was you move Happ. You then have 4 OF's in Schwarber/Almora/Bryant/Heyward. With those 4 you're likely starting Heyward and Bryant most days. Some days Heyward is in CF and some days in RF with Bryant in LF when Schwarber sits. Hell if you really wanna get feisty you could even play Bryant in CF occasionally as Maddon's done it before. The infield my ideal set up would have been Machado at 3B, Russell at SS, Baez at 2B and Rizzo at 1B. In that set up you'd have Baez or Machado able to move to SS with the other playing 3B when you want to play Zobrist or Bote. Zobrist is a FA after next year so Bote can sorta replace his util role long term. La Stella likely remains just a PH bat who rarely plays.

Now that might not work even if russell is cleared because supposedly Machado only wants to play SS. But I do wonder if he'd be a bit flexible on that because Almora is basically family to him. They grew up together. And we all know joe doesn't really plant a guy one place so even if he's the "third basemen" he could still see some rather major time at SS.