****OFFICIAL TRADE DEADLINE THREAD****

[JimJohnson]

Happ? What a Fucking Christmas miracle.

 

[TL1961]

ESPN guys, laughing at Happ swinging and missing a terrible pitch: "No need to throw another strike"

One pitch later, he gets an RBI (though it was probably not a strike)

 

[TL1961]

We could REALLY use a bomb

 

[JimJohnson]

Everyone's hero Schwarber does it again.

 

[SilenceS]

We could REALLY use a bomb

You know you are in the wrong thread?

 

[TL1961]

You know you are in the wrong thread?

I hate when that happens!

 

[DanTown]

So assuming the Cubs do the following at some point in the next two weeks
- Activate Zobrist and send Happ to Iowa
- Activate Morrow, Strop, Hamels and release Brach, option Ryan and Wick

This would be the 25 man roster for the final six weeks

C - Contreras, Caratini
IF - Rizzo, Bryant, Zobrist, Baez, Bote, Kemp
OF - Castellanos, Heyward, Almora, Schwarber

SP - Lester, Hendricks, Hamels, Quintana, Darvish

Long - Chatwood
LOOGY - Holland
MR (6/7) - Cishek, Kintzler, Phelps, Strop
Set-Up (8th) - Morrow
Closer - Kimbrel

That's more than enough talent to win the division and probably be a very competitive playoff team if they can get a decent Zobrist by then or Kemp reverts back to last year vs RHP.

This isn't on Theo. This team loses, it's squarely the players and potentially Maddon but it's definitely not Theo not giving them enough.

 

[greg23]

So assuming the Cubs do the following at some point in the next two weeks
- Activate Zobrist and send Happ to Iowa
- Activate Morrow, Strop, Hamels and release Brach, option Ryan and Wick

This would be the 25 man roster for the final six weeks

C - Contreras, Caratini
IF - Rizzo, Bryant, Zobrist, Baez, Bote, Kemp
OF - Castellanos, Heyward, Almora, Schwarber

SP - Lester, Hendricks, Hamels, Quintana, Darvish

Long - Chatwood
LOOGY - Holland
MR (6/7) - Cishek, Kintzler, Phelps, Strop
Set-Up (8th) - Morrow
Closer - Kimbrel

That's more than enough talent to win the division and probably be a very competitive playoff team if they can get a decent Zobrist by then or Kemp reverts back to last year vs RHP.

This isn't on Theo. This team loses, it's squarely the players and potentially Maddon but it's definitely not Theo not giving them enough.

No chance they option Ryan

I wouldn't count on seeing Morrow ever again

I could see Zobrist slow playing his return to Sept 1 when rosters expand; he may need a few weeks to get up to speed

 

[CSF77]

So assuming the Cubs do the following at some point in the next two weeks
- Activate Zobrist and send Happ to Iowa
- Activate Morrow, Strop, Hamels and release Brach, option Ryan and Wick

This would be the 25 man roster for the final six weeks

C - Contreras, Caratini
IF - Rizzo, Bryant, Zobrist, Baez, Bote, Kemp
OF - Castellanos, Heyward, Almora, Schwarber

SP - Lester, Hendricks, Hamels, Quintana, Darvish

Long - Chatwood
LOOGY - Holland
MR (6/7) - Cishek, Kintzler, Phelps, Strop
Set-Up (8th) - Morrow
Closer - Kimbrel

That's more than enough talent to win the division and probably be a very competitive playoff team if they can get a decent Zobrist by then or Kemp reverts back to last year vs RHP.

This isn't on Theo. This team loses, it's squarely the players and potentially Maddon but it's definitely not Theo not giving them enough.

Hamels in Brach cut.

Rosters expand. Players need to be on active roster before then. So Zo would force a 40 man roster move. He would most likely bump Steel off of it. But he won't be a hit to the 25.

Morrow would have to be 100%. I'm not expecting him back at all. In reality 10% chance.

Strop IMO returns in Sept. He has a neck strain. Just treatment and all don't expect it earlier.

So I really don't see much real change outside of injury issues in Aug. There will be 3 off dates. It wouldn't shock me to see Chatwood spot starting in that stretch.

 

[TL1961]

Zo must be here by Aug 31 to be post season eligible.

Strop out a month?? What makes you think that?

 

[CSF77]

Zo must be here by Aug 31 to be post season eligible.

Strop out a month?? What makes you think that?

They would have to demote Wick then. Wick has been good in his opertunites. So I can see them keeping him in Iowa working his issues out in a extended. He has been off this year. Has gone to his slider usage over his fastball. And his fastball is very venerable this year.

I believe on Zo that it was said that he has to be activated from the restricted list before the 31st. (40 man issue not a 25). He can be on a rehab stint durring that time and be eligible.

 

[CSF77]

That said I can't wait for them to get the 26 and I believe 28 in Sept activated. The current system is sloppy.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

So assuming the Cubs do the following at some point in the next two weeks
- option Ryan

I love this board. It never ceases to amaze. Content you just can't find anywhere else.

 

[DB012031]

So assuming the Cubs do the following at some point in the next two weeks
- Activate Zobrist and send Happ to Iowa
- Activate Morrow, Strop, Hamels and release Brach, option Ryan and Wick

This would be the 25 man roster for the final six weeks

C - Contreras, Caratini
IF - Rizzo, Bryant, Zobrist, Baez, Bote, Kemp
OF - Castellanos, Heyward, Almora, Schwarber

SP - Lester, Hendricks, Hamels, Quintana, Darvish

Long - Chatwood
LOOGY - Holland
MR (6/7) - Cishek, Kintzler, Phelps, Strop
Set-Up (8th) - Morrow
Closer - Kimbrel

That's more than enough talent to win the division and probably be a very competitive playoff team if they can get a decent Zobrist by then or Kemp reverts back to last year vs RHP.

This isn't on Theo. This team loses, it's squarely the players and potentially Maddon but it's definitely not Theo not giving them enough.

Have to disagree, I don't think its a forgone conclusion that Ryan and Wick get sent back down. Both have been essentially lights out for quite some time now. If anything, Phelps, Strop and Morrow are on the chopping block, per say. You have to go with the hot hand and Strop has been off all year. Ryan has been great on lefties, which we need, and Wick is about the only real power arm we have in the bullpen outside of Kimbrel. We need some flame throwers back there as well and Wick has shown in his limited time up, he isn't afraid of the big moment.Morrow, who knows if he ever comes back. Phelps, yes we traded for him, but if Wick keeps throwing lights out, Phelps is the odd man out. Strop....Love his experience and history, but its not like this is a blip on the radar with him. He has been bad all year....The more interesting piece, IMO, is between Q and Chatwood. If you recall in 2016, Montgomery was our long man out of the Pen and we didn't even put Hammel, our #5 starter, on any of the play-off rosters. Are the Cubs really going to go with 2 long men out of the pen in Q and Chatty...

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Have to disagree, I don't think its a forgone conclusion that Ryan and Wick get sent back down. Both have been essentially lights out for quite some time now. If anything, Phelps, Strop and Morrow are on the chopping block, per say. You have to go with the hot hand and Strop has been off all year. Ryan has been great on lefties, which we need, and Wick is about the only real power arm we have in the bullpen outside of Kimbrel. We need some flame throwers back there as well and Wick has shown in his limited time up, he isn't afraid of the big moment.Morrow, who knows if he ever comes back. Phelps, yes we traded for him, but if Wick keeps throwing lights out, Phelps is the odd man out. Strop....Love his experience and history, but its not like this is a blip on the radar with him. He has been bad all year....The more interesting piece, IMO, is between Q and Chatwood. If you recall in 2016, Montgomery was our long man out of the Pen and we didn't even put Hammel, our #5 starter, on any of the play-off rosters. Are the Cubs really going to go with 2 long men out of the pen in Q and Chatty...

Might as well cut Phelps now. No need to see him pitch. Somehow Morrow made the chopping block when he’s not even on the roster.
I agree that Wick and Ryan have been good and shouldn’t be demoted, but your chopping block doesn’t make sense. Also Ryan isn’t really a lefty specialist, he’s been pretty good against either side.
Your 2 long men discussion doesn’t matter unless we make the playoffs and even then it really still doesn’t matter. Whoever is playing well would make it. They aren’t necessarily long men then either, but rather useable options at any point in a game where they matchup well

 

[DanTown]

I love this board. It never ceases to amaze. Content you just can't find anywhere else.

You want to argue that Morrow never comes back and the Cubs keep Ryan over Wick to have a second lefty than that's fine but if Morrow and Strop are healthy, what do you think the team is going to do in the bullpen based on the current active roster? What other guys you think they're going to get rid of?

 

[DanTown]

Have to disagree, I don't think its a forgone conclusion that Ryan and Wick get sent back down. Both have been essentially lights out for quite some time now. If anything, Phelps, Strop and Morrow are on the chopping block, per say. You have to go with the hot hand and Strop has been off all year. Ryan has been great on lefties, which we need, and Wick is about the only real power arm we have in the bullpen outside of Kimbrel. We need some flame throwers back there as well and Wick has shown in his limited time up, he isn't afraid of the big moment.Morrow, who knows if he ever comes back. Phelps, yes we traded for him, but if Wick keeps throwing lights out, Phelps is the odd man out. Strop....Love his experience and history, but its not like this is a blip on the radar with him. He has been bad all year....The more interesting piece, IMO, is between Q and Chatwood. If you recall in 2016, Montgomery was our long man out of the Pen and we didn't even put Hammel, our #5 starter, on any of the play-off rosters. Are the Cubs really going to go with 2 long men out of the pen in Q and Chatty...

I think there's very little if anything to suggest Joe wants or intends to use Ryan in anything more than a LOOGY in a high leverage situation where he seems to believe in Strop enough that he was pitching in the 8th inning of high leverage situations as little as 10 days ago. Maybe Joe makes a decision on either guy but if they're healthy, I will assume they're going to be ahead of Ryan seeing as Ryan has been used solely as a LOOGY in high leverage where as both guys project as full inning high leverage guys.

With regards to the Chatwood/Q discussion, I would imagine that Q takes the long role and that Chatwood is given more flexibility to pitch harder knowing there isn't going to be a long relief appearance coming. My thoughts would be that if that's the case, the final 2ish weeks of the year (when rosters expand and you have guys like Mills and Azolay as the long guy), Chatwood gets used more and more as a single inning/situational guy to see what they have there.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

You want to argue that Morrow never comes back and the Cubs keep Ryan over Wick to have a second lefty than that's fine but if Morrow and Strop are healthy, what do you think the team is going to do in the bullpen based on the current active roster? What other guys you think they're going to get rid of?

I want to 'argue' what you said...that the Cubs will be optioning Ryan in the next two weeks. I had just gotten over my amazement that no team traded for Tyler Chatwood, only to find out that the Cubs will most likely be sending away their best/only effective bullpen lefty. I'll check back in two weeks after this has taken place.

 

[TL1961]

They would have to demote Wick then. Wick has been good in his opertunites. So I can see them keeping him in Iowa working his issues out in a extended. He has been off this year. Has gone to his slider usage over his fastball. And his fastball is very venerable this year.

I believe on Zo that it was said that he has to be activated from the restricted list before the 31st. (40 man issue not a 25). He can be on a rehab stint durring that time and be eligible.

Well clearly they need him to get healthy. But Joe hasn’t shown he trusts Wick with the 8th on a regular basis. (I think he should). But Strop gone a month if healthy? No.

 

[DanTown]

I want to 'argue' what you said...that the Cubs will be optioning Ryan in the next two weeks. I had just gotten over my amazement that no team traded for Tyler Chatwood, only to find out that the Cubs will most likely be sending away their best/only effective bullpen lefty. I'll check back in two weeks after this has taken place.

I said it happens if Strop and Morrow come back, those two are the likely casualties. If they don't come back, then obviously they stay here. For someone who struts around the board like he's the only person with a thought, you are being ridiculously obtuse on this point.

Wick and Ryan are the only guys on the 25 in the pen who have options; if Morrow and Strop are healthy, I would logically assume Joe/the Cubs want to get those guys in as much action as they can to see if they can figure it out and become high value relievers. Like I said earlier, if one guy is ready in two or whatever weeks, my guess is Wick would go before Ryan and then if both are healthy, Ryan goes and comes back Sept 1.

For all this love about how good Ryan has pitched, the Cubs have used him twice past the 7th inning: to start the 9th of the Padres game that ended Edwards Cubs career and last night (for one batter) so if he's this super high value reliever, maybe the Cubs should use him like one and then I'll change my mind. As it stands, he's being primarily used as a LOOGY but with the acquisition of Holland, there is less need for that.

But no, you keep talking about how much you know about baseball and the team and you can't even realize the role they are using Ryan in.