Offseason rumors/discussion thread

[bamainatlanta]

Get a real catcher. Contreras can't pitch frame or call a game. A defensive catcher will make the pitching better. And move on from the POS Russell too.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Cubs sign Machado over Harper. Need IF more than OF unless Heyward opts out. I suppose they could trade him, but they will take on most of the check. I would expect as bright as Epstein is that he is pissed at himself and will be more active addressing team needs this Winter.

Heyward couldn't be that stupid to opt out. No one will pay him his King's ransom for his shitty bat.

 

[fatbeard]

How many of the Baez walks were at the end of the year? That was an adjustment. I am pretty sure you can count on 50 next year.

Baez had 14 walks in the first half and 15 in the second, so I'm really not sure what "adjustment" you're referring to. Counting on a 73% improvement in his plate discipline next year (29 BB to 50 BB) seems like the height of foolishness.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Heyward couldn't be that stupid to opt out. No one will pay him his King's ransom for his shitty bat.

That might be why I said the Cubs would still be paying for him, if he got traded.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Get a real catcher. Contreras can't pitch frame or call a game. A defensive catcher will make the pitching better. And move on from the POS Russell too.

Cubs 2nd in team ERA and K/BB in NL. Contreras got much better at framing this year.

 

[anotheridiot]

Baez had 14 walks in the first half and 15 in the second, so I'm really not sure what "adjustment" you're referring to. Counting on a 73% improvement in his plate discipline next year (29 BB to 50 BB) seems like the height of foolishness.

If your eyes did not see Javy thoroughly pissed off in taking walks late in the year, I guess you are not watching. How many were intentional mr know it all?

 

[fatbeard]

Cubs 2nd in team ERA and K/BB in NL. Contreras got much better at framing this year.

Not sure where you're getting this (and I like Contreras and think trading him would be an unbelievably stupid idea).

2017: 77/111 of qualified catchers. -2.8 framing runs.

2018: 116/116 of qualified catchers. Dead last. -18.2 framing runs in 2018.

https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/sortable/index.php?cid=2078418

Edit: It occurs to me that Chatwood's wildness may have really screwed Contreras' framing stats this year. Contreras was significantly worse this year than he was in 2016 or 2017.

 

[CSF77]

Machado is similar to Baez as he doesn't take walks, so between him and Harper you go after the better OBA in latter.

We need guys who can get on base, Machado is just more of the same, Harper is improvement from that perspective.

Uhm no. Manny had 70 last year and has avg between 50-70 on average. Baez breaking 30 is a chore.

Manny I do like but if you move a LH 30 HR bat you have to replace it. On a healthy year you pretty much know you can get 30 out of Bryant and Baez. You need a counter point from the left.

I was honestly thinking if they went Beltre at 3B and Bryant to left they could still move Bryant to 3B and move Zo to LF when needed. Then trade Russell for Billy Hamilton even. Billy came up a 2B and could still move between CF and 2B to add a speed element to the line up. Gore was dead weight IMO but that speed was dynamic and that needs to be addressed.

 

[fatbeard]

If your eyes did not see Javy thoroughly pissed off in taking walks late in the year, I guess you are not watching. How many were intentional mr know it all?

Don't get pissy with me just because the facts contradict your inane assertions.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Not sure where you're getting this (and I like Contreras and think trading him would be an unbelievably stupid idea).

2017: 77/111 of qualified catchers. -2.8 framing runs.

2018: 116/116 of qualified catchers. Dead last. -18.2 framing runs in 2018.

https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/sortable/index.php?cid=2078418

You're not sure where I'm getting that looking at objective stats of the Club being 2nd best staff in NL as some indication that Contreras is a bad signal caller? Pitch framing stats are subjective. What did his glovework look like last night compared to last season? He is much improved.

 

[fatbeard]

You're not sure where I'm getting that looking at objective stats of the Club being 2nd best staff in NL as some indication that Contreras is a bad signal caller? Pitch framing stats are subjective. What did his glovework look like last night compared to last season? He is much improved.

Pitch framing stats are pretty reliable. Much more reliable than other defensive metrics. That's only part of handling a staff, but the assertion that he improved this year is just flat wrong.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Pitch framing stats are pretty reliable. Much more reliable than other defensive metrics. That's only part of handling a staff, but the assertion that he improved this year is just flat wrong.

Ok. He improved, but you can believe what you like.

 

[fatbeard]

Ok. He improved, but you can believe what you like.

"I reject your fact-based reality and substitute my own."

 

[Parade_Rain]

"I reject your fact-based reality and substitute my own."

Joe Maddon agrees with me. Fact.

 

[fatbeard]

Joe Maddon agrees with me. Fact.

This is not a supporting argument. Fact.

 

[TL1961]

Not sure where you're getting this (and I like Contreras and think trading him would be an unbelievably stupid idea).

2017: 77/111 of qualified catchers. -2.8 framing runs.

2018: 116/116 of qualified catchers. Dead last. -18.2 framing runs in 2018.

https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/sortable/index.php?cid=2078418

Edit: It occurs to me that Chatwood's wildness may have really screwed Contreras' framing stats this year. Contreras was significantly worse this year than he was in 2016 or 2017.

No. No No No. Chatwood had no effect on Contreras framing.

It has to get better. He needs to work on that. It can improve.

 

[TL1961]

Joe Maddon agrees with me. Fact.

Joe's public statements rarely mesh with reality. He won't publicly state when a guy needs work. I am OK with that as long as he is realistic privately.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Joe's public statements rarely mesh with reality. He won't publicly state when a guy needs work. I am OK with that as long as he is realistic privately.

No. His statement was regarding the quality of stats and the variables involved. His comment regarded catching Darvish and Chatwood versus Hendricks along with the inconsistencies of umpire zones.

 

[fatbeard]

If we see the Yankees get bumped tonight, I wonder if MLB takes a long, hard look at the current WC format. Seeing the Chicago and New York media markets bounced from the postseason after 90+ win seasons cannot sit well from the league office's point of view.

 

[Parade_Rain]

If we see the Yankees get bumped tonight, I wonder if MLB takes a long, hard look at the current WC format. Seeing the Chicago and New York media markets bounced from the postseason after 90+ win seasons cannot sit well from the league office's point of view.

I was wondering if they would consider changing how they seed. It's nice to win a division, but the Yankees are far superior to the Indians. If the Yankees win, they shouldn't be playing Boston.