I think we would all have liked the Cubs to sweep the Cardinals, but sweeps are hard no matter the team, and winning the season series while basically forcing the other guys to sell off all their good players is fun too. But it hasn’t been just the bad teams that the Cubs have done well against, as I remarked on this FB thread and also as shown from the B-Ref breakdown below:
I believe the Cubs have done enough to get some additions pending the efforts of Jed Hoyer’s front office. Even as the Dodgers are being goddamned useless against the Reds this weekend, the Cubs have gradually trimmed the deficit and are within striking range of the Wild Card and the division, though obviously they’d want to win the division since a couple of the teams in front of them in the wild card race are also in the division. The Cubs also leaked earlier that they weren’t trading Cody Bellinger, which is awesome, but because this team is inherently flawed on the offensive side and might need more than one meh lefty reliever and could also use some insurance if some of the starters have a bad time, some additions are needed.
My guess is that because this team isn’t quite ready to go all-in like the Rangers just did this weekend, they’re going to want to add at the margins and preferably guys with multiple years of club control or cheaper rentals. You can probably go over to MLBTR and check all the rumors, but on my end, I’m anticipating that the top 10 organizational prospects are untouchable this year (explore again this offseason), but there is still plenty of depth to make something happen.
On the internal side of things, at some point they’ll probably call up some of the guys from Iowa (i.e., Matt Mervis and friends, and hell, maybe even David Bote since they’re paying him anyway) to shore up the lineup, as well as pitchers to help eat some starts down the stretch. I think there’s a nonzero chance they eventually determine that certain guys on the big league team are no longer useful and do minor trades or DFA to clear spots.
We have a little under 48 hours to go as of this writing, so it hopefully will not be a disappointment, although I don’t anticipate anything splashy. Taking a wait and see approach.
UPDATE 7/31 6:27 PM Eastern: Oh hello, old friend:
Morosi confirms Michael Cerami’s report on the platform formerly known as twitter:
UPDATE 8:03 PM Eastern: Not even going to pretend I know who this pitcher is but good luck to Nelly:
The Cubs acquired José Cuas from the Royals for OF Nelson Velázquez.
— Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) August 1, 2023
UPDATE 8/1 9:13 AM Pacific: Decided not to do time zone math anymore, Cubs and Rays did a trade and now we expect the guys going to Tampa to become perennial Cy Young winners:
UPDATE 3:28 PM Pacific: Guess the Cubs are intent on just Jeimer and maybe Cuas whenever they call him up, as there were no real buzzer beaters to speak of:
Stay tuned for some pod.
UPDATE 3:36 PM: In addition to subtracting Trey Mancini, the Cubs don’t have to pay too much for the remaining service time they’ll get from Jeimer:
Comments
Cubs remaining schedule, in order:
4 v CIN
3 v ATL
3 @ Mets
3 @ TOR
2 v White Sox
3 v KC
3 @ DET
4 @ PIT
3 v MIL
Then September rolls around
4 @ CIN
3 v SF
4 v AZ
3 @ COL
3 @ AZ
3 v PIT
3 v COL
3 @ ATL
3 @ MIL
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs are at 53-52 with 57 left, need to go 30-27 to get to 83 wins which is around where our preseason predictions were, obviously will have to run the table a few times to get to 90 and a near guaranteed postseason berth
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Couple names off the board already
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/07/angels-acquire-randal-grichuk-c-j-cron-from-rockies.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
If the Rox are gonna do a big selloff, they have a 3b rotting in the outfield who’s better than Madrigal. He comes with long term control. Rox would have to kick in about $50M.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Is he OK now? Was on the IL a long time and I don’t think he even played yesterday.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
On 10-day IL at the moment. Last game was 7/22.
Wouldn’t Patrick Wisdom be amazing as a Rockie?
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Broken finger
And full no-trade clause.
BVSQuote Reply
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Imagine my distress and dishonor learning that Ernie Banks didn’t do the thing
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
I think Wisdom is a DFA/outright soon
Rice CubeQuote Reply
There are three members of the 3,000-hit club who played at least one game for the Chicago Cubs, only one of whom spent very much time as a Cub and even he never played after the 19th century. That was a doomsday category for me.
andcountingQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 120 8/9:
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The 3000 hits one was very tough.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
A lot of the modern Cleveland guys never got there so that requires some shot in the dark knowledge
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Reds may or may not be legit but I hope for the bulk of these final 8 head-to-head games they get destroyed
Rice CubeQuote Reply
If you haven’t seen this interview with the UVA closer, it’s hilarious. I hope he ends up in MLB and ignores the publicist.
BVSQuote Reply
I guessed Manny Ramirez for Cleveland and was foiled. Miracled my way into Palmeiro because I was pretty sure none of Banks, Williams, Sandberg, or Sosa had done it and he was the only other long/good career guy I could think of who had been a Cub.
Somewhat proud of Larry Bowa for Cubs/Phillies though I’m sure someone here got an even more obscure player.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I picked Cole Hamels (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Perkins,
Oh duh, there’s also Doug Glanville
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Glanville is a good one.
PerkinsQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Perkins,
The Cubs and Phillies in the 1980s were practically each other’s farm systems. That’s the sweet spot of my baseball card memory. Ivan DeJesus, Keith Moreland, Bob Dernier, Ryno, Bowa, Sarge, Fergie (who I mistakenly thought played for the A’s). Dallas Green really liked maintaining his network.
andcountingQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 120 8/9:
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Man Cubs 3k hits was a rough one. Was shocked when Ernie wasn’t an answer, he had a long career.
Also pretty surprised that Palmiero got to 3k.
berseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
I went with Phillies legend Doug Glanville as well, who I always remember from my uncle’s writeups of his memories of the 90’s phillies / his kids growing up:
berseliusQuote Reply
I managed to pull Nap Lajoie for the cleveland 3k hitter out of my ass thanks to the section in Bill Veeck’s book about the 50s Indians, which IIRC Lajoie managed.
berseliusQuote Reply
Given their past track record with ex-Rockies, I fully expect the Cardinals to trade a bag of balls for him at some point, followed by KB winning 2 more MVPs.
berseliusQuote Reply
Come on Cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
andcounting,
Me too, AC. If the Soviets had managed to find a death ray to stream out of WGN feeds in Indiana in the late 70s early 80s, maybe there’d be two less occasional podcasters now. Unless I misremembered where you grew up.
I used De Jesus. But forgot his son played MLB and lost a guess clicking Jr first. Arg
BVSQuote Reply
berselius,
St. Louis is too boring for KB to accept a trade to.
Plus, who wants to raise 3 boys there, even part time.
BVSQuote Reply
Wish I had more time and money to go to ball games to boost this number
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m surprised Yoan Moncada isn’t getting more press in the rumor mill…
BVSQuote Reply
RIP Pee Wee 🙁
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/paul-reubens-dead-pee-wee-herman-1235683504/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
About time
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Jeimer Candelario might be on the move
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Civale –> Rays
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tonight’s pre-deadline lineup
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Ouch, Bert with only 3 hours of sleep going into the blogathon, RIP Bert
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Committing to the bit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Canha –> Brewers
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It seems the Cubs are in the mix, like a lot a lot
Rice CubeQuote Reply
RED ALERT
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Does this mean we don’t have to see anymore Trey Mancini? Because I would be very down for that.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
This takes care of the spot vacated when they outrighted Edwin Rios but I think we may be seeing the end of certain guys like Mancini, Wisdom, and maybe Barnhart
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cerami of BN says it’s DJ Herz and Kevin Made as the return, so outside top 10 for sure
Per MLB.com, Made is 14 and Herz is 16 on the Cubs top prospect list
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Official
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1686149297341902848?t=iw8ZegEZJib38vqjxGDy_Q&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I saw Made in Myrtle Beach. Great glove. Might be a Sergio Alcantara, but don’t think he’s Rey Sanchez or Ronny Cedeño.
Herz either skipped MB or I missed him. But the chatter was already moving him away from starting.
BVSQuote Reply
Post updated with the latest trade for a pitcher
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nice K pitch by Stro
Rice CubeQuote Reply
X2
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Well, at least they won’t be no-hit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Come on Stro…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs traded Jeimer and Isaac Paredes to the Tigers for a few months Al Avila and Justin Wilson. I think Wilson had a year remaining which is why the Cubs got 1.5 yr from him. Together Paredes and Jeimar have been worth 15.7 WAR since they left the Cubs.
Cubs traded Madé and Herz to get Jeimer back. I’d be surprised if these two total 15.7 WAR in their careers because I think they are quintessential Berselian TINSTAAPs. So I’m glad the Cubs are using some capital.
Nelly for a decent bullpen arm makes sense. Surprised they didn’t get a lefty though. Nelly should get playing time. Good for him.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I assume the Cubs are not done yet, almost a full day remains
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It would kind of be nice if the Cubs scored some runs before Stroman implodes but I do hope he figures stuff out
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Or if Stro would stop walking people.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Missing middle middle doesn’t help either but at least they’re making it a game!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Imagine liking the Reds’ uniforms.
andcountingQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
What makes me more irritated is that I forgot to double check my fakeball roster today and left Stro active for the week.
BVSQuote Reply
“Already on board!” — Fans of brutalist architecture.
BVSQuote Reply
Need a better showing in these final 4 innings IMO
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
My inner Dave Dombrowski approves.
berseliusQuote Reply
Assad has been pretty sharp tonight. Wonder if he gets a look if Stro gets a mini get-right IL stint to let whatever lingering blister stuff heal.
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m As-happy with Assad
Rice CubeQuote Reply
If they’re just going to PH for Mancini in a high leverage situation like this then I feel like they should just make up an IL stint or something
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Palencia seems to be a pop up machine. Which I like.
BVSQuote Reply
berselius,
So you DO read every word.
BVSQuote Reply
Come on Seiya
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Crap
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Just ridiculous
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Maybe they just need 3 straight wild pitches
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Fuck
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Just missed two homers tonight
berseliusQuote Reply
Bullpen did their job to make a walkoff possible
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Welp
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Would have loved for a W, but a close and meaningful game as the calendar turns to August definitely feels great.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Boog and JD said the estimate was the wind took off 6′ of distance on balls to center/right. Both those hits would have been out with no wind.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Dammit, wind, you had one job
berseliusQuote Reply
Gotta work on contact with men on base that doesn’t result in multiple outs, he said as if that was easy
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m beginning to think this is the Rockie Way. Trade vets for TINSTAAPs? No way!
(Though they did trade Grichuk.)
BVSQuote Reply
Pete Alonso is on the block
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 121 9/9:
Rarity: 95
IMMACULATE!
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Proud of Brandon Morrow at 0.5% and Shaun Marcum at 2% but wishing I’d thought of Jim Bouton for MIL-HOU before I put Carlos Lee.
PerkinsQuote Reply
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I’m really not good at this. But once again my thick thumbs mistapped a choice.
However, I was certain Rod Carew stayed fast when he moved West. But no
BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Despite his down year this year, I’d take Pete Alonso…
BVSQuote Reply
Alonso would be a pretty clear upgrade over Wisdom/Mancini.
PerkinsQuote Reply
It’s amazing how many players were on one team or the other but never both
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Or I should say, of those I can actually remember
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I had no idea the Infield Predator had played for Seattle.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Glad Cubs are adding, now they just have to play better…so many hours until the deadline and the game though (grumble)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nightengale doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground but it is entirely possible Verlander returns to Houston
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs and Rays did a trade, updated in main post
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Interested in a Chafin reunion? Also what are the Dbacks doing?
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/diamondbacks-listening-to-trade-offers-on-andrew-chafin-joe-mantiply.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 121 8/9:
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Memory holed the fact that The Big Unit briefly pitched for the Astros
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m amazed that anyone would ever make a trade with the Rays (dying laughing). Much like the existence of the city of Phoenix, trying to get one over on TB is a monument to man’s arrogance.
berseliusQuote Reply
Hand –> ATL
Dick Mountain & Ji-Man –> Dads
Madness
Rice CubeQuote Reply
DeJong –> TOR before the Cubs travel there later on
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wow, Verlander –> Astros again
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/mets-trade-justin-verlander-astros.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
The Mets just basically bought mega-prospects (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Might as well…plus Cubs Twitter is salivating over Pete Alonso’s potential availability
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Lorenzen –> Phillies
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Seems like an effort to clear the 40 man even and to do right by Sampson who was already off.
BVSQuote Reply
Cerami says our long Mancini nightmare may soon be over, this would appear to be a move to accommodate a trade that isn’t Candelario since he would just need the spot vacated by the Rios outright
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Not so much the 40-man as it is pre-clearing the minor league rosters because the org limit is about to drop from 180 to 165 across all levels, so fringe guys and Rule 5 eligible guys are probably on the way out.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Is Bruce Levine at all credible? Or is he in the Bob Nightengale camp of making S up.
Heyman seems pretty credible, at least when it comes to Boras clients.
Maybe trade Mancini to Seattle, they seem to take all kinds of underachievers.
BVSQuote Reply
I wonder if it makes sense to keep Madrigal and his contact bat in the lineup and at 3B and let Candyman handle 1B but they probably also want to keep Tauchman in there too and that means Belli has to be 1B
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
Levine generally seems to have good sources, these days I think Heyman and Nightengale just kind of re-share stuff and make shit up
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Surprised they couldn’t find someone to take a flyer on either Mancini or Wisdom to open a spot for Candelario.
But the emergence of Madrigal and Tauchman has this team suddenly appearing to have some depth.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
They probably passed through waivers and then some, teams probably just waiting for the eventual release before they give it a shot…less than two hours left!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
Or trade Barnhardt to the Rays, Rangers, or Diamondbacks if the latest headline in mlbtr is correct.
BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
They still do that?
BVSQuote Reply
Chafin –> Brewers 🙁
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
I mean they still have waivers, yes…they just don’t have a waiver trade deadline after this one anymore
Rice CubeQuote Reply
There it is, and I think free agents can be pretty confident the Cubs will give them a fair shake before they cut bait
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Sometimes I’m not a complete idiot
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tonight’s starter gets an ERA boost before the Reds try to blow it up again
Rice CubeQuote Reply
You guys wanna see a Mutombo-level rejection?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
berseliusQuote Reply
Probably will do a lot of matchups and also ease Suzuki back into the groove if he ever figures it out, what with Cody in CF and Tauchman doing RF tonight as an example
Rice CubeQuote Reply
They gave Candelario Javy’s number
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Pham –> Arizona
Rice CubeQuote Reply
11 minutes to the official deadline and then the residual news trickles in
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Flaherty –> Orioles (via Rosenthal)
Obviously none of these are officially official but we can probably bank on it
Rice CubeQuote Reply
And now for the tricklings
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cease stays with the White Sox for the remainder of the year
Rice CubeQuote Reply
OK Kim Ng, give it the solid try
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Looks like no buzzer beaters for the Cubs but they did get Candelario who is objectively an upgrade
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Adventurous first inning so far
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rally killer by Dansby
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hey I’m liking this game so far.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Slightly stupider inning, Cubs should bat around again
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nope I’m a moron (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Belli
berseliusQuote Reply
Tauchman!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Feel like the Cubs should score another run so we aren’t stuck at a perceived unlucky number
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Stupid Reds messing up Steele’s ERA
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Taylor Swift disagrees, apparently
berseliusQuote Reply
Nice little Cubs (re)debut for Candelario.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
The pandemic was such a time warp, it feels like not that long ago he was on the team (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Wesneski for the 3-inning save?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
berselius,
Nico cares not for the Swifties
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Crush their souls, Cubs. Make ‘em wish they’d never been born. Or don’t. I can’t tell you what to do.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Ah so that’s why he’s still on the roster
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Fucking hell this better not continue
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Game could’ve been over long ago but still finished at 2:54
Rice CubeQuote Reply
New shit you can listen to now that I didn’t get us canceled (thanks for nothing Kay) –> http://www.obstructedview.net/podcast/dreamcast-68-making-it-worthwhile/
Rice CubeQuote Reply