Cubs obviously pick #30 overall unless other teams forfeit picks. So if Cubs keep their pick and bag the sandwich pick, which players are interesting gets next June?
Saying this realizing it’s way too damned early to evaluate, but just throwing it out there.
Cubs obviously pick #30 overall unless other teams forfeit picks.So if Cubs keep their pick and bag the sandwich pick, which players are interesting gets next June?
Saying this realizing it’s way too damned early to evaluate, but just throwing it out there.
I looked at the 2017-18 FA list. Nothing jumps out. Who knows who else might be available then.
Hence, my feeling is it would be good to keep a Chapman-esque closer on the roster. Either Chapman himself or someone similarish.
I’d probably pay to keep Chapman and Fowler, and exercise Hammel’s option.
My primary long term concern is the rotation after 2017. Even if Montgomery takes a step forward, they’ll still have to replace two of Arrieta, Lackey, and Hammel. It’d be awesome if they could try to buy low on Chris Archer.
I read that as having been in the context of the Cubs’ carrying three catchers and having roster crunch. Harder to justify carrying a banged-up Montero with Ross on the roster. With the retirement of Ross, I’d expect Montero to be the backup catcher.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Schwarber get some reps at C next year if the Cubs can’t trade Soler. Probably not more than every couple turns through the rotation, though.
Perkins: I read that as having been in the context of the Cubs’ carrying three catchers and having roster crunch. Harder to justify carrying a banged-up Montero with Ross on the roster. With the retirement of Ross, I’d expect Montero to be the backup catcher.
Right, and also without Ross, Montero’s experience is far more valuable. He’s been something of a mentor to Contreras, and I think the latter still has some things to learn.
The parade was a fine exclamation point on a magical season of baseball in Chicago. I’ve often wondered how I’d feel when the Cubs finally won a World Series, and so far it’s about as I’d expected: immediate jubilation followed by a profound sense of relief. The core of this Cubs team looks likely to dominate the National League for quite a few seasons, and the organization has considerable advantages: savvy ownership willing and able to make sound investments, vast financial resources to attract and retain talent, the best front office in baseball, integrated business and baseball strategies to open revenue streams and remain competitive, and the players to drive that success on the field.
And yet there are no sure things in baseball. For all the talk about the Nationals’ long term prospects a few years ago, they have yet to win a single postseason series. They have weathered injuries to key players, questionable personnel decisions, and sheer bad luck. The Braves of the 1990s/2000s won a single World Series despite being in 15 consecutive postseasons. Weird shit happens all the time. Being consistently awesome over 162 games merely gets a team a ticket to a tournament of the best teams where the very best one rarely prevails. There’s just so much randomness and luck associated with it.
So it’s a profound relief to see the Cubs win a World Series in the second year of what should be a long run of excellence. There’s no longer a reason for fans of other teams to joke about 1908 or 1945; no reason for the media to talk about curses, or Steve Bartman, or any of that shit. And I don’t expect I’ll feel compelled to remind anyone about 2016, because the Cubs look to be excellent for quite some time. This wasn’t a short term rise with a narrow window of contention. Cubs fans can just chill the hell out and enjoy baseball, confident that their team is finally what it always should have been. We need not be defined by our team, its former ineptitude, or its current success. Cardinals fans can talk about 11 rings against 3, and Cubs fans can shrug and say, “they’ll get there eventually, maybe.” Sox fans who for some reason feel compelled to hate the Cubs can finally shut the fuck up about 2005, because the Cubs have 2016. That’s fucking awesome.
As a consultant, it’s amazing to see the complete organizational transformation executed by this front office. The Cubs’ last window of contention in 2007-2009 was borne of a short term influx of cash that papered over the massive flaws in a derelict organization. This front office scorched the earth and rebuilt the Cubs as a data-driven organization from the ground up, embracing both advanced analytics and understanding of human behavior. They got the employees (including the players) to buy into a culture of always outworking, outsmarting, and outlasting the opposition. That the Cubs Way meant never giving up, and making sure you’re the last one standing. It’s such a rare thing to see, and it’s the reason Theo Epstein will be in the Hall of Fame. At the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years, the entire baseball operations staff got to walk around the field before the game, with their names displayed on the scoreboards for the whole ballpark to see. Tom Ricketts shook all of their hands individually. From top to bottom, this has become an outstanding baseball club.
The 2016 baseball season is in the books, and the best team won. That team was the Cubs. I’m excited to see what’s to come in 2017 and beyond, knowing that the pressure of history is gone forever.
Schwarber seemed to think he still had a shot at catching in some interview I read this summer so I don’t think he’d just be talking shit if the front office hadn’t given him some assurances he’d get a shot. Schwarber wants to play more than anything and if he had his choice, I’m guessing he’d choose catcher as his primary position. I don’t see that happening with Contreras on the roster, but that’s just me.
The parade was a fine exclamation point on a magical season of baseball in Chicago. I’ve often wondered how I’d feel when the Cubs finally won a World Series, and so far it’s about as I’d expected: immediate jubilation followed by a profound sense of relief. The core of this Cubs team looks likely to dominate the National League for quite a few seasons, and the organization has considerable advantages: savvy ownership willing and able to make sound investments, vast financial resources to attract and retain talent, the best front office in baseball, integrated business and baseball strategies to open revenue streams and remain competitive, and the players to drive that success on the field.
And yet there are no sure things in baseball. For all the talk about the Nationals’ long term prospects a few years ago, they have yet to win a single postseason series. They have weathered injuries to key players, questionable personnel decisions, and sheer bad luck. The Braves of the 1990s/2000s won a single World Series despite being in 15 consecutive postseasons. Weird shit happens all the time. Being consistently awesome over 162 games merely gets a team a ticket to a tournament of the best teams where the very best one rarely prevails. There’s just so much randomness and luck associated with it.
So it’s a profound relief to see the Cubs win a World Series in the second year of what should be a long run of excellence. There’s no longer a reason for fans of other teams to joke about 1908 or 1945; no reason for the media to talk about curses, or Steve Bartman, or any of that shit. And I don’t expect I’ll feel compelled to remind anyone about 2016, because the Cubs look to be excellent for quite some time. This wasn’t a short term rise with a narrow window of contention. Cubs fans can just chill the hell out and enjoy baseball, confident that their team is finally what it always should have been. We need not be defined by our team, its former ineptitude, or its current success. Cardinals fans can talk about 11 rings against 3, and Cubs fans can shrug and say, “they’ll get there eventually, maybe.” Sox fans who for some reason feel compelled to hate the Cubs can finally shut the fuck up about 2005, because the Cubs have 2016. That’s fucking awesome.
As a consultant, it’s amazing to see the complete organizational transformation executed by this front office. The Cubs’ last window of contention in 2007-2009 was borne of a short term influx of cash that papered over the massive flaws in a derelict organization. This front office scorched the earth and rebuilt the Cubs as a data-driven organization from the ground up, embracing both advanced analytics and understanding of human behavior. They got the employees (including the players) to buy into a culture of always outworking, outsmarting, and outlasting the opposition. That the Cubs Way meant never giving up, and making sure you’re the last one standing. It’s such a rare thing to see, and it’s the reason Theo Epstein will be in the Hall of Fame. At the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years, the entire baseball operations staff got to walk around the field before the game, with their names displayed on the scoreboards for the whole ballpark to see. Tom Ricketts shook all of their hands individually. From top to bottom, this has become an outstanding baseball club.
The 2016 baseball season is in the books, and the best team won. That team was the Cubs. I’m excited to see what’s to come in 2017 and beyond, knowing that the pressure of history is gone forever.
I’m so glad that the first Cubs championship team in my lifetime is unquestionably deserving of the title. I would have been thrilled with an 85-win team in a weak division who had a lucky October, by this is much better.
I’m so glad that the first Cubs championship team in my lifetime is unquestionably deserving of the title. I would have been thrilled with an 85-win team in a weak division who had a lucky October, by this is much better.
Exactly. A 103 win team with a third order win percentage of ~113. That’s historical greatness. Tons of fun to see.
The parade was a fine exclamation point on a magical season of baseball in Chicago. I’ve often wondered how I’d feel when the Cubs finally won a World Series, and so far it’s about as I’d expected: immediate jubilation followed by a profound sense of relief. The core of this Cubs team looks likely to dominate the National League for quite a few seasons, and the organization has considerable advantages: savvy ownership willing and able to make sound investments, vast financial resources to attract and retain talent, the best front office in baseball, integrated business and baseball strategies to open revenue streams and remain competitive, and the players to drive that success on the field.
And yet there are no sure things in baseball. For all the talk about the Nationals’ long term prospects a few years ago, they have yet to win a single postseason series. They have weathered injuries to key players, questionable personnel decisions, and sheer bad luck. The Braves of the 1990s/2000s won a single World Series despite being in 15 consecutive postseasons. Weird shit happens all the time. Being consistently awesome over 162 games merely gets a team a ticket to a tournament of the best teams where the very best one rarely prevails. There’s just so much randomness and luck associated with it.
So it’s a profound relief to see the Cubs win a World Series in the second year of what should be a long run of excellence. There’s no longer a reason for fans of other teams to joke about 1908 or 1945; no reason for the media to talk about curses, or Steve Bartman, or any of that shit. And I don’t expect I’ll feel compelled to remind anyone about 2016, because the Cubs look to be excellent for quite some time. This wasn’t a short term rise with a narrow window of contention. Cubs fans can just chill the hell out and enjoy baseball, confident that their team is finally what it always should have been. We need not be defined by our team, its former ineptitude, or its current success. Cardinals fans can talk about 11 rings against 3, and Cubs fans can shrug and say, “they’ll get there eventually, maybe.” Sox fans who for some reason feel compelled to hate the Cubs can finally shut the fuck up about 2005, because the Cubs have 2016. That’s fucking awesome.
As a consultant, it’s amazing to see the complete organizational transformation executed by this front office. The Cubs’ last window of contention in 2007-2009 was borne of a short term influx of cash that papered over the massive flaws in a derelict organization. This front office scorched the earth and rebuilt the Cubs as a data-driven organization from the ground up, embracing both advanced analytics and understanding of human behavior. They got the employees (including the players) to buy into a culture of always outworking, outsmarting, and outlasting the opposition. That the Cubs Way meant never giving up, and making sure you’re the last one standing. It’s such a rare thing to see, and it’s the reason Theo Epstein will be in the Hall of Fame. At the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years, the entire baseball operations staff got to walk around the field before the game, with their names displayed on the scoreboards for the whole ballpark to see. Tom Ricketts shook all of their hands individually. From top to bottom, this has become an outstanding baseball club.
The 2016 baseball season is in the books, and the best team won. That team was the Cubs. I’m excited to see what’s to come in 2017 and beyond, knowing that the pressure of history is gone forever.
Even if the Cubs were first, it would ignore the tremendous production they’ve gotten from players from within their organization (through the draft, international free agency or through trades). It’s why I always hated the crap about the Yankees payroll. Those great teams were stacked with talent the Yankees drafted and developed. All the credit to them for keeping those guys and spending where they needed to in order to win.
I spent the last month or so taking shit from Cardinals fans about how we are all making too big of a deal about the Cubs’ run, that it’s no bigger story than any other World Series, even that Cubs fans somehow have had it better than Cardinals fans because Denkinger or something.
That today? That’s five million people who just don’t get it.
I miss baseball, but the difference this year is that it took me several hours after the last Cubs game to realize that there was no more Cubs baseball this year. I hope the Cubs can make me forget it’s their last game of the year on a regular basis.
I will just pretend to believe that he is annoyed that he was really only on the roster to catch Arrieta, then didn’t get either start and was just standing there with his dick in his hand or whatever the analogy is. I don’t think he’s annoyed that he didn’t get more playing time, just annoyed that he was told that he would and he didn’t. Sounds like the Cubs need to keep him away from Kevin Millar.
GW: that part is a little surprising, if true. I would have thought that Maddon was expert at that stuff
Yeah, it’s hard to believe there was no communication. I’m fine with him being upset at his playing time. He didn’t get much at all so I think that’s fine and I think he’s still having trouble adjusting to the role he’s likely to find himself in wherever he may play (Chicago or elsewhere).
Perkins: Hammel and Szczur got to be cheerleaders.
And both player seemed thrilled to be in the dugout any time they were shown. I was actually surprised we didn’t get to see an upset Hammel since we see that from time to time. I’m sure he was upset, but from what little we saw of him, it didn’t show.
All that time he thought he might be released, he spent mentoring his replacement. I have no problem with Miggy being pissed about WS playing time if he was never told he would only be a pinch hitter.
Same here. I also think it’s a good time to bitch after winning a World Series. The team accomplished its goals and the fans are happy. If there was ever a time to bitch about certain things or express unhappiness, here it is in my opinion.
If Fowler leaves, I wonder if Tommy La Stella could play some center field. I think he’d be a good leadoff hitter. La Stella vs righties and Almora vs lefties.
I was kind of assuming Zobrist is the new leadoff hitter, Heyward is the new center fielder, with Schwarber is LF and Zobrist in either RF or 2B depending on which of Soler and Baez get assert themselves. I didn’t even think about LaStella, but it’s true his bat deserves some kind of look.
I don’t think Schwarber is going to be in R/L platoon. He could be in some kind of catcher-LF platoon (doubtful but possible), but I think he’s in the lineup every day.
SK: He could be in some kind of catcher-LF platoon (doubtful but possible), but I think he’s in the lineup every day.
I agree with this, except i think he definitely catches next year. My guess is Montero catches Arrieta, Contreras catches Lester (bc of D) and 2 others, Schwarber catches one of the others he works best with (Lackey? might be a good balance in temperment and communication).
SK:
I don’t think Schwarber is going to be in R/L platoon. He could be in some kind of catcher-LF platoon (doubtful but possible), but I think he’s in the lineup every day.
Yeah, it would be pretty surprising to see Schwarber in a platoon. I don’t think he catches much or at all.
I thought about DVRing the series, but didn’t want to start doing that at that point in the playoffs. You know, because I could jinx them. (dying laughing)
Same here. I also think it’s a good time to bitch after winning a World Series. The team accomplished its goals and the fans are happy. If there was ever a time to bitch about certain things or express unhappiness, here it is in my opinion.
Disagree. I understand shit will come out from time to time, but the day of the fucking parade after a Cubs World Series win? What a shitty thing to do. I would imagine a number of other players, pitchers, etc, had different ideas in mind for what their roles would be this postseason—and they also were not heroes a couple of times over like Miggy was even with his reduced role—and they so far at least seem to be waiting for the champagne to dry before going on the air to complain about how they didn’t get theirs.
I also don’t like it when organizations or players handle shit in the press to begin with. Fight and argue like hell behind closed doors, but shut the fuck up about it with the assholes in the media unless you have no other choice.
I’m willing to cut Montero a little slack (not that it matters or he cares, (dying laughing)), because he may have been hammered, and thought he was talking to his mom. But even if he was thoughtlessly prattling on and not realizing what he was doing, it was a very foolish, short-sighted thing to do. People are not inclined to listen or care about his bitching right now. It’s a huge unity moment, and right or wrong nobody likes it when somebody tries to kill widespread good feelings, so rare in this day and age, by complaining about shit that doesn’t really matter.
Players are human. I find it hard to believe this has done anything to Cubs fans unity (weren’t they unified before a championship?).
They are that. I’m not saying Montero should be tarred and feathered. It likely will amount to zero. But it was shitty and I’m disappointed he did that. It’s not the end of the world. But it does throw some shade on something that is as close as sports can come to delivering an absolute good. It was an unforced error. Hell, I get pissed at those in the game all the time. Same thing in real life too.
And no, it’s not going to be the thing that tears us all apart (injuries, bad luck, and regression will probably do that in the coming years (dying laughing)). Montero just cut the social equivalent of a noxious fart that temporarily messes with the atmosphere, but shouldn’t linger.
It doesn’t bother me one bit. Only way it would bother me is if the Cubs didn’t actually communicate how little playing time he’d get. If that’s true, I’ve been giving Joe too much credit in the non-strategic aspects of managing. I assume it was communicated because how could it not have been?
Besides, any irritation I might have had would surely be overshadowed by the two huge hits that Montero had in the playoffs.
Just enjoy the beautiful shot of the Philly skyline
(dying laughing). If only Philly looked that nice.
I was assuming this guy Eric was being facetious, but then it seemed like everyone was taking him seriously. Maybe that was the point, to expose the gullibility.
I play and write music (not Cubs related) to handle stress (often Cubs related). So during game six when Maddon decided to wear out Chapman’s arm with a five-going-on-seven-run lead, I recorded a tune and threw it on YouTube for a contest:
SK:
I have almost caught up with sleep and work lost due to Cubs WS.Now I need to find some time to watch it all over again.
I’ve had more sleep in the past two days than any two-day stretch in the past year (dying laughing). Now time to piss that all away by getting caught up on work.
Knowing the history of Go Cubs Go, it really is the perfect Cubs song. Goodman never saw a game that postseason. It was all about hope—that the Cubs would win and he’d live to see it.
Now that 32 years later they have done it, it’s kind of hard to listen to. At least for me right now.
I thought the SNL stuff was pretty dumb, but whatever. The Cubs have been the target of lazy punchlines for so long, they’ve earned the right to shove their success in everyone’s faces.
Didn’t see that coming. I hope that means that they have someone better in mind, but I thought Hammel was pretty good for a fifth starter (and relatively affordable).
Even if they like Montgomery and I think that’s the reason they did this, Hammel gets a $2 million buyout and would only have been paid $12 million. Weird move. Makes more sense to exercise the option and trade him.
dmick89:
Even if they like Montgomery and I think that’s the reason they did this, Hammel gets a $2 million buyout and would only have been paid $12 million. Weird move. Makes more sense to exercise the option and trade him.
Maybe they’re feeling a little magnanimous with all the champage and wanted to let him to pick his destination as a reward for keeping his mouth shut during the postseason *shrug*.
I hope this move means they’re going to be aggressive in the FA (or trade) market. I should focus on what the extra money allows them to do, rather than who their fifth starter will be.
I’d assume between savings here and the additional revenue from going so deep into the playoffs, as well as expected increases in revenue due to winning the whole thing that they would be aggressive. It would be a little disappointing to see them be inactive this offseason.
Is it common for teams to write such a flowery press release/letter of recommendation when declining an option on a guy who was on the team less than three years? It almost seems like Theo’s apologizing to Hammel’s wife in the thing.
A source familiar with the situation, told ESPN.com that the team gave the option to Hammel to decide if he wanted to return in 2017 or test the free agency next winter, in a very attractive market for starting pitchers.
I’d actually love to see them try to buy low on Chris Archer if they think Bosio can help turn him around.
The Rays aren’t going to sell low, so it will cost the Cubs. That said, it likely won’t cost the team given their depth.
Personally, I hope that happens and the Cubs use their extra cash to work out long term extensions for a number of their young players, particularly Hendricks. Also, go after one (or two) of these FA closers: Melancon or Chapman or Jansen.
What type of package would be good enough to pry him away? I can’t imagine Soler is a good centerpiece, but maybe Jimenez plus?
An extension for Hendricks would be nice. The main things I’d love to see this offseason are re-signing Fowler and Chapman and trading for a cost-controlled SP.
I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t make sense. If they wanted him back they’d just have exercised the option. The QO is higher. And if they tried now, it’d look kind of like an illicit manipulation of the QO since Hammel would have had to pre-agree to reject it. I don’t see how a QO could be used here.
Rice Cube:
So with Fowler getting and rejecting QO I guess that’s at least one draft pick they can get back.
It was a mutual option on the previous contract, not a QO so I don’t think he’s subject to the compensation penalty this year. If he is that’s a pretty horseshit deal that I hope they fix in the CBA in the next few weeks.
He declined the mutual option, but is expected to receive a qualifying offer, which he is likely to reject.
From MLB Trade Rumors:
He’s a surefire candidate to receive a qualifying offer from Chicago, which would give him a one-year, $17.2MM offer to return to the team, but based on Fowler’s comments it seems safe to say he’ll be rejecting the QO to again test free agency.
I’m amazed the MLBPA agreed to it. What’s the point of having a union if they allow its members to get screwed over like that?
It’s been a constant bone of contention since free agency even existed. I think MLBPA is doing just fine though, especially if you compare it to all the other sports leagues.
Soler plus Happ plus some odd and ends? They could use Soler as a DH and he would probably provide a lot of value for them. I would like them to hold onto Jimenez. Happ, however, may be superfluous with Zobrist through 2019.
I think that is the minimum that Tampa would entertain.
In retrospect, I really wish the Cubs traded Soler before the 2015 season, back when he had some (perceived) value. I would have been pretty annoyed at the time, of course.
After this debacle the 2 things I care about most in politics are independent, non-partisan redistricting committees and killing super pacs, with a Constitutional amendment if necessary.
Probably not as regularly as I used to be, but I think so. I stopped hanging on every pitch a few years ago and it paid off during the postseason. That was the most enjoyable few weeks of sports in my life and I owe the team my fandom again.
But yeah, it’s over. Time to move onto the NFL Draft.
Well, he committed to an entire music career after being diagnosed with cancer, knowing he would probably die. I think he knew he probably wouldn’t be around to see it, but he wanted something hopeful anyway to contrast “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request.”
I saw the Matheney news a few days ago and my first thought was that this will be the first time in a long time that the Cardinals fire a manager. I’d be surprised to see him finish out that three year deal.
I used to hate that song and then sometime in the 2007 or 2008 season I started liking it. I realized a couple years later that my feelings toward the song have more to do with how good the Cubs are. When you’re losing 100 games, it’s a stupid fucking song. When you’re winning the World Series, I can’t get the song out of my head and I don’t mind it. (dying laughing)
This is why I think letting Hammel walk is a mistake. You know what you got with him. He’s above average and has the ability to shut down any team. He’s also going to give you some truly awful starts. Overall he’s pretty good and the contract was pretty friendly.
dmick89:
I used to hate that song and then sometime in the 2007 or 2008 season I started liking it. I realized a couple years later that my feelings toward the song have more to do with how good the Cubs are. When you’re losing 100 games, it’s a stupid fucking song. When you’re winning the World Series, I can’t get the song out of my head and I don’t mind it. (dying laughing)
Am I the only one that had to concentrate to keep the alternate refrain out of my head after Davis’ camera shot? It goes like this:
Blow Cubs Blow
Blow Cubs Blow
Hey Chicago whaddya say
The Cubs’ll blow this game today
It really is less awful when they are winning—though not in the Sheening/Trumping way.
I think they push for a trade. I like the idea of trying some of their young guys, but I would prefer that happen when they need a six-man rotation or somebody goes down.
I think they probably do too. I have a hard time believing they’ll go with Montgomery, but I had a difficult time understanding moving Jeff Samardzija to the rotation.
I also thought it was stupid when the Cubs moved Ryan Dempster into the rotation. In other words, I know nothing so Montgomery will probably become a Cy Young candidate.
I wouldn’t mind re-signing Cahill for SP/RO depth, but given the dearth of starters, I think he might get a pretty decent deal elsewhere with a real shot at a starting job, something in the 3 for 20 to 4 for 30 range. I imagine Wood will get the same consideration, but I hope Thoyer steers clear just to keep Maddon from Maddoning a bit too much.
cerulean:
I wouldn’t mind re-signing Cahill for SP/RO depth, but given the dearth of starters, I think he might get a pretty decent deal elsewhere with a real shot at a starting job, something in the 3 for 20 to 4 for 30 range. I imagine Wood will get the same consideration, but I hope Thoyer steers clear just to keep Maddon from Maddoning a bit too much.
I wouldn’t mind seeing them retain Travis Wood, if only because it’s fucking awesome to see a relief pitcher play the field and hit home runs. That game against SEA was the kind of thing I wish managers would do more with relievers. Lou tried it once with Sean Marshall, but it didn’t work out.
I still have my OV facepalm mug, but the logo is almost completely gone (from repeated dishwasherings). I’d by a new one with 2016 replacing 1908 for the recent championship I’ve enjoyed.
I am okay with them moving Almora if they re-sign Fowler. Otherwise, Bryant is probably their best option after Heyward defensively. And with Schwarber getting a lot of time in left, that left-center gap might get to be too interesting.
I am okay with them moving Almora if they re-sign Fowler. Otherwise, Bryant is probably their best option after Heyward defensively. And with Schwarber getting a lot of time in left, that left-center gap might get to be too interesting.
Yeah, I think their level of engagement on Fowler sort of dictates the other moves. I’m with you, I’d love to re-sign him and roll with a Schwarber/Fowler/Heyward or Zobrist outfield.
cerulean:
I wouldn’t mind re-signing Cahill for SP/RO depth, but given the dearth of starters, I think he might get a pretty decent deal elsewhere with a real shot at a starting job, something in the 3 for 20 to 4 for 30 range. I imagine Wood will get the same consideration, but I hope Thoyer steers clear just to keep Maddon from Maddoning a bit too much.
Didn’t Cahill sign a two year deal?
Speaking of, I am kind of surprised he didn’t crack the postseason roster given how little confidence Joe had in the pen.
cerulean: Part of me still feels like he was trolling all of us.
When he said “everything was going to plan until the 9th inning started” in the post game after game 7, it felt like he was either stoned or stupid. (And remember, I was his biggest defender after game 6). Trolling also makes sense.
Perkins: I wouldn’t mind seeing them retain Travis Wood, if only because it’s fucking awesome to see a relief pitcher play the field and hit home runs. That game against SEA was the kind of thing I wish managers would do more with relievers. Lou tried it once with Sean Marshall, but it didn’t work out.
He was hot garbage vs RHP this year, so I would hope he didn’t get enough batters per outing to be at the plate (dying laughing). Gotta regress those splits though.
None of the decisions were atrocious in isolation, but chained together, they created such a comedy of errors that I thought for sure MLB was leaning on him to heighten the drama of this reality TV show called Base Ball.
Berselius: He was hot garbage vs RHP this year, so I would hope he didn’t get enough batters per outing to be at the plate (dying laughing). Gotta regress those splits though.
For his career, I think he’s a bit closer to average against RHH (.327 wOBA against). Still not a guy you want facing a lot of righties.
You’re right, my memory is just for shit (dying laughing). I know the Pirates tried to sign him to start, maybe that was the 2-year deal I was remembering.
BVS: Maybe Hellickson, but they must love Montgomery and Zastryzny. I assume they’ll trade some OF for AAA pitcher.
Word is Hellickson received a QO.
I was just barely okay with the possibility of exploring the possibility of the Cubs thinking about maybe kicking the tires on him. Now that a pick would be involved, I’m less enthusiastic.
I’m waiting on a Schwarber jersey. I’ve thought that this year’s jerseys looked kind of stupid when fans wear them (since the vents go under the arms and also below the waist in the back…looks odd with pinstripes). Great for players, but less so when worn with regular clothes.
I realized that I will never ever give a shit about how it looks since it says “World Series Champions” on the sleeve.
I’d probably pick Scherzer, though I’d be happy if Lester or Hendricks won. Both had very good years, but I’m not as excited as I was last year for Arrieta. I feel that if one of them wins, he’d be taking some credit that rightly belongs to the defense.
This is why I think letting Hammel walk is a mistake. You know what you got with him. He’s above average and has the ability to shut down any team. He’s also going to give you some truly awful starts. Overall he’s pretty good and the contract was pretty friendly.
I liked Montgomery as the 6th starter.
This. I’m not sure why anyone would feel confident in Montgomery moving into the rotation, but everyone seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion.
EnricoPallazzo:
I’m just worried about the dodgers_in_5 guy. Haven’t heard from him in a while for some reason.
He was easily the most valuable commenter on OV during these playoffs. His Winning Above Replacement was off the charts—practically Sheening. Can you imagine what these comments would have looked like without his essential contribution? The Cubs almost certainly would have gone on to win, but we all would lost that rallying cry that binds us together: Dodgers in five!
Fare thee well, dear troll. Your overly certain inaccuracies will forever be remembered.
GW: This. I’m not sure whyanyone would feel confident in Montgomery moving into the rotation, but everyone seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion.
I still think Montgomery projects as the 6th starter. I’d wager that letting Hammel go was both about freeing up some payroll and opening a spot for someone they can acquire in a trade.
Or maybe Montgomery goes into the rotation and becomes awesome. After Dempster and Samardzija, that wouldn’t be so surprising.
I would like to see someone like Rosario take Cahill’s spot in the pen.
I would also like to see Williams get a shot as the long man and see if he can’t improve some of those secondary pitches to complement that excellent sinker—with this defense he could be really good.
The Cubs don’t have lefties in the pen, especially if Monty goes to the rotation—Zastryzny would be the only one left—so that’s something to consider when penciling him into the rotation.
It sounds as though not picking up Hammel’s option was a courtesy to Hammel more than anything else. Jason wanted to try out the free agent market, and the team let him.
I’m ok with the Hammel thing. It may be tough to replace him, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to buy some goodwill by letting him go. His agent and other players notice that type of thing.
Also, I just bet on Cleveland at 12-1 for 2017. I think that’s pretty solid tbh.
I think the Cubs should pay Rich Hill to be their Andrew Miller. The starter’s workload is just too much, but 100–120 innings as the Bruce Sutter-type fireman doing two-inning saves/holds two out of five days might keep his blisters at bay. He would likely be worth 3 WAR a year, possibly more. Sign him for three years for $42M with a team option for a for a fourth year at $8M.
Melancon will probably get about four for $50M. Chapman, five for $80M. Jansen, six for $100M.
By both WAR$ and relative price, he looks like a steal. I suppose he may only want to start, but given the importance of relievers and the reemergence of the fireman, that may be a role he could be persuaded into.
cerulean:
given the importance of relievers and the reemergence of the fireman
Outside of the Indians with Miller in the second half, was there any team doing this before the postseason?
Cubs seem to be ahead of the curve on limiting SP turns through the lineup and getting more out of the bullpen (or maybe they are one team of many now doing so), but I wasn’t aware of actual firemen type roles or non-closer star RPs (outside of Miller).
I think Montgomery is the new Clayton RIchard or Travis Cahill – guy who might pan out as a starter but if not, he’s a good option in relief in a variety of bullpen roles. Cubs must be looking to trade for or sign a new SP.
This young man, who grew up in Florida and, from what I can tell, never wanted to do anything but play baseball, fought off cancer, got traded away by Theo & Jed and then acquired again by them for the Cubs because they knew of his character, (Ed. note: that’s six commas) likely had no idea of what our history was when he came here.
Those tears told me he gets it. He’s one of us.
Has OV officially congratulated BCB yet on winning the WS?
re: the whole montgomery situation, i seem to recall that in a post-victory interview, theo talked about how the scouting department is so good at identifying guys right before they explode into major talent (trading for rizzo/arrieta, drafting bryant, etc) and then he pointed to montgomery as the epitome of that trend, thus suggesting that the FO expects very big things form him. i was really surprised. i think either theo or me may have been drunk though so i may just be misinterpreting something…
I suppose at some point various publications will set up a list of Cubs “untouchables” and “desirables” from other organizations, and then we can do a Venn diagram or something.
Referring to a sports team in the first person has seemed weird for as long as I can remember. With most fans, I’d chalk it up to a quirk of language usage.
I get the feeling Alvin thinks he’s in some way part of the team.
I always feel weird doing it, but sometimes it’s simpler. Alvin definitely feels like he is a part of it. He’s delusional.
Yeah, but you’re also not bragging about getting to talk to Crane Kenney that one time and thinking he took you absolutely seriously. (dying laughing)
I know a lot of rational, normal people who say “we” about sports teams; it’s definitely simpler. Alvin’s the only one from whom it seems genuinely disturbing.
I always feel weird doing it, but sometimes it’s simpler. Alvin definitely feels like he is a part of it. He’s delusional.
It’s not just that he feels a part of it. He feels like the young players are joining his team.
I mean, I guess it’s true that fans make up the bulk of the institution that a franchise becomes, and in a sense guys like Rizzo entered the institution that we have all long been a part of. But Jesus Fucking Christ, it is the actual baseball team that wins or loses, that achieves or fails, that earns glory or scorn. They are the team, not the fat-assed fans.
I don’t really follow salary/contract info very closely, but wouldn’t Fowler be looking at more than 16M/per? Or would that only be the case for a shorter deal? Isn’t one WAR worth 7 or 8 million by now? Isn’t Fowler projected to produce at least 3 per year? (I don’t follow WAR closely either).
I got 2.9 for next year and then 2.4, 1.8 and 1.2 over the next few seasons. I used $8.5 million per win in 2017 and increased by half a million each year.
WAR numbers listed above are rounded. Added all up it comes to about 4/76, but there’s a multi-year bonus for the teams that takes it to about 4/68.
Assuming he was given a qualifying offer, he’d be worth less to teams that don’t end in Cubs.
I’m genuinely curious what more there might be to the Sosa story that we don’t know. Now seems the best time to patch things up there and bring him back in. It’d be awesome to see a Sammy Sosa Day where he can sprint out to right to raise a flag with his number from the foul pole.
I think that’s around what guys like Bourn, Granderson and Swisher got years ago. Fowler might be looking for 5/$80MM or so, which would take him to…what? Age 35?
True, but Fowler was a free agent last year and had trouble even getting a multi-year deal. He had a better season this year, but he was pretty good last year too. 5/80 won’t surprise me. It’s basically the same as 4/68 with another year added for good measure, but that draft pick compensation is still hanging over his head.
I’d be ok with the Cubs going 4/68, but I’d probably pass on any 5 year deal. I think he Cubs would too. My guess is they’d prefer to sign him for 3 years.
I think people are going to be surprised at how much the Fowler tier of players signs for. I’m not a betting man, but I think the odds of exceeding 4/64 are very high. I think 5/90 is more likely.
I think Theo makes a trade for a young pitcher that either a) has had injury issues or b) underperformed in a small sample.
Not likely, but I’d love to see a Soler+ for Dylan Bundy deal. I don’t know much about how Bundy is valued around the league, but that’s the type of pitcher I’d like them to go after.
Perkins:
I’m genuinely curious what more there might be to the Sosa story that we don’t know. Now seems the best time to patch things up there and bring him back in. It’d be awesome to see a Sammy Sosa Day where he can sprint out to right to raise a flag with his number from the foul pole.
I’m guessing they want to co-retire the number for Joe Mather, and they haven’t been able to mend those fences yet.
Perkins:
I’m genuinely curious what more there might be to the Sosa story that we don’t know. Now seems the best time to patch things up there and bring him back in. It’d be awesome to see a Sammy Sosa Day where he can sprint out to right to raise a flag with his number from the foul pole.
yeah there has to be more to the story (like, MUCH more) or this whole thing is just really confusing. people (reporters, rickettses, FO, players) were going out of their way not to mention him. it was really awkward. the players really must have been told “when you mention cubs of yore, under no circumstances do you mention sosa” because otherwise there’s no way his name wouldn’t have popped up at some point during the celebrations. really weird.
EnricoPallazzo: yeah there has to be more to the story (like, MUCH more) or this whole thing is just really confusing. people (reporters, rickettses, FO, players) were going out of their way not to mention him. it was really awkward. the players really must have been told “when you mention cubs of yore, under no circumstances do you mention sosa” because otherwise there’s no way his name wouldn’t have popped up at some point during the celebrations. really weird.
dmick89:
I’m not sure how valid those comparisons are. There won’t be as much spent this year as last.
I guess my prior assumption is that the amount spent on free agents from year to year is fairly inelastic. When the supply for players is less than the demand for them (which appears to be the case, the prices of that supply go up).
EnricoPallazzo: yeah there has to be more to the story (like, MUCH more) or this whole thing is just really confusing. people (reporters, rickettses, FO, players) were going out of their way not to mention him. it was really awkward. the players really must have been told “when you mention cubs of yore, under no circumstances do you mention sosa” because otherwise there’s no way his name wouldn’t have popped up at some point during the celebrations. really weird.
One thing they have mentioned is that Sosa never has openly admitted using steroids even though there has been evidence he started juicing around 2003 (NOT 1998, but thats another story). It’s been speculated that once he comes out he’s forgiven. I don’t think that is true because I believe Ricketts tried to bring Sosa to Cubs Con and he refused to go, because Sosa is just a strange person. Check out Sosa’s Pinterest profile for further proof of him being a…different individual
If the desire not to return is coming from Sosa, I get it. The organization trashed him on the way out after a decade of his being the face of the franchise, and sent him to the mid-2000s Orioles (as clear a baseball Hell as any). I’d be pretty pissed off and loath to accept an invite to return without receiving some kind of apology for that.
Nate SilverVerified account
@NateSilver538 Nate Silver
Reminder: Cubs will win the World Series and, in exchange, President Trump will be elected 8 days later.
9:20 PM – 10 May 2016
I’ve long thought national pride to be an odd thing, since for anyone other than naturalized citizens, it’s an accident of birth. But I totally get being happy to be from a certain country. I’ve always been happy to be an American until today. Today I’m mostly ashamed.
It’s not like I was looking forward to Clinton being president, but this just sucks. I’d trade the Cubs championship for a different result in the general election in a heartbeat.
It make me sad to think that pretty much all President Obama has accomplished in the past 8 years is at risk of being undone, and problems like climate change, which needs addressing, will be ignored for the next 4 years.
I just don’t understand how Trump can have so many scandals, do terrible in the debates, and somehow come across to enough Americans as a better alternative.
I’m ashamed most days, but in all honesty I’d be ashamed to be from just about every country. The shame-o-meter is a bit higher today it’s been in a long time.
Edwin: I just don’t understand how Trump can have so many scandals, do terrible in the debates, and somehow come across to enough Americans as a better alternative.
I’m not sure he came across as the better alternative. He came across as the different alternative and for many, many Americans that was enough. Anything different even if that different is a piece of shit. I don’t get it, but people are fucking stupid and this is what you get with democracy. Donald Fucking Trump.
He’s actually getting more positive than negative replies from his twitter followers. I guess it shows how national (and white, male, rural and higher income) the Cubs fanbase is because Chicago voted 90% against the guy who wants to deport millions and build a wall on the border.
dmick89: I’m not sure he came across as the better alternative. He came across as the different alternative and for many, many Americans that was enough. Anything different even if that different is a piece of shit. I don’t get it, but people are fucking stupid and this is what you get with democracy. Donald Fucking Trump.
This election is why it’s been dangerous to strip a lot of the protections that were deemed “undemocratic.” When we collectively decided the Electoral College was silly, that senators should be elected directly, that primary elections were a hell of an idea…we stripped some of the bulwarks against populism.
It’s even worse in the context of power concentrated in the executive branch over the last two administrations.
Democracy isn’t a good in and of itself. The more authority given to the plebs, the more corresponding responsibility they have to shoulder. Making things more democratic is fine if we’re correspondingly investing in educating the electorate, but asking a bunch of idiots to wield this authority without being held responsible is horrifying.
I like Big Bang Theory. It’s better than a lot of people give it credit for being. It’s not as good as its ratings indicate, but it makes me laugh and that’s all I care about.
Perkins: Democracy isn’t a good in and of itself. The more authority given to the plebs, the more corresponding responsibility they have to shoulder. Making things more democratic is fine if we’re correspondingly investing in educating the electorate, but asking a bunch of idiots to wield this authority without being held responsible is horrifying.
This is why this type of democracy is doomed to fail at some point. It’s rather remarkable a Donald Trump hasn’t happened before.
Edwin:
It make me sad to think that pretty much all President Obama has accomplished in the past 8 years is at risk of being undone, and problems like climate change, which needs addressing, will be ignored for the next 4 years.
I just don’t understand how Trump can have so many scandals, do terrible in the debates, and somehow come across to enough Americans as a better alternative.
Sexism, Racism, and Nationalism in the guise of Obama’s White House is running the country into the ground.
Love too see that whole “look at that sea of red” narrative when counties with 5,000 voters look just as big on the map as counties with 500,000 voters
Myles: Time for Hollywood to pony up and head for the border #illhelpyoupack #beatit
so….can someone explain this to me? why is this racist? from the comments, it sounds like it is interpreted as telling the Jews to leave the country? is trump anti-semitic or something? i realize these are probably all stupid questions.
If I read it correctly, he’s basically telling people of brown skin (Hispanics) to pack their shit and leave. This is white man’s country, or at least that’s how Arrieta feels.
They are interpreting “Hollywood” as code for Jews, but I bet he just means Ellen Degeneres (gay), and other liberal celebrities (whatever their color, orientation, religion) who were vocal against Trump to the point of saying they’d leave the country if he won.
Is Trump anti-Semitic? yes. He’s also anti-Mexican, anti-black and anti-Muslim. And he thinks women shouldn’t work but should be subject to free pussy grabs.
If we want to read it more generously, it could be just calling out the celebrities who had pledged to leave the country if the cheeto got elected. Maybe he’s saying “put your money where your mouth is” to them just as many said to Alec Baldwin in 2000.
Though if we’re being honest with ourselves, I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that Lester and Lackey were pro-Trump if anything. They make shitloads of money and are from rural areas.
I assume that’s what he means as well, although there’s certianly plenty of those in the Trump support crowd who wouldn’t mind interpretting it differently.
Yeah, that would not surprise me. Less than some of the other star players, although I guess there is a 50/50 chance any of the US citizens on the team support Trump.
Lester and Lackey are almost certainly pro Trump. Same with Travis Wood and probably Kerry Wood for that matter. I bet Cubs fans miss Carlos Zambrano now.
I get the sense that there will be a backlash against millennials throwing their vote away in support of third-party candidates. Blame the youth is always a common refrain, and it’s almost always wrong.
People should vote for who they want and fuck the people who said someone threw their vote away. Most of them wouldn’t have voted if they didn’t vote third party.
I’m far angrier at the people who actively decided that voting for a racist, sexist, dishonorable, thin-skinned demagogue who has committed serial sexual assault and fraud and might try to burn the whole thing down was a good choice to make. It’s like watching a little kid shit his pants to make a statement, except there’s no cleaning it up for four years.
Right. Don’t like the outcome, blame those who voted for the candidate who won, not those who did not. I did not support Trump, would never have voted for him, but I wasn’t about to vote for Clinton either. I’d much prefer her over Trump (preferential ballots would be nice), but I wasn’t voting for her.
A few thoughts on this election. I’ve been worried about Trump winning the whole time even with the polls because I think when faced with a close election the candidate with the most passion behind them is the winner. Clinton didn’t have passion behind her. Trump did.
The exit polls suggest to me that lots of women said they voted Clinton but really voted Trump. When 55% of 53% of the electorate says they vote C while only 51% of 47% (men) of the electorate say they voted T, then someone (or everyone) was lying. Probably didn’t want to admit out loud they were voting for T. Forget which state that was. Maybe NC.
Looks like Dems will be +2 in Senate. They could flip the Senate and maybe House in 2 yr. I assumed no matter who won we’d have a 1-term Pres. A strong victory in 2020 flips redistricting. The alt right has been hiding behind blaming Obama for the last 6 yr of stalemate so I suspect that the public will tire of them quickly when their true colors come out. They are WISCs.
If neither candidate gained a majority, something is wrong. I wish there was a rule where to be elected, a candidate had to get at least 50% of the popular vote and win the electoral college.
And if that does not happen, then both candidates share the White House, taking turns on executive actions. You want a reality TV show, America? Have a fucking TV show.
I was reading trump’s plan for first 100 days in office and was pleasantly surprised to read that the first few items were term limits and limiting congress from becoming lobbyists after leaving office.
…anti- european military bases, non-interventionist, anti- free trade agreements, anti- illegal immigration, restoring relations with Russia. He basically ran to the left of the first Clinton.
By the way, although I think president-elect horror-clown is actually the worst person on earth, with zero redeeming qualities, which is why I can’t understand why anyone would want him to have power over them, I don’t think Jake Arrieta (or anyone else) is a piece of shit for supporting him. Rather it was his petulant, divisive and unhelpful shittalking at a point in time when anyone with an ounce of cultural awareness would …..ah fuck it
I think plenty of people are pieces of shit for supporting him, or rather are supporting him because they’re pieces of shit,
As to anyone outside of the alt right, they might not be pieces of shit. But they’re also worthy of neither respect nor empathy. Anyone who makes the bet that an authoritarian openly hostile to the first, second, fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth, and fourteenth amendments will somehow be okay is the reason our Constitution provided for so many “undemocratic” aspects.
Comments
I wanted to go, but the train was full and I sure as shit wasn’t going to drive.
mylesQuote Reply
myles,
I wanted to go, but I didn’t want to fly to Chicago for one day. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
The crowd after NLCS game 6 was borderline suffocating…this looks at least 5 times as big. Planning to watch this one on TV.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Didn’t have the jetpack charged?
mylesQuote Reply
I wanted to go, but my boss isn’t a Cubs fan. (dying laughing)
PFDQuote Reply
If anyone needs a live stream, MLB is doing a free simulcast here:
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7417714/v1211136783/live-cubs-parade-mlbn-simulcast
I couldn’t get the CSN Chicago stream to work.
PFDQuote Reply
Typical of this second-rate organization and city. #FireTheo #DownwithTicketts
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Maybe he’s the dodgers_in_5 guy.
dmick89Quote Reply
How many will be at the parade? Winner gets my upcoming biography on Alvin Yellon.
dmick89Quote Reply
That is a book I hope to one day recently enjoy.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
(dying laughing) @ Bryzzo Incorporated commercial.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I remember why I have had no interest in watching any parades. The news people covering them can’t help but make it about themselves.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’d forgotten how horrible WGN news is.
EDIT: Except for Tom Skilling. He rules.
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
MLB Network feed isn’t completely terrible. Kind of like New Year’s Eve coverage.
Maybe that doesn’t sell it.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
There are 7 billion people on the planet and 6.9 billion of them are in Chicago right now.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Check that, just an estimated 5 million.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
I don’t wonder how much bigger this parade is than White Sox and Cardinals parades.
SKQuote Reply
Holy crap, that’s like half of the Chicago metro area.
PerkinsQuote Reply
that was just a joke right?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Dex ———–> FA
berseliusQuote Reply
Well, gents, the last great sports story of our age is concluded.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Pay the man, Theo.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I’ll be surprised if he does.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
In retrospect, I’m pleased Ryan Dempster got blindsided and reacted “poorly.”
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Cubs obviously pick #30 overall unless other teams forfeit picks. So if Cubs keep their pick and bag the sandwich pick, which players are interesting gets next June?
Saying this realizing it’s way too damned early to evaluate, but just throwing it out there.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
I looked at the 2017-18 FA list. Nothing jumps out. Who knows who else might be available then.
Hence, my feeling is it would be good to keep a Chapman-esque closer on the roster. Either Chapman himself or someone similarish.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Theo: Let’s face it. For a while there we forgot the “not” in “try not to suck.”
(dying laughing)
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’d probably pay to keep Chapman and Fowler, and exercise Hammel’s option.
My primary long term concern is the rotation after 2017. Even if Montgomery takes a step forward, they’ll still have to replace two of Arrieta, Lackey, and Hammel. It’d be awesome if they could try to buy low on Chris Archer.
PerkinsQuote Reply
So the Cubs win the World Series and nobody wants to comment on here anymore? No wonder this is the 132nd ranked Cubs blog on the Internet.
Ryno, are you back? We need to start prepping for the annual Obstructed View transformation into an NFL Draft blog.
MuckerQuote Reply
Next season: Jason Heyward back to form, Kyle Schwarber full season, we get to see if Baez stays good. Should be a fun season next year too.
joshQuote Reply
But no Ross, so no World Series title.
joshQuote Reply
The question is, who will be the Cubs’ third catcher next year?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
You think Schwarber will catch?
joshQuote Reply
josh,
I doubt it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
If they cut Miggy they’ll be down to one. Maybe sign someone as Willy’s backup and keep Miggy as the third. Wouldn’t surprise me.
joshQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Federowicz?
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m pretty sure Miggy will be Arrieta’s personal catcher in the same way that Ross was Lester’s.
dmick89Quote Reply
He probably should see a chiropracter in the offseason.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Why do people think they’ll cut Miggy?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Only 1 postseason grand slam. Not a team player.
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Didn’t Miggy speculate they might cut Miggy?
joshQuote Reply
josh,
He did have a pretty shitty year.
joshQuote Reply
josh,
Not Heyward bad, obviously.
joshQuote Reply
I read that as having been in the context of the Cubs’ carrying three catchers and having roster crunch. Harder to justify carrying a banged-up Montero with Ross on the roster. With the retirement of Ross, I’d expect Montero to be the backup catcher.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Schwarber get some reps at C next year if the Cubs can’t trade Soler. Probably not more than every couple turns through the rotation, though.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Right, and also without Ross, Montero’s experience is far more valuable. He’s been something of a mentor to Contreras, and I think the latter still has some things to learn.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Where my head’s at right now:
The parade was a fine exclamation point on a magical season of baseball in Chicago. I’ve often wondered how I’d feel when the Cubs finally won a World Series, and so far it’s about as I’d expected: immediate jubilation followed by a profound sense of relief. The core of this Cubs team looks likely to dominate the National League for quite a few seasons, and the organization has considerable advantages: savvy ownership willing and able to make sound investments, vast financial resources to attract and retain talent, the best front office in baseball, integrated business and baseball strategies to open revenue streams and remain competitive, and the players to drive that success on the field.
And yet there are no sure things in baseball. For all the talk about the Nationals’ long term prospects a few years ago, they have yet to win a single postseason series. They have weathered injuries to key players, questionable personnel decisions, and sheer bad luck. The Braves of the 1990s/2000s won a single World Series despite being in 15 consecutive postseasons. Weird shit happens all the time. Being consistently awesome over 162 games merely gets a team a ticket to a tournament of the best teams where the very best one rarely prevails. There’s just so much randomness and luck associated with it.
So it’s a profound relief to see the Cubs win a World Series in the second year of what should be a long run of excellence. There’s no longer a reason for fans of other teams to joke about 1908 or 1945; no reason for the media to talk about curses, or Steve Bartman, or any of that shit. And I don’t expect I’ll feel compelled to remind anyone about 2016, because the Cubs look to be excellent for quite some time. This wasn’t a short term rise with a narrow window of contention. Cubs fans can just chill the hell out and enjoy baseball, confident that their team is finally what it always should have been. We need not be defined by our team, its former ineptitude, or its current success. Cardinals fans can talk about 11 rings against 3, and Cubs fans can shrug and say, “they’ll get there eventually, maybe.” Sox fans who for some reason feel compelled to hate the Cubs can finally shut the fuck up about 2005, because the Cubs have 2016. That’s fucking awesome.
As a consultant, it’s amazing to see the complete organizational transformation executed by this front office. The Cubs’ last window of contention in 2007-2009 was borne of a short term influx of cash that papered over the massive flaws in a derelict organization. This front office scorched the earth and rebuilt the Cubs as a data-driven organization from the ground up, embracing both advanced analytics and understanding of human behavior. They got the employees (including the players) to buy into a culture of always outworking, outsmarting, and outlasting the opposition. That the Cubs Way meant never giving up, and making sure you’re the last one standing. It’s such a rare thing to see, and it’s the reason Theo Epstein will be in the Hall of Fame. At the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years, the entire baseball operations staff got to walk around the field before the game, with their names displayed on the scoreboards for the whole ballpark to see. Tom Ricketts shook all of their hands individually. From top to bottom, this has become an outstanding baseball club.
The 2016 baseball season is in the books, and the best team won. That team was the Cubs. I’m excited to see what’s to come in 2017 and beyond, knowing that the pressure of history is gone forever.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Schwarber seemed to think he still had a shot at catching in some interview I read this summer so I don’t think he’d just be talking shit if the front office hadn’t given him some assurances he’d get a shot. Schwarber wants to play more than anything and if he had his choice, I’m guessing he’d choose catcher as his primary position. I don’t see that happening with Contreras on the roster, but that’s just me.
dmick89Quote Reply
Maybe
berseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
I’m so glad that the first Cubs championship team in my lifetime is unquestionably deserving of the title. I would have been thrilled with an 85-win team in a weak division who had a lucky October, by this is much better.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
(dying laughing), the Cubs open 2017 in St Louis and raise the banners with the Dodgers at Wrigley.
berseliusQuote Reply
Exactly. A 103 win team with a third order win percentage of ~113. That’s historical greatness. Tons of fun to see.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
Hopefully Jason Kipnis gets traded to the Dodgers this offseason.
dmick89Quote Reply
wut
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Well that was a whole lot of fucking fun. Thanks jabronis.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
You get a gold star for never losing the faith.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
http://time.com/4558820/chicago-cub-world-series-money/
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
What’s amusing is that the Cubs are ranked 6th in BPs compensation at 171MM.
The poor but noble, building-the-right-way Cardinals? 10th. 145MM.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I forgot Joe Smith was even on the Cubs until today.
dmick89Quote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Even if the Cubs were first, it would ignore the tremendous production they’ve gotten from players from within their organization (through the draft, international free agency or through trades). It’s why I always hated the crap about the Yankees payroll. Those great teams were stacked with talent the Yankees drafted and developed. All the credit to them for keeping those guys and spending where they needed to in order to win.
dmick89Quote Reply
I spent the last month or so taking shit from Cardinals fans about how we are all making too big of a deal about the Cubs’ run, that it’s no bigger story than any other World Series, even that Cubs fans somehow have had it better than Cardinals fans because Denkinger or something.
That today? That’s five million people who just don’t get it.
mobile daveQuote Reply
There were lots of Cub fans at the Art Institute today. Was there something going on?
(dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
dodgers_in_5
AlbaloneyQuote Reply
They had a bathroom. The wife and kid had to go, most museums were running discounts, but we have a membership hehe.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
They also get competitive balance picks and get to hack Houston so…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I miss baseball, but the difference this year is that it took me several hours after the last Cubs game to realize that there was no more Cubs baseball this year. I hope the Cubs can make me forget it’s their last game of the year on a regular basis.
dmick89Quote Reply
Miggy ———————> Unhappy with postseason role
Me ————————–> smh
At least wait until the confetti stops falling to start bitching to the press, man.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17973532/chicago-cubs-catcher-miguel-montero-critical-manager-joe-maddon-role-team-postseason
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
He probably should be happy he made the roster. Hammel and Szczur got to be cheerleaders.
Montero also provided one of the best moments of the whole postseason. That grand slam in NLCS game 1 was such a huge exclamation point.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I will just pretend to believe that he is annoyed that he was really only on the roster to catch Arrieta, then didn’t get either start and was just standing there with his dick in his hand or whatever the analogy is. I don’t think he’s annoyed that he didn’t get more playing time, just annoyed that he was told that he would and he didn’t. Sounds like the Cubs need to keep him away from Kevin Millar.
berseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
That insurance run in game seven was big, too.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
yep
that part is a little surprising, if true. I would have thought that Maddon was expert at that stuff
GWQuote Reply
Yeah, that turned out to be the winner.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Yeah, it’s hard to believe there was no communication. I’m fine with him being upset at his playing time. He didn’t get much at all so I think that’s fine and I think he’s still having trouble adjusting to the role he’s likely to find himself in wherever he may play (Chicago or elsewhere).
dmick89Quote Reply
And both player seemed thrilled to be in the dugout any time they were shown. I was actually surprised we didn’t get to see an upset Hammel since we see that from time to time. I’m sure he was upset, but from what little we saw of him, it didn’t show.
dmick89Quote Reply
Also, food.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
One theory is that Miggy might have been drunk and uninhibited after the parade. I guess we won’t know until follow up interviews.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
cerulean,
Yes, indeed. No way they were getting into restaurants.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
All that time he thought he might be released, he spent mentoring his replacement. I have no problem with Miggy being pissed about WS playing time if he was never told he would only be a pinch hitter.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
Same here. I also think it’s a good time to bitch after winning a World Series. The team accomplished its goals and the fans are happy. If there was ever a time to bitch about certain things or express unhappiness, here it is in my opinion.
dmick89Quote Reply
If Fowler leaves, I wonder if Tommy La Stella could play some center field. I think he’d be a good leadoff hitter. La Stella vs righties and Almora vs lefties.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I was kind of assuming Zobrist is the new leadoff hitter, Heyward is the new center fielder, with Schwarber is LF and Zobrist in either RF or 2B depending on which of Soler and Baez get assert themselves. I didn’t even think about LaStella, but it’s true his bat deserves some kind of look.
SKQuote Reply
I don’t think Schwarber is going to be in R/L platoon. He could be in some kind of catcher-LF platoon (doubtful but possible), but I think he’s in the lineup every day.
SKQuote Reply
I agree with this, except i think he definitely catches next year. My guess is Montero catches Arrieta, Contreras catches Lester (bc of D) and 2 others, Schwarber catches one of the others he works best with (Lackey? might be a good balance in temperment and communication).
Montero fills the Ross mentor role.
BVSQuote Reply
It’s Saturday. I’m home with little to do. And there’s no baseball on. 🙁
Sure, I’ll watch Sparty and Illinois battle for the basement, but it’s not the same.
More Cubs please.
BVSQuote Reply
I assume by this time you’ve all seen Eric’s tweet, but it’s so glorious it deserves another share.
https://twitter.com/ericmichel/status/794569014311723008
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yeah, it would be pretty surprising to see Schwarber in a platoon. I don’t think he catches much or at all.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’d also be alright with the Cubs signing Cespedes to play right and moving Heyward to CF (platoon with Almora).
dmick89Quote Reply
To be honest, though, re-signing Fowler just makes too much sense.
dmick89Quote Reply
Mike Matheny ——-> 3 year extension *snickers*
berseliusQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I’m not sure how to take this….
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Just enjoy the beautiful shot of the Philly skyline
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Don’t tell him what to enjoy.
SKQuote Reply
I have almost caught up with sleep and work lost due to Cubs WS. Now I need to find some time to watch it all over again.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
I’m downloading the games right now so I can watch them over at some point. I’ll probably wait awhile though.
dmick89Quote Reply
I thought about DVRing the series, but didn’t want to start doing that at that point in the playoffs. You know, because I could jinx them. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Disagree. I understand shit will come out from time to time, but the day of the fucking parade after a Cubs World Series win? What a shitty thing to do. I would imagine a number of other players, pitchers, etc, had different ideas in mind for what their roles would be this postseason—and they also were not heroes a couple of times over like Miggy was even with his reduced role—and they so far at least seem to be waiting for the champagne to dry before going on the air to complain about how they didn’t get theirs.
I also don’t like it when organizations or players handle shit in the press to begin with. Fight and argue like hell behind closed doors, but shut the fuck up about it with the assholes in the media unless you have no other choice.
I’m willing to cut Montero a little slack (not that it matters or he cares, (dying laughing)), because he may have been hammered, and thought he was talking to his mom. But even if he was thoughtlessly prattling on and not realizing what he was doing, it was a very foolish, short-sighted thing to do. People are not inclined to listen or care about his bitching right now. It’s a huge unity moment, and right or wrong nobody likes it when somebody tries to kill widespread good feelings, so rare in this day and age, by complaining about shit that doesn’t really matter.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Players are human. I find it hard to believe this has done anything to Cubs fans unity (weren’t they unified before a championship?).
dmick89Quote Reply
They are that. I’m not saying Montero should be tarred and feathered. It likely will amount to zero. But it was shitty and I’m disappointed he did that. It’s not the end of the world. But it does throw some shade on something that is as close as sports can come to delivering an absolute good. It was an unforced error. Hell, I get pissed at those in the game all the time. Same thing in real life too.
And no, it’s not going to be the thing that tears us all apart (injuries, bad luck, and regression will probably do that in the coming years (dying laughing)). Montero just cut the social equivalent of a noxious fart that temporarily messes with the atmosphere, but shouldn’t linger.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
It doesn’t bother me one bit. Only way it would bother me is if the Cubs didn’t actually communicate how little playing time he’d get. If that’s true, I’ve been giving Joe too much credit in the non-strategic aspects of managing. I assume it was communicated because how could it not have been?
Besides, any irritation I might have had would surely be overshadowed by the two huge hits that Montero had in the playoffs.
dmick89Quote Reply
(dying laughing). If only Philly looked that nice.
I was assuming this guy Eric was being facetious, but then it seemed like everyone was taking him seriously. Maybe that was the point, to expose the gullibility.
Can’t wait for this f’n election to be over.
BVSQuote Reply
SKQuote Reply
That’s gold. Sharpie gold.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I play and write music (not Cubs related) to handle stress (often Cubs related). So during game six when Maddon decided to wear out Chapman’s arm with a five-going-on-seven-run lead, I recorded a tune and threw it on YouTube for a contest:
integer division
Enjoy it. Or not. I can’t tell you what to do. Hell, I can’t tell what anyone does anymore.
ceruleanQuote Reply
SK,
Ohhh. Twitter. I’m on it, but i still don’t get it. And I dont know who’s who.
BVSQuote Reply
https://youtu.be/XH7iLmVHZWs
Sports are cool. People are nicer and better sometimes when sports are cool.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
And apparently Strop ate a goat.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’m sitting in a bar in Tonopah, Nevada and the only other people here are a herd of French tourists and a guy in a Bryant Rizzo ’16 shirt.
mobile daveQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Goat is tasty.
mobile daveQuote Reply
ah man. take it back.
https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/795116116976791552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
JackQuote Reply
Jack,
That was terrible.
dmick89Quote Reply
So begins the descent into debauchery and madness. Knew the Cubs couldn’t handle success. Prove me wrong.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’ve had more sleep in the past two days than any two-day stretch in the past year (dying laughing). Now time to piss that all away by getting caught up on work.
berseliusQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
berseliusQuote Reply
This was more fun…
http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/11/06/208213176/cubs-and-bill-murray-appeared-on-saturday-night-live
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
That one was good, but that other one was just horrible.
dmick89Quote Reply
Knowing the history of Go Cubs Go, it really is the perfect Cubs song. Goodman never saw a game that postseason. It was all about hope—that the Cubs would win and he’d live to see it.
Now that 32 years later they have done it, it’s kind of hard to listen to. At least for me right now.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Careful what you wish for…
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Went to go listen to Pat and Ron call game 7 while I work only to discover that mlbam subscriptions are no longer for an entire year.
berseliusQuote Reply
I thought the SNL stuff was pretty dumb, but whatever. The Cubs have been the target of lazy punchlines for so long, they’ve earned the right to shove their success in everyone’s faces.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Is it standard for an MLB team to appear on SNL after winning the WS? I have no idea.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
ISTR it happening before. Not sure how often.
SKQuote Reply
berselius,
Works for me. You on a PC? Because there has never been archive access to radio feeds on the phone app.
SKQuote Reply
Yeah, on my computer. They’re tying to get me to buy an offseason package for $25, in past years the sub ran all the way to ST.
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I keep seeing “the Cubs and Bill Murray on SNL”, but there was only one current Cub on the show. smh
SKQuote Reply
berselius,
That sucks. I must have some kind of super premium subscription then.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
Mine came with Extra Innings on the teevee, so who knows.
berseliusQuote Reply
The Cubs declined their option on Hammel. That kind of surprises me.
dmick89Quote Reply
wow. Maybe they’re going to go after another SP? 😀
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
Didn’t see that coming. I hope that means that they have someone better in mind, but I thought Hammel was pretty good for a fifth starter (and relatively affordable).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
*checks list of top FA starting pitchers*
Rich Hill
Jeremy Hellickson
Ivan Nova
Bartolo Colon
ROY Edinson Volquez
Uh.
berseliusQuote Reply
The Cubs FO really loves Mike Montgomery
berseliusQuote Reply
Even if they like Montgomery and I think that’s the reason they did this, Hammel gets a $2 million buyout and would only have been paid $12 million. Weird move. Makes more sense to exercise the option and trade him.
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
That worries me a bit. Mike didn’t have much success as a starter and threw nearly 3 mph slower.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Then again, elbow issues at the end of the season may have collapsed any market for a trade.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Yeah, I’m not thrilled about seeing him out there every fifth game. Hopefully they have something else in mind.
dmick89Quote Reply
It sounds as if they agreed with Jason not to do that.
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/795388249128730626
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Maybe they’re feeling a little magnanimous with all the champage and wanted to let him to pick his destination as a reward for keeping his mouth shut during the postseason *shrug*.
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Fair enough.
dmick89Quote Reply
I hope this move means they’re going to be aggressive in the FA (or trade) market. I should focus on what the extra money allows them to do, rather than who their fifth starter will be.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I’d assume between savings here and the additional revenue from going so deep into the playoffs, as well as expected increases in revenue due to winning the whole thing that they would be aggressive. It would be a little disappointing to see them be inactive this offseason.
dmick89Quote Reply
Holliday is out in StL. Given the Cardinals history of signing successful former Colorado OFs, I really hope the Cubs re-sign Dex (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Is it common for teams to write such a flowery press release/letter of recommendation when declining an option on a guy who was on the team less than three years? It almost seems like Theo’s apologizing to Hammel’s wife in the thing.
SKQuote Reply
SKQuote Reply
They should trade for Matt Cain and then flip him for Ricky Nolasco.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
No need. Jered Weaver is a free agent, and I hear he’s going to be affordable.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Ah, I was sniping at Yellon with that one.
I’d actually love to see them try to buy low on Chris Archer if they think Bosio can help turn him around.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Rays aren’t going to sell low, so it will cost the Cubs. That said, it likely won’t cost the team given their depth.
Personally, I hope that happens and the Cubs use their extra cash to work out long term extensions for a number of their young players, particularly Hendricks. Also, go after one (or two) of these FA closers: Melancon or Chapman or Jansen.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Archer is probably still a very good pitcher. His home run rate will probably regress back to normal.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
So with Fowler getting and rejecting QO I guess that’s at least one draft pick they can get back.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Shame they can’t give Hammel a QO.
(They can’t, right?)
ceruleanQuote Reply
It’s conceivable that the Cubs could trade for Archer and Nolasco then sign Hill and Cashner.
#bringTheFormerProspectsHome
ceruleanQuote Reply
Bud Black —-> Rockies manager
PerkinsQuote Reply
cerulean,
What type of package would be good enough to pry him away? I can’t imagine Soler is a good centerpiece, but maybe Jimenez plus?
An extension for Hendricks would be nice. The main things I’d love to see this offseason are re-signing Fowler and Chapman and trading for a cost-controlled SP.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t make sense. If they wanted him back they’d just have exercised the option. The QO is higher. And if they tried now, it’d look kind of like an illicit manipulation of the QO since Hammel would have had to pre-agree to reject it. I don’t see how a QO could be used here.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
It was a mutual option on the previous contract, not a QO so I don’t think he’s subject to the compensation penalty this year. If he is that’s a pretty horseshit deal that I hope they fix in the CBA in the next few weeks.
berseliusQuote Reply
He declined the mutual option, but is expected to receive a qualifying offer, which he is likely to reject.
From MLB Trade Rumors:
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I just saw this too. What a hot steaming mess of garbage and illogic. Hopefully this won’t matter when they ratify the new CBA in a month or so.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I believe the current rules are supposed to remain in place and the new contract will be in effect for future offseasons.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
berselius,
I’m amazed the MLBPA agreed to it. What’s the point of having a union if they allow its members to get screwed over like that?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
It’s been a constant bone of contention since free agency even existed. I think MLBPA is doing just fine though, especially if you compare it to all the other sports leagues.
berseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
Soler plus Happ plus some odd and ends? They could use Soler as a DH and he would probably provide a lot of value for them. I would like them to hold onto Jimenez. Happ, however, may be superfluous with Zobrist through 2019.
I think that is the minimum that Tampa would entertain.
ceruleanQuote Reply
In retrospect, I really wish the Cubs traded Soler before the 2015 season, back when he had some (perceived) value. I would have been pretty annoyed at the time, of course.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
After this debacle the 2 things I care about most in politics are independent, non-partisan redistricting committees and killing super pacs, with a Constitutional amendment if necessary.
BVSQuote Reply
Maybe Hellickson, but they must love Montgomery and Zastryzny. I assume they’ll trade some OF for AAA pitcher.
BVSQuote Reply
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I see they were dressed in era-appropriate costume from the last championship
BVSQuote Reply
So all summer you suffered a decrease in musical productivity only to make up for it in the span of 17 games?
I liked your song.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Decrease in musical productivity—no. Actually recording things—absolutely.
And thanks.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Mucker,
Probably not as regularly as I used to be, but I think so. I stopped hanging on every pitch a few years ago and it paid off during the postseason. That was the most enjoyable few weeks of sports in my life and I owe the team my fandom again.
But yeah, it’s over. Time to move onto the NFL Draft.
RynoQuote Reply
cerulean,
Well, he committed to an entire music career after being diagnosed with cancer, knowing he would probably die. I think he knew he probably wouldn’t be around to see it, but he wanted something hopeful anyway to contrast “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request.”
joshQuote Reply
berselius,
Wow, that’s some bullshit.
joshQuote Reply
BVS,
No kidding. Good song and the Cubs successfully managed to boil down 6 months of stress into a few weeks of games. I hope they do it again next year.
dmick89Quote Reply
Don Roach has signed to play overseas.
Boy does that put a wrench in Thoyer’s offseason plans to fix the rotation (dying laughing).
ceruleanQuote Reply
josh,
Pretty sure Go Cubs Go was written as a commercial jingle to promote the radio broadcasts on WGN, not as an actual “song”.
SKQuote Reply
I saw the Matheney news a few days ago and my first thought was that this will be the first time in a long time that the Cardinals fire a manager. I’d be surprised to see him finish out that three year deal.
dmick89Quote Reply
SK,
Correct.
dmick89Quote Reply
Don only had one appearance with the Cubs in 2015—a start. It could have been worse.
Raise your voice if you’re looking forward to trying more Donny Roaches in the fifth starter spot now that Hammel is gone?
Why so quiet?
(Is Clayton Richard available?)
ceruleanQuote Reply
I used to hate that song and then sometime in the 2007 or 2008 season I started liking it. I realized a couple years later that my feelings toward the song have more to do with how good the Cubs are. When you’re losing 100 games, it’s a stupid fucking song. When you’re winning the World Series, I can’t get the song out of my head and I don’t mind it. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
SK,
Well, okay, but one can have multiple motivations for writing a song.
joshQuote Reply
cerulean,
This is why I think letting Hammel walk is a mistake. You know what you got with him. He’s above average and has the ability to shut down any team. He’s also going to give you some truly awful starts. Overall he’s pretty good and the contract was pretty friendly.
I liked Montgomery as the 6th starter.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
They must be high on someone in the minors. I don’t think Monty is the long-term solution.
joshQuote Reply
Am I the only one that had to concentrate to keep the alternate refrain out of my head after Davis’ camera shot? It goes like this:
Blow Cubs Blow
Blow Cubs Blow
Hey Chicago whaddya say
The Cubs’ll blow this game today
It really is less awful when they are winning—though not in the Sheening/Trumping way.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I think they push for a trade. I like the idea of trying some of their young guys, but I would prefer that happen when they need a six-man rotation or somebody goes down.
ceruleanQuote Reply
josh,
I just like being a know it all on the rare occasion the opportunity arises.
SKQuote Reply
cerulean,
I think they probably do too. I have a hard time believing they’ll go with Montgomery, but I had a difficult time understanding moving Jeff Samardzija to the rotation.
dmick89Quote Reply
I had a friend ask me this morning if I was gonna get rid of my facepalming Cub Obstructed View coffee mug.
No, because they’re still gonna do stupid things. They did stupid things this year and still won. There were just fewer stupid things than years past.
mikeakaleroyQuote Reply
I also thought it was stupid when the Cubs moved Ryan Dempster into the rotation. In other words, I know nothing so Montgomery will probably become a Cy Young candidate.
dmick89Quote Reply
I wouldn’t mind re-signing Cahill for SP/RO depth, but given the dearth of starters, I think he might get a pretty decent deal elsewhere with a real shot at a starting job, something in the 3 for 20 to 4 for 30 range. I imagine Wood will get the same consideration, but I hope Thoyer steers clear just to keep Maddon from Maddoning a bit too much.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yeah, I think this’ll be where the Cubs unload Soler, maybe Almora, maybe Happ, and try to acquire young, cost-controlled starting pitching.
MylesQuote Reply
The number of stupid things in Game 7 of the fucking World Series alone justifies the cubfacepalm forever.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I wouldn’t mind seeing them retain Travis Wood, if only because it’s fucking awesome to see a relief pitcher play the field and hit home runs. That game against SEA was the kind of thing I wish managers would do more with relievers. Lou tried it once with Sean Marshall, but it didn’t work out.
PerkinsQuote Reply
cerulean,
I’ve been thinking of writing about all of Joe’s stupid decisions in the World Series, but it would take forever.
dmick89Quote Reply
I still have my OV facepalm mug, but the logo is almost completely gone (from repeated dishwasherings). I’d by a new one with 2016 replacing 1908 for the recent championship I’ve enjoyed.
SKQuote Reply
Currently enjoying a delicious smoothie with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, red grapes, some yoghurt and a small amount of OJ. Ahhhhh.
SKQuote Reply
Myles,
I am okay with them moving Almora if they re-sign Fowler. Otherwise, Bryant is probably their best option after Heyward defensively. And with Schwarber getting a lot of time in left, that left-center gap might get to be too interesting.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Part of me still feels like he was trolling all of us.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yeah, I think their level of engagement on Fowler sort of dictates the other moves. I’m with you, I’d love to re-sign him and roll with a Schwarber/Fowler/Heyward or Zobrist outfield.
MylesQuote Reply
When I saw Joe wearing the we did not suck T-shirt, my first thought was you sure gave it your best shot. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Didn’t Cahill sign a two year deal?
Speaking of, I am kind of surprised he didn’t crack the postseason roster given how little confidence Joe had in the pen.
BerseliusQuote Reply
When he said “everything was going to plan until the 9th inning started” in the post game after game 7, it felt like he was either stoned or stupid. (And remember, I was his biggest defender after game 6). Trolling also makes sense.
SKQuote Reply
He was hot garbage vs RHP this year, so I would hope he didn’t get enough batters per outing to be at the plate (dying laughing). Gotta regress those splits though.
BerseliusQuote Reply
My first thought: the Cubs didn’t, but you sure as shit did.
dmick89Quote Reply
Myles,
Does Szczur have any value in a trade? He is good depth for any team to have—just about perfectly average.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
None of the decisions were atrocious in isolation, but chained together, they created such a comedy of errors that I thought for sure MLB was leaning on him to heighten the drama of this reality TV show called Base Ball.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Berselius,
He’s a Free Agent by the accounts I’ve seen.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
Samardzija made some sense to me since the team was lousy at the time. Might as well see if they can get any value out of their former prospect.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I don’t think there’s much of a market for a weak-hitting corner outfielder.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You know it’s good because it’s got yogurt with an ‘h’.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Doubtful. Perhaps you get a middling pitching prospect, but he’s a fine 5th OF on this team and we need his bat.
I mean, seriously. We need his bat so Anthony Rizzo can borrow it.
MylesQuote Reply
For his career, I think he’s a bit closer to average against RHH (.327 wOBA against). Still not a guy you want facing a lot of righties.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Yeah, his platoon split is quite pronounced, which is why he didn’t last as a starter, despite a good bat and an All-Star berth.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You’re right, my memory is just for shit (dying laughing). I know the Pirates tried to sign him to start, maybe that was the 2-year deal I was remembering.
berseliusQuote Reply
Arrieta shaved his beard. I have way more feelings about this than I would have guessed.
berseliusQuote Reply
Word is Hellickson received a QO.
I was just barely okay with the possibility of exploring the possibility of the Cubs thinking about maybe kicking the tires on him. Now that a pick would be involved, I’m less enthusiastic.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
berselius,
He did it after last season, too.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
you can substitute red wine for the grapes since it’s basically the same thing
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
berselius,
pics or it didn’t happen
SKQuote Reply
SK,
Cubs.com had an image yesterday.
dmick89Quote Reply
https://mobile.twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/795725936226422785
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I just ordered a We Did Not Suck shirt.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m just worried about the dodgers_in_5 guy. Haven’t heard from him in a while for some reason.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I’m waiting on a Schwarber jersey. I’ve thought that this year’s jerseys looked kind of stupid when fans wear them (since the vents go under the arms and also below the waist in the back…looks odd with pinstripes). Great for players, but less so when worn with regular clothes.
I realized that I will never ever give a shit about how it looks since it says “World Series Champions” on the sleeve.
PerkinsQuote Reply
He’s been busy writing for the LA Times under the pseudonym Bill Plaschke.
MuckerQuote Reply
CYA finalists
Lester
Scherzer
Cyle Hendricks
I thought Fernandez would be a lock here.
berseliusQuote Reply
I’d probably pick Scherzer, though I’d be happy if Lester or Hendricks won. Both had very good years, but I’m not as excited as I was last year for Arrieta. I feel that if one of them wins, he’d be taking some credit that rightly belongs to the defense.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
http://deadspin.com/the-49ers-did-something-smart-yesterday-1788674473
Somehow mock-shooting a bow and arrow is “unsportsmanlike conduct,” and that is not.
GWQuote Reply
This. I’m not sure why anyone would feel confident in Montgomery moving into the rotation, but everyone seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion.
GWQuote Reply
He was easily the most valuable commenter on OV during these playoffs. His Winning Above Replacement was off the charts—practically Sheening. Can you imagine what these comments would have looked like without his essential contribution? The Cubs almost certainly would have gone on to win, but we all would lost that rallying cry that binds us together: Dodgers in five!
Fare thee well, dear troll. Your overly certain inaccuracies will forever be remembered.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I still think Montgomery projects as the 6th starter. I’d wager that letting Hammel go was both about freeing up some payroll and opening a spot for someone they can acquire in a trade.
Or maybe Montgomery goes into the rotation and becomes awesome. After Dempster and Samardzija, that wouldn’t be so surprising.
PerkinsQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I’ve just assumed he’s taking a wait and see approach to the whole NLCS at this point. The Dodgers could win in 5. They might not.
dmick89Quote Reply
This organization does seem to like Montgomery. He doesn’t seem that impressive, but they do have a pretty good record at finding pitching talent.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
They do, but I’m not sure they could be confident enough in Montgomery to let Hammel walk.
dmick89Quote Reply
I would like to see someone like Rosario take Cahill’s spot in the pen.
I would also like to see Williams get a shot as the long man and see if he can’t improve some of those secondary pitches to complement that excellent sinker—with this defense he could be really good.
The Cubs don’t have lefties in the pen, especially if Monty goes to the rotation—Zastryzny would be the only one left—so that’s something to consider when penciling him into the rotation.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
It sounds as though not picking up Hammel’s option was a courtesy to Hammel more than anything else. Jason wanted to try out the free agent market, and the team let him.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
Fucking Europeans.
mobile daveQuote Reply
I’m ok with the Hammel thing. It may be tough to replace him, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to buy some goodwill by letting him go. His agent and other players notice that type of thing.
Also, I just bet on Cleveland at 12-1 for 2017. I think that’s pretty solid tbh.
mobile daveQuote Reply
mobile dave,
By this time tomorrow, we might all wish we were Europeans.
dmick89Quote Reply
Add a ban on contraceptives and just that might solve Europe’s aging population problem. Just ask Nicolae Ceaușescu.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I think Scherzer wins the Cy, Bryant the MVP, Seager the ROY, and Roberts the MOY.
Prove me wrong.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I think the Cubs should pay Rich Hill to be their Andrew Miller. The starter’s workload is just too much, but 100–120 innings as the Bruce Sutter-type fireman doing two-inning saves/holds two out of five days might keep his blisters at bay. He would likely be worth 3 WAR a year, possibly more. Sign him for three years for $42M with a team option for a for a fourth year at $8M.
Melancon will probably get about four for $50M. Chapman, five for $80M. Jansen, six for $100M.
By both WAR$ and relative price, he looks like a steal. I suppose he may only want to start, but given the importance of relievers and the reemergence of the fireman, that may be a role he could be persuaded into.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Outside of the Indians with Miller in the second half, was there any team doing this before the postseason?
Cubs seem to be ahead of the curve on limiting SP turns through the lineup and getting more out of the bullpen (or maybe they are one team of many now doing so), but I wasn’t aware of actual firemen type roles or non-closer star RPs (outside of Miller).
I think Montgomery is the new Clayton RIchard or Travis Cahill – guy who might pan out as a starter but if not, he’s a good option in relief in a variety of bullpen roles. Cubs must be looking to trade for or sign a new SP.
SKQuote Reply
Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
SKQuote Reply
Has OV officially congratulated BCB yet on winning the WS?
SKQuote Reply
re: the whole montgomery situation, i seem to recall that in a post-victory interview, theo talked about how the scouting department is so good at identifying guys right before they explode into major talent (trading for rizzo/arrieta, drafting bryant, etc) and then he pointed to montgomery as the epitome of that trend, thus suggesting that the FO expects very big things form him. i was really surprised. i think either theo or me may have been drunk though so i may just be misinterpreting something…
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
you were both drinking heavily but that did happen
SKQuote Reply
SK,
Alvin is even more of a douchebag than I thought.
dmick89Quote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Theo said just that so you weren’t just drunk.
dmick89Quote Reply
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/11/7/13549418/relive-the-cubs-2016-championship-season
So Al wrote the book on the Cubs winning the 2016 World Series…literally.
My favorite part:
Yes, limit his time…that’ll make him a better writer.
RynoQuote Reply
SK,
“He’s one of us.” Is he still talking about “the living”?
RynoQuote Reply
I suppose at some point various publications will set up a list of Cubs “untouchables” and “desirables” from other organizations, and then we can do a Venn diagram or something.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
MOAR COMMAZ
Rice in limboQuote Reply
All the sad face emojis…. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/11/2016-17-top-50-mlb-free-agents-predictions.html
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Referring to a sports team in the first person has seemed weird for as long as I can remember. With most fans, I’d chalk it up to a quirk of language usage.
I get the feeling Alvin thinks he’s in some way part of the team.
PerkinsQuote Reply
You motherfuckers need to ‘target=”new”‘ these links.
RynoQuote Reply
Perkins,
I always feel weird doing it, but sometimes it’s simpler. Alvin definitely feels like he is a part of it. He’s delusional.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ryno,
I’ll install a plugin for that today. It annoys me too.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rice in limbo,
4/64 is probably reasonable. I think the Cubs re-sign him and I’d guess 4/60 with a no trade clause.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I was really talking to the users that post links, like Ryno. But a plugin works for me, as much as that matters.
RynoQuote Reply
Yeah, but you’re also not bragging about getting to talk to Crane Kenney that one time and thinking he took you absolutely seriously. (dying laughing)
I know a lot of rational, normal people who say “we” about sports teams; it’s definitely simpler. Alvin’s the only one from whom it seems genuinely disturbing.
PerkinsQuote Reply
It’s not just that he feels a part of it. He feels like the young players are joining his team.
I mean, I guess it’s true that fans make up the bulk of the institution that a franchise becomes, and in a sense guys like Rizzo entered the institution that we have all long been a part of. But Jesus Fucking Christ, it is the actual baseball team that wins or loses, that achieves or fails, that earns glory or scorn. They are the team, not the fat-assed fans.
SKQuote Reply
Rice in limbo,
I don’t really follow salary/contract info very closely, but wouldn’t Fowler be looking at more than 16M/per? Or would that only be the case for a shorter deal? Isn’t one WAR worth 7 or 8 million by now? Isn’t Fowler projected to produce at least 3 per year? (I don’t follow WAR closely either).
SKQuote Reply
I just did a quick calculation (maybe I’ll write something today, could go either way) and I got 4/68. I think he’s worth that.
dmick89Quote Reply
What about the lithe fans?
RynoQuote Reply
SK,
I got 2.9 for next year and then 2.4, 1.8 and 1.2 over the next few seasons. I used $8.5 million per win in 2017 and increased by half a million each year.
WAR numbers listed above are rounded. Added all up it comes to about 4/76, but there’s a multi-year bonus for the teams that takes it to about 4/68.
Assuming he was given a qualifying offer, he’d be worth less to teams that don’t end in Cubs.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m genuinely curious what more there might be to the Sosa story that we don’t know. Now seems the best time to patch things up there and bring him back in. It’d be awesome to see a Sammy Sosa Day where he can sprint out to right to raise a flag with his number from the foul pole.
PerkinsQuote Reply
dmick89,
I think that’s around what guys like Bourn, Granderson and Swisher got years ago. Fowler might be looking for 5/$80MM or so, which would take him to…what? Age 35?
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Rice in limbo,
True, but Fowler was a free agent last year and had trouble even getting a multi-year deal. He had a better season this year, but he was pretty good last year too. 5/80 won’t surprise me. It’s basically the same as 4/68 with another year added for good measure, but that draft pick compensation is still hanging over his head.
I’d be ok with the Cubs going 4/68, but I’d probably pass on any 5 year deal. I think he Cubs would too. My guess is they’d prefer to sign him for 3 years.
dmick89Quote Reply
Perkins,
It would be cool, but I don’t see it happening at this point.
dmick89Quote Reply
I think people are going to be surprised at how much the Fowler tier of players signs for. I’m not a betting man, but I think the odds of exceeding 4/64 are very high. I think 5/90 is more likely.
MylesQuote Reply
There’s scarcity of above-average players in the FA market, but no scarcity of money in the FA market.
MylesQuote Reply
Fowler is the 6th biggest FA according to mlbtr. The 6th largest FA contract in 2015 was 6/130. Clearly Fowler isn’t getting that.
He’s the 4th biggest position player. Last year, that contract was Cespedes 3/75.
MylesQuote Reply
I think Theo makes a trade for a young pitcher that either a) has had injury issues or b) underperformed in a small sample.
Not likely, but I’d love to see a Soler+ for Dylan Bundy deal. I don’t know much about how Bundy is valued around the league, but that’s the type of pitcher I’d like them to go after.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
I’m not sure how valid those comparisons are. There won’t be as much spent this year as last.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m guessing they want to co-retire the number for Joe Mather, and they haven’t been able to mend those fences yet.
berseliusQuote Reply
Rich Hill is the to FA starting pitcher and the Cubs are WS champions. We are living in the upside down (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Not to mention Jason Marquis, Milton Bradley, and Tyler Colvin.
Just thinking about that pisses me off.
PerkinsQuote Reply
yeah there has to be more to the story (like, MUCH more) or this whole thing is just really confusing. people (reporters, rickettses, FO, players) were going out of their way not to mention him. it was really awkward. the players really must have been told “when you mention cubs of yore, under no circumstances do you mention sosa” because otherwise there’s no way his name wouldn’t have popped up at some point during the celebrations. really weird.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Team Voldemort.
PerkinsQuote Reply
TEX declined a team option on Derek Holland. That seems like the type of pitcher CHC would go for, imo.
RynoQuote Reply
I guess my prior assumption is that the amount spent on free agents from year to year is fairly inelastic. When the supply for players is less than the demand for them (which appears to be the case, the prices of that supply go up).
MylesQuote Reply
Fixed.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Needs more semicolons.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
One thing they have mentioned is that Sosa never has openly admitted using steroids even though there has been evidence he started juicing around 2003 (NOT 1998, but thats another story). It’s been speculated that once he comes out he’s forgiven. I don’t think that is true because I believe Ricketts tried to bring Sosa to Cubs Con and he refused to go, because Sosa is just a strange person. Check out Sosa’s Pinterest profile for further proof of him being a…different individual
Pinch-Running Tom GoodwinQuote Reply
Pinch-Running Tom Goodwin,
If the desire not to return is coming from Sosa, I get it. The organization trashed him on the way out after a decade of his being the face of the franchise, and sent him to the mid-2000s Orioles (as clear a baseball Hell as any). I’d be pretty pissed off and loath to accept an invite to return without receiving some kind of apology for that.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Pat Hughes ——-> Frick award nominee
BerseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
Sosa said he hadn’t talked with anyone in the organization in a few years.
dmick89Quote Reply
Anthony Rizzo ————————> Gold Glove winner
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Jason Heyward also picked up a Gold Glove.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Jesus Christ, America.
dmick89Quote Reply
RIP 538
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I’m sure people are ripping Nate, but the problem isn’t him. It’s how terrible the polls were.
dmick89Quote Reply
Turns out the Cubs won the last World Series.
dmick89Quote Reply
This is the kind of shit that happens when both parties run candidates with the lowest favorability ratings ever.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Who knew that the Cubs finally winning would bring about the end times?
Rice in limboQuote Reply
I am embarrassed to be an American
JKVQuote Reply
Assuming Trump wins, as am I.
PerkinsQuote Reply
At least we had these six days to enjoy the Cubs World Series.
berseliusQuote Reply
Unreal.
dmick89Quote Reply
Fuck.
I can’t see how people would be ripping Nate a new one when his model always gave a decent shot to Trump. Other models had Hillary at 99%.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Fair or not, he would be catching just as much flak if he had Hillary at 99% as he would at 50.1% from most of the public.
berseliusQuote Reply
Donald Trump will mandate all gloves be gold.
ceruleanQuote Reply
At least nothing bad ever comes from populism. Führer Trump won’t be able to do too much damage.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I hate everything.
PerkinsQuote Reply
USA ———————> schlonged
SKQuote Reply
The good news: No more Clintons or Bushes in the White House.
The bad news: Everything is on fire. Red and orange and gold fire.
ceruleanQuote Reply
This has been a crazy month.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs did so well with their plan of tanking that America thought it would try it too. Un. Fucking. Believeable.
MillertimeQuote Reply
https://twitter.com/natesilver538/status/730251094614528000
WaLiQuote Reply
That’s all I got.
dmick89Quote Reply
The good news: In a hundred years, we’ll all be dead.
The bad news: It’ll happen even sooner than we thought.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’ve long thought national pride to be an odd thing, since for anyone other than naturalized citizens, it’s an accident of birth. But I totally get being happy to be from a certain country. I’ve always been happy to be an American until today. Today I’m mostly ashamed.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The First Pet will be a golden tabby named Pussy that Führer Trump will always talk about petting.
ceruleanQuote Reply
It’s not like I was looking forward to Clinton being president, but this just sucks. I’d trade the Cubs championship for a different result in the general election in a heartbeat.
dmick89Quote Reply
It make me sad to think that pretty much all President Obama has accomplished in the past 8 years is at risk of being undone, and problems like climate change, which needs addressing, will be ignored for the next 4 years.
I just don’t understand how Trump can have so many scandals, do terrible in the debates, and somehow come across to enough Americans as a better alternative.
EdwinQuote Reply
I’m ashamed most days, but in all honesty I’d be ashamed to be from just about every country. The shame-o-meter is a bit higher today it’s been in a long time.
dmick89Quote Reply
So Arrieta reveals himself to be a piece of shit.
SKQuote Reply
Not that Cubs baseball means anything now.
SKQuote Reply
I’m not sure he came across as the better alternative. He came across as the different alternative and for many, many Americans that was enough. Anything different even if that different is a piece of shit. I don’t get it, but people are fucking stupid and this is what you get with democracy. Donald Fucking Trump.
dmick89Quote Reply
SK,
What did Arrieta do?
dmick89Quote Reply
https://twitter.com/JArrieta34/status/796372720015523840
For posterity
MylesQuote Reply
Time for Hollywood to pony up and head for the border #illhelpyoupack #beatit
MylesQuote Reply
So much for the high character guys Thoyer assembled.
dmick89Quote Reply
The Cubs should trade Arrieta to the Diamondbacks.
dmick89Quote Reply
Or the Indians. Those seems like two clubs that would welcome openly racist pieces of shit.
dmick89Quote Reply
Too bad the Cubs didn’t trade Arrieta last offseason when they could have traded him for almost anything.
dmick89Quote Reply
He’s actually getting more positive than negative replies from his twitter followers. I guess it shows how national (and white, male, rural and higher income) the Cubs fanbase is because Chicago voted 90% against the guy who wants to deport millions and build a wall on the border.
SKQuote Reply
This election is why it’s been dangerous to strip a lot of the protections that were deemed “undemocratic.” When we collectively decided the Electoral College was silly, that senators should be elected directly, that primary elections were a hell of an idea…we stripped some of the bulwarks against populism.
It’s even worse in the context of power concentrated in the executive branch over the last two administrations.
Democracy isn’t a good in and of itself. The more authority given to the plebs, the more corresponding responsibility they have to shoulder. Making things more democratic is fine if we’re correspondingly investing in educating the electorate, but asking a bunch of idiots to wield this authority without being held responsible is horrifying.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I guess these are the same people who make Big Bang Theory and Undercover Boss a hit show, so maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
I like Big Bang Theory. It’s better than a lot of people give it credit for being. It’s not as good as its ratings indicate, but it makes me laugh and that’s all I care about.
dmick89Quote Reply
This is why this type of democracy is doomed to fail at some point. It’s rather remarkable a Donald Trump hasn’t happened before.
dmick89Quote Reply
Sexism, Racism, and Nationalism in the guise of Obama’s White House is running the country into the ground.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Love too see that whole “look at that sea of red” narrative when counties with 5,000 voters look just as big on the map as counties with 500,000 voters
berseliusQuote Reply
so….can someone explain this to me? why is this racist? from the comments, it sounds like it is interpreted as telling the Jews to leave the country? is trump anti-semitic or something? i realize these are probably all stupid questions.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
If I read it correctly, he’s basically telling people of brown skin (Hispanics) to pack their shit and leave. This is white man’s country, or at least that’s how Arrieta feels.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
how does “hollywood” = hispanics?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
They are interpreting “Hollywood” as code for Jews, but I bet he just means Ellen Degeneres (gay), and other liberal celebrities (whatever their color, orientation, religion) who were vocal against Trump to the point of saying they’d leave the country if he won.
Is Trump anti-Semitic? yes. He’s also anti-Mexican, anti-black and anti-Muslim. And he thinks women shouldn’t work but should be subject to free pussy grabs.
SKQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Talking about “Hollywood” has been a stand in phrase for Jews in the past, similar to complaining about New York Values.
EdwinQuote Reply
dmick89,
If we want to read it more generously, it could be just calling out the celebrities who had pledged to leave the country if the cheeto got elected. Maybe he’s saying “put your money where your mouth is” to them just as many said to Alec Baldwin in 2000.
In any case, he’s still an asshole.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I just assume he means liberals. Don’t read too much into it.
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
dmick89,
EnricoPallazzo,
SK,
It’s because of all the movie stars that said they’d move to Canada if Trump was elected (Miley Cyrus, Bryan Cranston, etc.).
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Though if we’re being honest with ourselves, I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that Lester and Lackey were pro-Trump if anything. They make shitloads of money and are from rural areas.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Myles Handley,
I assume that’s what he means as well, although there’s certianly plenty of those in the Trump support crowd who wouldn’t mind interpretting it differently.
EdwinQuote Reply
Perkins,
Yeah, that would not surprise me. Less than some of the other star players, although I guess there is a 50/50 chance any of the US citizens on the team support Trump.
SKQuote Reply
Perkins,
Travis Wood as well.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
Also yes.
PerkinsQuote Reply
http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-white-sox/gm-rick-hahn-hints-rebuild-could-be-horizon-white-sox
White Sox —-> possibly rebuilding.
Curious what it would take to pry away one of Sale or Quintana.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Lester and Lackey are almost certainly pro Trump. Same with Travis Wood and probably Kerry Wood for that matter. I bet Cubs fans miss Carlos Zambrano now.
dmick89Quote Reply
Fixed.
RynoQuote Reply
Perkins,
More than the Cubs have for Sale. Quintana is worth looking into.
dmick89Quote Reply
I get the sense that there will be a backlash against millennials throwing their vote away in support of third-party candidates. Blame the youth is always a common refrain, and it’s almost always wrong.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
People should vote for who they want and fuck the people who said someone threw their vote away. Most of them wouldn’t have voted if they didn’t vote third party.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
I’m far angrier at the people who actively decided that voting for a racist, sexist, dishonorable, thin-skinned demagogue who has committed serial sexual assault and fraud and might try to burn the whole thing down was a good choice to make. It’s like watching a little kid shit his pants to make a statement, except there’s no cleaning it up for four years.
PerkinsQuote Reply
It would take a “hyuge” package, a Trump-compensating-for-his-tiny-hands-sized package, way more than Archer.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I’ve always missed Carlos Zambrano.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Right. Don’t like the outcome, blame those who voted for the candidate who won, not those who did not. I did not support Trump, would never have voted for him, but I wasn’t about to vote for Clinton either. I’d much prefer her over Trump (preferential ballots would be nice), but I wasn’t voting for her.
dmick89Quote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
You really tell it like it is.
ceruleanQuote Reply
A few thoughts on this election. I’ve been worried about Trump winning the whole time even with the polls because I think when faced with a close election the candidate with the most passion behind them is the winner. Clinton didn’t have passion behind her. Trump did.
The exit polls suggest to me that lots of women said they voted Clinton but really voted Trump. When 55% of 53% of the electorate says they vote C while only 51% of 47% (men) of the electorate say they voted T, then someone (or everyone) was lying. Probably didn’t want to admit out loud they were voting for T. Forget which state that was. Maybe NC.
Looks like Dems will be +2 in Senate. They could flip the Senate and maybe House in 2 yr. I assumed no matter who won we’d have a 1-term Pres. A strong victory in 2020 flips redistricting. The alt right has been hiding behind blaming Obama for the last 6 yr of stalemate so I suspect that the public will tire of them quickly when their true colors come out. They are WISCs.
Hold onto to your asses for the next 2 yr though.
BVSQuote Reply
Tough map though. Dems defend 25 of 33 Sen seats. Possible pick ups include Nevada (Heller), Arizona (Flake), Texas (Cruz).
BVSQuote Reply
They could also just as easily lose Wisconsin and West Virginia. They’re going to be on the defensive in a lot of areas.
PerkinsQuote Reply
If neither candidate gained a majority, something is wrong. I wish there was a rule where to be elected, a candidate had to get at least 50% of the popular vote and win the electoral college.
And if that does not happen, then both candidates share the White House, taking turns on executive actions. You want a reality TV show, America? Have a fucking TV show.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Can we get a new thread? This one has gone sour.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I’ll try to get one tonight.
dmick89Quote Reply
I was reading trump’s plan for first 100 days in office and was pleasantly surprised to read that the first few items were term limits and limiting congress from becoming lobbyists after leaving office.
Then it got bad. Like real bad you guys.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Perkins,
And ND.
Agreed. Maine has just become the first state in the nation, as far as I know, to approve Instant Runoff Voting. Go Maine!!
BVSQuote Reply
…anti- european military bases, non-interventionist, anti- free trade agreements, anti- illegal immigration, restoring relations with Russia. He basically ran to the left of the first Clinton.
GWQuote Reply
I’m not really advocating for this but I am curious…
…what would the Cubs net from a Jake Arrieta trade?
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Rice in limbo,
Arrieta and Strop to the O’s for Bundy and Britton?
(dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
By the way, although I think president-elect horror-clown is actually the worst person on earth, with zero redeeming qualities, which is why I can’t understand why anyone would want him to have power over them, I don’t think Jake Arrieta (or anyone else) is a piece of shit for supporting him. Rather it was his petulant, divisive and unhelpful shittalking at a point in time when anyone with an ounce of cultural awareness would …..ah fuck it
SKQuote Reply
SK,
I think plenty of people are pieces of shit for supporting him, or rather are supporting him because they’re pieces of shit,
As to anyone outside of the alt right, they might not be pieces of shit. But they’re also worthy of neither respect nor empathy. Anyone who makes the bet that an authoritarian openly hostile to the first, second, fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth, and fourteenth amendments will somehow be okay is the reason our Constitution provided for so many “undemocratic” aspects.
PerkinsQuote Reply
New Shit
http://obstructedview.net/americas-4-year-rebuilding-plan/
It’s political, so if I’m fired from this blog notify my next of kin
mylesQuote Reply