Time: 1:20 PM CT
TV: ABC7, ESPN
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Gameday
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Jose Reyes, 3B |
Ben Zobrist, RF |
Will the Cubs win? No, but it could go either way.
538 Forecast: 61% chance of winning
Mets @ Cubs Game Thread
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I keep waiting for Contreras to struggle, and I’m still waiting.
MylesQuote Reply
I keep waiting for Guffman references at the ready, just in case the need arises. I’m still waiting.
EdwinQuote Reply
Did Hendricks just strike out the side?
SKQuote Reply
Big if true.
MylesQuote Reply
Kyle “Odin” Hendricks
MylesQuote Reply
SK,
Yes.
EdwinQuote Reply
Cubs with an early chance to strand 3.
EdwinQuote Reply
Cubs…lead? 2-0?
EdwinQuote Reply
addysosmooth
SKQuote Reply
I’m not Myles Handley.
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
I’m not a kid
SKQuote Reply
Myles Handley,
Me neither.
dmick89Quote Reply
I like these 80s throwbacks.
dmick89Quote Reply
That comeback sinker to Reyes. So good.
dmick89Quote Reply
Kyle HendricKs.
EdwinQuote Reply
RIZZO
dmick89Quote Reply
SKQuote Reply
This feels more like the Cubs from April/May.
EdwinQuote Reply
Umpire seems to be giving a good pitcher’s zone today. With Hendricks hitting his spots, that should work in his favor.
EdwinQuote Reply
You’re kidding me. Wow.
dmick89Quote Reply
Heyward!
EdwinQuote Reply
Russell should have been tagging.
dmick89Quote Reply
Even Hendricks shouldn’t be bunting with runners on first and second and one out.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
It’s painful listening to these guys (besides Kirkjian) debate trading Schwarber to two months of Aroldis Chapman. Nevermind the fact that he has domestic violence problems or that Rizzo (and I’m sure others) have previous scuffles with Chapman.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
RIZZO!
dmick89Quote Reply
Yeeeeeah buddy.
uncle daveQuote Reply
on cubs.com, there is a link to an article that says “hammel receives five free cartons of potato chips”. i am purposely not clicking on it because i’d much rather just speculate wildly on what the fuck this could possibly mean than find out what i’m sure is a very mundane explanation.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
JonKneeV,
It’s one of the dumbest trade ideas I’ve ever heard.
dmick89Quote Reply
JonKneeV,
I just find it adorable that anyone would think Schwarber is a realistic return for only Chapman or Miller (even for both of them together).
PerkinsQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I hope it was some incentive in his contract that he fought for.
dmick89Quote Reply
Perkins,
Yeah, it’s a dumb trade idea if the Cubs are getting both of them. It might even be dumb if the Cubs got all three of them.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
i know! that is what i’m pulling for/assuming. what a smooth negotiator. can’t believe epstein wasn’t able to talk him down to three cartons #firetheo
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
not going to bother looking it up but hammel is obviously a boras guy.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
gashousegorillas.gif
uncle daveQuote Reply
Now they’re onto trading Baez for a reliever rental.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Montero stinks. I’d trade him for Chapman.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
JonKneeV,
I’d trade him for five cartons of chips.
uncle daveQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
His doctor recommended he take potato chips to help with his cramping issues (because of sea salt and potassium).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Didn’t see the game. How did Rizzo do? I’m worried about him after that Golden Somrero he had yesterday.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
EdwinQuote Reply
Made some outs today.
MylesQuote Reply
Rizzo also left a guy on base. I’m not sure why he’s even starting anymore.
EdwinQuote Reply
Trade news:
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/755876163415707648
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs get Mike Montgomery for Dan Vogelbach. Mike turned 27 in July, throws 94 from the left side, and gets lefties out. He comes with 5 more seasons of control. My intial reaction is the Cubs overpaid a smidge, but they seemed to fill a need. Apparently it’s also possible there are more players involved in the deal.
EdwinQuote Reply
Paul Blackburn also in the deal.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
As is a Mariners minor league pitcher, apparently. Hoping that it’s DONN ROACH.
If Montgomery’s improvement this year is related to his move to the pen, I don’t hate this deal. If he regresses to where he’s been, it’ll be disappointing.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Also, I love how the instant reaction from Cubs fans is “Great deal! Theo is the best!” Such a different era for the Cubs.
EdwinQuote Reply
Don’t like this trade at all.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
How do I know you’re the real Myles, and not some fake Myles?
EdwinQuote Reply
This at least should mean the end of Clayton Richard, unless they option Patton down or something.
PerkinsQuote Reply
oh
GWQuote Reply
I’m not a fan either.
dmick89Quote Reply
O/U for the number of those he actually uses? 3?
He used to be a pretty well-thought of prospect. An above average reliever for the moment, but not by a lot.
GWQuote Reply
GW,
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. He’s probably better than average this year and maybe next and that’s a big maybe. He’s not all that much better than Clayton Richard in all honesty. He’s definitely better, but so much better than you’d give up Vogelbach and a starting pitching prospect? I probably wouldn’t.
dmick89Quote Reply
i’m sure everybody in Cubsfanland loves it though. Greatest trade ever.
dmick89Quote Reply
I will say, I am at least glad the Cubs didn’t give up a stupid amount to get Andrew Miller so there’s at least that. I also hope this means they’ll now move on and go after a left fielder.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I guess this the kind of move you have to make when the best pitcher you have drafted is Zack Godley.
GWQuote Reply
I’m not sure what to make of Montgomery myself. The last two seasons are like two different pitchers. Even his platoon splits have reversed (he got crushed by lefties last year, which makes me slightly leery of using him as a bullpen lefty). Maybe he’s like Sean Marshall and the move to the pen made him suddenly good. His velocity is up nearly 3 mph (!), which is promising.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
ditto
GWQuote Reply
As a general rule, ex-starters don’t make good LOOGYs, since starters are selected for having smaller platoon splits.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
you think so? i always thought the selection was mainly for not being terrible.
GWQuote Reply
GW,
Yeah, but it’s not being terrible when facing mostly right-hand hitting. Then again, if the reliever failed as a starter, it’s worth looking into whether platoon splits played a significant role (I think they did in Travis Wood’s case).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Tough crowd here. It’s not exactly the move I’m hoping will be considered the big one once the deadline passes, but Montgomery’s FIP is roughly the same as Strop’s this year, he’s a lefty, and he doesn’t put a dent in the budget at all. If his improvement is a mirage it’s a different story, but considering that Vogelbach doesn’t have a place on 15 teams (including the Cubs) by default and Blackburn’s K/9 is in the sixes and going nowhere, I’m not sure the Cubs gave all that much up. I can’t get too bent out of shape over this deal as long as it’s not the last move they make this year.
uncle daveQuote Reply
uncle dave,
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of the trade, but I agree that we won’t miss these two. I’m a little disappointed they couldn’t get a bit more for Vogelbach.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Yeah, I think that if you’re willing to live with the warts Vogelbach will wind up hitting for you. I just don’t know how many teams were interested in the warts.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Cubs win and the Cardinals still gain half a game. Thanks for nothing, Padres.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
uncle dave,
The Cubs could have been screwed with regards to his value since half the teams in the league could have guessed he’d never play a game for the Cubs.
dmick89Quote Reply
Me three. Never give up anything to get a reliever unless they’re truly game-changey. Otherwise you’re just asking to get Bagwelled.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
this is the point that i’m not really hearing amidst all of the bitching about the return for a (potentially) great hitter. i’m not crazy about the return but i gotta assume theo’s leverage was for shit.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
maybe another way to look at the trade is “did we get a useful piece for a guy we weren’t going to ever use” instead of “was it fair market value”. i think most people look at the second question which is for sure logical but perhaps the first question is more pertinent.
not sure what the answer to the first question actually is but just saying.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I may have missed this, but when did Vogelbach turn into a DH only? I assume his defense isn’t great, but that’s why he’s at 1B to begin with. I understand that the Cub might have been above an oven in regards to him being blocked at the MLB level, but I’m surprised there weren’t more teams involved trying to drive his price up a little more. He’s 23 and having a breakout year with the bat.
The other reason I’m down on the trade is I’m not that impressed with the piece coming back. He’s 27 and this is just his 2nd year in MLB, and the first time he’s found success, in a sample size of 61 innings. Maybe the Cubs found the next Sean Marshall, but I could easily seem him struggling just as much as Richardson.
Maybe “down” isn’t the best way to put it. I think it’s a good trade in that the Cubs got an MLB piece which can help them this year, and gave up some assets which they probably weren’t going to use anyways. I just don’t think it’s a great trade.
EdwinQuote Reply
I keep seeing “Great Trade” thrown around. I don’t get it, but I guess everything Theo does these days is Great until Proven Excellent.
EdwinQuote Reply
Anybody writing anything up on Montgomery? I wouldn’t mind doing it if someone hasn’t started.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
If nobody had this afternoon I would have, but feel free.
MylesQuote Reply
/muskat
SKQuote Reply
dpleeted
SKQuote Reply
This. I just don’t think the Cubs got anything that is very good and while I accept that Vogelbach likely had no place with the Cubs in the future, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have value.
The best thing about this trade is that they didn’t give up even more to get Andrew Miller.
dmick89Quote Reply
SK,
Nathan will be with the Cubs on Friday, right? If I recall, he made his first rehab appearance on the 23rd of June. He has 30 days in which he can be on a rehab assignment.
dmick89Quote Reply
Some additional scouting from Fangraphs: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-dan-vogelbach-and-co/
So maybe the defense really is that bad for Vogelbach. I still feel like compared to most 1B, he’d do just fine.
What’s really funny to me is for the longest time I felt like I was more down than a lot of people on Vogelbach because of his lack of power. Now he’s actually started to find his power, he gets traded, and suddenly I feel like I’m much higher on Vogelbach than most. I wonder how this trade compares to the Rizzo/Cashner trade.
EdwinQuote Reply
If the Cardinals win today, they’ll be just 6.5 out. That’s still a huge lead and I’m not too worried about them, but I liked it a lot more when it was a double digit lead.
dmick89Quote Reply
Edwin,
I haven’t been high on Vogelbach in a long time because it started to sound like playing 1st base was going to be a long shot. He’s always hit well so worst case I figured he could come up and take over for Anthony if Rizzo got injured, but I didn’t see him spending much or any time in Chicago because of his defense.
That said, this is still a small return for someone who could soon be one of the better DH’s in the league.
Can we please get the DH in the NL?
dmick89Quote Reply
The Cardinals make me sick to my fucking stomach.
That is all.
MuckerQuote Reply
New shit: http://obstructedview.net/better-know-a-cub-mike-montgomery-lhp/
JonKneeVQuote Reply