As the Cubs continue to chip away at their deficits in both the division and wild card races, RC, SVB, and Berselius hang out to consider how to bridge the rotation until Stroman gets back (and hopefully doesn’t suck), Drew Smyly going to the bullpen, trying to get Seiya Suzuki right, and extending Cody Bellinger. Plus there’s some extended talk about some diaper commercial.
You can check out the podcast page or just click on the embedded players below. You can also use the sidebar to get to our Apple Podcast pages and leave a nice review and rating if it pleases you.
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Comments
Go Cubs especially since the Rockies were dumb
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Morel damn
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nice, Elise Menaker on the radio today.
berseliusQuote Reply
Seiya whee
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Good Kyle so far
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Seiya——> out for blood.
andcountingQuote Reply
Why would you throw him a cookie like that
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Most of the Mets look like Matt Groening drew them.
andcountingQuote Reply
That could’ve been the ball game but Hendricks held, hope the Cubs bat around several times now
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wesneski sucking ass might be the game now
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cuas did well, encouraging to see
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Let’s go cubbies clap clap clap-clap-clap
berseliusQuote Reply
#neverbunt
berseliusQuote Reply
What a tease.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Sure made it interesting but that was a stupid bunt that killed the rally, though I really was hoping Happ would come through
Rice CubeQuote Reply
booo
berseliusQuote Reply
Check this out though!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yeah the Cubs should throw some money at Shohei
https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1689490398438182913?t=lioBKhB5ZPaElPseGkTGAw&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Gartz to Jared Lorenzen
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m going to play devil’s advocate because I’ve been pretty outspoken about wanting Ohtani. He’s a unicorn. Zero comps. And he’ll turn 30 next season.
Maybe investing half a billion dollars in a two-way player who might be currently having the best year in baseball history is also investing a half a billion dollars in a player who is having the best season he’ll ever have.
Maybe the fact that he does twice as much for your team as any other one player also means he’s twice the injury risk undergoing twice the wear and tear and subject to an accelerated decline in performance.
We have no real evidence to support any projections for him the rest of his career, do we?
On the other hand, he’s a moneymaker. That’s how I think you have to evaluate it. How much money can he make your team in two seasons, because that is the longest you can reasonably expect him to remain a phenom. I think it’s very likely impossible for him to improve on this season or even to repeat it.
andcountingQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 130 5/9:
Rarity: 485
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Been prioing speed more (dying laughing), so I always get burned when there’s a bunch of AL teams. Ignore the fact that I missed the only all-NL crossing. Or don’t. I can’t tell you what to do.
berseliusQuote Reply
Didn’t know that the 60s Washington Senators were the precursors to the Rangers. Frank Howard had quite an intimidating headshot (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 130 7/9:
Rarity: 394
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Worst day in awhile. I twice guessed Vlad Guerrero for a 40 HR season and was twice foiled.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Lots of recent trades helped
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 130 9/9:
Rarity: 110
IMMACULATE!
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 130 9/9:
Rarity: 65
IMMACULATE!
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So this was the Jamie Moyer grid. As in he fits in all the team crosses and the Cubs weren’t even there! He also gave up 40 HR one year too as a bonus, but with the Mariners. I put him in Sea x Col where he only counted 5% as it turned out. Elsewhere he was a top pick. No screwing around with 1800s-1910s guys on the mlb list today.
BVSQuote Reply
Perkins,
Did Vlad ever have a 40 hr season? Angels? Or was he steady 30a like Crime Dog?
I suppose there’s a site where I could look that up.
BVSQuote Reply
I should do that.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Methinks he did it with Montreal but nowhere else, but I suppose one of us could just go to his B-Ref page
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Kind of fun when I’m not dumb
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guerrvl01.shtml
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I’m surprised anyone ever led the league in IBB while Barry Bonds was playing.
BVSQuote Reply
Hey pitch clock and shift bans improving health? How about that
https://www.mlb.com/news/new-mlb-rules-helping-stars-to-play-more?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This may be fun to consider
For those curious, I told Joey I’d get 10 HBP and nothing else (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
The rarity score feels like a red herring – I’d love for the game to report both time and rarity (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Was it worth it?
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1689971029249056768?t=ROvZO13rIdmByBgOkktP_w&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
So say we all, a sell off would have been mildly off-putting to say the least.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
They’re learning….
Rice CubeQuote Reply
wow
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 131 9/9:
Rarity: 42
IMMACULATE!
🟩🟩🟩
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 131 9/9:
Rarity: 34
IMMACULATE!
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Today was a good day for former Cubs.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Dang, just missed
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 131 8/9:
Rarity: 179
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Coulda sworn Trevor Cahill played for the Reds at one point, but I guess not.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Travis Wood
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I was surprised to see Adam Greenberg all the way up at 0.5% for Cubs-Marlins, but I guess he’s obscure enough to be a trivia question.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Brewers attempt to hold Milwaukee public money hostage?
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/11/brewers-could-consider-a-move-from-milwaukee-if-package-fails/70552922007/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
berselius,
Good point, given a couple hours each day, I’m confident I could get a rarity score under 10 pretty much always, except maybe where there are only 3 options, like ROY Tampa or something.
Of course, during those 2 hours, Bref would be making ad revenue from me.
BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Not sure, looks like the state is telling the Brewers that if they want major investments, they need to extend their lease. Otherwise the state will pay the minimum for some new paint and some 0-rings for the toilets. And the city of Milwaukee telling the GOP-led legislature that all the corporate handouts have to come from the state.
Anyone ever been to Miller Park? I was there in April 2011 for game 2 or 3 of their opening series against the Braves. It was one of two times I’ve been to Milwaukee on business. Went by myself to the game. Since I didn’t have a horse in the game I spent a lot of time looking around at stuff. About 50% capacity. Fans were nice. Stadium looks very industrial inside but kind of cool in the Chicago Ell/Eiffel Tower sort of way. Looked awful outside to me, as if you combined the worst of Brutalist architecture with communist bloc architecture and added a tint of oil-crisis era American public school construction design flare. Since uber wasn’t really a thing then, I took a taxi from my hotel and thought it was a pain to get to.
I might have even left some comments about it here, or at ACB or whichever former franchise Obstructed View was back then.
BVSQuote Reply
If you’re thinking, “Wow, what does that look like?” because you aren’t Roman Mars and can’t picture that and you haven’t visited in person…
You know those domes that northern states use to store road salt in? That’s a good start. But like a geode, it’s prettier inside.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I haven’t been since 2008, but the description jives with my memory. I always liked the place on the inside, and my usual MO was to have a cigar near my car after the game while the parking lot cleared out because it was much less stressful than sitting in that traffic.
The last time I was there was the first of that four game Cubs-Brewers series in late July that year that the Cubs swept. I was at the game they handed CC his first loss after the trade, and it was absolutely bananas. Having been to a few postseason games in 2016, the atmosphere was very similar.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I’ve been to Milwaukee a couple times but never to the sports area where the Bucks and Brewers are. I feel like the city is proud of having their sports there and would prefer the team doesn’t leave, and relocation probably doesn’t happen until they let Oakland move and then sort out expansion so this could be a protracted thing.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I don’t like putting the arguably most versatile defender (even if he might suck at multiple positions) at DH, but then again where else would you put him?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Blue Jays lineup:
The minimum is Cubs win one of three, preferably at least two. A sweep against would be bad but not insurmountable, but also obviously bad and we don’t like bad.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I always liked going to Miller Park (f whatever it’s called now), and the tailgating scene in particular was great. WI has a lot more local pride wrt its non-Packers sports teams than it did when I first moved there, but who knows how this would play out. The Packers, who it’s safe to say are no threat to move, sponsored a modest sales tax bump ballot initiative for a Lambeau renovation ~20 years ago and it was roundly rejected almost everywhere except for a slim margin in Green Bay itself, which is why they mostly fundraise through stock ‘sales’ these days. Not sure how it will fly with the Beers.
berseliusQuote Reply
Pelicans tonight!
BVSQuote Reply
Nico
berseliusQuote Reply
Belli
berseliusQuote Reply
I approve of the “Cubs hit home runs and don’t allow the Blue Jays to score” plan and hope the Cubs continue to execute on it.
PerkinsQuote Reply
There goes the no-hitter smh
Rice CubeQuote Reply
yay, seiya
berseliusQuote Reply
Assad eating 7 innings is king shit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
We’ve got our Smyly replacement? (Once Stro is back)
BVSQuote Reply
A nice brisk easy win
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Unfortunately the White Sox and Pirates are still useless
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This is the most important part of the game just like Seiya bouncing back against the Mets seemed more important than the loss. More Cubs trending up is pretty fun to see.
andcountingQuote Reply
Rogers Hornsby is a sneaky immaculate grid rarity play. Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Braves, Orioles. And how am I only now learning the St. Louis Browns preceded the Orioles and played one season as the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901?
andcountingQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 132 9/9:
Rarity: 197
IMMACULATE!
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Today’s rarity score was not nearly as impressive.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Per Berselius above, depends on time. Did you complete this while warming up a cup of yesterday’s leftover coffee in the microwave?
BVSQuote Reply
Yeah Doug Mientkiwicz or however you spell it
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 132 9/9:
Rarity: 161
IMMACULATE!
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
I allotted about five minutes to it, but I’m also not sure how much better I’d have done with more time.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Sure looks similar today
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1690405693193400321?t=QsD8wfw6ZR_oXpvrbsgWSw&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It was pretty fun seeing Seiya celebrate his double pretty much as soon as he made contact. I guess I have to give credit to Ross on the approach with him over the last week. Definitely needed that break.
andcountingQuote Reply
If it ain’t broke…I get the LOB is frustrating at times but more baserunners mean more opportunities which also unfortunately means more failure even as they keep scoring, saw that Milwaukee finally got back to positive run differential to join the Cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
First pitch in about 40 minutes because Toronto needs to celebrate Joey Bats and that’s ok
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Joey Bats speaks excellent English
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Belli almost bomb
Dansby yes bomb
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Dansby!!
berseliusQuote Reply
I guess Steele can find 95 mph every now and then
Rice CubeQuote Reply
16 years omg
SKQuote Reply
SK,
Ha I thought you were actually in Toronto
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
i had good seats but it was two decades ago (dying laughing)
SKQuote Reply
Feh
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Can’t hit it to the third baseman
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hell of a play by the Cubs to secure the review-confirmed CS
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Morel can do the splits
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hey Cubs win
Rice CubeQuote Reply
That’s a fine win.
andcountingQuote Reply
Stupid useless White Sox
PerkinsQuote Reply
Dang, missed my chance to use Yuniesky Betancourt
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 133 9/9:
Rarity: 131
IMMACULATE!
🟩🟩🟩
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Arms coming back…
https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1690737490766729216?t=_Lz_cZcU8jJLTKcMFDOJAw&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Today’s lineup
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1690743958320615426?t=rWyTiTwcC0tEZkRBKrPjnA&s=19
It’s Sunday, it’s getaway day, they might win anyway 🤷🏻♂️
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 133 9/9:
Rarity: 80
IMMACULATE!
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Only one of mine is the most common at the moment. Happy I took a swing with a former punter for Angels .300 avg season.
PerkinsQuote Reply
MLB is going to need to relocate the Jays to the US so every team they play isn’t reminded that O Canada is an orders of magnitude better anthem (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Marseillaise comes close as well, how many anthems have regularly sung lines about watering your fields with your enemies blood (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Dansby!
berseliusQuote Reply
What a stupid inning
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Biggest difference now is that I feel like the Cubs could still win this (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Was thinking that they’d turned away from from spelling Sunday with an L. Maybe not.
BVSQuote Reply
Alas, not anymore…White Sox are useless but the Reds did lose game 1
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Athletic is aware of the radio sponsorship BTW
https://twitter.com/jon_greenberg/status/1690810381864718336?t=SV4-8RL45TtoFz2de2FV0A&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Would’ve been a fun comeback, but two out of three ain’t bad
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wander Franco may be in trouble
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/mlb-looking-into-social-media-posts-regarding-wander-franco.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 134 9/9:
Rarity: 242
IMMACULATE!
🟩🟩🟩
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Lots of Washington Senators for the 200+ hits thing but not a lot of Nats/Expos so I guess everyone guessed the obvious guy
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 134 6/9:
Rarity: 348
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Apparently nobody in the franchise had 200 hits since the Expos became the Nationals. Also neither of Manny Ramirez or Francisco Lindor had a 200 hit season with Cleveland.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
The go-to for anything Cleveland seems to be Nap Lajoie
Rice CubeQuote Reply
TIL that Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson(?!!) never had a 200 hit season
berseliusQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 134 6/9:
Rarity: 522
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berseliusQuote Reply
Wow, Henry Aaron would have worked for 200 H / 30 SB
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
HOF
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Joey Votto was on Starkville today and I was also surprised (but then again not really because he walked so much) that he didn’t have a 200-hit season
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 135 6/9:
Rarity: 483
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
This early in the morning it seems everyone and their mother chose Rickey Henderson
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 135 8/9:
Rarity: 218
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Rickey’s at 90% for A’s 3K hits, and wishing I’d remembered Ty Cobb had played for that franchise. Guessed Frank Robinson for Orioles and was thwarted.
But at least I made good use of former Cubs Rich Harden and Andrew Cashner.
PerkinsQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 135 8/9:
Rarity: 295
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I guess Henry Aaron played before the Silver Slugger existed (dying laughing)
(EDIT: SS wasn’t a thing until 1980)
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
also hooray for my WAG Dotel and Edwin guesses as I was running up against my self imposed time limit (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Rarely going to root for management in these kinds of cases, but….
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38196498/appeals-court-rejects-angel-hernandez-lawsuit-vs-mlb
berseliusQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 135 9/9:
Rarity: 191
IMMACULATE!
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This was the first time in awhile that I didn’t cheat. I did try the speed mode as well and was surprised by Rickey being almost as popular on the Grid as he is in the mirror. Gary Matthews Jr., Big Frank, and Pete Rose were my only single-digit rarity scores. I thought for sure I’d get burned by Eddie Murray, but no such (bad) luck.
andcountingQuote Reply
berselius,
Angel has to have gotten pretty used to having his opinions dismissed upon review.
andcountingQuote Reply
Also:
Rucker up, Kilian down, Stroman rib discomfort grumble grumble
Rice CubeQuote Reply
andcounting,
(dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Happ!
berseliusQuote Reply
Hendricks all over the place and getting BABIP’d to death
Rice CubeQuote Reply
That was a Seiya bomb I recently enjoyed
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Reds lose.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
He’s looked pretty good since his mini-reset. Nice to see him hit one out against a righty too.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
The previous flyout was also quite loud
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It looked like Robert hit that one to Detroit off the bat
berseliusQuote Reply
Sigh
Season over
😜
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Thanks, Dodgers. Let’s hope the Cubs don’t drop another to a zombie team tonight.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I did some searches to educate myself on the grid today because apparently the Pirates didn’t have many 20-game winners past the turn of the 20th Century so that was definitely not a fun square
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 136 8/9:
Rarity: 225
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Surprised Lance Berkman is all the way up at 33% for STL-HOU.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I guessed Mike Morgan for Pirates 20 game winner and realized my brain conflated him with Doug Drabek for some reason. Tough square given it’s a small market team with only two correct answers after the 1970s.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
See I thought Drabek won 20 with the Sox but that was actually when he was old and shitty (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I used Esteban Loaiza for CWS 20 game winner, but now wishing I’d remembered Ed Walsh.
PerkinsQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 136 5/9:
Rarity: 501
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Rough one today for sure.
berseliusQuote Reply
V disappointed that this wasn’t the Lance Berkman pic
berseliusQuote Reply
Today’s lineup
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Marcus Stroman ——->rib cartilage fracture
I’m now wondering whether he’ll actually opt out at the end of the season.
PerkinsQuote Reply
So everyone on the Rays is currently either broken or a trash bag
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38204963/dominican-republic-prosecutor-says-division-specializing-minors-gender-violence-leading-wander-franco-investigation
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs not helping themselves
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It be not a fun time for Cubland these days
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Clevinger makes me lament the existence of HD television.
andcountingQuote Reply
You just cannot be losing twice to a team as bad as the White Sox.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Giving up a home run to Nick Madrigal should probably get someone fired (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nice tidy 2:27 walkoff win (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
MUSHROOM MAN!!!!
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
How can you not be romantic about baseball?
PerkinsQuote Reply
Shit—————> holy
andcountingQuote Reply
New happy shit –> http://www.obstructedview.net/cubs-win-no-notes/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Pat ever the professional looped back in to get the delayed diaper ad read in (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply