Spring Training Game 6: Athletics @ Cubs

In Uncategorized by myles224 Comments

Sorry I'm late. No dinner for me.

Almora Jr. CF
Baez 2B
Rizzo 1B
Russell SS
J-Hey RF
Gimenez C
Navarro DH
"Gorgeous" Peter Bourjos CF
Bote 3B

Starting Pitcher: Kyle Hendricks

Semien SS
Joyce RF
Lowrie 2B
Davis LF
Olson 1B
Piscotty DH
No, not that Fowler CF
Pinder 3B
Maxwell C

Starting Pitcher: Paul Blackburn (who I've always liked and always thought would be a #5 starter with a plus fastball when it was all said and done)

I'll be looking for health. Don't care about anything else.

 

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  1. Rizzo the Rat

    I just realized that the rotation is set up so Lester misses the four-game series against the Brewers. I’ve mentioned before how Maddon often shuffles the rotation so Lester doesn’t have to face them. I’m sure there were other factors, but still…

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  2. Author
    myles

    Sure feels like there are maybe 2 spots on the roster that are up for grabs, and I could see as many as 4. La Stella, Gimenez, Grimm, and Wilson all seem like they could feasibly not break camp with the team, but I’d lean towards all of them making it. If I had to guess, I’d guess Grimm doesn’t make it, and all the others do.

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  3. Author
    myles

    Rizzo the Rat:
    I just realized that the rotation is set up so Lester misses the four-game series against the Brewers. I’ve mentioned before how Maddon often shuffles the rotation so Lester doesn’t have to face them. I’m sure there were other factors, but still…

    It’s as good a reason as any.

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  4. Author
    myles

    I wonder what Tommy La Stella or Ben Zobrist could nab in a trade. Bet you could get something worthwhile for La Stella, and maybe someone would eat Zobrist’s salary if you included another mid-level prospect.

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  5. Rizzo the Rat

    myles,

    True. I just think it’s funny how he hasn’t faced a division rival since 2016. Last year, Joe reshuffled the rotation every time Lester was due to face them. And, as far as I can tell, nobody ever commented on it (except me).

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  6. Perkins

    He faced the Cardinals last year. I think the Brewers’ running game is the big reason Joe has kept Lester from starting against them.

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  7. Rizzo the Rat

    Perkins,

    I meant that paticular rival. i.e., the odds of making 32 starts in a season without one start against one of his division rivals by chance are very slim. He faced the Reds, Cardinals and Pirates 4-5times each. And, yes, I do believe that this is a result of the time the Brewers embarrassed him in 2016 by stealing 5 bases against him.

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  8. Perkins

    Rizzo the Rat,

    Ah, that makes sense. I guess I don’t mind it much since the rest of the rotation is pretty good. If that’s what Joe has to do to maximize the talent on the roster, so be it.

    Though any time Lester wants to pick off Tommy Pham is okay by me.

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  9. Tyrone

    Rob Rang @RobRang
    Oklahoma OT Orlando Brown with 14 reps on bench press.

    Pathetic. You’re 350 pounds, Orlando. Do better.

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  10. dmick89

    berselius,

    I thought I read something about him probably being the leadoff hitter, which makes sense. I assume he and Almora platoon in CF and that he gets some playing time at 2nd base and LF as well. I’m kind of assuming that only Bryant and Rizzo will end up with more plate appearances than Happ.

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  11. Tyrone

    Around The NFL @AroundTheNFL
    Multiple NFL teams request for Louisville QB Lamar Jackson to work out as WR at combine, @PSchrags reports nfl.com/news/story/0ap…

    I’d say, “Fine, but only if you make Josh Allen work out as TE. jk your old af tbh hahah.”

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  12. Tyrone

    Tyrone,

    In the essence of fairness (because I know you all appreciate the nuances of NFL Draft scouting), Josh Allen has amazing potential as a QB. But if you think Lamar Jackson might need to be a WR to play in the NFL based on his college tape, you should just go ahead and rule Allen out as a QB now.

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  13. Tyrone

    Pro Football Rumors @pfrumors
    Bears Interested In Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry

    Because a guy who runs for 5 yards after catching a 4-yard pass is going to be the key to their offense?

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  14. Tyrone

    Edwin,

    Why? Just because they want Lamar to work out as a WR but they don’t ask the same of white QBs who aren’t/weren’t as good as Lamar (including one who actually played WR for two years in college)?

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  15. Tyrone

    Gil Brandt @Gil_Brandt
    .@HokiesFB LB Tremaine Edmunds’ measureables were off the charts:
    6-4 1/2
    253
    9 3/8 hands
    34 1/2 arms
    83 wing

    He’s 19 years old?!

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  16. Perkins

    Travis Wood——–>ACL surgery

    Also I think there’s a real possibility that Jake Arrieta has to settle for a one year pillow contract and ends up not being very good this season.

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  17. Tyrone

    10 more minutes until I concede Roquan Smith/Tremaine Edmunds to OAK at No. 9 and start thinking about the No. 10 pick…

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  18. Tyrone

    myles,

    Intelligence: https://twitter.com/MichaelKistNFL/status/967804175869513728
    Awareness: https://twitter.com/JReidDraftScout/status/957834233204105217
    Athleticism: https://twitter.com/BigDuke50/status/947937034789847041
    Mean MFer: https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/954366247587799040

    And he’s killing it at the combine.

    He’s really good at everything he needs to be good at and bad at nothing (he’s not even really less than pretty good at anything). Put him at G and don’t worry about the position again for a decade. Plus he’ll make the T and C next to him better.

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  19. Tyrone

    Eric Galko @OptimumScouting
    And he does it. @JohnBarchard asks Josh Rosen about if he could switch positions “to, let’s say, wide receiver.”

    Rosen says he’d prefer QB.

    My hero, John. #NFLCombine

    (dying laughing)

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  20. Tyrone

    Blake Allen Murphy @blakemurphy7
    Mike Jurecki on Josh Rosen: “He’s an atheist so I don’t know what that will mean but it is a story here.”

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  21. Perkins

    Drew Pomeranz just left a start with left forearm tightness. Maybe Arrieta will get a decent contract after all.

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  22. Tyrone

    Trevor Sikkema @TampaBayTre
    *at Gesicki’s podium*

    Q: “Mike, you struggled as a sophomore—“

    GESICKI: “Yes”

    Good question.

    /FearandLoathinginLasVegas

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  23. dmick89

    Perkins: Also I think there’s a real possibility that Jake Arrieta has to settle for a one year pillow contract and ends up not being very good this season.

    Isn’t this the situation that Fowler found himself in a couple years ago? It paid off for him. I’ve seen different reports suggest otherwise, but I thought you couldn’t offer arbitration if the player signs a pillow contract these days. If the Cubs could offer arbitration to Jake after a pillow contract, I’m sure they would so he’d be in the same position, but so was Fowler. I just wish the Cubs hadn’t signed Chatwood. The money wouldn’t be an issue and they could offer Jake $30 million for one year.

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  24. dmick89

    It used to be that you’d offer a player arbitration and then the team and player would either agree on a contract value or the arbitrator would. I always forget that MLB streamlined that process with qualifying offers.

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  25. Perkins

    dmick89,

    To me, the big difference between Fowler in 2016 and Arrieta in 2018 is that Arrieta has already shown signs of decline over the past couple years, whereas Fowler had improved in 2015 and was probably in a better position to bet on himself. Arrieta’s velocity is down a couple ticks and he hasn’t been able to command his slider reliably since June of 2016.

    Not sure what the rules are about offering arbitration after a pillow contract, though I think Arrieta would try to work out some handshake agreement not to extend a QO.

    I’m not super optimistic about Chatwood, but this front office has generally been pretty good at identifying diamonds in the rough. The only pitcher I can remember their committing much money to who flamed out was Edwin Jackson. I’ll at least give them the benefit of the doubt that he could provide more value than his contract is worth.

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  26. dmick89

    Perkins: To me, the big difference between Fowler in 2016 and Arrieta in 2018 is that Arrieta has already shown signs of decline over the past couple years, whereas Fowler had improved in 2015 and was probably in a better position to bet on himself. Arrieta’s velocity is down a couple ticks and he hasn’t been able to command his slider reliably since June of 2016.

    I think position player/pitcher is the biggest difference. Fowler was pretty safe to bet on himself staying healthy for a year, but I don’t think any pitcher should ever bet on staying healthy. I still think Arrieta is a safe bet to be pretty good in 2018 and a reasonable bet to be pretty good in 2019.

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  27. Perkins

    dmick89,

    I think he’ll be above average, but I’m concerned about his declining velocity, decreased outside zone swing %, and the disappearance of his slider.

    If he can limit hard contact, he should be okay, but there are a lot of warning bells. If I were him, I’d probably take the best 3 or 4 year offer I could get.

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  28. Rice Cube

    FYI current CBA makes it so that a free agent can only ever be offered QO just once in his career. So Cubs have to hope he signs before June to bag the pick.

    I’m not absolutely sure of the details but trying a Fowler contract with Jake wouldn’t work regarding the tax. For example, if Cubs were to offer a 2-year, $35 MM contract with a $10MM 2018 salary, then $25MM with a $15MM buyout for 2019, the buyout is probably going to still be calculated as part of 2018 and thus $25MM against the cap to trigger the tax penalties. If they did it though, they almost certainly would do so knowing they’re punting next year’s draft due to the new penalties. It’s super convoluted and stupid.

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  29. dmick89

    Rice Cube: If they did it though, they almost certainly would do so knowing they’re punting next year’s draft due to the new penalties. It’s super convoluted and stupid.

    I’m fine with that. If there’s a time to go for it, it’s the immediate future. Things will get very questionable for the Cubs chances when Darvish, Lester and Heyward begin to decline. It’s not like they have the prospects to replace their value so it would have to come through free agency. I hate talking about a team’s window, but the Cubs should be all in right now.

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  30. dmick89

    I’m not saying all in means they have to sign Arrieta. The difference between he and Chatwood may not be large enough. I don’t know, but the cubs window will probably be closing sooner than we’d hoped.

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  31. Rice Cube

    dmick89,

    That depends on how bullish you are on the pitching in the minors. If they figure it out, then they can start throwing money at position guys or extending Bryant etc. Baseball is weird but I would argue the window has at least 3 years left which aligns with the current contracts pretty well.

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  32. Rice Cube

    dmick89: I’m fine with that. If there’s a time to go for it, it’s the immediate future. Things will get very questionable for the Cubs chances when Darvish, Lester and Heyward begin to decline. It’s not like they have the prospects to replace their value so it would have to come through free agency. I hate talking about a team’s window, but the Cubs should be all in right now.

    My working theory is that they will make sure they maintain their picks this draft season, being that their IFA penalties have also reset this year (Those are also affected by luxury tax) and reload the farm some before they blow their wad on Harper et al. next winter. So use 2018 for the next wave of impact talent, damn the torpedoes from 2019 on.

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  33. dmick89

    Rice Cube,

    That may be, but so far I’ve not seen much from this team in terms of developing many players that weren’t top draft picks. I’d feel a lot better about the Cubs chances in the future if I had much reason to believe they could develop pitchers and/or develop MLB players that weren’t among the elite talent at the time of the draft. I don’t think one draft is going to move the needle much when their top pick is outside the top 10 or 15.

    Yeah, the window I was talking about was probably about three years, but the odds of winning the WS probably decline each year after this one. I think the Cubs are probably favorites to win the Central for at least the next two to three seasons. If going all in this year won’t allow the Cubs to go after Harper then I’d much rather have Harper. I’m not the biggest fan of waiting around a year to see if someone reaches free agency, but he’s the kind of player that it may be worth it to do just that.

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  34. Rice Cube

    dmick89,

    I would argue that the team as is reflects them going as all-in as possible without losing out on a realistic shot at Harper next season. The rotation is about as good as you can get on paper, injury history/inconsistency notwithstanding, and the offensive core should be good. I’d take my chances with this group and then throw all the armored trucks at Harper et al.

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  35. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    ***IMPORTANT CAST IRON PAN ALERT***

    I got what amounts to a chainmail dishcloth for Xmas and it has been life/pan changing. Cleaning my skillets is so easy now that even my wife will bother to do it right. I cooked eggs in it this morning. Eggs!

    ***THIS HAS BEEN A CAST IRON PAN ALERT***

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  36. Tyrone

    Josh Norris @JoshNorris
    Holton Hill 1st unofficial 40: 4.50

    Really talented CB, but some off-field baggage. Definitely worth a Day-3 flyer.

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  37. Tyrone

    Gil Brandt @Gil_Brandt
    Two clocks by scouts to my left and right for Illinois State CB Davontae Harris: 4.25/4.27

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  38. Tyrone

    Jon Ledyard @LedyardNFLDraft
    Josh Jackson flying at 4.49. For his size, that’s a big box checked

    Your boy’s trying to be the first CB off the board, dmick.

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  39. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    DeJong ————> 6/26 extension

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  40. Tyrone

    Trevor Sikkema @TampaBayTre
    Derwin James: 40-inch vertical, 11-foot broad

    Somebody’s trying to go the Jalen Ramsey route…

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  41. Mucker

    Tyrone,

    Been away this weekend so couldn’t comment. Who do you think is going #1?

    Minkah looks like a S. Surprised how big these DBs are.

    Orlando Brown sliding?

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  42. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    Man, I don’t know. It’s a really interesting draft at the top with all the elite prospects pushed down by positional value.

    If my team is picking No. 1 and doesn’t need a QB, I’d pick Chubb or trade down. If my team does need a QB… I think I might lean toward Rosen at the moment, but Mayfield is right there with him for me. And Darnold is growing on me. Lamar is a tier behind those three.

    And GTFO with the Barkley at 1.1 talk. He’s the best RB prospect, but I’m not sure he’s the best RB in this draft. Even if he were, why take him at 1.1 when you could have Guice, Michel, Jones, Penny, Chubb, Kerryon, Royce Freeman…? I mean, its a stacked draft at the position.

    Orlando was never a Day 1 guy for me, but that Combine performance would stick in my brain. Anyone can have a bad day and I could give him a pass for it, but he’d have to explain that shit to me. Most important even of your career and you act like you don’t give af?

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  43. Tyrone

    Rotoworld Football @Rotoworld_FB
    Report: Rams will not tag Sammy Watkins tinyurl.com/y86hn57l

    Watkins and Allen Robinson on the open market? Yes, please.

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  44. Mucker

    Tyrone,

    Agree with pretty much everything. My brother thinks Barkley goes 1 but I don’t see it. Like you said, it’s a deep draft for that top tier RB class.

    That’s what I don’t get. These guys know the whole world is watching them and they have months to prepare for the combine. How do you come out and suck it up like that? 14 reps as an O lineman? That’s pathetic.

    Would really like Allen Robinson

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  45. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    CLE would be crazy to take Barkley at 1.1 and risk missing on their QB. If someone jumps you for Barkley at 4, trade back and get Guice or Michel.

    Again, anyone can have a bad day. We don’t know what’s going on with him, but I’d need a good explanation. Even if he has a good pro day.

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  46. Mucker

    Tyrone,

    My first thought was “Is he injured?” If so, why even do it? I think a lot of these guys get by on natural talent in college and don’t have the drive it takes to succeed at the NFL level. That would be my concern with these players. How bad do they want it?

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  47. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    You know these guys make sure to tell everyone if they’re injured beforehand. Or they don’t participate due to injury. Unless Orlando had like a whole body injury that he didn’t know about.

    It’s weird, though. Why go to do that? You know these guys prep like crazy for the combine. Did Orlando do 14 reps three days before the combine and think he could do 10 more if needed?

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  48. Tyrone

    Newy Scruggs @newyscruggs
    “I have no intention of forcing our players to stand during the anthem and I regret that my comments have been misconstrued,’’ Dolphins owner Steve Ross said in a statement to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

    Well maybe you shouldn’t have said players “can’t have to not stand or not be required to not kneel during the anthem,” Steve.

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  49. Tyrone

    KFAN1003 @KFAN1003
    REPORT: Vikings set to offer Kirk Cousins huge 3-year, $91 million fully guaranteed deal ihe.art/NCJcmDo

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  50. Tyrone

    Dear 49ers,

    Please sign Allen Robinson, Trumaine Johnson and an interior OL in free agency. Then draft Harold Landry, make Reuben Foster get his shit together and start printing playoff tickets.

    Thanks

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  51. Mucker

    Tyrone,

    Yeah it’s mind boggling. I have to assume these guys know exactly what’s at stake at this point of their lives so anything less than their absolute best effort would be disappointing to them. I wonder how he felt about his performance. Could’ve been the pressure of the situation getting to him but 14 reps for someone who weighs almost 350 lbs and in a college lifting program is pretty alarming in my opinion.

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  52. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    I kind of wonder if he wasn’t medicated for anxiety. Some of that stuff can really affect you physically (especially the adrenaline inhibitors).

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  53. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    I used to, but I’ve also seen how much of an impact an elite one can have on a defense. Reuben Foster was an elite prospect at the position and I would have been fine taking him in the top 10. In fact, John Lynch said they would have taken him at 3 if CHI had taken Solomon Thomas (though I wanted Lattimore at that spot).

    I haven’t watched for myself, but Roquan seems to be every bit the prospect Foster was…maybe even better. This year’s EDGE class isn’t great, but there is value beyond the Day 1 guys (pretty much Chubb, Landry and MAYBE Davenport) in Sweat, Turay and a couple of others.

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  54. Tyrone

    Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
    The transition tag is officially in for #Bears CB Kyle Fuller, source said. Now they have time to get a deal done… even past July 15.

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  55. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    Myles,

    The Cubs just need to score six in the first in every Darvish outing.

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  56. Wenningtons Gorilla Cock

    Tyrone: Fire sale.

    I don’t know what you guys are talking about – this thread clearly states that the Cubs are still playing the As in a game that started a week ago.

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  57. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    I’ve been meaning to do some posts on the off seasons from the rest of the NL central, but I’m afraid that it will mean the Brewers or Cardinals pick up Arrieta minutes after I post it.

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  58. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    I went to the Clippers-Pelicans game since I am at a boring conference next door this week. It was an off night for Anthony Davis, who missed time to injury and only put up 41 and 13. I should ask for a partial refund.

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  59. Tyrone

    Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
    Aaron Nola with three dominant innings vs. Red Sox. A great breaking ball; 16-17 mpg differential from his fastball.

    It’s always good to have a fuel-efficient breaking ball.

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  60. Tyrone

    Tyrone,

    Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
    #Seahawks CB Richard Sherman has told teammates goodbye over the past 24 hours, sources say, and that he won’t be on the team. Those close to him say nothing is set in stone and there has been no official word. But clearly bears watching.

    Whoa…

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  61. Tyrone

    Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
    Here it goes: Seahawks are trading DE Michael Bennett and a seventh-round pick to Eagles for a fifth-round pick and WR Marcus Johnson, sources tell ESPN.

    Wow!

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  62. Tyrone

    Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
    More #Seahawks potential moves: Former #Texans LB Brian Cushing is visiting Seattle today. The shakeup on D continues?

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  63. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    Tyrone,

    Eli Manning is going to try to substitute a broom with a picture of his head pasted on it for himself next year and see if anyone notices.

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  64. Perkins

    Ricky Nolasco——->Royals

    Cubs should convince Matt Cain to come out of retirement so they can flip him to KC.

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  65. Tyrone

    So “some team” asked LSU RB Derrius Guice if he liked men and if his mother was a prostitute during the combine interviews. I think they asked the same ho-mom question to Dez Bryant several years ago. I assume there’s a psychological reason to ask such questions, but these are the same people who will employ murderers and wife beaters over people who kneel during the national anthem…

    Anyway, this tweet on the topic of the Guice news made me laugh:

    Welp, TCMcG. @TCMcG
    Replying to @celebrityhottub
    “If you had a time machine, would you kill Baby Hitler?”

    “Definitely.”

    [Writing] “Comfort… able… with… child… murder.”

    “Wait, what?”

    “Does not… take ownershiiiiip” [elaborate flourish] “… of his choices.”

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  66. Tyrone

    Since you statfags seem intent on ONLY discussing baseball on this NFL Draft website, let’s talk attendance. For which MLB teams have you attended home games?

    Mine:
    A’s, Giants, Padres, Rockies, Braves, Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Yankees and Rangers.

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  67. Perkins

    Tyrone:
    Since you statfags seem intent on ONLY discussing baseball on this NFL Draft website, let’s talk attendance. For which MLB teams have you attended home games?

    Mine:
    A’s, Giants, Padres, Rockies, Braves, Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Yankees and Rangers.

    Cubs, Brewers, Mets, White Sox, Nationals (RFK and Nationals Park), Yankees (old and new Yankee Stadiums), Pirates, Dodgers, Angels, Blue Jays, Giants, Mariners, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians

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  68. EnricoPallazzo

    am i the only one that kind of wants arrieta to sign a long-term deal with an NL central team? sure, it would make the brewers (or whoever) a better team this year, but i’m not sure they’d really pose a huge threat to the cubs even with arreita. and then they’d be significantly handcuffed by a bad contract maybe not next year but likely in years 3/4/5 of a 5 year deal. maybe i’m just overly pessimistic about arrieta’s true talent level.

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  69. EnricoPallazzo

    dmick89: Which team? Reds? Great. Pirates? Fine. I don’t want him to sign with the Cardinals or Brewers.

    i for sure don’t want him with the cards or brewers if he’s gonna do a pillow contract. but if he signed a six-year deal with the brewers, they could really be handicapped by that contract in 2020-2023. they don’t have the budget to just absorb $25m. again, maybe i am just overly pessimistic about arrieta. i just don’t think he’s gonna be all that great after this season (and maybe not even this season).

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  70. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    Perkins,

    I’m kind of surprised that the Os aren’t on your list, Perkins

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  71. Perkins

    EnricoPallazzo: totally forgot they played at RFK for three seasons. i would have bet against that.

    It was kind of a dump, but I was in school in DC at the time, and the tickets were cheap. Got to see the Cubs visit there in 2005, and saw Aramis Ramirez hit a monster HR that just barely cleared the wall in left center. The fences were pretty deep, and the written distances were not accurate.

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  72. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    I apparently deleted my list so here it is again

    Cubs, Jays, Brewers (old and new), Orioles (old and new), Nats (old and new), Phillies (saw two fights in the next section for the true Philly experience), Pirates, Giants, Rockies, Dbacks, Astros

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  73. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    Perkins,

    I weirdly loved RFK as a venue. They had by far the best hot dogs that I’ve had at a stadium (grilled from some vendor, not that steam tray crap)

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  74. Perkins

    Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone,

    I am too. Never got up there when I was in DC, for one reason or another. I’m kind of hoping for a project in Baltimore to rectify that situation. I’ll also probably try to get down to Philly to see the Cubs play there at the end of August, after I’ve moved back to New York.

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  75. Perkins

    On the plus side, at AT&T Park, I saw a guy one section over who was dressed as a luchador and waving a Giants flag. So that was pretty awesome. That and the view of the Bay and the great food and beer.

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  76. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    I’m in LA and super bored this week so Dodgers would have been on my list if this conference were a month later.

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  77. Perkins

    Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone,

    I did love how easily accessible it was. In 2007, my wife and I went there to see the Nats play the Marlins, and we got tickets about 15 rows back from the field on the first base side for $20 each (bought from a couple outside the park). Nationals Park is nice, but expensive. And they have since removed the Five Guys that was there when they opened the park.

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  78. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    Tyrone,

    Let’s not apply foolish things like logic to my whining here (dying laughing)

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  79. Perkins

    Apparently Javy Baez left today’s game and was holding his hamstring. Came up lame rounding first on a hit.

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  80. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    EnricoPallazzo: this is a bold fucking statement

    I was not trying to imply that I was having sex with said hot dogs, sorry you took it that way.

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  81. Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone

    Perkins,

    If they do he’ll have to get in line behind Chatwood (dying laughing).

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  82. dmick89

    Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phone,

    I wouldn’t want to give him what he was projected to get (around $85 million or so according to MLBTR), but the Royals basically paid next to nothing for the chance to trade him to a contender for a ton of talent. I wouldn’t have minded the Cubs getting involved at that price. Move Bryant to CF for half a season. It’s not ideal, but considering the price and potential to get a lot in return, I’d have done it. He probably doesn’t go to Chicago for that price though.

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  83. dmick89

    myles,

    It sounds like he was asked a question about the Cubs. His answer is going to be about the Cubs and how the Astros hope to do better. Not much else he can really say with a question like that.

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  84. dmick89

    I find it hard to believe that someone would start with some dig at the Cubs when the Cubs have won a WS in the last three years and reached the LCS in each of those seasons. They’ve clearly been the best team in baseball over the last three years.

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  85. Myles

    dmick89:
    myles,

    It sounds like he was asked a question about the Cubs. His answer is going to be about the Cubs and how the Astros hope to do better. Not much else he can really say with a question like that.

    Yeah, but what about MY feelings?

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  86. Perkins

    Kind of curious what Keuchel will say when one or more of their SP gets injured or some of the guys who’ve had less time to prepare or partied more than usual have lost a step. I mean, the Astros are still likely to be really good, but I’m not sure talking shit about the team that made three straight LCS appearances and won the prior World Series is a bright idea.

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  87. Tyrone

    dmick89,

    If I had been asked that question, I would have said something like, “I don’t think making it to the NLCS is considered a ‘hangover.’ A hangover is waking up next to your mother.”

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  88. Tyrone

    James Palmer @JamesPalmerTV
    UTEP G Will Hernandez, who @MoveTheSticks has as the 25th best player in the draft, just said on @nflnetwork the 1 purchase he’ll make when he gets his first NFL check … one of those fancy toilets where you don’t have to use toilet paper. Said he doesn’t care how much it costs

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  89. Tyrone

    Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
    Seahawks have informed perennial Pro-Bowl CB Richard Sherman that they are releasing him today, per league sources.

    End has come for one of the most iconic players in Seattle sports history.

    Sherman will be a free agent this weekend.

    Pats?

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  90. Tyrone

    Matt Barrows @mattbarrows
    Per bookmaker.eu, the odds on where Richard Sherman will land:
    Field +140
    New England Patriots +350
    Chicago Bears +400
    Oakland Raiders +550
    Los Angeles Chargers +600
    Tampa Bay Buccaneers +900
    San Francisco 49ers +1500
    Cleveland Browns +1500
    Atlanta Falcons +1500

    I think I’d bet field just so I could argue that I thought they meant football field.

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  91. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    It wouldn’t surprise me, but I think a college gig is more likely.

    But he’s trash. I’ve thought so ever since he was given Vince Young and tried to turn him into a “pro-style” QB.

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  92. Mucker

    Tyrone:
    Mucker,

    It wouldn’t surprise me, but I think a college gig is more likely.

    But he’s trash. I’ve thought so ever since he was given Vince Young and tried to turn him into a “pro-style” QB.

    I don’t know how he lasted as long as he did. What the hell do teams see in him?

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  93. Tyrone

    Mucker,

    The NFL is a scared league. Better to extend a game than to lose a game. Better to give up a 7-yard gain than risk a deep ball. Better to fail with a known coach than an unknown.

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  94. Tyrone

    Tyrone,

    That’s why the NFL is the last to adopt anything. Vince ran the zone read to a national championship basically by himself in the ’05 season. It didn’t really hit the NFL for seven more years.

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  95. Mucker

    Tyrone:
    Mucker,

    The NFL is a scared league. Better to extend a game than to lose a game. Better to give up a 7-yard gain than risk a deep ball. Better to fail with a known coach than an unknown.

    So true.

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  96. dmick89

    If Arrieta ends up signing a team friendly deal, the Cubs are going to end up looking pretty stupid having signed Darvish and Chatwood for almost $200 million combined. If Arrieta gets that team friendly deal (still a big if I think), they could have had Arrieta and Lynn for dirt cheap. Lynn just signed with the Twins for $12 million. I’m kind of pissed the Cubs didn’t sign him and move Chatwood to the bullpen.

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  97. Smokestack Lightning

    dmick89,

    dmick89: If Arrieta ends up signing a team friendly deal, the Cubs are going to end up looking pretty stupid having signed Darvish and Chatwood for almost $200 million combined.

    If the Cubs end up paying 200MM for Darvish and Chatwood, I think we’ll all be pretty happy regardless of what sort of deal Arrieta takes (at least with the Darvish side of things).

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  98. dmick89

    Smokestack Lightning,

    I don’t know. the Cubs misread the market. They jumped way too early and that Chatwood deal looks even worse now than it did at the time and it’s not like they signed him all that long ago. Depending on what kind of deal Arrieta ends up getting, it’s also entirely possible the Cubs jumped too early in signing Darvish. I think a strong argument could be made that Lance Lynn for one season and $12 million is a better investment than $126 million over 6 years for Yu Darvish.

    It’s okay to criticize the Cubs.

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  99. Smokestack Lightning

    dmick89,

    I was actually making a joke, as if the Cubs pay out close to 200MM it means Darvish hit all his incentives, which means multiple Cy Youngs.

    It’s okay to make jokes.

    Or maybe not. It could go either way, I suppose.

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  100. Perkins

    dmick89,

    I think it’s possible (or likely) they misread the market, though it doesn’t seem like any of their moves will hamper their ability to pursue Bryce Harper, and I’m feeling a lot better about the rotation and bullpen than I was going into 2017.

    Inasmuch as their mistakes are putting more of the club’s revenue in players’ hands and they didn’t hike ticket prices this year, I’m okay with this type of error.

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  101. Smokestack Lightning

    Although I will add that while you seem to think Arrieta and Darvish are more or less interchangeable, it’s probable the market did not, and that teams thought Yu >>>>>>>> Arrieta, which means if the Cubs hadn’t signed Darvish when they did, he would have gotten 6/126 or similar from someone else (possibly even more, if the reports about him taking less to sign with the Cubs are to be believed).

    I happen to share this view, as Arrieta has some serious red flags and worries me short-term and long, while short-term I have no such worries about Yu. If Jake gives in and takes some sort of shit deal here in the next couple of weeks, he might be a better value, but he’s not likely to make the Cubs as good in 2018-2020 as they are with Yu. And there’s a non-zero chance he makes them worse. The Darvish deal was about winning the most baseball games over the next three years, and he gives the Cubs the much better chance to do that, imo.

    It doesn’t make ecstatic about the Darvish deal, as I tend to hate hate hate long-term deals to pitchers over 30, but I learned to accept it as the cost of staying on top in this contention window since the Cubs org has failed miserably to develop impact starting pitching (<———— criticism).

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  102. Smokestack Lightning

    Perkins,

    Unless we expect the Cubs (or anyone else) to be omniscient, I think it’s difficult to criticize them for not seeing just how much this offseason was going to crater (Mike Moustakas for 1/6? Gtfo.)

    I also don’t think the market was the same for the players they had shortlisted. I still believe the Cubs really really like Chatwood and that his market was livelier at the time than most of the other free agents. They may be wrong about that spin rate shit and no Coors and velocity and all the rest, but I think they’re looking for an edge that hasn’t yet found its way onto the back of Chatwood’s Topps card, and they, and other teams, were willing to pay (what in hindsight seems like a little too much) for it. The good news is if they’re right, he’ll annihilate that contract. If not, he still has a chance of being a decent value at that price, and he doesn’t preclude the Cubs from replacing him from someone else.

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  103. Smokestack Lightning

    dmick89,

    Given how we’ve gone at it from time to time this offseason, given how I’m not very good at joke-making, I can see how the humor could have been missed.

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