Cubs add Chapman for Torres, et al. imb wishes we paid more

[UMFan83]

That honestly depends your upbringing.

 

Are you still being serious? wtf

I'm half serious and half joking. In the slums of Cuba, firing off half a clip in your garage to prove a point probably isn't THAT rare.

 

DOES THAT MAKE IT ACCEPTABLE?

[Omar]

Love the White Sox board's reaction.

 

Earlier: Watch how the Cubune is going to gloss over the whole DV situation unlike what they did when we signed Wil Cordero

 

Later: Well there's one article. And oh Haugh is taking them to task. And Mike Greenberg is chiming in too.

 

Now (actual post): Chapman's domestic incident is getting a lot of play in the Chicago media -- more than I suspected. Yes, there is a double standard of media coverage between Cubs and Sox, but never underestimate the capacity of the media to generate a narrative-constructing feeding frenzy on an emotionally charged topic.

 

I'm so glad he'll get to make his Cubs debut against the sox

[jersey cubs fan]

I have a hard time demonizing him for what he did given the understanding of where he came from, what he endured, and what every day must be like. What I worry a tremendous amount about is how he has changed, or IF he has changed and how he did that.

 

it almost sounds like he is trending towards deep narcissism and american culture can certainly push that along.

no

 

growing up in poverty doesn't excuse physical abuse and intimidation via gunshots

[David]

Love the White Sox board's reaction.

 

Earlier: Watch how the Cubune is going to gloss over the whole DV situation unlike what they did when we signed Wil Cordero

 

Later: Well there's one article. And oh Haugh is taking them to task. And Mike Greenberg is chiming in too.

 

Now (actual post): Chapman's domestic incident is getting a lot of play in the Chicago media -- more than I suspected. Yes, there is a double standard of media coverage between Cubs and Sox, but never underestimate the capacity of the media to generate a narrative-constructing feeding frenzy on an emotionally charged topic.

 

 

Sox fans are seriously the weirdest.

 

Do you guys think Angels and Mets fans obsess over things like this and consider all the attention the other team gets a slight like this?

[minnesotacubsfan]

 

Are you still being serious? wtf

I'm half serious and half joking. In the slums of Cuba, firing off half a clip in your garage to prove a point probably isn't THAT rare.

 

DOES THAT MAKE IT ACCEPTABLE?

 

i believe gun ownership is rare in Cuba. Guess what, Cuban kid moves to free country buys gun and loses track of mental state of being and others welfare.

 

money, new freedoms, booze, narcissistic society. He has a lot to learn.

[Cubbie Swagger]

 

Are you still being serious? wtf

I'm half serious and half joking. In the slums of Cuba, firing off half a clip in your garage to prove a point probably isn't THAT rare.

 

DOES THAT MAKE IT ACCEPTABLE?

Nobody said it did.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I have a hard time demonizing him for what he did given the understanding of where he came from, what he endured, and what every day must be like. What I worry a tremendous amount about is how he has changed, or IF he has changed and how he did that.

 

it almost sounds like he is trending towards deep narcissism and american culture can certainly push that along.

no

 

growing up in poverty doesn't excuse physical abuse and intimidation via gunshots

 

i dont think it does, but I worry more about how he has progressed from it then the fact he did it.

[Cubbie Swagger]

I have a hard time demonizing him for what he did given the understanding of where he came from, what he endured, and what every day must be like. What I worry a tremendous amount about is how he has changed, or IF he has changed and how he did that.

 

it almost sounds like he is trending towards deep narcissism and american culture can certainly push that along.

no

 

growing up in poverty doesn't excuse physical abuse and intimidation via gunshots

Excuse? No.

[soccer10k]

If I can still watch Annie Hall or Chinatown and enjoy them as great films while realizing that the filmmakers are complete scumbags, I sure as hell can watch Chapman be used as a pitching machine by my baseball team while thinking he sucks as a human being.

 

I like that comparison a lot, actually.

 

well, sure, it's convenient. Deciding to watch Annie Hall on Netflix is different than walking around in a Woody Allen is Awesome t-shirt.

 

I must have missed where anyone here said they were going to buy a Chapman jersey.

[squally1313]

I have a hard time demonizing him for what he did given the understanding of where he came from, what he endured, and what every day must be like. What I worry a tremendous amount about is how he has changed, or IF he has changed and how he did that.

 

it almost sounds like he is trending towards deep narcissism and american culture can certainly push that along.

no

 

growing up in poverty doesn't excuse physical abuse and intimidation via gunshots

 

i dont think it does, but I worry more about how he has progressed from it then the fact he did it.

 

That's a weird way to look at the timing of all of this. It didn't happen like, weeks after getting to America. He's been here since 2010 and it happened 9 months ago.

[minnesotacubsfan]

no

 

growing up in poverty doesn't excuse physical abuse and intimidation via gunshots

 

i dont think it does, but I worry more about how he has progressed from it then the fact he did it.

 

That's a weird way to look at the timing of all of this. It didn't happen like, weeks after getting to America. He's been here since 2010 and it happened 9 months ago.

 

Did it happen once, or multiple times? why did it happen? Was it an isolated incident or is this his view of the world? Is he doing anything about it (aka, psychotherapy, etc) or has he just apologized because he got caught?

[Andy]

Love the White Sox board's reaction.

 

Earlier: Watch how the Cubune is going to gloss over the whole DV situation unlike what they did when we signed Wil Cordero

 

Later: Well there's one article. And oh Haugh is taking them to task. And Mike Greenberg is chiming in too.

 

Now (actual post): Chapman's domestic incident is getting a lot of play in the Chicago media -- more than I suspected. Yes, there is a double standard of media coverage between Cubs and Sox, but never underestimate the capacity of the media to generate a narrative-constructing feeding frenzy on an emotionally charged topic.

 

 

Sox fans are seriously the weirdest.

 

Do you guys think Angels and Mets fans obsess over things like this and consider all the attention the other team gets a slight like this?

I literally had no idea Wil Cordero ever had a domestic violence incident before reading this post (I was also 11 when the Sox signed him)

[Cubbie Swagger]

Theo is on the Score right now, and he sounds super nervous, for some reason. He's short of breath and swallowing a lot.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

This has nothing to do with Chapman but his issues got me thinking about another weird incident that occurred with Soler back in 2013 when he was so mad that he took a bat and attempted to get to the opposing team's dugout before teammates were able to stop him. That goes somewhat beyond your normal baseball behavior.

 

It got me thinking: Is that fucked up enough that we aren't supposed to cheer for him? I would think not, yet at the same time a bat is a weapon and I have no idea if he really was going to use it had he not been stopped.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Theo is on the Score right now, and he sounds super nervous, for some reason. He's short of breath and swallowing a lot.

 

AKA doing an interview while on the treadmill.

[CubinNY]

 

You might not be wrong, but I don't think it particularly matters. Chapman is not a good guy, this is the worst but not the only data point in that regard. He put his hands around the woman's neck as part of an argument, shot a gun in frustration, and (this might be a previous incident) hurt his hand punching a car window. Anyone not comfortable or happy with him on the team because of it is not unjustified, especially given the culture around domestic violence and extra especially with celebrities/athletes. It doesn't mean that's the one true interpretation, but debating the minutiae of that incident is not a winning argument, because even if you're right the people upset are still not wrong.

 

I'm now remembering some crazy ESPN magazine article or something talking about how insanely strange his day to day life is in the offseason. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about?

 

yeah it talked about how he was always smoking cigarettes and [expletive], it was really weird. it was basically like "good thing this dude is hella good at baseball" because america is such a culture shock from his hardscrabble cuban upbringing that he basically just hid in his apartment all day

The article was awesome. He lives in a 17 room mansion but only uses one room and the kitchen.

[Cubbie Swagger]

Theo is on the Score right now, and he sounds super nervous, for some reason. He's short of breath and swallowing a lot.

 

AKA doing an interview while on the treadmill.

Lmao

[Cubbie Swagger]

Anybody have a link to that Chapman article?

[minnesotacubsfan]

its back a couple of pages

[Cubbie Swagger]

its back a couple of pages

Ah, got it. Thanks.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I'm working on a Chapman article right now. I have a bunch to catch up on in this thread. So I'll be interested to read through and see how my viewpoint matches up with the consensus of the board.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I'm come to the conclusion that Theo isn't just assuming we have the division won and dipped into his farm system to get two relievers and shore up what is considered the weakest spot on our team. So the playoffs are a crapshoot thing doesn't apply.

[Bote McBoteface]

Lack of an extension really killed my excitement for this deal. Can't believe that two months of Chapman costs Torres, McKinney, Warren, and some dude I've never heard of.

 

There's some extra value in that making this deal prevents the Cards, Nats, Giants, Dodgers, etc. from getting him. And I'm really going to enjoy having him in the playoffs. This is a big overpay, though, and I can't imagine that any other team was offering anything close to this. I guess if you're going to overpay, its best to overpay for an elite performer at a position of need, so at least there's that. I hope this douche doesn't beat any women while he's here.

[Tim]

I'm just going to consider Chapman to be Theo's birthday present for me. I'll forgive him for not shopping at the bargain outlets when he wanted to get me something nice.

[NOLA]

I'm come to the conclusion that Theo isn't just assuming we have the division won and dipped into his farm system to get two relievers and shore up what is considered the weakest spot on our team. So the playoffs are a crapshoot thing doesn't apply.

I agree to a point, but I also think that while Theo saw a chance to make the team much better, he also wanted to keep the best closer in this era away from other teams. The Giants are 1.5 games behind the Cubs for the best record in baseball, yet have 18 blown saves this season. That stat was so crazy when I heard it I had to look it up. If they were even middle of the pack we're looking up at them in overall standings.