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

[Tracer Bullet]

You know what absolutely sucks? We have an amazing bullpen with guys that can throw 97-105 and I have totally mixed feelings about it. Ugggh

Yeah, I've spent the better part of the past 2 days rationalizing this move to myself and feel kinda sick that I'm doing that. This guy is scum vs. god I want a WS win. Gonna be even more disheartening if we don't win it and he leaves after the season.

 

Maybe. I don't want to piss away WS chances, but it isn't like the window is rapidly closing. While I want to win it this year, if we lose this year, he walks and we win it in 2017 without him, I'd be happier in the end.

[minnesotacubsfan]

You know what absolutely sucks? We have an amazing bullpen with guys that can throw 97-105 and I have totally mixed feelings about it. Ugggh

Yeah, I've spent the better part of the past 2 days rationalizing this move to myself and feel kinda sick that I'm doing that. This guy is scum vs. god I want a WS win. Gonna be even more disheartening if we don't win it and he leaves after the season.

 

Maybe. I don't want to piss away WS chances, but it isn't like the window is rapidly closing. While I want to win it this year, if we lose this year, he walks and we win it in 2017 without him, I'd be happier in the end.

 

The guy came from absolute poverty to the point he is now, that's what I have a hard time with. I want him to be amazing and be amazing closing games, he just isn't

[Tracer Bullet]

Yeah, I've spent the better part of the past 2 days rationalizing this move to myself and feel kinda sick that I'm doing that. This guy is scum vs. god I want a WS win. Gonna be even more disheartening if we don't win it and he leaves after the season.

 

Maybe. I don't want to piss away WS chances, but it isn't like the window is rapidly closing. While I want to win it this year, if we lose this year, he walks and we win it in 2017 without him, I'd be happier in the end.

 

The guy came from absolute poverty to the point he is now, that's what I have a hard time with. I want him to be amazing and be amazing closing games, he just isn't

 

poverty is an excuse for choking your girlfriend?

[Brian]

 

Maybe. I don't want to piss away WS chances, but it isn't like the window is rapidly closing. While I want to win it this year, if we lose this year, he walks and we win it in 2017 without him, I'd be happier in the end.

 

The guy came from absolute poverty to the point he is now, that's what I have a hard time with. I want him to be amazing and be amazing closing games, he just isn't

 

poverty is an excuse for choking your girlfriend?

 

I think what he is saying is that what should be a great story (poverty to rich/successful athlete in America) has been ruined by his actions.

[ConstableRabbit]

There are far too many horrible and/or likely horrible people in professional sports for me to care anymore. I have accepted that pro athletes are largely not role models and separate my appreciation for athletic prowess/ability with the individual personalities. It really sucks that Chapman is an outstanding player because it'd be easy to not have him on the Cubs. But, I'm not willing to trade my love for my favorite team for an in-principle-only cheer boycott or similar action that won't affect whether he plays baseball or continues to be a pro athlete.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own stances and own opinions -- there's just a ton of room for hypocrisy (the Castro point is a good one) and I don't have the time or energy to vet every athlete whose team I may cheer for for past transgressions, crimes, and/or behavior/accusations that would classify them as "likely bad." And no disrespect to those that do.

[Tracer Bullet]

 

The guy came from absolute poverty to the point he is now, that's what I have a hard time with. I want him to be amazing and be amazing closing games, he just isn't

 

poverty is an excuse for choking your girlfriend?

 

I think what he is saying is that what should be a great story (poverty to rich/successful athlete in America) has been ruined by his actions.

 

oh yeah, that would have been cool

[Cubswin11]

Joe on the score right now seems pretty set on Chapman purely being a closer and not pitching in other spots. Only deviation it sounds like on occasion having him go 2 innings and pitch the 8/9 or come in at some point in the 8th and come back for the 9th. Doesn't sound like Strop or Rondon have set innings, i.e. 7th inning or 8th, but will come in based on situations

[Brian]

Won't get too upset about it now, but if anyone but Chapman pitches to Bryce Harper 7th inning or later in the postseason with the game/season on the line than this trade was pretty much a waste.

[Andy]

Won't get too upset about it now, but if anyone but Chapman pitches to Bryce Harper 7th inning or later in the postseason with the game/season on the line than this trade was pretty much a waste.

Managers generally seem willing to bend from 'traditional' bullpen usage when the whole season is on the line, so I'll worry about that when it happens. But it's more than a little annoying that Joe isn't being more creative here. He'll play half the guys on the team at 5 positions but can't tweak his bullpen usage even in the slightest?

[Brian]

the good news is that now that he's no longer "the closer" Rondon will pitch more than 1-2 innings per week. Bad news is the guy we traded 4 players for will not. Edited July 26, 2016 by Brian

[minnesotacubsfan]

 

poverty is an excuse for choking your girlfriend?

 

I think what he is saying is that what should be a great story (poverty to rich/successful athlete in America) has been ruined by his actions.

 

oh yeah, that would have been cool

 

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's interesting reading how players like he grew up, but God he's in a bad place now and it sucks

[sneakypower]

so does he have to blow a save before we can start calling him Gutless Choking Dog?

[wvcbxl]

"Mr. Bush, I see a big gap in dates on your resume. can you fill me in on what you were doing those years?"

 

"Defending Texan air space against an imminent Mexican invasion".

 

What did I win?

[Cubswin11]

Joe also added in his interview that he/they hope Rondon starts throwing more of his pitches in the new role and doesn't throw the FB as much as he was as a closer. I do wonder since his innings have been relatively limited and the fact they mentioned him expanding his repertoire if they may start trying to use him for multiple innings at some point down the stretch/playoffs here.

[UMFan83]

Some good tidbits here

 

http://nypost.com/2016/07/26/the-deals-that-failed-before-cubs-yankees-trade-reality/

 

So, in a year in which they thought they could win for the first time since 1908, the Cubs decided not to mess around. They shopped in the elite bullpen market and – recognizing it would cost big prospects – initially prioritized a reliever whom they would control beyond this season.

 

That is why they focused their initial energies on Andrew Miller, who is signed through 2018. But when they recognized the Yankees were not going to get off their request for Kyle Schwarber, they asked the Royals about Wade Davis, who has a $10 million option for 2017, and heard the price was even higher than that.

 

Cubs officials had made a decision entering the process that they would not trade a significant piece off of their 2016 major league roster – to rob from one spot to try to fix another – or surrender Schwarber, whom they envision coming back from his knee injury in 2017 to be their regular fifth-place hitter. As one executive who spoke with the Cubs said, “You are not getting Schwarber. I don’t know if there has ever been a player that Theo [Epstein, president of baseball operations] has liked more.”

 

more at link

[hawkeyecub]

Won't get too upset about it now, but if anyone but Chapman pitches to Bryce Harper 7th inning or later in the postseason with the game/season on the line than this trade was pretty much a waste.

 

Spiegel asked him about that exact situation and Joe basically said that the playoffs are different in late innings. But then talked about guys having such set routines and not wanting to mess with that.

[Banedon]

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[hawkeyecub]

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[squally1313]

Yeah that was not the "first" impression people were hoping for. Reaction seems to be pretty negative across all the Cubs beat followers.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

oh this is going to end well...

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horsefeathering yankees demanding schwarber. horsefeathers you cashman.

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[minnesotacubsfan]

And Royals wanting more, FU Missouri

[hawkeyecub]

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[davell]

Its hard enough to try and be OK with this. horsefeathers.