Cubs offseason chit chat...

[David]

30 minutes ago, Petrey10 said:

This “horsefeathers” crap is the most ridiculous thing on this site. 

It's a tribute to a deceased longstanding and very active board member who passed shortly before they won the WS in 16.

[ToolDRT]

14 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

This is what I don’t understand. And I am not just meaning you. So many fans talk about the Cubs need to make moves and need to be aggressive. But then we discuss a player and hear how many are afraid of an overpay. Afraid of the years. Afraid of his production. I feel there is nothing the Cubs will do this off season that the majority will be happy with. Any FA they sign will be an overpay. And guy they trade for will have something that worries people. But if they don’t do enough in free agency or the trade market they will get criticized. I guess this FO doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt so that is how it will be. 

I just want us to spend aggressively on the right players. Ohtani, Yamamoto, Harper, Gerrit Cole types that are more sure things. I feel Bellinger has enough red flags in his history where I’m not comfortable handing him a mega deal. 
 

Sadly, my view is also skewed by the fact that I don’t trust this organization to spend every offseason. So signing Bellinger leaves me worried we’ll use that contract as an excuse to not attempt Soto next year, or player X the year after that. 

[ToolDRT]

6 minutes ago, Rob said:

You're calling me the dumbass, and that's the whole of your analysis?

I can't possibly make a good point because I suggested signing a talented but troubled guy as a 4th OF?

Or is it that I don't pay enough attention to awards? Good thinking, Jim Henry!

I liked the Bellinger signing for peanuts last off season. But there's a 50% chance this signing ends up looking a whole lot like Jason Heyward, and our ownership sucks too much to be comfortable with that much risk. If we were the Dodgers, with an ownership group that actually spends, you and I wouldn't be having this discussion. I'd be fine with it. But so long as the Ricketts remain the Cubs owners, it's a bad idea.

Dumbass.

I see the two of us are in agreement on what a Bellinger contract would mean for our spending going forward. It’s sad we have to think this way, but I guess it is what it is. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Padres signing Bellinger would be objectively hilarious, like Preller took the dril budget tweet and tried to make a roster in homage to it.

[ToolDRT]

4 minutes ago, David said:

It's a tribute to a deceased longstanding and very active board member who passed shortly before they won the WS in 16.

I was annoyed by this expression myself, but now that you’ve explained it that’s actually very cool. Well done, to all of you. 

[Thusly Boned]

13 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

This is what I don’t understand. And I am not just meaning you. So many fans talk about the Cubs need to make moves and need to be aggressive. But then we discuss a player and hear how many are afraid of an overpay. Afraid of the years. Afraid of his production. I feel there is nothing the Cubs will do this off season that the majority will be happy with. Any FA they sign will be an overpay. And guy they trade for will have something that worries people. But if they don’t do enough in free agency or the trade market they will get criticized. I guess this FO doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt so that is how it will be. 

I think most people want the Cubs to be aggressive on players with relatively low risk, and not so much on a player who feels like he is as likely to turn back into a pumpkin as not.

Bellinger feels iffy enough that he's definitely not who you'd want to have as the centerpiece of your offseason. At least to me. Plus signs seem to point to a late signing for Bellinger, and if we're adding him mid-January, that likely means a lot of stuff has gone wrong, and we're overpaying him more out of desperation than calculated risk.

And yeah, all the people aren't going to be pleased regardless, but that's nothing new. 

 

[s2obed]

No moderation on this site? I see people calling each other dumbass and people saying I’m going to ‘slap you across the face’ but we can’t swear? lol. 

[David]

1 minute ago, ToolDRT said:

I was annoyed by this expression myself, but now that you’ve explained it that’s actually very cool. Well done, to all of you. 

Yeah.  And I suppose I didn't fully explain it - he used to say it instead of swearing.  Like "oh horsefeathers"

 

[imb]

5 minutes ago, s2obed said:

No moderation on this site? I see people calling each other dumbass and people saying I’m going to ‘slap you across the face’ but we can’t swear? lol. 

i can cuss, it was grandfathered in as part of the purchase of the site

[17 Seconds]

5 minutes ago, s2obed said:

No moderation on this site? I see people calling each other dumbass and people saying I’m going to ‘slap you across the face’ but we can’t swear? lol. 

 

[Outshined_One]

2 minutes ago, ToolDRT said:

I was annoyed by this expression myself, but now that you’ve explained it that’s actually very cool. Well done, to all of you. 

It wasn't just that Fred was active, it's that most of us who've been on this site since the early days met Fred in person, and some of us on multiple occasions.  He made the effort to get to know all of us and he really was an incredibly sweet and knowledgeable person.  He kept a TON of personal stats and weird splits, which was unusual back in the early 2000s, so it was neat to see him post them periodically.

On top of everything else, he stubborn as all get out.  During the dark years, he would start Game Threads and be the only person posting in those threads for 3+ pages.  He would also have hilarious swear word substitutes that would get him grief.  The man had habits, and he kept to them.  It's why we named the forum for him after he passed away.

I've been tempted to write something for the site regarding NSBB history for those of you newcomers who are interested.  There have been some legitimately weird and entertaining things that's happened here over the past 20+ years.  My work schedule probably won't allow for it, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out others would be interested in contributing.

[imb]

16 minutes ago, Rob said:

You're calling me the dumbass, and that's the whole of your analysis?

I can't possibly make a good point because I suggested signing a talented but troubled guy as a 4th OF?

Or is it that I don't pay enough attention to awards? Good thinking, Jim Henry!

I liked the Bellinger signing for peanuts last off season. But there's a 50% chance this signing ends up looking a whole lot like Jason Heyward, and our ownership sucks too much to be comfortable with that much risk. If we were the Dodgers, with an ownership group that actually spends, you and I wouldn't be having this discussion. I'd be fine with it. But so long as the Ricketts remain the Cubs owners, it's a bad idea.

Dumbass.

im sorry, i didn't realize quoting fangraphs stats you dont understand counts as "analysis. "  I have this weird theory where its good to have good players and it's bad to have bad players. austin horsefeathers meadows. shut the hell up

[ToolDRT]

7 minutes ago, David said:

Yeah.  And I suppose I didn't fully explain it - he used to say it instead of swearing.  Like "oh horsefeathers"

 

Well that’s just amusing! I’m sorry to all you guys for that loss. 

[imb]

2 minutes ago, ToolDRT said:

Well that’s just amusing! I’m sorry to all you guys for that loss. 

god damn i miss fred

[ToolDRT]

3 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

It wasn't just that Fred was active, it's that most of us who've been on this site since the early days met Fred in person, and some of us on multiple occasions.  He made the effort to get to know all of us and he really was an incredibly sweet and knowledgeable person.  He kept a TON of personal stats and weird splits, which was unusual back in the early 2000s, so it was neat to see him post them periodically.

On top of everything else, he stubborn as all get out.  During the dark years, he would start Game Threads and be the only person posting in those threads for 3+ pages.  He would also have hilarious swear word substitutes that would get him grief.  The man had habits, and he kept to them.  It's why we named the forum for him after he passed away.

I've been tempted to write something for the site regarding NSBB history for those of you newcomers who are interested.  There have been some legitimately weird and entertaining things that's happened here over the past 20+ years.  My work schedule probably won't allow for it, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out others would be interested in contributing.

Haha he sounds like a one of a kind type of forum member. Always sucks when you lose people like that. I thank you and David for the history lesson though and for keeping his memory a part of this place. 
 

And anytime you want to share more stories, I’d love to hear them! From any and all of you longtime posters. 

[ToolDRT]

Just now, imb said:

god damn i miss fred

Im sorry to you as well, sir. 

[Derwood]

Fred hated me, I'm pretty sure

[Rob]

1 minute ago, imb said:

im sorry, i didn't realize quoting fangraphs stats you dont understand counts as "analysis. "  I have this weird theory where its good to have good players and it's bad to have bad players. austin horsefeathers meadows. shut the hell up

Setting aside that you think I don't understand the statistics for no apparent reason, I am hardly the only one to look at them and find cause for concern. Basically every site is full of people wondering whether Bellinger can replicate his 2023. And if he can't, that's not a ~ $180M player. Full stop.

On a side note, I do fully endorse your claim that you are the exception to the swear filter. But I do wish Fred was here to get mad at us for it nonetheless.

[imb]

3 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Fred hated me, I'm pretty sure

he did always have his finger on the pulse of nsbb

[imb]

2 minutes ago, Rob said:

Setting aside that you think I don't understand the statistics for no apparent reason, I am hardly the only one to look at them and find cause for concern. Basically every site is full of people wondering whether Bellinger can replicate his 2023. And if he can't, that's not a ~ $180M player. Full stop.

On a side note, I do fully endorse your claim that you are the exception to the swear filter. But I do wish Fred was here to get mad at us for it nonetheless.

now go find me opinions on austin meadows

[Rob]

Just now, imb said:

now go find me opinions on austin meadows

Honestly, I'm surprised that's the marginal proposal you're jumping on. Literally a page or two earlier I suggested signing Josh Donaldson because I thought he might get roided out. That's a far less defensible sales pitch.

[David]

i like the roided out donaldson idea much better than austin meadows, personally

Edited December 14, 2023 by David

[Bull]

13 minutes ago, ToolDRT said:

Haha he sounds like a one of a kind type of forum member. Always sucks when you lose people like that. I thank you and David for the history lesson though and for keeping his memory a part of this place. 
 

And anytime you want to share more stories, I’d love to hear them! From any and all of you longtime posters. 

Appropriate that David gave the history lesson. He is our resident robot. He’s basically a database at this point.

[Tryptamine]

Ah Fred, he was always good for the so and so player has an .877 OPS on Tuesdays, in day games, when facing left handed pitchers and the temperature is below 75°.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, XZero77 said:

I think most people want the Cubs to be aggressive on players with relatively low risk, and not so much on a player who feels like he is as likely to turn back into a pumpkin as not.

Bellinger feels iffy enough that he's definitely not who you'd want to have as the centerpiece of your offseason. At least to me. Plus signs seem to point to a late signing for Bellinger, and if we're adding him mid-January, that likely means a lot of stuff has gone wrong, and we're overpaying him more out of desperation than calculated risk.

And yeah, all the people aren't going to be pleased regardless, but that's nothing new. 

 

I think more than anything it is people not trusting ownership and the FO. Whatever they end up doing, IMO, most will suggest it is wrong.