Mariners (Kirby) vs Cubs (Boyd): 6/20/25, 1:20pm

[mul21]

5 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

It's also worth pointing out that 3B sucks league-wide this season.  Barely half the teams in MLB have a regular 3B who is producing positive WAR, and the trade candidates at the position are basically a left handed version of Matt Shaw in Ryan McMahon and a defensive black hole in Eugenio Suarez.

It's less than ideal, but I'd rather let Shaw try to figure things out at the plate and focus on improving the rotation and bullpen.

And guess what?  Even at this level of offensive performance, he's at 0.9 bWAR.

[UMFan83]

Seemed like an innocent inning ugh

[chibears55]

6 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

It's also worth pointing out that 3B sucks league-wide this season.  Barely half the teams in MLB have a regular 3B who is producing positive WAR, and the trade candidates at the position are basically a left handed version of Matt Shaw in Ryan McMahon and a defensive black hole in Eugenio Suarez.

It's less than ideal, but I'd rather let Shaw try to figure things out at the plate and focus on improving the rotation and bullpen.

McMahon is probably the guy they look to get if Shaw numbers aren't in an upwards climb by the deadline,  they could platoon the two, he can also play 2B to give Hoerner a breather against some RHers.

[Outshined_One]

2 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

You don't think that Bregman will opt out after this year?  He's having a career year, he'd have the highest OPS on this team.  The Cubs would go from WS contenders to WS favorites if he was in this lineup.  

Even if he opts in, that's only another 1 or 2 year commitment for one of the best 3B in baseball (I believe he has another player opt out after 26)

He might, but the Red Sox are five games back in the division, are holding steady in the WC race, and they just screwed up the Devers situation horribly to keep Bregman around.

It's a nice idea, but I think the Red Sox are hanging onto him this season, even if it's just to save face.

[PeanutPunch33]

1 minute ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Suarez has put up good defense most of his career and this year he appears to be fine. To me he seems like the most obvious addition. I hope we get him. 

That would be a great fit IMO.  Reasonable price tag and a half season commitment.  

[chibears55]

Two walks come back to bite him in ass

[UMFan83]

Just now, mul21 said:

And guess what?  Even at this level of offensive performance, he's at 0.9 bWAR.

Looking at fWAR for 3B this season, mildly humorous that 3 of the top 8 were either Cubs in 2022 or 2023 (Parades and McKinstry) or someone the Cubs were heavily trying to sign last offseason (Bregman)

[squally1313]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

McMahon is probably the guy they look to get if Shaw numbers aren't in an upwards climb by the deadline,  they could platoon the two, he can also play 2B to give Hoerner a breather against some RHers.

Man, signing on for roughly $25m and two years more of a veteran 3B who hasn't been an above average hitter in any season in his entire career is so bleak. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

6 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

You don't think that Bregman will opt out after this year?  He's having a career year, he'd have the highest OPS on this team.  The Cubs would go from WS contenders to WS favorites if he was in this lineup.  

Even if he opts in, that's only another 1 or 2 year commitment for one of the best 3B in baseball (I believe he has another player opt out after 26)

What I said is true regardless of if Bregman opts out or not, and we have very recent experience that the opt out that is obvious in June can very much not be obvious in November.   Also Bregman(or any bat) does not change the Cubs ceiling nearly as much as acquiring pitching with those resources.

[PeanutPunch33]

4 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

He might, but the Red Sox are five games back in the division, are holding steady in the WC race, and they just screwed up the Devers situation horribly to keep Bregman around.

It's a nice idea, but I think the Red Sox are hanging onto him this season, even if it's just to save face.

That is true.  I was thinking that they'd just go for the full reset and trade away Bregman too, but I can see a scenario where they avoid doing that as their fanbase will revolt.  

[chibears55]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

Man, signing on for roughly $25m and two years more of a veteran 3B who hasn't been an above average hitter in any season in his entire career is so bleak. 

Yea but im sure they'll ask Rockies to eat money and they can always trade him in offseason. 

Not saying they should,  just think he could be on their radar.

I personally hope Shaw sticks and just at least show some improvement offensively,  it also wouldn't be a problem if they were getting better production out of Swanson and now the Catcher spot.

[Outshined_One]

Just now, squally1313 said:

Man, signing on for roughly $25m and two years more of a veteran 3B who hasn't been an above average hitter in any season in his entire career is so bleak. 

It's the reality of 3B in the modern era.  The position is down league-wide.

I hate that Shaw is struggling, but you can make a case that the Cubs are in a much better situation at 3B than half of the league based on his defense and potential at the plate.

[squally1313]

I understand we've been struggling offensively lately. Probably some legitimate cause for concern under the hood, probably at least a little based on the elite starting pitching we have faced and continue to face, probably just the ups and downs of how baseball works. But third base offensive production as a whole (Shaw has taken about 60% of the PAs) has been a black hole the entire season, and we are, YTD, the third best offense in baseball. 

The problem to address, to the extent that a 45-29 team has Serious Problems, is pitching. Not the guy batting 9th who can run and field. 

[UMFan83]

Leadoff hits with no payoff ugh

[Derwood]

what was the .xBA on those last two hits?

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, Derwood said:

what was the .xBA on those last two hits?

.460 and .500 in order

Also of note looking at Savant, Raleigh's HR would only be a HR at Wrigley and I'm sure it was wind aided

Edited June 20, 2025 by UMFan83

[gflore34]

At least Shaw hit the ball hard, some bad luck, probably a double if no runner is in 1B.

[Derwood]

1 minute ago, UMFan83 said:

.460 and .500 in order

 

I figured. Both were scorched

[PeanutPunch33]

4 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I understand we've been struggling offensively lately. Probably some legitimate cause for concern under the hood, probably at least a little based on the elite starting pitching we have faced and continue to face, probably just the ups and downs of how baseball works. But third base offensive production as a whole (Shaw has taken about 60% of the PAs) has been a black hole the entire season, and we are, YTD, the third best offense in baseball. 

The problem to address, to the extent that a 45-29 team has Serious Problems, is pitching. Not the guy batting 9th who can run and field. 

For me personally, I think the offense is great even with Shaw.  I just saw an opportunity to 'go for the kill' so to speak.  The Cubs would overwhelm a lot of these teams on offense if they had a plus hitter at 3rd.  But I recognize that Shaw deserves more time to figure it out and there might not be a viable upgrade available 

Holy cow what a play by Boyd 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Wow what a catch 

[Derwood]

We have jut witnessed a miracle

[gflore34]

Well, luck took away and gave to the Cubs that inning.

[JHBulls]

Elise needs to go back and ask Matt’s dad if he thought his son had died. 

[Geographyhater8888]

2 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I understand we've been struggling offensively lately. Probably some legitimate cause for concern under the hood, probably at least a little based on the elite starting pitching we have faced and continue to face, probably just the ups and downs of how baseball works. But third base offensive production as a whole (Shaw has taken about 60% of the PAs) has been a black hole the entire season, and we are, YTD, the third best offense in baseball. 

The problem to address, to the extent that a 45-29 team has Serious Problems, is pitching. Not the guy batting 9th who can run and field. 

And our starting catcher who went from arguably our second best hitter in April and some of May to going 10 for his last 100 is now 2 black holes instead of 1 black hole+piazza. Third in the league and will likely keep dropping until Amaya comes back.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Kurt Boyd just pulled a Javy