Cubs (Horton) vs Astros (Walter): 6/27/25, 7:10pm

[Geographyhater8888]

25 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Suarez is a streaky hitter that would make Dansby blush. I’d worry they’d trade for him and he’d go into a funk. 

Can he play first? A streaky Suarez>Justin Turners consistent below average offensive production. That’d solve the lefty issues to an extent 

[Geographyhater8888]

4 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Looking ahead, though, the Cubs' have far fewer remaning games against .500+ teams than either Milwaukee or St Louis

They’ll need it. The rotation without Steele is bad and won’t shut down the teams you’ll be playing in October. The pitching staff is 28th in bWAR whether and not much better according to fWAR. 
 

time for the top of the order to pull their weight tonight because Sunday is a horrible matchup. No more missed opportunities with bases loaded and runners on third with no outs if they want to stay on top because they’ll be at a disadvantage 3/5 games until Taillon finds his touch again. 

Edited June 28, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

That’s because the Brewers took care of these first place teams early on sweeping the Phiies and taking 2/3 from Detroit and Houston. What we’re seeing is either a good cubs team that struggles vs other top teams and or a team that’s been remarkable at playing appropriately to their level of competition.

When the offense has come back to earth and the easy portion of the may/June schedule is over, we’re seeing a pitching staff with too many cracks and expected regression from Rae and Horton with too much mileage and the hard contact allowed finally missing fielders.

What we are seeing is the. Cubs are 14 games over .500 a game past the halfway point of the season. They are playing at a 94-95 win pace. If the rest of the central was playing as expected maybe one team would have been 2 to 4 games over .500. And the Cubs lead would be 5 or 6 games in the midst of a slump. Cubs are doing very well this season. It just so happens the central is doing well too. The Cubs can’t do anything about that. However, had you told me the Cubs would be 48-34 after 82 games, in the beginning of the season, I would have been very happy. They need at least one more starting pitcher. If he is a MOR type, they probably need 2. They can use another pen arm and probably another bat. But they are playing as well as anyone should have expected this season. 

[Geographyhater8888]

16 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What we are seeing is the. Cubs are 14 games over .500 a game past the halfway point of the season. They are playing at a 94-95 win pace. If the rest of the central was playing as expected maybe one team would have been 2 to 4 games over .500. And the Cubs lead would be 5 or 6 games in the midst of a slump. Cubs are doing very well this season. It just so happens the central is doing well too. The Cubs can’t do anything about that. However, had you told me the Cubs would be 48-34 after 82 games, in the beginning of the season, I would have been very happy. They need at least one more starting pitcher. If he is a MOR type, they probably need 2. They can use another pen arm and probably another bat. But they are playing as well as anyone should have expected this season. 

Who’s available that’ll truly make a big impact in the rotation that won’t cost you the farm? The problem is hedging your bets on 2025 with the uncertainty over whether or not Tucker will still be a Cub next year. If Tom insists on skating around a top 10 payroll then you’ll have to be careful with what you give up because if the cubs don’t make a deep playoff runs you’ve punted on some of the future. 
 

in this scenario you’re better off letting the year play out and trade for a MOR arm that won’t cost much and hope when the farm is ready and on cheap deals they’ll splurge a bit in free agency like that 2015-19 window. 
 

I don’t know about Degroms availability and if he’d cost the farm and or Texas would settle for the cubs taking on his salary and hedging your bets on him staying healthy for the remainder of the year, which isn’t characteristic of the Cubs. Not since trading for Cole Hammels.

 

The cubs are 14 games above 500 and have been hovering around that mark for the last 26 games, so the trend here is the issue and the rotations flaws mixed in with some issues with manufacturing runs has been a negative trend.

doesnt mean the cubs are doomed but the goal posts have moved from no 3 game losing streaks to top 5 in OPS vs left handed pitcher to wherever they’ve fallen to now, record vs over 500 teams keeps dropping, good spot, we’ll see if how they fare as the season progresses. The goal is winning a World Series, not being good.

Edited June 28, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Derwood]

Worrying about Tucker next year is silly if it means it costs you the ring this year

[Geographyhater8888]

2 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Worrying about Tucker next year is silly if it means it costs you the ring this year

Who’s available or who do think will be available and what is the price you’d be willing to pay? 

[Rcal10]

22 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Who’s available or who do think will be available and what is the price you’d be willing to pay? 

There are a lot of variables. If they feel good about retaining Tucker any hitter(s) is/are available. So maybe they go for Alcantara. If they want to hedge then maybe Kelly, Keller, or Lugo type guys. Guys with just this year left shouldn’t be that costly. Because Keller has several years left but at 15M a year he might not be that costly. Honestly, you have to do what’s necessary this year. Honestly if you traded for Bedard and Keller and then still got Alcantara you can use all those guys this year and then trade one or two of them next year to replenish the farm. You will have Steele coming back with Imanaga, Boyd and Taillon plus you would have young arms like Wiggins, Horton & Brown for the rotation. You wouldn’t need both Keller and Alcantara. I am honestly not worried about deleting the farm. They need to do what’s necessary they can this year. They have the prospects and room in the payroll. They can replenish the farm later. I also do think they will retain Tucker. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

46 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

in this scenario you’re better off letting the year play out and trade for a MOR arm that won’t cost much and hope when the farm is ready and on cheap deals they’ll splurge a bit in free agency like that 2015-19 window. 

Who exactly are we waiting on?

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Who exactly are we waiting on?

That is just it. This idea we have to wait for a system guy to come up and not trade someone is silly to me. Trade who you have to in order to get better. If the guy you trade becomes a star, oh well. It happens. If that guy is a star but the guy you for for him helps the team to the WS, it is worth the cost. Cubs lost Torres for Chapman. Torres turned into a pretty good player. But the Cubs don’t even get past SF without Chapman. And they won the WS. So the trade is a win for the Cubs. 

[Geographyhater8888]

8 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Who exactly are we waiting on?

Cassie and Alcantara are supposed to be contingency plans for the outfield when Happ and Suzuki are off the books, in theory. I don’t know where Rojas or Bellestaros fit, perhaps DH? Not saying they aren’t expendable, but if they restocked the farm to use as trade chips then it doesn’t line up with a fringe top 10 payroll. We’re also waiting on Shaw and Horton to make significant contributions and would net you the best arm available.
 

I wish I knew exactly what goes on behind closed doors. 

[Geographyhater8888]

25 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

That is just it. This idea we have to wait for a system guy to come up and not trade someone is silly to me. Trade who you have to in order to get better. If the guy you trade becomes a star, oh well. It happens. If that guy is a star but the guy you for for him helps the team to the WS, it is worth the cost. Cubs lost Torres for Chapman. Torres turned into a pretty good player. But the Cubs don’t even get past SF without Chapman. And they won the WS. So the trade is a win for the Cubs. 

Torres was expendable because Russel and Javy were the future of the MI. Just playing devils advocate here but this is what happens when you sit on $40 million that you slashed off your payroll and didn’t put back into the team, hedging your bets on Boyd topping 160+ innings he hasn’t hit in years and Brown holding down the fort until Assad comes backs who were still waiting on and doesn’t really move the needle a whole lot unless you’re comparing him to Rae Brown and a rookie Horton.

 

like you I think there’s a possibility Tucker returns, which I wonder how it effects the way they operate during the deadline if at all.

 

Edited June 28, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Derwood]

Minor leaguers are assets. You trade assets for assets.

[Rcal10]

30 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Torres was expendable because Russel and Javy were the future of the MI. Just playing devils advocate here but this is what happens when you sit on $40 million that you slashed off your payroll and didn’t put back into the team, hedging your bets on Boyd topping 160+ innings he hasn’t hit in years and Brown holding down the fort until Assad comes backs who were still waiting on and doesn’t really move the needle a whole lot unless you’re comparing him to Rae Brown and a rookie Horton.

 

like you I think there’s a possibility Tucker returns, which I wonder how it effects the way they operate during the deadline if at all.

 

What happens by stashing payroll is at the deadline no player is off limits. The payroll is not a problem. I do not necessarily like them doing what they did. I cost them a better player earlier. But now they can get whoever they want and not have payroll be an issue. Will they🤷. But they can. I think you mentioned deGrom. Yes, they can even afford him this year. How many teams can eat his salary? The mega spenders can, but it will also cost them the same in luxury tax. The Cubs can afford him and not pay LT. I doubt they fk after deGrom, but they can. 

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Minor leaguers are assets. You trade assets for assets.

Yes! Except what should be added is you trade MINOR LEAGUE assets for MAJOR LEAGUE ASSETS. 

[Rcal10]

38 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

 

like you I think there’s a possibility Tucker returns, which I wonder how it effects the way they operate during the deadline if at all.

 

If they do believe Tucker will be here after this year that allows them to be more aggressive with the young bats. So I do believe it is a factor. 

Edited June 28, 2025 by Rcal10

[Irrelevant Dude]

4 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

What happens by stashing payroll is at the deadline no player is off limits. The payroll is not a problem.

They didn't need to keep as much cash free as they did for that to be the case.  Even if they shop at the top of the market, pro-rated salaries aren't even going to come close to what they have available under the luxury tax.

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

They didn't need to keep as much cash free as they did for that to be the case.  Even if they shop at the top of the market, pro-rated salaries aren't even going to come close to what they have available under the luxury tax.

I know that. That is why I didn’t like the idea. But they did it. I am not arguing that is was a good idea. It wasn’t. But now that they did do it, there are no excuses for adding whoever they want. I am just not sure they add that much payroll anyway. BUT THEY COULD!