Royals (RICH HILL!!!) vs Cubs (Boyd): 7/22/25, 7:05pm

[Cubs420psd]

Not to pile on Happ but why would you give that dude a full no trade?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 23, 2025 by Cubs420psd

[squally1313]

15 minutes ago, Cubs420psd said:

Not to pile on Happ but why would you give that dude a full no trade?

 

 

 

 

 

Since the start of 2022 (which was the year before they gave him the extension with the NTC), Happ is 12th in baseball in outfield fWAR

[CubUgly]

54 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Planned short outing to limit his innings and pitches. 

Probably in the same boat as a couple of our starters, there is concern over how many innings are in that arme this year.  What are the most innings he's pitched in a year in the minors?

[Derwood]

So, does that dude still not trust Boyd in a playoff series?

[Bobson Dugnutt]

6 minutes ago, CubUgly said:

Probably in the same boat as a couple of our starters, there is concern over how many innings are in that arme this year.  What are the most innings he's pitched in a year in the minors?

97.1 last year. He’s currently at 92.2.

[CubUgly]

10 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

97.1 last year. He’s currently at 92.2.

The old unwritten rule used to be not to let a pitcher pitch more than 30 innings more than was pitched the previous season - or some would even use 50% more as the benchmark.  According to Sharma teams use other means of measuring wear and tear now, but still no one really knows.  But it's obvious the Brewers are concerned about it and are really dialing him back. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

2 minutes ago, CubUgly said:

The old unwritten rule used to be not to let a pitcher pitch more than 30 innings more than was pitched the previous season - or some would even use 50% more as the benchmark.  According to Sharma teams use other means of measuring wear and tear now, but still no one really knows.  But it's obvious the Brewers are concerned about it and are really dialing him back. 

I share their concern. They should rest him for a month or two just to be on the safe side.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Sign Tucker, go with Happ to start 2026, if he does his start the season in a slump thing, phase Cassie in, with the intent to make him the permanent LFer.

I think if the Cubs do sign Tucker, Happ will be traded. I know he has a NTC, so they may have to get a list of teams he would agree to be traded to. Cassie would then get left field. If they can’t move Happ they may trade Suzuki(which, IMO, is a mistake)

[Rcal10]

19 minutes ago, CubUgly said:

The old unwritten rule used to be not to let a pitcher pitch more than 30 innings more than was pitched the previous season - or some would even use 50% more as the benchmark.  According to Sharma teams use other means of measuring wear and tear now, but still no one really knows.  But it's obvious the Brewers are concerned about it and are really dialing him back. 

Which is why Horton needs to be watched closely. 

[s2obed]

2 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

Not to pile on Happ but why would you give that dude a full no trade?

 

 

 

 

 

Happ has been a model of consistently. He’s having a down year, no need to panic imo. 

Edited July 23, 2025 by s2obed

[CubUgly]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

Which is why Horton needs to be watched closely. 

I would and have said the same about Boyd.   And that concern is to a higher degree.

[Derwood]

4 minutes ago, s2obed said:

Happ has been a model of consistently. He’s having a down year, no need to panic imo. 

He seems to have gotten slower and worse at hitting this year. We'll see how "consistent" he is going forward

[gflore34]

1 hour ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

I share their concern. They should rest him for a month or two just to be on the safe side.

To be safe they should shut him down for the rest of the season, just to be safe.

[gflore34]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

I think if the Cubs do sign Tucker, Happ will be traded. I know he has a NTC, so they may have to get a list of teams he would agree to be traded to. Cassie would then get left field. If they can’t move Happ they may trade Suzuki(which, IMO, is a mistake)

You're probably correct about Happ being traded, I fully agree about Suzuki as well.  I was just thinking if there's a way to avoid the massive early struggles when seen from PCA and Shaw hence, the phasing in of Cassie.

[Andy]

2 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

Not to pile on Happ but why would you give that dude a full no trade?

 

 

 

 

 

The likely answer is because his contract is cheaper because of it.

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 hour ago, s2obed said:

Happ has been a model of consistently. He’s having a down year, no need to panic imo. 

It has little to do with panic and more to logic for me. The Cubs should sign Tucker. We all know that they have the money to offer him but Ricketts isn't going to make it that easy so you free up the money by trading Happ and Taillon and you fill LF internally, hope you can get another Rea type to help with the SP depth.

 

Happ's athletic decline is in pretty apparent effect. He's at that age. I think most organizations would be looking to move a guy like that.

[chibears55]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Which is why Horton needs to be watched closely. 

Which is why as said by both of us and others, they need to try and get 2 SP at the deadline. 

Obvious one is to fit in with Imanaga and Boyd to give 3 reliable starters for the postseason run.

Other one is because Horton innings will become limited most likely, Taillon will be unknown on how he'll come back from injury and might be limited also, Rea is being pushed to his limits, he sorta on press your luck time(lol). Then theres the rest.

So yes, one SP would be great, two would be awesome and preferred. 

Hopefully Hoyer can work some magic soon

[chibears55]

4 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

Not to pile on Happ but why would you give that dude a full no trade?

 

 

 

 

 

It ok to pile on Happ, I think it time to stop giving him the bad luck excuse and just call it like it is, Happ isnt Happening this season. 

Don't know the reason, maybe too much coffee and late night podcasts, maybe hes just at the end of his rope, or maybe even not getting enough days off, but i doubt we'll see a solid finish to the season by Happ other then some spurts here and there like the little HR spurt he did in June.

I really hope im wrong because they need him for a real strong run to get to the WS, but he just dont look like normal Happ this season.

 

As far as after this season, I hope whomever the POBO/GM is, they can convince Ian to waive his NTC and move him.

Obviously need to resign Tucker, but an OF of Caissie PCA and Tucker is intriguing. 

 

[UMFan83]

Happ has always been a streaky hitter. Roughly 20 games ago his season OPS was in line with his career numbers despite having unfortunate luck. For some reason every time Happ has a bad stretch fans are ready to throw him away but he always bounces back. I’ll trust in that until he proves me wrong or gets to an age where it’s more likely to be decline than streakiness

Edited July 23, 2025 by UMFan83

[BKHoo]

3 hours ago, CubUgly said:

I would and have said the same about Boyd.   And that concern is to a higher degree.

We have a few where they will be monitoring their innings.  That’s why we probably need two starters at the trade deadline. 

[chibears55]

4 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Happ has always been a streaky hitter. Roughly 20 games ago his season OPS was in line with his career numbers despite having unfortunate luck. For some reason every time Happ has a bad stretch fans are ready to throw him away but he always bounces back. I’ll trust in that until he proves me wrong or gets to an age where it’s more likely to be decline than streakiness

He has been dropping each month so far.

April 265/351/371/722

May 243/341/343/684

June 208/298/481/779 He had HR Spurt(9)

July 153/265/237/502

Don't know what else there is to see, but outside of his HR spurt in June, he has been declining each month in all his numbers.

So, he hasn't really been his normal streaky self this season and his bad stretches has been extending month to month.

 

 

[UMFan83]

25 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

He has been dropping each month so far.

April 265/351/371/722

May 243/341/343/684

June 208/298/481/779 He had HR Spurt(9)

July 153/265/237/502

Don't know what else there is to see, but outside of his HR spurt in June, he has been declining each month in all his numbers.

So, he hasn't really been his normal streaky self this season and his bad stretches has been extending month to month.

 

 

So we're supposed to just disregard the HRs because it doesn't fit the narrative?  I would call a home run a very positive outcome.

[chibears55]

8 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

So we're supposed to just disregard the HRs because it doesn't fit the narrative?  I would call a home run a very positive outcome.

Lol..  nobody said anything about disregarding his HRs, he had a HR spurt in June, he still struggled overall in June and dropped in Avg and OB but yea his 9 HRs gave him a good Slg and OPS.

After his 9th HR and his positive spurt on June 25th, he hasn't done much of anything since and seems to be on his worse stretch of the season so far.

79 AB 11 hits 2XBH(both doubles) 

We all want Happ to snap out of it and go off but it just doesn't seem like it gonna happen this season, hopefully it does cause the Cubs need him.

[UMFan83]

11 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Lol..  nobody said anything about disregarding his HRs, he had a HR spurt in June, he still struggled overall in June and dropped in Avg and OB but yea his 9 HRs gave him a good Slg and OPS.

After his 9th HR and his positive spurt on June 25th, he hasn't done much of anything since and seems to be on his worse stretch of the season so far.

79 AB 11 hits 2XBH(both doubles) 

We all want Happ to snap out of it and go off but it just doesn't seem like it gonna happen this season, hopefully it does cause the Cubs need him.

It just feels like you're downplaying the nine home runs because it doesn't fit the argument that he's been bad. Hitting nine in a month is a big deal. That kind of power has a huge impact, regardless of what his average or OBP looked like.

Yeah, he's been cold lately. No one’s denying that. But saying he "still struggled overall" in June while also acknowledging the home runs doesn't really add up. You can't ignore the fact that those homers drove production and helped the team. If anything, that stretch showed what he's capable of when things are clicking.

[squally1313]

That was just a 'spurt' guys. 

51 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

After his 9th HR and his positive spurt on June 25th, he hasn't done much of anything since and seems to be on his worse stretch of the season so far.

79 AB 11 hits 2XBH(both doubles) 

This is so dumb. What if I create a sample size that starts immediately after he played good? Seems pretty obvious he's bad if you look at that way!