BREAKING: Cubs Sign Third Baseman Alex Bregman to Five-Year Deal

[macarthur31]

Rates and Barrels pod with Eno Sarris and Derek VanRipen spend the first 35 minutes of this ep examining the Bregman signing, as well as the knock on effects for Matt Shaw.   Sarris notes that Bregman is 40% better than league average at both walking and not striking out, and that combo is unicorn type stuff.  He generates the comps list of 8 other players that have done that in MLB history, and how they did after age 31.  There's some serious variance: Lenny Dykstra was the lowest, having generated 5.6 WAR while Joe Morgan put up 46.7 WAR!  Sarris notes: "...just not striking out and walking and having defensive value like he does...puts him in a place where the average guy that was his comp after 31 put another 20 wins on the table..."  Of course, injuries can happen and it could be cut short - but overall, that's a good list to be on.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Banks-Williams said:

Why would they stop after 2017?  The cheating wasnt revealed until late 2019.  Go on YouTube and watch the videos some sleuths put together sbout 2018-19. Altuve’s 2019 game 6 ALCS walk-off homer is highly questionable. Ken Rosenthal was bery suspicious and questioned him about why he prevented his teammates from removing his shirt.  Arrolis Chapman, the pitcher, believed he was cheating as well. The necklace beneath his shirt is believed to have contained a signaling device. Altuve gave some very strange answers when questioned about the fear of shirt removal (he’d removed it a few times before).  Go watch the videos, and you’ll be convinced they were cheating in 2019 up to at least the end of the ALCS. 

So is this a moral or ethical issue with you or do you believe he was only good because he cheated and Shaw can be just as good. Because, I have to tell you if your issue is with Bregman morally, and that is what you are basing wanted Shaw over Bregman, I couldn’t disagree more. I don’t understand how you can suggest Bregman is this bad guy because he cheated, and then not comment on Shaw’s views. I think Shaw’s beliefs are way more offensive than Bregman cheating.
And, if you think Shaw is better than Bregman, your wrong there too. We can only hope turns into what Bregman is. And if he does he will be an awesome second baseman on the ‘27 team. He will also be someone I will never like as a human. 

[Jason Ross]

29 minutes ago, Banks-Williams said:

Why would they stop after 2017?  The cheating wasnt revealed until late 2019.  Go on YouTube and watch the videos some sleuths put together sbout 2018-19. Altuve’s 2019 game 6 ALCS walk-off homer is highly questionable. Ken Rosenthal was bery suspicious and questioned him about why he prevented his teammates from removing his shirt.  Arrolis Chapman, the pitcher, believed he was cheating as well. The necklace beneath his shirt is believed to have contained a signaling device. Altuve gave some very strange answers when questioned about the fear of shirt removal (he’d removed it a few times before).  Go watch the videos, and you’ll be convinced they were cheating in 2019 up to at least the end of the ALCS. 

Beyond the silliness of "go watch conspiracy theory YouTube videos" what does any of that have to do with my original point; his value *since 2022*?  

Are you just not reading? What is going on here? 

[Banks-Williams]

20 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Beyond the silliness of "go watch conspiracy theory YouTube videos" what does any of that have to do with my original point; his value *since 2022*?  

Are you just not reading? What is going on here? 

I have already talked about his hitting post cheating on this forum many times.  Go look at his stats yourself!  There nothing to write home about. He bats a little above average, he rarely steals a base, he usually strikes out more than he walks (he only had more BB than SO in two years post cheating), and he only hit 18 HRs last year.  He’s no superstar. His great years were 2017-19.  Any wonder?

Don’t ridicule something you haven’t watched.   

[ToolDRT]

Between psd and here I’ve never done this, but how do I block a poster?

[cl smooth]

12 minutes ago, Banks-Williams said:

I have already talked about his hitting post cheating on this forum many times.  Go look at his stats yourself!  There nothing to write home about. He bats a little above average, he rarely steals a base, he usually strikes out more than he walks (he only had more BB than SO in two years post cheating), and he only hit 18 HRs last year.  He’s no superstar. His great years were 2017-19.  Any wonder?

Don’t ridicule something you haven’t watched.   

[Brian707]

17 minutes ago, Banks-Williams said:

I have already talked about his hitting post cheating on this forum many times.  Go look at his stats yourself!  There nothing to write home about. He bats a little above average, he rarely steals a base, he usually strikes out more than he walks (he only had more BB than SO in two years post cheating), and he only hit 18 HRs last year.  He’s no superstar. His great years were 2017-19.  Any wonder?

Don’t ridicule something you haven’t watched.   

[KCCub]

20 minutes ago, Banks-Williams said:

He bats a little above average, he rarely steals a base, he usually strikes out more than he walks (he only had more BB than SO in two years post cheating), and he only hit 18 HRs last year.  

Hey I’ve got good news for you since you care about walk to K rate. Bregman had the 17th best BB/K rate in all of baseball last season (Min 400PAs)!! That’s pretty good right?

 

[KCCub]

And since 2022, he’s 6th overall! Wow, what a hitter!

 

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, macarthur31 said:

Rates and Barrels pod with Eno Sarris and Derek VanRipen spend the first 35 minutes of this ep examining the Bregman signing, as well as the knock on effects for Matt Shaw.   Sarris notes that Bregman is 40% better than league average at both walking and not striking out, and that combo is unicorn type stuff.  He generates the comps list of 8 other players that have done that in MLB history, and how they did after age 31.  There's some serious variance: Lenny Dykstra was the lowest, having generated 5.6 WAR while Joe Morgan put up 46.7 WAR!  Sarris notes: "...just not striking out and walking and having defensive value like he does...puts him in a place where the average guy that was his comp after 31 put another 20 wins on the table..."  Of course, injuries can happen and it could be cut short - but overall, that's a good list to be on.

Wow I knew having good K/BB was a good harbinger for aging gracefully but holy hell.

I listened to Sharma and Mooney's podcast from over the weekend and Sharma said that their internal model absolutely adores him.  It was funny the talk track was something about how much they like him off the field, something like "And sure their model loves him but as a person..." and I very much wanted to hear more about what the model thought.

[Derwood]

Bregman's 2025 Hard Hit % was the highest of his career.

His OPS was his highest since 2019

He had 18 HR because he only played 114 games. He was on pace for 25 HR in a full season.

[Bertz]

 

 

[Outshined_One]

Guys guys guys.

We have to talk about getting Bregman to slide into 1st more often.

[Dfan25]

Would imagine he takes the physical tomorrow and the press conference on Wednesday ?  

[Dfan25]

Also Edward  Cabrera will be at the convention 

[ILMindState]

Great, another staring 3B who’s gonna miss games to attend political rallies /s

[mk49]

My guess is both Cabrera and Bregman do the press conference at the Cubs Con.  I can't wait to hear what they say.

[Stratos]

The most Brett Taylor take ever.  JFC:

 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

1 hour ago, Stratos said:

The most Brett Taylor take ever.  JFC:

 

You know he’s joking, right?

[Geographyhater8888]

Would’ve been nice if they signed Bregman last year to cash in on their 1 year with Tucker.

Edited January 13 by Geographyhater8888

[Andy]

15 hours ago, ToolDRT said:

Between psd and here I’ve never done this, but how do I block a poster?

Top right corner of the page there are three horizontal lines, click that, then click 'account' which will bring up a sub-menu from which you can click 'ignored users,' then type in the username you wish to ignore

Edited January 13 by Andy

[Derwood]

5 minutes ago, Andy said:

Top right corner of the page there are three horizontal lines, click that, then click 'account' which will bring up a sub-menu from which you can click 'ignored users,' then type in the username you wish to ignore

But you both need to ignore the user AND the user's posts (for some reason). It's two separate actions

[Dfan25]

Looks like Bregman was ready to sign with Boston for 165 , asked for the NTC and Boston said no , and that’s when the Cubs got him 

[Radar3454]

Keith Law with some interesting info about Shaw (which may be influenced by his political views) 

The Cubs now have one infielder too many, and they’re going to end up trading someone. The most obvious candidate is Shaw, whose rookie season was a disappointment at the plate thanks to some frequent mechanical changes and, according to people I’ve spoken to, resistance to help from the Cubs’ staff. He also made his priorities clear when he left the team during the pennant race to attend a political rally, missing a game the Cubs lost 1-0.

[KCCub]

1 minute ago, Radar3454 said:

Keith Law with some interesting info about Shaw (which may be influenced by his political views) 

The Cubs now have one infielder too many, and they’re going to end up trading someone. The most obvious candidate is Shaw, whose rookie season was a disappointment at the plate thanks to some frequent mechanical changes and, according to people I’ve spoken to, resistance to help from the Cubs’ staff. He also made his priorities clear when he left the team during the pennant race to attend a political rally, missing a game the Cubs lost 1-0.

This has been floated around here quite a bit and I believe 1908 was the one who pointed out Shaw made huge mechanical changes with his swing (Around his leg kick) this season, so that piece doesn't really add up.