Little Slide Rooter

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/07/mets-trade-rumors-dominic-smith-red-sox-cubs.html

I mean, why not just swap Clint (or whatever he wants to be called) Frazier for him? Both former blue chippers with big league success, both young enough that there’s the off chance that they can do it again. And it’s not like 1B is locked down by the AAAA Brothers.

but do they really think they're right? that's what i always wonder. like, do most bad people know they're bad?

 

Everyone is the hero in their own story.

 

I think this holds true for most people, but some people certainly know they're evil and what they're doing is evil. Putin knows he's an horsefeathers, the "bad guy" and he simply doesn't care. Same thing with Trump.

Nah, these dudes are narcissists. They know that they’re doing wrong, but in their mind, it’s for the greater good and one day they’ll get the praise they deserve.

Bauer’s just a creep, along the lines of Armie Hammer, who thinks that since there’s no law against sexual deviance, so long as it’s consensual-ish, he must be in the right.

but do they really think they're right? that's what i always wonder. like, do most bad people know they're bad?

 

Everyone is the hero in their own story.

Sergio Mitre?

Apparently former Cubs pitcher Sergio Mitre for raping and killed his stepdaughter and has been sentenced to 40+ years in prison. Horrible story.

 

https://www.nj.com/yankees/2022/01/former-yankees-pitcher-found-guilty-sentenced-for-despicable-rape-murder-of-infant-girl.html

Saw that. Someone finally topped Mel Hall as the most diabolical ex-Cub, If not former big leaguer.

Had no idea he was good for a 6.0 WAR last year- considering that the Cubs highest was Contreras at 4.1.

I mean he’s still 35 years old, but for a 1 year/ $10mm pickup, can’t complain at all. If he can hang on for a few months, maybe he can land us our next Arrietta.

TLR on combating sign stealing. Warning: extremely silly.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/tony-la-russa-s-idea-to-combat-sign-stealing-is-dumbest-thing-we-ve-ever-heard/ar-AAPo4SF?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

 

Sure if he does he would be an excellent full time player. People are rightly wary of someone with ok minor league numbers breaking out at age 29 and don't want to hand out starting spots based on a still small sample size of ~150 PAs. He could be legit but its still early to tell for sure.

 

Well we have to hope because it looks like the plan is for Schwindel, Wisdom, and Ortega are all penciled in for next year.

lol - None of us have the slightest idea what the plan looks like.

Happ, Madrigal, Wily, Nico, and a revolving door of AAAA slug beasts.

Though I'd prefer that Ricketts sell to someone with deeper pockets, I cant get behind the hate for him. Without Ricketts, there's no Theo, the catalyst to the greatest stretch of Cubs baseball of our lifetime, and perhaps the most thrilling 3 innings in baseball history (need I elaborate?)

Granted, they've been dropping the ball ever since, but I think I'm at peace with it.

I've wanted for some time to see a mid or major market team try a lineup of AAAA players and spend 70% of their payroll on the rotation. I doubt that happens here but, Wisdom, Ortega, Schwindel, and to a lesser extent Hermosillo and Rivas fit the bill. Guys who have a history of performing when given consistent PAs but were never a top prospect are the new market inefficiency.

 

Of course it only (theoretically) works if you go out and sign the best FA starters (or ideally trade for them when you have surplus assets).

Maybe if the Cubs relocate to Japan.

maybe i'm just happy that this hints at more of a retool than a rebuild,

What in the Sam Hill?

 

what? I'm saying it looks like they're going more for a couple down years than a full on tank and rebuild

My thoughts exactly. An all out fire sale would have seen Hendricks and Contreras shipped out. This was a purging of expiring contracts with very rights emotional strings attached. We may not have another

Anthony&

Kris&

Javy&

Kyle&

Albert&

Jorge&

Mendy.

To look forward to, but Madrigal, Contreras, Hendricks, Nico, Happ, and a whole lot of cash coming off the books leave me cautiously optimistic about a new window opening sooner than later.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the "Who?" portion of the draft.

Almost as fun as tomorrow’s “names out of a hat” extravaganza.

Because there's no game thread...here's one.

Jake's due for a good outing. That or a retirement party.

Win. Or don't. But preferably do. Unless you don't want to.

There’s no team that should be panicking more than the Brewers. It’s one thing for one young starter to get off to a smoking hot start; but for Burnes (whose spin rate has already taken a documented dip,) Woodruff, & Peralta- all quality mid rotation guys, to suddenly become Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz is highly improbable.

Couple that with their anemic offense, and they could be in trouble.

Patrick Wisdom hit a homerun tonight and his OPS went down.

It may be a matter of days before he falls flat on his face. But what separates him from the AAAA sluggers of Cubs past is that he's doing it at a time when it actually matters. If nothing else, hopefully the smoke and mirrors are enough to earn him a few million yen on the other side of the pond.