Tryptamine

and a guy I've literally never heard of takes Assad deep.

Getting no no'd through 4 against Herz after back to back warning track flyouts.

The issue is where is this person going to play? Who are you kicking out of the lineup? Having both Seiya and Bellinger on the team kind of makes going after Soto, Alsono Santander, Martinez impossible unless you're moving on from Busch, which I guess I could get behind but would anyone give up the haul that would actually make it worth while?

Boss is on vacation, I don't have an appointment until 2:30PM, so why not a far too early what I'd like to see in the offseason. I'm assuming Bellinger opts in at this point. I'm also assuming that Jed almost has to move some prospects with Caissie/Shaw/Alcantara/Ballesteros/Triantos all likely ready to see time in 2025, unless they fall on their face. 1) I'd like to bring in Carson Kelly(2/20) to split time with Amaya. He'd still get good number of starts behind the plate and other at bats as DH with injuries. He's a good enough back up where you still feel pretty good if Amaya gets hurt or becomes first half Amaya again. He's probably going to take starter money because he probably should be one, but he'd still probably see 250-300 ABs on the Cubs. 2) Bryce Miller/Celesten for Caissie+Triantos. Seattle always needs bats and they acquire 2 that are just about major league ready. Miller has the stuff to be a top 2 starter in this rotation, but he needs some pitch usage tweaks especially on his breaking stuff. Celesten is very highly thought of, but also very far away. He's coming off hamate surgery but he also provides the kind of star power that the current farm is shallow in. 3) Jack Flaherty 4/72- He's been excellent in 2024 and the only thing surpressing the price is his struggles the previous few years prior to this year, but he has a history of being good to elite in 2018 and 2019. It's a Taillon contract, but significantly more upside. 4) Sign David Robertson 2/20- Yeah he's 39 right now but that hasn't stopped him from putting up 3 excellent season in a row, including this one. He'll almost assuredly decline his $7M mutual offer with Texas and he's a guy guy who can play either the setup role or the closer role depending on need. 5) Andrew Nardi for Alfonsin Rosario+Mervis. Nardi is nails on lefties and while the ERA isn't glowing this year, he's also sporting a 63.9LOB%. The FIP, xFIP, xERA all tell a much more positive story, like the one from his 2023 season. I'm not ready to hand Wicks/Assad a rotation spot and I'd love to move Taillon out, but I don't think that's likely. C- Amaya(He's shown enough to be a part of the 2025 squad, but there's enough uncertainty that Jed is going to have to spend on a good backup, just in case) 1B- Busch(He's struggling right now, but he's shown enough) 2B- Nico(I'm torn here. I could 100% justifiably see him traded and Shaw plugged in, but would it make the 2025 team better?) SS- Dansby( better 2nd half with the bat, defense back to elite levels after struggles early) 3B- Paredes(I am worried, but at the same time they're not going to give up on him after such a short time when he has a multi year track record) LF- Happ(Solid as always) CF- PCA(Has definitely earned the right to be the guy in 2025) RF- Bellinger(I'd prefer he opted out because the offensive addition options are really limited if he doesn't, but it's not going to happen. At least this way RF gets a defensive upgrade) DH- Seiya Bench- Kelly, Vazquez, Alcantara, TBD on a suitable 3B back up in case Paredes continues to suck Yeah, they don't really get that elite bat that they need, but at least it's a pretty deep lineup. SP- Steele/Shota/Flaherty/Miller/Taillon depth Wicks/Wesneski and eventually Horton/Birdsell This should be a substantial upgrade on the 2024 Cubs with the upside for a dominant rotation. RP- Robertson, Miller, Hodge, Assad, Brown, Nardi and the last two slots filled in by Neely/Little/Palencia/Pearson depending on health Not a ton of necessary tweaks, a guy who can get lefties, a guy who can close but has the flexibility to become a setup man if someone like Hodge steps up.

I mean, there is a non zero chance Robert gets non tendered this offseason if they can't move him in a trade. What was once a very team friendly deal of 3/55 over the next 3 years, would be more than I'd give him if he hit FA this offseason.

I doubt they do much with catcher other than a back up with the way Amaya has played since the ASB anyway. It will mean they have significant money to throw at SP/RP upgrades though and hopefully a better 4th OFer because I am so over Tauchmann. The only thing Tauchmann really brings to the table is walks. Not much pop, not very good defensively, just ok on the bases. He's not bad persay, I just think they can do better.

Today's hot take. I don't think I really want Corbin Burnes in FA if he's getting the type of contract I expect him to get. Over the last 4 years his K/9 has gone from 12.61 to 10.83 to 9.29 and now sits at 8.22. His BB% has stayed pretty similar outside of an outlier in 2023. His FIP this year is 3.69, xFIP 3.61, xERA, 3.37. His quality of contact is pretty much in line with the last few years, His Hard% is right along career norms, but he has been barreled up a bit more often. He's still a very very good pitcher and he would make the Cubs better without question, but I'm not sure I want to be tied to him on something like a 7 year $250 million dollar deal like what is being predicted.

The funny part is the Cardinals are actually overachieving according to their run differential. They're still just as ****** as 2023.

Tickets for yesterday's doubleheader

Can't believe the Cubs are off again. Maybe I'm wrong, but it feels like a ton of off days over the last 3ish weeks.

PCA up to 1.9 fWAR in 303 PAs, so roughly 3.8-4 fWAR pace over a full season of PAs.

After losing both games of the doubleheader, the Sox now sit at 31 and 103. This means they'll now have to go 11-17 or better to avoid losing the most games in modern era. Their WP% is at .231 which is the worst in the modern era.

And yet when I was just talking to my friend about how PCA has been killing it since the ASB, he responded that so did Seiya last year and he's only average this year. It's amazing how out of touch most fans are with reality. I get the impression they'd rather have the .750 OPS 30 HR bat over the .850 OPS 20 HR guy.

Crazy to me that PCA is playing at 3 fwar per 162 while sporting an 81 wRC+ prior to this game. Is he seriously around a 5 fWAR player if he's just a league average bat?

Let's focus on PCA being the 2025 MVP that he will clearly be.

On the positive side of things PCA is up to a .664 OPS at the moment and an 84 wRC+. If he manages to get to .700 we should all be thrilled with his rookie year.

Way to bother showing up today pitchers.

Crazy that with an almost 100 run difference in their run differential, the Cardinals are still only 1.5 games in back of the Cubs.

This is about as lopsided a game as it could be if you're just looking at the pitching matchup. I'd be thrilled if they stole this one.

Starting to feel like there's a pretty small chance Bellinger is opting out. No one is going to give him the 100M deal it's going to take when he's sporting a 108 wRC+.

Damn I guess. He looked miserable the first couple hitters, then just straight up destroyed the next 3.

Better have a real short leash on Keegan.

Steele does not have it at all right now. It's going to be a real short outing for him.

2 of the first 3 Pirate hitters over 100 mph, not great.

I'll be interested to see what happens in regards to Ohtani and the HoF. Currently he sits at 25.7 fWAR, which is less than half of what is typically necessary. It's incredibly unlikely he'll reach the usual prerequisite which is around 60 fWAR. If he keeps doing what he's doing for another 4 years is he in regardless of career numbers based on how purely dominant he was over an 8 year stretch?