Cubswin11

I’d prefer that. Russell can still play defense. Just limit the ABs for a while to see if it helps his finger. He can come in, in the 5-6th+ innings when we have a lead. Tommy doesn’t provide much of anything.

Because they're good versatile players? Is Murphy? I thought he was 2b only Other than Murphy everyone else can play like 4 positions and Murphy could play some 1B and maybe even 3B here and there (his arm is LaStella bad but Tommy gets time there once in a while).

Just do it on August 31st, and option down Rosario for a day. That way Webster can be on the postseason roster if he balls out in September. The long term 40 man looks fine as well, since Chavez/De La Rosa/Wilson are all FAs and only Justin Steele needs to be protected in the Rule 5. Hamels is a FA too, but I'm not totally convinced the Cubs don't pick up his option at this point. Can't you still add anyone in the organization on 8/31 to the playoff rotation if there's someone on the 60-day DL? I believe that’s the rule

They have this mass blind spot where they can see the bad contracts and the farm system ranking but can't see the giant mass of young position players already on the MLB roster better than anything they have. It’s quite something. They also think just because they have a bunch of “prospects” in the 75-150 range they are set up for a run soon, when none of those guys are really ranked or regarded all that highly to be impact players like they need. Hiura is their best prospect and he has a bad elbow and is Murphy like defensively and is putting up Almora like numbers in AA.

It’s a good thing all those 2B options other than Murphy (I’m not including Tommy because I think he’s basically a PH only now) can all play 2 to 4 other positions at above average to good levels defensively.

Seriously, do the Nationals even care if the guy we traded them even shows up and reports to A ball this year or next?

We still have ~10 days to do a waiver deal for the Marco Estrada’s, James Shields, Clayton Richards, etc of the world. Chatwood/5th spot isn’t up until Friday or Saturday I believe.

Hopefully it’s Tommy being cut, but probably Russell to the DL. Randy could maybe be sent down too. If they would actually send Bote to the minors as the corresponding move, yeah, that would not be acceptable. Yeah that really shouldn’t even be one of the options. If they DL Russell (they should) he’d be back when rosters expand and that seems like the best move to preserve the most depth with KB still uncertain.

Hopefully it’s Tommy being cut, but probably Russell to the DL. Randy could maybe be sent down too.

Not sure. Have his waivers expired yet? Did someone claim him? The Dodgers. But the window to make a deal closed. He’s staying.

I don’t know if you guys remember, but the goats name was Murphy

As a pure baseball move I don’t mind this. With KB dead and Russell basically dead we need some offense. The defense is awful and that will/could hurt but hopefully he’s pulled when we get leads. He better horsefeathering be in Detroit tonight to be the DH the next two days to maximize the bat and minimize the defense.

The tactician hasn’t been that tactical this year

FWIW [tweet] [/tweet]

He’s very intriguing, trade him for something before he dies

It does seem fake and an odd fit for us.... but why would the Nats pull him back if they can get a little something??? He’s a FA and they’re dead. It makes sense for them to move him, regardless of the team that claims him. Is it odd that I don’t think it’s odd for us? He’s horrible on defense, like playing Travis Shaw at 2B bad. The bat is fine and likely good, but still odd move. I worry it means KB is dead.

If he was claimed by the Cubs then the Nationals would immediately pull him back. We aren't getting someone that good, but I do know the Cubs are looking. Seems like a fake rumor to me. It does seem fake and an odd fit for us.... but why would the Nats pull him back if they can get a little something??? He’s a FA and they’re dead. It makes sense for them to move him, regardless of the team that claims him.

Archer left the game with the trainer apparently

If Russell is hurt it does Or KB being dead

i'm starting to think more big picture at this point and wondering how we're going to overcome the darvish/quintana moves while several key position players are taking steps back. the emergence of baez makes up for a lot of it, but damn. Any gaps in the position players will be filled with Bryce Harper. The pitchers? Who knows, they're pitchers. Some random turd who throws 86 MPH or some career nobody from Baltimore with a 5.something ERA might become stars overnight. Or they might not. I'm not saying it's gonna be fine. I guess I'm saying I never thought we were on some magic path to no adversity to begin with. We already banked our WS so who even cares. Yeah, Bryce makes up for any position guys falling off plus makes some available to trade for pitching. Plus like you said, we never know where it will come from or what guys will do because pitchers suck. Like it wouldn’t be crazy to have 4-5 WAR Q next year, he also just might be this 1-2 WAR pitcher too or die. Hopefully Darvish doesn’t need a surgery and just shuts it down until ST and we get to hit the reset button on him. Maybe we’ll find another Smyly type move too and that guy bounces back or even Smyly himself. Just about the most incredibly frustrating season for a team that’s going to win in the 90s of games and make the playoffs. And even though there’s been position players fall off a bit, they still are proving positive value (Russell, Contreras, etc) you obviously want more. KB not being his 5-7+ win player is really the big thing, he allows those guys to maybe not hit their potential as much and masks things. We need him back badly for the long term and all the other guys are still young so it wouldn’t be crazy that these are some of their worst years (which they still are providing enough, but not expected/wanted results).

Oh well, lucky to get the split. Get rested up on the off day and take care of the Tigers and Reds this week. Should’ve and could’ve been better but 5 up in the L column. I’ll take it

He got a double and took third on a bounced ball (actually good)! Then Willy was trying to bunt for some stupid horsefeathering reason and the Pirates pitched out and he was too far off third and got thrown out. Awful baserunning and awareness and just Joe being a horsefeathering idiot with the bunting again.

horsefeathers

Holy horsefeathers that’s awful base running and enough with the stupid horsefeathering bunting attempts

It actually makes me wonder if they have the stomach to even sign a Harper this offseason. I imagine what happens is theo pulls a boston and goes all in to sign Harper. if it works out he absolves himself from the horrid heyward, darvish, chatwood deals. If it fails he just leaves. To be fair, as bad as those signings (and the quintana trade) have been, you really can't blame them. Heyward was a 5-war 26 year old, quintana was a 4-war guy on a cheaper than arb deal, and darvish was good value (as long as he didn't die. oops.) Even Chatwood was someone who you would never have predicted him to be worse after leaving colorado. Yeah the process and theory on all those moves were fine and sound. The results have just been awful.