Cubswin11

Hicks ranks 184th amongst qualified relief pitchers (there’s 187 qualified ones) in K/9, how is that possible?????????

I still am a little upset at myself that most of my emotions felt after winning was just a sense of relief and a burden being lifted off my shoulders vs actually feeling all that happy. But it was such a mental grind getting through I was emotionally drained.

Fair enough. I don't disagree with anything. To be clear, I say extensions, and i simply mean long term deals. The honest prism that I was looking through is this - if you are signing KB down in a couple years, Contreras, and going after Harper, moves are going to be made elsewhere. With the arb numbers at SS being what they are, it just strikes me as a possibility that the Cubs are going to move Russell moreso than some of the non-KB/Contreras grouping. He's the one that might also bring the most in return. Now, there's other ways about it. Perhaps someone takes that Heyward deal. There's other possibilities to move money around, but until Ricketts gives any indication that he'll blow things up with payroll or that he's willing to go down the Lerner's road with some "creative" contracts, the assumption has to be that some pieces will be moved sooner than later. Again, that's me, though. To be clear, it's not like I think the Cubs will move all of the people below Willy and KB if they get Harper. Some would stay, obviously, but I think they are all in that unknown land until decisions are made. Got it. But yeah the trade off is having Harper and KB and losing a guy or two vs not having both KB/Bryce and I think the preference there should be clear. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an extension or 2 this offseason or next. It made sense to hold off to not put us over the LT earlier than wanted/needed and also to figure out exactly what the non-Bryzzo dudes would become.

So you can only be considered part of a young core if you’re an extension candidate? They have Russell through like 2022, that’s plenty of time to be part of a core. It’s not like he’s a free agent in a year. And yeah I’d hope the best player in the NL and the guy who’s going to be a 4-5 WAR catcher are ahead of him in the extension pecking order since Russell hasn’t put it all together yet (even though I’m a big fan). I also doubt Kris ever entertains an extension offer and I’m pretty dubious that Russell is really all that available and think his rumored availability are baseless rumors by idiot writers.

That's fine. I don't view Russell as a part of the young core for the Cubs that won't be moved. I do think Turner is viewed as a part of the young core for the Nationals. I'm not talking about their talent. Russell has the potential to be on another level if he puts the offense together. This makes no sense to me but to each their own. I think everything the team has done through their actions and words has indicated he’s part of this core.

Russell is 7 months younger and has put up more WAR than Turner in their careers

These playoffs have sucked. Seems like a ton of blowouts and even the close games are kinda just overall shitty basketball down to the final plays.

Hicks was hitting 104 and 105 today and he’s still only striking out under 4 guys per 9 innings. Which is insane.

:flythew: #WeAreGood Way to take advantage of the horsefeathers schedule. 8 of 10 vs Marlins, Sox and Reds.

Lol, Schwarbs. This HP ump is dog horsefeathers

I think he might be decent

Send him back out for the 7th

At SS especially Javy seems to really be good and going to the glove side on plays like that. The struggles really seem to be on more routine stuff and balls going in to the hole (like the first inning).

KING OF THE 5th!!!!

Nice play Javy

Yeah Zobrist when right is a great option. But yeah we have 8 guys with OBPs over .350 right now and 6 over .360 and Rizzo isn’t included in that and you know he’ll be there. The whole team gets on base a ton, who really cares if we “have a leadoff hitter” or not.

Old man DONG!

This HP ump is pretty garbage. He’s having where both catchers catch the ball affect his ball/strike calls way too much. Mahle and Yu both have had 2-4 pitches in the zone called balls because of how it was received.

Is this confirmed? I know there was an article last week talking about Yu only using 2-3 of his pitches. I just looked it up, maybe they aren’t classified right but he’s throwing a split and change a combined ~6% this year, which is more than the last few years. I don’t seem to recall seeing either of those pitches at all. And yeah he’s basically only FB and slider/cutter this year.

Nice DONG, Schwarbs. Would be nice to see him get going.

Yeah I don’t get the calling there after he got 1-2. Any FB thrown at that point should’ve been higher than high or in the hands. I was thinking his slow curve would’ve been a good call after like the 3rd foul off. I also agree it’s weird he’s not throwing the split at all, seems like a important pitch to have in his mix to mess with timing. Also Willson caught a few of his slider/cutters real poorly that inning that if received better could’ve been strikes.

Javy is ass at SS

Rizzo seems to be making a ton of horsefeathers contact in 2-0 and 3-0, 3-1, etc counts lately

The Brewers collapse this year is going to be extra fun

Q is fixed, Cubs are good. We are fixed. First game today was a abnormal thing. Book us for 95+ wins