Tim

Time for another mock as I try to pass time before the weekend. This time, instead of the approach I took last time, I'm going to go decidedly more low-key. This article is going to be the basis for the biggest move. Cubs trade Schwarber, Almora, Albertos and De La Cruz to Baltimore for Gausman and Britton The article linked above shows why I think Gausman is (finally) ready to break out in a big way. Britton is a big gamble, but it is the exact kind of gamble they just took this past offseason to fill the closer role. Cubs sign FA pitchers Cobb, McGee, Neshek Cubs DFA Rondon, Grimm That fills out the pitching staff: Quintana, Lester, Hendricks, Cobb, Gausman Britton, McGee, Strop, Edwards, Neshek, Wilson, Monty, minors guys Now that I've severely depleted the OF, the offense has some gaps that need filling Cubs sign FA OF Cain, Nunez; C Rivera Contreras, Rizzo, Baez/Zobrist, Bryant, Russell, Happ, Cain, Heyward Rivera, Baez/Zobrist, La Stella, Nunez I don't love it, but I could live with that offseason.

I met Julie IRL at one of the Cubs conventions. She was really nice. Yeah. That's all I've got.

Yes. Yes it is. I was in Napa this weekend and had a lot of conversations about pizza and red wine. You would have loved it, Tim. :good: Did you tell them you know a guy?

Talking about the protest with one person has allowed me to make one otherwise decent person awfully uncomfortable about race relations in America this week. Even if most people have an initial reaction about it being about the flag/military/whatever, as long as this makes them voice that horseshit and have others call them out on it the protest is working.

Yes. Yes it is.

Can we please have an off season without people thinking of Teheran as an attractive target? I don't really like him but a Happ for him or Folty + Inciarte intrigues me a bit. He had an FIP of 4.96 this year. The whole "consistently beats his FIP" thing doesn't really work when that's the baseline.

It's pizza. As long as I'm not eating the slice next to the pepperoncini, it's tolerable.

This is bad for us.

Yes. Done.

I also think group 2 is much bigger than he realizes, but that's part of the point. That's the group that was going to complain about any form of protest. They were going to find it ridiculous and unnecessary. But they weren't going to be as deeply offended as many of them are now (that's not me, and I actually have a vested interest in the protests succeeding, but many around me feel this way). They could have been convinced eventually that there was a problem with police brutality, even if they don't now. But they are never going to change on the National Anthem issue because it's so deeply ingrained. So to take an issue they disagree with but eventually could change about and tack on another issue that they are never going to change on is a big struggle. I think you see it even in some of the NFL players themselves. For example, here's a player (Kevin King of the Packers) who decided to kneel the one time: And here's Adrian Clayborn of the Falcons: So here you have two players who definitely support the protests and are willing to say it publicly, but even they are reluctant to kneel or don't want to because they know what that says to so many people. I'd have to dig them up, but I know I've heard quotes from several other NFL players the same thing: they want to protest and they support the protesters, but the Anthem is a line they don't personally want to cross. http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/13965/adrian-clayborn So...they totally support it and would protest if it wasn't for the anthem aspect. So how else are they protesting? If they aren't, it is lip service.

Had a conversation with a guy I thought was fairly enlightened about this today. I learned something new about him. He firmly believes that he is against this because they are disrespecting the military. But I kept pressing and chipping away at his argument. When I floated a trial balloon about the "uppity" players, he latched on. I was really depressed after that.

horsefeathers airplanes

Probably just Stroman but as I’ve made clear I’d rather go a different route and keep Russell. I hate the idea of trading Russell or Schwarber who seem very likely to increase their value this season. Happ and Baez seem about as high as their value is going to get. I’d like to trade one of them (preferably Happ since I’m not as attached to him) for a Gausman/Teheran type. Keep Russell as part of the core and trade Schwarber after his 40hr/950ops season to make room for Harper. Can we please have an off season without people thinking of Teheran as an attractive target?

Can you offer up a way for football players to protest that would have gotten as much attention, but would not have been controversial? Linking arms? I suppose people could somehow take offense but it would be a tougher case to make that it's disrespectful. It seems like the focus of the protest has shifted to Trump can go horsefeathers himself more so than calling attention to police brutality. As a result, both sides have dug in their heels. Is it giving Trump too much credit to think that this is why he commented on it in the first place? Kaepernick was already out of the league. There were maybe going to be a couple people kneeling until he commented on it. Maybe I'm too cynical but I see that Trump has deflected the attention away from where it should be and toward himself where he wants it. Meanwhile, actual discussion about solutions to the very real problem have gone nowhere or have gotten no attention. Linking arms would not have gotten nearly the same level of attention in the first place. It's easier to ignore. An effective protest requires creating a certain level of discomfort or controversy to draw the attention.

Can you offer up a way for football players to protest that would have gotten as much attention, but would not have been controversial?

If management thinks that his PF is going to be an ongoing issue, or if they think he could have character flaws regarding women that add too much risk, I could see them dealing him instead of Javy, et al. Otherwise I think they see him as part of the core core.

That's the only reason I hesitate in believing he'll be a Cub. Otherwise I'd consider it a done deal.

I don’t understand what the Reds have done with Cozart at all. He’s a plus fielder at shortstop with a career average bat who was having a break out season offensively. I heard no noise around him regarding trades. He was gimpy at the non-waiver deadline, but he’s absolutely the type that could have been moved during the waiver period. Now they don’t offer a QO for him and won’t even get a draft pick? Maybe there’s something i’m Not understanding here, but this seems like a master stroke in turning a decent asset into nothing. There were no buyers with a need at shortstop

Ideally because he'll drop dead. Bummer that he can't watch baseball anymore, either.

I'll do one. This is one take at a "all out" offseason. I don't know if we'll go in that direction, but it is much more fun to contemplate. I think we need two starting pitchers and two relievers. I'd try to get three relievers. If the rumors are true that signing Darvish makes Otani much more likely, that tips the scale for me. Darvish is a heck of a pitcher, anyway. I'd be happy signing him even without that additional enticement. The next starter is going to need to be a bit more price controlled to make the budget work. So...what does it take to get Chris Archer? I'll use a guess of Happ, Alzolay, Albertos, Caratini. That gets the rotation set as Archer, Quintana, Darvish, Lester, Hendricks. The rest of baseball can just suck it. I'd still try really hard to get Otani. Since he'd have options, I'd play the DL games the Dodgers got away with this year. Monty serves as the swing starter with a healthy Mills as #7 and Tseng as #8. Now...how to assemble a super pen. I'm going to guess that Rondon and Grimm get non-tendered. I'm also going to guess that Wilson is the same guy he was the past few years in Detroit. So the pen starts off with Wilson, Strop, Carl's Jr, Monty. Ideally, we get three additional relievers we can count on. I see Neshek as a guy that takes a one year deal with an option and I see that being really attractive to the front office. He's also a strike thrower that provides a unique look. I really think they'll go after McGee. When he was with Hickey in TB, he was a monster. I think they make that reunion happen. I think they'll avoid the top of the reliever market (Davis & Holland) and go with Reed. All three of these guys throw strikes and get whiffs. That sets the pen up as Reed, McGee, Strop, Wilson, Carl, Neshek, Monty. When they want to run with eight guys, we've got some quality knocking on the door with Maples, Carasiti and others. For the offense, re-sign Rivera. I really like signing Nunez if he can be fit into the budget. That gives a pretty robust OF rotation and extra IF depth so we never, ever have to see Mike Freeman again. Contreras, Rizzo, Baez, Bryant, Russell, Schwarber, Almora, Heyward Rivera, Zobrist, La Stella, Nunez Archer, Quintana, Lester, Hendricks, Darvish, (Otani) Reed, McGee, Strop, Wilson, Carl, Neshek, Monty, (Maples/Carasiti/etc)

I'd only pay that to Darvish if he has Otani packed in his suitcase. In which case, I wouldn't hesitate.

He needs to go on the Chris Taylor swing loft program.

Well, after we sign Otani, Darvish and Cobb, trade for Heyward for Stanton, plus sign Shaw, McGee, Neshek and Morrow - I'm going to be pretty upset if we're not #1 heading into the season.

I mentioned this in another thread, but think Lester money, maybe a bit more. I don't think he'll get that high unless there's been more inflation than I am factoring in. He has more of an arm health and durability question than Lester did. For what it's worth, he definitely won't have Lester's reputation for big game pitching, either.

If that's it, sign him in a heartbeat and hope he recruits Otani.