Transmogrified Tiger

The closest thing to being correct is the idea that the Cubs would benefit from adding 'superstars', which is basically impossible to disagree with by definition. Do they need to trade for 'three superstars'? No. Should they trade Bellinger to get one? No. Would a team trading such a player have any interest in Bellinger? No. Bellinger, Busch, and PCA can't coexist? No. Trading for a 1B like Vlad means Bellinger or Busch must go? No. Have Bellinger, Busch, PCA and Caissie all met MLB expectations requiring a trade? No.

Every sentence of this post is completely wrong. Misunderstanding what is going to help the team, misunderstanding what teams will want in trade, misunderstanding what is actually a bottleneck, misunderstanding who has 'made it' in terms of meeting expectations of being a useful MLBer, all of it.

I'm stuck on gameday bc of blackouts, what did Wicks hurt

A CF having high potential does not entitle them to playing every day when they're hitting like a backup catcher and the team's biggest problem is scoring runs. The point is not that they are equivalent players, but that if you're getting so repulsed by one's productivity we need to be consistent and not campaign for the other when they don't start one game, especially when he's started 4 straight previously.

3 for 11 is worse than his season line because he didn't walk or hit any XBH. Or said another way.. Nick 'get this useless slap hitter out of my face' Madrigal: 94 PA, .247 wOBA, 59 wRC+, 3 XBH Pete 'let the kid play' Crow-Armstrong: 98 PA, .248 wOBA, 59 wRC+, 4 XBH

just a profoundly stupid season so far

The team has had a big problem scoring runs recently, and PCA is the worst hitter on the roster at the moment, catcher(s) excluded. Makes sense.

The Cubs are 10th in K%, and 8th in reliever K%

I don't say this as a refutation of the entire point you're making, but I think can also argue they had 3 of these guys and they all got hurt by May(or came pre-hurt in the case of Alzolay).

The Rays are 4 for 9 on batted balls under 75 mph

I don't really understand Leiter in this spot. You need 2 more innings after this and Leiter is probably your best relief option today, plus you have 6-7-8 of all RHH due up so it's not like he's serving a particular matchup purpose(though if you used Miller they'd use at least one PH).

The walks completely stopping at Myrtle Beach is a very pleasant surprise.

Yes he did.

He also has some insane splits for whatever reason. Through the 4th inning tonight: Home: 27 IP, 2.33 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 3 HR Road: 8.1 IP, 11.88 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 5 HR

Swanson has started all 20 games since coming off the DL so seems likely to be a normal rest sorta thing

Tauchman was the first hitter on either team to hit the ball more than 30 feet in the air, 16 batters into the game

I'll maintain that Neris was perfectly fine for a long while until these last 2 games. Bad series happen, and as JD noted part of yesterday's poor outcome in a win was due to him pitching to the situation. But the greater point I made elsewhere is that the pen is not dripping with options. If Neris isn't throwing the 9th then he's still probably throwing no earlier than the 7th in close games. You could have Leiter close but you still need to bridge there and having Neris/Wesneski/Miller get you there is shuffling chairs. One thing I'd like to see them do soon is send Little back down. He's clearly outside of Counsell's trust, and for good reason because he cannot consistently avoid walks. That's especially bad in this run environment, and with Leiter being a late inning option against LHP and Smyly looking functional as a 2nd lefty, there's several guys in Iowa who may be able to add to the circle of trust if they get a shot. I think you can make the argument for several different guys, I'd probably go with Roberts but Carl and McWilliams have some internal logic too. All 3 do require a 40 man spot though, and there isn't an obvious decision on who to cut since Almonte seems likely to return before his 60 day window would hit if you 60 day'd him(and that only kicks the can a few weeks down the road).

Just on the BABIP point, in the lower levels especially that's way more a function of skill than it is of luck. A guy who is simply better than the level of competition is gonna run a high BABIP, so unless that's driven by an unsustainable K rate or environment-driven HR totals(neither in Hernandez's case) having a high BABIP is a good thing.

carved up Paredes, Arozarena, Siri too, really needed an outing like this from Smyly. I'd think about letting him start the 9th, even if only to prefer Smyly v. Rosario/Deluca to Neris v. Palacios.

it just hit me, PCA is baseball Jason Williams

boy Smyly just cooked them there, very nice to see

you're not gonna believe this but CB missed a call so obvious video review took about 3 seconds

That should count for 2 with what the umpires are putting Seiya through

This guy got on Bucknor's crew and is taking the 'I don't have to be faster than the bear, just faster than the slowest guy' approach to umpiring.

I don't think they're as comparable as college players, but I kinda think of Happ when I think of Tibbs? Very discerning at the plate, major league pop without being top of scale, corner OF that should stick there but without the bazooka arm, etc.