Regular Show

Two straight games. He's going to be at AAA really soon (and I assume Happ will be in the bigs at the same time). Nico has a chance to be in Chicago on 9/1. I think that is super ambitious and I doubt that very much. I think Nico could handle it, but regular playing time will be hard to come by, especially when/if Zobrist is back and Robel is still doing well. Maybe Happ comes up and gets some semi-regular playing time. Maybe they could play Nico in CF, but I don't think the Cubs are going to experiment playing him there this year.

[tweet] [/tweet] Vlad Jr. deserves to win this thing and I'm going to be PISSED if he loses. The kid is awesome, has a beautiful swing and is exactly what the sport needs to market the game to a younger audience.

I wish they were trying him in CF, honestly. Just as much for this year as next year. Yeah, I was going to mention this. I think they might consider it in the offseason and I believe some scouts (not for the Cubs) think that would be his best position defensively. I guess if Robel Garcia is the REAL DEAL and looks legit (and can handle 2B next year) then maybe you consider playing Nico in CF. Not sure honestly, but more versatility never hurts.

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He is indeed. [tweet] [/tweet][tweet] [/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/AllStarGame/status/1148407070410100736[/tweet]

He’s had 6 concussions. Don’t blame him. Hope for his career that he can play an adequate first base. There is pretty much no universe in which his bat is adequate for 1B though, is there? You guys are talking about Cervelli right now, but sadly we might be having this conversation about Buster Posey very soon. He's hitting .253/.315/.378 with a bWAR of 0.1 right now. He might move or at least play the majority of his time next year at 1B once their top prospect Joey Bart is ready. I don't think he's accumulated enough WAR to warrant entry into the HoF. I thought he was a lock a few years ago, but he's really fallen off offensively. He's only 32...

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https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/navy/ac-cs-trump-policy-change-react-0628-story.html It sounds like he'll able to enter the minors right away and defer his military service commitments, which is great news for Song and the Red Sox. I really liked him and wanted the Cubs to draft him, but his situation is unique and kinda complicated. None of this would've happened if Trump didn't undo the policy under Obama allowing recruits the chance to defer service to become professional athletes back in 2017: horsefeathering Trump and his politics affects damn near everything these days...

:flythew: Cubs win! It'll be nice to go into the All-Star break on a good note hopefully.

[tweet] [/tweet] Nico with a single and a walk tonight. I wouldn't really describe Nico and KB as "scary similar" lol. Their swings are different with KB possessing more power while Nico should hit for less power, but a higher average in theory. Nico is faster and should be the ideal leadoff hitter once he reaches the big leagues and gets acclimated.

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It'd be amazing if they dropped that [expletive] batting 9th. Good lineup other than that last spot.

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More pitchers need to be pushed onto the reliever track IMO. I think the best outcomes for Lange and Little at this point are becoming relievers, and seeing if their stuff/command improves in shorter outings. Underwood looked okay at times last year, but the command may never be good enough even as a reliever. The pitching depth is definitely improved, but it's mostly #4 or #5 starter stuff and potential and low-leverage reliever roles for this group. We don't have the high upside stuff of those pitchers in the Braves' system (with Marquez and Thompson being the exceptions). If after the past few years of focus on pitching via the draft, the farm system can only yield a crop of #4 or #5 at best pitching prospects - who’s head should roll besides McLeod’s? This can’t be their desired outcome. I mean, yeah, the 2017 draft class full of pitchers is looking disappointing, but maybe someone emerges from the group? I've been critical of Jason McLeod for a long time here, but I've given up on the prospect of him ever getting demoted and/or fired... I've been told that will NEVER happen, but also that Theo & Jed and their families are very close to McLeod and his family. They're good friends and not just professional colleagues. So, yeah I'm kinda pissed. He's not terrible, but I think he is severely overrated as VP of scouting and player development.

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More pitchers need to be pushed onto the reliever track IMO. I think the best outcomes for Lange and Little at this point are becoming relievers, and seeing if their stuff/command improves in shorter outings. Underwood looked okay at times last year, but the command may never be good enough even as a reliever. The pitching depth is definitely improved, but it's mostly #4 or #5 starter stuff and potential and low-leverage reliever roles for this group. We don't have the high upside stuff of those pitchers in the Braves' system (with Marquez and Thompson being the exceptions).

Why? Can you explain this? I'm lost. Did he want Ian Happ called up instead or something? He’s been saying in here that Garcia’s 35% k rate won’t play in the majors. Even so, he’s better than Descalso so it doesn’t matter. Geez, there are so many horsefeathering weirdos here lol. It's a great story and he has legit tools and batspeed. Yeah, he will strikeout up here too, but we have this guy named Baez who also strikes out a ton but is still super productive (not saying Garcia is Baez 2.0 for clarification). I hate how so many people try looking at the #'s without actually watching video or talking to scouts/people in the game.

Why? Can you explain this? I'm lost. Did he want Ian Happ called up instead or something?

We gotta scout more kids playing in Italy lol.

Is Bote still in the game? I didn't see the pitch that hit him in the head? Did it barely graze his helmet or make only slight contact?

I feel like the tantrum and ejection of Maddon today was premeditated lol. Then again, Clint Hurdle is an horsefeathers and I've hated him since 2015. Maybe Maddon feels the same way about Hurdle, and all this losing pushed him over the edge.

That quote is terrible, especially the last part. It's been a long-running rumor that the Angels are interested in reuniting with Maddon. Not sure if this is just media speculation or based on insider info. Their current manager is Brad Ausmus and Ausmus sucks. I say let him leave and become the highest paid manager in MLB. We really need a new voice and someone who has a greater sense of urgency. Someone younger and more progressive. Most managers suck so it will be difficult to find a great replacement, but I think everyone is ready to move on from Maddon (including Theo).