Rcal10

It was the right play to send him. Sometimes teams just make good plays. It isn’t always as simple as if he was out it is a bad send.

I don’t view Bregman as an unnecessary signing. I know a lot of people didn’t like it at the time of the deal so I know a lot of people are not now just saying this out of hindsight. But, at the time I had no issues with it. I would much rather spend on a hitter than a pitcher. Again, I know people will suggest they should have signed Cease. And right now that appears absolutely correct. But I would guess the people who wanted Cease, in years past, wanted Burnes, Fried, Snell, etc…. Pitchers who are late 20’s to early 30’s are just not good investments, probably 75% of the time. Right now it is easy to say we should have had Cease instead of Bregman. But this is only year one, and Cease is, right now, the exception as far as spending on large salaried pitchers. That said, the mistake they did make was not trading Shaw for a young arm. Maybe Soriano, Tolle, Detmer, etc…. I think the Bregman signing with a Shaw trade for Tolle or even the guy the Brewers got for Durbin, would be looked upon way differently had that happened.

Said man from 1970😅 I know you are joking. So am I.

My guess is troll.

So your saying he has a chance? I think there are probably several guys who fit a late start and ended up useful everyday players. So maybe he is one.!

I know he is older and been in AAA a few years now, but is it possible B.J Murray could be a solid bat? He is having a great year and he is a switch hitter. I noticed he is now getting time in the outfield. On the older side, at 26, to be considered a great prospect. But might he be someone who could possibly be in the plans for the ‘27 team?

Obviously you aren’t the only one who thinks they don’t have enough. I think they need more too. Most likely everyone thinks they need more. The diffence is when they don’t make it, no one else comes here to claim how they were right that they didn’t have enough. You do. That said, maybe add a quality starter and a solid pen arm, at a minimum, and maybe they have a chance. They need to at least try.

I just hope the PCA we are seeing now is the real deal. Not necessarily going to put up the numbers he has the last 6 weeks. But I mean the patience, the laying off bad pitches. If he is a guy who can really post OPS+ of 130 he is a superstar, top 5 player in the game. Who cares who that compares to. As Jason said, it would be rarified air.

I asked before but didn’t get an answer. Would Ryan, with only 1 extra year of control, cost more than someone like Detmer or Soriano with an extra year? Considering ‘27 might be a nightmare season, I am not sure he would cost more. But IDK. What is an extra year of control worth?

No pressure there🤢

I’m sticking with Bonds. His career numbers were .268/.353/.471. Career homers of 332 and SB of 471. Had over 7000 AB. PCA is trending towards those numbers. Bonds also won 3 GG. What makes PCA better than Bonds is he is doing it in an era harder to hit than when Bonds played. Bobby Bonds was a very good player but never a superstar. But those numbers today would be superstar totals. Instead of a normal season with those totals posting a 4+ WAR back when Bonds played, it would be a 7 or 8 WAR today. PCA and Bonds are very similar, but I think PCA is better than him. Or at the very least, with similar stats will be more valuable. A .270 today is way more impressive than a 270 hitter in the 60’s and 70’s. As you said, those numbers with PCA’s speed and defense put him in rarified air. I think years from now people may be comparing young stars to PCA.

I think your right. There really is no one like him. If he actually hits .270-.290 while walking 75 times a year, hits 30 homers and steals 30 bases, wins multiple GG and a few platinum gloves, there is no player who compares to that in baseball today.

I think we absolutely have enough assets. If the want is a rental like Mize, Gray or even to a lesser extent Ray, they have easily enough. The question is do they want to get rid of that for one year or those guys and does the team they are trading to value the guy the Cubs have. Different teams value players differently. I don’t expect Skubal or Peralta. Then you have guys with a year beyond this half season. That Ryan and Wacha, and probably a few others. Wacha would be cheaper, but he is pretty good. Either way, stakes get higher, but they still have enough. Thr next level is guys with 2 years beyond this year. Detmer and Soriano are two examples. They probably cost more. But if the Cubs wanted they can get them too. Probably 2 top 100 prospects and 2 high upside your kids. Maybe Shaw or Ballestaros instead of a prospect. Any of these options can be had. Just depends on what the Cubs are willing to give up.

Backfired due to injuries, mainly. And some of those injuries were to younger pitchers. The plan isn’t bad. Injuries curtailed it a bit.

No one is saying that. But be fair with discussing the game. They deserved to lose and got greatly outplayed. The much better team, at least that day, won the game.

Better. He has done what he is doing longer than Wells, I think. I don’t know any Assad haters either. There are a few guys here who point out some of the issues they have with him. But I don’t consider them haters. They just see him as a swing starter, maybe #4 or #5 guy in the rotation, or even a long relief guy. None of these options suggests they hate him. And he fits any of those roles.

Best comparison is Bobby Bonds.

Pretty lofty goal. Love if he was prime Trout. But I think k that’s an overreach.

You mean leave them to the catchers? Pitchers seldom challenge.

Buxton is a good comp, except really hard to determine exactly who he would be since he is always hurt. He has never come close to 30/30. Bonds has similar numbers to what I hope PCA will be. He stuck out a fair amount, but also walked. And was a 30/30 guy with a career BA right around .270. Also won a few GG. Solid slugging numbers as well. Prime Bonds was a 6 WAR player. Those numbers now would result in an even higher WAR.

Which means he is nothing like Harper. Honestly I don’t know who he can be compared to. If he actually keeps his average in the .275 level or higher, walks 10% of the time and is a 30/30 guy along with GG defense I can’t think of a guy like him. Maybe Bobby Bonds? He hit 30+ homers, stole 30+ bases, hit around that .275 mark, walked a fair amount and won several GG. Seems to have had a similar game as PCA is showing.

As it stands now, I agree. But a guy like Cabrera has a lot of upside. He did seem to be throwing harder after his first stint in the IL. He got lit up against the Giants, but that was one of those winding Wrigley days with the wind blowing out. I do believe he could be good come September. He has a lot of talent. Then there is Brown, if he is healthy. Boyd should also be doing well in September. His injuries limited his innings this year and in the end that could be a plus. This doesn’t even count Imanaga. Add a solid starting pitcher via trade and a solid pen arm and you have a decent staff for the playoffs. They don’t have to be good all year. Just the last 2 months of the regular season and the playoffs. For me, it is all about how guys come back and when guys come back from injuries, plus a couple of pitchers. 1 starter via trade then 2 of Cabrera, Shota, Brown or Boyd pitch well and you have a good chance. Pen might have 1 guy you trade for, Rolison, Theilbar, Pomarez, Webb, Palencia, Rea and/or Assad and Steele. Doesn’t even include if Shelby Miller can make it back. Chibear, it is very easy to say they don’t have enough and be right. Most likely you are going to be right. 29 teams can make that statement and be right every year. So I am not arguing with you that they will win. I am just providing a path to winning. In the end I am sure when they are eliminated you will tell us all you knew they didn’t have enough. Truth is they probably don’t. But they are good enough to do what they can to at least try winning.

Ok. Sure, I agree with you on the big guns. Problem is none will be available, with the possible exception of Tolle. Also, don’t get the reference of Tom Glavine. If they go rental I hope for Gray or Mize. If they go control years left I hope for Detmer. I like Ryan but I think the cost will be too high for having only 1 more year.

I wouldn’t call it a good chance. There is a chance. But there is also a chance that each of those guys over the course of the next 6 years is worth 5 times what Ryan is worth in 40 starts. Maybe even more. There is much more upside on the twins side of that trade. Please understand I am not prospect hugging. Cubs do need to trade some and bring back a solid pitcher. I am not even saying I wouldn’t make the trade we are discussing, but you are basically totally devaluing the prospects.

This pretty well sums it up for me. And if people are being honest, if another countries leader stepped in and had a guy reinstated before playing the US the fans would be upset. I agree it shouldn’t have been a red card penalty. But that was the call. A call from the president shouldn’t have changed that decision.