Banks-Williams

Dude — you really need to learn some reading comprehension. I never said what you claim I said. Not even close. And it is impossible for you to know my emotions. So your little post is what is complete nonsense.

Well … the Cubs could sign Justin Turner for another season. He would not cost much, and he can sit in for Busch against lefties. Turner did bat 276 against them with a 769 OPS to boot. And he did come through in the clutch with a couple of walk offs. He’s the kind of guy young players like PCA enjoy talking to in the dugout and after work. His fielding was good too. But “Houston, we have a problem” with. bringing Turner back into the fold now. The newly signed third baseman, who played with Houston in 2017, seemingly stole Turner’s World Series ring from him. Turner stood in the dirt by 3rd base in his Dodgers’ uniform when Bregman was batting with foreknowledge of the oncoming Dodger pitches. Houston was breaking the rules with their sophisticated sign stealing system. Although Turner was the NLCS co-MVP, he wasn’t going to earn such in the World Series since Houston took it in 4 games, all won in Houston. Having Bregman occupying the dugout and clubhouse with Turner around probably would be awkward to say the least. Same would go for bringing Bellinger back to the Northside, particularly since Bellinger has been outspoken about the theft. Both Bellinger and Turner were starters for the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series. If either of these two gentlemen were to wear the Cubs uniform in 2026, perhaps Bregman could make amends by issuing a public apology and by giving them his WS ring. Well … I guess he could do so in any case. But he seems like the kind of guy who wants to pretend it didn’t happen so everyone will forget.

Counsell needs to keep alternating catchers throughout the regular season. He didn’t do much that with the infielders and outfielders in 2025 until September. It cost the Cubs. He also could have given Kelly a break during the post season. He played him everyday. It is easy for Counsell to sit in the dugout shade and give orders, but playing in the field and having to bat against 96 mph pitchers is another story Like Leo Durocher in ‘69, the Cubs faded from first place in the July and August sun. Playing your regulars everyday in the summer heat has its influence. Hopefully Castro and Shaw will be used regularly to keep players refreshed. It also would be nice to see Shaw starting at 3rd instead of the cheater Bregman. Bregman is better suited playing ball in Houston or with his cheating manager Alex Cora in Boston. He doesn’t fit in well in Wrigleyville. It is too nice of a place for guys like him.

You don’t get baseball stats or scientific method. Bregman was worse in his prime years age 26-30 than in his cheating years age 23-25. You’d expect him to hit better during those years, yet he does the opposite. True pitchers have gotten better, but that didn’t happen in one year, 2019 to ‘20. You try to compare home to road games. Assuming the data you have is correct, it is only anecdotal because it is influenced by events. He is facing the same teams, that is, the same pitchers and catchers. He knows how the pitchers and catchers think. He’s seen the pitch series before. He knows how they like to set the batters up — so he will hit better on the road too. And that brings his overall numbers up. The road/home numbers could just be randomness; they could be the result of trouble at home with the wife, newborn babies who keep him up, friends who call, drinking alcohol at home with company, etc etc. You just don’t know. But if you compare the years, like I did, all these factors cancel themselves out. A yearly comparison thus is far more controlled. The road/home comparison is scientifically flawed. Okay — so that’s it for me. I’m not going to teach you science further.

I have already talked about his hitting post cheating on this forum many times. Go look at his stats yourself! There nothing to write home about. He bats a little above average, he rarely steals a base, he usually strikes out more than he walks (he only had more BB than SO in two years post cheating), and he only hit 18 HRs last year. He’s no superstar. His great years were 2017-19. Any wonder? Don’t ridicule something you haven’t watched.

Dear Matt: You cite Bergman’s leadership and his patience in the batter’s box as being good reasons for the Cubs paying so much for his employment. Let’s look at the batter’s box first. If what you say is correct, he’s only hitting 25% above the league average with plenty of rest (only 114 games). There’s no reason Shaw can’t do that with an adjustment to his unnecessary body movements. And Shaw surely is a better fielder. Bregman isn’t going to be anywhere as good in the hot seat as he ages. And his batting is not likely to improve. His best years, which are the ones that gave him notoriety, are the ones where his team was accused of having foreknowledge of the pitches. You don’t pay an extreme salary for someone who is batting a little above average and who is getting up there in age. Thus as things presently stand, 2026 would be a toss up between Bregman and Shaw. With respect to leadership, you can’t ask that from a guy who cheated. His batting averages and home run counts during the accused cheating years are much better than those is his prime years which followed. I don’t think the younger guys want advice from someone who cheated his way up the ladder. Bad mojo, Hoyer made a big boo-boo bringing this guy to the Northside. He’s not the guy you’d be thinking about when you’re singing Go Cubs Go, It is too happy a song, and not written for cheaters like Bregman.

Why would they stop after 2017? The cheating wasnt revealed until late 2019. Go on YouTube and watch the videos some sleuths put together sbout 2018-19. Altuve’s 2019 game 6 ALCS walk-off homer is highly questionable. Ken Rosenthal was bery suspicious and questioned him about why he prevented his teammates from removing his shirt. Arrolis Chapman, the pitcher, believed he was cheating as well. The necklace beneath his shirt is believed to have contained a signaling device. Altuve gave some very strange answers when questioned about the fear of shirt removal (he’d removed it a few times before). Go watch the videos, and you’ll be convinced they were cheating in 2019 up to at least the end of the ALCS.

I don’t trust the MLB. I don’t even like it. They didn’t even take away the 2017 World Series title from Houston. Why not? They let a team keep their victory even though they had foreknowledge of all the pitches! WTF!? Makes you wonder if the execs placed bets on Houston (with inside information perhaps) and were afraid they’d have to give the $$ back. As far your claim that he batted better on the road than at home, I highly doubt that is true. I also highly doubt you have personal knowledge of such; thus, what you state is merely heresay. If you go on youtube, you can find many videos pointing out evidence of Houston cheating in 2019 — things like batters moving forward in the batters box and then getting a change-up that they hit over the wall. Arolis Chapman believes Altuve cheated in game 6 of the 2019 ALCS when he hit his game 6 walk off. Suspicious Ken Rosenthal asked him why he was telling his team mates to not remove his shirt after the hit. First he said he was shy, then he said his wife told him not to, then he said he has a bad tattoo. You can see him wearing something around his neck, which some say was a signaling device. All very odd — so do not tell me that you know they quit in 2018. Stole the ALCS from the Yankees twice if true. After seeing Altuve’s behavior, I agree with Chapman.

It is not “well known” that they stopped mid 2018. The story didn’t break until after the 2019 season ended. There was no reason for them to stop. Heck, they won the ALCS and the WS because of their cheating — they had no problem with that. They didn’t stop them. Imagine how much money and notoriety they stole from the Yankees and Dodgers and others. And how could you possibly know such?

Woah! So you can read Shaw’s mind. You know that he has “white supremist beliefs” or is there a public statement where he confirms such? Name players other than the 2017-19 Astros who cheated? And we’re not talking spit balls here. Face it, Bregman stole from his fellow players. Raise your kids to cheat and to admire cheaters. They’ll never make it in this world while feeling good about themselves.

He cheated his way to fame. His performance is just above average outside the cheating years. Those years skewed his overall numbers. Take a look at them before you say how great he is …

Absolutely. I was highly critical of Counsell playing his starters every day in the July/August heat in 2025. I said he was doing a ‘69 Durocher. Too bad he is not a student of history. He seems to be more concerned with studying his hair color and granting interviews.

Tucker was not on the 2017 team. And he barely played in ‘18-‘19. He was a rookie And there’s no evidence he knew about the cheating. His performance improved post 2019. I don’t ask for athletes to be perfect persons. But stealing is a crime I won’t tolerate. Too bad you don’t see that, or you’re okay with it. Bregman et al took the wealth of other players, And they thought it was fun. Hoyer is a knucklehead for hiring a thief.

I surely hope you are correct. I would hate to see him leave. If only they could do a Paredes with Bregman, except faster.

They should have kept Shaw as the 3rd base starter. He was coming around hitting-wise. Plus, he’s going to be the best 3rd base fielder in either the National League or the American. I doubt Bregman will ever win a golden glove going forward, but based on Shaw’s 2025 performance, he’ll get a few. Too bad it probably won’t be for the Cubs. Bregman was a big waste of money. His best years were when he knew the pitches being thrown at him. After his cheating years, he was average or just a little above par. Shaw will be way above par going forward. Mark my words. I watched his every game in the majors. All they have to do is get Shaw to cease the left leg lift. It throws off precision for contact.

Matt Shaw is an excellent ball player. The plays he made at 3rd in 2025 were golden glove material. All he needed to do was improve his hitting. The front leg movement added a completely unnecessary movement to his swing, which is an unnecessary variable. The only variables batters need to face are pitch speed, location, and break. Any hitting coach could have explained such to him. That’s all he needed basically. I would not have replaced Shaw with the cheater. I surely don’t see better fielding, nor better hitting once Shaw comes around. Too much $$ wasted too. And the cheating thing, I which I’ve already commented on.

What they do on their own time is their business. At they do on the job — and get caught doing — is my business. You are right: I can spend my money elsewhere. But if I can get rid of Hoyer for being an idiot, I’ll take that too. It is good to teach kids that you can make a difference. I don’t teach them that multiple wrongs make a right or make it even okay.

You know what? Baseball is a family sport. Parents take their kids to the game so they can admire persons who became successful through hard work and skill. But you, you, think it is fine to tell them to admire cheaters? I’m glad you weren’t my parent.

I don’t give two hoots about your morals. But I don’t want to take my kids to Wrigley to see cheaters. I raise them otherwise.

His batting average and home runs were never close to those of the cheating years: 284-296 v. 242-273 and 31 and 41 v. 26 tops.

Well Bellinger is much better than Bregman both morally and statistically.

Well if this was his decision, he should be fired. Bregman’s stats post cheating era are that great. Plus who wants someone associated with cheating on their team

You prefer cheaters eh? That says a lot about you.