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Bull

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Everything posted by Bull

  1. Bull
    Lost the black hole at 1B, picked up PCA/Busch. Even if there are significant developmental bumps (and holding out hope that that the nincompoopery on the basepaths is over) that pair has to be better than Hosmer/Mancini, and will have a much shorter leash if they are not. Remember, this was a 59-47 team from June on, and that includes the bullpen abuse under Ross leading to a 12-16;September. Even with the meltdown, that’s a 90 win team over a full season. This team is leaps ahead in bullpen depth and has a manager that can manage a bullpen. Ross was to bullpens what Dusty Baker was to starting rotations. In fact, my biggest concern on the team is “did Rossy irreparably damage Leiter et al?” So now, ostensibly better than the 90-win-pace team we fell in love with. That’s assuming the Bellinger signing. So I guess I’m saying a wash ain’t so bad.
  2. Bull
    Part of this is the additional benefit of having them in their prime when they are most athletic. Prime has moved younger because of the better development systems you describe. Lock them up through age 30 when they 'lose a step' and are now past prime. You get the added benefit of speed both on the basepaths and in the field. Rule changes have made this even more valuable. Monster contracts after 30 will become rarer. The game is changing and the rule changes benefit young players and thus owners. This is what we are seeing this offseason. Because of this there will be an adjustment to the "years of control" and arb process in the next CBA. "You value younger players more? Then pay them!"
  3. Bull
    Patterson Pie. I'm not counting on PCA to be anything. Also, he's a nincompoop.
  4. Bull
    Changing definitions does, in fact, change facts. That’s why there are so many conflicting “studies” out there on everything from “are eggs good for you” to gender dysphasia. You change definitions and metrics, you change conclusions. Of all places, a baseball board that has gone from measuring success in pitcher wins and RBI to appreciating advanced metrics should be a place where this is understood.
  5. Bull
    There is unequivocally always massive pressure from union to take the highest contract.
  6. Bull
    Geovanny Soto. Yet another reason to hate the lack of nesting quotes.
  7. Bull
    Leiter could be your primary lefty (even though he's a righty) with those splits.
  8. Bull
    I really think the biggest problem with the bullpen last year was usage. Add to that that some of the young guys were figuring it out last year and will contribute. Plus new monsters figuring it out this year. For example, I expect Little to be the closer by the end of the year. I think a lot of you will be disappointed with the reliever signing(s). I think they will be bet hedges against all of the internal options failing. Look for them to lean heavily on Cuas, Almonte, and the mainstays from last year, while leaving a crack for someone new to elbow their way in.
  9. Bull
    I see a big potential for a right handed opener if we have three lefty starters. I would love to see Assad opening for Wicks. Or straight piggy back them allowing each to go through the order 1 1/2 - 2 times depending on matchups. (ie if the number 7 hitter is a lefty, bring Wicks in then. I trust Counsell to do this well more than just about anyone.
  10. Bull
    Someone will come in and scoop up the pieces similar to what happened to hostess. Have to save the Twinkie! SI swimsuit issue is the Twinkie of sports journalism.
  11. Bull
    SI is somehow getting worse. This Brad Wakai guy is writing articles three days late or that have no content whatsoever. His grammar is awful and everything is sourced from what real writers post on twitter three days before. He said that the Imanaga signing and Busch trade were “ a solid stretch for the franchise that had one of the most disappointing offseasons out of any team in Major League Baseball.” Does he think the offseason is over or does he just not know how to write in the pluperfect tense? Just awful.
  12. Bull
    I’m having a hard time figuring out how that’s your takeaway from what we both just read.
  13. Bull
    The new board format with quotes only going one deep makes it very difficult to follow context in mega threads. Unless I’m reading multiple pages at a time it is hard remember what what was responding to. The last few days (snow days) I’ve been coming here multiple times a day and have to re-read a page to follow the flow. Board moderators should either allow nested quotes or kill the mega threads if they want these forums to be enjoyable to visit multiple times a day, maximizing ad revenue.
  14. Bull
    Highlighting Mervis’ undrafted status is disingenuous and you know it. he isn’t the pedigree Busch is, and I agree Busch is likely the better player going forward, but acting like the 2020 draft was anything resembling normal is odd. Mervis is drafted any other year.
  15. Bull
    I agree. I'm not saying he's Rizzo, but he's more Rizzo that 4A. His fielding problems aren't glove, they are arm. He's a 1B long term solution.
  16. Bull
    Not the reason. But I maintain it is a reason. And really that wasn't my point. My response was to a poster who said "it's not that deep." There is a depth to these things that a typical fan doesn't understand. I'm not arrogant/naive enough to think I understand as much as people like you, Cali, and 1908 do. My point was less about the QO and more about the collusion-iness. Ricketts want the QO to have a role in suppressing value, so to him it does. He's the far end of the spectrum as management. Boras is at the far end of the spectrum as Labor. He refuses to believe that it has/should have any effect on the values of the players he represents. ITs significant that these are Cubs targets. It's significant that these are Boras clients. Ricketts and Boras are the strangest of bedfellows especially regarding any topic debated in the CBA, such as luxury tax and QO.
  17. Bull
    Yes, but if not for QO these guys would get what Boras is “seeking”. QO’s depress a free agent’s value, especially to a team losing picks. It’s what they’re designed to do. I think labor fights to have them eliminated in the next CBA. It’s a lot “deeper” than the average fan can grasp. The Cubs ownership is one of the leaders in pushing for luxury tax and any mechanism they can find to depress player value/cost. It isn’t that PTR is actually poor. You understand that, right? It’s that he is colluding. And it’s why he doesn’t spit on the tax, or the QO.
  18. Bull
    The only QO player they might sign is Bellinger, and I honestly think that’s the biggest holdup on him. They want to gain that pick, and they don’t want to lose any others.
  19. Bull
    Loved me some Andy Sisco. I thought he was going to be the best of them.
  20. Bull
    When does the Dodgers’ ridiculous, never-repeatable tv deal expire? Until then the answer is Dodgers. As in “the Dodgers will sign all these free agents.”
  21. Bull
    I'll see your TINSTAPP and raise you a TOOTBLAN. PCA is a nincompoop.
  22. Bull
    You hope the cubs don’t win the WS for the next 10 years?
  23. Bull
    He is also a nincompoop.
  24. Bull
    Appropriate that David gave the history lesson. He is our resident robot. He’s basically a database at this point.
  25. Bull
    PCA is a nincompoop.
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