JUSTgottaBELIEVE

How so?

Good question. It seems this argument only applies to the AL Central and not the two minor league teams currently playing in the AL East... let’s also not forget the overrated White Sox took the season series from the top dog in the East.

Starting next year, Sox young core should be better imo.

It’s the same shitty division that produced the AL World Series rep from 2014-2016. Get in and anything can happen. Wouldn’t shock me if either the Indians or Twins went on a run to win the AL pennant in 2019.

They’ve been extremely fortunate with injuries since 2015. Now that the starting rotation is starting to break down, we’ll see if their run is over or not over the next two months.

It’s not quite there yet but in the coming years it’s really not that difficult to see the collective group of Giolito, Kopech, Cease, Moncada, Jimenez, Anderson, Robert, Madrigal, Vaughn outperform the Cubs’ young core group from 2016 of Contreras, Rizzo, Baez, Russell, Bryant, Schwarber, and Hendricks.

You’re speaking to me like I don’t already know this. This should be directed to the north side of town. Cubs fans were assured multiple titles were coming their way after 2016. Most thought they’d go on a Blackhawks type run of 3 championships over a 6 year period. Also, if the Sox were running a top 3 payroll in conjunction with the current rebuild/crop of prospects, I would be disappointed with only 1 World Series appearance. Given that Jerry won’t spend that type of money, I’ll be more than happy with one title. Comparing the two franchises is apples/oranges due to fiscal limitations imposed by the respective owners.

Interesting. So the combined record of teams in the AL East is 18 games under .500 if you remove the Red Sox. The combined record of teams in the AL Central is 24 games under .500 if you remove the White Sox. Is the White Sox schedule really that much easier than the Red Sox?

Well, all I heard from Cubs fans after their title in 2016 is that it was the start of a dynasty. The fact that they haven’t been back to the World Series since and just 3 years later are only a couple games better on July 4th than a still rebuilding Sox team has to be very disappointing for Cubs fans (to say the least, especially when they’re running a team payroll more than double the Sox).

Sox were 7-7 against the Cubs, Twins, Indians, Yankees, and Red Sox in the month of June. It’s not like they’re only beating bad teams at this point, they’re playing toe to toe with likely playoff teams as well.

Well, one thing is for sure. We won’t be questioning the quality of contact on Vaughn’s hits like many do with Madrigal. Everything he hits is a frozen rope.

Yep, I loved what I saw of him in college. It surprises me so many Sox fans have been so down on him from the beginning. He’s the exact type of hitter the already strikeout heavy WS lineup needs next season and beyond.

We won’t have to worry about that with Nicky

18/19 in saves, 2.16 ERA, 0.66 WHIP Hold on to him unless you get a top 100 prospect in return.

3 hour rain delay. Yikes. Usually they don’t wait that long but the Sunday afternoon start made it feasible.

Just missing NWI it appears

Southeast area is getting the worst of it. I’m in Countryside and it’s raining hard right now.

Looks like rain until 6:00. That would be a ~3.5 hour delay. Seems a bit unreasonable but we’ll see.

So if they end up calling this game, that’s three complete games and two shutouts on the season for Giolito, correct?

So this is the argument now? I wouldn’t trade Moncada for Bryant or Contreras. Would you?

And James McCann has a higher bWAR than all of em ?

Yoan Moncada - .878 OPS Javier Baez - .873 OPS

Meh. He’s got an ERA of 4 in a Cubs uniform over 62 starts. That’s against NL teams largely with pitchers hitting 3 times a game. He’s likely a 4.25-4.50 ERA guy in the AL next season. I wouldn’t give up more than a couple Alex Call’s for one season of that at a cost of $10.5M. Is he better than Nova? Sure but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up much of anything in terms of prospect value for him.

I’m not talking about right now, I’m talking this offseason. Cubs can’t afford to trade any starting pitcher right now with their starters dropping like flies of late. They need live bodies for the rotation. However, I’m sure they would consider trading him this winter if they plan to pursue a free agent arm or two. Also, there’s no way I’d give up any of the guys you mentioned above for 1 year of Q. Rather wait another 12 months when he’s available for only $$$.

That’s why I said two Alex Call’s. Q is trending in the wrong direction and isn’t nearly the same pitcher he was in a Sox uniform. Nova’s performance in the NL between 2016-2018, the three seasons prior to the Sox trade, actually make for a good comp to Q’s results over the past two years and remaining contract status after this season.