JUSTgottaBELIEVE

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Sep 1, 2016 -> 09:54 AM) Yes. The Cubs will offer him a QO. Geez his agent really screwed up on that deal. I assume he won't accept the QO, yet again diminishing part of his appeal as a FA.

Can Fowler be offered a QO if he declines the mutual option for next season? I didn't think so but I could be wrong.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 1, 2016 -> 09:28 AM) My interest in spending big begins and ends with Encarnacion. He turns 34 this winter and I fear is due for a Bautista-like drop off in the next couple years.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Sep 1, 2016 -> 09:08 AM) So they're willing to spend another $125-175 million on, let's say, Cespedes and Ramos...? We'll instead end up with something like Rasmus, Wieters and a veteran bullpen guy and hope that everything goes right and nobody gets injured. It just doesn't make sense since they don't have any assets to trade that won't come from the big league club. Fulmer and Adams have lost considerable value. Trading the likes of Cabrera and Frazier won't move the needle. Maybe Robertson for salary relief, but that leaves Burdi, Jones and Jennings as your three best relievers. They'll probably try to sell Tilson as the permanent solution in CF, which will be as annoying as hearing Avi Garcia's name anywhere in connection with 2017. If they go for that strategy, maybe they try to bring in Kendrys Morales for one year to replace Morneau as DH (even though Abreu should be there) instead of bringing in a name outfielder. Pass on Ramos. I'm pulling for Fowler, Wieters, Moreland, Jensen. Going to have to overpay for Fowler and Jensen but Wieters and Moreland should be relative bargains. Fowler - CF Eaton - RF Abreu - 1B/DH Frazier - 3B Melky - LF Moreland - 1B/DH Lawrie/Saladino - 2B Wieters - C Anderson - SS On paper that at least appears to be a league average offense which combined with great starting pitching and hopefully good bullpen should be a playoff contender.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Aug 31, 2016 -> 04:17 PM) To expand, because beating up on James Shields is one of my favorite pastimes: If you replace his 7.16 ERA in 81.2 innings with a 5.92 ERA (chosen because it is the ERA of the worst qualified starter this season, Anibal Sanchez [shields' yearlong total of 5.86 is second]), the team starters' ERA moves from 6th to 3rd (4.22 to 4.09). If you replace it with a 4.84, the number that Sox fans politely accepted from John Danks following his injury, it would move the Sox comfortably into 2nd place at 3.98. Latos was bad but didn't really move the needle much - strip him away and the team number drops 0.03. Shields is a calamity. Remarkable. No matter how one slices it, the rotation is good with the potential to be great if a guy like Fulmer supplants Shields in the rotation and posts respectable numbers (low to mid 4 ERA). Improve the pen and sign Fowler, Weiters, and Moreland (none of which will cost a pick) and that team has a chance to compete. Wouldn't break the bank either.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Aug 31, 2016 -> 01:29 PM) One of the best 1-2 starters and probably the best contracts to go along with it. Instead of the high risk blow it up for prospects from an organization with questionable scouting and development, use money on hitters. I think we are closer to contending than pretending. Sale, Q, Rodon, and Gonzalez, that's a decent rotation. A better manager, pen, with the ability to score 4 runs a game puts you there. Take away some injuries, Robin's managing, and the leads blown by the pen this team would be closer to the wildcard. That rotation is better than decent. It's one of the best in the AL. Think about how poorly the bullpen has performed this year and yet the White Sox still have the fifth lowest team ERA in the AL. I have to imagine they have a top 3 ERA for starting pitchers. Can someone pull this data? Improve the pen substantially next year and they have arguably the best pitching in the AL.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 28, 2016 -> 08:45 PM) This conversation is silly. In the past 15 years, only 3 times has the team with the best regular season record won the World Series. (Ironically, two of those were Red Sox) The Cubs are the best team in baseball, but anything can happen in the MLB Playoffs, especially with a best of 5 series thrown in there, potentially against Kershaw twice. That's why I like when Theo originally said that his goal is to build a playoff contender year after year. Baseball is too fickle to try and build a one-time champion, give yourself as many chances as possible in the playoffs. (The 2005 Sox did the one-time thing, but the last ten years have shown us differently.) You mean the same Clayton Kershaw with a career postseason ERA of 4.59? I'd be more worried about a potential first round matchup with the Mets or Giants if I'm the Cubs. Also, I know this is all hypothetical but what would the Cubs do in a division like the AL East? Positive they wouldn't have 80+ wins right now. They are feasting off the NL bottom feeders. Against teams over .500 they have a record of 35-27. Not exactly shredding the competition against playoff caliber teams. 18-15 against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 27, 2016 -> 04:42 PM) What other Chicago team deserves any type of praise other than the Cubs? The Sox, Bulls and Bears are burnt cheese toast. I said the Cubs are the best team in baseball and heavy favorites. I never said they were a lock to win the World Series. Why wouldn't you take 4:1 odds on the best team in baseball and heavy favorites to win the World Series? I mean those are great odds for a team in their position no? Do you think they are going to win the World Series? It's a simple question. If the answer is yes why not take the wager?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 27, 2016 -> 01:09 PM) You have no problem praising them here or any other non Chicago team. Why not put your money where your mouth is? That's a good question DA. I think I know the answer. As I already said about Deadpool at least we won't have to hear "see I told you the Cubs were going all the way" line from J4L because he doesn't believe it enough to take the bet. Put up or shut up.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 27, 2016 -> 12:59 PM) To take the bet, any bet pro-Cubs, means I would have to root for the Cubs to win. Something I've never done in my life. Just because I respect/envy the juggernaut they've built doesn't mean I'm sitting in front of the tv screaming whenever Bryant ropes one out of the park. Cop out. You don't need to root for them to take the bet. I mean if it's inevitable the dominant Cubs are going all the way anyway, it doesn't matter whether you root for or against them and why not make some $ in the process?

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Aug 27, 2016 -> 07:39 AM) Baseball is too random. I'll watch some of the playoffs, but I'm in full football mode now. Ok, well at least we won't have to hear you say something along the lines of "see told you guys the Cubs were going to win the World Series" if they do win it. Waiting for J4L now. Hopefully he takes my bet, it will give me another incentive for rooting against the Cubs in the playoffs.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 27, 2016 -> 01:17 AM) I said before the season that 97 wins was their floor. They're gonna demolish that total. And they haven't even had Schwarber. #facepalm I'm surprised you or Deadpool haven't taken the bets floated your way for the Cubs winning the World Series. Aren't they basically a lock to win it all with how dominant they are? One guy even gave you 4:1 odds.

QUOTE (bmags @ Aug 24, 2016 -> 11:05 AM) Have to think we have underestimated how much getting so little out of the DH spot has killed this team last 2 years. Morneau is in and all the sudden its "oh this is passable". But on a team already struggling to get offense out of their top positions, you can't also have DH be in your bottom 3 of offensive outputs. Good point and a reason why a free agent like Mitch Moreland makes a lot of sense for the Sox on a 2 or 3 year deal this offseason. He could split time with Abreu at 1b and DH. Provides a lefty bat with decent power and passable defense at 1b while not breaking the bank.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 24, 2016 -> 09:03 AM) On a more serious note though... in August, Abreu has gone from a .738 OPS to .796 now. He is back to an OPS+ of 117 after 134 last year. His OBP is now only .006 under last year. Yea, the back of baseball card numbers may very well end up in line with his 2015 numbers minus a few homers and RBI if he keeps up anywhere near this recent torrid pace over the next 6 weeks. Wouldn't be shocked to see his OPS end up in the mid-800 range again.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Aug 23, 2016 -> 11:08 PM) The Sox would most likely not be very much better even with Abreu hitting better. Without a consistent 3,4,5 in the rotation and injuries to the pen the Sox have done OK to hang around .500. With Rodon pitching much better now and Jose hitting better and with Morneau the offense is now better and so is 3/5 of the starters but the bullpen is still a mess. A messy bullpen can undo quality starts and better hitting in a hurry. The complete lack of a no. 5 starter this year cannot be understated. In games started by Danks or Shields, the White Sox are 5-13. Even if they got average production out of that spot (8-8), they would be a respectable 4 games over .500 and if they got good production out of that spot (11-7), they would be competing for a playoff spot at 8 games over .500. All the more reason why they need Shields to be above average next season in order to compete for the playoffs since it appears Fulmer still needs more seasoning.

Those are nice odds if one truly believes the Cubs are going to win the World Series since current Vegas odds are hanging just below 3:1. Let's see if they put their money where their mouth is (doubtful). I'd be willing to make the same bet but I'll only give 3:1 odds.

Jose Abreu last 16 games at U.S. Cellular Field (through 5th inning tonight) .491/.540/.818, 13 Runs, 5 HR, 13 RBI #WhiteSox Is that good?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 21, 2016 -> 04:19 PM) Lindor over Trout? Stop. Mike Trout might be the greatest baseball player that's ever lived. At this very moment of course I'd take trout. My point is lindor isn't far behind though and also 3 years younger while playing a position that is much more difficult to fill (hence the whole starting a team hypothetical).

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 21, 2016 -> 12:56 PM) Kris has been in The Show less than 2 full seasons and he's won the ROY and is the pretty easy favorite for NL MVP. Ok but like you said he's in the NL with less competition for those awards. Just because he wins the NL MVP makes him the best non-Trout player in baseball? GMAB. I'm taking the guy that hits just as well but can also play top line SS and 3B defensively. Also nobody has mentioned Lindor, but if I had to start a team right now that's the guy I'm taking first overall (ahead of Trout even). The guy is unreal defensively playing a premium position and already a very good hitter at age 22. Only going to get better. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-francis...-is-ridiculous/

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 21, 2016 -> 12:01 AM) I've seen enough. Kris Bryant is the best non-Trout player in baseball. He's got baseball fans everywhere shook. Nobody thought he'd be THIS good this soon. Always so dramatic when it comes to anything Cubs or Lebron. Give me some Manny over Bryant, who also happens to be 6 months younger as well. Also don't sleep on Harper. He'll be back in a big way if he out hits Bryant and the Cubs this postseason. He's also younger than both Manny and Bryant.

Hopefully ownership gets their hands on this: http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2016/8/15/1248...ence-survey-3-0

QUOTE (Scoots @ Jul 28, 2016 -> 09:38 PM) Prediction for the 9th-Abreu strike out on a high/inside fastball, Frazier pops it up, Shuck strikes out on a hard slider. LONG break between innings here for Chapman. Will be interesting to see how he responds.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 26, 2016 -> 09:17 PM) I imagine there is some tinkle running down some legs on the northside tonight. Just imagine if they lose to Ranaudo tomorrow night at home. That would be epic.

OVERRATED. Cubs just lost to Miguel Gonzalez and James Shields with their two best starters. That's embarrassing.

Never change out of the '83 unis again!