[The Era of the No-Good, Very Bad Home Run Hitter]

A good trivia question from back in the day. I'm not sure if it's still true as I haven't researched it.

 

Who is the only player to drive himself in as many times as he drove others in while hitting 30 or more HRs? For example 30 HR and 60 RBI

 

I had to look to verify, but knew at least one of the answers.

 

Barry Bonds, 2003. 45 HR, 90 RBI

[Are we allowed to get nervous about Moncada at this point?]

Yah, I think I've actually convinced myself that they could be decent next year.

 

My gut tells me somewhere around 76-79 wins. Under .500 over the first half of the season, around or above .500 in the second half.

[Reverse Standings Thread]

Seth Beer is a guy you take a chance on at the top of the 2nd round if he's available. There is potential for a generational bat, but if the glove doesn't play anywhere else, then your risk is ultimately way too high to draft him anywhere but there.

 

I am guessing that Beer will end up in the back half of round 1 where a team can afford to take that risk, especially a team like the Yankees, whose system is among the deepest in the majors at the moment.

[Are we allowed to get nervous about Moncada at this point?]

OMG he JUST turned 22 years old everyone!!! give the kid some time to make his own adjustments at the MLB level. he's not even CLOSE to being in the "prime" years of his baseball career, so to say he's a "borderline all-star" is ridiculous at this point of his major league career.

 

He is a "borderline all-star" right now. As long as he keeps improving, which he could and should, he will be among the best players in the game.

[2017 Cubs Catch-all thread]

I think the Cubs and Indians are locks for the WS and the Cubs win again. Parade deuce.

Cubs and Indians obviously were not into it until recently. They survived the doldrums and are ready to roll again. They have the most talent, folks.

 

The 2017 Cubs are going to go the way of the 2005 Red Sox. That rotation is not very good.

[Are we allowed to get nervous about Moncada at this point?]

Giolito does throw a slider as well.

[The Era of the No-Good, Very Bad Home Run Hitter]

He may end up with the worst back half of a hall of fame career ever right?

 

Most definitely. However, if this season is a sign of things to come for Miguel Cabrera, he may be on that route.

[The Era of the No-Good, Very Bad Home Run Hitter]

hard to believe im reading this

 

Unless he hits about .800 over the final games of the season, it'll happen.

 

Dick Allen posted something a while back that said that Pujols will be the first player in MLB history to finish seasons with both the highest and lowest WAR.

[Reverse Standings Thread]

I'll say this, both Phillies and Giants are hustling and playing hard. I'm not saying that they are very good, but they are competing.

 

They are indeed teams in Major League Baseball.

[The Era of the No-Good, Very Bad Home Run Hitter]

Because Joey Gallo is actually good. He has a 125 wRC+ and ~3 WAR on the season, he is way better than every other hitter mentioned in the article, he clearly does not belong in that group.

 

This is a good post.

[2018 pitching staff]

I think people are referring to us trading for him this off-season (buying low). An mlbtr article (or maybe it was a chat) said that he likely won't get much of a raise in arbitration. And he only has 1 year left of control. Depending on what the Mets want to do (rebuild/reset/retool or go for it) next year, he could be available.

 

I don't know why, but I keep thinking of Michael Crabtree when I think of Harvey. Super buy low candidate who could end up being a part of the organization for a while.

[2018 pitching staff]

I think the rotation plays out as:

 

Rodon

Shields

Giolito

Lopez

Fulmer

 

Bullpen will look something like:

 

Jake McGee (3 year deal)

Jones

Infante

Minaya

Bummer

Danish

Goldberg

 

Kopech will be up by May and will move either Shields or Fulmer to the bullpen.

 

If the White Sox give more than a 2 year deal to any reliever this year, I give them an F. A 2 year deal I understand. A 3 year deal is bad.

 

I keep seeing people throw out Fernando Rodney. Dude's got 38 saves on a playoff bound team. What makes people think he'd want to just ship for a rebuilding team being 40 years old?!?!

 

Maybe it's the 4.50 ERA he's running that lets me think the Diamondbacks will look elsewhere next year.

 

I don't think harvey will be much of a contract tbh. Will certainly eat crow if he has a healthy 2018 leading up to it, but i would...bet against it.

 

I think Matt Harvey is a perfect candidate for the Sox. He may receive a fairly sizeable AAV, but I see him signing a 1 year deal. Maybe 1 year, $15 million.

[2017 MLB Catch-All Thread]

What makes you think there isn't something like that now. It doesn't appear so but you never know with what they can invent in a lab.

 

I think it's more the ball right now.

 

I think the ball is a huge factor right now. There is some credence to the idea that guys are lifting the ball a bit more, but there is no way that helps make up that big of a difference.

[Trade avi in the offseason?]

Joe agreed to lose some LBs if he lost! I expect him to be a mean, lean, horndog machine.

 

Well then it's time for Joe to hit the gym.

[Trade avi in the offseason?]

Hey Chili,

What was your minimum PAs for Avi in our wager? 550?

 

Could be close...

 

If we assumed Avisail went 0 for his next 40, he'd be hitting .307. That would put him at 555 PAs.

 

I think Joe should buy you a sandwich.

 

 

Also, just because I was curious to see - Avisail would have to go 0 for 54 to fall below .300.

[If you were Rick Hahn...]

Not that it helped the Sox, but pretty much this same front office recognized the talent Jason Grilli had and he was a dynamite reliever for a few years. Given, it didn't really click for Grilli until 7 years after the Sox took him, but the point remains.

 

Beck and Covey are probably nothing, but all kinds of weird guys turn into great relievers for no reason in particular. They can throw hard. May as well see what they can do.

[Flippables]

I think your "flippable" player who provides significant value in a trade is already in the organzation. His name is Nate Jones.

[Are we allowed to get nervous about Moncada at this point?]

IIRC. I think last winter Hahn indicated that he wanted to rebuild sooner but JR and KW wanted to go for it. I don't think KW was onboard with the idea until the 2016 unraveled on them and that's when KW changed his tune which eventually convinced JR to finally rebuild.

 

No, it was JR all the way. I 100% believe Williams was on board, but Reinsdorf said "give it one more try," basically because they'd still be able to maximize the value of their roster if they didn't do anything that year, depending on injuries.

[2017-2018 NFL Thread]

Things change quickly for teams every season. Especially if you have a competent quarterback. The Raiders went from straight up trash to pretty good while letting Derek Carr learn on the way

 

Can the Bears protect Trubisky the way Carr was protected though? He was only sacked like 24 times his rookie year, and he almost attempted 600 passes. That's what I'd be concerned about. And as Dick mentioned too, he'll almost certainly have a new OC anyways, he's going to be in a similar spot anyways.

[2017-2018 NFL Thread]

So next year there is no learning curve, he is ready to go. It isn't a rush if he is better than Glennon. And he has an offense to work with, he has good tight ends and running backs, but they are being marginalized because defenses are teeing off on a slow quarterback

 

Are the Bears a playoff team next year if Trubisky is ahead of the learning curve?

[Are we allowed to get nervous about Moncada at this point?]

There are a million reasons why Steverson didn't mention it and Abreu did. To overthink how it happened will cause a brain aneurysm. Be glad it was suggested by anyone and move on.

[Trade avi in the offseason?]

JD Martinez had a 389 BABIP in his 2014 breakout 4 WAR season. He had a .339 BABIP the next season with a 5 WAR. Avi is unique. Most guys with his exit velocity hit more home runs and don't run as well as he does. I do think he is a guy who isn't going to run well long, but I do think the homers are coming. It's the next step.

 

And this could easily be, and would work for him. It actually reminds me of Gavin Floyd in 2008 and 2009. He started out really well in 2008 but it was pretty much smoke and mirrors, and when he was actually starting to show more command and make better pitches, the hitters were starting to hit him. It's a weird game. The same could certainly end up being true about Avisail.

 

I like the guy moving forward, and for the longest time I said he was a linebacker for the Bears or a guy they should convert to pitching. But a .390+ BABIP is simply unsustainable for any hitter.

[2017 Cubs Catch-all thread]

lol...Hawk would spit in your face if you called that a strike.

 

No he wouldn't, because he'd agree with me.

[2017 Cubs Catch-all thread]

sorry guys...regardless of what anybody's little pitch tracker says...or tweets...or whatever...share with me what world this is ever called a strike. You just never get that call...nor should you.

 

 

That's right over the plate.

[2017 2nd Wildcard Thread]

You think the Twins are going to NY and sweeping them? Bold.

 

I could see the Twins going 7-8 and the Angels going 9-6 for the tie at 84-78, but the Twins should win this 75% of the time.

 

No, I think they'll take 5 of 7 from Detroit.