Chicago Cubs 2020 Season

#251      

Chilliniwek

Chicagoland
As wpr mentioned earlier, it's funny how the passage of time alters your memory. It was the national Game of the Week, so Harry did the play by play on WGN-AM, but "The Good Kid" was still doing color. And because of my friendship with Lou, I got to meet Denny McLain once. Denny shook my hand and as we talked, he told me that when he had his troubles with gambling, etc., Lou, whose daughter was McLain's wife, was one of the few people who stood by him. Denny also had the biggest hands of any man whose hand I've shaken. It virtually disappeared into his and I wondered if I'd ever see it again. Eventually he let go and there it was. And I'm kind of a big guy myself.
 
#252      
Unfortunately, the DH is coming to the NL about two years too late for it to be a big advantage for the Cubs. They no longer have the depth where they have a starter-quality bat sitting on the bench every day.
Instead, I think we’re going to see way too much of Almora in the lineup. Again.
 
#254      
You don't think they'll just put Schwarber in there most of the time?

I think the most likely and least creative possibility is that Schwarber DHes, Almora plays Center, and Happ or Souza plays left depending on the pitcher’s handedness.

I think it would be far better to play Happ at Center more or less permanently and then rotate Schwarber, Souza, Kipnis, Happ and Bote at the DH/LF/2B depending on who’s pitching and who’s hot. I could also see some of Bote/Kipnis at 2B, Hoerner at SS, Baez at 3B, Bryant in Left, Happ in Center with Schwarber DHing.
 
#260      
Cubs set to open the season July 24 at home for a 3 game series vs. the Brewers.

Other key dates on the schedule:
-August 7-9: at Cardinals (First series of the season between two teams at Busch)
-August 17-19: vs. Cardinals (First series of the season between the two teams at Wrigley)
-August 21-23: vs. White Sox (Crosstown series at Wrigley)
-September 11-13: at Brewers (Lone trip to Milwaukee for the season)
-September 25-27: @ White Sox (Season ending 3 game Crosstown series at Guaranteed Rate Field)
 
#261      
Fangraph's projected standings for the Central Divisions with wins over a 162 game season in parenthesis:

NL:
Cubs 32-28 (86)
Brewers 31-29 (84)
Reds 31-29 (84)
Cardinals 31-29 (84)
Pirates 27-33 (73)

AL:
Twins 32-28 (86)
Indians 31-29 (84)
Sox 30-30 (81)
Royals 26-34 (70)
Tigers 24-36 (65)

Not much separation there. Most everybody average to above average, with just the Pirates and Royals bad and the Tigers putrid.
 
#264      
While you won't be able to watch the games inside Wrigley, you may be able to watch the games from one of the rooftops across the street: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29430248/wrigley-field-rooftop-tickets-go-sale-350

The city of Chicago has approved the rooftops for 25% capacity. Wrigley View Rooftops, which is across Waveland, is advertising tickets at $350 ($250 on Sundays) which includes food, beer, and wine. CDC guidelines will be followed including temperature checks before anyone enters the building. Tickets for Opening Day vs. the Brewers are already sold out but tickets remain for the rest of that series.

The Cubs are also one of the MLB teams experimenting with piping in crowd noise.
 
#265      
While you won't be able to watch the games inside Wrigley, you may be able to watch the games from one of the rooftops across the street: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29430248/wrigley-field-rooftop-tickets-go-sale-350

The city of Chicago has approved the rooftops for 25% capacity. Wrigley View Rooftops, which is across Waveland, is advertising tickets at $350 ($250 on Sundays) which includes food, beer, and wine. CDC guidelines will be followed including temperature checks before anyone enters the building. Tickets for Opening Day vs. the Brewers are already sold out but tickets remain for the rest of that series.

The Cubs are also one of the MLB teams experimenting with piping in crowd noise.

With this season feeling like a bit of an experiment, I'd love to watch at least one game without any noise pumped in, the players mic'ed up, while listening to Len & JD on the call. A Cubs/Brewers game of that caliber might be one of the more entertaining matchups.
 
#266      
With this season feeling like a bit of an experiment, I'd love to watch at least one game without any noise pumped in, the players mic'ed up, while listening to Len & JD on the call. A Cubs/Brewers game of that caliber might be one of the more entertaining matchups.

When Foxsports did that for the Illinois PSU basketball game this past year I found it a bit distracting. (At least during gameplay)

I did like inside the huddle though and the banter with the refs. (At least on the BU side)

Since baseball is way slower, maybe it won’t feel like a distraction.
 
#268      
I was looking at the new rule changes, specifically looking at the three batter minimum and what there was to stop a player from claiming injury after one or two batters and then pitching again the next game.

The answer is apparently nothing. The umpire judges whether claims of illness or injury are legitimate, but I can’t see how they can make a player throw if he says he can’t do it any more.

The original rule required a player to go to the 15 day IL if he left before pitching to the third batter, but the teams didn’t like that rule. So this seems absolutely ripe for abuse.

By the way, the rule change that pitcher must go on the IL for a minimum of 15 days instead of the 10 it’s been for the last few years is a good change. Some teams (cough) Dodgers (cough) were abusing the Hell out of that one to shuffle starters in and out, basically running a six-man rotation without losing a roster spot.
 
#269      
I have visions of loogy relievers World Cup soccer-style falling down like they’ve been shot, clutching their elbow, writhing in pain, being carted off the field, and then seeing them warming up in the bullpen the next day as if nothing happened.
 
#270      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
I have visions of loogy relievers World Cup soccer-style falling down like they’ve been shot, clutching their elbow, writhing in pain, being carted off the field, and then seeing them warming up in the bullpen the next day as if nothing happened.
In that case I say give'm a red card! ;)
 
#272      
It's overreaction Monday for me, but trading Eloy for Quintana will be (if it isn't already) considered a fireable offense.
Most MLB starter rentals for prospects are one sided in the long run, that's kinda the point. Yeah the Cubs probably gave up too much for a backend starter, but he also had like 2.5 years of team control on a friendly contract left.

I'm sure the Orioles dont look fondly back at giving us Arrieta and Strop for a half season of a decent starter. Not an apples to apples there, but you get the point. Those trades almost always seem lopsided when looking back. Q was needed. Eloy was not (at the time). There's more than just a 1 to 1 trade here.
 
#273      
Most MLB starter rentals for prospects are one sided in the long run, that's kinda the point. Yeah the Cubs probably gave up too much for a backend starter, but he also had like 2.5 years of team control on a friendly contract left.

I'm sure the Orioles dont look fondly back at giving us Arrieta and Strop for a half season of a decent starter. Not an apples to apples there, but you get the point. Those trades almost always seem lopsided when looking back. Q was needed. Eloy was not (at the time). There's more than just a 1 to 1 trade here.
He wasn't a back-end starter when we got him, only turned into one (unlucky for us). People forget he was 7th in SP fWAR for the entire MLB over the 4 years before the Cubs got him.

Also if that's a fireable offense then the White Sox would have already fired Rick Hahn for trading Fernando Tatis Jr. for James Shields and the trade would have never happened!
 
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#274      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Most MLB starter rentals for prospects are one sided in the long run, that's kinda the point. Yeah the Cubs probably gave up too much for a backend starter, but he also had like 2.5 years of team control on a friendly contract left.

I'm sure the Orioles dont look fondly back at giving us Arrieta and Strop for a half season of a decent starter. Not an apples to apples there, but you get the point. Those trades almost always seem lopsided when looking back. Q was needed. Eloy was not (at the time). There's more than just a 1 to 1 trade here.

the difference is that Arrieta was average to bad before coming to Chicago. Strop was good up to 2013 where he turned his season around in Chicago.

And you're right, it was more than a 1:1 trade: Eloy and Dylan Cease (and two others) for Quintana...
 
#275      
I’m still not convinced Jimenez will be much more than above average.

He would have contributed very little to the Cubs lineup these last 2 1/2 years. The only reason he’d contribute to the lineup this year is because the DH is being unsuspectedly imposes onto the NL.