In one game Contreras raised his OPS from .733 to .831.
Chicago Cubs 2018 Season
[ W ] #20
Willson!
Willson!
Not that I'd argue we're good, but we've got guys on the DL and threw out the fringiest of starters today in Carson Fulmer.
[ W ] #21
[ W ] #22
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Which call at the plate? The one in the first? Freeman was definitely out. Contreras hit him on the foot as he started his slide. Was a great throw by Schwarber.
The call at third base, which I didn't see live or a replay in slo mo, looked like he was safe. Saw that as part of a highlight package.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
5th inning, passed ball. Contreras made a great throw to Montgomery to make the play at home close, but he looked safe to me as well.
They reviewed that one but didn’t overturn it. Probably because there was insufficient video evidence to overturn. The Braves then didn’t have a challenge left to review the play at third.
The Cubs probably stole that game. I don’t feel even a little bit bad about it.
KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
:thumb:
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Ah that one. OK. Didn't see highlights but Montgomery had a picture where he tagged the guy on the helmet so looked out to me.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
They had great ABs in the 9th versus Vizcaino. Yesterday, not so much.
Since leaving CBS Sports, it seems Jon Heyman is in the clickbait business. His latest ties the Cubs to making a trade for Manny Machado at the deadline.
https://frsbaseball.com/mlb/cubs/heyman-cubs-could-be-landing-spot-for-manny-machado/
I like Machado a great deal (he's a superstar, after all), but he's free agent at the end of the year. Talks would have to start with Russell, and include names like Happ and Alzolay. I just don't see it.
https://frsbaseball.com/mlb/cubs/heyman-cubs-could-be-landing-spot-for-manny-machado/
I like Machado a great deal (he's a superstar, after all), but he's free agent at the end of the year. Talks would have to start with Russell, and include names like Happ and Alzolay. I just don't see it.
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bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Yeah, before the trade is official, they will let the team trading for the player and the agent some time to work on extension. From what I recall, it’s usually 72 hours. No extension, no trade.
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bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Agreed, I don’t see that either. Especially if they are really interested in Harper as a FA (I don’t buy that either).
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KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
This is far from click-bait and has been rumored for quite awhile. Buster Olney, who is as connected as anyone, spoke about Baltimore trading Machado yesterday. His odds were on the Cubs eventually being the trading partner.
I feel Heyman's piece is clickbait in the sense that it is a generic title that isn't backed by anything, not even rumors; it's only theory. Surely Heyman is still connected to the industry, but there is no substance to this article.
He cites the Cubs' December discussions with Baltimore for a deal involving Machado (that went nowhere), continues without any mention of these rumblings picking back up presently, and concludes his piece with a generic paragraph about the Cubs' roster construction. I think it's a worthless article that reads more like a hopeful post from Cubs fan on a message board.
Out of curiosity, where did you hear Olney speaking on Machado? The only news I've found with him discussing Machado was a tweet from back in April about the hurdles the Dodgers would face in a trade and a blog post about his prediction of Machado signing with the Phillies.
https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/991095593253720064
http://www.espn.com/blog/buster-oln...underrated-yes-underrated-in-fantasy-rankings
That said, I'm hesitant that the Cubs will make a move for Machado, considering the cost it will likely require. He is is on record wanting to test the free agency waters, and given Theo's track record, (Chapman and Davis notwithstanding), there seems to be a preference for players with years of control versus rentals.
The absolute only way I see the Cubs trading for Machado is if it's guaranteed he signs a long term deal with us (however that may be hashed out). I would assume we probably lose two big league guys and a mid level prospect, but Machado is a perennial MVP type player, especially at SS.
I would hope if we are trading Russell/Happ/Schwarb/Baez (last two seem highly unlikely) that we get control of Machado for multiple years. Giving up a controllable big league starter for a years service is something desperate teams at the end of championship windows do, and the Cubs are not that.
I just can't see the Cubs trading Russell for Machado. It doesn't make sense.
Why would the Cubs marginally increase their chances to win this year in return for drastically lowering their chances the next three years? Maybe if they looked like they were ending their run of competitive teams this year, but they're not. The roster they have will largely stay intact through the 2021 season and they still have the third youngest group of position players in the ML. Their window is wide open. There is no reason to shorten that window now.
I think the notion that trading for Machado now heightens the Cubs chances to re-sign him in the Winter is preposterous. Name the last high profile mid-season acquisition at the end of his contract to re-sign with the team he was traded to. I can't remember an instance of it happening in the last decade... C. C. Sabathia, Carlos Beltran, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, and Aroldis Chapman all signed with different teams. Did any single one of the free-agents-to-be traded last year re-sign with his new team? Yu Darvish, Jay Bruce, J.D. Martinez, Todd Frazier, Alex Avila and Jonathan Lucroy all signed with different teams.
So why on earth would the Cubs trade 3 1/2 years of a 3.0 WAR a year shortstop for 1/2 a year of a 5.5 WAR a year shortstop?
Now, targeting Machado in free agency and then trading Russell in the offseason... That makes all the sense in the world. Trading minor leaguers to get Machado (headlined by Alzolay, who seems like he's blocked with the Cubs and will be MLB ready probably by the end of this year) makes all the sense in the world.
Why would the Cubs marginally increase their chances to win this year in return for drastically lowering their chances the next three years? Maybe if they looked like they were ending their run of competitive teams this year, but they're not. The roster they have will largely stay intact through the 2021 season and they still have the third youngest group of position players in the ML. Their window is wide open. There is no reason to shorten that window now.
I think the notion that trading for Machado now heightens the Cubs chances to re-sign him in the Winter is preposterous. Name the last high profile mid-season acquisition at the end of his contract to re-sign with the team he was traded to. I can't remember an instance of it happening in the last decade... C. C. Sabathia, Carlos Beltran, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, and Aroldis Chapman all signed with different teams. Did any single one of the free-agents-to-be traded last year re-sign with his new team? Yu Darvish, Jay Bruce, J.D. Martinez, Todd Frazier, Alex Avila and Jonathan Lucroy all signed with different teams.
So why on earth would the Cubs trade 3 1/2 years of a 3.0 WAR a year shortstop for 1/2 a year of a 5.5 WAR a year shortstop?
Now, targeting Machado in free agency and then trading Russell in the offseason... That makes all the sense in the world. Trading minor leaguers to get Machado (headlined by Alzolay, who seems like he's blocked with the Cubs and will be MLB ready probably by the end of this year) makes all the sense in the world.
And for those saying the Cubs should just sign a long term extension before hand...
When was the last time that's been done? Has it ever been done in the history of baseball? I can't think of a time in the last 15 or 20 years. Why would a player of Machado's caliber having the year he's having agree to an extension anyway?
On top of that, the Orioles didn't allow Machado to talk to teams who were potential trade partners in the offseason. Why would they change their minds during the season?
When was the last time that's been done? Has it ever been done in the history of baseball? I can't think of a time in the last 15 or 20 years. Why would a player of Machado's caliber having the year he's having agree to an extension anyway?
On top of that, the Orioles didn't allow Machado to talk to teams who were potential trade partners in the offseason. Why would they change their minds during the season?
Or I guess another way to put it is, when in the history of baseball has a 24 year old player that has accumulated 8.2 fWAR/11.0 bWAR and has 3 1/2 years left on his contract ever been traded for 1/2 a season of any player. No matter how good. Ever.
The writers speculating that something that has literally never happened before could or should happen are way, way off base.
The writers speculating that something that has literally never happened before could or should happen are way, way off base.
I can't remember a specific instance, but I feel like it has.
But you're right, Machado would be a fool to give anyone a discount. And if you're comfortable with his sticker price, just sign him in December, keep Russell, and put Machado at his stronger position at 3rd and move Bryant to left.
Wherever has a nice, shiny starting pitcher to offer us.
Schwarber stays where he is. Bryant goes to right. Heyward grabs pine.