Chicago Cubs 2018 Season

#677      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
I wish this team could just put it together. They are starting to get some decent starting pitching and now can't score runs. For a team in first place they have a ton of question marks. Montgomery going on the DL was the last thing they needed. After yesterday I think the chances of Darvish helping any more this year are over. As a side note has anybody ever seen a weaker bat than Caratini? He is only slugging at .294, which is less than his OBP. Yikes.
 
#678      
#Welp

Nice season Yu.

Prior to this year’s offseason, the Cubs’ front office had prioritized a track record of arm health with their big pitcher acquisitions, both trades and free agent signings. It’s one of the reasons the Cubs have had one of the older pitching staffs in the Majors. They'd certainly taken flyers on low cost lottery tickets that had arm issues in the past (Hector Rondon being a good example of one that worked out), but when they've spent actual assets to get someone prior to 2018, they had been healthy.

But the front office completely threw that out the window this last offseason. Morrow, Darvish and Chatwood had all had relatively recent arm issues. As far as I know, Chatwood's issues aren't injury related. (In fact, I'd kind of feel better about him if they were.) But getting about 70 innings combined out of the guys you paid to be your 1/2 and your closer really hurts.

All that said, it's very hard to go back to last winter and reconstruct an off season that would have gone any better.

Pretty much all the alternatives to Chatwood have been awful this year, too. Lance Lynn, Alex Cobb, Mike Minor, Andrew Cashner, Jaime Garcia, Doug Fister... all have ERAs right around 5. If you were the guy screaming for the Cubs to sign Jhoulys Chacin, congratulate yourself. But even with 20/20 hindsight, Chatwood is still young enough to figure his crap out and maybe be productive for the last two years of his contract as opposed to everyone else on the list who are in their 30s.

Similarly, the closer options other than Morrow have basically all been awful. Wade Davis and Addison Reed have ERAs around 5. Bryan Shaw, Juan Nicasio, Anthony Swarzak and Jake McGee are all even worse. And Greg Holland cost the Cardinals a draft pick and $14M in exchange for 25 innings and an ERA close to 8. Tony Watson has had a nice year, I guess, but not as a closer. He's basically filled the Cisheck role for the Giants. Pat Neshek pitched even fewer innings for the Phillies before getting hurt than Morrow did for the Cubs.

As for Darvish, Arrieta was the only alternative. And I don't know how the Cubs could have signed Arrieta without significantly overpaying him. The Cubs offered him $100+ million contracts twice in about 24 months, after the 2015 season and in January of 2018. He declined both times. Arrieta took significantly less in guaranteed money than the Cubs offered him in January to pitch in Philadelphia. So even in retrospect, I'm not entirely sure what the Cubs should have done or even could have done there. The Chicago media had been assuming that Arrieta was going to depart via free agency for years, but never really said why. Outside looking in, it certainly feels like there was some personality issues somewhere.
 
#679      
After Jansen blew the save in his first game coming back from a heart condition, it would probably be good to remind ourselves that the disappointment with the Cubs’ offseason should be kept in perspective.

Of the other two heavy favorites to win their divisions in the NL, the Nats don’t even have a winning record and have all but conceded the season. The hot rumor last night was that Daniel Murphy had been claimed on waivers by another team and was about to be traded.

The Dodgers are in third place in their division and have three teams in front of them to make a wild card spot. I think most people assume they’re going to turn it on eventually and win that division, but time is running out.
 
#680      
But the front office completely threw that out the window this last offseason. Morrow, Darvish and Chatwood had all had relatively recent arm issues. As far as I know, Chatwood's issues aren't injury related. (In fact, I'd kind of feel better about him if they were.) But getting about 70 innings combined out of the guys you paid to be your 1/2 and your closer really hurts.
Small gripe, but Chatwood wasn't even signed to be the 4th starter. Lester, Hendricks, and Q were very comfortably above him. Darvish has ace potential, but even he was probably considered the 3 starter. Morrow was fantastic when healthy so I guess your point is still correct on that point ;).
 
#681      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
After Jansen blew the save in his first game coming back from a heart condition, it would probably be good to remind ourselves that the disappointment with the Cubs’ offseason should be kept in perspective.

Of the other two heavy favorites to win their divisions in the NL, the Nats don’t even have a winning record and have all but conceded the season. The hot rumor last night was that Daniel Murphy had been claimed on waivers by another team and was about to be traded.

The Dodgers are in third place in their division and have three teams in front of them to make a wild card spot. I think most people assume they’re going to turn it on eventually and win that division, but time is running out.

Saw a report that said Adams and Harper were also claimed. Harper and Murphy on Friday. Not sure about Adams. My guess is that of the three, Adams is the only one moved.
 
#682      
Murphy is still owed $4M for the remainder of this year and can’t be given a qualifying offer. There is literally no reason for the Nats to hold on to him unless they still think they can get back in the playoff race. If some other team is willing to pick up that $4M, they’ll probably let them.
 
#686      
Kind of surprised Murphy was able to fall to the Cubs.
He's been decent offensively and as always a liability on the defensive end. Luckily, 2nd base is a good place to be if you're a bad defender. It's a good move if his offense picks up. I mean we gave up basically nothing for him. I'm fine with eating his remaining salary.
 
#687      

KBLEE

Montgomery, IL
He's been decent offensively and as always a liability on the defensive end. Luckily, 2nd base is a good place to be if you're a bad defender. It's a good move if his offense picks up. I mean we gave up basically nothing for him. I'm fine with eating his remaining salary.

He can also play 1st if / when Rizzo needs a day off. I'm guessing he's a better option than Caratini at this point.
 
#691      
Murphy is hard to cheer for, but as a offensively he is a nice upgrade in certain spots.

A nice little news break with Theo confirming Darvish out for the year.
 
#692      

South Farms

near Ogden & Rt 83
Murphy will start and play 2nd
Baez will start SS
Bote will play 3rd until Bryant comes back, hopefully right after 9/1 or so.

Russell is the odd man out and will only likely get in when they move Baez to short in tight games after Murphy has had his last at bat. Murphy will spell Rizzo at 1st once in awhile and Zobrist as usual will be spot starting in LF or RF and at 3rd or 2nd. With Zobrist bat fairly hot, you got to find him at bats as well.

It was a no brainer to get him for that money. The guy can flat out hit the ball, and it is cheap insurance if KB is done for the year. Russell has had a terrible year.

long term , its more than likely that Bote is 2nd, Baez is short, and KB is third.
 
#694      
He's been decent offensively and as always a liability on the defensive end. Luckily, 2nd base is a good place to be if you're a bad defender. It's a good move if his offense picks up. I mean we gave up basically nothing for him. I'm fine with eating his remaining salary.

That doesn't explain why no one else made a claim. SFG, COL, PIT, MIL, PHI all have been getting negative WAR from 2B this year and none of them took the flyer?
 
#695      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
This offense is just putrid. The only guys with good numbers since the break are Zobrist, Rizzo, and Baez. Schwarber, Almora, Jr., Russell, Contreras, and Happ have been bad. Happ just strikes out too damn often.
 
#696      
That doesn't explain why no one else made a claim. SFG, COL, PIT, MIL, PHI all have been getting negative WAR from 2B this year and none of them took the flyer?
About half the teams you listed are noted cheapskates. The Giants are all but out of it, as are the pirates. Not sure the validity of this, but i've heard he isn't the best clubhouse guy, though Theo has shown he doesn't go after those kind of players.

I agree I'm surprised other teams didn't put in a claim for him, though I don't fully understand trade waivers.
 
#697      
Revocable waivers are pretty simple. After the trade deadline, if you want to move a guy you have to put him on the waiver wire. Pretty much everyone gets put on the wire at some point - either because the team wants to move them, because the team may want to move them, or because the team wants to cover who they really want to move.

When the player is placed on the wire, everyone else is given a chance to make a claim. If nobody makes a claim, the player has cleared waivers and can be traded freely. If multiple teams make a claim, whoever has priority gets the claim. Priority is given to teams in the waiving team's league first, and worst record to best. So the Cubs have last priority of any AL waiver and are behind all the NL teams but ahead of all AL teams for any NL waiver because they have the best NL record.

If a claim is made, there are three outcomes. A) they are pulled back (revocable) to the waiving team and nothing happens, B) the waiving team and the team with the claim come to terms for a trade, or C) the waiving team just gives the player, and his contract, to the claiming team (Alex Rios to the White Sox a while back was this).

When Murhpy was put on waivers, SFG and PIT were closer to the WC spot than they are now (Cards have been on tear). PFI offense has been bad all year. All those teams would greatly increase their playoff chances with him, well worth the cash. Or even just to block the Cubs from grabbing him.
 
#698      
Addison Russell to the DL with a sprained finger. Murphy activated and leading off.

This team is going to hobble to the playoffs looking like the car the Blues Brothers drove by the time they finished their "mission from God."