Cubs Fans...

[johnnycando]

Great win.

Rizzo still hasn't come back around.

Straight up mental ordeal right now.

If he comes back around we'll be solid.

 

[Irishnuke]

Great win.

Rizzo still hasn't come back around.

Straight up mental ordeal right now.

If he comes back around we'll be solid.

2-3 with an RBI, run scored, and a walk. I'll take that.

 

[Irish2155]

This is fun...my lady is a Cubs fan (I look past: nobody is perfect) . I'm like, lets talk about something else... But hard looking past the obvious...Theo Epstein.

So the way I see it, World Series bound...both teams. Sox and Cubbies.

 

[blueNDgold44]

So far, we could argue that its been the best signing in all of baseball for this year.

I think the only other argument could be for bringing back Dex.

Major League Leaderboards » 2016 » Batters » Dashboard | FanGraphs Baseball

#3 in the ML for WAR. Zobrist is #5 currently. Bringing back Dex also allowed for Heyward to stay in his natural RF where he's easily a top 3 fielding RF in all of baseball.

 

[Irishnuke]

NL ranks
Runs scored: 1) Bryant 2) Zobrist 4) Fowler
RBIs: 2) Bryant 3) Rizzo 7) Zobrist
OBP: 1) Zobrist 2) Fowler
BB: 5) Rizzo 5) Zobrist 8) Fowler

That's good.

 

[Irishnuke]

Forgot these

ERA: 2) Arrieta 5) Hammel 8) Lester
WHIP: 2) Arrieta 4) Lackey 6) Kyle f'n Hendricks
Avg: 1) Arrieta 7) Lackey 9) Hendricks

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Forgot these

ERA: 2) Arrieta 5) Hammel 8) Lester
WHIP: 2) Arrieta 4) Lackey 6) Kyle f'n Hendricks
Avg: 1) Arrieta 7) Lackey 9) Hendricks

Love Hendricks. He's not Greg Maddux, but he's cut from the same cloth.

 

[johnnycando]

NL ranks
Runs scored: 1) Bryant 2) Zobrist 4) Fowler
RBIs: 2) Bryant 3) Rizzo 7) Zobrist
OBP: 1) Zobrist 2) Fowler
BB: 5) Rizzo 5) Zobrist 8) Fowler

That's good.

MLB #44 Anthony Rizzo - ESPN

I mean, I think his average potential is much higher.

 

[blueNDgold44]

Not including today. Ben Zobrist last 21 games:
.474/.556/.711 with 11 multi-hit games.
Quite a hot streak.

 

[arrowryan]

Willson Contreras has been killing it in AAA Iowa; he's hitting .329, slugging .559, OBP .418, 8 home runs, and 30 RBI. He's pretty much a guarantee to be with Chicago in September and should be a nice replacement for Ross when he retires.

 

[NDdomer2]

Willson Contreras has been killing it in AAA Iowa; he's hitting .329, slugging .559, OBP .418, 8 home runs, and 30 RBI. He's pretty much a guarantee to be with Chicago in September and should be a nice replacement for Ross when he retires.

I thought I heard that Almora is finally coming around at the plate too. Kid is supposedly Gold Glove material in the field. Would be nice addition to bench come Sept. as well.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I thought I heard that Almora is finally coming around at the plate too. Kid is supposedly Gold Glove material in the field. Would be nice addition to bench come Sept. as well.

If you're not aware of milb.com, it's one of the best ways to follow the minor league guys.

Here's Almora's page:
Albert Almora Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball

Here's Contreras:
Willson Contreras Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball

 

[arrowryan]

Rumor is that Almora is in Philadelphia in case Soler has to go on the DL due to his hamstring injury from last night

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Rumor is that Almora is in Philadelphia in case Soler has to go on the DL due to his hamstring injury from last night

Not sure if I like that. I would think we're okay with Baez playing some 3B and 2B, Zobrist possibly playing a bit of OF, and Bryant playing some OF.

Part of me really wants Almora to have a full year at Iowa before trying to push him up. But Theo knows what he's doing.

 

[johnnycando]

Oracle.

Props and reps.

 

[bobbyok1]

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Was camping in the Rockies (Divide, CO) with my wife and son this past week, so I decided to take advantage of the Iowa Cubs being in town. We took in a day game of the Cubs AAA team playing Colorado Springs Skysox, a Brewers AAA affiliate. Got to see Willson Contreras play on Wednesday before he was called up Friday to the bigs. He pinch hit last night for Kyle Hendricks and the first pitch he saw he crushed over the center field wall. Wrigley went nuts. Pretty cool moment for the guy.

Here are a couple of pics of him with AAA Iowa from the game I went to Wednesday. Sorry for poor quality pics, we forgot our good camera at home, had to use my iPhone.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Anyone want to have a beer and reminisce about the time the Cubs were the best team in baseball, and this unbeatable juggernaut? I remember it like yesterday.

 

[woolybug25]

Anyone want to have a beer and reminisce about the time the Cubs were the best team in baseball, and this unbeatable juggernaut? I remember it like yesterday.

My Cards done broke em.

 

[Irishnuke]

They've definitely been playing like shit recently. Injuries are starting to catch up. Half of the bullpen is garbage too. They'll address that before the trade deadline. They're still winning the central.

 

[woolybug25]

They've definitely been playing like shit recently. Injuries are starting to catch up. Half of the bullpen is garbage too. They'll address that before the trade deadline. They're still winning the central.

I think they probably will, but it's definitely not a guarantee. The Cards are 9 games back and they're not even to the halfway point yet. It wouldn't take an act of God to turn the central into a race.

 

[philipm31]

I think they probably will, but it's definitely not a guarantee. The Cards are 9 games back and they're not even to the halfway point yet. It wouldn't take an act of God to turn the central into a race.

True. I think that the Cardinals need to get their pitching in order, especially the bullpen. They do that, their offense can carry them to some key wins. Although it was disturbing to see how they responded to the Cubs sweep by losing the next series.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Just like that...back to an 11 game lead. No worries.

ETA: The injuries really have hurt, particularly Fowler. But the Reds will cure what ails you. And we've certainly found the catcher of the future in this process.

 

[NDdomer2]

Just like that...back to an 11 game lead. No worries.

ETA: The injuries really have hurt, particularly Fowler. But the Reds will cure what ails you. And we've certainly found the catcher of the future in this process.

haha i was just telling some guys at work that theres nothing better than a trip to cincy to get the team rolling again. Hopefully they play well agains the mets then they have cincy at home again.

 

[arrowryan]

I posted a little bit ago about Single-A South Bend's left fielder Eloy Jimenez and how he is pretty much a sure thing to be playing in the MLB. He didn't play in South Bend vs. Bowing Green game yesterday afternoon because he was playing in the MLB Future's game. He made an incredible catch in the game in right field; a video of the catch is in the link below.

He's hitting .332, 10 HR, 58 RBIs (leads the team in all 3).

Eloy Jimenez Makes Incredible Catch, Nearly Falls Over Railing in Futures Game | Bleacher Report

 

[NDdomer2]

I posted a little bit ago about Single-A South Bend's left fielder Eloy Jimenez and how he is pretty much a sure thing to be playing in the MLB. He didn't play in South Bend vs. Bowing Green game yesterday afternoon because he was playing in the MLB Future's game. He made an incredible catch in the game in right field; a video of the catch is in the link below.

He's hitting .332, 10 HR, 58 RBIs (leads the team in all 3).

Eloy Jimenez Makes Incredible Catch, Nearly Falls Over Railing in Futures Game | Bleacher Report

unlikely to be in cubs system after trade deadline right?

 

[arrowryan]

unlikely to be in cubs system after trade deadline right?

It is certainly possible; all of the Single-A players' futures are uncertain at this point in their careers.

He's a top 10 prospect for the Cubs' organization so they aren't just gonna give him away for nothing. He's a player, regardless of who he he plays for in the MLB, I'd like to see succeed after watching him develop and play all year since I work for the organization.

 

[arrowryan]

#1 Cubs prospect Gleyber Torres for Chapman seems to be the hot rumor right now. Not sure I like giving up our top prospect for a guy that will pitch for 3 outs but if gets us a ring then so be it.

Another name in the trade is Soler. I'm all for that one.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

#1 Cubs prospect Gleyber Torres for Chapman seems to be the hot rumor right now. Not sure I like giving up our top prospect for a guy that will pitch for 3 outs but if gets us a ring then so be it.

I also just saw Eloy mentioned. A couple of thoughts:

1. I don't like Chapman. He's a bad person.
2. He's clearly a crazy good closer with some of the best stuff ever. He would help and could completely turn around the back end of the staff. Strop and Rondon handing it off to Chapman is scary.
3. I don't like getting Chapman as a 3 month rental for our top prospect, even though it's clearly a position of depth. If there can be an extension (they're talking about 4 years 60 mil), that could be better.
4. I don't like Chapman. He's a bad person.

 

[arrowryan]

I also just saw Eloy mentioned. A couple of thoughts:

1. I don't like Chapman. He's a bad person.
2. He's clearly a crazy good closer with some of the best stuff ever. He would help and could completely turn around the back end of the staff. Strop and Rondon handing it off to Chapman is scary.
3. I don't like getting Chapman as a 3 month rental for our top prospect, even though it's clearly a position of depth. If there can be an extension (they're talking about 4 years 60 mil), that could be better.
4. I don't like Chapman. He's a bad person.

Well I'm obviously not a part of the Cubs front office but there is no way in hell they're giving up both Torres and Eloy. I would shit a brick. Definitely one of them (preferably Torres) but not both

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Well I'm obviously not a part of the Cubs front office but there is no way in hell they're giving up both Torres and Eloy. I would shit a brick. Definitely one of them (preferably Torres) but not both

Torres and Soler is questionable as well.