The Winter Meetings have come and gone and the Cubs look totally different now. A brief recap of all of the transactions:
Signings
none
Trades
none
Rule 5 Draft, Major League Phase
no selection
no players selected from Cubs
Rule 5 Draft, AAA Phase
8. Blue Jays select David Garner, RHP (Cubs)
19. Indians select Yapson Gomez, LHP (Cubs)
20. Cubs select Luis Lugo, LHP (Royals)
33. Cubs select Rafelin Lorenzo, C (Pirates)
40. Cubs select Alexander Vargas, RHP (Yankees)
I’m not going to pretend to care about David Garner or Yapson Gomez, though it does seem like Yapson Gomez could potentially be an emergency LOOGY or something. Not a big loss, though. Luis Lugo is a decent org. guy. If he ends up getting a cup in the majors, it wouldn’t stun me, but I wouldn’t plan on it. Rafelin Lorenzo could take plate discipline lessons from Javy Baez. Alexander Vargas is an org. guy at best.
Wrap-Up
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! The Cubs were incredibly busy this Winter Meetings, so if I missed something, please let me know. Morale in Chicago could not be higher, and we figure to sign twice as many high-dollar free agents as we have already!
Comments
Where is the productive talks section?
andcountingQuote Reply
The Cubs also lost Brandon Hyde
And I can’t believe you missed this huge acquisition
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
I didn’t have enough space to get to it.
mylesQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
mobile daveQuote Reply
It’s pathetic when what the Cubs have accomplished so far this offseason would fit in a tweet back when Twitter had a 140 character maximum.
dmick89Quote Reply
This must be a typo. Everyone knows the Cubs don’t employ minor league pitchers that exceed 6 K/9. That’s not the Cub Way™.
JKVQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
He had a good year last season, but was terrible before that. He’s also an established Major League player.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ryno,
Wow. I had read somewhere that the Cubs barely had the budget to sign a reliever or two, but I didn’t really believe it. This is just awful.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ricketts: Theo, your free agent signings suck. Stop doing that.
Epstein: No.
Ricketts: Payroll freeze.
Epstein (to the news): We can’t spend any more money.
News: Cubs can’t spend any more money.
Cubs fans: Ricketts sucks.
Ricketts: *looks like Ted Cruz*
RynoQuote Reply
The Cubs will probably give Descalso a 3 year, $18 million deal just because. They’ll have to trade some players away to trim the payroll down.
dmick89Quote Reply
andcountingQuote Reply
dmick89,
Why would they sign Descalso when he’s essentially David Bote?
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Maybe the Cubs don’t know that. Hopefully someone tells them so they can spend their remaining money on established Major League relievers.
dmick89Quote Reply
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0_f5fkrCTA
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
I think the thing that has me most puzzled is the knowledge that this front office is talented at what they do. I mean, they’ve won multiple World Series with multiple franchises historically unsuccessful at winning World Series. They’ve made their fair share of mistakes as well, but not enough to show their judgment is suspect or their system is flawed.
So that’s why my brain is continually working to assemble a narrative that makes sense of the last 15 months or so. Just writing them off as stupid doesn’t work for me. But neither does Daniel Descalso, so I’m having a difficult time of it right now.
andcountingQuote Reply
and counting,
Yeah, I don’t think they’re anywhere close to stupid. i think they’re very good at their job, but their job can be performed only so good if they don’t have the funds to acquire the necessary talent. I still think the 2019 Cubs will be good, but they’ll likely battle it out with St. Louis for second place and that sucks.
dmick89Quote Reply
Only way Descalso makes sense to me is if the Cubs are trying to attach Happ or AA (not sure why anyone would want him, but hey…) to Heyward or Chatwood in order to shed enough salary to make a play for Harper. Otherwise, why bother?
That still cracks me up. I’m hoping Wittenmyer, who has never been the go-to guy for rumors (or for much of anything, now that I think about it), is simply talking out of his ass.
Otoh, this prioritizing “established” behavior can be traced back to the Eloy-Quintana trade, so maybe it is a thing.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I think Theo has done a mostly fantastic job since taking over, but signing Chatwood out of the gate last year to a contract that looked ridiculous a couple months later and looked laughable just a couple months after that still pisses me off. It’s especially awful when you consider the current financial issues the Cubs are having and probably will continue to have for several more years.
dmick89Quote Reply
I thought their new TV deal was going to provide bottomless money
SK too lzay toQuote Reply
dmick89,
I agree with all that, though I’m still somewhat aghast even that the Chatwood money, even considered alongside the Hammels money, would have a significant impact on what this obscenely rich organization decides to do.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Definitely. It’s hard to imagine how this organization has suddenly become so poor despite being so successful and so fucking rich.
dmick89Quote Reply
this is why i still can’t bring myself to be all that upset about the chatwood signing. yeah it was dumb (in hindsight for sure and probably also regular sight). but i thought then, and still think now, that there’s just no way that it’s enough money to adversely effect decisions regarding new expenditures. if the org really did abruptly decide that it’s flat broke (despite being rich as fuck), that would have happened with or without the chatwood signing.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
They’re not broke. The prevailing offseason narrative is BS. Cubs may be choosing not to spend, but it’s not because they don’t have it.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I know they’re not broke, which is why their unwillingness to spend money pisses me off as much as it does. Did the Ricketts family think you could just build a championship caliber team and it would flourish without continued investments in the free agent market? That appears to be the case here. It sucks.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
At this point they should be embarrassed that the words “they just don’t know whether [Daniel Descalso] is in their budget” were interpreted without irony by anyone.
andcountingQuote Reply
What are you doing, 49ers?
RynoQuote Reply
Like a middle finger pointing to rest of the world there in Q4 2016 – truly a thing of beauty
SKQuote Reply
We’ve thought about bringing a writer to bolster traffic, but we are probably waiting for a TV network deal before we make a play in free agency. Kicking the tires on Daniel Descalso but not sure we can outbid FanRag.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
It was nice of you guys to extend me an offer contingent upon trading one of the other writers.
RynoQuote Reply
For the league minimum, I’m more than willing to sign on as the quality assurance coach, fellers.
Or maybe as “worst thing every done” prevention coordinator.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
SK,
Wonder what the spike was from. Gotta be the jon jay signing right?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Checks date of last Pizza Hut MILF post . . .
andcountingQuote Reply
Didn’t know that Dan Lozano and Manny Machado were married.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Why would anyone watch that movie?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
This is the problem with social media. Why would this guy stop in the middle of an experience to tell his “friends” about the experience?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Does MadMaxJuggernaut think the comma man will respect victims’ assholes?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
This one’s really confusing because it makes it seem like Obama and Castro will shake hands AND get same-sex married on the same day. It’s kind of ridiculous to think they won’t do those things on separate days.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Which toilet do the regular elderly pregnant children use?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
How do they know they patient didn’t actually eat the diarrhea before suffering from the forgetfulness headache?
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
berseliusQuote Reply
Michael Brantley ————–> Astros
Something something Cubs poor. Sucks.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
berselius,
I’m sure Mason was talking about a medically-induced comma.
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
2/$32M. Thought he made sense for CHC if they were out on Harper, but shrugemoji
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
I think it’s very likely this is true, which makes me wonder even more why the front office and ownership wouldn’t be doing everything it can to win now. In a few years I don’t think that will be an option.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’ve pretty much always assumed Bryant was gone once he hit free agency, just by virtue of his being a really talented player represented by Scott Boras. The service time thing in 2015 was probably the icing on the cake.
Then again, there’s likely a decent chance of a work stoppage right when he hits free agency, so maybe he won’t get that monster payday anyway.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Breaking out the checkbooks.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
Don’t they have to trade Jason Heyward first so they can afford that?
RynoQuote Reply
https://www.bleachernation.com/2018/12/07/you-know-what-surprising-free-agent-is-actually-worth-discussing-daniel-descalso/
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
I’m (dying laughing) at the fact they gave Descalso two years and I’m (dying laughing) because they might have to shed payroll when they added someone who will make an average of $2.5 million per year.
dmick89Quote Reply
Really hoping that this Descalao move is just a precursor to something larger. If not, maybe that explains why our 2019 STH invoice is actually lower than last year’s.
Anyway, happy holidays to the best discredited Cubs blog around.
North Side PatQuote Reply
Maybe Descalso has kompromat on Harper.
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
Have “we” already discussed the possibility that the Cubs have budgeted an amount for Harper and are operating under the assumption that the amount is committed only to him? i.e. We have a $30M payroll increase, but it’s only for use on Harper.
RynoQuote Reply
SF was planning on drafting Thomas at 2. CHI gave SF a 3rd rounder to move up from 3 so they could draft the second best QB available. So basically, CHI just gave SF a 3rd rounder for piece of mind. Yeah, I’d say that’s a fleecing.
As for Lynch being less than average, I would’ve taken Marshon Lattimore over Thomas at 2, but that’s neither here nor there. And let’s not just gloss over the fact that SF has played like 80% of their season with QB Nos. 2 and 3.
In other words…
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
And if your GM is so great, how come he couldn’t see that Patrick Mahomes was the best QB in that draft? Who could’ve known Mahomes was better than Trubisky?
No, not Hermione. Ryno. If Ryno had been the GM of CHI, the Bears would have Mahomes at QB and would’ve kept their 3rd rounder (and probably used it on Tim Williams, so shrugemoji).
RynoQuote Reply
Back to baseball: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/the-quietest-swing-changer/
RynoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Isn’t now when you trade Javy?
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
So close to Christmas?
SKQuote Reply
I just realize I typed piece of mind instead of peace of mind and now I hate myself.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Why don’t you give us a peace of your mind?
dmick89Quote Reply
Ryno,
i just assumed you were referring to the iron maiden album
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
If you had the time to lose
An open mind and time to choose
Would you care to take a look
Or can you read me like a book?
Time is always on my side
Time is always on my side
Can I tempt you, come with me
Be Devil may care, fulfill your dream
If I said I’d take you there
Would you go, would you be scared?
Time is always on my side
Time is always on my side
Don’t be afraid, you’re safe with me
Safe as any soul can be, honestly
Just let yourself go
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time, oh oh
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time, oh oh
Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing
You try to hide your deepest sins
Of all the things that you’ve done wrong
And I know where you belong
Time is always on my side
Time is always on my side
Make you an offer you can’t refuse
You’ve only got your soul to lose
Eternally
Let yourself go!
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time, oh
Caught somewhere in time
Caught somewhere in time
Caught now in two minds, oh
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
Apparently Sinclair is a front runner for the upcoming Cubs network. If that happens, it’s safe to say my future children will be Yankees fans.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Crossing my fingers that it’s actually Sinclair gasoline and our future cubs games will be brought to us by DinoVision.
Berselius is too lazy to login on his phone.Quote Reply
Wenningtons Gorilla Cock,
I’ve got a black skin suit
Alligator shoes
Now I found success
And I paid my dues
Well everything is fine
But I can’t find my mind
I’ve got a crystal ball
And a divining rod
Magnifying glass
And a pack of dogs
I looked up my sign
But I can’t find my mind
I called the law
Hired a private eye
Turned in an APB
With the FBI
No matter what I do
I still can’t find a clue
That’s right
I don’t know what to think
I’ve looked every place
Where is the missing link?
That was behind my face?
There’s only one thing to do
SKQuote Reply
dmick89,
Because I feal like peace of shit.
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
SK,
I was working in the lab, late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab, began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise
He did the mash, he did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
He did the mash, it caught on in a flash
He did the mash, he did the monster mash
From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes
They did the mash, they did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
They did the mash, it caught on in a flash
They did the mash, they did the monster mash
The zombies were having fun, the party had just begun
The guests included Wolfman, Dracula, and his son
The scene was rockin’, all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, ‘The Crypt-Kicker Five’
They played the mash, they played the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
They played the mash, it caught on in a flash
They played the mash, they played the monster mash
Out from his coffin’, Drac’s voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist and said
“Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?
It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash
The monster mash, it was graveyard smash
It’s now the mash, it caught on in a flash
It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash
Now everything’s cool, Drac’s a part of the band
And my Monster Mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you
Then you can mash, then you can monster mash
The monster mash and do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash, you’ll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash, then you can monster mash
Mash good!
Easy, Igor, you impetuous young boy
Mash good! Grrr!
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I don’t think Sinclair would employ Len Kasper.
andcountingQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
I guess that’s one way to stop a hungry wolf, though there’s probably a gentler way to do it.
RynoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I was working late on my Haftorah
When I heard a knock on my bedroom-doorah
I opened it up and to my surprise
There was a werewolf standing there with glowing gold eyes
He says tomorrow my son, you will be a man
But tonight’s the time to join the wolfen clan
Tomorrow you will stand at the bimah and pray
But tonight let’s gaze at the moon and bay
Werewolf Bar Mitzvah
Spooky scary
Boys becoming men
Men becoming wolves
Werewolf Bar Mitzvah
Spooky scary
Boys becoming men
Men becoming wolves
The next day what happened
The Talmud didn’t teach, oh there’s more
I got up in front of everyone
To give my little speech
Then my teeth turned into fangs
And my nails into claws
And I nearly dropped the Torah
When my hands turned into paws
I growled and I roared
And my rabbi did as well
It was a rocking werewolf zoo
At Temple Beth-Emmanuel
Werewolf Bar Mitzvah
Spooky scary
Boys becoming men
Men becoming wolves
We had a reception at the Larchmont Country Club
They served a real nice brisket and an eight foot party sub
I danced with my cousins, I got money from my folks
We had a lot of fun making circumcision jokes
Then I remembered the premise of my song
I was at a nice reception but the werewolf part was gone
So we pulled ourselves together and we’re wolf men again
Just in time for monster fight to begin, no
All the country club employees were brain sucking pack
Who had all turned into zombies and were on the attack, no man
So we fought them and some Dracula’s and Frankensteins too
‘Cause you gotta love Bar Mitzvah, even if you’re not a, aroo
Werewolf Bar Mitzvahs
Spooky scary
Boys becoming men
Men becoming wolves
Werewolf Bar Mitzvah
Kooky hairy
Boys becoming men
Men becoming wolves
berseliusQuote Reply
When you see Addison Russell trending on twitter, you know it’s not good.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
At least they have him even though they’re dirt fucking poor.
dmick89Quote Reply
I guess this is why Ted Cruz grew a beard.
BVS at lunchQuote Reply
Couldn’t non-tender Addison Russell to comfortably afford Daniel Descalso. Love this front office
MylesQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Myles,
Phil Rogers posting a article touting Russell’s value at same time as new allegations out. Perfect.
BVS at lunchQuote Reply
#Brewers
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
If the Brewers are going after a top of the rotation starter like him, the Cubs will be pretty much eliminated from the division by the All-Star break.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
You don’t think Phillip Evans is enough to counter a MIL-Kluber union?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
It would except that the Cubs will probably have to clear some payroll in order to add Evans.
dmick89Quote Reply
BVS at lunch,
I wonder how much of Reidy’s account released yesterday was news to the Cubs…
BVS at lunchQuote Reply
Ryno,
Guys with broken legs are certainly a market inefficiency
BVS at lunchQuote Reply
BVS at lunch,
I would assume none of it. I have to believe that they hired their own investigators if they even gave a shit.
dmick89Quote Reply
“Reidy, asked about early red flags she saw, says that when she and Russell would go for walks when she was pregnant, Russell would try to make her trip. He “thought it would be funny”. When she asked what he was doing, Reidy says he responded, “You’re athletic. You’ll catch yourself. I just wanted to see if you would catch yourself.” She was surprised and upset. “Who even thinks that’s funny? You thought it would be funny to see if I was going to stumble or fall?””
MylesQuote Reply
“Just days before Spring Training in 2016, Aiden was diagnosed with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus, a mild respiratory illness that can be serious in infants) and had to stay in the hospital for days. It was a challenging experience for Reidy, who continued to find Addison absent when she needed him most. “My baby is hooked up to oxygen and a feeding tube…I need your emotional support, I need you to be there,” She remembers telling Addison. Instead of providing emotional support, Reidy says he attempted convince her to have sex with him in the hospital shower. (“In the hospital room with our son in the hospital bed? Why is that on your mind?”)”
MylesQuote Reply
“The day she arrived, she “saw stuff on his iPad” and realized that he was cheating on her again. This time, with a woman who she described as a “really, really close friend”. She still had to fly back on the Cubs’ plane with Russell, to whom she wasn’t speaking. She was sitting with Aiden near the window when she says Russell came over, grabbed her leg, squeezed it, and started to whisper in her ear. “He was like, “If you don’t fucking act normal right now, I swear to god, I’m going to embarrass both of us on this plane. Do you really want that? Do you really want me to embarrass you in front of everybody? …Act fucking right, act like I’m your fucking husband. Treat me like I’m your husband,” Melisa says she asked him what he wanted her to do. His response? “He was like, talk to me. Turn around. Look at me. Sit closer.””
MylesQuote Reply
Dude, this guy sucks.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
Ok, so this is stupid and hurt her emotionally, but it’s also playful. If anyone wants, they can interpret as a psychotic red flag, but it’s not. Summarizing it as “trying to trip her when she was pregnant” is disengenuous and makes it sound as though he tried to end her pregnancy by putting a tripwire at the top of the stairs. Also, the “he would” wording seems an attempt to cast a one- or two-time occurrence as a pattern of abusive behavior. The abusive behavior is real, but this kind of thing can hardly be considered part of it.
andcountingQuote Reply
Again, this is extremely bad partnership, super selfish, and obviously inappropriate. It’s not criminal or abusive or cause for disciplinary action. It’s cause for a WTF and a “motherfucker, get your head straight and understand what it means to be a man.” It’s the type of thing people overcome and work through. It’s shitty and extremely not my business.
andcountingQuote Reply
This is maniacal, emotionally and psychologically abusive and manipulative, intimidation, and perhaps criminal.
andcountingQuote Reply
Myles left out the part where he tackled her on the sidewalk after she got mad at him and got out of the cab. Verifiable because another couple was with them.
For both their sakes, and his kids, I hope he gets his shit together. He has a LOT of work to do. So do his “advisors” who, in the account, seem not to be the Cubs. They come off pretty bad too.
BVS at lunchQuote Reply
Myles,
It’s true, but a big part of me is just like, yeah, people suck. It’s a given. I don’t feel bad for him that the details are coming out. He’s got to deal with everyone hating him for being a piece of shit. That’s what happens when you decide to act like a piece of shit. And I don’t begrudge anyone for disclosing details or reacting to them in whatever manner they choose.
But, I have a choice to think about it all and put it into context and not react in any other way than to absorb the disgust I feel for what he did, what my fellow humans and males are capable of and things I regret doing that resemble some of that stupidity, rage, insensitivity, immaturity, and selfishness.
Maybe some people can read this and distance themselves from “people like Addison Russell,” and the further away he gets the better we can all feel. I can’t. I see shades of myself in him, and it feels like shit. There’s no easy way out of it. I don’t want to justify, excuse, or minimize abuse or its impact or evil. But we can and, I believe, should deal with it.
andcountingQuote Reply
https://theathletic.com/701793/2018/12/09/jake-peavy-nearly-traded-from-san-diego-padres-to-chicago-cubs-revisited/
I had no idea this was a thing.
RynoQuote Reply
I have a sad now.
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
Ryno,
I seem to remember hearing that rumor. Good thing they held on to Vitters.
andcountingQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
(dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
Weren’t there Peavy to the Cubs rumors every year for awhile?
dmick89Quote Reply
I kinda feel like if the Cubs had traded for Peavy, they would’ve been mediocre longer and we wouldn’t have had the fun stretch of ’15-’17.
RynoQuote Reply
dmick89,
Him and Brian Roberts.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
and Luis Castillo
dmick89Quote Reply
Daniel Murphy ——————> Rockies
Anibal Sanchez —————-> Nats
Andrew Miller ——————-> Cardinals
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
If Chris Archer and a couple other Pirates players have good seasons, the NL Central is going to be ridiculous. The Cubs and Pirates will fight it out for 3rd place. Thank god for the Reds.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
The Reds, who are trying to trade for Kluber.
RynoQuote Reply
Since the Cubs’ main strategy this offseason is to hope injured players will stop being injured soon and poorly performing players will just stop that nonsense, I’m trying to remember a time when that approach worked for them in the past. My memory isn’t what it used to be, and the Google has been no help. Can anyone offer me any recollections that might help?
andcountingQuote Reply
In all fairness to this approach, I would imagine any deep dive into the past wouldn’t yield players with the sort of talent the Cubs are banking on a bounceback/breakout from in 2019.
That being said, supplementing this approach with, say, a Bryce Harper wouldn’t be a terrible idea. You know, just in case it doesn’t work out as planned.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Ryno,
do people actually have a subscription to this? that said, i’ve also never been able to find a workaround like one can for the NYT or WSJ
sharpchicityQuote Reply
sharpchicity,
I’m wondering the same thing. They’ve been around for awhile now so obviously they’re doing somewhat well, but I can’t imagine I’d ever get a subscription.
dmick89Quote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
True, but I’m guessing if we expanded it to include only teams with comparable talent the results would be that the teams had a worse overall record than the year before by a decent number (maybe 3-5 fewer wins).
dmick89Quote Reply
The most troubling aspect of this offseason is that it’s what we can expect going forward. This team is going to have financial difficulties for awhile. If 2019 results in the Cubs missing the playoffs I think some people in the front office need to be fired.
dmick89Quote Reply
sharpchicity,
dmick89,
I have a subscription, have for a couple years. It’s great content, ad-free, in a slick layout, and I like supporting the idea. Worth 4 bucks a month or whatever.
MylesQuote Reply
I finally broke down and just got a subscription to the NYT. There has to be a workaround. Do you get a number of free articles per month? I think the last time I even visited the site was when they asked me for money.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I got one awhile back – I like Sahadev’s work enough that I felt it was worth the money. Their in season coverage is much better than any other outlet, but I pretty much never read it the rest of the year.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I don’t really follow their Bears coverage but IIRC they snapped up some pretty good writers.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I don’t read enough about the Cubs these days to justify it. I’m sure I’d have one if I was writing as much as I used to.
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
Wish their Bulls game was as strong as their Cubs game. I’m not really a fan of Mayberry, to be honest.
MylesQuote Reply
Alex Wood, Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp -> Reds
Homer Bailey -> Dodgers
Holy Shit
Also, almost certainly means….
Bryce Harper -> Dodgers
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
Scratching my head at the Reds here.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
If it means Harper to the Dodgers then they’re probably just happy to make sure that Harper doesn’t end up in the NL Central.
dmick89Quote Reply
Maybe, maybe not.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-payroll-20181105-story.html
Which ties in with this:
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
berselius,
Wood is the ace of that rotation and the money the reds are taking on is like 12 million. I like the move for them.
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I think this whole “payroll projection” is just some numbers thrown around for the purpose of recruiting investors. As of now, there’s no reason to forecast Harper’s salary on the payroll, so this number is meaningless to use in context of Harper.
sharpchictyQuote Reply
From the Reds’ perspective, they traded $12 million and some okayish prospects for two assets that are potentially flippable for better prospect than they lost (Wood and Puig) and a lead weight (Matt Kemp) that they can perhaps trade for peanuts eventually. Wood in particular would get more than the prospects the Reds gave up if they traded him today, in my opinion.
MylesQuote Reply
Apparently, the Reds are actually only taking on “a few million.” Looks even better.
MylesQuote Reply
sharpchicty,
I’l guess we’ll just have to see. My best bet for a while has been Harper probably ends up in LA (largely due to a dearth of public suitors at this point and a lack of imagination on my part), but after reading through the responses in the media to the latest move, and the info in that piece, it could very well be the Dodgers didn’t do this deal for Harper but for other reasons. Thought it was worth mentioning as something to keep in mind.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
My main thought is “what would be the biggest kick in the dick for the Cubs?” and if what has happened lines up with that possibility, I lean towards that. Harper going to the Cubs would be the biggest dick-kick reasonably possible.
MylesQuote Reply
Apologies. No dinner for me tonight.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Cubs————> last place
andcountingQuote Reply
big, if true
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up here but it appears….
Kendall Graveman —————> Cubs
I believe some of you have said some negative things about this front office of late. I will now give you time to walk it all back.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’m starting to wonder if this offseason isn’t all an elaborate prank by the FO that will end with J. Walter Weatherman saying “And that’s why you don’t bitch about 95-win seasons.”
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Does he have high-end or merely established spin rate?
andcountingQuote Reply
Undetermined, as the soonest he can pitch for the Cubs is 2020.
The fact that he won’t pitch for the Cubs next season is actually my favorite part of the deal, and I could even get behind the Cubs extending him through 2025 if it means he won’t pitch any of those years either.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Don’t you think he’ll be available for the second half of the season?
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
AC, do you want him to be available? Like ever?
Also, seems there is a provision in his contract where if he’s active one day next year, his 2019 salary jumps from 575K to 2MM.
With the Cubs in sad sack hobo mode right now, I doubt they’d have given him that provision if they really thought he’d be pitching for the team next year. This looks like Drew Smyly part deux, only this time with less talent.
Unless, of course, they’re in double secret stealth hobo smokescreen mode, and they’re about to drop 400MM on Bryce Harper, and they couldn’t care less about Kendrick Graveby and his dumb 2 million.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
(dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
Can we flip him for Josh Donaldson? And then swap Donaldson for Rich Harden?
GWQuote Reply
2014 Giants. 2013 Red Sox.
GWQuote Reply
Trevor Cahill is the only one I can think of.
JKVQuote Reply
JKV,
Kerry Wood as a closer?
BVS at lunchQuote Reply
Merry Xmas, fuckfaces
berseliusQuote Reply
Happy Christmas, jabronis.
PerkinsQuote Reply
fuck you
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
By which I mean: happy crimble and a very new year!!!
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I hope this is in the top 35% of your christmases.
MylesQuote Reply
Merry Christmas, people.
andcountingQuote Reply
May your Christmas be moderately over replacement value, and scheduled to come off the DL no sooner than Sept 2019.
North Side PatQuote Reply
Who down votes Christmas wishes? Scrooge–has Tiny TLS taught you nothing?
BVSQuote Reply
WATN? If you have the week off and the thought of staring at Temple v Duke or Baylor v Vandy in football (yes, these really are bowl games, not college basketball) is making you queasy, grab the leftover eggnog or coquito and you can watch Todd Wellemeyer in the movie Better Start Running on Amazon Prime.
Based on the reviews, it seems Todd’s pitching career was slightly better than the movie, so I guess he didn’t repeat history and earn a save in his acting debut.
But watching a former Cub act for a couple minutes in a movie that gets a 5.1/10 rating seems like the perfect Cubfan thing to do in this lazy post-Christmas season.
BVSQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Schools for the rapey, just in case anyone didn’t get that gem of a reference.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Nice ref, except I think Duke Lax was exonerated, no?
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
As I typed that, Duke was allowing anothet Temple TD, further solidifying the ACC’s rep as a one-team football conference.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Huh. They showed up in the 2nd half. Shut me right up.
BVSQuote Reply
Yay Badgers
berseliusQuote Reply
They did. In fact, if I remember correctly, it turned out to be a pretty weird situation.
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
A last-minute rescue from the jaws of normalcy.
andcountingQuote Reply
Well this has been an exciting offseason.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
We have a #1 ace pitcher coming that we didn’t have last year. And an MVP hitter who we only had for 35% of last season. Plus we signed another pretty decent #3 with aging ace stuff. We replaced a guy who’s only position was PH with a guy who appears to have found something in his swing and can provide decent D in lots of places.
Now lets package Caratini, Chatwood, and cash to SD for Austin Hedges.
Also, a hitter please.
BVSQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
North Side PatQuote Reply
So apparently the Cubs asked Boras to check back with them before Harper signs with another team. This doesn’t really make sense to me. If you’re short on money this offseason, why spend on some of the things they have (Hamels for example)? Who are they hoping to trade? Heyward probably, but that will require the Cubs eating a large portion of his salary. I hate this offseason and I hate the position the Cubs are in.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Just so long as you maintain your optimism, dmick.
BVSQuote Reply
How about them Bears? And what better way for the regular season to end than with Packers getting blown up and Vikings yelling at each other on the sidelines.
WaLiQuote Reply
dmick89,
What happened to Heyward when he came to the Cubs? I think we were all excited here when he signed, but he has been nothing but a disappointment in offense and although he’s improved slightly over the years since he got here, he is still nothing compared to where he was before joining the Cubs.
WaLiQuote Reply
No. 2 overall pick -> 49ers
Two years ago, a meaningless win late in the season dropped SF from No. 1 overall to No. 2. So instead Myles Garrett, they landed Solomon Thomas.
This year, a meaningless win lat in the season dropped SF from No. 1 overall to No. 2. So instead of Nick Bosa, they’ll land…someone else not nearly as good as the player they missed out on.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
When’s your mock draft coming out? Interested in who you have for the Jags considering all the holes they need to fill with them cutting ties seemingly with Fournette and Bortles
WaLiQuote Reply
The 49ers with the first overall pick or a playoff berth.
RynoQuote Reply
WaLi,
I’m not sure I’m qualified to make one anymore with draftbreakdown.com going away. All I know is based on what I’ve read and very limited viewing.
From the sound of it, there’s Bosa and Quinnen Williams and everyone else at the top. Ed Oliver might sneak into that tier.
It could be interesting because the top teams are all set at QB for right now. TB at 5 is the first team that could look to pick one, but keep an eye on OAK. It would be a surprise to see Gruden move Carr to a team like JAX who think they’re a QB away. And with Haskins being the only QB seemingly worth a shit, there could be a demand for him.
RynoQuote Reply
From Jason Stark
(dying laughing) at Mets and Sox.
BVSQuote Reply
Happy New Year, Jabronis
BVSQuote Reply
RIP Tyler Trent
JKVQuote Reply
Shit sucks, yo. He died of cancer, but he fought like hell and raised a shitload of money to fight back. Great guy. I’ll really miss him.
MylesQuote Reply
Anyone around here have strong feelings about circumcision, one way or the other?
GWQuote Reply
I’ll take two!
MylesQuote Reply
Is this a joke? I don’t want to give a heartfelt answer if it’s just a joke (dying laughing)
MuckerQuote Reply
GW,
No strong opinion here. Also I am assuming that congratulations are in order on having sex twice!
berseliusQuote Reply
GW,
GW,
Well, it’s not reversible.
Also, there is no credible research that suggests that it’s necessary for cleanliness, disease control, etc. at least there wasn’t 12 years ago.
It’s a cultural practice that seems to still be mostly prevalent in the US, but as I understand it, most of Europe and South America have given it up. Don’t know about Asia.
When I lived in W. Africa, circumcision occurred either about age 5, or age 18-20, depending on the ethnic group, so you have time to decide, (dying laughing).
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I guess I’d follow up to say that if I had a baby boy, I’d not do it, but we had a girl, so the issue was moot. I’d never second guess someone else’s choice though.
BVSQuote Reply
Well from someone who was not born in this country and might be the only one on this site that is not circumcised, I can say that if I had a boy, I would choose to circumcise him. As BVS as stated, there’s really no medical reason to do it but there is some debate about that so take it for what it is. Having been uncut for almost 40 years, I can say that I’ve not had any health issues regarding not being circumcised but have had some pretty terrible instances of rejection from women when they found out I was uncut. I had a girl in college to tell me to put my clothes back on when she found out. I’ve had girls tell me they were grossed out by it. I tried to inform them before we had sex that I was uncut just so there wasn’t a huge surprise but some women were really freaked out about it. I was already self-conscious about it back then so that kind of stuff really fucked me up and I really got to the point that I didn’t even try to have sex anymore.
When I met my fiance, she was really cool about it and says she loves it (dying laughing). She agrees with me that she’d like for our son to be circumcised strictly because she knows how people are and wouldn’t want our son to experience the same things I did. It’s terrible to think that way but I would never want my son to feel the way I did in those instances. But I think it’s becoming more and more common to be uncut so hopefully in the next couple years, society’s outlook will change on it. Just make sure if you do decide to not circumcise, he’s taught proper cleaning habits. DO NOT use scented soaps because that can really irritate the glans and don’t use towels or brushes on it. Warm water with unscented soap should be fine.
Never thought I would every share this with you guys so I might stay away from this site for a little bit (dying laughing)
MuckerQuote Reply
berselius,
Thanks!
GWQuote Reply
BVS,
I’m completely on the fence at this point. My cursory reading of the literature is that there are real benefits for std/uti prevention. On the other hand, using Tango’s method (“if it was not common practice, would we start now?”), I think the clear answer is: “no.” It would take a lot of evidence to justify genital alteration/mutilation. Unless we had an Africa-level HIV problem, we probably wouldn’t even go there. But the fact that pretty much everyone does it means that it is pretty routine, and complications are rare. And Mucker’s point about female preferences is definitely something that shouldn’t be ignored. The data seems to show that it is far less frequently performed on the west coast nowadays, but the midwest is still around ~90%.
GWQuote Reply
Mucker,
So, if I’m reading your comment correctly, you would circumcise if you had to make the choice today, correct?
GWQuote Reply
We have a son. We did not get him circumsized. It’s genital mutliation, and I think our kid should have all the genitals he can get. I am circumsized, fwiw. If my son wants to get circumsized later in life, I guess we’ll cross that bridge.
MylesQuote Reply
Don’t want to disrupt from the scintillating conversation we have going on right now, but man it’s crazy to see Tulo getting signed for half a million. Obviously the yankees have more room with gregorious out longer than Russell, but crazy that someone wouldn’t pony up $1M to have a guy who put up good numbers from 2013-2016, even if he sucked in half of 2017 and missing all of 2018.
sharpchicityQuote Reply
It could go either way.
North Side PatQuote Reply
This.
Also this.
dmick89Quote Reply
sharpchicity,
I’m disappointed the Cubs didn’t go after Tulo considering it would cost them league minimum.
dmick89Quote Reply
OV:
Come for the Pizza Hut MILFs,
Stay for the foreskin debate.
It’s a Cubs blog.
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
I do not have strong feelings on circumcision, but I do have a strong suspicion that maybe we should. The fact that it’s so prevalent does not tell me complications are rare, it tells me society is highly unlikely to admit it’s a terrible idea even if there was ample evidence of its dangers. People suck at admitting they’ve been doing something awful, especially if it’s widely accepted. I would expect complications to be covered up and ignored routinely.
andcountingQuote Reply
If bench coach Mark Loretta doesn’t excite this blog enough to generate discussion (but circumcision does), I’d say the Cubs have done an excellent job of desensitizing our nether regions this winter.
andcountingQuote Reply
Now can we all agree that we have enough money to sign harper?
sharpchicityQuote Reply
GW,
Yes, I would. My reason is purely emotional based on my experiences in my life. But it would be a decision I would take great care coming to with my wife/child’s mom. My brother is also uncut but he got his son circumcised when he was born. I think it’s terrible that decisions like this are based on something so dumb but people can be evil and the emotional toil those rejections played on me was pretty unfair.
To Myles point about later circumcision, I looked into it at about 15 and said hell no. They said it was risky at my age and quite frankly there’s nothing wrong with me, just other people’s preference of what a penis should look like. So I decided against it. But I did want to get it done. Really glad I didn’t though.
MuckerQuote Reply
I do understand the societal pressures involved, for sure. Maybe Russell will end up disliking our decision. I get the feeling that circumcision will be less and less popular as religion wanes in the country, but I could be underestimating the inertia around this issue.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
It will become less popular and hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.
dmick89Quote Reply
Haven’t watched football in about ten years, but I hear the Bears game ended like this:
PerkinsQuote Reply
Me catching up on this site:
RynoQuote Reply
Perkins,
The Homer actually hit the bottom crossbar as well.
RynoQuote Reply
Long-time lurker here, and I feel like I finally have something unique to say that some of you might actually care about. Never thought this would be what I piped up about.
I lived for a few decades uncircumcised and it was fine. I didn’t have any of the rejection issues Mucker talked about (maybe I did and was just misinterpreting the rejections I did get, (dying laughing)). A few years back though, there started to be some issues with the skin, and to cut the description short, so to speak, my doctor recommended circumcision. Treated it like no big deal (it was to me!). I researched, and decided it would be better than the current situation. The recovery definitely sucked for a couple weeks, but after that I would say that no function of the affected region is worse than before, and some are even a bit better. I’d read online about fears about losing feeling, nerve endings, etc.; nope.
“Genital mutilation” is definitely a stretch. It seems to be a mostly inconsequential part of the body, both medically and personally. Is an appendectomy intestinal mutilation? Nah. Would I get a preemptive appendectomy it if it didn’t require internal surgery, and if there were some potential health and social benefits to removing it, but considering that any operation has possible complications? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Overall, I’d say it’s not the biggest deal in the world. I’d go for it, and did for my boy, but if you don’t want to do it or if there are unique anatomical complicating factors, it can always be done later if necessary (though I wouldn’t recommend the operation to a teenager, who already has plenty of body and sexual issues to worry about). It certainly doesn’t seem fun for the baby, but it’s a hell of a lot easier than birth. The procedure is apparently much easier in the case of babies too, ask your ob or pediatrician for details.
So yeah, go Cubs?
rattierQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
My first son was born in Iowa probably around the same time as some of you (or when you were 5 or 10) and I don’t even remember being asked if we had a preference – possibly they did and I said yes, because I was young and that’s what I knew.
My wife is Irish and she probably would have said no if it was just up to her.
We moved to Ireland where our second son was born and I felt like he needed to be the same as his brother. It was slightly awkward asking (since they have never done it here, so didn’t offer), and they had to find the one doc who had experience from working in the US.
I’ve felt kind of crappy about it since, seeing as they’ve now grown up in a culture where they are the odd ones out. I should probably ask them how they feel about it. They’d love it being discussed online (dying laughing).
I can’t imagine not being “cut” – but I bet all the men here would tell you to get fucked if you suggested they do it.
It does seem like a bizarre, violent leftover of past times when you think about it.
SKQuote Reply
Looks like Matt LaFleur ———> Packers
Not sure if I am excited by this – for one I am extremely excited that they didn’t go with the retreads like Caldwell and Pagano that they interviewed, but it’s not like LaFleur lit the world on fire with the thumbtacks.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I read that as “redheads like Caldwell and Pagano” and laughed until I realized neither of those men have red hair. Thought there was some coaching thing similar to the andy dalton will never be successful group.
sharpchicityQuote Reply
Thanks for debunking yet another insane AOC bs story, Myles
https://mobile.twitter.com/ebruenig/status/1082417625286754304
Berselius is too lazy to login on his phone.Quote Reply
Fixed.
dmick89Quote Reply
So maybe I’ve been wrong about the Rickettses all along. They’re not refusing to spend because they’re hostile to labor, they’re refusing to spend in order to drive a healthy public discourse about circumcision. If we don’t have any free agent signings to talk about, the conversation is naturally gonna drift, right?
I don’t have any strong opinions about it, which is good since nobody bothered to ask me what I thought about the whole thing 45 years ago. I will add that my wife has a stronger opinion on it than I do, but that’s easy for her since it ain’t her dick that’s gettin’ chopped up. (If we were 25 years younger it might be a different conversation, of course.)
uncle daveQuote Reply
berselius,
In cases like this, I always assume the HC handcuffs the OC some amount. Especially a rookie HC that played defense under Belichick. What’s more important is what he’s learned about running an offense and a team along the way. I’d suspect that several years with Mike and Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay would teach him a lot about both.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Yeah, that’s the hope. I’ve moved to cautiously pleased about this hire the more I’ve read. Also, I’m not sure who I would have felt was a no doubt home run hire that was vaguely available, other than either of the Harbaughs or maybe Lincoln Riley. I do think/hope that it was pretty crafty by the Packers to interview Jim Caldwell and Chuck Pagano to make sure that the bar was set pretty low with the fans for whoever they hired (dying laughing).
I kind of hope every team interviews McDaniels, tells him he got the job, and announces someone else.
berseliusQuote Reply
Happy to play a small part in bringing these bootlickers to heel.
MylesQuote Reply
berselius,
Exactly. LaFleur is probably the best hire in terms of ceiling and floor of all the candidates rumored to be available. I mean, Kliff Kingsbury (recently fired from Texas Tech) and Matt Rhule (Baylor) are the hot names at the moment…
RynoQuote Reply
More “Cubs” “content”
New Shit – http://www.obstructedview.net/cody-parkey-and-failure/
mylesQuote Reply