tmwiese55

Cubs play Kershaw today. Hopefully he's back to his old self. Crazy that with his rough and injured year his ERA is still below 3.

I think it's tough not to give Pina credit for his pitcher handling when in his 1.5 years the staff has massively overperformed. Plus the other eye test stuff is all good for him on D, arm strength throwing runners out, pickoffs, blocks, all that.

I think we've had .500 weeks three weeks in a row now. If they play .500 rest of the year they're still going to win 88 or 89 games. Obviously should strive for better but if your bad weeks are .500 you're doing ok. Just get the first 2/3 and play with house money on Sunday.

For UW to make the playoffs they can't lose more than one regular season game though. So losing to Iowa would really hurt them in that sense and I'm sure it'll be a night game. Need that one so they can afford to lose one of PSU/Mich. Good thing is that this year the consolation prize for losing the B1G Championship game is likely the Rose Bowl.

As long as he can play 2B it more than makes sense. Backup OF and 1B/3B then it's probalby not worth the cost since you already have a Thames at those other than 3B. Plus Santana if needed. Has to play 2B to get a lot of ABs.

It's above 0% chance we trade for him. It is 0% that we can sign him long term.

Should be that way, but we know Braun is sitting 1-2 games per week. That's gonna be Broxton or Perez and that's not good. Moreover, any lefty starter he'll be in for Thames.

obviously can nitpick stuff. But one thing I've noticed over the years is she never, or very close to never, has verbal tick things like 'um' 'ah' 'ya know' 'I mean'. By far the fewest I've ever noticed.

Too bad they didn't see this coming before the season and get him then instead of focusing on Archer, easier said than done of course. Price would probably have been way less than Archer back then and easier to stomach.

Presumably Broxton over Santana due to CF defense? I was going to add there shouldn't be much PT but there will be due to Braun's planned days off.

Hey I just hope ya'll were also saying that Drake and Logan should still be here. I'm just very surprised folks are adamantly arguing that we can't upgrade the worst player in MLB, and acting like I'm being crazy in my take for saying we should try. IDK, maybe some were taking it as too much of an Orf vs Sogard specific thing which isn't what i mean at all. Again, I get if they don't want to get a 3rd guy. I'd have done it weeks ago but I see it, they're just trying to survive a couple weeks more and then re-assess.

There ya go. You guys are way more knowledgeable on minor leaguers than me. Guys like that in our system, guys in other that won't get a chance etc. I’d give those guys a chance, sure. But we’ve gone with Franklin, Saladino, Miller, picked up Andres Blanco, and have 3 other guys on the roster. The fact that you think we aren’t trying other options is what is puzzling. Hager may get his chance someday but there’s a reason he’s in AA at age 25. It’s the backup quarterback theory. They’re always a better option because they’ve never had a chance to suck on the field. No, I said exactly that. they've brought in 2 already. They probably just don't want to spend more assets on it a 3rd time, I get it, but I think if we miss the playoffs or division by 1-2 games and look back and see Sogard got 350 PAs I think we're probably gonna be wondering what could have been. Personally I'd have pulled the plug weeks ago, there is no way you can't find a better option than what seems like the worst player in MLB. Once Saladino is back and assume they put Arcia down to get ABs consistently and they still have Sogard here he just better not be playing. If he's your 25th man, whatever, but don't force him out there starting 2-3 times a week like they've been doing.

"Regarding not acknowledging that Sogard could do better"-----No I'd acknowledge that is possible, none of this exact. But if I had to guess I don't think Sogard will bat above .200, so that's easy to beat. Sogard clearly isn't what he was when he came up, he lost it when he got hurt last year. He was in a groove when he came up initially and rode it out. You'd just be hoping to do the same with whoever you brought up now, like Saladino, until it likely crashes down like it has for Sogard because none of these guys are really any good. Sure, maybe Sogard can hit .250 rest of the year but it sure as heck doesn't look like he can hit above .200 right now and I think he sucked when he was in AAA this year for a couple weeks. Sorry, I just think he's done plus he's mediocre at best on D. I'd be fine with D first guy who you expect to hit .220 over him right now. As much as this comes off as bashing management, they have brought in two guys to address the problem so I think they generally agree with what I'm getting at. Just got unlucky with one getting hurt and the 2nd just got here. We'll see where it goes from here.

There ya go. You guys are way more knowledgeable on minor leaguers than me. Guys like that in our system, guys in other that won't get a chance etc.

I don't think I have anywhere specifically been pushing for Orf other than that he technically qualifies as "anyone else" in the AAA level of baseball, yet this is being made out like I'm some Orf fanboy. I have no opinion on the guy. But yes, I would try him over Sorgard if somehow you find nothing else if we're talking baseball specific reasons. But as noted, Sogard is being paid already and bringing up another guy and paying him MLB will cost them another like 500Kish so chances are they both suck and they're saving 500K by keeping with Sogard's sucking. I'm also all for getting out of CS by any means possible.

Keep making a clearly asinine argument about how us sitting at the computer are in the same caliber of player as a pile of guys playing AAA baseball right now, while acting like I'm the one being ridiculous. So after a year of being awful they should just stick the scouting report on a guy who was never really gonna be anything more than a blah backup utility guy? I hope you're not also one who wanted Braun benched after two weeks this year. They are clearly wrong on Sogard but we're just supposed to ride it out all year because someone is being stubborn. Even the best scouts should realize that this is an inexact science and I don't know how anyone could project any of these blah AAA guys noticeably different than the others, none of them are true MLB caliber. Their best guess was on Sogard, they've given it a good run and it looks like they're wrong. Now, make your next best guess which was Saladino. He got hurt, now make your next best guess. I don't care if it's Orf, I have no opinion on the guy. I'm saying anyone in any organization doing well at AAA right now is almost impossible for anyone to be worse than Sogard. Apparently that's crazy though. And note, I'm by no means a nitpicker and bash the FO type. Overall they clearly know what they're doing. If anything I've always been on the just relax and let things play out side of things as people jump to conclusions, I doubt you can recall me talking in this way on really anything. But this one is just wrong to still have this guy on the roster. That said, I do think they're aware and that's why Saladino/Miller are here. They likely just don't want to bother getting yet another guy (3rd guy) to address and just want to wait for Saladino to get back. Hindsight, they should have done it several weeks ago though.

Yup, they handed Sogard 2.5 mil and are in the sunk cost fallacy stage now.

They are literally playing on the same team/level in AAA, so yes they are in the same class. I don't know why that's hard to grasp. But ok, keep saying that Orf can't bat .111 and Sogard must be better just because he should be. Sometimes projections are wrong and scouts are wrong, he sucks, they're wrong about him. Try something else. I'm not even advocating specifically for our guys at AAA (you said I lumped in Orf, when I probably never even said his name), I really have no opinion on them in anyway. I'm saying anyone in these levels (in anyone's system) doing generally well is likely to do better than Sogard. But yea I guess if someone was drafted higher 10 years ago that matters now. Underdogs make it all the time and over perform, other times they prove they can't hack. All in all, the chances of any of these guys doing worse than Sogard is almost impossible. But you're going to say Sogard should be up because he was drafted higher and hit better in AAA 8 years ago. OK, yes I'm the crazy one here then. I just don't know how anyone is trying to defend leaving Sogard on the MLB lineup. And that any joe schmo average AAA player (like Sogard was too) should'be be able to do better than what Sogard is doing and has been doing for the last year.

You have those guys in AAA because your options behind them perhaps have not yet advanced to AAA. Most very good major league players (longtime starters) barely taste AAA. If Hiura is coming up, it's likely directly from AA. If he goes to AAA, he may displace Orf for 2 months and then come up and give the spot back to Orf. Those guys are also fine as 6th or 7th options. If Saladino is hurt, Sogard is hurt, Villar is hurt, and Miller isn't cutting it at SS...then I'll call up Nate Orf and live with his .230/.280/.340 batting line for hopefully a few weeks off my bench at 2B/SS because maybe I refuse to call up Hiura yet and start his clock, etc. Basically every organization has these guys. which is way better than Sogard. you're overall point is right though. Everyone has the AAAA fill in guys to fill out teams. This is an odd case of how truly awful our IF is hitting right now creating an unexpected situation.

Tyler Saladino has had MLB talent and was ticketed for the majors. Eric Sogard was an great minor league hitter (for a slap-hitting middle infielder) and an OK defensive player in the majors. Brad Miller was a dominant minor league hitter and puts up league average numbers for a middle infielder. There are a lot of better options than handing someone an achievement award. We're trying to win a pennant and while I agree that keeping Sogard around forever is puzzling, I'll trust this regime which seems to have us 5-10 games over expectations/projections every year as to who they think can hack it in the majors. I know we debated this a month ago, but I was a decent high school hitter and tried really hard. Why not call me up? You bristled at it, but that's the extreme example. If they don't think that Orf is going to be a good major league hitter then why call him up because "we know Sogard isn't good" if we still think he's a better option than Orf? Trying something different for the sake of it doesn't make sense if it's a vastly inferior option. It's one thing when you have a guy with MLB talent like Saladino available. Then yes, absolutely try the other option out because Sogard is a known poor commodity. It's another thing if you're just going to call up a guy destined to fail because you feel like trying something different. They could be nice to Orf and expose him to trades or the rule 5 draft. Oh, wait, they have already done this and nobody else in the league wants him. Because sometimes you have to admit you're wrong or maybe you're missing something rather than being stubborn. IMO, they're being stubborn with Sogard to try and prove themselves right (the sunk cost fallacy thing) and/or or are being loyal to him because he's a nice guy that everyone likes. If I remember he was brought over because some friend of his in another organization came here and likes him, so now they're just playing favorites in a way. In reality, he's had his shot. Try the next guy and see if he's better. If not, try the next guy. Of course these are all "least worst" options and I'd prefer someone good, but considering the hand they're dealt it's what they should be doing while they keep exploring legit options. I think you had a line in there about achievement award type thing and you're against it. That's basically what they're doing with Sogard right now and you seem ok with it as he hits 110. This is a you are doing well and everything right, let's see if you can keep it going at the next level. Here's your shot, sink or swim. The example of you being a HS hitter is just completely dumb and you know it. These guys are all at the same AAA/AAAA level and generally in the same ballpark/class of player. You playing HS ball is not in the same class. Sogard is likely the worst player in MLB, I don't see how anyone can argue with giving someone else a chance. It's almost impossible to do worse than him.

Miller must be considered able to play 3B as well right? Would have thought they viewed PErez as a better SS than Miller on D, but I guess not. Maybe he just hasn't had the reps at 3B like he got in the minors at SS, and that's all it is. Basically I was just thinking if Shaw went on DL miller would likely get some 3B starts.

Likely true of course. But you know that's what you're getting from Sogard already, he's had plenty of sample and he can't hack it. So why not give one of them a chance, see if you get a lightning in a bottle situation like Sogard last year or maybe they are a bit better. As in they're not gonna hit 300 but a blah 255/315 is still way better than Sogard. Worst case, you get the same crap you're getting from Sogard so I don't see the downside. It also shows to others that if you work hard and get results you'll at least get your shot. It worked with Saladino for a bit. Long story short, Sogard is likely the worst player in MLB right now, it's gonna be tough to do worse. Note, I'm not sure who's on the 40 man so that could be a barrier. But at this point I'm fine just giving one of them Sogard's spot on the 40 if needed. He just can't hack it at the MLB level.

Both down and a P back up (assuming Santana isn't needed yet)? You'd have all your infield covered with Saladino, Villar, Miller, Perez

You're giving Arcia, of all people, credit for hard hit balls? His LD% at 17%, and he's consistently hitting 0-2. Funny thing is (and I agree with those who say to get rid of the whole lot for better players), we have very good hitting 2B at AA and AAA (Hiura and Orf) that just might be better than most mentioned. You're reading too much into it. I said at least Arcia has hit a few balls hard the last couple weeks, much better than he has previously. So I was just saying hopefully it was a sign he was improving a bit and going in the right direction. then I said he should still go down to AAA and see if he can get better. Basically if he can get close to last year, he's fine. By no means was I trying to say he's been the victim of bad luck this year, like someone was trying to do with Sogard earlier Specific to a Salad vs Arcia debate it just becomes closer. Arcia with better D and say Arcia improved just a bit the gap closes and who knows. Right now, you still go with Saladino, as noted when I said to still send Arcia. All that said, I'm fine with the idea of rushing Hiuira to try and fix this problem. Get him some time at AAA now and then hopefully up soon after. All these guys we're talking about are stopgaps and best case scenario is 'respectable non pitcher level competency', which obviously isn't much. Huira could get you a near Braun like impact. not predicting it, but it's possible.

This is simple to me. Saladino is clearly better at D by a wide margin. Big sample of O and chances are they're roughly equivalent htere, however Sogard has now had a good sample since his initial hot streak to start last year and has been awful ever since. Not just career standard 240/300ish awful, we're talking pitcher level hitter awful. While looking completely overwhelmed at the plate, so he might just be done. As long as Saladino just does the baseline awful 250/300 it's huge upgrade over what you can expect from Sogard to finish this season especially when you factor in the D. Saladino vs Arcia is a different argument. At least Arcia has shown some flashes the last couple weeks of hard hit balls. Would be nice to get him 3-4 weeks in AAA and see if he can turn that into something legit.