CrewFanBrewMan69

For this division, absolutely. I don’t see much difference in the Brewers, Cardinals, Reds and Cubs on paper to start the year. Any of those 4 can win 72 or 92 games depending on luck, health, etc. lots of variance with all those teams.

Doesn't that describe 95% of MLB? I can't believe we're even having this discussion. Yes, he's struggling right now. He also was a high draft pick, a highly ranked prospect, and demolished college and minor league pitching. Sure, he could be a total bust but he hasn't even played the equivalent of a full 162 game season in his career yet. He has 570 PAs now. Between 2019-current day of guys with at least 550 PAs he has the 4th highest K rate and 2nd lowest contact rate. That is, uh not good and troubling. Both the Ks and contact rates have only moved in the wrong direction during this year too.

Keeping the expanded playoffs once we’re back to 162 game season is so moronic. There’s no point for teams to try as hard or build as good of a roster in that case when there’s so many spots. Why build a team and spend the money required to build a 87-92 win team when a 75-80 win team has nearly as good a chance to make the playoffs and the owners can save money? Adding more mediocre and ****** teams to the playoffs isn’t a solution to anything.

Correct answer. The season is over in 2 months. How long will it take to get the daily case count down to a reasonable number? The NFL can say whatever they want but the next time there will be fans in the stands in the US will be sometime in early 2021. It will be late in 2021/early 2022 IMO. It may take that long before most folks are comfortable going to games even if we get a vaccine by January. I’d be absolutely shocked if there aren’t fans in stands come Spring Training and then opening day next year for MLB. Maybe there will be limits and only a % of capacity and distancing/mask rules still, but I see no way there aren’t fans in MLB stands for the 2021 season. The owners and league need the money first and foremost and it seems like there will be a vaccine, if not they know how to treat the virus better every day, etc. on top of learning how to run things in limited capacity here. College/nfl stands, bars/restaurants, etc. They will allow and have a plan for fans in some capacity next year.

Makes sense, they were never some juggernaut. Plus with injuries to Chatwood, Quintana and Bryant. They were always more a true win 84-88 win team over a full season anyways so that’s just natural/deserved regression. They probably are due to play a little bit better here soon. But hopefully not until after the weekend.

Feels like we have to go 2-2 at minimum this years, maybe 3-1. If we drop 3 divisions hopes are probably done. May catch a break in this one, Cubs are worse vs LHP than RHP. Bryant and Schwarber are dinged up too so may see Almora in the lineup for them and Heyward.

Arica and Gyorko I’d guess. Lester will be the Cubs OD starter.

Yeah I’m calling BS they really lost money as an operation. I can somewhat believe it with the CAPEX for renovations at Miller Park and the ST complex, but that goes towards building franchise value so it’s not like that expense/loss is for nothing. There’s also revenues that are exempt from revenue sharing/teams can hide so maybe in their books to MLB they lost money but the real books that shows all the actual revenue they made money. They also could have played accounting games to strategically operate at a loss for Mark’s personal gain with everything else he’s in. Like accelerating depreciation or doing other one time things.

Yeah I’m calling BS they really lost money as an operation. I can somewhat believe it with the CAPEX for renovations at Miller Park and the ST complex, but that goes towards building franchise value so it’s not like that expense/loss is for nothing. There’s also revenues that are exempt from revenue sharing/teams can hide so maybe in their books to MLB they lost money but the real books that shows all the actual revenue they made money. They also could have played accounting games to strategically operate at a loss for Mark’s personal gain with everything else he’s in. Like accelerating depreciation or doing other one time things.

In the 1% chance they’d trade him here we don’t have anywhere near the pieces to get him anyways.

Cubs 94 Reds 85 Brewers 80 Cardinals 78 Pirates 66 I think the top 4 teams can finish in any order and roughly that’s how the win totals get split between them. One hits 90+ two hit low-mid 80s and one sub 80 by a tick. I like the Cubs the most, they have the deepest and most talented offense, the top 4 SP are probably the most stable, we’ll see on the bullpen. I think the Cardinals significantly dropped off. The OF is bad, the rotation is older and questionable, the bullpen is also a question, the defense way outperformed last year. I think they fall hard. I really don’t know what to think of us other than we are a high variance team with significant downside. The Reds made solid moves but still don’t really have a star, lots of 1.5-3 win players on offense, if Suarez shoulder is messed up that’s a huge loss. Castellanos and Moustakas are both overrated, imo, to what they are thought of to where they end up WAR wise most years. Should be a fun year regardless.

What sense would such a trade make? The Cubs get a guy owed a huge amount of money (pushing them in lux. tax territory that they are desperately trying to avoid) who will be gone in two years. The Rockies get a little salary relief (about $8M the first year and less the second) but Bryant is also gone in two years. I’m guessing the sense would be you’re locking in a star 3B for longer when they haven’t been able to with Bryant and you’re getting him for a likely cheaper price than Bryant will cost (assuming the $6-8 million thing is true). Arenado wouldn’t opt out, apparently, if traded to Chicago. Arenado has also been more steady, healthy and valuable recently. Though if health is equal I think Bryant is a little better. Arenado seems like the safer long term bet though.

The Cubs and Rockies have discussed a Bryant-Arenado 1 for 1 swap now that Bryant’s grievance is settled with Colorado paying $6-8 million a year. And Passan says Arenado would love to be a Cub..... don’t know how I feel about that. Think it would be pretty fair and don’t know if it makes the Cubs much better. They also are stuck with a potentially much larger commitment for a guy that’s almost 30.

Would be kinda weird to see JJ, Hernan (Cubs signed him to a minor league deal/ST invite) and Scooter all wearing Cubs uniforms on opening day.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/reds-slugger-eugenio-suarez-undergoes-shoulder-surgery-after-injury-in-swimming-pool/ If this lingers at all my guess is Moustakas has to work out at 3B in spring training when he really should be getting reps at 2B. I think Matt Duffy is still a FA. I could see them adding him for no money as 3B/2B insurance. Forsythe and Dozier make some sense too. All those guys might not even require major league deals. Holt and Scooter probably can find teams with a little more clear path to playing time I’d think.