Desipio Message Board

Dr. Henry Heimlich, dead at 96.

Quote from: Brownie on December 15, 2016, 02:57:03 PM
The good news is that he was a Cubs fan growing up in Batavia and he got to see the Cubs win the World Series (and make a little scratch for his heirs).

Leukemia killed my father, although his battle was much shorter than Sager's. The treatments drain you of everything. The fact he was able to be as active as long as he was -- amazing.

My dad also died of leukemia, the same form that Craig Sager had. 
Like TJ, my dad's battle was far shorter.

The amount of time that Sager survived and what he went through is absolutely incredible.

TV star and hockey fanboy, Alan Thicke, dead at 69.

In a stunning development, it's a bad year for 69.

Quote from: CBStew on December 09, 2016, 11:59:09 AM
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/fan_forum/trophy-tour/?partnerId=as_chc_20161208_68594116&adbid=10154554958925659&adbpl=fb&adbpr=30530605658

Seriously?  The trophy is going on tour and is going to make personal appearances?  In Rockford?  Is it also expected to say a few words?

Apparently it wanted to check out the local cuisine.

Quote from: Eli on December 08, 2016, 09:10:37 AM

Quote from: ChuckD on December 08, 2016, 09:02:00 AM
Armando Rivero. What we lost, and what we never had.

My condolences to Pen.

Legitimately upset about this.

Quote from: Chuck to Chuck on December 07, 2016, 01:53:53 PM

Quote from: Brownie on December 07, 2016, 01:34:44 PM
I want the Cubs to get every good player, even if it means that Iowa, and Tennessee and Myrtle Beach become juggernauts that could win the NL East by 15 games. And then every shitty player can play on the other 29 clubs. Then I will be satisfied.

Someone needs Santa to get here very soon.

Why is Satan an anagram of Santa?

Because Santa is actually God, or something.

Quote from: SKO on December 07, 2016, 01:06:05 PM
Alright, time to pack this thread up and send it to KC. Eli can sign for it.

COD, payable to Captain Mack Infanta George Sun Denny's Arroz Con Pollo....ehh, forget it.

This is probably for the best.

Quote from: SKO on December 06, 2016, 12:27:42 PM

Quote from: Saul Goodman on December 06, 2016, 12:22:52 PM
Rosenthal reporting the White Sox are getting Yoan Moncada and three other prospects from Boston for Sale.

The other big one is Michael Kopech, a starting pitcher who can supposedly hit triple digits. The other two are low minor leaguers.

All that noise can stay in the AL, thank you.

Quote from: SKO on December 05, 2016, 03:53:51 PM

Quote from: Quality Start Machine on December 05, 2016, 03:44:37 PM

Quote from: SKO on December 05, 2016, 08:18:41 AM

Quote from: Quality Start Machine on December 05, 2016, 07:57:33 AM

Quote from: SKO on December 05, 2016, 07:52:52 AM

Quote from: Saul Goodman on December 04, 2016, 07:45:30 PM

Quote from: Quality Start Machine on December 04, 2016, 03:27:03 PM

Quote from: Saul Goodman on December 04, 2016, 09:37:52 AM

Quote from: Quality Start Machine on December 04, 2016, 08:50:55 AM

Quote from: Saul Goodman on December 04, 2016, 01:06:39 AM

Quote from: Quality Start Machine on December 03, 2016, 08:35:16 AM

Quote from: Saul Goodman on December 02, 2016, 10:25:18 PM
Might be worth picking up the surprisingly non-tendered Tyson Ross and betting on a bounceback from injury.

No risk, potential for high reward. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Quote
The Cubs made attempts over the past couple years to acquire right-hander Tyson Ross from the Padres and could pursue him in free agency, according to Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago. "The Padres were close to trading Ross to the Cubs for Starlin Castro," a major league source who worked for one of the teams told Levine. "San Diego execs were mixed on asking for Castro or Javier Baez. The deal went down to the wire in late July of 2015 but never got to the point of exchanging medicals." Ross was a front-of-the-rotation starter at that point, but he only threw 5 1/3 innings last season and is currently recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The Padres non-tendered him Friday.

Yep. Whoever signs him will (my guess, FWIW) sign him to a minor league deal to see if he can come back in 2017 with an eye toward him being productive in 2018. If he can come all the way back (granted, unlikely), you've got a cheap top-of-the-rotation guy.

The problem with that is everyone else will want to sign him to a minor league deal too. I think he'll get guaranteed money and an MLB roster spot. He's supposed to be ready to pitch by April or even spring training so it's not like he's expected to miss half of the year.

Has anybody ever been an effective athlete following thoracic outlet syndrome surgery? I wouldn't want to blow a roster spot on finding out if he can.

Hopefully Jepstink walk away if the bidding gets too rich.

Wikipedia provides the following list, apparently in no particular order.

Tyson Ross (SD)
Matt Harvey (NYM)
Luke Hochevar (KC)
Phil Hughes (MIN)
Mike Foltynewicz (ATL)
Chris Carpenter (STL)
Jaime Garcia (ATL)
Josh Beckett
Shaun Marcum
Matt Harrison (PHI)
Clayton Richard (SD)
Noah Lowry
Chris Young

Those are all people who have had it, not people have come back from it successfully, obviously, since Ross and Harvey head off the list. Garcia and Beckett are about the only two who had it and came back to pitch at anything resembling their former selves. Garcia's always been a junkballer anyway, Beckett had a mediocre 2014 (2.88 ERA but 4.33 FIP) after the surgery before hanging it up.

It sure seems like a death sentence, but Ross and Harvey are arguably the first two who were young and had elite stuff before they got hurt (the surgery ended Carpenter's career, but he was also like 36 and coming off like 20 other arm injuries) so their recovery is worth monitoring.

Young won Comeback Player of the Year after having it. So there's a chance.

But a team that's in the business of winning championships probably wouldn't want to give up a roster spot to find out.

I'm sure Oakland is more likely to try a Sign and Flip like they did with Rich Hill.

Why wouldn't San Diego have just done a keep & flip if they thought he had anything?

San Diego appears to be hemorrhaging salary and preparing for the full-on tank right now, so paying him whatever he was likely to get in arbitration (probably north of 10 mil a year) would have been more than they were willing to commit in the chance that he sucked and they were stuck with him. Right now I don't think they'd have a single player making 8 figures who is actually on the roster (they had to pay some of Melvin Upton and Matt Kemp to make them go away).

Not much left.

Quote from: SKO on November 30, 2016, 03:22:51 PM
So the Pirates are trading McCutchen and are apparently already waving the white flag for 2017:

QuoteConsidering McCutchen's salary will be $14 million in 2017, a season which some in the Pirates organization privately concede will likely be a second straight without a postseason berth, and it seems certain that the 30-year-old could be dealt as soon next week during the Winter Meetings at National Harbor, Md.

So the Cubs could be in a division with three rebuilding teams next year. Not a bad way to start the title defense. Also Pirates fans are about the only fanbase that should be more angry than White Sox fans at a management that could easily keep the window of contention open with a few modest free agent signings and are opting to just punt a year or more instead.

Acknowledging the current OF logjam, I'm at least curious that the cost would be for McCutcheon. He's coming off a really down year, but his contract is very reasonable. 

Quote from: Bort on November 30, 2016, 11:11:11 AM

Quote from: PenFoe on November 30, 2016, 11:05:22 AM
This could not have possibly been less helpful.

Thanks, only site!

The only thing less helpful are the deals!

This could not have possibly been less helpful.

Thanks, only site!

Quote from: Brownie on November 30, 2016, 12:33:51 AM
Joe Ricketts doesn't really care about baseball. If you want to picture a wealthier, older, non-mustachioed version of Ron Swanson, thaat's Joe Ricketts.

High Plains Bison (Joe's company) explicitly advertises themselves as "The Official Lean Meat of the Chicago Cubs." 

So, how about "The North Slider?"

Quote from: Saul Goodman on November 29, 2016, 09:52:11 PM

Quote from: PenFoe on November 29, 2016, 07:44:52 PM
Moving up the top of the list of bad ideas I've had...

We have a meeting at work this week with Joe Ricketts (the elder.)  He runs the Bison Council and we have a potential opportunity to work with them.

As the resident Cubs guy at the office, I've been asked for help on a quick assignment.  

Our chef is going to make bison meatball sliders with goat cheese and giardiniera to serve at the meeting and I've been asked to come up with creative, relevant names for said sandwich to show him that...you know..."we get it."  

So, if anyone is so inclined, I'd love to crowdsource this beyond the Slackbox to see what amazing names we can bring forth.  

I'll take any and all ideas and will share back what we came up with including my own bad ideas.

So you're looking for Cubs-related names, or just clever bison-related fare?

Both.

Like, umm....
The Friendly Slider
The Cursebreaker
Wrigley Roamer
1060 W. Bison
Bison Ivy
Clark & Bovinae
Take Me Out To The Bison  
MeatBall Four
Rizzo's Roamer
Bison Edwards Jr.

I have no idea.

Moving up the top of the list of bad ideas I've had...

We have a meeting at work this week with Joe Ricketts (the elder.)  He runs the Bison Council and we have a potential opportunity to work with them.

As the resident Cubs guy at the office, I've been asked for help on a quick assignment. 

Our chef is going to make bison meatball sliders with goat cheese and giardiniera to serve at the meeting and I've been asked to come up with creative, relevant names for said sandwich to show him that...you know..."we get it." 

So, if anyone is so inclined, I'd love to crowdsource this beyond the Slackbox to see what amazing names we can bring forth. 

I'll take any and all ideas and will share back what we came up with including my own bad ideas.