I admit it...

[Quality Start Machine]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

I think they've openly admitted they're going pitching with their first pick. If they don't that means they're liars or Bryce Harper II is available.

Or perhaps GAMESMANSHIP.

[PenFoe]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

I get that it's hard to draft to need, but since like 24 of their best 25 prospects are hitters it seems that maybe focusing a bit on pitching (or just re-hiring Larry Rothschild) would be the best long-term approach to CHAMPIONSHIP.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

I get that it's hard to draft to need, but since like 24 of their best 25 prospects are hitters it seems that maybe focusing a bit on pitching (or just re-hiring Larry Rothschild) would be the best long-term approach to CHAMPIONSHIP.

The converse being drafting a sure-fire position player who can be part of a trade package for an MLB-ready arm at a later date. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

[Eli]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

You might be the only person who thinks they could take someone besides Appel or Gray.

[Internet Apex]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

You might be the only person who thinks they could take someone besides Appel or Gray.

I'd be fine with literally ANY pick other than Manti Te'o.

[R-V]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

You might be the only person who thinks they could take someone besides Appel or Gray.

I now want the Cubs to draft someone other than Appel or Gray just so Fork can hold it over your head for years.

[Eli]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

You might be the only person who thinks they could take someone besides Appel or Gray.

I now want the Cubs to draft someone other than Appel or Gray just so Fork can hold it over your head for years.

I believe I qualified everything earlier by saying "unless something drastic happens," so I'm totally set from a legal perspective.

[R-V]

Here, Eli - read this and you'll feel better.

"The baseball department is spending every dollar that is allocated to baseball operations," Epstein continued. "Yeah, we're spending it in the draft and we're spending it in the minor leagues. There's only so much you can spend there. We're also spending every dollar we have available on the Major League payroll. We need a renovated Wrigley Field to produce more revenue. We need new TV deals so we can generate significant local revenue that way."

I don't quite know how to take these comments. Epstein is clearly frustrated, but I can't tell whether he's frustrated by the media's repeated questions that (he believes) unfairly paints the Cubs' financial situation, or whether he's frustrated by a lack of resources. If it's the latter, I can't tell whether he's frustrated by a city that has been so intransigent in allowing the Cubs to generate the revenue that they could be generating, or whether he's frustrated by (what he perceives to be) a tight-fisted owner. I suspect that folks will take Epstein's comments to support whatever pre-existing beliefs they already held.

[Quality Start Machine]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

You might be the only person who thinks they could take someone besides Appel or Gray.

I now want the Cubs to draft someone other than Appel or Gray just so Fork can hold it over your head for years.

Not gonna hai.

[thehawk]

The Manaea with the 1.57 ERA and the 72K/20BB and in 57.1 innings? That guys are hitting .195 against?

Yeah, that's the one.

Yeah. He's real good. Only way he's not top 5 is if Boras spooks too many GMs. And EpHoyStink were willing to deal with him last year on Almora. But back to my original point, they might do what they did last year, go positional with their 1st round pick, then drill for pitching depth in the later rounds.

I get that first round position players are generally better bets than first round pitchers, but isn't pitching the far greater need?

It's hard to draft to need in baseball, since picks are generally at least a couple years away from making the big club. You draft the best guy on the board, and take it from there. None of us have any idea what's been discussed in tbe Cubs' offices. As a wise man once said, let's see how it plays out.

You might be the only person who thinks they could take someone besides Appel or Gray.

I now want the Cubs to draft someone other than Appel or Gray just so Fork can hold it over your head for years.

I believe I qualified everything earlier by saying "unless something drastic happens," so I'm totally set from a legal perspective.

Not unless Wrigley Field is swallowed by a sinkhole.

[CBStew]

...I think that Kyle Long is going to be a bust.  But at least he isn't Te'o

[Internet Apex]

...I think that Kyle Long is going to be a bust.  But at least he isn't Te'o

No Stew.

Yes Stew.

[CBStew]

...I think that Kyle Long is going to be a bust.  But at least he isn't Te'o

No Stew.

Yes Stew.

I watched Oregon score 59 points against Cal, so I admit that their offensive line is doing something right.

[CBStew]

...I think that Kyle Long is going to be a bust.  But at least he isn't Te'o

No Stew.

Yes Stew.

I watched Oregon score 59 points against Cal, so I admit that their offensive line is doing something right.

Truth be told, I watched them score 52 points, I couldn't Bear (pun intended) to watch beyond that.