2015: The Back To The Future Season

[Oleg]

What's not to love?

Powdered Toast Man likes this.

You guys are clearly mistaking Billy Beane for Brad Pitt.

[InternetApex]

What's not to love?

Powdered Toast Man likes this.

You guys are clearly mistaking Billy Beane for Brad Pitt.

I had a joke about him obliterating Gorgeous George's jaw with a single punch in a barn over a caravan half typed but deleted it because it was not very funny.   

[Eli]

I would like to reiterate that this bullpen is the tits.

Neil Ramirez is the greatest ginger Mexican this side of Louis CK.

Theo has been really good at fleecing other GM's in trades. The Rangers got hosed.

The Rangers, A's, Orioles and Braves (meaning Cartini for Bonerface and Russell, TBD on Arodys/La Stella) trades just look completely embarrassing for the other teams at this point.

I hope over time that Cashner for Rizzo goes that way as well - certainly seems possible.  

They look embarrassing through the lens of hindsight in which none of those teams won the World Series. But deadline deals like most of those were are meant to get a team into the postseason with a healthy roster able to compete for a title. It's all a crapshoot at that point. Did they overpay for that chance? That's a different question and we'd have to look at who else was available to meet their needs and at what price. It's a good problem to have, I'd say. None of those trades crippled the franchises that made them.

The A's made some bold moves that ended up with them having their top prospects AND most of the guys the dealt for (Lester and Hammel) ending up on the Cubs.

But they flipped Snork for several players and gutted the team otherwise. I guess we'll never know what they could have gotten in exchange for Russell besides their return from the Cubs. If the argument is that Theo made a fantastic deal for his club, I don't see how a sane person could argue. But the A's gave themselves a chance and it just didn't work out. Someday, the Cubs will probably have to make a decision like that too and some team will end up with one of the guys in our FUTURESPLOOGE thread and we'll be too drunk to care with all the champagne in our guts, mouths, eyes and pubes.

I don't criticize Billy Beane for doing what he had to try and take advantage of a championship window, which are always smaller in Oakland given their payroll restraints, but when David Price ended up getting traded a few weeks later for a much smaller return that definitely hurt.

It's true. But again, we don't know what went down. I refuse to believe Beane didn't inquire about Price. Maybe it was Tampa that fucked that up.

We get it Pex, you love Billy Beane.

Thank God someone (other than me) said this.

There's a lot of history here too, not just today.

What's not to love?

I dunno, I think you have to be pretty arrogant to cast Brad Pitt as yourself in a movie you're making about your life.

[InternetApex]

I would like to reiterate that this bullpen is the tits.

Neil Ramirez is the greatest ginger Mexican this side of Louis CK.

Theo has been really good at fleecing other GM's in trades. The Rangers got hosed.

The Rangers, A's, Orioles and Braves (meaning Cartini for Bonerface and Russell, TBD on Arodys/La Stella) trades just look completely embarrassing for the other teams at this point.

I hope over time that Cashner for Rizzo goes that way as well - certainly seems possible.  

They look embarrassing through the lens of hindsight in which none of those teams won the World Series. But deadline deals like most of those were are meant to get a team into the postseason with a healthy roster able to compete for a title. It's all a crapshoot at that point. Did they overpay for that chance? That's a different question and we'd have to look at who else was available to meet their needs and at what price. It's a good problem to have, I'd say. None of those trades crippled the franchises that made them.

The A's made some bold moves that ended up with them having their top prospects AND most of the guys the dealt for (Lester and Hammel) ending up on the Cubs.

But they flipped Snork for several players and gutted the team otherwise. I guess we'll never know what they could have gotten in exchange for Russell besides their return from the Cubs. If the argument is that Theo made a fantastic deal for his club, I don't see how a sane person could argue. But the A's gave themselves a chance and it just didn't work out. Someday, the Cubs will probably have to make a decision like that too and some team will end up with one of the guys in our FUTURESPLOOGE thread and we'll be too drunk to care with all the champagne in our guts, mouths, eyes and pubes.

I don't criticize Billy Beane for doing what he had to try and take advantage of a championship window, which are always smaller in Oakland given their payroll restraints, but when David Price ended up getting traded a few weeks later for a much smaller return that definitely hurt.

It's true. But again, we don't know what went down. I refuse to believe Beane didn't inquire about Price. Maybe it was Tampa that fucked that up.

We get it Pex, you love Billy Beane.

Thank God someone (other than me) said this.

There's a lot of history here too, not just today.

What's not to love?

I dunno, I think you have to be pretty arrogant to cast Brad Pitt as yourself in a movie you're making about your life.

What if Norm MacDonald just wasn't available?

[Quality Start Machine]

I would like to reiterate that this bullpen is the tits.

Neil Ramirez is the greatest ginger Mexican this side of Louis CK.

Theo has been really good at fleecing other GM's in trades. The Rangers got hosed.

The Rangers, A's, Orioles and Braves (meaning Cartini for Bonerface and Russell, TBD on Arodys/La Stella) trades just look completely embarrassing for the other teams at this point.

I hope over time that Cashner for Rizzo goes that way as well - certainly seems possible.  

They look embarrassing through the lens of hindsight in which none of those teams won the World Series. But deadline deals like most of those were are meant to get a team into the postseason with a healthy roster able to compete for a title. It's all a crapshoot at that point. Did they overpay for that chance? That's a different question and we'd have to look at who else was available to meet their needs and at what price. It's a good problem to have, I'd say. None of those trades crippled the franchises that made them.

The A's made some bold moves that ended up with them having their top prospects AND most of the guys the dealt for (Lester and Hammel) ending up on the Cubs.

But they flipped Snork for several players and gutted the team otherwise. I guess we'll never know what they could have gotten in exchange for Russell besides their return from the Cubs. If the argument is that Theo made a fantastic deal for his club, I don't see how a sane person could argue. But the A's gave themselves a chance and it just didn't work out. Someday, the Cubs will probably have to make a decision like that too and some team will end up with one of the guys in our FUTURESPLOOGE thread and we'll be too drunk to care with all the champagne in our guts, mouths, eyes and pubes.

I don't criticize Billy Beane for doing what he had to try and take advantage of a championship window, which are always smaller in Oakland given their payroll restraints, but when David Price ended up getting traded a few weeks later for a much smaller return that definitely hurt.

It's true. But again, we don't know what went down. I refuse to believe Beane didn't inquire about Price. Maybe it was Tampa that fucked that up.

We get it Pex, you love Billy Beane.

Thank God someone (other than me) said this.

There's a lot of history here too, not just today.

What's not to love?

I dunno, I think you have to be pretty arrogant to cast Brad Pitt as yourself in a movie you're making about your life.

What if Norm MacDonald just wasn't available?

Norm playing Beane as Turd Ferguson.

[ChuckD]

I would like to reiterate that this bullpen is the tits.

Neil Ramirez is the greatest ginger Mexican this side of Louis CK.

Theo has been really good at fleecing other GM's in trades. The Rangers got hosed.

The Rangers, A's, Orioles and Braves (meaning Cartini for Bonerface and Russell, TBD on Arodys/La Stella) trades just look completely embarrassing for the other teams at this point.

I hope over time that Cashner for Rizzo goes that way as well - certainly seems possible.  

They look embarrassing through the lens of hindsight in which none of those teams won the World Series. But deadline deals like most of those were are meant to get a team into the postseason with a healthy roster able to compete for a title. It's all a crapshoot at that point. Did they overpay for that chance? That's a different question and we'd have to look at who else was available to meet their needs and at what price. It's a good problem to have, I'd say. None of those trades crippled the franchises that made them.

The A's made some bold moves that ended up with them having their top prospects AND most of the guys the dealt for (Lester and Hammel) ending up on the Cubs.

But they flipped Snork for several players and gutted the team otherwise. I guess we'll never know what they could have gotten in exchange for Russell besides their return from the Cubs. If the argument is that Theo made a fantastic deal for his club, I don't see how a sane person could argue. But the A's gave themselves a chance and it just didn't work out. Someday, the Cubs will probably have to make a decision like that too and some team will end up with one of the guys in our FUTURESPLOOGE thread and we'll be too drunk to care with all the champagne in our guts, mouths, eyes and pubes.

I don't criticize Billy Beane for doing what he had to try and take advantage of a championship window, which are always smaller in Oakland given their payroll restraints, but when David Price ended up getting traded a few weeks later for a much smaller return that definitely hurt.

It's true. But again, we don't know what went down. I refuse to believe Beane didn't inquire about Price. Maybe it was Tampa that fucked that up.

We get it Pex, you love Billy Beane.

Thank God someone (other than me) said this.

There's a lot of history here too, not just today.

What's not to love?

I dunno, I think you have to be pretty arrogant to cast Brad Pitt as yourself in a movie you're making about your life.

If you write a best-selling book about your life, I think you should be given carte blanche to cast whoever you want when you make the movie.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Back-to-back comebacks wins (being down 3-0 three times over the two games), and then damn near pulling off a third in a row off a guy who throws 100 mph every pitch.

I think I'm already really, really liking this team.

[SKO]

Back-to-back comebacks wins (being down 3-0 three times over the two games), and then damn near pulling off a third in a row off a guy who throws 100 mph every pitch.

I think I'm already really, really liking this team.

I think they're worth watching every day and are only going to get more watchable as the year goes on and Bryant and Russell/Baez come up and Rizzo starts launching dongblasts. After the last five years I'll take it for now, time to worry about standings and playoffs later. Just give me a reason to look forward to baseball every day and I'm good for now.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Back-to-back comebacks wins (being down 3-0 three times over the two games), and then damn near pulling off a third in a row off a guy who throws 100 mph every pitch.

I think I'm already really, really liking this team.

I think they're worth watching every day and are only going to get more watchable as the year goes on and Bryant and Russell/Baez come up and Rizzo starts launching dongblasts. After the last five years I'll take it for now, time to worry about standings and playoffs later. Just give me a reason to look forward to baseball every day and I'm good for now.

Good point about Rizzo.  The Cubs had a nice first week + while getting very little from their #1 offensive player and #1 pitcher.

[Quality Start Machine]

Back-to-back comebacks wins (being down 3-0 three times over the two games), and then damn near pulling off a third in a row off a guy who throws 100 mph every pitch.

I think I'm already really, really liking this team.

I think they're worth watching every day and are only going to get more watchable as the year goes on and Bryant and Russell/Baez come up and Rizzo starts launching dongblasts. After the last five years I'll take it for now, time to worry about standings and playoffs later. Just give me a reason to look forward to baseball every day and I'm good for now.

Good point about Rizzo.  The Cubs had a nice first week + while getting very little from their #1 offensive player and #1 pitcher.

Once Bryant's behind him in the order, I'm guessing he'll get plunked a bit less.

[SKO]

Back-to-back comebacks wins (being down 3-0 three times over the two games), and then damn near pulling off a third in a row off a guy who throws 100 mph every pitch.

I think I'm already really, really liking this team.

I think they're worth watching every day and are only going to get more watchable as the year goes on and Bryant and Russell/Baez come up and Rizzo starts launching dongblasts. After the last five years I'll take it for now, time to worry about standings and playoffs later. Just give me a reason to look forward to baseball every day and I'm good for now.

Good point about Rizzo.  The Cubs had a nice first week + while getting very little from their #1 offensive player and #1 pitcher.

Once Bryant's behind him in the order, I'm guessing he'll get plunked a bit less.

....because pitchers are trying to hit him now?

[Quality Start Machine]

Back-to-back comebacks wins (being down 3-0 three times over the two games), and then damn near pulling off a third in a row off a guy who throws 100 mph every pitch.

I think I'm already really, really liking this team.

I think they're worth watching every day and are only going to get more watchable as the year goes on and Bryant and Russell/Baez come up and Rizzo starts launching dongblasts. After the last five years I'll take it for now, time to worry about standings and playoffs later. Just give me a reason to look forward to baseball every day and I'm good for now.

Good point about Rizzo.  The Cubs had a nice first week + while getting very little from their #1 offensive player and #1 pitcher.

Once Bryant's behind him in the order, I'm guessing he'll get plunked a bit less.

....because pitchers are trying to hit him now?

They're banging him inside, and the risk isn't as high with Castro hitting behind him as it will be with Bryant. I just think pitchers aren't as worried about whether they hit him now, it's as good as a walk.

[InternetApex]

Neil Ramirez leaves after three pitches due to injury.

First chink in the armor, Ted!

[Quality Start Machine]

Neil Ramirez leaves after three pitches due to injury.

First chink in the armor, Ted!

Racist.

[R-V]

The Cubs are currently 8th in batting WAR (and 4th in walk percentage, after finishing 23rd in that measure last year). They're 2nd in pitching WAR. Rizzo hasn't really hit for power yet, 2nd base has been a black hole of suck thus far, Lester has struggled, and two key cogs in the bullpen have been injured. What I'm trying to say gang is that this team is good and improvements from the aforementioned dudes should be able to compensate for regression elsewhere on the roster. I'm also asking that you kindly take your "small sample size" and "if you love WAR so much why don't you point out that they're almost dead last in defensive WAR" arguments and store them in your butt for now.