The 2016 Cubs: SPLOOGE SPLOOGE SPLOOGE

[Tonker]

Fun with small sample size stats:

                  Cubs Batters             Cubs Pitchers (allowed)
Walks               38                                   9
OBP                  .372                                .247
OPS                  .802                                .605
AVG.                 .263                                .212

I know it's a small sample size, but I think what we're seeing here is a reflection of just how fucking relentless the Cubs' lineup is.  As an opposing pitcher, you're probably seeing a walk as one of the less awful things that can happen to you.

[Saul Goodman]

Fun with small sample size stats:

                  Cubs Batters             Cubs Pitchers (allowed)
Walks               38                                   9
OBP                  .372                                .247
OPS                  .802                                .605
AVG.                 .263                                .212

I know it's a small sample size, but I think what we're seeing here is a reflection of just how fucking relentless the Cubs' lineup is.  As an opposing pitcher, you're probably seeing a walk as one of the less awful things that can happen to you.

Don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the first three-run rally composed entirely of walks. Hey, it could happen.

[R-V]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

[Eli]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

I suppose he'll have to put more time into working as a coach or manager than he needs to now.  Unless he takes a year off this is the most free time he'll have for a while.

[Chuck to Chuck]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

[Oleg]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

[thehawk]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

He won't have the opportunity to do it as 'one of the guys'.  It seems he just want to have a last chance to do it, and his teammates seem to be enjoying the chance to hang out with the old guy.  So long as it doesn't become a R3SP3CT tour, sounds like the players are having fun.  I like fun.

[CT III]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

He won't have the opportunity to do it as 'one of the guys'.  It seems he just want to have a last chance to do it, and his teammates seem to be enjoying the chance to hang out with the old guy.  So long as it doesn't become a R3SP3CT tour, sounds like the players are having fun.  I like fun.

But is it the right kind of fun, hawk? I need a ruling here.

[Chuck to Chuck]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

Much more fun to spend other people's money to sight see than spending your own. And you don't have to drag the family along. He's touring the country as a rich 30 something with buddies and not paying for it. Get it in now.

[thehawk]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

He won't have the opportunity to do it as 'one of the guys'.  It seems he just want to have a last chance to do it, and his teammates seem to be enjoying the chance to hang out with the old guy.  So long as it doesn't become a R3SP3CT tour, sounds like the players are having fun.  I like fun.

But is it the right kind of fun, hawk? I need a ruling here.

I think its a right kind of fun, and I thought you made the rulings

[CT III]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

He won't have the opportunity to do it as 'one of the guys'.  It seems he just want to have a last chance to do it, and his teammates seem to be enjoying the chance to hang out with the old guy.  So long as it doesn't become a R3SP3CT tour, sounds like the players are having fun.  I like fun.

But is it the right kind of fun, hawk? I need a ruling here.

I think its a right kind of fun, and I thought you made the rulings

Only on irony. I'm not made of rulings.

[Slaky]

I'd like to dedicate this inspirational article to my man SKO.

CHICAGO -- He's racing Go-Karts one night, and watching Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant play the next.

He's playing golf with stock car driver Michael Waltrip one morning, listening to country singer Brett Eldredge at night, and trying to learn to play the guitar in the spare time.

He wants to see Ground Zero in New York this summer. Check out the monuments in Washington D.C. Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan. And a tour of Alcatraz when he's in San Francisco.

It has been 15 years since he broke into the major leagues, and now that this is his final season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross wants to do everything he's missed over the years.

Isn't his impending retirement going to be a great chance to do all of those things?

Not on the travel budget of someone else.

It looks like he's made $20MM in his career.  I don't think that's a very big consideration for him.

Much more fun to spend other people's money to sight see than spending your own. And you don't have to drag the family along. He's touring the country as a rich 30 something with buddies and not paying for it. Get it in now.

More like the family has to drag me along.

[Saul Goodman]

John Baker broke up Timmy Lincecum's no-no a couple years back. David Ross broke up Anonymous Reds Pitcher's no-hitter this week. Clearly, if only opposing teams would no-hit the Cubs for more innings, our Cubes' slapdick backup catchers might generate more offense.

[InternetApex]

John Baker broke up Timmy Lincecum's no-no a couple years back. David Ross broke up Anonymous Reds Pitcher's no-hitter this week. Clearly, if only opposing teams would no-hit the Cubs for more innings, our Cubes' slapdick backup catchers might generate more offense.

Finnegan was a first round draft pick of the Royals in 2014. I don't think he's as anonymous some rando Reds pitcher who comes out of nowhere and tosses a gem against the Cubes. I think he's going to be good for a long time if he can keep eating the bottom of the strike zone with that change up. Not saying he's an all-star but he could be a lefty in the bigs for 15 years.