The 2016 Cubs: SPLOOGE SPLOOGE SPLOOGE

[SKO]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

You're right. Their failure to overcome the most dominant closer in baseball right now is somehow indicative to their general inability to win close ones.

That'd be the 11-15 record in 1-run games...not helped by these two failures.

I am not particularly optimisticc about the Cubs right now, but record in 1-run games tends to be a function of luck.

What's not to be optimistic about? They've won 3/5 to start the second half against the best team in the AL and a solid NL contender and the starters have all looked good again. Bullpen help is at worst two weeks away. Fowler and Soler are rehabbing. I don't get this.

It's probably just a spell. I want Dexter to show me his hamstring is OK and dominant Soler to be back. Then I'll be fine.

He'd need to appear in the first place for that phrasing to work.

I assume TJ is referring to this:

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

You're right. Their failure to overcome the most dominant closer in baseball right now is somehow indicative to their general inability to win close ones.

That'd be the 11-15 record in 1-run games...not helped by these two failures.

I am not particularly optimisticc about the Cubs right now, but record in 1-run games tends to be a function of luck.

What's not to be optimistic about? They've won 3/5 to start the second half against the best team in the AL and a solid NL contender and the starters have all looked good again. Bullpen help is at worst two weeks away. Fowler and Soler are rehabbing. I don't get this.

It's probably just a spell. I want Dexter to show me his hamstring is OK and dominant Soler to be back. Then I'll be fine.

He'd need to appear in the first place for that phrasing to work.

I assume TJ is referring to this:

*swoons*

[Eli]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

You're right. Their failure to overcome the most dominant closer in baseball right now is somehow indicative to their general inability to win close ones.

That'd be the 11-15 record in 1-run games...not helped by these two failures.

I am not particularly optimisticc about the Cubs right now, but record in 1-run games tends to be a function of luck.

What's not to be optimistic about? They've won 3/5 to start the second half against the best team in the AL and a solid NL contender and the starters have all looked good again. Bullpen help is at worst two weeks away. Fowler and Soler are rehabbing. I don't get this.

It's probably just a spell. I want Dexter to show me his hamstring is OK and dominant Soler to be back. Then I'll be fine.

He'd need to appear in the first place for that phrasing to work.

I assume TJ is referring to this:

That was definitely a good week.

[SKO]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

You're right. Their failure to overcome the most dominant closer in baseball right now is somehow indicative to their general inability to win close ones.

That'd be the 11-15 record in 1-run games...not helped by these two failures.

I am not particularly optimisticc about the Cubs right now, but record in 1-run games tends to be a function of luck.

What's not to be optimistic about? They've won 3/5 to start the second half against the best team in the AL and a solid NL contender and the starters have all looked good again. Bullpen help is at worst two weeks away. Fowler and Soler are rehabbing. I don't get this.

It's probably just a spell. I want Dexter to show me his hamstring is OK and dominant Soler to be back. Then I'll be fine.

He'd need to appear in the first place for that phrasing to work.

I assume TJ is referring to this:

That was definitely a good week.

I'm not really defending Jorge. I have a hard time figuring out how I'd even want him in the lineup right now, since he'd basically just be taking playing time away from Javy and I don't want that. I'd be fine with trading him. I was just pointing out that we have seen a dominant Soler before. Almora has shown me enough that I think he really could be a decent 2-3 win player in CF next year so I don't really think they'll do the Schwarber-Heyward-Soler OF, so I really don't see much of a future for Jorge here.

I look forward to Fowler being back though so they can give Contreras more starts at catcher instead of LF.

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

Presumably the 2017 lineup is something like a hopefully not shitty Heyward RF/Schwarber LF/Bryant 3B/Rizzo 1B/Contreras C/Zobrist 2B/Russell SS/Almora CF with Baez getting 3-4 starts a week subbing in for Zobrist and Russell and taking Schwarber's place vs lefties.

So yeah...not really finding a place for Jorge.

[Quality Start Machine]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

You're right. Their failure to overcome the most dominant closer in baseball right now is somehow indicative to their general inability to win close ones.

That'd be the 11-15 record in 1-run games...not helped by these two failures.

I am not particularly optimisticc about the Cubs right now, but record in 1-run games tends to be a function of luck.

What's not to be optimistic about? They've won 3/5 to start the second half against the best team in the AL and a solid NL contender and the starters have all looked good again. Bullpen help is at worst two weeks away. Fowler and Soler are rehabbing. I don't get this.

It's probably just a spell. I want Dexter to show me his hamstring is OK and dominant Soler to be back. Then I'll be fine.

He'd need to appear in the first place for that phrasing to work.

I assume TJ is referring to this:

That was definitely a good week.

I'm not really defending Jorge. I have a hard time figuring out how I'd even want him in the lineup right now, since he'd basically just be taking playing time away from Javy and I don't want that. I'd be fine with trading him. I was just pointing out that we have seen a dominant Soler before. Almora has shown me enough that I think he really could be a decent 2-3 win player in CF next year so I don't really think they'll do the Schwarber-Heyward-Soler OF, so I really don't see much of a future for Jorge here.

I look forward to Fowler being back though so they can give Contreras more starts at catcher instead of LF.

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

Presumably the 2017 lineup is something like a hopefully not shitty Heyward RF/Schwarber LF/Bryant 3B/Rizzo 1B/Contreras C/Zobrist 2B/Russell SS/Almora CF with Baez getting 3-4 starts a week subbing in for Zobrist and Russell and taking Schwarber's place vs lefties.

So yeah...not really finding a place for Jorge.

There's a place for him, and it's in the Bronx.

[R-V]

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

I'm down with this with a couple caveats:

- Give La Stella some starts against RHP in place of Baez, as he's hit righties well.
- Get Ross some starts against LHP in place of Russell or Heyward, so the catcher playing time split looks something like 50 Contreras/30 Ross/20 Miggy (just the Jake starts for Miggy)

[SKO]

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

I'm down with this with a couple caveats:

- Give La Stella some starts against RHP in place of Baez, as he's hit righties well.
- Get Ross some starts against LHP in place of Russell or Heyward, so the catcher playing time split looks something like 50 Contreras/30 Ross/20 Miggy (just the Jake starts for Miggy)

Yeah I mean obviously Contreras isn't going to catch every day, but 3-4 of every five would be good. I'd like Joe to let him catch Arrieta a couple of times so that he can possibly catch him in the playoffs because Miggy getting key ABs in the postseason is no bueno.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

I'm down with this with a couple caveats:

- Give La Stella some starts against RHP in place of Baez, as he's hit righties well.
- Get Ross some starts against LHP in place of Russell or Heyward, so the catcher playing time split looks something like 50 Contreras/30 Ross/20 Miggy (just the Jake starts for Miggy)

Why does RV think there are 100 games left?

[R-V]

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

I'm down with this with a couple caveats:

- Give La Stella some starts against RHP in place of Baez, as he's hit righties well.
- Get Ross some starts against LHP in place of Russell or Heyward, so the catcher playing time split looks something like 50 Contreras/30 Ross/20 Miggy (just the Jake starts for Miggy)

Why does RV think there are 100 games left?

IT WAS MEANT TO BE PERCENTAGES YOU CLOD

[CBStew]

Fowler CF, Bryant LF, Rizzo 1B, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Heyward RF would be a very nice lineup most days.

I'm down with this with a couple caveats:

- Give La Stella some starts against RHP in place of Baez, as he's hit righties well.
- Get Ross some starts against LHP in place of Russell or Heyward, so the catcher playing time split looks something like 50 Contreras/30 Ross/20 Miggy (just the Jake starts for Miggy)

Why does RV think there are 100 games left?

IT WAS MEANT TO BE PERCENTAGES YOU CLOD

I agree with you 110%.

[Shooter]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

What's the opposite of a fair-weather fan?

[PenFoe]

Twice these assholes have had Familia bases loaded, 0 outs and done jack shit.  If they don't win playoff games by 3+, they're fucked in the close ones.

What's the opposite of a fair-weather fan?

We are not fair-weather but foul-weather fans.

[PenFoe]

Cubs trade Vogelbach to Mariners for Mike Montgomery.

Whoa. 

[Saul Goodman]

Cubs trade Vogelbach to Mariners for Mike Montgomery.

Whoa.  

And possibly more players in the deal if Twitter is to be believed.

Montgomery is pretty good. He's been worth a win and a half per bWAR, almost 1 per fWAR. He'll help.

But I still want Miller.

[PenFoe]

Cubs trade Vogelbach to Mariners for Mike Montgomery.

Whoa.  

And possibly more players in the deal if Twitter is to be believed.

Montgomery is pretty good. He's been worth a win and a half per bWAR, almost 1 per fWAR. He'll help.

But I still want Miller.

I'm very down with this trade, pending final players.

If it's Vogelbach for Montgomery straight up, that's fantastic.