The 2016 Cubs: SPLOOGE SPLOOGE SPLOOGE

[Quality Start Machine]

Okay if, heaven forbid, Chuck (and other sources) are right about La Stella just flat out refusing to report to Iowa over this demotion I can't say I blame him. Kid has a 128 OPS+ and a .388 OBP and was just demoted to Iowa, where he will make less money, live out of a Des Moines hotel, and take the bus everywhere, and potentially be denied a year of a service time, all so the team can roster Coghlan, who is like La Stella but older and worse at everything. I'd be just as pissed. He got fucked, hard, and it really craps all over the culture of "respect 90, the best players play, keep grinding" etc that had been established. I've just seen a number of people saying he needs to "be a professional" and "be a good teammate" and frankly I think he was doing both of those things and got shit on for it.

Since the Cubs haven't placed him on any suspended list, I'm guessing any worst-case scenarios aren't playing out here.

[SKO]

Okay if, heaven forbid, Chuck (and other sources) are right about La Stella just flat out refusing to report to Iowa over this demotion I can't say I blame him. Kid has a 128 OPS+ and a .388 OBP and was just demoted to Iowa, where he will make less money, live out of a Des Moines hotel, and take the bus everywhere, and potentially be denied a year of a service time, all so the team can roster Coghlan, who is like La Stella but older and worse at everything. I'd be just as pissed. He got fucked, hard, and it really craps all over the culture of "respect 90, the best players play, keep grinding" etc that had been established. I've just seen a number of people saying he needs to "be a professional" and "be a good teammate" and frankly I think he was doing both of those things and got shit on for it.

Since the Cubs haven't placed him on any suspended list, I'm guessing any worst-case scenarios aren't playing out here.

Oh yeah I think Theo and Co are smart enough to know they've dicked him over as a business decision and respect his right to be pissed about it. I just think the people I see on twitter saying he should just "suck it up and report" should probably spend two seconds trying to think how they'd feel if they were Tommy and this happened to them. There's a human element to the game, not just making roster moves like it's OOTP.

[Quality Start Machine]

Okay if, heaven forbid, Chuck (and other sources) are right about La Stella just flat out refusing to report to Iowa over this demotion I can't say I blame him. Kid has a 128 OPS+ and a .388 OBP and was just demoted to Iowa, where he will make less money, live out of a Des Moines hotel, and take the bus everywhere, and potentially be denied a year of a service time, all so the team can roster Coghlan, who is like La Stella but older and worse at everything. I'd be just as pissed. He got fucked, hard, and it really craps all over the culture of "respect 90, the best players play, keep grinding" etc that had been established. I've just seen a number of people saying he needs to "be a professional" and "be a good teammate" and frankly I think he was doing both of those things and got shit on for it.

Since the Cubs haven't placed him on any suspended list, I'm guessing any worst-case scenarios aren't playing out here.

Oh yeah I think Theo and Co are smart enough to know they've dicked him over as a business decision and respect his right to be pissed about it. I just think the people I see on twitter saying he should just "suck it up and report" should probably spend two seconds trying to think how they'd feel if they were Tommy and this happened to them. There's a human element to the game, not just making roster moves like it's OOTP.

I think I swaw somewhere on the Twits there is also some sort of family situation, not sure if that's the case here.

For all we know, now that Soler is back, they just told him to relax for 10 days before they bring him back and DFA Coghlan. Coghlan has no business taking what little playing time is available away from LaStella or Sczcur.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Looks like Justin Grimm is headed to Iowa tomorrow to accommodate Jason Hammel, which means Chris Coghlan survives again. I don't hate Chris Coghlan at all, but I don't understand how he keeps a spot on the bench over La Stella.

I feel like this is something I may get myself a little overly upset about, the whole fifth outfielder over the utility infielder thing. But it's the AB's that worry me. While Coghlan hasn't been God awful in his Cubs AB's, La Stella's been really good in his. And I don't like losing that even for 30 days or so.

[SKO]

Looks like Justin Grimm is headed to Iowa tomorrow to accommodate Jason Hammel, which means Chris Coghlan survives again. I don't hate Chris Coghlan at all, but I don't understand how he keeps a spot on the bench over La Stella.

I feel like this is something I may get myself a little overly upset about, the whole fifth outfielder over the utility infielder thing. But it's the AB's that worry me. While Coghlan hasn't been God awful in his Cubs AB's, La Stella's been really good in his. And I don't like losing that even for 30 days or so.

I don't care about it from a win/loss perspective. Chris Coghlan vs La Stella might not even cost them half a win over the course of the three weeks from now until Tommy can come back. I think estranging La Stella (and also apparently pissing him off over the possibility of delaying his free agency with an undeserved trip to the minors) in order to keep Coghlan really undermines a lot of the culture they claimed they were building. I mean all players should know and understand baseball is a business but this is the most naked abuse of the system the Cubs have perpetrated since they held Bryant down to start last year. At least in Grimm's case they could point to his overall kinda meh numbers even with how good he's been lately, in La Stella's case they just screwed him and he and they both know it.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Looks like Justin Grimm is headed to Iowa tomorrow to accommodate Jason Hammel, which means Chris Coghlan survives again. I don't hate Chris Coghlan at all, but I don't understand how he keeps a spot on the bench over La Stella.

I feel like this is something I may get myself a little overly upset about, the whole fifth outfielder over the utility infielder thing. But it's the AB's that worry me. While Coghlan hasn't been God awful in his Cubs AB's, La Stella's been really good in his. And I don't like losing that even for 30 days or so.

I don't care about it from a win/loss perspective. Chris Coghlan vs La Stella might not even cost them half a win over the course of the three weeks from now until Tommy can come back. I think estranging La Stella (and also apparently pissing him off over the possibility of delaying his free agency with an undeserved trip to the minors) in order to keep Coghlan really undermines a lot of the culture they claimed they were building. I mean all players should know and understand baseball is a business but this is the most naked abuse of the system the Cubs have perpetrated since they held Bryant down to start last year. At least in Grimm's case they could point to his overall kinda meh numbers even with how good he's been lately, in La Stella's case they just screwed him and he and they both know it.

Delaying Tommy La Stella's free agency can't be the reason they sent him down. Right?

[SKO]

Looks like Justin Grimm is headed to Iowa tomorrow to accommodate Jason Hammel, which means Chris Coghlan survives again. I don't hate Chris Coghlan at all, but I don't understand how he keeps a spot on the bench over La Stella.

I feel like this is something I may get myself a little overly upset about, the whole fifth outfielder over the utility infielder thing. But it's the AB's that worry me. While Coghlan hasn't been God awful in his Cubs AB's, La Stella's been really good in his. And I don't like losing that even for 30 days or so.

I don't care about it from a win/loss perspective. Chris Coghlan vs La Stella might not even cost them half a win over the course of the three weeks from now until Tommy can come back. I think estranging La Stella (and also apparently pissing him off over the possibility of delaying his free agency with an undeserved trip to the minors) in order to keep Coghlan really undermines a lot of the culture they claimed they were building. I mean all players should know and understand baseball is a business but this is the most naked abuse of the system the Cubs have perpetrated since they held Bryant down to start last year. At least in Grimm's case they could point to his overall kinda meh numbers even with how good he's been lately, in La Stella's case they just screwed him and he and they both know it.

Delaying Tommy La Stella's free agency can't be the reason they sent him down. Right?

Not the main reason, no, he was sent down because he had an option and no one else they were willing to lose for a month did, but I've seen a couple say that if he's down past 8/16 he doesn't earn a full year of service time for this year. So even if they didn't do it specifically to screw him out of the service year it's a side effect of the demotion and he's understandably pissed about it.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Looks like Justin Grimm is headed to Iowa tomorrow to accommodate Jason Hammel, which means Chris Coghlan survives again. I don't hate Chris Coghlan at all, but I don't understand how he keeps a spot on the bench over La Stella.

I feel like this is something I may get myself a little overly upset about, the whole fifth outfielder over the utility infielder thing. But it's the AB's that worry me. While Coghlan hasn't been God awful in his Cubs AB's, La Stella's been really good in his. And I don't like losing that even for 30 days or so.

I don't care about it from a win/loss perspective. Chris Coghlan vs La Stella might not even cost them half a win over the course of the three weeks from now until Tommy can come back. I think estranging La Stella (and also apparently pissing him off over the possibility of delaying his free agency with an undeserved trip to the minors) in order to keep Coghlan really undermines a lot of the culture they claimed they were building. I mean all players should know and understand baseball is a business but this is the most naked abuse of the system the Cubs have perpetrated since they held Bryant down to start last year. At least in Grimm's case they could point to his overall kinda meh numbers even with how good he's been lately, in La Stella's case they just screwed him and he and they both know it.

Delaying Tommy La Stella's free agency can't be the reason they sent him down. Right?

Not the main reason, no, he was sent down because he had an option and no one else they were willing to lose for a month did, but I've seen a couple say that if he's down past 8/16 he doesn't earn a full year of service time for this year. So even if they didn't do it specifically to screw him out of the service year it's a side effect of the demotion and he's understandably pissed about it.

This is comparable to the Kris Bryant thing, right? This pushed Bryant back a year, meaning it gave the Cubs a year in theory to back up the armored truck to his apartment. But in La Stella's case, this is buying the Cubs a year in theory of delivering him a tattered yellow envelope. It doesn't make sense.

[Quality Start Machine]

What I don't understand is that with Soler back, they have plenty of outfielders in a Coghlanless world. Bringing La Stella back up and DFAing Coghlan gives them a dependable lefty bat who is outslugging Coghlan by almost 200 points.

This whole thing makes absolutely no sense at all.

[Oleg]

Looks like Justin Grimm is headed to Iowa tomorrow to accommodate Jason Hammel, which means Chris Coghlan survives again. I don't hate Chris Coghlan at all, but I don't understand how he keeps a spot on the bench over La Stella.

I feel like this is something I may get myself a little overly upset about, the whole fifth outfielder over the utility infielder thing. But it's the AB's that worry me. While Coghlan hasn't been God awful in his Cubs AB's, La Stella's been really good in his. And I don't like losing that even for 30 days or so.

I don't care about it from a win/loss perspective. Chris Coghlan vs La Stella might not even cost them half a win over the course of the three weeks from now until Tommy can come back. I think estranging La Stella (and also apparently pissing him off over the possibility of delaying his free agency with an undeserved trip to the minors) in order to keep Coghlan really undermines a lot of the culture they claimed they were building. I mean all players should know and understand baseball is a business but this is the most naked abuse of the system the Cubs have perpetrated since they held Bryant down to start last year. At least in Grimm's case they could point to his overall kinda meh numbers even with how good he's been lately, in La Stella's case they just screwed him and he and they both know it.

Delaying Tommy La Stella's free agency can't be the reason they sent him down. Right?

Not the main reason, no, he was sent down because he had an option and no one else they were willing to lose for a month did, but I've seen a couple say that if he's down past 8/16 he doesn't earn a full year of service time for this year. So even if they didn't do it specifically to screw him out of the service year it's a side effect of the demotion and he's understandably pissed about it.

This is comparable to the Kris Bryant thing, right? This pushed Bryant back a year, meaning it gave the Cubs a year in theory to back up the armored truck to his apartment. But in La Stella's case, this is buying the Cubs a year in theory of delivering him a tattered yellow envelope. It doesn't make sense.

Before we get our collective panties in a bunch over La Stella losing a year of service time, let's keep in mind this is a player who will be no more than a utility infielder who is already 27 and, even if he doesn't lose a year of service time, won't be a free agent until he's 32.  This won't exactly be costing him tens of millions of dollars.  Shit, I bet he'll even go through the humiliation of getting DFA'd at some point before he actually hits free agency.

Also, I'm not sure where the wholesome perception of this front office came from but I find that whole narrative to be laughable.  This is a baseball team that is trying to win the World Series.  Leave the warm and fuzzies at the front door.

They had no issues DFAing EJax, who was apparently universally loved in that clubhouse.  They let Bryant "season" for an extra couple of weeks to save themselves a year before he hits free agency (something that truly will cost Bryant a few mil if not more) and it was absolutely the right decision.

This la Stella thing is stupid.  The fucker should report to AAA (unless he really does have a family thing, in which case, why are we talking about this?).  He can make up some lost revenue when he gets his World Series share.

But, fuck this.  It's stupid.

[Powdered Toast Man]

For the E-Jax point, he was also universally TERRIBLE. And they took their sweet goddamn time DFA'ing that hot garbage.

Look, the point about this being Tommy La Stella, the 27 year old utility infielder is well understood. My line of thinking is more toward Fork's point that this just doesn't make a whole lot of sense in that:

A. There are enough outfielders with Soler returning
B. La Stella's a better AB than Coghlan
Bb. La Stella's a better LH AB than Coghlan
C. Fuck the Cardinals

I can't wrap my head around this. I mean I know the whole options thing, but that doesn't make sense when you consider that La Stella is the better player. Like SKO said, this may not cost the Cubs a half game or anything at all, but La Stella is the better player and has been the better player all year.

[SKO]

Before we get our collective panties in a bunch over La Stella losing a year of service time, let's keep in mind this is a player who will be no more than a utility infielder who is already 27 and, even if he doesn't lose a year of service time, won't be a free agent until he's 32.  This won't exactly be costing him tens of millions of dollars.  Shit, I bet he'll even go through the humiliation of getting DFA'd at some point before he actually hits free agency.

Also, I'm not sure where the wholesome perception of this front office came from but I find that whole narrative to be laughable.  This is a baseball team that is trying to win the World Series.  Leave the warm and fuzzies at the front door.

They had no issues DFAing EJax, who was apparently universally loved in that clubhouse.  They let Bryant "season" for an extra couple of weeks to save themselves a year before he hits free agency (something that truly will cost Bryant a few mil if not more) and it was absolutely the right decision.

This la Stella thing is stupid.  The fucker should report to AAA (unless he really does have a family thing, in which case, why are we talking about this?).  He can make up some lost revenue when he gets his World Series share.

But, fuck this.  It's stupid.

I'm not saying the Cubs were wrong to treat Tommy like this, and I'm not saying they're costing him a big contract by doing so. I'm just saying there is a human element to the game and La Stella has totally non-stupid reasons for being pissed. The guy has a 128 OPS+ and he got sent to the minors to make room for an inferior player. He has a right to be pissed. The Ejax thing is irrelevant because he was bad. All players understand they have to perform, that's why demoting the guy hitting .295 with a .388 OBP for the guy with the 46 OPS+ was a weird message to send.

My point was while I understand the business/logistical reasons for the move I think people forget that these players are people and I think it does send a shitty message that putting the best players out there every day is less important to Theo than keeping inventory. I'm not even saying he's wrong to build/handle a roster that way, he obviously knows what he's doing. I'm just not sure the cost/benefit of keeping Coghlan was worth losing La Stella for a month and also severely disgruntling him and/or Grimm in the process (actually I am sure and the answer is no, fuck Chris Coghlan).

[Chuck to Chuck]

Before we get our collective panties in a bunch over La Stella losing a year of service time, let's keep in mind this is a player who will be no more than a utility infielder who is already 27 and, even if he doesn't lose a year of service time, won't be a free agent until he's 32.  This won't exactly be costing him tens of millions of dollars.  Shit, I bet he'll even go through the humiliation of getting DFA'd at some point before he actually hits free agency.

Also, I'm not sure where the wholesome perception of this front office came from but I find that whole narrative to be laughable.  This is a baseball team that is trying to win the World Series.  Leave the warm and fuzzies at the front door.

They had no issues DFAing EJax, who was apparently universally loved in that clubhouse.  They let Bryant "season" for an extra couple of weeks to save themselves a year before he hits free agency (something that truly will cost Bryant a few mil if not more) and it was absolutely the right decision.

This la Stella thing is stupid.  The fucker should report to AAA (unless he really does have a family thing, in which case, why are we talking about this?).  He can make up some lost revenue when he gets his World Series share.

But, fuck this.  It's stupid.

I'm not saying the Cubs were wrong to treat Tommy like this, and I'm not saying they're costing him a big contract by doing so. I'm just saying there is a human element to the game and La Stella has totally non-stupid reasons for being pissed. The guy has a 128 OPS+ and he got sent to the minors to make room for an inferior player. He has a right to be pissed. The Ejax thing is irrelevant because he was bad. All players understand they have to perform, that's why demoting the guy hitting .295 with a .388 OBP for the guy with the 46 OPS+ was a weird message to send.

My point was while I understand the business/logistical reasons for the move I think people forget that these players are people and I think it does send a shitty message that putting the best players out there every day is less important to Theo than keeping inventory. I'm not even saying he's wrong to build/handle a roster that way, he obviously knows what he's doing. I'm just not sure the cost/benefit of keeping Coghlan was worth losing La Stella for a month and also severely disgruntling him and/or Grimm in the process (actually I am sure and the answer is no, fuck Chris Coghlan).

Next, someone will say a few short term games are put at minor risk in favor of the long term benefit of the organization.  What is this, a team or a business with a multi-billion dollar valuation!??!??!??

[SKO]

I just said I know it's a business. I'm just acknowledging that it's a business full of human beings who may not handle these things as well as they should on paper. La Stella is apparently considering not returning to the team at all and presumably wanting a trade in the offseason, which again is probably him overestimating his worth, but it still raises the question of whether the Cubs should have been aware that he was disgruntled before this move and whether the risk of alienating him from the franchise entirely when they could definitely use a quality, high contact lefty bat (which Coghlan is absolutely not) as a pinch hitter in the postseason was worth it so they could keep Coghlan.

[SKO]

DPD, but Brett says that La Stella apparently had a chance to qualify for Super Two status this year and get 4 arbitration years instead of 3 in addition to the year of control thing, so this move undoubtedly cost him some cash, I can understand him being really damn pissed about it.