Bleacher Bums Forum

One other point, Dave.

Rooting for the Cubs to win in June and July—-you have to know there is ZERO chance Cubs will be trading away major assets if Cubs have a successful June and July. If that happens, NO CHANCE that Bryant, etc get traded. 

At least Dihard and Deeg’s ambivalence about having a good June and July recognizes that Cubs are NOT dumping guys at the trade deadline if Cubs are in first place late July. That’s why they’re ambivalent of June/July success, as in, maybe it’s better to lose.

But, you seem to think, oh, let’s win—no problem—and then dump our best players when in first place with two months to go in the season. Sorry, that’s just bizarre. No club does that.

This is yet more evidence of why the current system of multiple rounds of playoffs is so terrible.

Before playoffs came in, it was self-evident that you wanted to try to finish in first place if you were close, because winning the pennant was worthy of respect all by itself, and in a short (maximum 7 game) World Series, either team can win.

Now you can win your division but you have a less-than-1-in-8 chance of going all the way if you're among the weaker playoff teams.  Now a GM of a first-place team can say, "it's not like these guys will get anywhere in the playoffs; break the team up and play for the future when we can build a superteam".

Baez has his biscuit for breakfast. 1 - 0 Cubs bottom 1st.

Davies through 4 -  5 walks, 3 strikeouts, 76 pitches, no hits no runs.  1 - 0 Cubs thanks to El Mago.

Davies with what, 87 pitches through 5.  But he’s got a no-hitter going.

94 thru 6. How far do you let Davies chase this?

If there's anyone who should be allowed to go 135 pitches, it's Zach Davies.

Yeah, pretty much.  What - he's going to throw even softer?  He's a pending FA too.

I believe in fairly conservative pitch count management, generally.  But is it really necessary to pull a veteran after 94 pitches when he has a no-hitter going?  I suppose the theory is that he's not going to finish the game anyway.