Bleacher Bums Forum

Everybody knows that baseball games are won with positive vibes from the stands.  Jake will have his mojo working and the game will be won by midnight.

Right.

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.

You are not even close.  At no time have I tried to predict what the Cubs will do.  I agree that if the Cubs are doing well in July, they will probably trade prospects for a mediocre starter.  What I am saying is that, if they do that, they will be hurting the future of the team for an odds-against help for the present.  Dihard expressed my views perfectly.  I hope they win every game, but are frustrated because that will likely cause them to make another Quintana trade.

Not arguing either way for a trade, but what could we get for Kimbrel right now?

A lot.  Like, Chapman-level return I would imagine.

You are not even close.  At no time have I tried to predict what the Cubs will do.  I agree that if the Cubs are doing well in July, they will probably trade prospects for a mediocre starter.  What I am saying is that, if they do that, they will be hurting the future of the team for an odds-against help for the present.  Dihard expressed my views perfectly.  I hope they win every game, but are frustrated because that will likely cause them to make another Quintana trade.

You’re side-stepping what you’ve said previously.

Which is: even if Cubs are in first place just before the trade deadline, Cubs should still trade Bryant, etc. As you concede, however, Cubs will do just the opposite if they continue winning. Which, you say, is a bad thing.

That’s a Cubs Loser mentality grounded in decades of Cubs Losing Fandom Syndrome.

It’s not a bad thing to be in a good place in late July. It’s a GOOD THING.

Well certainly you can’t keep running a pitcher out to the mound to start the game and let him give up four runs in three innings, can you?  There’s nobody else who maybe can give up less runs in three innings?  Seems to me Sogard could probably do it if he wasn’t so necessary at second base.

If there’s some sort of one antivaxxer in the rotation quota, Sogard for Arrietta would be an option.

It’s a shame Marquez got sick, because he might be a real option now if he was fully stretched out and healthy.  The problem is I’m not sure there’s a more viable alternative than Sogard in the system.  I’m sure you could trade for Lester cheap.

Or you could just help Colin Rea pack?

How’s he doing over there anyway?

2.25 ERA but only 3 starts. I think he’s carrying some sort of injury.