Bleacher Bums Forum

Schwarber has improved enough on defense to fool the defensive metrics into thinking he was above average for a season.  He's probably a net-neutral in left, and he walks enough and hits enough HRs that he can probably get you an .800 OPS if you platoon him.  There's value in that, especially as he's cheap with several seasons of team control.  Who knows, maybe some GM out there thinks he can catch twice a week.  I don't think he's going to fetch anything huge when he's dealt, but it should certainly be more than negligible.

Terry Francona is apparently in trouble in Cleveland.  Let Joe have the Angels job and snatch him up.

Amazing that Russell and Contreras were also on that list.

I wish they had included the same list for the 2017 season.  Where would Schwarber, Russell and Contreras be on that list.

Over these multiple seasons Bryant has struggled how many PA are we talking about in high leverage situations?

The video to which Sharma refers shows Bryant beating out an grounder by sliding head first into 1B.  I continue to be astonished that major league baseball players ever do this.  Guessing it may be the last time Bryant does that. Sure hope so, anyway.

I continue to be astonished that Joe Maddon allows it.

I continue to be astonished that Joe Maddon allows it.

Heh heh, yeah!   

Still, I don't know, at two levels... 

First, if he started telling guys they "aren't allowed" to slide into 1st, that might be one of the first and only "not allowed" things for Maddon's players?  Is there anything that he doesn't "allow"?  His philosophy is pretty much to let guys play freely, and not tell them what they can or can't do.  (I guess "respect 90" is maybe one thing....)

Second, I'm not sure that head-first sliding is either bad, or more risky than feet-first?  Players slide a ton; is there anything wrong with head-first sliding versus feet-first sliding?  And, even if head-first is somewhat more dangerous, can you imagine telling El-Mago to quit because it's too risky? 

But I really question whether head-first actually is any more hazardous than feet-first, Bryant's injury while sliding hand-first not-withstanding?  Hand-first would seem to be more vulnerable to jamming fingers, or perhaps hurting a wrist.  But I almost feel like hard, late feet-first slides are almost as, or more risky, for ankle-injury as hand-first slides are for shoulder or wrist injury. 

And to some degree I also wonder whether running through 1st base on a close play where you're really stretching to get beat the throw might not almost be equally as more risky? 
*Getting hit in the head with a throw or a tag? 
*Body-on-body collision, at risk to knees/ankles head/neck/ribs, if the throw is off-line and the 1B needs to step into the running path to catch the ball or make a tag? 
*Pulled hamstring or pulled groin while trying to stretch to extend and reach the bag? 
*Ankle injury when landing awkwardly on the bag?
*Tripping on either the bag or the 1B's foot, and falling awkwardly? 

I think they do it on instinct, so I'm not sure you can "ban" it in any real sense.

October 11, 2018    View as web page
Dear Cubs Fans,

"Everybody In." This simple declaration holds great meaning. While our roster is 25 players strong, it's the millions of committed teammates that make what we do special. You bring our beloved ballpark to life and make road games feel like home games. We cannot say it enough ... you are the best fans in sports.

While we fell short of our ultimate goal in 2018, our team earned 95 wins for the third time in the past four seasons. We are just the fifth NL club in the divisional era to make the postseason four years in a row. This level of sustained success doesn't happen often and it certainly doesn't happen without your support.

The memorable moments of 2018 - some of the best ever at Wrigley Field - underscore why our ballpark is so magical. Together, we enjoyed dramatic comeback wins, electric grand slams, shutdown pitching performances and spectacular defensive plays. And, who will ever forget El Mago stealing home? In addition to countless team accomplishments, we also witnessed tremendous individual efforts. Veterans Jon Lester and Ben Zobrist were among the best at their craft, Anthony Rizzo continues to provide the heartbeat for our team, and Javy Báez, who delivered an MVP-caliber season, is perhaps the most exciting player in baseball.

Unfortunately, a thrilling summer at Wrigley Field gave way to a disappointing October. Falling one game short in the NL Central and making an early postseason exit, while both unfamiliar and uncomfortable, will motivate us. We will spend the winter working hard to give Joe Maddon and our team the support they need to reclaim our division.

In addition, we continue to restore and modernize the Friendly Confines. Inside the ballpark, we introduced new premier experiences and a variety of concessions for fans to enjoy. We will continue to deliver new fan amenities this coming season, especially in the upper level. Outside the ballpark, Hotel Zachary opened to great success and added several new retail and restaurant options. We also doubled the number of community events offered at Gallagher Way, helping make Wrigley Field and the surrounding area a year-round destination for families and fans. This award-winning community asset has transformed Wrigleyville and improved the overall gameday experience.

From our own backyard to neighborhoods all across Chicago, we're delivering on our goal of being a good neighbor. We are proud to be one of the most philanthropic franchises in sports. Our team and Cubs Charities continue to raise record funds, deliver meaningful programming and increase access to diamond sports. Through Cubs Jr. All-Stars, Diamond Project, Cubs Scholars and Cubs Care grants, we positively impacted more than 135,000 youth this year alone.

Despite our abrupt ending on the field, our team is in no way defined by one Wild Card loss. The overwhelming sentiment, from our front office to the clubhouse, is that we have a lot of work to do and will be back stronger than ever. The talented core that fueled this unprecedented run of success is still in place. Our players are young and hungry. Our fans are committed like no other fan base. We are ready to write the next chapter of our amazing story.

Go Cubs,

Tom Ricketts