MLBLM C/V Marpril: Give Your Life to All the Losers Out There

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > MLBLM C/V Marpril: Give Your Life to All the Losers Out There

«‹›98 »

Nissin Cup Nudist: Sep 3, 2011; Sleep with one eye open

We're off to Gritty Gritty land

Spoeank posted:

https://twitter.com/JaneOst_/status/1382067531251257344

I feel like I can't describe what happens here because you have to see it with your own two eyes

Nick Punto is smiling somewhere about sliding into 1st Base

# ? Apr 13, 2021 23:58

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 20:40

Sydin: Oct 29, 2011; Another spring commute

bawfuls posted:

I'm sure the pandemic had some impact on the Ricketts' Wrigleyville cashflow but there is zero chance all that stuff isn't a moneymaking machine generally and in the long term. In particular it's one that will make more money if the team is good but which is shielded from MLB revenue sharing.

Sorry I should be clear: it's not making them as much money as they expected, and even if you're raking in revenue hand over fist businesspeople like to :qq:

if it's lower than projected revenue.

Also they absolutely dumped a ton of money into Wrigley assuming they'd get relief from the city for doing so, it was a big public kerfuffle when Chicago told them to get hosed.

# ? Apr 13, 2021 23:59

Its Rinaldo: Aug 13, 2010; CODS BINCH

Spoeank posted:

https://twitter.com/JaneOst_/status/1382067531251257344

I feel like I can't describe what happens here because you have to see it with your own two eyes

Woof that coulda ended badly

# ? Apr 13, 2021 23:59

more falafel please: Feb 26, 2005; forums poster

Willians owns. Astudillowns.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 00:05

Salvor_Hardin: Sep 13, 2005; I want to go protest.; Nap Ghost

Dinger dong

https://twitter.com/redsoxstats/status/1382080675474518024

# ? Apr 14, 2021 00:30

Niwrad: Jul 1, 2008

Sydin posted:

In absence of the time to do a big write up, here's the cliff's notes:

Ownership invested a ton of money into renovating Wrigley, snapping up surrounding businesses in the neighborhood, and their own RSM, assuming it would all coalesce into an infinite money-making machine and tons of tax breaks and refunds from Chicago for the renovations. For various reasons this resulted in less revenue than was projected and Chicago told ownership the could take a hike when they came panhandling for public financing. Combined with the Cubs sitting over the luxury tax multiple years, ownership suddenly got stingy and essentially sat out of the last three offseasons worth of free agents, which left the Cubs unable to address glaring roster holes from 2018-present.

What money was there was not spent well on free agents basically at all post-2017. Darvish eventually righted the ship, but Chatwood, Descalso, and the cavalcade of fringe arms and bats brought in sucked rear end.

The core lineup consists entirely of launch angle type power hitters, which was a viable way to construct a team in 2015-2017 (and also was balanced out by contact bats like Zobrist, TLS, pre-foul ball incident Almora, Fowler) but is now hard countered by the high fastball revolution. This is partially on the FO, but also the players have shown no interest in adjusting their approaches at all, and ran the coach who tried to make them think about contact out of town (Chili Davis).

The farm was run by an absolute loving dullard in Jason McLeod, who was convinced Kyle Hendricks was a repeatable market inefficiency instead of a goddamn unicorn, and so wasted almost a decade of Cubs pitching drafts on low-velo pitchability guys who almost to a man flamed out in the lower levels.

What talent was in the farm was freely traded away for win now moves like Chapman, Quintana, Justin Wilson etc. This is a big one: teams like the Padres or Dodgers proved that if you're savvy enough you can hold on to your top guys and still pull off high impact trades, but the Cubs gleefully just handed over Gleyber, Eloy, Cease, Candy, Lange, etc. So they gutted their farm for additions that ultimately didn't really help winning much, outside of Chapaman and the hottest month of Castellanos' career.

The Cubs are now currently in full crying poverty mode, salary dumping their best pitcher for lottery tickets and backfilling the roster with scrap heap guys they hope will look good enough to flip at the deadline. Based on the kinds of prospects the FO is now targeting, and the sheer number of guys in walk years who were lucky to get token extension talks thrown their way, it's pretty clear the plan is a 2-3 year mini-tank to reset the tax, give Ricketts a chance to recoup some losses by running a minimalist payroll, and try again in the 2024-2025 range when (hopefully) all the high upside A-ball guys we have are ready to hit the bigs.

This is a pretty good summary. I'd add that the Ricketts needed to take on a lot of debt to buy the team (was part of the terms by Zell to avoid capital gains). So they've needed profits to shift toward those debt payments. It's why they were running bottom of the league payrolls for years after purchasing the team and while we'll likely be back to that as they've cemented a lucrative TV network deal.

Basically the game passed the organization by. They were late to building a pitching lab and adjusting to new trends. It forced them to unload really good prospects to cover up for those deficiencies. While they've done a great job at finding talent, they've been brutally bad at developing it in the lower minors. Most of their stars were close to MLB-ready among drafting (Bryant, Schwarber, Happ) or were developed in another farm system.

I also think their offense was always a bit overrated. Guys like Fowler and Zobrist (and to an extent Coghlan and La Stella) masked some glaring issues they had with their core young talent (who as you mentioned never adjusted their styles). When left to fend for themselves, that lineup fell off a cliff. Pitching was always the underrated element of the Cubs team, but it was real old.

It's time they blew it up which sucks because it means the Ricketts will go into frugal mode for the next 5 years. The only guys I'd consider extending are Rizzo (because of what he means to the organization) and Bryant (I still think he's good). A large contract for Baez would be a huge mistake.

I guess the positive of them just being bad is they can unload some guys at the deadline instead of pudding around .500 and giving false hope that this team is anything like it was in the past. Bryant looks great and should get a nice haul. If Kimbrel keeps pitching like this, he'll be the top reliever at the deadline. Not a terrible way to start a rebuild.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 01:18

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

At least the Cubs have a plan. The Pirates are repeating 1996.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 01:37

GalacticAcid: Apr 8, 2013; NEW YORK VALUES

Whether you agree with it or not the Pirates have a pretty obvious 'plan' right now.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 01:41

Bird in a Blender: Nov 17, 2005; It's amazing what they can do with computers these days.

The only upside to this season is how so many guys can be moved at the deadline. Now to see if the Cubs gently caress it up.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 01:53

Mustached Demon: Nov 12, 2016

Bird in a Blender posted:

The only upside to this season is how so many guys can be moved at the deadline. Now to see if the Cubs gently caress it up.

Cubs will move everything for a few cans of Goya beans and a pillow from the pillow guy.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 01:57

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

GalacticAcid posted:

Whether you agree with it or not the Pirates have a pretty obvious 'plan' right now.

Lose

# ? Apr 14, 2021 01:58

Kevlar v2.0: Dec 25, 2003; =^•⩊•^=

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud posted:

Lose

Consistently their plan since 1993.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 02:30

GalacticAcid: Apr 8, 2013; NEW YORK VALUES

Wasn't their plan this past weekend, my cub son.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 02:35

Mustached Demon: Nov 12, 2016

GalacticAcid posted:

Wasn't their plan this past weekend, my cub son.

Get the Cubs level of losing. Sheesh pirates can't do anything right.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 02:37

rickiep00h: Aug 16, 2010; BATDANCE

Nissin Cup Nudist posted:

Nick Punto is smiling somewhere about sliding into 1st Base

https://www.twinkietown.com/2013/1/4/3833034/an-oral-history-of-nick-punto-sliding-headfirst-into-first-base

Wooooo! Get money!

# ? Apr 14, 2021 02:49

euphronius: Feb 18, 2009

Exit velocity is a terrible stat. It was a hr of course it was hit hard

# ? Apr 14, 2021 02:50

GalacticAcid: Apr 8, 2013; NEW YORK VALUES

I know this isn't the Game Day Thread but Bucs-Friars is one of the funniest games I've ever watched.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 03:31

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

GalacticAcid posted:

Wasn't their plan this past weekend, my cub son.

It�s fun to be a loser poo poo team and clown the Cubs on the way to the toilet

# ? Apr 14, 2021 03:50

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

Phone accident

# ? Apr 14, 2021 03:51

R.D. Mangles: Jan 10, 2004

good evening sports fans the chicago cubs have won a game

# ? Apr 14, 2021 04:18

mastershakeman: Oct 28, 2008; by vyelkin

Sydin posted:

In absence of the time to do a big write up, here's the cliff's notes:

Ownership invested a ton of money into renovating Wrigley, snapping up surrounding businesses in the neighborhood, and their own RSM, assuming it would all coalesce into an infinite money-making machine and tons of tax breaks and refunds from Chicago for the renovations. For various reasons this resulted in less revenue than was projected and Chicago told ownership the could take a hike when they came panhandling for public financing. Combined with the Cubs sitting over the luxury tax multiple years, ownership suddenly got stingy and essentially sat out of the last three offseasons worth of free agents, which left the Cubs unable to address glaring roster holes from 2018-present.

What money was there was not spent well on free agents basically at all post-2017. Darvish eventually righted the ship, but Chatwood, Descalso, and the cavalcade of fringe arms and bats brought in sucked rear end.

The core lineup consists entirely of launch angle type power hitters, which was a viable way to construct a team in 2015-2017 (and also was balanced out by contact bats like Zobrist, TLS, pre-foul ball incident Almora, Fowler) but is now hard countered by the high fastball revolution. This is partially on the FO, but also the players have shown no interest in adjusting their approaches at all, and ran the coach who tried to make them think about contact out of town (Chili Davis).

The farm was run by an absolute loving dullard in Jason McLeod, who was convinced Kyle Hendricks was a repeatable market inefficiency instead of a goddamn unicorn, and so wasted almost a decade of Cubs pitching drafts on low-velo pitchability guys who almost to a man flamed out in the lower levels.

What talent was in the farm was freely traded away for win now moves like Chapman, Quintana, Justin Wilson etc. This is a big one: teams like the Padres or Dodgers proved that if you're savvy enough you can hold on to your top guys and still pull off high impact trades, but the Cubs gleefully just handed over Gleyber, Eloy, Cease, Candy, Lange, etc. So they gutted their farm for additions that ultimately didn't really help winning much, outside of Chapaman and the hottest month of Castellanos' career.

The Cubs are now currently in full crying poverty mode, salary dumping their best pitcher for lottery tickets and backfilling the roster with scrap heap guys they hope will look good enough to flip at the deadline. Based on the kinds of prospects the FO is now targeting, and the sheer number of guys in walk years who were lucky to get token extension talks thrown their way, it's pretty clear the plan is a 2-3 year mini-tank to reset the tax, give Ricketts a chance to recoup some losses by running a minimalist payroll, and try again in the 2024-2025 range when (hopefully) all the high upside A-ball guys we have are ready to hit the bigs.

Thanks that's a great explanation especially about the power hitters just going for power only, I didn't realize pitching changed that much

Did almora really get that much worse after the foul ball killing that kid?

# ? Apr 14, 2021 04:40

bewbies: Sep 23, 2003; Fun Shoe

I actually got to go to an actual baseball game in actual person tonight! it was surprisingly wonderful.

I haven't looked at any statcast stuff or anything yet but based on what I saw in person I feel like ohtani had one of the more quietly extraordinary baseball games I have ever seen or heard of. he had five plate appearances and put the ball in play five times. I would be surprised if any of them were under 100 miles an hour. three were hits, including a LONG HR, he also beat out a single on a routine ground ball a shortstop that was not dissimilar to what acuna did the other day. the two outs he made were also hit wicked hard, including one really unlucky line drive nto the shift that looked like it was going about 120 mph.

it was one of the most fearsome displays of hitting power and general baseball ability I can remember ever having seen, and it really might not get too much attention as they lost the game and his stat line doesn't really jump out at you. but, holy hell that guy is starting to approach Bo Jackson levels of did you see that.

edit - I have no idea who this guy is but he had the same experience I did and probably summarized it more effectively

https://mobile.twitter.com/Jaxtrip7/status/1382176049912483840

bewbies fucked around with this message at 04:57 on Apr 14, 2021

# ? Apr 14, 2021 04:53

adaz: Mar 7, 2009

I mean it helped Trout had a 4k game but watching the angels the last 2 games against the Royals the player that jumps out at you absolutely is Ohtani which is remarkable considering who is up right after him

# ? Apr 14, 2021 04:56

Shiroc: May 16, 2009; Sorry I'm late

Ohtani is bigger than the previous seasons, right? Put on a bunch of upper body muscle?

# ? Apr 14, 2021 05:06

Gonz: Dec 22, 2009; "Jesus, did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me?"

Akil Baddoo.

That is all. Carry on.

https://twitter.com/the30takepod/status/1381791472702341125

# ? Apr 14, 2021 05:31

Chamale: Jul 11, 2010; I'm helping!

Popete posted:

Ok so I looked up the fastest softball thrown by a woman is 77 MPH. Presumably Hope wasn't throwing it that fast which means she must have some nasty movement or pinpoint accuracy.

It's 96 MPH, but that's because Guinness doesn't accept most equipment used by women's leagues. The record for an overhand throw by a woman is still listed at 69 MPH, despite a 15-year-old girl being clocked at 83.

Kathy Arendsen's career stats: 79 no-hitters, 42 perfect games, 265 shutouts and a 0.15 ERA.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 05:49

Sydin: Oct 29, 2011; Another spring commute

mastershakeman posted:

Did almora really get that much worse after the foul ball killing that kid?

Prior to 2018 he was a high average, low power guy who crushed lefties. 2018 was weird: he posted a pretty darn respectable 115 wRC+ in the first half and then a literally unplayable 48 wRC+ in the second half. He bounced back in the first couple months of 2019 - hitting above league average - and then the foul ball incident in Houston happened and he just never looked like anything approaching a good batter from then on. 64 wRC+ in 2019, and an abysmal 36 wRC+ in 2020.

It could absolutely be something else I guess, but prior to the incident he was a pretty dang good contact hitter and it's never looked even remotely right since. :shrug:

# ? Apr 14, 2021 06:19

Intruder: Mar 5, 2003

bewbies posted:

I actually got to go to an actual baseball game in actual person tonight! it was surprisingly wonderful.

I haven't looked at any statcast stuff or anything yet but based on what I saw in person I feel like ohtani had one of the more quietly extraordinary baseball games I have ever seen or heard of. he had five plate appearances and put the ball in play five times. I would be surprised if any of them were under 100 miles an hour. three were hits, including a LONG HR, he also beat out a single on a routine ground ball a shortstop that was not dissimilar to what acuna did the other day. the two outs he made were also hit wicked hard, including one really unlucky line drive nto the shift that looked like it was going about 120 mph.

it was one of the most fearsome displays of hitting power and general baseball ability I can remember ever having seen, and it really might not get too much attention as they lost the game and his stat line doesn't really jump out at you. but, holy hell that guy is starting to approach Bo Jackson levels of did you see that.

edit - I have no idea who this guy is but he had the same experience I did and probably summarized it more effectively

https://mobile.twitter.com/Jaxtrip7/status/1382176049912483840

but have you considered

https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/972586999805816839

# ? Apr 14, 2021 07:20

Miz Kriss: Mar 17, 2009; It's only an avatar if the Cubs get swept.

mastershakeman posted:

Did almora really get that much worse after the foul ball killing that kid?

I�m sure if I clocked a toddler in the face with a line drive, it�d be on my mind every AB after that. Dude was really shaken up when it happened and barely had enough strength to finish his AB (if I remember correctly Joe asked him if he wanted to be subbed out). I still like him, but it�s a shame he wasn�t the same after that incident.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 13:54

Kevlar v2.0: Dec 25, 2003; =^•⩊•^=

Almora did two great things. Tagging up from first in game 7 and flipping off Trump at the White House visit.

https://twitter.com/YahooCASports/status/880429343146749953

# ? Apr 14, 2021 14:01

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

Pirates walked 13 against the World Series Favorites Padres yesterday and still won 4-8. Baseball is so hosed up.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 14:08

Mike_V: Jul 31, 2004; 3/18/2023: Day of the Dorks

Is Strasburg injured? The Cards hammered him last night and he looked like he wasn't feeling great

# ? Apr 14, 2021 15:12

Intruder: Mar 5, 2003

The best take yet regarding the all star game being moved

https://twitter.com/revrrlewis/status/1382311700238569472

# ? Apr 14, 2021 15:18

Guze: Oct 10, 2007; Regular Human Bartender

Intruder posted:

The best take yet regarding the all star game being moved

https://twitter.com/revrrlewis/status/1382311700238569472

Baseball League Major.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 15:20

Poque: Sep 11, 2003; =^-^=

Mike_V posted:

Is Strasburg injured? The Cards hammered him last night and he looked like he wasn't feeling great

His velo was low, could be a definite concern

# ? Apr 14, 2021 15:21

bawfuls: Oct 28, 2009

This league is a joke. They managed to change the ball in ways that will likely result in more strikeouts AND more dingers, despite their stated goal of increaseing balls in play.

https://twitter.com/enosarris/status/1382328453563703311

# ? Apr 14, 2021 15:57

bewbies: Sep 23, 2003; Fun Shoe

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-experimenting-with-moving-back-pitchers-mound-as-part-of-atlantic-league-rule-changes/

Moving the mound back: potentially great idea

DH tied to the SP: weird and seems kind of unnecessary

# ? Apr 14, 2021 16:43

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

Moving the mound back is loving dumb, you're messing with fundamental parts of the game to fix temporary problems.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 16:48

Spoeank: Jul 16, 2003; That's a nice set of 11 dynasty points there, it would be a shame if 3 rings were to happen with it

Every single Rob Manfred Era idea feels dumber than the last

# ? Apr 14, 2021 16:51

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 20:40

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud: Apr 7, 2003

Manfred isn't a baseball guy, he's a labor lawyer.

# ? Apr 14, 2021 16:52

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > MLBLM C/V Marpril: Give Your Life to All the Losers Out There

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