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MLB 2019

#2,141
Bassball Fever said:
Harper, Machado, and Trout each got huge paydays, but are going to be watching the postseason from home.
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The issue also is that be paying a free agent a huge multi year contract, you can be hamstrung from pursuing other players to fill holes. The biggest example is Howard and the Phils, but Bonilla and the Mets, Cano and Seattle, Arod and Texas.
 
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#2,142
buldog5151bass said:
The issue also is that be paying a free agent a huge multi year contract, you can be hamstrung from pursuing other players to fill holes. The biggest example is Howard and the Phils, but Bonilla and the Mets, Cano and Seattle, Arod and Texas.
Click to expand...

And Harper's contract is no opt out on either side. 13 years with a full no-trade clause. That is going to bite the Phillies in the butt sooner rather than later.
 
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#2,143
They played 19 innings last night!
My Bride would have dragged me out by the hair...after 14, maybe 16...

Arriving for my first-ever game under a roof...

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...and This guy CLAIMS he doesn’t have the Braves’ Chop programmed into that beautiful beast...
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;)
 
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#2,145
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#2,149
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#2,151
Well, the Cubs are officially out of the playoffs, as well they should be. Even before their epic meltdown (8 losses in a row and counting), there wasn't much chance of them going very far.

True, if you look at the big-picture stats, they're not bad at all. 10th in MLB in runs scored and 7th in pitching ERA is a pretty good combo, right? And they still have the 4th best run differential in the NL. And they should put up these numbers, it's a talented roster.

But they simply lacked consistency and too often didn't play solid fundamental baseball. They've committed the 4th-most errors in all of MLB. They're either #1 or #2 in baserunning outs, and that's despite hardly ever attempting to steal bases. And the team save percentage is the 8th-worst in MLB.

The latter stat owes primarily to the front office. We started the season without a closer, and signing Kimbrel has turned out to be a blunder so far. Joe Maddon's questionable bullpen management hasn't helped. And the poor fundamentals have to fall in the manager's lap.

So the run differential owes to some big blowouts, and a lot of one-run losses.

I think Joe is probably gone. He will forever be loved here for managing the team to a title, and his overall record with the Cubs is still really strong. But the team has underperformed two years in a row, and the window of this core group isn't going to last forever.

Speaking of that group, I expect significant changes there as well. The team does need depth, and some younger pitching. I'll be shocked if Baez or Rizzo are traded. But trading Bryant isn't out of the realm of possibility. While he's been the most productive hitter by a nose, he has a tendency to not do as well in clutch situations, his fielding went downhill this year, and--most importantly--his agent is Scott Boras, which means contract demands when he hits free agency after the 2021 season are probably going to be very high. He turned down $200 million a year ago.

I'm still optimistic about the future. But nervous about what changes will be made.
 
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#2,153
We bought a 24-pack of seats to the Rockies this year; ended up with six seats we had to use by Sunday, and we have other commitments. I transferred the tickets to my daughter in Denver and asked her to see if she or friends could use some of them.

The Rox were pretty good up to the all-star break, but came apart in the second half of the season. Pitching absolutely broke down, and the bullpen couldn't have beat the Bad News Bears.
 
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#2,154
Pilgrim said:
We bought a 24-pack of seats to the Rockies this year; ended up with six seats we had to use by Sunday, and we have other commitments. I transferred the tickets to my daughter in Denver and asked her to see if she or friends could use some of them.

The Rox were pretty good up to the all-star break, but came apart in the second half of the season. Pitching absolutely broke down, and the bullpen couldn't have beat the Bad News Bears.
Click to expand...

Man, I wish I could get out there this weekend. I would have loved to see the Brewers play there. Someday...
 
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#2,158
They only dropped one to the Mariners. Rub it in already!

This is probably King Felix's last start as a Mariner. He is the Ernie Banks of our era. He just never learned to be a pitcher instead of a hurler. He was loyal to Seattle and Seattle was loyal to him until now. I think he is done. That makes me sad to say. I hope he settles here and does play by play or something. We love him. But he is not a viable major league pitcher any more. And his Hall chances do not look too good, either. It is a complete shame things did not work out better for him.
 
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