Question to the group. I thought the big problem was depth in starting pitching? Why is he going after relievers and middle relief?

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

And ZERO world series titles.

Agreed. This staff will not win a World Series. Arietta will not be as good. Lackey? Meh. And then it's the Hammel, Hendricks, cast of thousands.

But I think a trade will be made.

Still don't know why Buehrle isn't considered.

I'd be stunned if he don't add a top of the rotation guy at the deadline.

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I believe he hurt is shoulder and doesn't want to rehab

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Is Baez still in the plans? I've heard all sorts of rumors (trade, CF, 3B/2B/CF flexibility gives him enough at bats as Maddon will be changing the lineup enough).

What's next for the Cubs? Do they add another reliever? After Arrieta, Lester and Lackey, they have lots of options, but will they look to find another pitcher (Ross, a Cleveland starter?) who they can plug into the #3 spot?

Sign Jean Machi to a minor league deal.

Was pretty bad last year.

But was very good for the Giants for awhile.

Could be a nice low risk option for the pen

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

You left out Lester. Kind of a big part of the rotation

And Buehrle sucks now.

How quickly we forget last year's signing of an "ace."

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He had a .652 winning pct. last year. I bet no 2016 Cub does better than that.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Didn't forget him. Just not a fan. He might win 15. Not sure what happens when his security blanket retires. I hope he can survive.

Still need pitching....and I wouldn't say Buehrle sucks. I'd take him in a heartbeat over Hammel.

Led the league in run support.


He had a pretty bad last two months, but overall it wasnt bad as I thought. But if he is going to be the guy he was at the end of last year, then he sucks.

A playoff team left him off the roster. I think that sums it up.

He basically had the same year as Hammels (Good first half, swan dive at the end). You want a lefty Hammels who is older?

Stats were a lot closer than I thought they would be. I'll just have to accept the fact that Hammel is not going anywhere.

And why are you posting so much?

That goes without saying. That's why I'd sign him. He is kissed by luck, touched by the baseball gods. A horrible shitty pitcher with no stuff. He stinks like a piece of shit. And yet he has played 16 seasons and compiled a .570 winning percentage. I'll take a good luck guy like him rather than a bad luck guy who is one of the best pitchers ever to grip a ball like Shelby Miller.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Buerhle will sign with the Cardinals.

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This is a move that bigfan and/or INQUISITOR would jump all over had the Sox made it. Fact is every team in baseball does this- no/low risk, and any reward that comes out of it is great. Kinda like Trevor Chaill.

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Cahill, Strop, Rondon, Richard, Motte, Rodney were all those types. Paying big money for the bullpen is almost always a bad move.

He was injured. That sums it up

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

WRONG again Frankie...you didn't see me jump all over the Jacob Turner,Scott Hairston, Eudy Pina, Chadd Krist, Colin Kleven, Matt Lollis,Ulises Martinez, Yender Silva and Omar Martinez signing.... or today's addition of Hector Sanchez by the White Sox. Why don't you tell me all about those guys?

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viewtopic.php?f=33&t=96944

I believe that is what the kids call a "mic drop" nowadays.

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if you take that as a critique you really don't understand sarcasm but AGAIN reading comprehension isn't your strong point.... stick to breakfast and hash browns.

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Boring

I guess we'll throw Shelby Miller losing a ton of games, (With roughly the same ERA and WHIP he had when he was a winning pitcher )while having the worst run support in baseball on the pile with all the other "coincidences" (like Kluber and Buehrle and Lester)

Now when Shelby Miller gets league average or higher support in AZ and goes back to his normal W-L% what will you say then? He just had a bad year and his run support being a half run below the next closest pitcher was just a coincidence?



Buehrle was a very good pitcher in his career. Last year he benefited from an amazing offense and it aided his W-L%.

He was terrible down the stretch and didnt even make the playoff roster.

Those are the facts and they are indisputable.

He was injured for the final two months?

Anyway, that's no excuse.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

What do you think his "normal" winning percentage is?

We have a basic philosophical difference here that can't be proven. I don't care about "run support" because I don't believe in it. You believe that the ERA (or other ancillary stats) define the pitcher and that his record is incidental. I believe the record defines the pitcher and his other numbers are incidental.

You think Samardzija pitched better when he allowed 3 runs per game to go 12-14 than he did when he allowed 5 runs a game to achieve the same record. I think he pitched just about the same. When the game is in the balance, he most often gives it up. If the Giants average 5 runs per game in his starts next season, I still think he'll be .500 at best. That's who he is.

It's probably not fair to use Miller as an example. His body of work is extremely small and he has had one very good season. Still, 17 losses is extraordinarily bad. I'll take an educated guess that he just isn't a very good pitcher. So what do you expect from him next season? I don't want you to say, "Well, that depends on how much his team scores in the games he pitches." That's McCarveresque. We have all his numbers up to now. I'm going to predict he's no better than .500. What do you think?

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Soler for Ender Inciarte?

No thank you.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

He was injured for the final two months?

Anyway, that's no excuse.[/quote]

I don't think it is easy to pinpoint an exact moment for an injury that is based in deterioration. It was my understanding the last game of the year where they tried to get him a couple of innings to meet some stat was a tip of the cap to a retiring veteran.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.