Series Thread: NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs

[ElTexan]

Well then then they drastically overpaid for him. There must not be very many good young SS then.

He meant the Heyward contract was huge.

 

[calsnowskier]

Heyward is in the first year of a 8/184. He isnt going anywhere. No one will eat that contract. He will be starting for the Cubs for AT LEAST the next 4 years (outside of injury), regardless of performance. That said, he is still an ELITE defender, and he has a track record of being a decent (not elite) bat. You dont want to lose him.

Russell is over-rated. Of that, I have little doubt. Not because he "sucks", but because the focus on the Cubs this year has raised everyone's boat to unhealthy levels. But he is still a SOLID young SS. He is not getting paid squat right now, so there is no reason to move away from him. He should only be getting better each year.

 

[WindyCityCoug]

As for Heyward ........ his $$contract is an ugly mess, and right now cannot deal him.

BUT if he rebounds next year, never say never..... and then, Maybe he will not become a Soriano.

The big issue the next 2 yrs for the Cubbies, is the Massive depth at OF,
the next phenom - OF Eloy Jiminez is likely up by 2018, or mid 2018.
He is a star in the making.

Schwarber returns, LF likely
does Fowler return ?
does Zobrist return ?
then we still have Soler and Almora - Almora is a stud defensively, and if his bat is halfway good, then Almosra is then already a better hitter ultimately than Heyward.... and better, cheaper value then Hey.

Also, they have another kid Ian Happ, who is a Zobrist utility type, but he CAN hit unlike some of the others, and will force his way into the lineup somehow. Maddon loves him,

Alot of depth at OF, and if Hey is untradeable for now, until he gets his value back -
then maybe Soler and/ or Schwarber get dealt.
Schwarber is a pefect fit for AL, to hit DH. Package him for some Pitching, to an AL squad, who has pitching...... White Sox ??

Which still leaves them too many OF in the future, depending on Fowler and Zobrist future.
A nice problem to have - except for when we factor in Heyward, and how they are " stuck" with a bad hitting OF, who is a top defender. Not ideal, but they are stuck with him for now.
I can see his AB's being alot less in 2017, if he does not improve in the spring.

 

[calsnowskier]

Do the Cubs and White Sox have a relationship that allows for trades? The Giants and A's never make trades because the A's HATE the Giants (primarily due to the San Jose issue).

 

[WindyCityCoug]

cubs and Sox have not in awhile,
but they have a few times in the past -
famous ones .... Santo dealt to southside from Northside, in the 70's, towards end of Ronny's career.

Matt Clement in early 2000's sent to northside, as a minor leaguer,
he picthed on the 2003 Bartman team, was a solid SP.

and also John Garland, on Sox 2005 team SP, was dealt as Minor leaguer from Cubs to Sox.

most famous, other than Santo - Sammy Sosa was dealt in 1992, for George Bell, in a Sox / Cubs trade.

in mid 2000's, a few RP's were sent from one to another, like Neal Cotts and David Aardsma.

so not unheard of, even though a huge Sale for Schwarber package would blow up in the Chicago baseball landscape.

 

[The Q]

Do the Cubs and White Sox have a relationship that allows for trades? The Giants and A's never make trades because the A's HATE the Giants (primarily due to the San Jose issue).

that's why you never do anything nice for anyone.

It's now come back to bite the A's in the ass.

 

[calsnowskier]

that's why you never do anything nice for anyone.

It's now come back to bite the A's in the ass.

Yes and no.

The A's signed the territory over to the Giants in good faith when they needed it to stay in the Market. The A's didnt care because it was not a territory they invested anything in.

Over the last 20+ years, the Giants have devoted HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars into the area to cultivate major business relationships. Pac Bell (AT&T) never would have been built without those business relationships.

Now that the Giants have built up the baseball infrastructure in the area, the A's want to step in and reap all the benefits of the Giants hard-fought labor.

So while it isnt "neighborly" of the Giants to return the territory to the A's, the territory is worth a LOT more today than it was back in '93. It would cripple the Giants if they were to lose that territory now.

 

[The Q]

Yes and no.

The A's signed the territory over to the Giants in good faith when they needed it to stay in the Market. The A's didnt care because it was not a territory they invested anything in.

Over the last 20+ years, the Giants have devoted HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars into the area to cultivate major business relationships. Pac Bell (AT&T) never would have been built without those business relationships.

Now that the Giants have built up the baseball infrastructure in the area, the A's want to step in and reap all the benefits of the Giants hard-fought labor.

So while it isnt "neighborly" of the Giants to return the territory to the A's, the territory is worth a LOT more today than it was back in '93. It would cripple the Giants if they were to lose that territory now.

Disagree on the very last point.

Point is you do something nice, someone's probably gonna screw you over. this is just another good example of that.

 

[calsnowskier]

Disagree on the very last point.

Point is you do something nice, someone's probably gonna screw you over. this is just another good example of that.

The Giants have a LOT of lux box investments from SJ. If a team is placed in their back yard, the Giants lose a LOT of that $$. They also have a LOT of general investment from the area that would disappear if the A's were to move to downtown SJ.

Basically, the BA is not big enough for 2 teams. Especially when one of the teams is the financial laughingstock of the majors and the other of one of the more forward-thinking orgs in the MLB.

I love this topic, but this is an absolute thread-jack, so I will end it here...

 

[OutlawImmortal]

The Giants have a LOT of lux box investments from SJ. If a team is placed in their back yard, the Giants lose a LOT of that $$. They also have a LOT of general investment from the area that would disappear if the A's were to move to downtown SJ.

Basically, the BA is not big enough for 2 teams. Especially when one of the teams is the financial laughingstock of the majors and the other of one of the more forward-thinking orgs in the MLB.

I love this topic, but this is an absolute thread-jack, so I will end it here...

It's an off day so meh. This is all stuff I never pay attention to so it's interesting at least. I guess I could gush some more about Javier Baez, that swing he put on Kershaw for the Cubs' first hit was an absolute gem.

 

[1phlapdown]

Good win. Not sure how confident I am in rich hill for game 3

I'd be more worried about Maeda pitching again...

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

it has long hairy tentacles

Me too. Three of them.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Fangraphs giving the Dodgers a 52.3% chance of winning the NLDS.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Basically, the BA is not big enough for 2 teams. Especially when one of the teams is the financial laughingstock of the majors and the other of one of the more forward-thinking orgs in the MLB.

In your opinion, which team's which?

 

[nathans8823]

Who wins tonight? Cubs or Dodgers?

 

[ElTexan]

Fangraphs giving the Dodgers a 52.3% chance of winning the NLDS.

They have home field advantage, Cubs bats are cold, and Cubs have only one lefty starter. I'd think it'd be higher.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

They have home field advantage, Cubs bats are cold, and Cubs have only one lefty starter. I'd think it'd be higher.

They're probably taking into account that the Cubs are a much better team. Of course, the better team doesn't always win, but I'm sure it factors into FG's odds.

 

[Kenny]

Let's go Dodgers! Hope Rich Hill can get back to his regular season form.

 

[Inimical]

Let's go Dodgers! Hope Rich Hill can get back to his regular season form.

All the East Coast guys know the dodgers so well here Kenny, just be prepared. It was going to be a sweep so you know.

 

[anotheridiot]

quite a few changes with Joe and his lineup, Zobrist up to third, rizzo 4th, baez up to 5th, soler 6th, Addy down to 7. Sound like more protection for Bryant maybe some deep ball fear behind Javy. Heyward should go into right late in the game for defense and still be in the 6 hole.

Anyone know what shadows are like in LA for a 5:00 start?