(04-10-2017 09:20 PM)bricksnivy Wrote:  Great celebration at Wrigley tonight. Pretty cool having the players raise the championship banner, just as they did after their last title in 1908. I'm so thankful for the Ricketts family. The Cubs are top notch top to bottom right now, and there is plenty of credit to go around, but the only curse Chicago had was bad ownership. When that changed, the fortune of the club did as well.

I loved the sign that read, "17 minutes of rain washed away 108 years of drought."

Yeah, and then Rizzo capped it off with a walk off hit. I thought the Cubs did a great job of celebrating that championship at their first home game of the season. Cubs ownership is outstanding, I agree. I'm so thankful they brought in Theo and he brought a plan to win and the team bought in. Maybe with those magical 7 and 8 numbers at the end of the year, we can repeat?!!!

Go Cubs Go!

(04-11-2017 05:51 AM)CoastGuardHawk06 Wrote:  Yeah, and then Rizzo capped it off with a walk off hit. I thought the Cubs did a great job of celebrating that championship at their first home game of the season. Cubs ownership is outstanding, I agree. I'm so thankful they brought in Theo and he brought a plan to win and the team bought in. Maybe with those magical 7 and 8 numbers at the end of the year, we can repeat?!!!

Go Cubs Go!

We're defending champions and Wrigley is more beautiful now than it was 10 years ago. Many improvements inside the stadium, but outside the stadium is remarkable. I'm not sure how I feel about the bullpen being moved under the bleachers...well, truly, I don't love that, but more seats equal more money, so I get it.

Rizzo with his first RBI of the season against Jansen, in walk-off fashion. They've got the players, they've got the speed to be the best in the National League.

(04-11-2017 06:43 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  

(04-11-2017 05:51 AM)CoastGuardHawk06 Wrote:  Yeah, and then Rizzo capped it off with a walk off hit. I thought the Cubs did a great job of celebrating that championship at their first home game of the season. Cubs ownership is outstanding, I agree. I'm so thankful they brought in Theo and he brought a plan to win and the team bought in. Maybe with those magical 7 and 8 numbers at the end of the year, we can repeat?!!!

Go Cubs Go!

We're defending champions and Wrigley is more beautiful now than it was 10 years ago. Many improvements inside the stadium, but outside the stadium is remarkable. I'm not sure how I feel about the bullpen being moved under the bleachers...well, truly, I don't love that, but more seats equal more money, so I get it.

Rizzo with his first RBI of the season against Jansen, in walk-off fashion. They've got the players, they've got the speed to be the best in the National League.

I don't mind the bullpen under the bleachers. All stadiums have autonomy to put them wherever they want them. I'd rather be able to watch the pitcher warming up, but if that's what they want to do with them... I'm good with it. Due to the age of Wrigley, there's only so many ways to improvise with new seating to enlarge the crowd. My favorite addition is the open gate in the right field wall so you can stand there and see some of the game from the street.

I've heard Wrigleyville is absolutely amazing now, and I can't wait to go back. I'm gonna try and get out there for a game this summer.

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170410...stern-gate

The one and only time i got there was late in 2012 season. Sounds like a lot has changed since then.

Rough stretch here for the defending champs. Hopefully the bats come alive soon. Luckily, no team has separated themselves in the NLC.

(04-18-2017 10:22 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  Rough stretch here for the defending champs. Hopefully the bats come alive soon. Luckily, no team has separated themselves in the NLC.

I don't put too much stock in early season. I don't think the Yankees are in any way a contender, however their play so far would indicate otherwise.

(04-18-2017 10:24 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  

(04-18-2017 10:22 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  Rough stretch here for the defending champs. Hopefully the bats come alive soon. Luckily, no team has separated themselves in the NLC.

I don't put too much stock in early season. I don't think the Yankees are in any way a contender, however their play so far would indicate otherwise.

Can't win the division in April, but you can lose it, as they say. At 6-7, they're fine.

I'm slightly concerned right now, but more so with the bullpen than Chicago's (lack of) offense early on.

Starling Marte whacked 80 days for PEDs, ouch.

(04-18-2017 02:05 PM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  Starling Marte whacked 80 days for PEDs, ouch.

I like Marte a lot. He's an underrated LF'er.

There's too much incentive to cheat right now. He signed an contract extension in 2015 and he'll still get all of his money. There would be less incentive to cheat if he had to play out the remainder of his contract for the league minimum.

(04-19-2017 10:30 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  

(04-18-2017 02:05 PM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  Starling Marte whacked 80 days for PEDs, ouch.

I like Marte a lot. He's an underrated LF'er.

There's too much incentive to cheat right now. He signed an contract extension in 2015 and he'll still get all of his money. There would be less incentive to cheat if he had to play out the remainder of his contract for the league minimum.

It'll certainly impact his NEXT contract, however, especially if he doesn't play well post-suspension.

(04-19-2017 01:24 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(04-19-2017 10:30 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  

(04-18-2017 02:05 PM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  Starling Marte whacked 80 days for PEDs, ouch.

I like Marte a lot. He's an underrated LF'er.

There's too much incentive to cheat right now. He signed an contract extension in 2015 and he'll still get all of his money. There would be less incentive to cheat if he had to play out the remainder of his contract for the league minimum.

It'll certainly impact his NEXT contract, however, especially if he doesn't play well post-suspension.

He's guaranteed ~$20 million between now and 2019. He hurt his team and his reputation, but the 6-year, $31 million contract he signed is incentive to cheat. He should be set for life.

You've got it. With the big guaranteed money there is no discouraging to cheat. Players dont care about perception and reputation nearly as much as in years' past. It is all about financial securities and the almighty dollar. Get a big contract, get a large chunk guaranteed and then reap the rewards regardless what happens after that. Teams need to put stipulations in contracts that makes them void if they are caught cheating. So make it in the event of someone getting caught the guaranteed money becomes prorated to what they would have already made on a year to year basis. It won't fully discourage cheating but will make their guarantee money be available to lose each year of the contract so they would have to delay the cheating potentially to make sure they are getting what they need. Wouldn't be shocked if guaranteed money and failed drug tests is the next big hurdle in collective bargaining.

Funny how i got blasted for stating the importance of a good S & C coach in hoops, now people calling for the head of Mets S & C due to all the injuries. Just sayin. Tough break on Thor. Who'd a thunk that the Yanks would be where there are before the season and the Mets would be a train wreck

(05-01-2017 10:34 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  Funny how i got blasted for stating the importance of a good S & C coach in hoops, now people calling for the head of Mets S & C due to all the injuries. Just sayin. Tough break on Thor. Who'd a thunk that the Yanks would be where there are before the season and the Mets would be a train wreck

You're reaching, and I thought you said this discussion was getting old. There is inherent risk when you build your team around power pitchers, thus the reason Theo drafts bats in the early rounds of the draft. Nation could speak to the injuries with more detail than I, but it's hard to put Syndergaard (refused to take an MRI last week) or Cespedes (had leg issues before he was with NYM) on a strength coach.

Harvey takes mound despite being "physically unprepared" after workout. Thor takes mound after refusing MRI. This is on Terry Collins or higher, not a strength coach.

Yankees look good early.

(05-01-2017 10:49 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  Harvey takes mound despite being "physically unprepared" after workout. Thor takes mound after refusing MRI. This is on Terry Collins or higher, not a strength coach.

Harvey is an enigma, and has a lot of people whispering in his ear, most notably Scott Boras. He's a different case than Thor. He always has the potential to be a distraction and I honestly wouldn't mind much if he walks as a free agent when the time comes, or gets traded at some point.

With Thor it's just a simple matter of physics and biology. You can't throw a baseball with the average velocity that he does for a full 7 innings every start without feeling some impact.

Thor is the equivalent of asking Aroldis Chapman of throwing 3 innings. It just can't be done. He has to become a 5-inning guy at some point if he's going to throw as hard as he does.

(05-01-2017 11:13 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(05-01-2017 10:49 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  Harvey takes mound despite being "physically unprepared" after workout. Thor takes mound after refusing MRI. This is on Terry Collins or higher, not a strength coach.

Thor is the equivalent of asking Aroldis Chapman of throwing 3 innings. It just can't be done. He has to become a 5-inning guy at some point if he's going to throw as hard as he does.

I know I am a bit older, but history says that's not accurate. Pitchers used to do it all the time. They were just from a different generation.

(05-01-2017 11:38 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  I know I am a bit older, but history says that's not accurate. Pitchers used to do it all the time. They were just from a different generation.

Pitchers didn't throw 105 MPH like Chapman or average 98 MPH per pitch like Syndergaard.

People like to think the pitchers back in the day threw harder but it's simply not true. The guys today are bigger and stronger.

And all the things they do to try to protect pitchers today are necessary. Because for every Bob Feller back in the day, there were 10 other guys who flamed out quickly.

(05-01-2017 01:19 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(05-01-2017 11:38 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  I know I am a bit older, but history says that's not accurate. Pitchers used to do it all the time. They were just from a different generation.

Pitchers didn't throw 105 MPH like Chapman or average 98 MPH per pitch like Syndergaard.

People like to think the pitchers back in the day threw harder but it's simply not true. The guys today are bigger and stronger.

And all the things they do to try to protect pitchers today are necessary. Because for every Bob Feller back in the day, there were 10 other guys who flamed out quickly.

Nolan Ryan was hitting near 100 into his 40's, as was Clemens. They protect pitchers today because they are a bunch of babies. No one will play through pain and they want to miss 3 starts for a hangnail. It is what it is, soft! Just like NBA players resting, it just didn't happen back in the day.

And I'm with Bricks, i can't believe Thor refused a freaking MRI, who knows now, but maybe that was only a slight tear. Could have been a few weeks on the DL vs likely several months.