Rare trip north of the border.

3 night games.

Assad pitchin'. Cubs lead 4-3.

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Grandpas got to be proud of his group of humans for how they battled.

A combination of multiple bad baserunning decisions and bad baserunning luck. They really should have won that one in regulation.

Assad pitched well against that lineup, but Matt Swarmer had two good initial starts earlier this year and then got rocked continuously all the way off the 40 man roster... Still, he deserves another start, although with Steele and Sampson set up to pitch in St. Louis, I'd skip the Cardinals series and start him a week from today.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I enjoy this "Cubs culture" thing. They've hung it on themselves. Apparently there's no tie in with talent evaluation, and winning. A player doesn't need to be productive to be high in it. There's no yard stick to measure it. It's just there because the Cubs say it's there. The Cubs need to win the next 2 games to have their first winning '22 month. So this culture seems to thrive during intense lazy, sloppy losing baseball. The culture apparently still thrives even when they try to keep the payroll down bringing in throw away players and not rewarding their own players. Culture seems to really increase with bad money free agents for some reason.

Stop being a c*nt. Of course there is a tie in with winning in the long run. Look at the White Sox, their "culture" produces mediocrity for whatever reason.

This is about figuring out who deserves to stay and who doesn't. Give them chances, see who can't cut it either on the field or in the locker room. Your consistent meatball approach is tiring and full of shit. You should go follow the Angels who have two of the greatest players in the game but the rest of the organization can't find their ass with both hands and a stick. Or the Rangers, who spent $90M AAV on new payroll this year and ended up firing their manager because their team is shit.

Ross rolled with his young pitchers last night until they eventually gave up the lead. It happens. The league will probably adjust to Assad, but it's a hell of a lot better than trotting this generation's versions of Justin Germano and Chris Volstad out there. And as much as Zach McKinstry can't throw a ball from 3B to 2B properly (and shouldn't play there again), I'd rather see him than watch Kris Bryant on the IL with a $162M contract he doesn't fucking deserve.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

haha, i've seen that many times.

Jed Hoyer might have struck gold with Zach McKinstry.

188 .224 .266 .490 37

Did the Cubs have any players that couldn't travel to Toronto?

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2018
#ExtendLafleur

That's the kind of signing that makes me certain that many of the guys on this forum could do Hoyer's job better than him.

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Steele and Sampson confirmed. Thompson and Wisdom had oddly timed IL placements which lead some to believe that they also would have had an issue.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

We could say the same thing about Rick Hahn deciding that Leury Garcia and Josh Harrison were the answer to a question other than "who should have to buy tickets step into a major league ballpark."

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Correct. Fuck Zack McKinstry.

Fuck bully Hoyer. You trade caratini only to follow him up with NINE fucking backup catchers in one season?

He has absolutely diluted the product, destroyed the organization by bringing in more players in and out than a minor league team does.

Even in mediocrity u want some consistency. Not bullshit players all over the place, signing a guy and then trading him 3 months later for more garbage.

Fuck McKinstry and FUCK Marisnick.

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Curious a couple of Stroman's starts back grandpa publicly apologized to Stroman for pulling him out too early. Ross enthusiastically praises but rarely if ever apologizes. Why Stroman?

Last 4 games the Cubs bullpen has a 13.20 era.

70+% of their remaining games are against <.500 teams. This is the part of the schedule Rick Sutcliffe was ecstatic about to add on some meaningless wins.

Little looked overmatched and not deserving of a 40-man spot this winter. He may get another inning today and then we may never see him again.

Estrada looked good. They might send him back before the Cardinals series for roster Jenga, but if they do then I think he will be back in Chicago for good by mid-September.

I'm surprised that they didn't DFA Ortega earlier this week to give him a chance to latch onto an organization that will make the playoffs, as a bench bat. I can't imagine that they are going to keep him around through the winter since he's a pure platoon hitter. Once they bring Brennan Davis up in a couple of weeks, they may as well send Ortega on his way.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Davis is struggling last I saw at high A coming back from back surgery. Why would they even bother calling him up? More likely the PCA at this point is the centerfielder and he is far enough away that its still a crap shot.

Spiegel put a hex on with comments during ITC "Have you people seen Erich Uelmen pitch?" Era up to 5.09. 2 appearances after comments 32.53.

What’s with this stupid scowl by Wick?

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They wont be calling him up. Chet is a good analyst, but not on this one. Davis is nothing.

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Cubs had a good showing in Toronto. Salvage the series tonight, led big in every game.

For most teams it's tough and tense to win up there but the Cubs looked relaxed and played free and easy.

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I don't think they should call him up either. But there was a quote by someone associated with the team that they would call him up at the end of the year, presumably when the AAA season ends or maybe the week before. I don't think they are expecting anything out of him this year, but the last six games are against the Reds so maybe they're thinking that's pretty much a AAA team anyway.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

As far as Davis' potential, I'm concerned that he's going to fall into that Jarred Kelenic/Jo Adell level of quad-A outfielder who eventually goes to Japan or Korea for a couple of years and is never heard from again.

Kelenic may still pull out of it, although Julio Rodriguez blew last him like a F1 car vs a Nissan Leaf. He has -2.2 bWAR in 450 AB, which is what Junior Griffey could do today at 52 years old. Amazingly, as of yesterday Adell had 451 AB over three seasons, he's up to -1.5 bWAR and this year is hitting a robust .228/.275/.376.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Grandpa Rossy on the Cubs improved August play.

We've played better baseball. (15-15, 0.06% better than July, 4-6 L10). Solid defense (5th most errors MLB). Stroman (3.97 era Aug), Sampson (4.43 era Aug), really throwing the ball well. We've got some guys healthy.(3rd MLB IL days).

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Hard to know. The back has to be a concern until he proves it isn't. Too many Felix Pie and Corey Patterson in the not so distant past for me to get overly excited about a prospect that isn't absolutely killing it in the minors and is coming back from a significant injury. I just don't see the benefit of him playing in late September but maybe in the next two weeks he gets into the grove he was in last year vs what he has been this year pre surgery (Struggling with injury) and recovery now.

Coomer on with Haugh & Dan Wiederer all 3 pushing the delirium that a struggling team like the Cubs had a .500 or better month is reason for unbridled joy. When bottom dwellers A's, Angels, Rangers, Marlins (2), Reds (2), Rockies have all done it. They've all had injuries, made deadline trades...and all suck.