Has he figured it out or just a good month? I knew he was having a good year but I did not realize how well he was actually playing until I looked this morning.

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I asked yesterday in the game thread if he is a legit ML player. I still feel like his swing is such that he will fall into Javy like slumps where he swings at too many pitches.

He made a nice catch in center and has obviously shown significant power. I hope is has figured it out. Schwarbs also is showing up to play.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I'd say there is going to be a lot of bad money given out this off season for 60 games worth of production but I don't know if teams will be spending.

162 really smooths out all the peaks and troughs of an MLB player's production. My guess is that 2020 will be the year we see a lot of anomalies when looking back at a player's history.

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

He's only 25, could just be figuring it out. Hope so.

Nah most players are either under contract or within their club control years. Sure, there will guys that get paid based on short term production, but it will be a small percentage of players.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Happ and Heyward are the only two Cubs hitting. Based on history, Heyward is a mirage and Happ might be figuring it out...though his BABIP suggests he may regress somewhat.

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He’s definitely a legit MLB player.

As far as the Javy comp, I wouldn’t be surprised if Happ has the better slash line—especially OBP—over the next few years. Happ’s switch hitting is valuable obviously and he’s shown a willingness to refine his approach, cut down on free swinging, and accept walks. Javy is more talented but Ian seems to adapt and adjust better.

120 would be enough to smooth peaks and valleys and would stem the tide of apathy also.

I have always liked 120 as well. Mid May thru mid September. Keep expanded playoffs. And sprinkle in some 7 inning double headers and crown a champ by mid October.

Cold weather baseball is stupid

I do like the 7-inning double header idea.

I had suggested, if they do keep 162, schedule 1 double header a month. That shortens the season by a week and allows a 3-game play-in series instead of one and done. Plus it'd pull the WS out of November.

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THIS...all of it.

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I open to a lot of ideas.

November baseball is rough but late March -mid April baseball in 3/4 of the markets is just insane. Players hate it, fans hate it, and the record books have already lost meaning so fuck it. Shorten the season. 140 games max. 120 would be ideal.

But, it will most likely never happen.

i dont like the expanded playoffs in 162. but lets' see when they happen if it changes my mind.

all the new stuff this year i said before they happened i wouldn't like it but after they did it i really like! changed my mind. like the extra innings runner on 2nd, the reliever 3 batter rule, the 7 inning games, the universal DH.

I have heard the idea of having more Saturday DH and having most teams be off on Monday and Thursday, with only one or two national games on those days.

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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 like the 7-inn DH but partly because Game 2 is 45 minutes after Game 1. I don't think teams will be willing to do the old 2-for-1 ticket thing like they used to.

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Small market teams with small season ticket bases will if they can charge a 20% premium.

The Brewers do an amazing job with their Wednesday and Thursday games, basically giving away their entire upper bowl in tandem with their regional partners. Buy 2 tickets to a partner, get two Brewers 400 level seats to a Wednesday or Thursday day game. The partners rotate through the year: the Zoo, the State Fair, the Harley Davidson museum, etc. So they're really only making 20 cents on the dollar for those tickets anyway, and if they can get away with saving on a fifth starter as a result then fine.

It is the large market teams who really won't want to schedule straight DH.

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

The traditional double header is dead and gone

As it should be

i think he's a good quality kid who is probably punching a little above his weight, but there's no reason he can't be a .280-290/+ hitter with 20+ HR year in and year out, health related.

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The other thing is that Happ seems legitimately inquisitive and intelligent. Players union rep, has a podcast, he is a good interview, etc. Like he seems to have actually learned how to adjust.

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

Great insight on a lot of stuff today from Happ on his interview on the score today.

Thoughtful dude.

Slow day at work and I was thinking about this. How about from April and May just play Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. Single game on Fridays, 7-inning double headers on Sat and Sun. Start playing every day on Memorial Day weekend with a 154 game season. Nobody wants to go to baseball games during the week in April and May.

All due respect...dumb and dumb.

From my POV...April baseball is a large part of the problem.

Roughly May 15-Sept 10 is regular season. 120 games. 7-10 double headers of 7 innings. Have post season start Sept 15th and end mid October. I haven’t crunched all the schedule numbers but that’s my general idea.

And the players union will of course submit to the commensurate reduction in pay from all the lost revenue from fewer games ?

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

April games during the week is the problem. Same with May to a lesser extent. Besides 120 games is way too few.

Of course not. 120 or even 150 will never happen.

Just spit balling

Yes of course he’s figured it out.

We’ve seen glimpses, but now he’s put it together.

This is natural progression.

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