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***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

The bullpen is just awful right now. Can question why Ross uses certain guys like he does but right now doesn't seem to matter who comes in. You have to wonder why he went to Fulmer in a close game 2 days ago as the first guy out of the pen then yesterday went to Estrada first after he had just thrown the previous day. Starting to think this will be a partial sell off again at the deadline if they don't start stringing some wins together soon.
 
Don't care for either team but I'm doing the Red Line Doubleheader here in Chicago on this beautiful Memorial Day.

Cubs Day game and Sox Night game. All separated by 20 stops on the CTA Red Line. Happens every few years but this might be the first on Memorial Day from my research.
 
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Well there is one way not to blow a game when you put a weak hitting lineup out there. Just let the starter throw a complete game and leave the bullpen out of it.
 
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Crazy that he's been as good as he has so far after looking very overmatched against MLB pitching last season and in spring training:

Chicago Cubs apparently wanted Zach McKinstry to hit for power (cubbiescrib.com)

Makes you wonder if some of the offensive woes are due to poor instruction and hitting strategy with certain players. Thought this rebuild they were going to focus more about getting on base and quality contact and not so much about having to hit HR all the time to drive in runs. If this story has some truth behind it that's a bit concerning they are still focusing on power hitting that much and maybe explains some of the struggles certain players have had.
 
I got to looking at team payrolls around MLB and the Cubs seem to be one of the only organizations in baseball to have player options in the final year of contracts. A lot of big market teams have club options (Dodgers, White Sox) with small buyouts in the final year of deals. Maybe I’m a homer but I always feel like the Cubs have 2-3 contracts that are awful in the final year and end up eating up a huge chunk of payroll.
 
CyState85 said:
I got to looking at team payrolls around MLB and the Cubs seem to be one of the only organizations in baseball to have player options in the final year of contracts. A lot of big market teams have club options (Dodgers, White Sox) with small buyouts in the final year of deals. Maybe I’m a homer but I always feel like the Cubs have 2-3 contracts that are awful in the final year and end up eating up a huge chunk of payroll.
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The worst contracts in recent memory has been Heyward Soriano Chatwood and Edwin Jackson. Other than that the Cubs usually steer clear of long term expensive deals. Here's a list of some others:
Cubs' 10 worst free agent signings of all-time - NBC Sports RSN
15 worst Chicago Cubs free agent signings in franchise history (cubbiescrib.com)
Fukudome and Hundley make the list too

Right now the only contract that has me concerned is the Taillon one if he doesn't start pitching better. The option years are just creative ways to defer money really, they give the player or team the option to pick it up or decline it if it is in their best interest and the buyout really just defers some money where the club does not have to pay for another full year for not offering the extra year(s) on the contract initially. For instance Bellinger base salary for 2023 is $12 mil, if they agree to the mutual $12 mil option (not likely) then it was essentially a 2yr/24 mil deal but with the buyout it will just be a 1 year 17.5 mil deal. It leaves some payroll flexibility while not committing long term dollars so I am OK with the practice as they have used it lately.

I like to refer to here when I look at the Cubs payroll situation: Chicago Cubs Multi-Year Payroll | Spotrac
 
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Someone named Miles Mastrobuoni was hitting with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th down 1 with one out. Did they pull him out of the stands? Who the **** is that?
 
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CycloneErik said:
He's been there all year. I think he has pics of Ross or something.
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The dude doesn’t seem to fit into the long term plans and neither does Madrigal, Rios, Tauchman, and a few other guys. I’d rather have young guys taking the AB’s this year but they aren’t ready, so it is what it is.
 
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Forearm tightness in this organization-- may as well figure him shut down for the year. Hell, I think the may have secretly buried Bellinger at sea or something.
 
Clark said:
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Someone named Miles Mastrobuoni was hitting with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th down 1 with one out. Did they pull him out of the stands? Who the **** is that?
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I'm going to assume he choked since I saw they lost 4-3? That guy has no business being on a major league roster.
 
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CyState85 said:
The dude doesn’t seem to fit into the long term plans and neither does Madrigal, Rios, Tauchman, and a few other guys. I’d rather have young guys taking the AB’s this year but they aren’t ready, so it is what it is.
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I think Tuchman sticks around next year as insurance in CF for PCA. But I agree too many hot prospects coming for him to be there long term.
 
Clark said:
5cac1a20-5474-42cb-b9a7-74232d16f51c_text.gif


Someone named Miles Mastrobuoni was hitting with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th down 1 with one out. Did they pull him out of the stands? Who the **** is that?
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He was lead off yesterday and batted 9th today. I guess there is some modern strategy that you put a contact guy 9th some times, but Mastrobouni is just trash.
 
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