OT: NL will use DH for EVER :(
- Thread starter FeralFelidae
- Start date
I don’t think buying high on Cubs relievers is a smart move. Kimbrel was broken before the Cubs pitching infrastructure fixed him. Tepera was a career journeyman who was released in the off season. I am not convinced any of the former Cubs relievers can maintain their level performance away from the Cubs coaches and the Cubs pitch lab.
Kimbrel has 15 Ks per 9 and is in the 100th percentile in most categories you want to see a high leverage relievers. He’s been unhittable. Even if he does regress a bit he’s still one of the very best relievers in baseball and even if he shits the bed I’ll never be mad at this trade. On paper they have the very best 7-8-9 in baseball. They’ve had 194 Ks in 122 IP between the three of them
Madrigal is a decent piece for the Cubs. I only question his power profile in WF. If his defense comes around, he’s a 4 tool player for the Cubs.
I guess he and Nico are the middle infield pillars in the rebuild. They will need to get power from the corner spots. Pat Wisdom is not the answer, Willy.
The redeeming quality about Baez was power with premium middle infield defense. I wonder how much of his power persists away from WF. His career splits suggest no problem (slightly higher career SLG and OPS on road) but the more recent trend favors him hitting at WF. I will poop myself if he gets anything near Lindor money
I guess he and Nico are the middle infield pillars in the rebuild. They will need to get power from the corner spots. Pat Wisdom is not the answer, Willy.
The redeeming quality about Baez was power with premium middle infield defense. I wonder how much of his power persists away from WF. His career splits suggest no problem (slightly higher career SLG and OPS on road) but the more recent trend favors him hitting at WF. I will poop myself if he gets anything near Lindor money
It was a 94MPH HR with an xBA of .140. It would have been a HR at 2/30 parks in baseball and the dude who hit it hasn’t hit a HR in 4 years
You’re making a very bad argument
Kimbrel had given up 2 ER all year and he gave three yesterday. Prior to yesterday, He had not given up 4 hits in the same inning in something like 10 years. Call it whatever you want. reversion to the mean or attribute it to the Cubs pitch lab but I think the Cub relievers that were traded are due for a big correction in their performance. The early signs point to that. We’ll see if it’s just an anomaly or the start of the trend I anticipate happening.
Corbi, I see your point as most relievers can fluctuate wildly in their performance over seasons. A bit of luck in HR/FB ratio or strand rate can make the Terperas of the world look like Mariano Rivera for a bit. But Kimbrel is a guy whose career stats defy this.
His last year in Boston was a disaster and his first year with the Cubs he looked like he was done. There was about a two year period where he was broken. The Cubs fixed him. Does he stay fixed? My guess is no.
So you think the deal was a good one for the Cubs? Kimbrel was terrible for the Cubs after he joined them. Then he was lights out and the Cubs did well to trade him. This is a trade to win NOW for the Sox. See
Adolis Chapman in 2016.
You were critical of Madrigal when the Hoerner comparison hit this board. Now you got him. Like him better now? I backed Madrigal and still think he is a better player than Hoerner. I am not a fan of the deal from a Sox perspective but at least they are trying to win while the team on the other side of town pulled a 85 Bears on the City.
Doesn’t have to stay fixed past the next 4 months. Has been the best reliever in baseball this year.
The chest thumping would be a little less comical if the last time the Sox played 162 games and ended up in the playoffs wasn’t when CJ Bacher was starting QB at NU.
Lol. Chest thumping? I guess NU’s West Division title didn’t count either because it wasn’t a full season. They are no better front runners than Cubbie fans, but have at it. This year is gravey as this team has not peaked yet. I don’t expect a WS title this year, but this team should contend for quite some time. It’s baseball, anything can happen in the playoffs. I will chest thump if the Sox are in it.
I just find it comical that plenty of these Cubs fans that were mocking the tear down are now singing the praises of Jed for getting rid of the few major league player they have.
He looked broken last year but he looks pretty fixed to me. Fangraphs shows his FB velocity 1mph off his early career highs, but his throwing it less. He uses his curve about 30% of the time, and by all measures it’s a good one.
I think the Cubs could have gotten more for Kimbrel but I am glad they traded him. As far as Madrigal is concerned, I said that the Sox made a mistake drafting someone with that profile that high as a top 5 pick and that Hoerner was a similar player with more value because he could also play SS in the major leagues. None of that means that I think Madrigal is a bad MLB player. He’ll be a nice piece for the Cubs at 2nd and possibly lead off for them next year.
I understand but keep in mind he is also signed for next year (player option I believe). I am not confident that he is going to keep his form for the rest of the season. My bet is the Sox will need to switch back to Liam H as their primary closer sometime this season.
Um...switch back? This kind of calls into question how solid the rest of your takes about the situation might be.
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Um, yes switch back. Are you trying to say that Kimbrel is not their closer right now?
He’s on pace for 60 innings. Given the Sox commanding division lead and Hendricks’ presence, they could throttle him back if needed. Overworked guys tend to lose some velocity, some bite in their breaking staff, and the ability to spot the fastball. I don’t see evidence of that right now.
LOL, yeah Ok. Did someone tell LaRussa because he is certainly using Kimbrel like he is their closer.
He's pitched the 8th inning in almost every game that he's pitched for the White Sox. Hendricks has pitched after him him in most of those games. So, yeah, I don't think it's a "switch back" kind of situation.
Is this more of corbi alternate reality? Typically the "closer" doesn't have someone pitch after them in almost every game where they pitch.
Correct me if I am wrong but who came in during the 9th inning to close the game against the Cubs with a 4-1 lead that he subsequently coughed up? I think it was Kimbrel but maybe I was in an alternate reality.
The 9th inning closer thing is a bit of a myth. It's really about who gets the ball in the high leverage situations. Using Kimbrel in the 8th in a 3-run game is not exactly high leverage. Kopech and Brummer, pitching with a 1-run lead in the 7th, had tougher assignments, and obviously Hendriks had to hold the 9th.
Well damn, right you are. That alternate reality thing is really getting to me.
Kimbrel, Kopech and Hendriks make for a lethal 7-8-9 (and in the playoffs, as early as the 5th/6th) for the White Sox. Kimbrel got hit around a little bit for sure, but the HR and single in his last two hitters were 94 and 81 off the bat... not hit hard at all. The Romine bomb would have been a HR at 2 of 30 parks. Duffy's leadoff single was the only *actually* hard contact off him at 104MPH. The rest was weak contact. Baseball happened.
Kimbrel's command was not razor sharp like it had been, and the baseball gods smited him. It happens. His velo/spins were consistent with what they've been all year.
That outing was the anomaly. Switching out Mendick/Garcia for Hernandez and Heuer for Kimbrel made the White Sox light years better this year.
Kimbrel's command was not razor sharp like it had been, and the baseball gods smited him. It happens. His velo/spins were consistent with what they've been all year.
That outing was the anomaly. Switching out Mendick/Garcia for Hernandez and Heuer for Kimbrel made the White Sox light years better this year.
