MLB 2018 Season

[MUBBau]

Not saying the Chapman ovation was great optics, but that was his first game with a new team. It wasn't his first game back from suspension. He'd been playing for months at that point.

Three times in one post you justify a standing ovation for him.

[MerrittsMustache]

It's pretty stupid for fans to give a standing O in support of a player who did something idiotic that hurt those around him. However, fans do stupid things all the time and it's never a good look. This isn't specific to one team or one city. It just so happens that it was Brewers fans looking like fools this time. Give it a month or two and another fanbase will make themselves look just as ignorant if not more so.

[TallTitan34]

No, I agree.  It was a bad look for Cubs fans there.  I'm just saying it was a different circumstance. 

Why have there been numerous articles criticizing the Brewers fans for giving Hader an ovation but none on the Cubs fans giving Chapman an ovation?  Because it was a very different circumstance.

[cheebs09]

I read a tweet that it started as a smattering of applause and then there were audible boos. The ovation started after the boos to drown them out.

I'd like to think of it as showing support for someone who is working through a tough time and improving themselves as a person. I'm hoping it wasn't any sort of support for what he said or people thinking it was blown out of proportion.

I have no idea if that's what the cheers were for or Hader really is a changed person, but I guess I can hope.

[MUBurrow]

It's pretty stupid for fans to give a standing O in support of a player who did something idiotic that hurt those around him. However, fans do stupid things all the time and it's never a good look. This isn't specific to one team or one city. It just so happens that it was Brewers fans looking like fools this time. Give it a month or two and another fanbase will make themselves look just as ignorant if not more so.

This is the correct take.

[WarriorDad]

doesnt fit the agenda of cubs fans. and a 17 year old tweeting completely inappropriate things is way worse than a grown man beating his wife. duh.

I am a Cubs fan and admitted we did it, your blanket statement is not correct.

[brewcity77]

Something I tell people all the time, there are very few bonafide racists in the world. However, everyone says, does, and thinks racist things, for most people that happens every day. The best thing we can do when we are called on it is own it, apologize for it, learn from it, and do better from then on. Hader has at least the first two. We will see if he does the second two.

I think there are quite a few more than I would have believed a few years ago.

[Lennys Tap]

I am a Cubs fan and admitted we did it, your blanket statement is not correct.

This literally made chuckle.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Tony Gwynn had more 4-hit games than 2-strikeout games in his career.

[TallTitan34]

Tony Gwynn had more 4-hit games than 2-strikeout games in his career.

That's just insane.

[GGGG]

Tony Gwynn had more 4-hit games than 2-strikeout games in his career.

Read this a couple years ago.  I think playing in San Diego and in the shadow of the steroid induced power numbers made him overlooked.  It's a shame.

https://www.mlb.com/news/19-facts-about-the-career-of-tony-gwynn/c-177069734

[MUDPT]

Brewers now under 10% on 538 to win the division.  Serious question: How much are you willing to give up now to increase your chances of winning the 1 game playoff?

[MUBurrow]

Brewers now under 10% on 538 to win the division.  Serious question: How much are you willing to give up now to increase your chances of winning the 1 game playoff?

For rentals? Next to nothing. This team just has too many holes to make a run.

[buckchuckler]

Tony Gwynn had more 4-hit games than 2-strikeout games in his career.

Wow.  That's great.  What a legend.

[buckchuckler]

For rentals? Next to nothing. This team just has too many holes to make a run.

Do you guys remember the Pirates of 5-6 years ago?  A few really good teams.  Runners up in the division what, 3-4 years in a row?  They had a great young core to build around.  McCutch, Marte, Polanco, Cole, Neil Walker.  They had some great relievers on board, Justin Wilson, Tony Watson, Mark Melancon.
They had some real good talent. 

Won 90 games a couple years if I remember correctly.   Not to mention, they had a very highly regarded farm system just stocked with top tier talent.

Never got out of a wild card round though.  They had the assets to make a move.  To get someone that could have made a difference mid-way through a season.  They never did.  They were scared to part with prospects.  They could have swung a deal for pretty much any player traded at that time.  Some of the guys that were traded at the deadline we guys like, Cueto, Hamels, Cespedes, Price, Tulo among a whole bunch of others.  Do those guys make a difference?  Who knows.  Would it have hurt the team to lose someone like Meadows or Glasnow or Tallion?  Sure.  But maybe they would have won a World Series.  Yeah, the Royals blew up their farm during their run and thye are terrible now and will be for a while most likely.  I bet that is a trade off they are ok with, and Pirate fans would do in a heartbeat.

[TallTitan34]

@Ken_Rosenthal

#Brewers continue to cast wide net in search for upgrades, sources tell me and @ByRobertMurray. They are among the teams pursuing #Orioles' Britton and also considering #Rays' Archer. Had extensive discussions with #Orioles on Machado;  know which prospects O's like.

[TallTitan34]

@Ken_Rosenthal

Heard two interesting things today that give insight into how creatively teams think at deadline. One club - I'm guessing #Brewers - asked #Twins about getting BOTH Dozier and Escobar. Likewise, some teams are asking #Orioles about getting Bundy or Gausman along with Britton.

[GGGG]

Do you guys remember the Pirates of 5-6 years ago?  A few really good teams.  Runners up in the division what, 3-4 years in a row?  They had a great young core to build around.  McCutch, Marte, Polanco, Cole, Neil Walker.  They had some great relievers on board, Justin Wilson, Tony Watson, Mark Melancon.
They had some real good talent. 

Won 90 games a couple years if I remember correctly.   Not to mention, they had a very highly regarded farm system just stocked with top tier talent.

Never got out of a wild card round though.  They had the assets to make a move.  To get someone that could have made a difference mid-way through a season.  They never did.  They were scared to part with prospects.  They could have swung a deal for pretty much any player traded at that time.  Some of the guys that were traded at the deadline we guys like, Cueto, Hamels, Cespedes, Price, Tulo among a whole bunch of others.  Do those guys make a difference?  Who knows.  Would it have hurt the team to lose someone like Meadows or Glasnow or Tallion?  Sure.  But maybe they would have won a World Series.  Yeah, the Royals blew up their farm during their run and thye are terrible now and will be for a while most likely.  I bet that is a trade off they are ok with, and Pirate fans would do in a heartbeat.

In 2013 they did win the Wild Card game, but lost in the division series.

But I do get your point.  I mean the Brewers traded top prospects in both the Sabathia and Greinke deals and I think you would be hard pressed to find many Brewer fans who thought those weren't good moves at the time.

Furthermore a lot of prospects don't end up panning out.  (Matt LaPorta anyone?)  So the risk may not be as high as advertised.

[wadesworld]

It depends on what you're getting back.  For a Machado level rental?  Sure, I'd give up a top prospect.  He makes a ginormous difference and turns a top heavy lineup into a scary lineup.  For a Dozier level rental?  I'm not giving up anything big.  He does help no doubt, but there are still too many holes to do anything other than get lucky in the Playoffs, which is possible but I don't think it's worth the risk.

I'd much rather trade higher level prospects for even a guy who's underperforming but also affordable under team control like Archer.  With a lineup that has so many holes (2B, SS, C, RF - maybe Thames and Braun can provide some production and remove that from the list, plus the pitcher spot), you're not going to a World Series, especially when your pitching staff is at absolute best Nelson (don't think so), Garra, Chacin, and Anderson.  Burnes, Suter, Davies all available to start in place of Nelson.  You can get away with a lineup with holes if you have a staff filled with aces (Mets staff when healthy) or a staff of the Brewers quality when you have a stacked lineup.  The Brewers don't have either right now.  They have a World Series caliber bullpen and then an average lineup and an average rotation.

I'd rather add Archer in exchange for some prospects and go after a quality 2B in free agency.  Even if Arcia's bat doesn't come around he provides top level defense and you can have Saladino around as a bat at SS as well.  If you go into 2019 with most of the bullpen back, add a quality 2B, and have a rotation of Nelson, Archer, Anderson, Chacin, and Garra with Suter and Davies as depth you can legitimately compete in the NL, especially if Machado goes to the Yankees.

[🏀]

Dozier is pretty good.

[TallTitan34]

It depends on what you're getting back.  For a Machado level rental?  Sure, I'd give up a top prospect.  He makes a ginormous difference and turns a top heavy lineup into a scary lineup.  For a Dozier level rental?  I'm not giving up anything big.  He does help no doubt, but there are still too many holes to do anything other than get lucky in the Playoffs, which is possible but I don't think it's worth the risk.

I'd much rather trade higher level prospects for even a guy who's underperforming but also affordable under team control like Archer.  With a lineup that has so many holes (2B, SS, C, RF - maybe Thames and Braun can provide some production and remove that from the list, plus the pitcher spot), you're not going to a World Series, especially when your pitching staff is at absolute best Nelson (don't think so), Garra, Chacin, and Anderson.  Burnes, Suter, Davies all available to start in place of Nelson.  You can get away with a lineup with holes if you have a staff filled with aces (Mets staff when healthy) or a staff of the Brewers quality when you have a stacked lineup.  The Brewers don't have either right now.  They have a World Series caliber bullpen and then an average lineup and an average rotation.

I'd rather add Archer in exchange for some prospects and go after a quality 2B in free agency.  Even if Arcia's bat doesn't come around he provides top level defense and you can have Saladino around as a bat at SS as well.  If you go into 2019 with most of the bullpen back, add a quality 2B, and have a rotation of Nelson, Archer, Anderson, Chacin, and Garra with Suter and Davies as depth you can legitimately compete in the NL, especially if Machado goes to the Yankees.

I agree with all of this, except I believe if you are good enough to make the playoffs, you can win the World Series.  Anything can happen once you get there.  The problem is if you want to chance it on the one game Wild Card game.

[Its DJOver]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1021484765902450690

Almost need to move for another starting pitcher now.

[buckchuckler]

Dozier is pretty good.

Also notoriously a second half player.  His career OPS is .60 higher in the second half than the first.  Whether Escobar or Duke or Rodney, that may be a move worth it for the Brewers.

[TallTitan34]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1021484765902450690

Almost need to move for another starting pitcher now.

Seems like whenever the forearm is involved, it leads to Tommy John.

[wadesworld]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1021484765902450690

Almost need to move for another starting pitcher now.

Would explain the meatballs he was serving up through his 3 innings yesterday.

Dozier is pretty good.

He's very good.  I'd be very happy to get him.  But I don't think he makes the Brewers better than the Cubs and wouldn't give up Burnes to get a couple months of him.