MLB 2018 Season

[Pakuni]

I don't think anyone would dispute that he can hold his own with Cesar Cedeno or Dante Bichette.

At this stage of their respective careers, Cesar Cedeno >>>> Javy Baez.

Cedeno led the major league in doubles twice before his 22nd birthday, made the all-star team four times in his first seven seasons and had five Gold Gloves and six 50-stolen base seasons by the time he was 26 years old.
He also had six seasons in which he was top 10 in NL WAR.
In short, Cedeno was an absolute stud until injuries (and probably Astroturf) wore him down in the latter half of his career.

Now, Dante Bichette on the other hand ...perhaps few players benefited more from the thin air in Denver, and perhaps some other things.

[wadesworld]

Come on 82, nobody ever said anything about all time.  Its a discussion about players in MLB in 2018, and the commentary about his sliding/tagging ability isn't just a silly idea created by Cubs homers on Scoop.

Countering opinions are fine, but continuing to make this seem like some silly delusion because LOL CUBS FANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN UNREALISTIC is trite.  But yes, that stat is dumb. Baez is having a great year, no need for idiotic stats churned out from the ESPN content machine.

Oh good, was wondering when noted baseball arbiter Wades would pop back in to tell us how stupid we are.

Well if you had to sit and wonder when I’d jump in then that probably says even Cubs fans know they’re being stupid. So at least the awareness is there, but it is still more fun to play the victim game I guess.

I was just enjoying the entertainment for a while. It was good.

[🏀]

I remove my previous Mookie statement.

The most exciting player in baseball is someone that you're turning into an out of town game to watch, right? Who's making you watch them? The answer to that question for me is probably a starter. Max, Severino, Kluber, Sale.

[WarriorDad]

Who is in first place right now?   

[GGGG]

Who is in first place right now?   

Not the Angels.

[wadesworld]

Who is in first place right now?   

The last time you did this it went well.  But glad you're excited that "your" team that was picked by every single person out there to win the Division is finally back in first place.

Chicos did have more of a Chicago sports fan attitude than an LA sports fan attitude, so this works well.

[buckchuckler]

Baez is a nice player, the Cubs are fortunate to have him and most teams wish they had him. The rest of it is silliness.

Quit throwing shade man. 

[JWags85]

Quit throwing shade man.

Give it a rest man. You made it into an argument that no Cubs fan was arguing. A nice article you eye rolled at, and then somehow construed every Cub fan into thinking Baez is better than Trout. I don’t see a single Cubs fan saying anything other than Javy is super exciting and here is why. And you respond to everything with a “yea well”. I don’t think a single Baez supporter here would argue with 82’s quoted assessment. But the need to downplay or side eye ANY positive Cubs related information is the definition of shade. Kind of like the dude at Miller Park a month or so ago who wanted to ramble all game to me about how Bryant was the most overrated player in baseball.

[DegenerateDish]

Apropos of nothing, I have a bunch of Gregg Jeffries Topps rated rookie cards I’m looking to offload if anyone is interested.

[GGGG]

Oof

[CreightonWarrior]

21 games in 20 days is brutal.

[MUfan12]

5 back in the loss column. Don't see the Cubs coughing that up.

Counsell overmanaging cost them today. Williams was fine. Just let him work.

[#UnleashSean]

A 5 game sweep doesn't come around often anymore. Ouch.

[jsglow]

This is a lot like the way the Crew rolled OUT from the AS break last year.  Look, the Cubs are simply better.  No problem.  But the Crew should be in the Wild Card game.  Anything short of that after being 18 over .500 would be very disappointing.

[buckchuckler]

You made it into an argument that no Cubs fan was arguing. A nice article you eye rolled at, and then somehow construed every Cub fan into thinking Baez is better than Trout.

No.  Not what I did at all.  I was just making cases for other guys that are at least as "exciting".
But anyways...

I think MLB makes a huge mistake having the futures game this afternoon.  It should be in primetime, or tomorrow night.  Sox prospect Luis Basabe turned around a 102 MPH fastball from Hunter Greene for a HR.  Greene, threw 19 fastballs all more than 100 MPH.

MLB should make this a bigger showcase.  I think there would be some pretty widespread interest.

[TallTitan34]

5 back in the loss column. Don't see the Cubs coughing that up.

Counsell overmanaging cost them today. Williams was fine. Just let him work.

That also means the Brewers have five off days that the Cubs don’t have in the second half. You are seeing first hand what 21 games in 20 days does to a team.

I’ve thought all along the Cubs win the division, but I wouldn’t count the Brewers out just yet.

[MU82]

Come on 82, nobody ever said anything about all time.  Its a discussion about players in MLB in 2018, and the commentary about his sliding/tagging ability isn't just a silly idea created by Cubs homers on Scoop.

Countering opinions are fine, but continuing to make this seem like some silly delusion because LOL CUBS FANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN UNREALISTIC is trite.  But yes, that stat is dumb. Baez is having a great year, no need for idiotic stats churned out from the ESPN content machine.

It's all good, JDubs. We all have opinions, and that's what we're here for. I do tend to get a little overly snarky sometimes, so my bad.

My son is a huge Cubbie fan who watches a lot more baseball than I do these days, and he thinks Baez is the most exciting player in baseball and the MVP frontrunner. That's just an opinion, too, but I obviously know Baez can play.

Still, I do keep coming back to: Is there any objective way to measure "best tagger" or "best slider"?

[WarriorDad]

The last time you did this it went well.  But glad you're excited that "your" team that was picked by every single person out there to win the Division is finally back in first place.

Chicos did have more of a Chicago sports fan attitude than an LA sports fan attitude, so this works well.

Yes, my team. That's how fans talk about their teams.  If I could figure out how to show a picture of a Cubs Wrigley Field bat my kids bought me in 2014, one of only 5000 made, I would.  They didn't buy me a Yankees bat, or Dodgers bat, or any team other than the team I have followed my entire life.  How does one upload a photo from a smartphone to here? 

[JWags85]

It's all good, JDubs. We all have opinions, and that's what we're here for. I do tend to get a little overly snarky sometimes, so my bad.

My son is a huge Cubbie fan who watches a lot more baseball than I do these days, and he thinks Baez is the most exciting player in baseball and the MVP frontrunner. That's just an opinion, too, but I obviously know Baez can play.

Still, I do keep coming back to: Is there any objective way to measure "best tagger" or "best slider"?

All good man. 

And I don’t think there is a truly objective way. More of an eye test. I just know it was a narrative about him well before he became an all star caliber player. He has unbelievably quick hands and not many people snap tag as effectively.

[dgies9156]

Only surprised it didn't happen sooner.

Matheny needed to go. Whether he's a mediocre manager or taking the rap for the failure of the organization to understand what they had, he still didn't get the job done.

The Cardinals' fielding is deplorable. Hitting is poor and even the use of the pitching staff is amateurish. I hate to admit this but the team is not as good as the Cubs and even what the Cardinals had, at times, has been used in a way that shows a lack of understanding of the cadence of the game.

I rather think this team needs a top-to-bottom overhaul at the major league level. Get rid of Dexter Fowler (and bite the bullet on the contract) and build around Yadier Molina, Marcel Ozuma, Harrison Bader and maybe Tommy Pham. The starting pitching is pretty good but the bullpen -- yuck!

[wadesworld]

Yes, my team. That's how fans talk about their teams.  If I could figure out how to show a picture of a Cubs Wrigley Field bat my kids bought me in 2014, one of only 5000 made, I would.   They didn't buy me a Yankees bat, or Dodgers bat, or any team other than the team I have followed my entire life.  How does one upload a photo from a smartphone to here?

Shoot. You got me. Chico’s isn’t this technology illiterate. Can’t be Chico’s! 

[🏀]

Shoot. You got me. Chico’s isn’t this technology illiterate. Can’t be Chico’s! 

He's just a Dad, wades. A regular Warrior Dad.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Matheny needed to go. Whether he's a mediocre manager or taking the rap for the failure of the organization to understand what they had, he still didn't get the job done.

The Cardinals' fielding is deplorable. Hitting is poor and even the use of the pitching staff is amateurish. I hate to admit this but the team is not as good as the Cubs and even what the Cardinals had, at times, has been used in a way that shows a lack of understanding of the cadence of the game.

I rather think this team needs a top-to-bottom overhaul at the major league level. Get rid of Dexter Fowler (and bite the bullet on the contract) and build around Yadier Molina, Marcel Ozuma, Harrison Bader and maybe Tommy Pham. The starting pitching is pretty good but the bullpen -- yuck!

Pham is 30 years old and Molina is 36 and a catcher in a non-DH league.  If the Cards want to build around them the rest of the division will gladly encourage them.

[CTWarrior]

Mookie is the most exciting player in baseball.

This is my 50th season as a Red Sox fan, and Mookie Betts right now is the most fun player to watch I have ever seen wearing a Red Sox uniform.  He does everything well.  He missed 20 games this season with an injury (which has cost him a shot at a 40/40 season), but has scored 79 runs in 78 games and is hitting almost .360.  He's not going to knock in 100 this year because he bats leadoff, and the Red Sox 8-9 hitters (whoever is catching and Jackie Bradley Jr) have had dismal seasons so far, so not much in the way of RBI opportunities.  He runs down everything in right field, has a great arm, and steals bases. There is nothing he doesn't do on a baseball field.  I don't watch much National League ball, but if Baez is anything like Mookie, he's got to be fun to watch.

[MU82]

Pham is 30 years old and Molina is 36 and a catcher in a non-DH league.  If the Cards want to build around them the rest of the division will gladly encourage them.

Was thinking the same thing.

Yadi might be a coach or manager in the not-all-that-distant future.