’t think many people expected him to pitch this year so all that’s left is to pay him his $3M 2020 buyout.
We paid a lot of money for 2 years and $3 million buyout for only a half season of production. Maybe he will heal and give the Cubs a big discount if he can pitch again.
I was hoping he would be a cherry on top of our postseason pen. That just popped my cherry.
Gross.
Actually I believe the cubs have an $11M option for 2020 but I don’t expect them to exercise that given Kimbrel’s signing.
No way in the world we pay 11M...but since we are paying 3M to buy him out maybe he can earn a spot next year if healthy.
It's $12M actually.
Just noticed that. Thanks.
$21M for 30.2 innings pitched.
Good work if you can get it. Was it 11 saves?
Looks like it was 22 saves. Not like it wasn't expected. He has been hurt his whole career.
It would be a great time for Rizzo to go on one of his patented 2-week tears. He's usually good for 3 or 4 every year. Let's go Captain Cubbie!
Well maybe tonight the brewers can hold it together. They are. Up
4- 0 top of the first vs cards.
Let's just worry about our cubs tonight
Lot to worry about given the top of the first.
Now we can root for the Brewers to hold on!
Need to root for a rain out. If not then root for the brewers to hold on.
You got your rain out! Cubs back in 1st!
Nicky 4Bags!! Again!!
Sweet!
Pay the man.....he can flat hit....
“Pay him. Pay that man his money”-John Malkovich, Rounders in thick Russian accent
That's exactly what I thought when I read that comment. That was a great role. Teddy KGB.
Indeed and don’t forget Kanish
what would it take to extend Castellanos? I know he is hot right now but we need more guys in the lineup who understand the strike zone and hit it hard when its thrown in there.
Sign him up! I hope the Cubs can retain Nick's services,so it isn't a trade in vain.
Agreed he is a professional hitter. We can live with average defense with the kind of bat he has. It would be a shame not to seriously look at signing him.
In addition, Nick's defense doesn't look as bad as advertised when he arrived.
Yeah, when the trade happened I thought it was 100% a rental, but now I think keeping him has to be a possibility. I’m just not sure what the cost will be.
Boras client. Doubt that he comes cheap unless the FA mkt for outfielders isn’t as good as Boras would like. I’m guessing he’ll sign for between 15-20M per year. Cubs won’t have cap space for that size of ctt.
Tigers had him on the trade block for 1-1/2 years. His career OBP is.326. I hope the Cubs want to keep Castellanos. Who really knows what kind of market will develop for him? I can see him being the kind of player that has to settle for less than expected.
Anyone else wondering why Happ is at 2nd? Hope his offense contribution is better than his defense contributions.
I do not like Happ at 2B,
You do not like
green eggs and ham?
I do not
like them,
Sam-I-am.
Let him pitch. I want to see at least 25 pitches from him this first inning and get him out by 4, just like yesterday.
KB really needs to start hitting, then we’ll have a very long lineup.
Short memory? KB did hit a HR that won us a game against Pittsburgh on the road. Javy hasn’t had an RBI in a week.
KB has struck out at least three times I can remember with men at 1st and 3rd...the last 2 games. He's gotta start getting that guy on 3rd in!
Michael Jackson was the king of pop, Kris Bryant is the king of popups. He hits so many lazy popups to right field.
Which brings up a question about Kris, who's making up the Cubs lineup, Joe or Theo? Why won't the Cubs move Kris back in the lineup?
Joe makes the lineup I am sure no input from Theo on that. Joe is stubborn and slow to change is all.
I think it has to do with Bryant being the best hitter on the team.
Yah boy, swinging at ball four a foot over the zone!
Sounds like he learned that from Javy.
Because KRIS BRYANT has been on base more than any other Cub this season. Move him back so only the back end of the lineup has an opportunity to drive him in? That makes zero sense.
Hits + BB - HR
KB = 164
JB = 135
If a guy consistently gets on base more than others, he should be higher in the lineup in front of the best run producers to help accumulate more runs with more chances.
To add to it, Rizzo has been on base 161 times. They both should be in front of Javy.
And Javy will knock them all in. Someone has to.
Selfishly, ignoring numbers and optimal lineups, I love watching KB and Javy running the bases together. That is baseball porn for me. Beautiful.
No reason to have them back to back in the lineup, but yes, Javy gets to drive in lots of runs with the guys we have in front of him getting on base so much. I’m thinking more and more about KB, Rizzo, Baez, Schwarber Castellanos, as our first 5 hitters, and then add Contreras to the 6th spot when he returns. I think Castellanos is great at getting on base, but his ability to give such great at bats and get extra bass hits all the time could really have more benefit with opportunities to drive in more runners in front of him.
I really like it Cubber. Schwarber really benefits from having a hitter protecting him. But Castellanos in the 5 hole seems low for his amazing run. Maybe put him at 4 with Schwarbs behinds him, add some runs to those bombs, and he's still protected by Contreras.
Only reason I say to put Schwarber before Castellanos is because for almost a month now, he's got his strikeout rate below 18% and his walk rate up to 13%. I think if he's up with runners on base, and a great hitter behind him, he can be patient and hammer the pitches that he can handle, and take his walks when the pitchers aren't challenging him, leaving more guys on base for Nicky 2(or 4)bags.
Also, in my scenario, I'd think maybe the pitcher should bat 8th, so there can be a guy like Heyward as psuedo leadoff in the 9th spot, so hopefully there can be a runner on base later in the game for KB's at bats.
Two pitch Schwarber. What, no hit? But nobody was on the bases!
I don’t know what it would take but since he’s 27 (28 before next season) this will be his big contract. 4 or 5 years at $30M per and that’s just a wild guess. If he is signed I don’t think Schwarber can play LF at the same time. We need 2 plus outfielders playing at the same time. Offense looks great but think how it was in 2016 when we had the best defense in MLB. I miss those days.
Yu can’t bunt but he can hit.
He just looks so natural hitting. Its a joy to watch. He is coming into his own and has earned a payday for sure.
I don't think Schwarber can play left field any time!
I don't see him getting anywhere near $30M a year contract. I think he would be lucky to get $20M a year. He is a good player but not one of the best in baseball. Just my opinion.
He’s no JD Martínez but he’ll be younger and I believe JD ONLY got a little over $100M for 5 years.
Castellanos hitting strategy: how hard does the guy throw and what is his out pitch. doesnt watch a lot of video. So: "see the ball hit the ball". I love it.
I told you I was just guessing.
As am I.
Nicky RBI
I'm missing it all. Be by a radio soon, at least.
I know KB is a good player and I’m not hating on him but in Aug he’s had 4 HR and in July 5 HR and 10 RBI. It’s not so much how many it’s when. Yesterday he made the 3rd out I think 4 times and already once today. I’m saying that if he can capitalize on those occasions we wouldn’t have these nail biting 9th innings as many times as we do.
I agree writers can tweet he’s clutch all they want, but he simply has to find a way to improve in RISP spots. But that being said some of the criticism of Bryant is getting over the top. If he was hitting 110+ RBIs every year then that’s what you