MLBits: Harper’s Small Market, Nelson Slowed, Reyes As “Elite”, Neshek Predicts Strike, Knuckleballs, More

The wife and I bought our first place in the city back in the middle of last summer and we still really love everything about it. HOWEVA, the constant upkeep is reaaaaaly testing my skills as a so-called “man of the house.”

I did manage to fix a plumbing issue on my own and rather quickly – quickly is about the only way you can fix a plumbing issue – but I didn’t fare so well on a drywall patching and re-painting. I suspect my dad will have to make a few more trips to the city with his tool box over the next couple months … he just doesn’t know it yet. I’ll buy him a hot dog or something.

Around the league …

  • I still believe Bryce Harper is going to end up with a deal he likes – especially after Manny Machado got 10 years and $300M straight-up (i.e. with no funky deferrals or swell-opts, etc.) – but I suppose it’s become at least possible he doesn’t go the long-term route.
  • According to Mark Feinsand, the Dodgers and Giants, two of Harper’s three primary suitors at this point (yes, the Dodgers are back in), are both legitimately interested in the free agent outfielder, but are still looking only at shorter-term deals (by the way, “shorter-term,” in this case, strikes me as something like 4-5 years, not 1-3). Indeed, Feinsand reports that the Phillies are now the ONLY team still talking about a true long-term deal with Harper, which … woof. That makes it tough to get what you want and certainly explains a lot.
  • Ultimately, I know it’s not going to happen with the Cubs, but my God there is just such a crater where a market should be. I wish they planned better and set themselves up to pounce on what could ultimately be a good deal (relatively speaking).
  • (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

  • This is so much fun from FanGraphs: “Mike Trout has been as good as Manny Machado and Bryce Harper COMBINED.” I don’t want to spoil the post for you (there’s some fun graphs and whatnot), but in short, from 2012-2018, Harper and Machado combined for 60.9 WAR, while Trout has earned, on his own, 64.0 WAR. We often comment about generational talents, but Trout exceeds that distinction. He may well end up as the single greatest baseball player of all-time.
  • Speaking of generational players, I’m beginning to fear that Clayton Kershaw is losing his grip on that honor for the pitchers. There’s no doubt he’s among the most talented pitchers out there when he’s out there, but his inability to stay healthy is officially part of the story – Kershaw hasn’t made a full-season’s worth of starts since 2015, failing to top the 175.0 IP mark in three straight years. This Spring, he’s already been slowed down as reports that his shoulder “just didn’t feel right” during a recent throwing session have trickled out. Apparently, he’s playing catch today and has not had an MRI, but yeah … dude has had his issues.
  • Jim Bowden recently Tweeted that free agent closer Craig Kimbrel’s asking price has *still* not come down this winter (early rumors had him seeking upwards of six years, and maybe even upwards of $100 million), and is considering “sitting out the year if he doesn’t get close to his perceived value.” In typical fashion, Craig Kimbrel’s agent (via Ken Rosenthal) smacked that down harder than The Rock used to on Thursday nights: “The report is wholly inaccurate and Craig looks forward to signing a new contract in the near future. Any report pertaining to his not playing this season is utterly false.” Lol.
  • All that said, it’s nearly March, and one of the best closers in the game is still unsigned.
  • The Brewers are undoubtedly playing it safe with Jimmy Nelson, but after he failed to return *at all* last year, despite early projections to the contrary, you can imagine the tight butts in Milwaukee:
  • Nelson broke out in such a big way in 2017 and would be a big boon to the Brewers’ chances at repeating success this season. Since I’d rather the Cubs beat their rivals at full-strength, I’m hoping Nelson returns quickly and healthy … and then absolutely sucks, especially against the Cubs.
  • Elsewhere in NL Central rotational news, rehabbing Cardinals starter Alex Reyes is impressing:
  • I get the sense that Cubs fans don’t properly fear Reyes’ potential impact, because we’ve seen precious little of him since his big league debut in 2016, but if he’s healthy and in that rotation, he’s going to be very good. He wasn’t the top pitching prospect in baseball for nothing.
  • The Rockies have agreed to a three-year contract extension (through 2022) with manager Bud Black.
  • Yikes … According to Phillies reliever Pat Neshek: “Right now, there’s going to be a strike, 100 percent, after ’21.” He continued: “(Owners) have a lot more to lose than us, I think. The players have been talking about, for the last couple of years, putting money aside and I think we’re going to be ready for a fight. We’re willing to go multiple years and I don’t know if (owners) are willing to sacrifice.”
  • No matter who you think or feel is right in this case is almost irrelevant at this point. The owners owned the players in each of the last two CBAs so much that they MUST give back some of their gains if they hope to avoid a strike. Again, you can say the players did a poor job negotiating (they did), but pragmatically speaking, that doesn’t really matter. We, the fans, don’t want a strike, the owners shouldn’t want a strike, and the players certainly don’t want to strike. So just spare us the misery and return to the table in good faith. “Winning” the negotiations don’t mean much if you beat your negotiating partner so hard they want to go home.
  • I’m all for any changes to the game, I think Nate Silver is pretty smart, and I don’t doubt any of his data, but I just don’t see this happening … ever:
  • Instead of limiting the number of pitchers on a roster to 10, I think the league should move forward with a batter-minimum for relievers. You want that hard-throwing lefty to come in to face Kyle Schwarber? Well, he’s got to face Javy Baez right after. That should help offense improve *and* improve the pace-of-play/length of game with far less drastic measures.
  • The Commissioner recently touted MLB’s apparently impressive league parity, but according to Baseball Prospectus, parity is actually on the decline.
  • Back in June, I tweeted out this gif I found on Reddit of a KBO pitcher throwing an absolutely deadly knuckle ball:
  • Turns out that pitcher, Ryan Feiraband, has made his way back to the states and into American professional baseball thanks a Minor League deal with a non-roster invitation to big league camp with the Blue Jays. Jay Jaffe has more on his impressive knuckle ball and how/why he’s slowly introduced it into his repertoire. Bring back the knuckleball!
  • Despite originally preferring shortstop, Manny Machado will return to third base for the Padres next season. And while he was a fine shortstop, don’t forget that he is an *excellent* third baseman:
  • PLEASE, PLEASE, pretty PLEASE:
  • And finally, from Baseball is Fun, check out this Little Leaguer with one arm and PLENTY of power (you might remember him as a golfing prodigy, but it seems he’s taken his talents to the diamond):
  • written by

    Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

    more cubs news

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    Latest News

    Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

    Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

    Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

    Bulls vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Chicago Bulls (35-38) hit the court against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) as 5.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under set at 214.5 points.Before you place an informed wager...

    Suns vs. Thunder Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The matchup begins at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The point total is set...

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) are 6.5-point underdogs when they host the Denver Nuggets (51-22) in a battle between the top two teams in the Western at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The...

    Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The New York Knicks (44-28) will try to continue a three-game win streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center as big, 10-point favorites. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET...

    Kings vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Dallas Mavericks (43-29) will look to Luka Doncic (first in the league scoring 33.9 points per game) when they try to beat De'Aaron Fox (eighth in the NBA with 26.5 PPG) and the Sacramento Kings (42-30) on Friday, March...

    How to Watch Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Live Stream or on TV

    On Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0) take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

    Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Cleveland Guardians (1-0), led by Jose Ramirez, visit Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the Cleveland-Oakland matchup below.When is Guardians vs. Athletics and when does...

    more cubs news