As a purveyor of online content, it is my duty and obligation to highlight Cyber Monday deals, where I am currently flipping through everything at Amazon today. It’s a *lot.* Good opportunity to load up on PlayDoh, board games, and Legos, it appears (parent vibes). Thanks as always for indulging us when we share these things, because when you shop via our links, it can support BN with a commission. We are super grateful to get to do what we do, but we also have to keep the lights on.
Bullets …
I have never been one to get into the Cubs and White Sox comparisons, which at times get so exhausting and needless and tedious. But I do think this is at least a fair question, and it underscores how critical this time period is for the Cubs:
Frankly, I don’t think you can berate the experts for largely choosing the White Sox there. That’s how it *should* look after a many years process of rebuilding. Certainly the Cubs’ did! – I mean, is anyone taking the current White Sox roster/system over the Cubs’ roster/system before the 2015 season?
But back to the current era, I think the only useful point to take away here (other than it being fine and whatever that the Sox look good on paper going forward) is that the Cubs have their work cut out for them if they truly want to smooth their transition from the current window into the post-2021 future. They have talked the talk, but the maneuverings this offseason must actually do some walking. December is here. The Kris Bryant grievance should be resolved soon. The Winter Meetings are just a week away. It’s time to get moving.
(To be sure, I still love what the Cubs have done organizationally this offseason. Just great hires after great hires. And that absolutely matters. But … like I said. It’s December. There are so many broad organizational needs on the player side (majors and minors). It’s time.)
Buster Olney suggests MLB may be implementing a rule change to pick-offs – lefties, like righties, would have to break contact with the rubber when making a pick-off throw to first base (the thinking being that it would encourage more running by way of larger leads). I’d be fine with it in large part because enforcement of the balk rule against lefties is already a joke, but I’m not sure how much of a difference it would actually make. I do dig that MLB wants to see the running game get a boost after years of decline thanks to the obvious realization that it’s just not worth a steal attempt unless you’re succeeding at a 75% clip. Steal attempts are fun, so if there are ways to encourage more, I’m into it.
I love how much this compliments Brailyn Marquez, however:
Anyone else see the however? Among ALL the other names on both of those lists, only Cory Abbott, Adbert Alzolay, and Yovany Cruz are locks to still be with the Cubs organization next year (absent a trade). Most of the others are already gone, and the rest could well be let go before the offseason is up. Matt Swarmer, who is Rule 5 eligible and was not given serious consideration to be added to the Cubs’ 40-man roster, is very likely to return, but he’d need to take significant steps forward to be a big league option. So, in reality, those lists by Bryan are … not encouraging?
But I guess the positive/hopeful spin is so much of the Cubs’ best pitching talent has come only in the last few years, and thus is lower level, and thus is not of the type making long enough starts to rack up a ton of whiffs (Marquez is just a freak on that front). Boy, that sounds awfully thin as I type it. Organization needs a huge year in 2020, and frankly, needs to keep bringing in outside talent.
Love this:
Cyber Monday is here! Deals:
Oh, hey, so this made me cry at Starbucks this morning in front of folks who wondered what was wrong with me:
NEWSLETTER
