Chicago Cubs

[SquirrelGrip]

I love my Cubs and anyone who followed their 2016 World Series win witnessed arguably more drama and romance than the Bulldogs. But this morning I wake up numb with the savage ruthlessness of American professional sport.

In the last 48 hours, they have traded out club legends Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez, plus their best relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel. on top of that, their World Series winning pitcher Jon Lester who they had already traded out has now been recruited by their arch rivals the St Louis Cardinals.

To give an AFL comparison (I’ll use the Tigers rather than the Bulldogs as it would make me too upset), it’s the equivalent of losing Dusty, Shai Bolton, Jack Riewoldt, and Nankervis to clubs like West Coast and Geelong for a handful of last year’s second round draft picks who are currently running around in the VFL. Add to that an in-form Alex Rance deciding to now play for an up and about Collingwood team.

It’s heartbreaking for fans.

Having said all of that, because it’s so normal for this to happen in US sport, the Cubs posted this fantastic thank you video for Rizzo.

[comrade]

Re: Chicago Cubs

I love my Cubs and anyone who followed their 2016 World Series win witnessed arguably more drama and romance than the Bulldogs. But this morning I wake up numb with the savage ruthlessness of American professional sport.

In the last 48 hours, they have traded out club legends Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez, plus their best relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel. on top of that, their World Series winning pitcher Jon Lester who they had already traded out has now been recruited by their arch rivals the St Louis Cardinals.

To give an AFL comparison (I’ll use the Tigers rather than the Bulldogs as it would make me too upset), it’s the equivalent of losing Dusty, Shai Bolton, Jack Riewoldt, and Nankervis to clubs like West Coast and Geelong for a handful of last year’s second round draft picks who are currently running around in the VFL. Add to that an in-form Alex Rance deciding to now play for an up and about Collingwood team.

It’s heartbreaking for fans.

Why have they done that?

[SquirrelGrip]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Why have they done that?

Essentially they start their rebuild as soon as they think they aren’t challenging for the World Series again. The Nationals have done something similar. Trade players out whilst they still have value (a couple of weeks ago, Bryant was a starter in the All-Star game). It would be a bit like Hawthorn trading out Hodge, Mitchell and Roughhead as soon as they lost that final to us.

The minor league pool is a lot bigger than our VFL pool here, so there are some real potential superstars not yet getting a game in the majors.

And the season still has plenty to run. All of these guys could have a significant impact in the teams they are going to and could win the World Series this year.

Imagine us recruiting Todd Goldstein at this stage of the season and giving North Dom Bedendo, Riley Garcia, $ and a draft pick.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Absolute demolition. I’ll never forget 2016 and the fairytale that closely followed our triumph only a month later. But it was time to blow it all up. The team was underperforming and after a decent middle first half of the season, the wheels have well and truly fallen off. I think I’m US sports, with so much player movement, they view a complete clean slate as the fastest way to compete again.

By the way, does Chicago1 post here anymore?

[comrade]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Essentially they start their rebuild as soon as they think they aren’t challenging for the World Series again. The Nationals have done something similar. Trade players out whilst they still have value (a couple of weeks ago, Bryant was a starter in the All-Star game). It would be a bit like Hawthorn trading out Hodge, Mitchell and Roughhead as soon as they lost that final to us.

The minor league pool is a lot bigger than our VFL pool here, so there are some real potential superstars not yet getting a game in the majors.

And the season still has plenty to run. All of these guys could have a significant impact in the teams they are going to and could win the World Series this year.

Imagine us recruiting Todd Goldstein at this stage of the season and giving North Dom Bedendo, Riley Garcia, $ and a draft pick.

Yeah, that makes sense but certainly isn't easy for the fans to digest. I did a bit of digging on Twitter and Cubs fans are not OK! Especially with Rizzo leaving, they loved him. Would be kind of like Bont leaving us which would be unfathomable.

[SquirrelGrip]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Yeah, that makes sense but certainly isn't easy for the fans to digest. I did a bit of digging on Twitter and Cubs fans are not OK! Especially with Rizzo leaving, they loved him. Would be kind of like Bont leaving us which would be unfathomable.

Yes I tried to avoid using the Bulldogs equivalent because I can’t imagine us dealing well with that at all.

In MLB there is no salary cap, but instead a Luxury Tax if a team pays over a set amount. Over the years, the NY Yankees have paid over $350 million in the tax alone, compared to Cubs $11m in the same period. The Yankees are happy to pay whatever it takes to get the best players there. Like Geelong, they never rebuild. The Cubs don’t really want spend exorbitant money on their three best who in the next year are facing free agency or contract renewal. They’d rather save the cash if they aren’t challenging then spend big when they are in the hunt. 2016 was one of the two years the Cubs actually paid the Luxury Tax for exactly that reason.

Because the AFL has a minimum spend in its salary cap, so Clubs do need to have a few to spend the money on.

[The Underdog]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Shut up. I’m not listening….

[comrade]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Yes I tried to avoid using the Bulldogs equivalent because I can’t imagine us dealing well with that at all.

In MLB there is no salary cap, but instead a Luxury Tax if a team pays over a set amount. Over the years, the NY Yankees have paid over $350 million in the tax alone, compared to Cubs $11m in the same period. The Yankees are happy to pay whatever it takes to get the best players there. Like Geelong, they never rebuild. The Cubs don’t really want spend exorbitant money on their three best who in the next year are facing free agency or contract renewal. They’d rather save the cash if they aren’t challenging then spend big when they are in the hunt. 2016 was one of the two years the Cubs actually paid the Luxury Tax for exactly that reason.

Because the AFL has a minimum spend in its salary cap, so Clubs do need to have a few to spend the money on.

Could the Cubs got better deals if they waited or was it a now or never type fire sale?

[The Underdog]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Could the Cubs got better deals if they waited or was it a now or never type fire sale?

Today was the end of the trade deadline for the season so now or never. Most of them are out of contract after the season.

[comrade]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Today was the end of the trade deadline for the season so now or never. Most of them are out of contract after the season.

Damn, such a shame. I got swept up in that 2016 run, it was incredible to watch it unfold.

That footage of Kris Bryant crying in the dugout after he got the call he was traded was *!*!*!*!ing brutal.

[The Underdog]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Damn, such a shame. I got swept up in that 2016 run, it was incredible to watch it unfold.

That footage of Kris Bryant crying in the dugout after he got the call he was traded was *!*!*!*!ing brutal.

It all sounds harsh and it is an absolute crying shame to lose 3 of our greats. For reference, I wore my Cubs Rizzo jersey for all 4 of the Dogs 2016 finals, including to the GF. I love him, an absolute heart and soul player. Intellectually though, the moves make sense (emotionally they're a nightmare, but we move on).
Rizzo, Baez and Bryant were all out of contract at the end of this season. Apparently they were all offered contracts to re-sign (what those contracts were, who knows, but the Cubs GM says he thinks they were fair offers). The reality is that Bryant was always the least likely to sign on again and will probably get a contract in the $30-$40 million per year range. Rizzo, is a brilliant first basemen but has shown signs of some regression at the plate as he goes towards his early 30's. Again, he probably was looking at around a $20 million per year commitment.
Baez is a genius fielder and one of the smartest players I've seen. He has however reached his ceiling as a hitter and that is a streaky power guy who swings at nearly anything. Again, I'd watch him play forever, but the truth is that the Cubs batting lineup has been. He's probably going to get around $30 mill per year.
The honest truth is that the Cubs, as magical as 2016 was (and 2015 & 2017 to a lesser extent) needed to re-tool their depleted farm system and had been spinning they wheels on the field for a while.
There is a possibility that at least one of them re-signs as a free agent (Bryant is the best case from an on field perspective / Rizzo from a leadership one) but while it hurts it was somewhat inevitable.

Everything ends.

[comrade]

Re: Chicago Cubs

It all sounds harsh and it is an absolute crying shame to lose 3 of our greats. For reference, I wore my Cubs Rizzo jersey for all 4 of the Dogs 2016 finals, including to the GF. I love him, an absolute heart and soul player. Intellectually though, the moves make sense (emotionally they're a nightmare, but we move on).
Rizzo, Baez and Bryant were all out of contract at the end of this season. Apparently they were all offered contracts to re-sign (what those contracts were, who knows, but the Cubs GM says he thinks they were fair offers). The reality is that Bryant was always the least likely to sign on again and will probably get a contract in the $30-$40 million per year range. Rizzo, is a brilliant first basemen but has shown signs of some regression at the plate as he goes towards his early 30's. Again, he probably was looking at around a $20 million per year commitment.
Baez is a genius fielder and one of the smartest players I've seen. He has however reached his ceiling as a hitter and that is a streaky power guy who swings at nearly anything. Again, I'd watch him play forever, but the truth is that the Cubs batting lineup has been. He's probably going to get around $30 mill per year.
The honest truth is that the Cubs, as magical as 2016 was (and 2015 & 2017 to a lesser extent) needed to re-tool their depleted farm system and had been spinning they wheels on the field for a while.
There is a possibility that at least one of them re-signs as a free agent (Bryant is the best case from an on field perspective / Rizzo from a leadership one) but while it hurts it was somewhat inevitable.

Everything ends.

Yeah, sounds like tough decisions that needed to be made were made. Painful as hell for the fans but the guys we love can't play forever.

[Topdog]

Re: Chicago Cubs

They have been in free fall for the past month so kind of makes sense but as a fan that must suck

[The Pie Man]

Re: Chicago Cubs

Rizzo homered in his first Yankees game too…

It absolutely sucks (I’m also a Cubs fan) but some of the prospects coming our way are impressive.

Losing Chafin, Tepera & Kimbrel….ugh…but then seeing Rodriguez hit 100 in his MLB debut earlier today.

Patrick Wisdom’s power hitting is amazing.

I can fool myself that we can still be competitive but our starting pitching sucks and it’ll be a while until that can get any better.

Rough few days. Probably feels a little like Collingwood fans felt losing Treloar, but 3 times over.