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       #Post#: 329676--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Robb
       Date: November 2, 2017, 7:29 pm
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       I'd rather give Arrietta that money, not saying I would.
       #Post#: 329677--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Bennett
       Date: November 2, 2017, 8:10 pm
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       A guy just told me that Buster Olney said on Mike and Mike this
       morning that Darvish was tipping his pitches in the series.
       #Post#: 329678--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: JeffH
       Date: November 2, 2017, 8:15 pm
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       I wouldn't mind loading up the bullpen with salaried relievers
       as long as you can identify guys that won't completely crater
       within the length of their contract.  Relief pitchers are so
       valuable and in demand that you can almost always trade them
       away without having to help pay down their contracts.
       If your farm system starts producing viable relievers that you
       want on the big league club full time and not just riding the
       Iowa shuttle, you can always make room by moving a guy or two
       via trade.
       Of course, the "identify guys that won't completely crater
       within the length of their contract" part is easier said than
       done.
       #Post#: 329679--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Deeg
       Date: November 2, 2017, 8:49 pm
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       --- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
       >
       > Only interested in Darvish if he can deliver Otani.
       >
       > Deeg do you know anything about Mike Mikolas?  He struggled
       with the Padres and Rangers but did well in Japan. This year he
       had a 9K/9 and 1.1 BB/9. With the Padres out of the pen he
       averaged 94/95 and starting for the Rangers he was 92.7. He
       could be an interesting pen/5th starter guy.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       I don't know that much about him, except that the Giants are by
       far the richest team in NPB and they don't waste rotation spots
       on hack players.  You don't put up the numbers Mikolas has in
       Japan without having decent stuff, and his velocity in NPB has
       been pretty consistent with what it was as a starter in MLB.  I
       don't think Mikolas is a guy with a true knockout pitch, but he
       throws hard enough and has developed exceptional command.
       Upside to me would be a poor man's Mike Leake.  He could be a
       decent back-end starter, but I wouldn't sign him with the
       intention of relying on him to be an anchor in the rotation by
       any means.
       In Darvish's defense, there seems to be ample evidence that the
       balls were altered in the postseason.  Verlander is certainly
       convinced - he says he literally learned a cutter on the fly
       because he didn't trust his slider enough to throw it.  For a
       guy like Darvish, who throws hard but relies heavily on tricksy
       finger action on a wide range of pitches, sliicked baseballs
       could be a real problem.  I'm not saying I'd pay him 6-$160, but
       I'd pay him more and for more years than Arrieta.  His velocity
       is still elite and he was outstanding the entire time he was
       with the Dodgers until the WS.
       #Post#: 329680--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: CUBluejays
       Date: November 2, 2017, 8:58 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       According to Edwardo Perez there was some hand movement in his
       glove that tipped his pitches. The Dodgers supposedly fixed
       another tipping issue when they got him.
       #Post#: 329682--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Deeg
       Date: November 2, 2017, 10:05 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Tipping his pitches wouldn't explain how flat Darvish's breaking
       stuff was, though.
       #Post#: 329683--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: craig
       Date: November 2, 2017, 10:10 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Smooth ball also wouldn't explain why he was way, way, way, way,
       way worse than anybody else who pitched in the series.
       #Post#: 329685--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: CUBluejays
       Date: November 2, 2017, 11:15 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Could be a combo of fatigue, the ball and tipping his pitches.
       It just doesn’t have to be 1 thing.
       I am generally against giving post TJS guys multiple years and
       $100+ million.
       #Post#: 329686--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: Deeg
       Date: November 2, 2017, 11:33 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: craig link ---
       >
       > Smooth ball also wouldn't explain why he was way, way, way,
       way, way worse than anybody else who pitched in the series.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Lots of guys were worse pitchers in the series than they had
       been before, especially on the Dodgers.  And I would argue that
       Darvish is more of a "feel" pitcher than almost anyone else in
       baseball.
       #Post#: 329707--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '18
   DIR By: craig
       Date: November 3, 2017, 12:41 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       INteresting to compare the core position groups.
       Houston: Springer, Bergman, Altuve, Correa, and Gonzalez.
       That's a REALLY good core.
       Cubs:  Rizzo, Bryant, Contreras, Russell, Baez, Schwarber,
       Almora, Happ, Heyward.  That's actually a longer collection of
       young position players.
       The extra volume of guys could hypothetically make that a better
       core for the Cubs.
       But Houston has 5 really, really good hitters, maybe 4 if you
       don't want to include Marwin.
       Not sure if the Cubs will have more than 3 really good hitters.
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