*****Official Cubs 2024 Thread 🪦*****
- Thread starter QChawks
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With the increasing number of playoff teams now it's critical that the Cubs win some of the season series against potential playoff teams. They got hurt last year in the tie breaking scenarios, particularly the Diamondbacks, Marlins, and Reds. There may have been another.
If the Cubs are looking at a tie-breaker scenario with the Dodgers in late September, then they will have had a hell of a season.
At least a Cubs win today might apply a little salve to my inflamed Hawkeye fandom. The tarp is off.
A series win against the Dodgers is just what the doctor ordered
Lost in all the runs yesterday, Palencia came in and tossed 3 effective innings after a long rain delay, on a day before a long road trip starts. I have high hopes for Palencia to stick around when Merryweather returns. One more crap showing and Cuas probably gets replaced by Edwards Jr.
The Cubs are scouting Japanese ace Roki Sasaki, who most likely will be posted after this season. The 22 year old will not be a true FA, and will be subject to the vagaries of IFA money. As mentioned in this article, the Dodgers loom as the favorites given their ability to find ways around how players are paid.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/04/08/cubs-scouting-roki-sasaki/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/04/08/cubs-scouting-roki-sasaki/
Blowing an 8-0 lead after 5 innings is devastating. I believe though that Counsell will get this squared away ASAP.
I sure hope so. The hot garbage our bullpen was in Sept was blamed on fatigue and chronic misuse. Can't have those excuses now. This is lookin' like a 4-alarm bullpen emergency we have on our hands. Not a single shut-down guy in the pen and every single guy has been hit hard except Leiter, whom I considered the possibly weakest link coming into the season, and maybe Smyly. Gotta figure it out....fast.
Bullpens are notoriously volatile early in the season, but Cuas has to be on a short leash. The 40 man will quickly need to be adjusted, because you only have Wesneski and Thompson at Iowa available to come up, and Wesneski has to be the break glass if needed guy if another starter is injured. Michael Arias is at AA, and he isn't coming up. Edwards Jr is the clear choice to be added and given a shot if Almonte or Cuas are demoted. If this were June I'd say Horton comes up if he's doing well, but it's too early.
Anyone on the market available? Can Bauer be a closer. He could walk out to a certain NIN song
I’ll be surprised if Cuas isn’t optioned for Wesneski today. I had heard reports that Hayden was in the Cubs dugout last night.
Not much on the market right now unless the Cubs get desperate and overpay. We’re 10 games in and even bad teams aren’t going to start selling yet. As for Bauer, just GTFO with that. He’s the last guy they need.
That could be something, but I think a lot of teams have started to have an extra guy travel with the team in case of an emergency, especially on long road trips. I know the Cubs have made a move on their roster, kept the guy they "demoted" with the team, and then brought him right back to the active roster if another guy gets injured. The Cubs are on the West Coast for over a week, and the I-Cubs are in St. Paul tonight. If you lose a guy in tonight's game you are really pushing it to get a guy on a plane and to San Diego/Seattle/Phoenix in time to help for the next game.
Cuas is certainly at risk for being optioned, but I think he's safe on the 40-man, given that he has another option year after this and has an unusual delivery that the team could really use if he can get polished. When it comes to decision time, I think K. Thompson is much higher risk for DFA, followed by Almonte (both very high chance of non-tender after 2024 anyway). I agree that CJE will likely be needed sooner than later; likely before the AS break.
Hopefully Brown looks a lot more like his last appearance tonight and not like his first....
He didn't have a role, but every time I see Cuas I think of Nelson Velazquez mashing homers for the Royals. That really wasn't a good trade for the Cubs.
3 blown saves from BEDNAR so far, the last one today in the 9th against Detroit.
I know Bednar has blown 3, but I think they might have wound up winning one of those games. They’ve played a Charmin-soft schedule, though.
Just like last night, I’m going to bed. Cubs are up with a nice lead. We’ll see what tomorrow morning brings.
