Lowest
Common
Denominator
- Ogilthorpe2

Math has never been one of my strong points...

Where there is hope there is a life giving ever lasting ray of excitement
.
Good looking young talent. Band aid approach and expensive too with some off season moves. Your
pitching analysis cannot be called inaccurate but you do see some talent and hope for growth.. Giolittlo & Keuchel overrated perhaps but you feel real shaky with Kimbrel on the north side.

Tell you this too: seems there is a trend to compile line up with more and more power hitters. Lots of HR thumpers. The White Sox and Cubs are fueling that approach..Try to win with some thunder coming from power arns and power bats. Good for an above average record. Not going to World Series though

.
- jhawk59

Before anyone picks on Hahn for constructing the roster the way it is, I am pretty sure Boston would like the Sale for Moncada and Kopech trade back, The Nationals would like Giolito, Lopez and Dunning back for Eaton as many games as he has missed and The Cubs JFC where do you start with the Quintana trade! That trade's looking like Esposito and Hodge to Boston for Pit Martin. Another Lou Brock trade.

Hahn's not Stan Bowman there's no Brent Seabrook on this team.

Before anyone picks on Hahn for constructing the roster the way it is, I am pretty sure Boston would like the Sale for Moncada and Kopech trade back, The Nationals would like Giolito, Lopez and Dunning back for Eaton as many games as he has missed and The Cubs JFC where do you start with the Quintana trade!

Hahn's not Stan Bowman there's no Brent Seabrook on this team.
- rpeters01

Oh for sure Hahn has done a good job. You just have to realize that some prospects fizzle and pitching arms are delicate. He has improved the team and has top young talent. A lot to like. I never meant to criticize Hahn. But not overly optimistic either with some of the talent on the White Sox.

Oh for sure Hahn has done a good job. You just have to realize that some prospects fizzle and pitching arms are delicate. He has improved the team and has top young talent. A lot to like. I never meant to criticize Hahn. But not overly optimistic either with some of the talent on the White Sox.
- jhawk59

8 years or whatever and the genius Epstein has yet to develop his first starting pitcher. A blind man throwing darts could hit that target better.

8 years or whatever and the genius Epstein has yet to develop his first starting pitcher. A blind man throwing darts could hit that target better.
- rpeters01

That and also just picture how good the Cubs lineup could be right now with Eloy, Soler, and Torres. The ones that got away...

That and also just picture how good the Cubs lineup could be right now with Eloy, Soler, and Torres. The ones that got away...
- SimpleJack

I won't find fault with Soler. Soler just could not stay healthy as a Cub and then.of course many prospects came along and have earned their accolade. Soler is probably going to achieve the numbers each season approximate to last season. He will not improve upon gaudy stats both HR/RBI as well as a reduction in K and better BA. Which is OK if you live with an entire line up along the line of such production. Either Schwarber or Soler was bound to break out. But not both as Cubs.

If you goal is to find fault with Theo Epstein's track record, the great Theo has overlooked the talent in front of his nose when he traded prospects for more immediate help..So heck yes Theo blew some trades. Notably Torres. But overall Theo has done a good job. Won a World Series and vanquished the Bartman and billygoat. But he hasn't developed much pitching, however, and this is where his team really needs to have found one or two plus arms.

One player under the radar whom he let go, has gone on to win MVP and best defense at his position.
Tell me you aren't scratching your head for a while as you mumble, whom exactly is this player.
Cough. None other than LeMahieu formerly Rockies now a Yankee.

I won't find fault with Soler. Soler just could not stay healthy as a Cub and then.of course many ptospects came along and have earned their accolade. Soler is probably going to achieve the numbers each season approximate to let season. He will not improve upon gaudy stats both HR/RBI as well as a reduction in K and better BA. Which is OK if you live with an entire line up along the line of such production. Either Schwarber or Soler was bound to break out. But not both as Cubs.

The great Theo has overlooked the talent in front of his nose when he traded prospects for .ore immediate help..So heck yes Theo blew some trades. But overall Theo has done a good job. Won a World Series and vanquished the Bartman and billygoat. But he hasn't developed much pitching, however, and this is where his team really needs to have found one or two plus arms.

One player under the radar whom he let go, has gone on to win MVP and best defense at his position.
Tell me you aren't scratching your head for a while as you mumble, whom exactly is this player.
Cough. None other than LeMahieu formerly Rockies now a Yankee.
- jhawk59

Can't fault the Torres for Chapman trade either. Still waiting for a World Series without that trade. They had Baez and Russell both to play shortstop then. Russell I think won a silver slugger his first full year? Maybe not IDK but he was looking really good. And they have Hoerner now as a potential future SS. The guy at Triple A who was hurt and the reason they had to call Hoerner up the end of last year is supposedly no slouch either. Minor leaguers will be overlooked this year without their season.

There are some great candidates on the RTP roster who could create an excellent 4th line, i.e. Entwistle centering Highmore and Hagel.

Johnson, Soderlund, and Barratt are ones to watch, too.

Hagel and Barratt have higher ceilings, though, and could earn middle 6 roles if their pro development actualizes.
- AEL_Fox

I'd go with that next year.

But there has been a DH for an entire year worse than a pitcher could hit!
Adam Dunn, CWS in 2011 hit .159 177 strike outs. The next year he got his average up to .204 with 222 strike outs.
- rpeters01

One of only a couple of times (I haven’t seen an recent list) that a player had more strikeouts than batting average. Hard to do.

The problem with baseball is not hitting, it’s the kind of hitting - and what happens when they don’t get a hit.

More strike outs than base hits.

36.1% of all plate appearances (that’s over 1/3) end up in a “true outcome” - a walk, strike out, HBP, or HR - ball isn’t put in play so a fielder has to make a play. That’s up from 28.1% in 1980, and 23.7% in 1955/( when I started watching the game).

Chicks may dig the long ball - baseball fans dig fielding, throwing, running as well.

that face you make when when you sign in in the morning and see there are 3 pages of unread comments ... only to then realize 90% of them are about baseball. I guess the good news is at least they weren't about politics.

BTW - I watched a couple periods of the EDM-CAL game yesterday and it was strikingly different than the Hawks scrimmages I watched the last week - mostly because there was HITTING. Ooo-doggy there was some animosity on display between the two hated Alberta rivals, probably not too different than there will be today when the Hawks play the Blues ... hopefully the Hawks respond appropriately and it doesn't turn into the hitter Blues against the hittee Hawks.

BTW - I watched a couple periods of the EDM-CAL game yesterday and it was strikingly different than the Hawks scrimmages I watched the last week - mostly because there was HITTING. Ooo-doggy there was some animosity on display between the two hated Alberta rivals, probably not too different than there will be today when the Hawks play the Blues ... hopefully the Hawks respond appropriately and it doesn't turn into the hitter Blues against the hittee Hawks.
- EbonyRaptor

The “fear” is that the Blues - going into a reasonably meaningless round robin seeding stretch that they can use for training games - won’t provide a truly competitive experience for the Hawks.

The game isn’t as important to them.

The “fear” is that the Blues - going into a reasonably meaningless round robin seeding stretch that they can use for training games - won’t provide a truly competitive experience for the Hawks.

The game isn’t as important to them.
- StLBravesFan

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the Blues?

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the Blues?
- Ogilthorpe2

Yeah - but I thought you were talking about the music....

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the Blues?
- Ogilthorpe2

Where would you rank your hatred for the Blues relative to other past and present rival teams? For me, the hatred I had for the Wings years ago is still at the top of the charts. I would even put the Northstars from years ago ahead of the current Blues. I would put the Preds right there with the Blues, maybe giving the Blues an ever so slight edge over the Nashville Hillrods.

that face you make when when you sign in in the morning and see there are 3 pages of unread comments ... only to then realize 90% of them are about baseball. I guess the good news is at least they weren't about politics.
- EbonyRaptor

I can relate!

Where would you rank your hatred for the Blues relative to other past and present rival teams? For me, the hatred I had for the Wings years ago is still at the top of the charts. I would even put the Northstars from years ago ahead of the current Blues. I would put the Preds right there with the Blues, maybe giving the Blues an ever so slight edge over the Nashville Hillrods.
- EbonyRaptor

Wings hatred will burn forever here. Canucks too because of their fans. The two other teams that I still just love to see lose are the Kings and Bruins.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the Blues?
- Ogilthorpe2

Where would rank your hatred for the Blues vs your hatred of the DH, Vegas and football?

Where would you rank your hatred for the Blues relative to other past and present rival teams? For me, the hatred I had for the Wings years ago is still at the top of the charts. I would even put the Northstars from years ago ahead of the current Blues. I would put the Preds right there with the Blues, maybe giving the Blues an ever so slight edge over the Nashville Hillrods.
- EbonyRaptor

I went to college in Missouri with hoards of obnoxious Blues fans, so they are the top of my hate list.

Them winning the cup was pretty much the worst sports moment of my life.

Where would rank your hatred for the Blues vs your hatred of the DH, Vegas and football?
- tvetter

Blues
DH
Vegas
...
...
...
...
...
Bruce Springsteen
...
...
...
....
Football (which I used to love, I just hate what it’s become)

Yeah - but I thought you were talking about the music....
- StLBravesFan

I’m not a dedicated connoisseur, but I do enjoy most of the usual suspects...Buddy Guy, BB King, Muddy Waters, Elmore James etc

Looking at the roster, I'm been thinking about Nylander. I wonder if he realizes this is his best shot at making a name for himself. There are still a lot of NHL fans that hear Nylander and only think of his brother in Toronto. He is playing with Strome and Kane on the unit that will be getting prime offensive chances and deployment. The guy has skills and ability but we all know it's been a bit of a lack of intensity. Taking a step away from the actual outcome of the series, I just wonder if we'll see more of his potential.

I think with the flat cap and depending on other factors, Nylander could end up being a cap casualty after next season. I would love to see him drive up his value with a great showing here. I'm not saying I want him gone really, just that I think he could be the odd man out.

For $40 / car, you can go to the drive-in theater at Lincoln Yards to watch games 2 and 3 of the Blackhawks play-in series against Edmonton:

https://blockclubchicago....n-yards-drive-in-theater/

Looking at the roster, I'm been thinking about Nylander. I wonder if he realizes this is his best shot at making a name for himself. There are still a lot of NHL fans that hear Nylander and only think of his brother in Toronto. He is playing with Strome and Kane on the unit that will be getting prime offensive chances and deployment. The guy has skills and ability but we all know it's been a bit of a lack of intensity. Taking a step away from the actual outcome of the series, I just wonder if we'll see more of his potential.

I think with the flat cap and depending on other factors, Nylander could end up being a cap casualty after next season. I would love to see him drive up his value with a great showing here. I'm not saying I want him gone really, just that I think he could be the odd man out.
- breadbag

Aren't going to be any increases in salary on this team whether the player deserves it or not. Just not possible. Same goes for basically every other team. It's going to be take what's offered and you'll like it. Nylander specifically, the kid is still only 21. He's not going to magically improve over a Covid19 shut down.

Math has never been one of my strong points...
- SimpleJack

3/16 & 7/24


GCF = 8

LCM = 48

Least common denominator = 48