JUSTgottaBELIEVE

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 30, 2015 -> 07:27 AM) 91 innings in 5 plus seasons? That's hardly an established pattern, it's not even half a normal season workload. I'm sure his numbers would be better, but given the grind and ups and downs of a full season and NL teams seeing him more, I don't think you can just assume a sub 2 ERA. That rarely happens as it is. Kershaw has done it in each of the prior two seasons and has a good chance of doing it again this season. In my opinion, Sale is just as good as Kershaw so I certainly can assume he'd replicate Kershaws numbers if he pitched in the NL. Sale's career statistics against the NL even if they only amount to ~half a seasons worth further support this argument.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 29, 2015 -> 09:45 PM) So his ERA would drop in half with a switch to the NL? And by your math Sonny Gray would have a 1.10 ERA in the NL? Doubtful. Didn't say all AL pitchers, just Chris Sale. How do you explain his sub 2 career ERA against the NL while his career ERA against the AL is around 3? This year there is an even greater disparity between his AL vs NL numbers. Coincidence or established pattern?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 29, 2015 -> 07:56 PM) He also missed any NL teams when he was in his 2 rough stretches. That can happen by chance too. If he'd hit an NL team in early April or late July his numbers could look a lot worse. Nah, I'm confident his ERA would be below 2 in the NL this year. He has a career ERA of below 2 against the NL. I don't think that's a mere coincidence or by chance. Plus imagine roughly half of those games were at home with a DH, imagine if all games but interleague road games were played without a DH. Yea I'm thinking an ERA around 1.6-1.8 if he pitched in the NL this year.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Aug 29, 2015 -> 12:35 PM) Grienke esque Yup, without a doubt. 1.20 ERA in 30 innings against the NL this year and of those 4 starts 3 were against NL playoff teams (Cubs and Cards). The numbers Sale would put up in the NL would be video game worthy.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Aug 29, 2015 -> 11:53 AM) Sale is better than Bum and Ker. I don't think their unbeatable but I think their offense is way better than the cubs. Sale would have a sub 2 ERA in the NL

Vegas certainly isn't buying into this Cubs team. Odds to win the series are worse now than they were before the season started.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Aug 19, 2015 -> 10:14 PM) There are no more type A B or C free agents. So how does it work? As long as the sox make a qualifying offer and he rejects the sox are compensated with the signing teams first round pick?

Anyone know the answer to my question?

Will shark still be considered a Type A free agent after this horrendous season he's having?

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 11:49 AM) Nope it's all luck. The Cubs haven't won anything in the last 100 years and it's clearly because they're not winners. 2005. Blah blah blah. When did our fanbase become so obnoxiously predictable? And yet sox fans are supposed to blindly buy into the hype surrounding all their young players? Let's at least see these guys prove it over the course of a full major league season before anointing them the next dynasty. With the Cubs, I will certainly take the side of them repeating their historic futility over the likelihood of them becoming the "next cardinals."

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 02:42 PM) Dude, there's been, like, 47 no-hitters/perfect games in the last five years. It's not even a big deal anymore. But striking out 20 doesn't happen every day. In fact it's only ever happened 3 times in baseball history. Now that would be special.

Sale >>> bryant

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 02:42 PM) Dude, there's been, like, 47 no-hitters/perfect games in the last five years. It's not even a big deal anymore. As a sox fan against this Cubs team it would be

I said it before no way he's pulled in the midst of a no-no. Not a chance robin takes away potentially the only moment sox fans will remember from 2015 especially given the opponent.

F'n filthy! Sit down chubby

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 02:15 PM) And when Samardija was on the Cubs, he was supposedly the best pitcher in Chicago. Yea no kidding. I can't even imagine if sale pitched for the Cubs my lord

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 02:15 PM) Shhh! Sorry I don't believe in jinxes

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 02:12 PM) 58 pitches so he's got a chance at going ~8 at this rate. If he keeps at this rate he's going 9, especially if a no hitter and/or 20 K's are a possibility.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Aug 16, 2015 -> 02:12 PM) Chris Sale is the best pitcher in the league. No biased, just stating fact. But but I thought Arrieta was the best pitcher in Chicago!?!?

Holy s***, we may all be witnesses to something special here

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Aug 15, 2015 -> 11:09 PM) That was before we knew what "stacked for a decade" meant. The Cardinals are the model, and the Cubs have copied it to a T. Given, they're not very far into it, but don't be surprised if the Cubs we see now continue to move and rotate MLB talent and replace them with the next big blue chip draft pick. Just look at the Cardinals. It's like whoever puts their darn cap on is suddenly just good. The Cubs and Astros are headed that way, it seems. Copied it to a T? This is the first year since 2008 that the Cubs will make the playoffs and there's a good chance they are knocked out after a single game. Talk to me when they have made the playoffs 7 out of the next 10 years and have 2 or 3 World Series under their belts. Only then can we entertain the thought of comparing the Cubs to the Cardinals in any way.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 15, 2015 -> 08:55 PM) Cubs might be the second best team in the NL and most of their core group has green dicks. What happens when Soler's and Russell's offense catches up to their D? My goodness. At least with the Cubs arrival we can bump a damn hockey team from being the class of the city. Remember back in 2003 when the Cubs were stacked for the next decade? A rotation of prior, wood, and zambrano! Young studs in aramis Ramirez, Corey Patterson, and bobby hill! Yea... Let's let this thing play out first. A lot can happen between now and the next 10 years. Cubs, like the white sox, don't exactly have the best track record of prolonged success so they still have to prove it when it matters most before we crown em.

So who pitches the 1 game playoff for the Cubs? Lester or Arrieta? I assume cole will go for the Pirates.

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 6, 2015 -> 06:47 AM) DON'T QUESTION FANGRAPHS OR THE SECRET SERVICE WILL COME KNOCKIN!!! They do a great job but many people blindly swear to the numbers without taking a step back to see if some of the numbers even make sense.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Aug 5, 2015 -> 11:04 PM) First of all a 2.2 WAR difference is huge. Secondly, even with Bryant's offense going into the toilet the last 4-6 weeks he's still the 5th best offensive 3B in the game overall this season, and he's getting a ton of value from his baserunning. Fangraphs ranks him as the second most valuable baserunner in baseball this year behind Billy Hamilton. http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=...0&sort=18,d I'm saying it should be an even bigger difference. Bryant has roughly 11% less PAs than Donaldson so projected out with the same number of PAs Bryant would be at 3.9 and only 1.8 differential. Still size able but not near what it should be IMO. Bryant with a higher WAR than arenado? How is that even possible? Arenado is a far superior hitter and defender so I guess Bryant's Rickey Henderson like baserunning abilities make up for the difference? Ha. It's almost like fangraphs has bought into the hype and found a way to skew his numbers to match the hype.