Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Padres

 

The San Diego Padres were 67-49 on August 10th, in decent playoff position, looking for a Wild Card spot that would likely be against the Dodgers. In the games that followed, the Padres yeeted themselves out of playoff competition, struggled to re-plant themselves as Fernando Tatis played games in the outfield, and signed the death warrant for Jayce Tingler. 

What happened? The Giants and Dodgers were better, and the cracks in this team just made themselves even clearer, despite some good trade deadline moves. 

Wil Myers is the longest tenured member of this team. This was his age-30 season, and he had some pretty pedestrian numbers after being a solid piece of the team for so long. In 146 games he hit .256 with 63 RBIs and 17 homers. 

2022 Prediction: For the last year on his contract, will end up on another club by the end of the year.

Jurickson Profar was re-upped after a successful 2020 campaign, and responded with a slight step down, hitting .227 with 80 hits in 127 games. His contact numbers have buckled, and he's found less and less space to really succeed in San Diego.

2022 Prediction: Has much fuller and consistent numbers off the bench next year. 

Tommy Pham still is chasing his Cardinals and Rays numbers, but had an improved 2021, with a 1.4 WAR, 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. Pham's ability to hit for average has diluted a great deal, and I'm not sure if he's exactly what the Padres signed up for a few years ago. 

2022 Prediction: A lower-budget signing that delivers for a middle-tier team.

In the absence of Austin Nola, Victor Caratini became the starting catcher in San Diego, after flirting with startership in Chicago. In 116 games, Caratini hit .227 with 39 RBIs and slightly subpar catching numbers. Yes, he's very much linked with Yu Darvish, but once Nola returned, he sort of faded into the back again.

2022 Prediction: Will lose even more playing time to Jorge Alfaro.

The rotation was something of a letdown this year, with only Joe Musgrove finishing with a WAR under 4.  Chris Paddack has continued his parade of letdown seasons after his 2019 come-up, this year delivering a 7-7 campaign with a 5.07 ERA. Not a great run of things.

2022 Prediction: As the rotation evolves, Paddack will be moved to the bullpen and do considerably better.

Meanwhile, 2020 playoffs call-up Ryan Weathers got 18 starts, where he had a 6.36 ERA, as well as 12 relief appearances, where he had a 2.49 ERA. I recall his father David going through a similar process in figuring out where best to be utilized before going to the pen full time.

2022 Prediction: The Padres make a decision on Ryan, and he rewards them for it.

Craig Stammen's late career renaissance continues to be astounding. In another strong year at Petco Park, Stammen had a 3.06 ERA and 83 Ks in 88 innings, along with a 1.5 WAR. For a bullpen that seems loaded every year, Stammen has been one of the surefire constants, and it's good to see him continue his strong work.

2022 Prediction: He's gonna be 38 so a few steps down, but still consistent and well-relied-upon.

Also, in his second year back from Japan, Pierce Johnson continued to be a strong bullpen option, with a 3.22 ERA and 77 Ks in 59 innings. Johnson may not have the exclamation point of his 2020 season, but he's built US consistency, and the Padres can rely on him for a bit.

2022 Prediction: More of the same, but with probably a lower ERA.

The Padres, in all their pitching woes, decided to pick up Jake Arrieta after his release from Chicago. Arrieta was putting in blah numbers with the Cubs, so they figured a change of scenery would do him good. In 4 games in San Diego, Arrieta sported a 10.95 ERA and 3 losses, and was back on the lookout very shortly afterwards.

2022 Prediction: Retirement due to lack of offers.

And a very smart trade deadline deal was getting Daniel Hudson from the Nats as their team got picked apart. Hudson was having another strong year in Washington, and ultimately his numbers hit a bit of a snag upon joining the Padres. Hudson had a 5.21 ERA with 13 earned runs, despite 27 Ks, in 19 innings.

2022 Prediction: The Dodgers get some silver-tier, not gold-tier, Hudson stuff. 

Tomorrow, some extra members of my hometown Philadelphia Phillies.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Cubs

I was at a concert in New York City the other night, some prog rock band that'd been around since the 70s or something. And they played this song called Afterglow, which I didn't even think they were gonna play since it was back with their old guitarist who's not with the band anymore [I'm really veering violently from the 'I didn't know anything about this band' conceit I set up in the first sentence], and it's a beautiful song, and regardless of how frail Phil Collins is now, he can still sing it. There's this lyric in there, it's deep as hell when you hear it live. "And now...now I've lost everything, I give to you my soul." Around the chords, it just...blows you away every time, especially live. 

And that kinda sums up the Chicago Cubs this year. I'm not saying Genesis wrote the damned song about the Cubs back in 77 or whatever, but the song fits the struggle. The Cubs lost almost their entire core- Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Craig Kimbrel and Andrew Chafin. And they had to ride out the rest of the year with whatever they had left. So they gave their soul to the contenders and walked the rest of the year is this sort of husk of a team, with lots of new players, terrible relievers and barely any resemblance to the team that won it all in 2016. It was downright depressing, and I say this as someone who watched my team beat them at home. 

It's even more depressing seeing Jason Heyward become more and more ineffective with every passing year. Heyward's 31, has played in every season since 2010, and hasn't had a season with a WAR higher than 2.5 since he was 25, in St. Louis. His run from 2010 to 2015 was glorious, and I wish the Cubs had gotten even a hint of that when they signed him for that large contract. This year, Heyward's batting numbers gave a -11 batting WAR total, leading him with a 0.4 WAR finish, on account of his decent outfield numbers and .214 average. I don't know if it's gonna get any better for him.

2022 Prediction: He loses the starting spot to a rookie.

Another remnant of the 2016 WS team came back in 2021, though it was a bit more short-lived. Jake Arrieta, like usual recently, started the season pretty strong, with some decent starts and some good energy, and slowly wore down and let his ERA raise to 6.88 with 11 losses. Eventually the Cubs would cut him, and he'd be picked up by a contender, which we'll cover in a few weeks. 

Meanwhile, one of two pitchers to no-hit a team in 2020, Alec Mills, had a much tougher go at it in a full season with a worse team. Mills had a 5.07 ERA in 32 games, only 20 of them starts, and only notched 87 Ks. 

2022 Prediction: Either he becomes a trusted starter again and leaves at the deadline or it's back to bullpen work full-time.

Another starter who flirted with bullpen work was 2020 rookie Adbert Alzolay. In his first full season, Alzolay had a 5-13 record but a 4.58 ERA, 128 Ks and a 1.162 WHIP, the lowest in the rotation.

2022 Prediction: A big season that lets him climb the ladder to ace status.

After Kris Bryant's departure, while Patrick Wisdom did take third, Matt Duffy became a more flexible infield piece, and had an underrated season overall. Duffy hit .287 with 83 hits 30 RBIs in 97 games, and added a veteran presence that was now severely lacking. While he was nowhere near as good as he was in San Francisco and early Tampa, he still was a helpful figure in a dire era of this team.

2022 Prediction: Whoever signs him won't have the intention of starting him, but he'll slide into a starting position and do very, very well.

Finally, Codi Heuer was part of the return for Craig Kimbrel from the South Side. While he may not have been the biggest name in the trade [that would be Nick Madrigal], Heuer still made the most of his 25 games for the Cubs, with a 3.14 ERA and 17 Ks, an improvement over his Sox numbers. It'll be interesting to see how he does given a full season for them.

2022 Prediction: Oh yeah, the closing position is looking kinda open, isn't it? Heuer might make a run at that.

Tomorrow, another team that needs autopsying, the 2021 Diamondbacks.

Reunions Are the New Big Thing

 2021 is looking like it will be a year of familiarity in the MLB. One of the most intriguing trends in terms of signings and acquisitions is teams getting in touch with players who used to excel for their clubs and getting them back. This was a lower key trend until the past few days, where Jake Arrieta returned to Chicago and James Paxton returned to Seattle. And now I have to look at the whole offseason from this perspective. Why are people coming back, what are they expecting to get from this, and are the fans cool with it.

Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs

Initial Impact: 5 seasons of exemplary work, a Cy Young, a no-no, a World Series, and membership into a mega-rotation that made it happen. 

Why Now?: Arrieta's three seasons in Philly have reduced him to a lower-tier, occasionally good starter, and perhaps returning to Chicago could refresh some of his memory.

Will the Fans be Receptive?: Oh yeah, they loved Arrieta in his heyday, and they weren't too betrayed when he left for Philly. They should be excited, even if Kyle Hendricks will still be the star of the show this year.

James Paxton, Seattle Mariners

Initial Impact: After some early-season struggles, became a key strikeout artist during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, notched a no-no of his own in Canada, and became a sure-to-be successor to King Felix's throne.

Why Now?: In his seasons in the Bronx, Paxton has yet to evade his ability to get injured at the absolute worst times. His 2020 was nonexistent almost, and featured several subpar starts that led to his stock dropping drastically in 2021. The Ms calling was all he needed.

Will the Fans be Receptive?: A little. They loved him then, but they know as well as anyone how unreliable he can be as far as health is concerned. 

Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox

Initial Impact: Three seasons of high-contact, impressive-defense work that made him a fan favorite despite this being the heat of the Ventura era. 

Why Now? Adam Eaton is still technically on the same page as he was in 2017 when he left, but he only really had one complete, Chicago-tier season in Washington. The rest were either injury-truncated, or very, very mediocrely 2020. So maybe he wants to see if his previous environment will call for better luck.

Will the Fans be Receptive?: Slightly, but this is an older Adam Eaton looking for playing time in an outfield consisting of Adam Engel, Leury Garcia, Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez. So he may have to DH.

Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays

Initial Impact: Archer was the prime ace after David Price's departure, having a Cy-Young-caliber season in 2015 and two ASG nominations, and keeping the Rays in the race. The unnerving thing is his current woes started about a year and a half before he left for Pittsburgh, and his ERA rising was probably one of the factors that led to trading him to Pittsburgh for some prospects that'd win them the East in 2020. 

Why Now? Archer's tenure in Pittsburgh has been mostly abhorrent. Last season, right when he was getting things together, he got injured and opted out. He needs to prove himself as a league-wide talent again, and a reunion with the Rays could help.

Will the Fans be Receptive?: Yeah, they're gonna love it for his first few starts just on a recognition factor, but unless he has some material left, he's in for a rude awakening.

Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves

Initial Impact: A rookie season in 2008, a 4-8 record with a 6+ ERA, and not much support before being shipped to Atlanta for Nate McLouth

Why Now?: Next to Rich Hill, Charlie Morton is one of the best 35 and up pitchers in baseball, and seeing as Hill just took his spot in the Rays rotation, Morton still wants to compete and continue his success alongside a rotation of kids. 

Will the Fans be Receptive?: Yes, but for reasons that have nothing to do with Morton's previous Braves tenure. Look, Braves fans are gonna get a kick out of Charlie Morton in good form pitching for their club, I don't see why they wouldn't. I don't know if anybody has any 2008-era Braves Morton jerseys, but this season may call for some fans wearing some Nike ones. 

Jason Castro, Houston Astros

Initial Impact: Castro was the Toby Hall of the post-AL-move Astros, being a solid everyday catcher for the first few years until they figured out how to compete. He was a decent starting catcher, but his decency would lead to him being in Minnesota by the time the Astros won it all.

Why Now?: Castro has bopped around a bit in the last year, split 2020 with Anaheim and San Diego, and is starting less and less games. Houston gave him a backup role, but he's still receptive.

Will the Fans be Receptive?: I think so. The real Astros fans will respect Castro for his early-2010s play and love to see him back in any capacity. The new-age Astros fans will complain that Maldonado isn't starting

Mike Minor, Kansas City Royals

Initial Impact: Mike Minor was nearly out of a career after bottoming out of Atlanta when he wound up as a relief option in KC in 2016. There he had an incredible season out of the pen, reestablished his star quality, and got the eye of Texas, who converted him back to a starter and made him a star again.

Why Now? The pixie dust has worn off, and after a disappointing 2020 split between Texas and Oakland, Minor needs to reclaim as much of his former mojo as possible, so perhaps a reunion with the team that jumpstarted the comeback will work

Will the Fans be Receptive?: Not especially. There'll be a few diehards from 2016 who'll be relieved to see Minor again, but most Royals fans will be worried that he doesn't have anything left if he's washed up on this shore. 

Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics

Initial Impact: In two different tenures with the A's, Lowrie went from bench option and infield utility player to all-star second baseman and contact aficionado, nabbing his best full-season numbers of his career as an Athletic. 

Why Now?: His Mets tenure should have been a way of telling people he could play for a true contender, but he only played 9 games in 2 seasons. The A's worked for him before, maybe they'll work again.

Will the Fans be Receptive?: Yes, they'll wanna see the old-fan favorite again, but considering how far the team has come even in 2 years, will they WANT to see Lowrie taking reps at 2nd over Tony Kemp and Chad Pinder?

So yeah, that's some interesting storylines regarding the movement to bring players back. I hope it works for all of these guys, and that former environments lead to future success. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Phillies

 

So. 

Even with Zach Wheeler, Didi Gregorius, a better manager, healthy Cutch, and both Bohm AND MONIAK UP IN THE MAJORS...the Philadelphia Phillies...STILL can't figure out how to be competitive.

It's getting infuriating. They have the team. They have basically all the necessary materials to compete. They just don't have the energy to actually stick it in. They had a wild card spot for a MONTH, and thanks to the stupidest damned mistakes and losses to teams who didn't deserve it, they lose a playoff spot to the goddamned Brewers. The Brewers, with virtually no upward momentum and a quick loss in the playoffs to LA, were a better team than the Philadelphia Phillies.

It's depressing as hell.

Anyway. Rhys Hoskins did his usual schtick of missing a few games and not hitting enough for average, but he still had 26 RBIs and 10 homers, which is not bad in a 60-game season. Not perfect, not Bryce, but he's still a welcome 1st base presence in Philly, and we need a guy like him back on his shit.

2021 Prediction: Completely back to his old tricks. 35 homers, an ASG nomination and some Home Run Derby fun, and maybe, just maybe, some PLAYOFF TIME?!?!?!?

Jean Segura had a great season this year, even if the fans around here don't seem to want to think so. Jean Segura had a few minor errors this year, and only hit .266, but he had 51 hits and 25 RBIs, and he still had some pretty solid defensive numbers, so clearly he did SOMETHING right. He's not quite where he was in Seattle, but he's still an above-replacement-level second baseman, and it is good to still have him.

2021 Prediction: Harper and Nola and Wheeler are all gonna have big seasons and y'all are gonna expect that, but Jean Segura's gonna have one of the best ones because a lot of people won't be expressly looking for it.

When the Topps card of Didi Gregorius on the Phillies came out, I texted a picture of it to my girlfriend, also a Yanks fan [I did well], and she just couldn't take it. She loves Didi, she loved him on the Yankees, and...she couldn't see him anywhere else. Even if he was happy in Philly [this photo is clearly from Spring Training, hence the people in the stands], it wasn't gonna be the same.

Thankfully, Didi had a really nice season in Philly. Didi hit .284 this year, which was the highest average of anybody who started on Opening Day [only Bohm, who came later, had higher]. He also led the team in hits with 61 and in RBIs with 40. With this abundance of great stats, it saddens me that it's looking like Didi's time in Philly might only be a yearlong stay.

2021 Prediction: He'll continue his good numbers in another city, maybe actually getting a playoff spot out of this one.

Andrew McCutchen is still one of my favorite players, and though he is beginning to go into his career decline, I'm still glad he's at least hitting in some faction for the Phillies. True, the WAR gods were not with Cutch this year, but he still hit .253 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. It was good to have Cutch back and healthy, I just wish it was slightly more statistically friendly.

2021 Prediction: Okay, last season of the three-year deal. Let's bring in some classic Cutch numbers, make us miss you in a year or so.

Speaking of three-year deals...uh, Jake Arrieta's came to a close this season, and it was another unfulfilling, not-quite-as-it-said-on-the-tin year for the former Cubs hero. Jake was slightly healthier than last year, but still pitched only 9 games, and had a 5.08 ERA with only 32 strikeouts. A sad finish to a tenure that looked so bright a few years ago.

2021 Prediction: Has a better season somewhere out of the question on a cheaper deal. 

At least Zach Eflin was there with more consistent rotation numbers for the Phils this year. Eflin's always been solid in the rotation, and this year was no exception, with a 3.97 ERA, a 4-2 record and 70 Ks [more than Wheeler!]. 

2021 Prediction: Acts as a truly tricky third man for Nola and Wheeler, and gets some accolades himself next year. 

Meanwhile...Vince Velasquez has been teasing us, in spurts, the unbeatable strikeout artist who we wanted in 2016. And once again, he instead brought us more unfortunately timed runs and losses. In 9 games, Vince had a 5.57 ERA, even with 46 Ks, but the 1.559 WHIP really makes it clear. Velasquez is giving up too many runs, spoiling too many starts, and has lost his mojo, completely.

2021 Prediction: We bring up enough people so we can finally get rid of him.

Jay Bruce, like in 2019, had some power hampered by injuries, and more so this season. In 32 games as DH, Bruce hit .198 with 14 RBIs and 6 homers. Yes, good for power, but Phil Gosselin was better for contact, AND stayed healthy. So there.

2021 Prediction: I don't know if anybody's gonna sign him, but it'll be a minor deal, spring training stint kinda deal that mayyyyybe amounts to MLB play?

Okay, so...let's be real. J.T. Realmuto's not playing for the Phils next year. I know this, you know this, JT knew this once the Phils lost again. It's not gonna happen, I've accepted it. So then, what's left at catcher? Well...judging by this season, still a pretty good piece in Andrew Knapp. Knapp was mostly hitting off the bench this year, but still hit .278 in 33 games, with 20 hits and 15 RBIs, and some solid defensive catching. I don't think we're gonna need a full starting catcher from the free agency squad if Knapp vows to be this good as a starter. 

2021 Prediction: Yeah, gets the starting gig and keeps it by continuing to hit. Please. Please...don't go back to not hitting like you did in 2019.

The Phils' bullpen was...horrible this year, so much so that even the guys they brought in from other teams to fix it did horribly. David Phelps had some sort of 10+ ERA, yeah, same with Heath Hembree. And Brandon Workman, the former strong Boston closer, had a 6.92 ERA in 14 games for the Phils. On one hand, he rescued the closing gig from the once-again-unreliable Hector Neris. But on the other, he still couldn't keep runs at bay and blew half as many saves as he won. 

2021 Prediction: Someone signs him and he gets 30 saves again. Clearly Philly was the problem.

Coming Tomorrow- HOO BOY, if you thought I was bitter about the Phils...wait til ya hear how bad things were on the other side of PA...

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Phillies

...they just can't get it done, can they?

Look, i've been hoping for these guys to bounce back after since Hoskins came up, because they've been trying really hard, and they don't deserve their rotten luck, but...for the second year in a row, they've blown a May-June lead and let countless teams, like the Braves, Nats and Mets, finish in front of them in the standings.

Cesar Hernandez's 2019 was down from his breakout 2018, but still had a 2.5 WAR, a .279 average, a team high 171 hits and a .741 OPS. Unfortunately, he also struck out 100 times. You pick and choose. He's been DFA'd due to cap space, and will likely spend 2020 on another squad.
Why Him in 2019?: One of the last few homegrown talents to excel for Philly.
2020 Prediction: I say Cleveland signs him, and he has a modest year there

 After striking out way too much in Seattle, Bruce was picked up by Philly, where he struck out only 29 times in 51 games, as opposed to his 53 strikeouts in 47 games as a Mariner. He also hit well, with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs, peaking in the midst of the bamboo phenomenon.
Why Him in 2019?: Ended the year with dignity, and a higher average
2020 Prediction: Will be used off the bench most likely, but will have more homers than he did this year.

 In a year where Andrew McCutchen, Jay Bruce and Corey Dickerson saw IL time, Adam Haseley was a smart call-up for Philly. He had a .266 average in 67 games as a Philly outfielder, and had 26 RBIs in that time.
Why Him in 2019?: Usurped Nick Williams and Roman Quinn as the wisest homegrown outfield choice.
2020 Prediction: Will have a durable, consistent sophomore season sharing the OF with Harper and Cutch.

 Jake Arrieta had a strong start this year, with a 3.46 ERA in April with 30 strikeouts, and while his numbers lessened over time, he still notched 8 wins before leaving in August with a season-ending injury.
Why Him in 2019?: A veteran presence whose absence put the rotation in disarray
2020 Prediction: A season more similar to his Cubs numbers.

 Hector Neris' Jekyll/Hyde nature continued in 2019, as he garnered 28 saves a season after losing the gig with a 5+ ERA. It's even more admirable when you consider that the job only became his after David Robertson's injury
Why Him in 2019?: Was a light spot in a mixed-up bullpen.
2020 Prediction: He'll have lost the job again by June.

 After a strong start in Queens, Jason Vargas was a smart get for the Phillies. Unfortunately, his 2018 numbers returned, and had a 5.37 ERA and a 1-4 record.
Why Him in 2019?: Made the pitching situation in Philly in August even hazier.
2020 Prediction: Will be signed to a minor league deal, and will make a few starts, but his days as a perennial opening day rotation member are over.

And my favorite move the Phils made in 2019 was trading for Corey Dickerson to help with the outfield. When Dickerson was healthy, he hit .293 with 34 RBIs. Of course, he only played 34 games in the last 2 months.
Why Him in 2019?: His injury made the Phillies gain faith in Adam Haseley
2020 Prediction: Will be an amusing starting outfielder for an out-of-the-conversation team.

Coming Tomorrow- The team Dickerson came from, who didn't fare much better.

First Place Phillies (Don't be so Shocked)

I'm going to start this post about the Philadelphia Phillies by talking about Chicago. And even though Jake Arrieta is pictured, this anecdote isn't about the Cubs.

I was at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2005, the 10-year anniversary of the White Sox' World Series victory. I mean, yes, when you do a 25-year, or a 50-year anniversary, that's fine, it's good commemoration, but what does it say about how your team's doing now if you have to roll out a 10-year anniversary? They didn't even have the biggest guns for this commemoration, because Mark Buehrle was still playing, Ozzie Guillen was blackballed from baseball, and...come to think of it, that 2005 White Sox roster didn't have the most long-lasting stars. It was a scrappy, underdog team that took down the massive Astros. They had enlisted people like Scott Podsednik, Joe Crede, Jermaine Dye. People like that, who are big in Chicago, but nowhere else.

I mention this because, in case you've forgotten, the Philadelphia Phillies won a world series 10 years ago. It was fantastic! Yes, I realize that only 4 members of that team are still in the major leagues, and one will be retiring at the end of this season, but the amount of positive momentum that team worked up for several years after was pretty incredible. Of course, by 2012 it was mostly gone, and some of the best players of those teams started leaving, culminating in...what we have now. An entirely new team of call-ups, 'player to be named later's, and signees, capitalizing on whatever momentum they can keep going.

So in 10 years, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned into the 2005 White Sox.

I think.

The Phils have the lead on the division right now, thanks to a fantastic turn by its pitching rotation, led by All-Star Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta's better numbers, and great turns from Vince Velasquez, Nick Pivetta and Zach Elfin. Heck, Enyel de los Santos is pretty great, even if there's not really any room for him right now (though at this rate, he could be a great ace for Baltimore someday). This rotation may not look like much, but it's putting out really nice numbers behind a pair of legitimate aces...kinda like the '05 White Sox.

The lineup has rallied behind Odubel Herrera, no longer in danger of being traded, Rhys Hoskins, who's mellowed into a solid bat, and Maikel Franco, who is FINALLY hitting. Carlos Santana's  hitting for average, Jorge Alfaro's finally hitting at a major league level, and Cesar Hernandez has improved vastly since taking over for Chase Utley in 2015. This team has come together, despite cries of 'they're not ready'. Well, they are, and they're currently outdoing a team that definitely IS ready, those Atlanta Braves.

I don't know how long this will last, and I don't know where it will leave this team post-season, but I like the positive momentum the Phillies are getting, and I like how we're looking heading into the break. As a Philadelphian, and as someone who's seen his football team get far this year already...I'm gonna keep an optimistic view of this team.

Coming Tomorrow- The Detroit Tigers needed one All-Star nominee. And this is who they picked.

How on Earth did the Phillies Land Jake Arrieta?

It was a possibility, but it wasn't going to happen...was it?

Jake Arrieta was definitely going to sign with someone. Nobody could have predicted it would be this late...or with a team that wasn't Milwaukee...or with a team that WAS the Philadelphia Phillies. I don't think anyone would call that, because nobody could have considered the Phillies' desire to compete.

And yet...this is what has happened. The Phils have wrapped up a Cy-Young-winning pitcher for three years, and have plugged him into a rotation that includes Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, and an improving Vince Velasquez. Arrieta and Nola specifically are going to be dangerous if both of them can have on-years. We've seen them both in good form (Arrieta's 2016, Nola's 2017), and in not-so-good form (Arrieta's 2017, Nola's 2016). Hopefully both can succeed this year, because that would be pretty great if they did.

The Phils are also competing with a lineup made up of a SMORGASBORD of young talent. Nick Williams, Rhys Hoskins, Scott Kingery, J.P. Crawford, Jorge Alfaro, Aaron Altherr. That's, like, most of the lineup, and all of them are looking to be fantastic this year. Hell, Kingery might even try and rob Maikel Franco of a starting job. With a generally open NL East this year, and with two other teams, the Braves and Mets, trying to top Washington as well, it will be hard for the Phillies to TRULY stand out, but this move proves that they might have a chance to get back to where they left off in 2011.

Beyond thrilled with the move. Hope Arrieta delivers.

The Pressure of a Cubs Repeat

I relate the Cubs winning the World Series to the tank-fish finally getting to the ocean at the end of Finding Nemo. They've been working all their lives to get to this one thing, they get there...a beat passes, and one of them goes "...now what?"

That's a bad conundrum to be tangled up in. Spend all your time and energy on one singular goal, and then have absolutely no plan once the goal is achieved. Hell, at the end of Finding DORY, those fish are still trying to figure out how to move on with their lives. They're still searching. And I'd prefer the Chicago Cubs to not end up like that.

There's enough momentum on that roster for there to be a possibility of repeating- Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Schwarber. All on so far this year, all stymying opposing teams. That's a constant. What worries me here is similar to my worry about Cleveland- teams will have caught up, and they'll have figured out how to crack the team. That's what I'm fearing, and this is especially since they won last year, and now everyone wants to be the next Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs this season will need to prove that they not only have staying power, but that they have MULTIPLE franchise players that can lead them back to October. They NEED to become a dynasty- that is the only possible way they can rebound positively from winning a world series. No other outcome will satisfy the fans.

It may be impossible...but hey, everyone thought the Cubs winning a Series was impossible for a while, so...you never know.

Coming Tomorrow- For the second year in a row, his home runs are the sole thing keeping his team afloat.

Jake Arrieta Can Save The Cubs

Throughout most of the season, it looked like the Cubs were going to absolutely dominate, with the best lineup, the best pitching, and some amazing wins early on.

Now, it's July, and the other teams have caught up...which isn't the best news for Joe Maddon and the team.

I'm not gonna act like the Cubs are out of it, because they're not, not even by a longshot. Despite the Giants, Nationals and Indians catching up, the Cubs are still one of the best teams in baseball. But what worries me is that the momentum they had early on may be waning. They're beginning to lose some important games to big teams, and they're beginning to let their losses catch up to them- for every great game with a walk off by Anthony Rizzo or something, there's a start blown by Jason Hammel not having potato chips.

The only real constant that's gonna get the Cubs far into the season is, well, Jake Arrieta. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball, he's having a fantastic season, and he very well might be able to carry the Cubs away from the rest of the league.

Again, the game-changers will be a lot of these division match ups, as well as match ups with guys that are also potential playoff threats like the Mets, Dodgers and Cardinals. If they can keep them at bay, as well as building the momentum back up throughout the rest of the season, they will probably be fine. Also, getting back may involve stealing one of the Yankees' relievers, but that's a completely different story.

If Arrieta can give a bunch more amazing starts that the Cubs can rally behind, it could recharge the rest of the rotation, as well as the lineup (Kris Bryant's been striking out a lot lately), and get the team back. And for a guy who'd really love to see the Cubs do great things this season, that's a pretty intriguing prospect.

Coming Tonight- The Astros are still sleeper favorites in the AL West- here's one of their undercover pitching successes.

Some Pretty Intriguing Cy Young Winners

I was skeptical about Jake Arrieta winning, because I didn't know if he'd get it, or if Zack Greinke would get it. It was a bit hazy and skeptical, and I didn't know which of them would win. I didn't think Kershaw would take it, because he's got 3, and he wasn't on his A game all year, but I knew it would be either Jake or Zack.

And I'm pretty happy that Arrieta took it, because that last half of the season really sold it, especially how dominant he was in the postseason. This guy is a landmark arm, and deserved the edge over Greinke, though I could have seen either one winning.

Meanwhile, this guy winning on the AL side was no surprise to me. He was dominant for the whole season, and broke out in a huge way, claiming his fan base, and helping the Astros get to October again. I feel like Keuchel is capable of having a bunch more great seasons like his 2015.

Tomorrow, we've got the MVPs. And while I can pretty much call the AL winner, I'm interested to see how the NL voting goes, because it could be one of two players.

Okay, Cubs. We're Listening.

Not even a week after Mike Fiers shut down the Dodgers, Jake Arrieta took a bigger stage, and a bigger team, to take them down at a bigger moment. Now the Cubs look even scarier than they did before, all because they have a team where the #2 starter can pitch a no-hitter and still have it be his 2nd-biggest accomplishment.

Congrats Cubs, and Jake Arrieta. And Dodgers fans, you have my condolences. (Again.)

Custom Card of the Day: Arrieta Edition

Jon Lester. Dan Haren. Jason Hammel. Three guys who have had some really nice seasons over the past decade or so. Yet the guy who's been leading the charge in the rotation is a guy that the Orioles gave up three years ago, because he couldn't keep control.

Jake Arrieta has been a standout for the Cubs for the past few seasons, increasing in power every year since, and becoming more and more of a force as the Cubs got better and better. And that is something that makes me very happy, especially considering how wild Arrieta was in his first few years with the Orioles.

Right now Arrieta has the best record, best ERA and most strikeouts of anybody on the Cubs, which is outstanding, as even as Jon Lester was poised to be the ace, somebody like Arrieta is commanding the rotation, and becoming the one guy that everybody else looks to.

I'm gonna guess that is Arrieta pitches into the playoffs, it'll be a big story, and he will definitely not let the Cubs down. This a guy who can be as tricky as Bumgarner or Wainwright in October.

Coming Tomorrow- A Blue Jays pitcher (who isn't David Price), who is still having a really nice season well into his borderline-HOF career.

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Cubs

Sadly, you won't find Jon Lester, Miguel Montero or any of the newly-brandished Cubs in this post. Instead, just a few of the players who kept the Cubs out of last place in the NL.

Starlin Castro got an All Star nod this year, which he deserved. He's become a nice little player, and I see why so many Cubs fans like him.

This guy made his rookie debut this year, and while he didn't make the same impact as Jorge Soler and Javier Baez, he still was a nice rookie, and could mean great things next year.

I think we may have a contender for Custom of the Year. This is an awesome shot, and Arrieta deserves it, as he had a very nice season.

Coming Tomorrow- The Diamondbacks sucked this year, but a few people on the team didn't.