Chicago Cubs (67-49) vs Blue Jays (69-50) (August 12th-August 14th)

JN · Post #1 » by JN » Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:03 am

Our series of tough games continues this week. Cubs have been middling a bit.. 10-10 since the All-Star Break

August 12th - TBD (Horton?) vs Berrios
August 13th - TBD (Taillon?) vs Gausman
August 14th - TBD (Boyd?) vs Scherzer

Cubs biggest issue is their starting pitching depth which they did not address at the deadline.
But looks like we will get 2 of their best 3 pitchers.

vaff87 · Post #2 » by **vaff87** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:08 am

Jays are 69-50.

JN · Post #3 » by JN » Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:13 am

Something to discuss as we wait for the games on Tuesday

I was looking at the players that would be arbitration eligible in the offseason.

- Varsho and Clement are no brainers.
- I assume we offer it to Heineman (he probably jumps from league minimum to somewhere between $2-$2.5M)
- Sandlin is making $2.5M this year... we have to offer him at least that in arbitration and I think we will.
- And then we have Alek Manoah. Jays are paying him 2.2 million this year, so his arbitration number would have to at least be that. Do we cut bait or still pay him

Finally - I am having a hard time finding the exact MLB service time of Eric Lauer. Will it be under 6 years by the end of this year. It would be great if we could keep on a 1 year deal via arbitration rather than trying to retain him as a free agent.

JN · Post #4 » by JN » Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:14 am

vaff87 wrote:Jays are 69-50.

Correct, I was looking at things earlier when I assumed we would lose today.
Still amazed we pulled that one out in the end,

Randle McMurphy · Post #5 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:39 am

JN wrote:Something to discuss as we wait for the games on Tuesday

I was looking at the players that would be arbitration eligible in the offseason.

- Varsho and Clement are no brainers.
- I assume we offer it to Heineman (he probably jumps from league minimum to somewhere between $2-$2.5M)
- Sandlin is making $2.5M this year... we have to offer him at least that in arbitration and I think we will.
- And then we have Alek Manoah. Jays are paying him 2.2 million this year, so his arbitration number would have to at least be that. Do we cut bait or still pay him

Finally - I am having a hard time finding the exact MLB service time of Eric Lauer. Will it be under 6 years by the end of this year. It would be great if we could keep on a 1 year deal via arbitration rather than trying to retain him as a free agent.

Lauer is under control next year

And they’ll make offers on all those guys

Parataxis · Post #6 » by **Parataxis** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:49 am

vaff87 wrote:Jays are 69-50.

Nice.

This is the grinder part of the schedule. Jays need to hold their own (and absolutely can) and come out the other side swinging.

Post #7 » by **JaysRule15** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 4:43 am

Thank God the Red Sox lost a couple games. Hopefully they cool off now. Yankees fading as well. Will be nice to get through this brutal stretch with a 3 game lead on the division. Those series in September against the Rays and Orioles really scare me man. Both of those teams are trash against everyone except us.

COY0607 · Post #8 » by **COY0607** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 10:56 am

JN wrote:Something to discuss as we wait for the games on Tuesday

I was looking at the players that would be arbitration eligible in the offseason.

- Varsho and Clement are no brainers.
- I assume we offer it to Heineman (he probably jumps from league minimum to somewhere between $2-$2.5M)
- Sandlin is making $2.5M this year... we have to offer him at least that in arbitration and I think we will.
- And then we have Alek Manoah. Jays are paying him 2.2 million this year, so his arbitration number would have to at least be that. Do we cut bait or still pay him

Finally - I am having a hard time finding the exact MLB service time of Eric Lauer. Will it be under 6 years by the end of this year. It would be great if we could keep on a 1 year deal via arbitration rather than trying to retain him as a free agent.

No question you make an offer to all those players, including Manoah. He’s still got upside and should compete for a starting spot

Hopefully they try and negotiate a 2-year/$10M type deal with Lauer -relatively low risk move

Varsho I think will be a trade candidate this offseason. Unlikely Jays will pay him $100M+ at age 31, especially if they re-sign Bo this offseason

Madvillainy2004 · Post #9 » by **Madvillainy2004** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 3:40 pm

Cubs have been very good but the past 40 games they are only 26-24. At home this is definitely a winnable series, hopefully Springer can comeback we miss him immensely. Im pretty worried about the long ball tho Cubs top 5 in homeruns.

bluerap23 · Post #10 » by **bluerap23** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 3:45 pm

JN wrote:Something to discuss as we wait for the games on Tuesday

I was looking at the players that would be arbitration eligible in the offseason.

- Varsho and Clement are no brainers.
- I assume we offer it to Heineman (he probably jumps from league minimum to somewhere between $2-$2.5M)
- Sandlin is making $2.5M this year... we have to offer him at least that in arbitration and I think we will.
- And then we have Alek Manoah. Jays are paying him 2.2 million this year, so his arbitration number would have to at least be that. Do we cut bait or still pay him

Finally - I am having a hard time finding the exact MLB service time of Eric Lauer. Will it be under 6 years by the end of this year. It would be great if we could keep on a 1 year deal via arbitration rather than trying to retain him as a free agent.

I'd keep Manoah for one more year at that price. I still believe.

Parataxis · Post #11 » by **Parataxis** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 4:36 pm

Madvillainy2004 wrote:Cubs have been very good but the past 40 games they are only 26-24. At home this is definitely a winnable series, hopefully Springer can comeback we miss him immensely. Im pretty worried about the long ball tho Cubs top 5 in homeruns.

Having 50 results over their past 40 games is a record that I don't think will EVER be broken.

Randle McMurphy · Post #12 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 5:01 pm

COY0607 wrote:
JN wrote:Something to discuss as we wait for the games on Tuesday

I was looking at the players that would be arbitration eligible in the offseason.

- Varsho and Clement are no brainers.
- I assume we offer it to Heineman (he probably jumps from league minimum to somewhere between $2-$2.5M)
- Sandlin is making $2.5M this year... we have to offer him at least that in arbitration and I think we will.
- And then we have Alek Manoah. Jays are paying him 2.2 million this year, so his arbitration number would have to at least be that. Do we cut bait or still pay him

Finally - I am having a hard time finding the exact MLB service time of Eric Lauer. Will it be under 6 years by the end of this year. It would be great if we could keep on a 1 year deal via arbitration rather than trying to retain him as a free agent.

No question you make an offer to all those players, including Manoah. He’s still got upside and should compete for a starting spot

Hopefully they try and negotiate a 2-year/$10M type deal with Lauer -relatively low risk move

Varsho I think will be a trade candidate this offseason. Unlikely Jays will pay him $100M+ at age 31, especially if they re-sign Bo this offseason

Far more likely they extend Varsho than give a declining Bo Bichette big money

TR50 · Post #13 » by **TR50** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 5:03 pm

Hoping we can get some positive news on George Springer in the next day or two. Same with Gimenez.

EDIT: Looks like we will be facing Ben Brown, Horton and Boyd.

Fun fact: Boyd was one of the pitchers we gave up for David Price in 2015.

johanliebert · Post #14 » by **johanliebert** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 5:08 pm

Just wanted to say Vladdy is once pace for his usual 30 hrs while nearly slashing .300/400/500.

Boogie! · Post #15 » by **Boogie!** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 7:36 pm

johanliebert wrote:Just wanted to say Vladdy is once pace for his usual 30 hrs while nearly slashing .300/400/500.

Awesome hope he reaches 900 ops again this year we’re gonna need his elite bat if we wanna make noise.

COY0607 · Post #16 » by **COY0607** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 7:44 pm

johanliebert wrote:Just wanted to say Vladdy is once pace for his usual 30 hrs while nearly slashing .300/400/500.

Arguably having a better season than Soto

If he can keep this pace up for an entire season, he can have a Judge / Othani level season

YogurtProducer · Post #17 » by **YogurtProducer** » Mon Aug 11, 2025 10:17 pm

johanliebert wrote:Just wanted to say Vladdy is once pace for his usual 30 hrs while nearly slashing .300/400/500.

Only on pace for 25/26 HRs but I get your point.

Would be nice to see a 2021 level season again though

Raps in 4 · Post #18 » by **Raps in 4** » Tue Aug 12, 2025 7:59 am

I feel bad for the Cubs. They haven't even been bad, but they still lost the division lead to a historically hot Brewers team.

Potential · Post #19 » by **Potential** » Tue Aug 12, 2025 3:46 pm

This game is on national tv on TBS. Hopefully we can go on a hot stretch here before our series against the powerhouse orioles rays and red sox

s e n s i · Post #20 » by **s e n s i** » Tue Aug 12, 2025 4:21 pm

JN wrote:- Varsho and Clement are no brainers.

i was told on this very board that varsho would be a non-tender candidate though