Since the tenth game of the season Ben Zobrist has slashed .381/.483/.593 with a 16.4% walk rate that is more than double his 7.5% strikeout rate. Those numbers are good for a .458 wOBA and a 191 wRC+ over that stretch.
Crazy.
Kyle Hendricks threw a 104 pitch complete game gem. 76 strikes and 28 balls.
What happened in the ninth?
I read it on the Brewers SBNation site.
Would be interesting to see who we would part with. Maybe Soler+a big minor leaguer+some other minor assets.
I'm down with that if it means we get Braun.
They are not going to trade for Braun unless the Brewers eat a ton of that contract. And given all the teams that will be looking for a stick I really doubt the Cubs will pull the trigger to make it happen as the price will be pretty high. He's a really good player when healthy. The when healthy part scares me because it seems he has a nagging injury every other week. Soler has enormous trade value because of his contract. He's inked under club control for a long time. That also makes him very valuable to the Cubs.
I think the more likely move is the Cubs move to pick up a back of the rotation starter who can serve in the pen. Insurance plus bullpen depth. Unless you are comfortable with Braun's health, there probably isn't really an obvious trade for them to make in the field that would make a sea change improvement to the team in the field. Maybe spot of insurance would be a guy who can play CF as backup.
Keep in mind the minors are not bare either. CJ Edwards is just tearing it up right now at AAA - finally able to locate his pitches. He has 18K's in his last 12 innings of work. Contreras is going to get a September call up and may make a post-season roster because of his bat. Almora is also making really good strides offensively and his defense is already more than good enough for the majors. Almora wouldn't have to hit his weight to have some value in the playoffs as a defensive sub. And Contreras by all accounts will be a good ML hitter.
They are not going to trade for Braun unless the Brewers eat a ton of that contract. And given all the teams that will be looking for a stick I really doubt the Cubs will pull the trigger to make it happen as the price will be pretty high. He's a really good player when healthy. The when healthy part scares me because it seems he has a nagging injury every other week. Soler has enormous trade value because of his contract. He's inked under club control for a long time. That also makes him very valuable to the Cubs.
I think the more likely move is the Cubs move to pick up a back of the rotation starter who can serve in the pen. Insurance plus bullpen depth. Unless you are comfortable with Braun's health, there probably isn't really an obvious trade for them to make in the field that would make a sea change improvement to the team in the field. Maybe spot of insurance would be a guy who can play CF as backup.
Keep in mind the minors are not bare either. CJ Edwards is just tearing it up right now at AAA - finally able to locate his pitches. He has 18K's in his last 12 innings of work. Contreras is going to get a September call up and may make a post-season roster because of his bat. Almora is also making really good strides offensively and his defense is already more than good enough for the majors. Almora wouldn't have to hit his weight to have some value in the playoffs as a defensive sub. And Contreras by all accounts will be a good ML hitter.
And Braun has a bunch years left on his contract. And Shwarber will be back next year too. I think we go bullpen and more bullpen. Maybe another bat, but nothing all-star level. Soler for Andrew Miller would be fantastic, but Szczur would have to step up, put bryant in left and baez to 3rd or trade for another utility OF.
Montero is struggling defensively tonight.