![]() To loop back to the timelines idea? By the time Ball had reported to South Bend and played in a game, the Cubs had claimed Frank Schwindel on waivers, making Ball a bit less of a need. He should hit a few for the Smokies in 2022. With Ball, though, the draw is the homers. He does have a really good knowledge of the zone, and more than a few strike threes rung up sure seemed outside the zone. In Bryce Ball, the Cubs added a tall first baseman who is much better at power and minding the strike zone than running the bases or playing defense at first. It’s not like Pederson was fetching a Top 250 in baseball off of his April through July performance. As I, curiously, wasn’t looped in by both sides on the trade negotiations, I have no idea what the next best offers were. Someone has harangued me that the Cubs should have demanded a pitcher in exchange from Atlanta. Trading Pederson for a ranked (and by ranked, as usual, I normally mean Fangraphs-ranked) first baseman made sense. At that point, the Cubs top first baseman in the entire system (other than Anthony Rizzo, who would be dealt in two weeks) was Alfonso Rivas. We might assume that the executives are planning a fire sale, but at the time of the Pederson trade, all we knew is what we knew then. At that point, all we know is what we know then. The season goes along, in parts bad and good, and Pederson was the first of nine Cubs traded in July. The money wasn’t going to be spent until ownership believed tickets would be sold. With that news, and very possibly because of that news, Jed Hoyer was allowed to spend more money. Very shortly after the Darvish trade was consummated, word began to break that teams might soon have fans again in stadiums in 2021 for MLB games. Was that the primary reason he left? Or even a secondary reason? We don’t officially know, but if Epstein disliked the spending number enough, that might have been a factor in his resignation.Įventually, by late December, and likely due to finances, Kyle Schwarber, Yu Darvish, and Victor Caratini were gone. I say people, because Theo Epstein walked shortly after (likely) being given his spending number. Tom Ricketts, rightly or wrongly, gave his baseball operations people a budget. My best timeline reference goes back a year or so, and stretches about two months further. A look at Bryce Ball’s acquisition is best looked at using a timeline. However, the gift is past its “best by” date, and could be a hint that the old standards will always apply, when sometimes they won’t. The birthday gift of a fire truck when that has become passé might still be enjoyed. Then, suddenly, he’s over them, and he’s now into something entirely different. When a timeline becomes important, it’s very important. Other times, the premise of a timeline becomes really important. Sometimes, all that matter are the facts.
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