Addison Russell's Barry Larkin-esque 2040 HOF Primer Thread

[Brownie]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

Castro has been replaced as Best Cubs SS since Banks.

Intrepid Readers: Don Kessinger and Shawon Dunston
FY, Fork!

[InternetApex]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

Castro has been replaced as Best Cubs SS since Banks.

What?

[InternetApex]

DPD: Speigel and Goff just played tHom's call of the Russell homer with "Sounds of Silence" piped in. Simon and Garfunkel got all the way to the song's title before that goof uttered a fucking word once the ball reached the bleachers. It sounded about as great as you'd imagine.

[SKO]

DPD: Speigel and Goff just played tHom's call of the Russell homer with "Sounds of Silence" piped in. Simon and Garfunkel got all the way to the song's title before that goof uttered a fucking word once the ball reached the bleachers. It sounded about as great as you'd imagine.

I enjoy when the Cubs stick it to tHom maybe more than I do when they get the Cardinals booth in an uproar because they have pajama parties and enjoy watching their long majestic dongs. The Cardinals booth at least has the confirmation bias that the Cardinals have been the elite team in the NL for so long that OF COURSE they way they do things is the only right way harrumph harrumph. tHom's carrying the torch for a team that's been shittier than the Cubs for most of the last 25 years and he still likes to act indignant when the Cubs DARE to beat the vaunted Reds.

[InternetApex]

DPD: Speigel and Goff just played tHom's call of the Russell homer with "Sounds of Silence" piped in. Simon and Garfunkel got all the way to the song's title before that goof uttered a fucking word once the ball reached the bleachers. It sounded about as great as you'd imagine.

I enjoy when the Cubs stick it to tHom maybe more than I do when they get the Cardinals booth in an uproar because they have pajama parties and enjoy watching their long majestic dongs. The Cardinals booth at least has the confirmation bias that the Cardinals have been the elite team in the NL for so long that OF COURSE they way they do things is the only right way harrumph harrumph. tHom's carrying the torch for a team that's been shittier than the Cubs for most of the last 25 years and he still likes to act indignant when the Cubs DARE to beat the vaunted Reds.

I feel like their anger about the Cubs has to do with the following the team has always had in spite of some rather lean years. They don't like that when the team is bad we still watch, listen, attend, care, when their fanbase stays far away. As broadcasters, they're envious. And when the Cubs do get good, as their vast resources allow them to do sometimes, we get really, really loud and excited in a way they only wish their base would. in addition, I feel as though they revel in the Cubs' failures out of schadenfreude because they know their team won't amount to shit. Might as well pile on the Cubs hatewagon. I don't really blame them for that as I usually do the same thing.

They hate the Cardinals over there too, probably for the same reason in addition to the fact that the Cards are always competitive. The Reds themselves are pretty much benign. Their fans are rather calm compared to the mouthbreathery in St. Louis. Their announcers are Hawk-level terrible. So fuck em.

[SKO]

Bumped for his 2 run triple last night, but more importantly the changes he's made this year. Only his shitty .260 BABIP is depressing his numbers (his BABIP last year was .324 and he BABIP anywhere from .306-.494 in the minors at every stop where he had more than 50 plate appearances, so positive regression should keep coming for him).

Otherwise:

BB%- 13.2 (8.0% last year)
K%- 17.1 (28.5% last year)
.342 OBP despite the crappy batted ball luck (.307 last year)
He's hitting more line drives than last year, and his hard contact % is up from last year as well.

He's basically improved in every single way you would want a kid to improve going from his rookie year to his second season. I can't wait for him to get some better luck on balls in play so the world has to take notice of how good this kid is.

[Quality Start Machine]

Bumped for his 2 run triple last night, but more importantly the changes he's made this year. Only his shitty .260 BABIP is depressing his numbers (his BABIP last year was .324 and he BABIP anywhere from .306-.494 in the minors at every stop where he had more than 50 plate appearances, so positive regression should keep coming for him).

Otherwise:

BB%- 13.2 (8.0% last year)
K%- 17.1 (28.5% last year)
.342 OBP despite the crappy batted ball luck (.307 last year)
He's hitting more line drives than last year, and his hard contact % is up from last year as well.

He's basically improved in every single way you would want a kid to improve going from his rookie year to his second season. I can't wait for him to get some better luck on balls in play so the world has to take notice of how good this kid is.

In his o-fer during Jake's no-hitter, he barreled the shit out of everything. Personally, I'd be fine with his hitting at NL replacement value this season because he's such a huge plus defensively.

[SKO]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

[Eli]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

Bryant's on pace for 9+ WAR this year (and not doing anything above his abilities), so I'd be awfully surprised.

[Oleg]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

He's so fucking good.  It's sick.

And that wasn't exactly his best-played game.

[Oleg]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

Bryant's on pace for 9+ WAR this year (and not doing anything above his abilities), so I'd be awfully surprised.

We don't have to choose one over the other.  We can love them both equally.

[Quality Start Machine]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

Bryant's on pace for 9+ WAR this year (and not doing anything above his abilities), so I'd be awfully surprised.

We don't have to choose one over the other.  We can love them both equally.

Oleg's a bigger man than either of you.

[SKO]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

Bryant's on pace for 9+ WAR this year (and not doing anything above his abilities), so I'd be awfully surprised.

We don't have to choose one over the other.  We can love them both equally.

No in this new world where we lack candidates for firebarning we must divide into factions and argue over which Cub is the best.  

[Oleg]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

Bryant's on pace for 9+ WAR this year (and not doing anything above his abilities), so I'd be awfully surprised.

We don't have to choose one over the other.  We can love them both equally.

No in this new world where we lack candidates for firebarning we must divide into factions and argue over which Cub is the best.  

That's fair.  Those arguments are fun this year anyway.

[Eli]

He appears to have broken free of the BABIP monster for now and is up to .255/.374/.392/.766.

If he keeps up the walk rate and hits for more power as the weather warms up he might end up leading the team in WAR.

Bryant's on pace for 9+ WAR this year (and not doing anything above his abilities), so I'd be awfully surprised.

We don't have to choose one over the other.  We can love them both equally.

No in this new world where we lack candidates for firebarning we must divide into factions and argue over which Cub is the best.  

*nods*