IST: Cubs vs. Mariners

TC in Mississippi · Jul 29, 2016

Chicago Cubs vs. Seattle Mariners

Friday: 1:20 p.m., CSN.
RH Hisashi Iwakawa (11-6, 3.96) vs. LH Jon Lester (10-4, 3.09).

Saturday: 1:20 p.m., CSN.
LH Wade Miley (6-8, 5.23) vs. RH Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.76).

Sunday: 7:08 p.m., ESPN.
RH Felix Hernandez (5-4, 3.45) vs. RH Kyle Hendricks (9-7, 2.39).

TC in Mississippi · Jul 29, 2016

Somebody has to explain the Coghlan call up to me at the expense of Tommy La Stella. Scratching my head here.

beckdawg · Jul 29, 2016

TC in Mississippi said:
Somebody has to explain the Coghlan call up to me at the expense of Tommy La Stella. Scratching my head here.

La Stella has options. Think that's literally the extent of it. Probably not the most well rounded team move but if they can get by for a month without him the roster expands and they aren't as cramped. Or if they make a trade.

CSF77 · Jul 29, 2016

Not liking their odds today. Struggles vs so-so RHP doesn't make for a good day here

Parade_Rain · Jul 29, 2016

TC in Mississippi said:
Somebody has to explain the Coghlan call up to me at the expense of Tommy La Stella. Scratching my head here.

The only thing I can think of is they want his name out there for a trade? I don't get it either.

TC in Mississippi · Jul 29, 2016

In the end it doesn't make much difference I suppose as we're talking about the end of a deep bench but La Stella is far more likely right now to make contact as a PH late in games than Coghlan. I'm guessing there's a trade about to go down and maybe Coghlan is part of that. Wouldn't shock me if he went back to Oakland as a throw in to a Reddick deal.

brett05 · Jul 29, 2016

Love the Sunday Night matchup. Wish I could watch it but I'll be sleeping to do a third shift.

beckdawg · Jul 29, 2016

Parade_Rain said:
The only thing I can think of is they want his name out there for a trade? I don't get it either.

Strongly doubt they are considering trading him. If you assume this year is an aberration which presumably they had to do to trade for him in the first place, Coghlan hit .264/.355/.476 vs RHP last year. Year prior to that he hit .294/.353/.480. As CSF77 has talked a lot about, cubs don't particularly hit RHP well. Granted La Stella also hits RHP so it's kind of a lateral move if anything. But, chances are their ultimate roster going into the playoffs might consist of both and they need to sort out some issues with the active roster before then.

Would shock me if they are trying to flip Szczur for something useful. Him lacking options is kind of a killer. Also wouldn't surprise me if they are trying to use Soler to acquire young pitching. Think we might see Bryant in LF vs LHP more often than not with Baez crushing lefties(3B). When they aren't facing a lefty you probably play Coghlan in LF. La Stella being on the roster kinda screws with that because he's not a particularly amazing 3B. So, while you could play Bryant in LF going forward, you're probably better off with that sort of configuration.

anotheridiot · Jul 29, 2016

Oakland does not want Coghlan back. This surprised me because Joe said he expected Soler back up this weekend. At that point they DFA coghlan and put Soler back on unless this new game ending of Strop, Rondon and Chapman works and they swap Soler for a pitchers spot. If Fowler is gonna play every other game though, they need to DL him again so they dont lose anybody.

If Bryant plays the outfield, I still dont want LaStalla at third, he should only be playing second base. Baez should be at third.

As far as why LaStella, its simply because he had an option left and Coghlan does not.

chibears55 · Jul 29, 2016

My guess

Giving Coghlan a couple games as they could use a LH bat in OF now, before they release him or toss him in a trade

Soler probably getting traded

So by Monday or Tuesday, they will bring LaStella back along with their new LH OFer

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TC in Mississippi · Jul 29, 2016

La Stella in his last 7 games has slashed .545/.643/.636 anyway you look at this it's unusual.

DJMoore_is_fat · Jul 29, 2016

Coughlan sucks and should not be on the roster at this point in the season. La Stella is significantly better and far more versatile. I don't get this at all.

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beckdawg · Jul 29, 2016

I don't really get why people think the cubs are going to cut Coghlan. If they were going to cut him they would have just cut him when he was injured or done so before calling him up. The fact they moved him to the major league roster seems like a pretty evident case that they plan to use him. Now I get why people want the cubs to cut him but clearly they have a plan because he was shit in Oakland before they gave up Alcantara for him. You don't trade for him if you don't have a plan. Also, not sure how La Stella is more versatile. He can play 2B and 3B. Coghlan can play both corners, 2B, CF(in a pinch) and I believe he's played 3B as well.

At the end of the day, I'm pretty sure it comes down to them not wanting to send Contreras down and La Stella is the only guy they can send down who has options. At this time of the year, you don't just throw away players. Coghlan has hit RHP well in the past. The only reason this is even an issue is because of the 25 man roster which expands to 40 in September. Worse case scenario, you give La Stella's previous PAs to Coghlan and he's terrible at which point it's an easy decision. Alternatively, he might rediscover what he had in 2014/15 and he's a useful piece for the playoffs and by September La Stella is back anyways. Only real thing you miss out on is some roster depth at 2B but Russell and Baez aren't coming out of games if they are in them and you can move the pieces around them with the versatility.

beckdawg · Jul 29, 2016

And as though he was on cue... Cogs is 1-2 with 2 RBI's batting lead off.

DJMoore_is_fat · Jul 29, 2016

beckdawg said:
And as though he was on cue... Cogs is 1-2 with 2 RBI's batting lead off.

Yeah but he's still awful.

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TC in Mississippi · Jul 29, 2016

DJMoore_is_fat said:
Yeah but he's still awful.

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Yeah, but he's only been awful this year. Last year he was a good hitter/ Guys rarely just get bad without injury or advanced age. I have to assume the team saw something they liked and here he is making the most of his opportunity.

DJMoore_is_fat · Jul 29, 2016

Meanwhile we're destroying Seattle. That good feeling is back. Chapman throwing 103 electrified the crowd.

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Diehardfan · Jul 29, 2016

TC in Mississippi said:
Yeah, but he's only been awful this year. Last year he was a good hitter/ Guys rarely just get bad without injury or advanced age. I have to assume the team saw something they liked and here he is making the most of his opportunity.

I remember him as being Baez before Baez. Played multiple positions, infield and outfield...hit about .275, had some big HR's and RBI's. I'll take those numbers for a guy who doesn't play regularly. Don't know what happened in Oakland but he had two pretty successful seasons here and he's only had about 30 AB's this year.