The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

What??

Dex "should" bring a boost when he returns...

but who sits for Soler? I'm not sure where the confidence in him is rooted...I'd rather watch Heyward suck at the plate and give good defense rather than watch Soler be horrible everywhere.

What is La Stella going to do that is so significant?

The team looks like absolute dog crap against anyone remotely good. The bullpen is toast. Arrietta got Dusty-Bakered last year and it shows. He needs significant rest.

The only reason we need Soler back is to trade him.

Given the trainwreck of the past three weeks, i think the likelihood of seeing someone surprising traded away increases.

idk who Sits but Soler is going to get starts. You may not believe it but he's a good player and pretty sure the way Cubs have played him they think the same.

and TLS value comes from vs RHP he's hitting close to .300 with .896 OPS.

He's a great guy off the bench and some starts vs RHP.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Fangraphs article on Jake Arrieta's recent slump.


Yes, I think we need some more pitching, starting and relief. Lackey and Hammel are suspect to me outside of whatever's going on with Jake.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I called it after his second bad start a while back...west coast trip, iirc.

He needs rest. Lots of it. Take two starts off or something.

No one will say it, but Maddon did exactly what Dusty did...he just gets a pass...

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

The only thing we have going for us right now is the ineptitude of the Cardinals. Now we have the red hot Pirates trying to reel us in, too. Hopefully we get our **** back together with guys returning from injury, trades, and other fortuitous events before somebody reels us in.

Not winning the NL Central this year would be one of the more embarrassing moments in even Cubs history. PIT has shaved 6 games off over the last 10. It can happen real quick.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

With this Aroldis Chapman deal, Jorge Soler now has a compatriot on his team. According to MLB The Show, his OVR should go up. I'm all for that.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Well, looks like we are going all in. I like it. Doesn't really hurt our future as Torres and McKinney were likely to get dealt anyways (or Baez and Soler/Almora would have been if they felt Torres or McKinney were knocking on the door).

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I think this is only a blip but I am concerned about the offense seems lately it's on Rizzo and Bryant to produce the runs. I hope they make a run at Josh Reddick for a platoon when Soler gets back or Contreras.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

A lot of talk lately on if Jason Heyward is unlucky or not. Here's an interesting read from FanGraphs.

I am pulling out one short passage because it made me LOL...

But Heyward, even when successful, forged a close relationship with softly-hit baseballs. And this year that relationship is closer than ever.

Some of the writers at FG I don't much care for, but Sullivan is great.

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Am I the only one that wonders what a Baez at SS, Russell at 2B infield would look like?

Russell's arm strength is sub-par and I think that affects his accuracy because he has to try to throw too hard or rush. Baez has just as much range, if not more, and a much stronger arm, and might have an even better glove. Bryant can stick at 3B and Zobrist can move to the OF, or vice versa.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Am I the only one that wonders what a Baez at SS, Russell at 2B infield would look like?

Russell's arm strength is sub-par and I think that affects his accuracy because he has to try to throw too hard or rush. Baez has just as much range, if not more, and a much stronger arm, and might have an even better glove. Bryant can stick at 3B and Zobrist can move to the OF, or vice versa.

I agree that Russell doesn't get much on his throws. I bet if the Cubs knew that Javy Baez was going to be a useful player they might not have signed Zobrist at all. Then they could've rolled with a Bryant/Baez/Russell/Rizzo infield.

The only knock on Baez is that he can be a little cavalier and flashy out there whereas Russell is really solid and consistent. Russell is putting up tremendous value (+7.9 UZR/150, +10 DRS) at SS if you buy into the metrics. I like that steadiness quarterbacking the infield.

All in all, I am ok with Baez being a super UTIL type who gets 4 starts per week all over the infield while having Russell and Zobrist locked in up the middle. It's really splitting hairs in the sense that Baez and Russell are both well above average defensively.

[Sportsforever]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I'm actually not expecting Baez to continue to have success as a hitter at the big league level unless he makes adjustments. That K/BB ratio is abysmal and so far he is propped up by his BABIP...maybe he can keep it up, but I think at some point pitchers will adjust and he'll start to struggle. Russell isn't a great hitter himself, but he and Zobrist both make the Cubs a better lineup than a Russell/Baez lineup would be.

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I'm actually not expecting Baez to continue to have success as a hitter at the big league level unless he makes adjustments. That K/BB ratio is abysmal and so far he is propped up by his BABIP...maybe he can keep it up, but I think at some point pitchers will adjust and he'll start to struggle. Russell isn't a great hitter himself, but he and Zobrist both make the Cubs a better lineup than a Russell/Baez lineup would be.

Zobrist wouldn't be out of the lineup, just playing a different position.

I do tend to agree with Baez. I feel he's going to be very streaky, though he's been pretty consistent this season. Obviously, Russell at SS isn't a bad option. I just think Baez might be a little better there with consistent play.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I think Baez has shown that he is definitely willing and capable to make adjustments. He already cut his strikeouts down quite a bit. You can tell he isn't all or nothing on every pitch, but he also isn't afraid to pick his spots for the old Javy Baez swing. You watch him on two strikes and you can tell he really shortens up, takes a much shorter stride...and still gets pretty good power. While I don't know if a .278 AVG with a .340 BABIP is sustainable for him, I don't think its out of the question for him to be .250-.260 with 20-25 HR power and good defense anywhere in the infield

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Russell arm strength is pretty good but when you are comparing it to baez that's just unfair. I will say Russell has fastest hands I've ever seen though. as baez hitting goes he still has to work to do but I think he'll make them I mean look at him now compared to last year. RHP is where he has to improve but against LHP he's a must start.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

The latest thing I've done to feed my Baseball Reference addiction...here are some comparisons thru 111 games (as of the end of play tonight)...


2016 Cubs: 70-41
2015 Cubs: 63-48
2008 Cubs: 66-45
1984 Cubs: 66-45
1969 Cubs: 70-41
1945 Cubs: 72-39
1935 Cubs: 67-44
1932 Cubs: 61-50
1929 Cubs: 75-36
1918 Cubs: 72-39
1910 Cubs: 76-35
1909 Cubs: 75-36
1908 Cubs: 64-47
1907 Cubs: 80-31
1906 Cubs: 80-31


(1) The last Cubs team to go 70-41 thru 111 games was the....gulp....1969 team.

(2) This year's team's pace is actually ahead of the 1908 WS champ team.

(3) Some of those early 20th Century Cubs teams were UNREAL down the stretch. Some amazing winning streaks.