The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

So beginneth the David Ross era.

I'm cautiously optimistic, but wonder how he'll be able to crack the whip on his former teammates. Maddon's main problem was being too nice/permissive/chill at times and Grandpa Rossy could fall into that same trap.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Where did the posts from the last few years go?

Ross is a really disappointing hire.

The real failings of this team, however, stem from the failure to develop the talent they kept (while the talent they traded generally shines)...combine that with really bad timing in the Pitching FA Market that really took a toll on the rotation.

If they'd gotten Verlander, they'd have possibly won again.

As is...I think it could be a while.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Yeah, those 3 years were nice...

back to business as usual on the North Side.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Kinda feel like this team wouldn't be too bad if they'd kept Darvish or made just one real addition to the staff.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Kinda feel like this team wouldn't be too bad if they'd kept Darvish or made just one real addition to the staff.

Yeah after not hitting at all the first few weeks the bats have really come alive. Especially KB. I'm definitely gonna miss him when the Ricketts pretend to be poor this offseason

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Operation Sports mobile app

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Kinda feel like this team wouldn't be too bad if they'd kept Darvish or made just one real addition to the staff.

Is there anyone on the staff actually pitching well? I haven't been following much but every time I watch it seems like they're giving up 7-8 runs

[bcruise]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Is there anyone on the staff actually pitching well? I haven't been following much but every time I watch it seems like they're giving up 7-8 runs

Rizzo.

(sorry, just saw this on Real Time and went for the low-hanging fruit)

[bcruise]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

First place on Memorial Day. Can't say I saw that coming.

Tough stretch of games coming up to stay there, but today was a good start.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Schwarber raking...

I don't know what's more impressive:

That the Cubs won the WS in2016

or

How poorly the club mismanaged and under-developed such a crop of talent afterwards

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I think this is the end for me...

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Not sure how many Cubbies fans we still have around these parts, but figured I'd check back in here to see if anyone wants to talk some Cubs

So after KB's deal tonight we can now officially put the dreams of reunions to bed along with the best years in club history. If the trade deadline was ripping the band-aid off, the last couple days have been slowly picking at the scab to make sure it's done bleeding (I probably shouldn't do that to my scabs )

There are certainly plenty of intriguing players throughout the organization to keep an eye out for this year. Not that it anyone thinks they will be, but I don't see the current roster as a playoff contender. Not enough pitching and way too many question marks in the lineup. I honestly don't really see any realistic additions that would change my opinion either, although I hope Jed & Co. keep adding cost-effective players with some upside like they have today.

Here's the way I (or at least Roster Resource) see the roster-shaping out:
Lineup:
1. Ortega - CF - I don't see him as a lock to make the roster will depend if he hits enough in the spring
2. Schwindel - 1B - will start mostly by default (and because he's The Tank duh)
3. Contreras - C - will obviously be the starter if we don't trade him
4. Happ - LF - likely will get most of the ABs vs RHP, perhaps Frazier/Ramirez/Hermosillo steal some vs LHP
5. Suzuki - RF - don't know anything about his fielding so don't know if he ends up DHing more or not, but definitely excited to see if his power translates to big league pitching
6. Wisdom - 3B - definitely the starter out of the gate, but if he keeps striking out at a 40% clip then I think they give more ABs to Nico at 3B
7. Frazier - DH - probably most excited about him, obviously no guarantee he puts things together, but the power is tantalizing. He does have an option left if things come down to that and they want to hang on to the other OFers (Ramirez/Hermosillo)
8. Simmons - SS - ehhh....whatever....just hope Nico still gets time here (I'm sure he will)
9. Madrigal - 2B - was never high on him with the White Sox, just don't know if he has enough power to be valuable in today's game. A high-contact, average-speed speed guy just isn't that exciting. Hopefully he can develop a bit more

Bench:
Yan Gomes - solid backup/eventual starter if/when we trade Willy
Nico Hoerner - possibly a chance to improve his versatility, maybe he ends up sticking in CF?? Who know lets just keep getting him ABs please
Jason Heyward - kind of just a waste of space at this point. Excellent club-house guy, but just too many OFers that need to see the field, however I think he probably is in the starting lineup opening day. Best case scenario is he hits well and we can convince someone to give us an interesting 25-year old AAAA-type reliever for him at the deadline if we eat his deal.
Harold Ramirez - pretty intriguing Statcast player profile. Maybe he puts it together.

IL:
Bote - get well soon! (or maybe not too soon...there's not alot of INF AB's to go around right now
Amaya - get well soon! Not sure when he'll be back, had TJ in November (can't recall if it was his throwing arm)

Rotation:
1. Hendricks - hopefully the professor bounces back
2. Stroman - his starts at Wrigley will be electric.
3. Miley - a solid #3. Rotation looks good so far.....
4. Mills - would be more comfortable if we had one more starter better than him
5. Brault - actually somewhat intriguing. I like the pitching infrastructure the Cubs have so maybe they can unlock something the Pirates couldn't (wouldn't be the first time that happened...cough Cole*...cough Glasnow*)
*obviously the talent isn't that high but still

Bullpen
A lot less interesting with Heuer out for the year and Alzolay hurt to start the year (and beyond), but still some good stuff hear. The Wick's/Wieck's both have nasty stuff; Robertson, Chavez and Martin are solid veteran options; and it will be cool to see a bit more of Steele & Thompson

IL:
Alzolay - this one's a bummer. The stuff is there, but needs to put it together. A long-term injury isn't a good way to do that
Heuer - same thing....was looking forward to seeing if the changes he made with the Cubs last year stuck. Guess we'll have to wait for 2023

I'll leave you with some burning Q's for this season:
1. Do they add more before Opening Day?
--Via Trade? (Meadows from TB, take on Hosmer/Myers from SD along with a prospect)
--Via Free Agency? (Would love one more high-ish upside pitcher like Archer or Garrett Richards)
2. What to do with Contreras?
--Is he still here opening day? Deal him at the deadline? Lock him up to be the leader of "the next great Cubs team"?
3. When do we see Brennan Davis?
--I think it's possible he is up in late-June or early/mid-July if he is hitting well, but I think he will definitely be up for at least cup of coffee at some point
4. Any other prospects make a big jump this year?
--Excited to see what Pete Crow-Armstrong & Kevin Alcantara do in their first full season in the org. There's a lot of interesting guys in the mix, it's a pretty deep list
5. How bad does it get?
--Let's not forget they lost 91 games last year and they had KB/Javy/Rizzo for half their games...this team does not have them

Anyway hopefully there's still enough of us around to keep this thread alive a bit this year

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

In short...it's not a major league roster.

Unless one is referring to the movie.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

In short...it's not a major league roster.

Unless one is referring to the movie.

Yeah that's true, but there are enough exciting players to keep me interested for the first couple months at least

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Operation Sports mobile app

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

2nd in the NL in +RunDiff...

Though the series against Oakland helped.

I sure thought it would take longer to get to double digit wins.

Pitching has been remarkably solid, going by the stats; Bellinger hitting above .275. Hoerner + Swanson is a great MIF.