The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

He's had a great year at the plate...still on pace with Castro in 2B, and OPS...and this after a really bad week or so.

That, and during their awesome August, his name just kept coming up in late innings...whether scoring a run, getting a hit, and RBI, etc...

My lineup might leave Alcantara in the cold...but he could probably be switched for Baez...even if it meant shifting the rest of the MIF around.

The team is due to face an embarrassment of riches scenario very soon...good, prudent, and shrewd decisions will need to be made, and they will have to hope they were right on each one.

Bryant, Soler, Baez, Valbuena, Alcantara, Coghlan, Russell, Almora...all vying for 5 spots, and each is legitimate, in one way or another.

Leaving Bryant at 3B makes the situation even more difficult...

We all know this, though...it's exciting, in a way...but also a little anxiety-inducing.

[Mo]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/09/diamondbacks-handling-of-justin-upton-should-serve-as-cautionary-tale-for-starlin-castro/

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Wait 'til next year...........

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2...tarlin-castro/

"I was disappointed to see Cubs color man Jim Deshaies and David Kaplan continue that narrative because it further fuels the perception."

Someone needs to tell John, that's because perception IS the reality.

General laziness or lack of drive in ANY professional sport, would and should get scrutinized. It's why Soriano and Ramirez got it also.

On the flip side, it's also why Zambrano caught grief. You didn't have to worry about Big Z competing, but you had to worry about him going too far with it.

It's all about mental balance. Most of them do have it, some of them don't.

[ThaBoss18]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Jake Arrieta is pretty awesome and really has been the Ace still Jeff left and tonight has been no different

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Jake Arrieta is pretty awesome and really has been the Ace still Jeff left and tonight has been no different

Arrieta can be a fantastic #2 for many years for us.

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I'll go ahead and just leave this here:



Yeah, yeah, I know, SSS.

[Cubfan]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Cubs have made changes to its minor league system cutting ties with Boise and moving from Daytona to Myrtle Beach and maybe even move away from Kane County even though they won the Midwest League Title. Kane County is willing to make stadium changes if that helps keep its minor league affiliation.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Cubs have made changes to its minor league system cutting ties with Boise and moving from Daytona to Myrtle Beach and maybe even move away from Kane County even though they won the Midwest League Title. Kane County is willing to make stadium changes if that helps keep its minor league affiliation.

This is rather abrupt, lol. They just moved to Kane County and were singing the praises of how it means so much for it to be that close to Chicago. I'm not a big fan of the move from Daytona either, although Myrtle Beach is technically a bit closer. I am fine with the move from Boise...it always seemed weird to have an affiliate way out there.

[JODYE]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

"I was disappointed to see Cubs color man Jim Deshaies and David Kaplan continue that narrative because it further fuels the perception."

Someone needs to tell John, that's because perception IS the reality.

General laziness or lack of drive in ANY professional sport, would and should get scrutinized. It's why Soriano and Ramirez got it also.

On the flip side, it's also why Zambrano caught grief. You didn't have to worry about Big Z competing, but you had to worry about him going too far with it.

It's all about mental balance. Most of them do have it, some of them don't.

I'm sorry, but I'm growing rather tiresome of your uneducated banter regarding Starlin Castro as a baseball player.

By the way you speak of him, I'm going to safely assume you never played any sport at a high level in your life. You don't get to the level that Starlin has gotten to by lacking drive, and being lazy. What you are commenting on has no bearing on the work he puts in on a day to day basis as a player. He just had the best defensive season of his career and posted career highs in OPS and SLG % but some how he is lazy? Both his coaches and the players have commented on Castro's great work ethic this season, but you must know more than them? You must have also missed the articles about him spending all winter working on his defense/agility and strength with Tim Buss. Hmm, so lazy.

The reason that was the perception, is because the windbag Bob Brenly took upon himself to be the resident pessimist when it came to every thing Starlin Castro, sometimes right but mostly wrong. What is being lost here, is the kid has essentially had to learn on the job since he was 19 years old, thrust into the media spotlight in the most desperate baseball city in America. He was going to make mistakes. This was also the same douche who would harp on Aramis at every opportunity, who just so happened to be arguably the best Cub of our generation. It appears he was successful in brainwashing you.

One thing we seem to forget here, is that these guys are human. I certainly don't expect every player to go balls out down the line on every routine ground ball. Guys get frustrated. And what player hasn't watched a deep fly ball out of the box in his career? Who cares? If the Cubs were 20 games over .500 priming for a playoff run, you and all the other critics wouldn't be anywhere to be found. He grinds out every at bat, plays hurt, never makes excuses and wants to be on the field. Couple that with the fact that he has the talent to match, not sure why you wouldn't want him on your team. Because he didn't run out a ground ball to SS in the 136th game of the season down 20 games in the division? Give me a break.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I've decided to essentially curb my criticism of him...at least until next year.

I'm willing to accept the positions made by others here, and, perhaps more importantly, decided that I want to see what he does when the roster includes the "kids" and the team gets "serious".

I will reiterate my hopes that the team sees him as a 6-hole guy, as opposed to a 2...and my concerns that he might balk at the idea of being "demoted" in the order. IMO, #6 is the make or break for a lineup. Lots of teams can fill up 3-5 or 2-4 with talent...but all i remember thinking in 2008 was that DeRosa and Soto at 6-7 was what made the lineup so dangerous...

[ThreeKing]

The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I'm sorry, but I'm growing rather tiresome of your uneducated banter regarding Starlin Castro as a baseball player.

By the way you speak of him, I'm going to safely assume you never played any sport at a high level in your life. You don't get to the level that Starlin has gotten to by lacking drive, and being lazy. What you are commenting on has no bearing on the work he puts in on a day to day basis as a player. He just had the best defensive season of his career and posted career highs in OPS and SLG % but some how he is lazy? Both his coaches and the players have commented on Castro's great work ethic this season, but you must know more than them? You must have also missed the articles about him spending all winter working on his defense/agility and strength with Tim Buss. Hmm, so lazy.

The reason that was the perception, is because the windbag Bob Brenly took upon himself to be the resident pessimist when it came to every thing Starlin Castro, sometimes right but mostly wrong. What is being lost here, is the kid has essentially had to learn on the job since he was 19 years old, thrust into the media spotlight in the most desperate baseball city in America. He was going to make mistakes. This was also the same douche who would harp on Aramis at every opportunity, who just so happened to be arguably the best Cub of our generation. It appears he was successful in brainwashing you.

One thing we seem to forget here, is that these guys are human. I certainly don't expect every player to go balls out down the line on every routine ground ball. Guys get frustrated. And what player hasn't watched a deep fly ball out of the box in his career? Who cares? If the Cubs were 20 games over .500 priming for a playoff run, you and all the other critics wouldn't be anywhere to be found. He grinds out every at bat, plays hurt, never makes excuses and wants to be on the field. Couple that with the fact that he has the talent to match, not sure why you wouldn't want him on your team. Because he didn't run out a ground ball to SS in the 136th game of the season down 20 games in the division? Give me a break.

Deleted.........

[JODYE]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I stopped reading your bull**** at this point. I played baseball all the way through 2 years of college, before my arm gave out.

I coach my two sons' travel teams and get NOTHING BUT PRAISE from Parents. Not one complaint whatsoever.

Elite travel programs are BEGGING for me to coach their teams, due to how well my sons approach AND play the game.

I know baseball inside and out, so you can take your false accusations somewhere else.

Also, since you're so quick to jump my stuff on here, we can always meet up and see who the better athlete is. Just shoot me a PM brother.

This usually happens when you have ran out of hyperbolic rhetoric. If you have to tell people how much you know about the sport, it usually means the opposite.

And please, don't deplete all your armchair athleticism in one post lol

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

This usually happens when you have ran out of hyperbolic rhetoric. If you have to tell people how much you know about the sport, it usually means the opposite.

And please, don't deplete all your armchair athleticism in one post lol

No, no.....you got personal and called me out without having ANY KNOWLEDGE on me whatsoever, and I then responded.

Like I said, we can meet up anytime and see who the better athlete is. Football, basketball, baseball, etc. You name it. My money is on the table.....

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Okay guys, we get it. Y'all are tough. Let's get back to talking about the Cubs.

Unsurprisingly, Kris Bryant won the Cubs Minor Leaguer of the Year Award. Soler continues to swing a hot bat, Baez seems to be figuring some things out a little, Rizzo hit a walk-off in his return from the DL (though, I think he's been out since then). It's going to be an important winter for Theo and company. If they can find a #1 and maybe another Jason Hammel/Scott Feldman type to fill in a 3-5 spot in the rotation, this team could threaten the playoffs next season.