2018 Chicago Cubs

[fugazi]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

There's a need for some kind of shake-up.

I kinda feel like the FO might not know what to do...

EDIT:
"There was a bit of a sense of inevitability of success," Epstein said. "With our players, there was a sense that things would be fine in the end. With the length of the season and our talent, it would take care of itself. We're the Cubs. We'll be there. I think in a lot of ways that was a lesson learned."

^That's a management problem, first...and a player leadership problem 2nd....

Add to that the disaster of Chatwood/Darvish/Morrow...good grief...

Either this team will be very good because one or more of those three will contribute to a team that almost had it all together...or they'll be worse because none of them help, and there don't seem to be any reinforcements coming.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

I was playing around with some of the visualization tools on Baseball Savant:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/pitchmix#477132_2018

and I was looking at the pitch repertoires of Cubs' starting pitchers. Was really struck by how similar all of the lefties on the staff are (Lester, Quintana, Hamels, Montgomery) with respect to pitch arsenal, velocity, and shape of the pitches. It's almost like the front office has been trying to clone Jon Lester by adding these other guys over the past couple of years. I wonder if it's actually to their detriment to stack so many similar looks on consecutive days against opposing lineups.

[k_mac]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Hyde to the Orioles is officially official (what a weird organization over there). That means we'll be on our 3rd bench, pitching, and hitting coach since that one fateful night in November of 2016. That amount of turnaround is shocking.

BUT

Daniel Descalso 2 years 5 million with a third year option. Not a sexy move, but one that improves our bench. Hopefully he can keep up those 2018 numbers at the plate. Now that we've had an appetizer, I'm ready for the stove to get cookin'!

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Hyde to the Orioles is officially official (what a weird organization over there). That means we'll be on our 3rd bench, pitching, and hitting coach since that one fateful night in November of 2016. That amount of turnaround is shocking.

BUT

Daniel Descalso 2 years 5 million with a third year option. Not a sexy move, but one that improves our bench. Hopefully he can keep up those 2018 numbers at the plate. Now that we've had an appetizer, I'm ready for the stove to get cookin'!

Hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure Descalso is the main course (at least for our club). Unless you're really into mediocre 8th inning relievers (which I see the FO adding at some point). Of course, if Theo wants to sign Craig Kimbrel and Bryce Harper to the line that is dotted, I'm not gonna object.

[k_mac]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

Hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure Descalso is the main course (at least for our club). Unless you're really into mediocre 8th inning relievers (which I see the FO adding at some point). Of course, if Theo wants to sign Craig Kimbrel and Bryce Harper to the line that is dotted, I'm not gonna object.

Yeah.. I don't expect a Harper or a Kimbrel. I don't even expect a Miller type of relief pitcher either. At this point, yes, I'm really into mediocre 8th inning relievers because we can't trot out Cishek and Strop out 162 times and expect that to work.

That is much more exciting than the alternative of mixing in guys who were injured or ineffective last year. Edwards, Kintzler, Duensing, etc. Frustrating, but unfortunately that's the current climate of Cubs baseball.

[fugazi]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

I imagine they're holding onto Happ and a couple others to throw in for a pitcher around the deadline.

I hope, anyway...

There were good 2B available...I wonder if they're afraid of making Baez the everyday SS.

[Jr.]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

I imagine they're holding onto Happ and a couple others to throw in for a pitcher around the deadline.

I hope, anyway...

There were good 2B available...I wonder if they're afraid of making Baez the everyday SS.

They haven't made a move for a starting quality SS so it doesn't seem like it

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[fugazi]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

^I meant that as..."they are going to hold on to AR"

Unless they do something to shore up a taxed bullpen and provide some kind of help to the offense (I think it's no surprise that a good contact hitter like Murphy really sparked the team), I'm going to be hard to convince that the Ricketts aren't just running on cruise control.

I know there are salary issues. But winning is winning. I don't get the sense that they're in it to win it...are we back to the old days of profit over productivity?

In a depressed market for 2B, I'm kinda disappointed the Cubs aren't looking into options there...AR can be traded, JB takes over at short, etc.

I should be careful what I ask for...no sense in making a move just to make one...but there is a cloud of...idk...lethargy and contentedness...

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

I hate this news:

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25737609/cubs-sign-suspended-ss-addison-russell-market-value

1. That they are keeping him.

2. That they are looking at this as a cynical value proposition rather than whether he deserves to be on the team.

[fugazi]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

I don't expect it to happen, and am not sure whether I'd want it to happen...

but signing Machado would be a coup.

He'd play SS against Righties, and 3B against Lefties if KB moves to LF and Schwarber sits, and Russell plays SS. Effectively a Russell/Schwarber platoon.

Happ, Zobrist, Heyward split time in RF, Happ and Zobrist could spell Baez at 2B.

Again, i doubt it and would be shy of it...but...it seems to be a really good move.

[Jr.]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

I don't expect it to happen, and am not sure whether I'd want it to happen...

but signing Machado would be a coup.

He'd play SS against Righties, and 3B against Lefties if KB moves to LF and Schwarber sits, and Russell plays SS. Effectively a Russell/Schwarber platoon.

Happ, Zobrist, Heyward split time in RF, Happ and Zobrist could spell Baez at 2B.

Again, i doubt it and would be shy of it...but...it seems to be a really good move.

If they don't have the money to sign Harper, they don't have the money to sign Machado.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

On the bright side of things, I saw that Yu Darvish will have no limitations in Spring Training and is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

[fugazi]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

If they don't have the money to sign Harper, they don't have the money to sign Machado.

eh....they don't have the will to spend it, that's all.

Going to be interesting, if that's the right word, to see what happens when it's time to pay KB, Rizzo, Baez, etc.

[Jr.]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

eh....they don't have the will to spend it, that's all.

Going to be interesting, if that's the right word, to see what happens when it's time to pay KB, Rizzo, Baez, etc.

The point remains. I think part of the reason they don't want to spend the money this year is to keep the books open as much as they can when those contracts need to be signed. I doubt they keep everyone, but hopefully those 3 can stay.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2018 Chicago Cubs

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2818137-theo-epstein-cubs-at-risk-of-being-mlbs-biggest-loser-in-offseason-disaster

I think this summed up the Cubs approach well; they are essentially banking on the fact they are better than they played last year.


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