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The Chicago Cubs Are Still Good So Get Ready For Another Six Or Seven Months Of Cubsposting 2017 Record: 92-70 (1st NL Central, defeated Nationals 3-2 in NLDS, lost 4-1 to Dodgers in NLCS) The Cubs got hit hard by the post-title hangover, were a sub-.500 team in the first half, turned on the afterburners after the ASB and won the Central by 6 games over a scrappy Brewers squad punching above expectations. Most of their offseason has been about swapping one ace for another and shoring up a leaky bullpen while the young hitting core gets a year older and hopefully a year better! While the 25-man has not been finalized as of this post, there is a very good chance the Cubs will only carry one position player over the age of 30 on Opening Day as they try to reach the playoffs for the fourth straight year and win a third consecutive division title. DID YOU KNOW: This is now the second-longest Cubs World Series title drought after winning a title. Manager: Joe Maddon (292-193, .602 record with Cubs, 19-17 postseason record with Cubs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZGqQDWD2MA Joe Maddon has 19 Cub postseason wins in 3 years. The Cubs had 18 postseason wins from 1909 to 2014. He's quirky and weird and will absolutely mismanage a bullpen and grind a few arms into fine powder but you're a fool if you don't think this guy hasn't already earned himself a statue outside Wrigley someday. He will not quit the team, but simply be seen driving off in an RV and never been seen again. Losses from 2017: Jon Jay (CF, Royals) Miguel Montero (C, Nationals) Alex Avila (C, Diamondbacks) Rene Rivera (C, Angels) Jeimer Candelario (IF, Tigers) Matt Szczur (OF, Padres) Leonys Martin (OF, Tigers) Jake Arrieta (SP, Phillies) John Lackey (SP, FA/Retired?) Brett Anderson (SP, A's/MiLB?) Felix Pena (RP, Angels) Dylan Floro (RP, Reds) Justin Grimm (RP, Royals) Hector Rondon (SU, Astros) Koji Uehara (SU, Japan) Pierce Johnson (P, Giants) Zac Rosscup (P, Rockies) Jack Leathersich (P, Indians/MiLB) Wade Davis (CL, Rockies) Seth Frankoff (P, Korea) New faces for 2018: Yu Darvish (SP) Tyler Chatwood (SP) Steve Cishek (RP) Brandon Morrow (CL) Catcher: Willson Contreras (.276/.356/.499, 119 OPS+, 4.0 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgoNWotRgOs Willson had a promising second half of 2016 and built on that to become what looks like a long-term solution at the catcher position for the Cubs. Loves surprising runners with back-picks and has been talked up by some as a dark horse NL MVP candidate this year. First Base: Anthony Rizzo (.273/.392/.507, 132 OPS+, 4.3 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm3q14hgXYE A good guy and a good baseballer who will probably have his forearm shattered sooner or later taking his 54th HBP of the season. Second Base: Javier Baez (.273/.317/.480, 103 OPS+, 2.9 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8P5lYZzDTc If you had told me those offensive numbers were improvements over 2016 I would not have believed it but there we are. Maybe this is the year that breaking balls 18 inches outside won't look like juicy swing targets but don't count on it. Third Base: Kris Bryant (.295/.409/.537, 143 OPS+, 6.2 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7X4FGKapYM Had a small (but not that small) dropoff from his MVP year. Will probably have another 'average' KB year where he's worth 6 WAR, bats nearly .300 and socks 30 dingers. Shortstop: Addison Russell (.239/.304/.418, 85 OPS+, 2.4 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rki0cQ5V2U One of the bigger regressions from 2016, Addison still played solid defense and will hope to rebound, even if he'll probably never be a plus hitter. Left Fielder: Kyle Schwarber (.211/.315/.467, 99 OPS+, 0.0 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu4Rs09KBmQ The Beef is leaner this year and fans are hoping his .340/.419/.660 spring training slash line will hold up while not being as much of a defensive liability in left field. Center Fielder: Ian Happ (.253/.328/.514, 114 OPS+, 1.8 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyAZLyg5ZZM Happ entered Spring Training as a utility bench guy and is likely leaving as the leadoff hitter and starting center fielder after an absolute monster spring. Happ slashed .321/.400/.811 with 7 homers in 53 AB and has looked like a breakout star. Right Fielder: Jason Heyward (.259/.326/.389, 85 OPS+, 2.3 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGCOOu_pboE I was going to type a bunch of words about Heyward but in the time it took to think of something he tapped another slow grounder directly to the second baseman Likely bench players: C Victor Caratini (.254/.333/.356, 80 OPS+, 0.1 WAR) IF Tommy La Stella (.288/.389/.472, 123 OPS+, 0.3 WAR) UT Ben Zobrist (.232/.318/.375, 79 OPS+, 0.5 WAR) OF Albert Almora (.298/.338/.445, 101 OPS+, 1.1 WAR) Starting Pitchers: Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA, 1.323 WHIP, 100 ERA+, 1.0 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-e94ZUvGJk Jon took a massive step back from his 2015/16 form and the jury is out on whether it was just an off year or the start of a decline as he enters his age-34 season. Either way I think he's probably more like the #3 or #4 on this team but he's going to be used like a #1. Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, 144 ERA+, 3.3 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeDE4JlHP9Y Kyle will keep throwing 86 and having no outward emotions and will get a lot of people out and nobody will have a good explanation for any of it. Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86 ERA, 1.163 WHIP, 118 ERA+, 3.7 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW6uF7JThqI That one guy who runs the Clark Street stall that got suckered into 20 boxes of "Horry Kow" shirts back in the late 2000s is ready for everyone to get racist again. Darvish was arguably the best starter on the market this year and he seems motivated to atone for his poor performance with the Dodgers in the World Series. Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15 ERA, 1.224 WHIP, 117 ERA+, 2.3 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICBnHa90spI I think Quintana will end up being the best starter across the year for the Cubs in 2018 and it may not be close. Tyler Chatwood (8-15, 4.69 ERA, 1.442 WHIP, 107 ERA+, 2.0 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIRLQIY_z7U Chatwood is a good "will be much better when he doesn't have to pitch half the year at Coors" candidate and even if he isn't he's a perfectly serviceable fifth starter. Relief Pitchers: Mike Montgomery (7-8, 3.38 ERA, 1.209 WHIP, 129 ERA+, 2.4 WAR) Eddie Butler (4-3, 3.95 ERA, 1.427 WHIP, 111 ERA+, 0.8 WAR) Pedro Strop (5-4, 2.83 ERA, 1.177 WHIP, 157 ERA+, 1.1 WAR) Steve Cishek (3-2, 2.01 ERA, 0.896 WHIP, 174 ERA+, 1.5 WAR) Brian Duensing (1-1, 2.74 ERA, 1.219 WHIP, 159 ERA+, 1.3 WAR) Justin Wilson (4-4, 3.41 ERA, 1.293 WHIP, 133 ERA+, 1.5 WAR) Carl Edwards, Jr. (5-4, 2.98 ERA, 1.010 WHIP, 146 ERA+, 1.5 WAR) Brandon Morrow (6-0, 2.06 ERA, 0.916 WHIP, 204 ERA+, 1.2 WAR) PREDICTION: The Cubs will win at least 90 games and another NL Central title. If they remember to bring a bullpen and contact in the playoffs, they'll win the World Series. If they don't, they'll lose the NLCS in 4-5 games again. CubsWoo fucked around with this message at 01:33 on Mar 29, 2018 |
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Mar 28, 2018 22:16
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 13:30 |
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Timby posted:.304, not .204. Be pretty difficult to have an on-base percentage 35 points lower than your BA. Jason Heyward is hard at work at this puzzler
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Mar 29, 2018 01:34
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