Is anyone remotely excited for this season?

[RegulusBlue]

I love the Cubs, but I just don't see anything to like this year.

 

I suppose this is the fallout of all these horrid contracts Hendry passed out a few years back.

[jersey cubs fan]

I wasn't really excited about the season until the morning of opening day, and the first inning. But the rest of the game, off day and then follow-up loss kind of took away the minimal excitement I had. I am looking forward to the summer more for playing with my daughter on the beach than anything else.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm always excited for baseball. I mean, I'm a Cubs fan, so I'm practically numb to bad teams and bad seasons at this point. Even with the worst ones there will be players or games that stick out. I just enjoy the game that much.

[A New Era]

Well I agree. I know it's only been 2 games but the Cubs seem just way outclassed out there. I find myself hoping more than ever that the Cubs have a disastrous season so Ricketts finally grows a brain and fires Hendry. That really is the only way to make the Cubs future brighter. Better Drafting, Better Farm system, smarter spending (that last part requires firing hendry), will mean a much brighter future for the Cubs.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm excited, but getting a win soon sure would help to maintain it.

[Guest]

I was very excited for the season, but not being able to watch and the results of the first two games have tempered my enthusiasm a little bit. I still like the team though, losing a couple road games to the Braves(who might be the 2nd best team in the NL) isn't going to ruin our season. Getting a win today would be a big lift for me, although beating Hanson is going to be a task.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm not optimistic for today's game, but I'm still really excited for the season. We'd have to finish April about 8 games back to get me pissy.

[Soul]

I'm excited. Maybe not in the same way I've been excited for other seasons. But you can't beat Cubs baseball, Summer, 70's & 80's on the thermometer.

 

This Cub thing. It's for life. Win or lose. Good baseball or bad baseball. I'll always look forward to catching a Cub game.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I still think there's a chance they could sneak into a playoff spot. That's kind of exciting.

[TruffleShuffle]

i'm excited about the minor league system and players like castro, the jacksons, cashner, hak-ju lee and kyler burke. i guess that counts as this season, right?

[David]

I was very excited for the season, but not being able to watch and the results of the first two games have tempered my enthusiasm a little bit. I still like the team though, losing a couple road games to the Braves(who might be the 2nd best team in the NL) isn't going to ruin our season. Getting a win today would be a big lift for me, although beating Hanson is going to be a task.

 

 

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[The Logan]

On opening day I was more excited to see Jason Heyward play than I was to watch the Cubs play. Sad.

 

Until they prove that they are a team to contend with then I might get excited. I'll still root for them obviously, but I'm not holding my breath for a championship season.

[RegulusBlue]

Well I agree. I know it's only been 2 games but the Cubs seem just way outclassed out there. I find myself hoping more than ever that the Cubs have a disastrous season so Ricketts finally grows a brain and fires Hendry. That really is the only way to make the Cubs future brighter. Better Drafting, Better Farm system, smarter spending (that last part requires firing hendry), will mean a much brighter future for the Cubs.

 

I think this is about right.

 

I have felt often during the past three to five years that our roster had compared very favorably to many others in baseball, but aging and the difference between bringing in Soriano vs. bringing in Byrd (sadly, the better of the two contracts) have really changed that.

 

Theriot- Okay player, but not any kind of star, low OBP guy for leadoff, no real power, decent SS, would have been worse if he won his arb. case.

Fukudome- I actually like Kosuke, although his power never materialized. Lots of OBP, good in the OF, too much money, though.

Lee- Well, used to be a monster, then really good, now getting older and untradeable due to his contract. Still great at 1B, but not the star we used to have.

Ramirez- Total monster. Love having at least one player that is just great at the plate. Defense above average, not even super expensive for his production.

Soriano- Old-as-hell young-player-skills guy. Used to have streaks where he carried the team, but we're doomed to watch this old banana rot on the vine for many more years. Sigh...

Soto- Another ray of light, but its cloudly after his fatness ruined him last year. Please come back and be a great catcher again, Geo.

 

I was going to do a bunch more, but its getting depressing. I still watch the games, but I almost feel like 2005 when the team just sucked so hard after Wood and Prior were assassinated by Dusty Baker.

[jersey cubs fan]

Lee- Well, used to be a monster, then really good, now getting older and untradeable due to his contract. Still great at 1B, but not the star we used to have.

 

Lee is every bit as good as he used to be. He only had that one standout monster season, and last year was probably his second best.

[TruffleShuffle]

derrek lee is untradeable??? you either have no idea what his contract is or do not understand baseball and player valuation.

[jersey cubs fan]

derrek lee is untradeable??? you either have no idea what his contract is or do not understand baseball and player valuation.

 

Not completely untradable, but his no trade rights make it virtually so.

[TruffleShuffle]

derrek lee is untradeable??? you either have no idea what his contract is or do not understand baseball and player valuation.

 

Not completely untradable, but his no trade rights make it virtually so.

 

](*,) forgot about that.

 

while we're on the subject, what do y'all think will happen with lee after this season? i don't know if resigning a player his age is a great move, but there isn't a logical in-house replacement at this point.

[jersey cubs fan]

derrek lee is untradeable??? you either have no idea what his contract is or do not understand baseball and player valuation.

 

Not completely untradable, but his no trade rights make it virtually so.

 

](*,) forgot about that.

 

while we're on the subject, what do y'all think will happen with lee after this season? i don't know if resigning a player his age is a great move, but there isn't a logical in-house replacement at this point.

 

Maybe I'm making this up but it seems to me that Hendry's MO has been to extend guys in April/May, so perhaps that will happen here, otherwise I think he's still staying simply because of the complete lack of replacements and "good guy" status that Lee holds in the organization.

[Sammy Sofa]

My assumption is that they re-sign him because it's the safe option due to his popularity with the fans and the lack of an "obvious" replacement in the organization. I'm holding out hope that someone thinks outside of the box and approaches Lee if the Cubs fall out of it and tells him that he will not be re-signed and asks him to wave his NTC at the deadline.

[CyHawk_Cub1679667117]

I'm very excited that the season has started...I love baseball period. I'm just not very excited about the Cubs this year.

[Tim M]

My assumption is that they re-sign him because it's the safe option due to his popularity with the fans and the lack of an "obvious" replacement in the organization. I'm holding out hope that someone thinks outside of the box and approaches Lee if the Cubs fall out of it and tells him that he will not be re-signed and asks him to wave his NTC at the deadline.

 

Meh, I don't know how much we'd get back since Lee is a FA after the season. If he plays well this season I'd like to see a 2 year extension. Lee has been a great Cub.

[Exile on Waveland]

I wasn't really excited until the evening before opening day. The last two games have sapped most of the excitement from me, though I am looking forward to being able to sit down and watch a full game this weekend.

 

I am, however, excited to see some the progression of some of the younger players: Soto (will this year be more like 2008 or 2009, or between?), Castro (when/if he's called up, a young shortstop prospect is always exciting), Wells (did the Cubs catch some luck here?), Marshall (forgotten man no longer. . . ?), Colvin (wiser posters than I believe he should be in AAA, but I'm excited to see him nonetheless), etc.

[Exile on Waveland]

derrek lee is untradeable??? you either have no idea what his contract is or do not understand baseball and player valuation.

 

Not completely untradable, but his no trade rights make it virtually so.

 

You don't think he would have some interest in moving to a contender at the deadline if the Cubs were out of it?

 

(I expect the Cubs to re-sign him anyway, though.)

[TruffleShuffle]

My assumption is that they re-sign him because it's the safe option due to his popularity with the fans and the lack of an "obvious" replacement in the organization. I'm holding out hope that someone thinks outside of the box and approaches Lee if the Cubs fall out of it and tells him that he will not be re-signed and asks him to wave his NTC at the deadline.

 

i agree with you on both counts. i think the cubs will keep him around - let's hope if they do that it's something like a 2-year deal, not 4 or 5... maybe they've seen the soriano of their ways. but he'd be useful to a team at the trade deadline, either a contending NL team with an unproductive or injured 1B, or AL teams with similar problems at either 1B or DH. teams like the braves, dodgers, mets (probably won't be contending), a's, giants, mariners and rangers could be interested in him as a rental.

[jersey cubs fan]

derrek lee is untradeable??? you either have no idea what his contract is or do not understand baseball and player valuation.

 

Not completely untradable, but his no trade rights make it virtually so.

 

You don't think he would have some interest in moving to a contender at the deadline if the Cubs were out of it?

 

(I expect the Cubs to re-sign him anyway, though.)

 

It's possible, but he also already has a WS ring and multiple playoff appearances. He's not desperate to play for a winner. And his NTC (or 10/5 rights) makes him less valuable in a trade since it may force a team to offer an extension to get him. There's probably not much point in trading him, you'd probably be better off with an arbitration offer and taking him back for one year or getting picks.