Call your shot - Hitters

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Before ST games start, let's try something that we can all look back and pound our chest or laugh at each other after the season. Give me your hitter that you think will greatly exceed expectations this year. You can also pick someone who will fall way short of expectations, but not only is that not as fun, but for most Cub hitters there's not as far to go down as there is to go up. Say what you truly believe, but "I think Darwin Barney will OPS 715 instead of 695" isn't all that fun either. I'll start:

 

Ian Stewart will put up an all star caliber season at 3B.

[jersey cubs fan]

what expectations are you basing this on?

 

what is all star caliber? If he gets in like Girardi did does that qualify (the only non-injured guy willing to go).

[Guest]

I'm trying to avoid being hyper specific about defining expectations, because for one, this is just a fun exercise, and I don't really want a bunch of hand wringing over the minutiae of whether Marlon Byrd is expected to be a 2.3 WAR guy or a 1.7 WAR guy.

 

And I'm not saying "I think Ian Stewart will be just okay but a bunch of 3B get hurt and he gets added to the All-Star team", that would be a stupid prediction(and also why I said caliber and not make the team). He'll be one of the top 3B in the league.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Ian Stewart will play himself out of the league by June. The Cubs will get more home runs from their backup catcher than from him.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm going to have to catch up with who is on this team before figuring this out.

 

 

Soriano will outperform expectations.

 

Barney will fall flat on his face.

[ctcf]

Jaramillo will be backup catcher and we will all be sad about it.

[Tracer Bullet]

As I'm sitting here trying to think of a decent player on the team, my screen goes black. So yeah.

 

Castro will win the MVP.

[Old Style]

Anthony Rizzo will have double digit HR's for the Cubs (and no, not the IOWA Cubs).

[XZero771679666304]

TT used the one I would have right off the bat.

 

 

Ian Stewart will be pretty good (.800-.850 OPS).

 

Kyle will refuse to acknowledge his presence.

[Post Count Padder]

David DeJesus wins the batting crown.

[pitchcs]

Soto has a huge bounce back year (900 OPS).

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Bryan LaHair will make TT fall in love with him.

[Tracer Bullet]

Are you saying BH has a stash of funky cold medina laying around?

[Guest]

I guess I'll take LaHair. It was gonna be either LaHair or Stewart.

 

Bryan LaHair will post an >.800 OPS.

[Guest]

Brian LaHair will hit more HR than Carlos Pena did last year and have a better OPS.

 

Marlin Bird will be a bench player by May 1.

[sneakypower]

.875 ops for LaHair vs. RHP (he'll be pretty shitty vs. lefties)

 

Stewart tops 3 WAR

[SouthSideRyan]

Starlin Castro will be better than everyone but me thinks.

[Little Slide Rooter]

By July:

 

Adrian Cardenas takes over 2B and puts up 2006 Theriot like numbers, though he and Castro form an epically bad double play combination.

 

Marlon Byrd( to TB for Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann) and Reed Johnson(to who cares for a PTBNL and 27 year old one time medium upside prospect) are replaced by Brett Jackson who puts up something to the tune of .265/.350/.450 and Dave Sappelt with .280/.325/.400.

 

Blake DeWitt is traded to the A's by opening day. He puts up the same numbers he did in 2011. He ends up their 5 hitter.

 

Bonus: At the deadline, some type of multi team blockbuster trade involving Alfonso Soriano and Chone Figgins, and Barry Zito occurs.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Little Slide Rooter

[MWV]

Castro hits 20 HRs.

Stewart posts an above .350 wOBA.

[Guest]

Starlin Castro will be better than everyone but me thinks.

 

I'm thinking .315/.365/.480

[jersey cubs fan]

Marlin Bird

 

As easy as that one is, it may be the first time I've seen it.

[SouthSideRyan]

Starlin Castro will be better than everyone but me thinks.

 

I'm thinking .315/.365/.480

 

Like I said.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Marlin Bird

 

As easy as that one is, it may be the first time I've seen it.

 

If one were to type his name into a computer with a spell check, I'm assuming that's what it would ultimately come up with.

[javy knows my name]

Starlin Castro will be better than everyone but me thinks.

 

I'm thinking .315/.365/.480

 

Like I said.

 

.330/.400/.500

[BeerHere]

Soto has a huge bounce back year (900 OPS).

I'll take the opposite. Soto has another down year (.700 OPS) and is moved at the deadline to the Astros with Castillo taking over the full-time duties.