Random Cubs Musings

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If we get Tanaka, we're like one good breakout player away from being a .500 team.

[sneakypower]

Lake

[SouthSideRyan]

Lake

 

North already convinced me he's terrible

[Guest]

Lake

 

North already convinced me he's terrible

 

Same.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I was thinking a Olt, Castro, or Arrieta.

[Guest]

I was thinking a Olt, Castro, or Arrieta.

 

I think Castro return to form (or even improvement on his peak) is already a separate prerequisite.

 

I could see those other two, though.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I was thinking a Olt, Castro, or Arrieta.

 

I think Castro return to form (or even improvement on his peak) is already a separate prerequisite.

 

I could see those other two, though.

 

I'm figuring on Castro being a two-win player. Getting him to 4+ would be the kind of breakout that could take this team a step forward.

[Guest]

Lake. The [expletive] that North put out is not predictive of anything. Besides that it's tautological. Of corse your average on fly balls is going to be less when you don't hit hr. You get the same information from HR/FO without all the minutiae.

[Guest]

Lake. The [expletive] that North put out is not predictive of anything. Besides that it's tautological. Of corse your average on fly balls is going to be less when you don't hit hr. You get the same information from HR/FO without all the minutiae.

 

The point is that he's not enough of a power monster to make up for the frequency with which he swings and misses.

[Guest]

Lake. The [expletive] that North put out is not predictive of anything. Besides that it's tautological. Of corse your average on fly balls is going to be less when you don't hit hr. You get the same information from HR/FO without all the minutiae.

 

The point is that he's not enough of a power monster to make up for the frequency with which he swings and misses.

Yes, I know. He has a lot of red flags all of whch were known without knowing how far his average fly ball went. Also, Lake will get stronger and can tweak his swing.

[SouthSideRyan]

I hope everyone else can tweak their swings too

[imb]

i hope he adds 15 pounds best shape of his life too

[Sammy Sofa]

Rizzo

 

Wrong Stallone:

 

http://static4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110205035015/muppet/images/7/77/SNLTickleMeFrankStallone.jpg

[jersey cubs fan]

Levine was on sirius mlb a little earlier and had some really distressing things to say about 2014 season. Things like, the focus being losing as many games as possible, I'm being facetious, they aren't really tanking, but they want one last high draft pick and will be looking for the #1 pick in the draft. Totally hemmed and hawed his way around the topic but was pretty clearly saying they are going to suck balls this year and are kind of happy about it.

 

 

Although very positive on the Tanaka front (which directly confronts his other comments)

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Levine was on sirius mlb a little earlier and had some really distressing things to say about 2014 season. Things like, the focus being losing as many games as possible, I'm being facetious, they aren't really tanking, but they want one last high draft pick and will be looking for the #1 pick in the draft. Totally hemmed and hawed his way around the topic but was pretty clearly saying they are going to suck balls this year and are kind of happy about it.

 

 

Although very positive on the Tanaka front (which directly confronts his other comments)

 

Even with Tanaka, they can still shoot for a top-10 pick pretty easily.

 

Unless you get really lucky-hot in the first three months, you can dump a lot. Hopefully you keep Samardzija, but you can lose Barney, Valbuena, Schierholtz, Sweeney, Veras, Jackson and/or Castro. That'll put you at 90+ losses again.

[davell]

Levine was on sirius mlb a little earlier and had some really distressing things to say about 2014 season. Things like, the focus being losing as many games as possible, I'm being facetious, they aren't really tanking, but they want one last high draft pick and will be looking for the #1 pick in the draft. Totally hemmed and hawed his way around the topic but was pretty clearly saying they are going to suck balls this year and are kind of happy about it.

 

 

Although very positive on the Tanaka front (which directly confronts his other comments)

 

Sign Tanaka and trade Shark the next day?

[SouthSideRyan]

Levine was on sirius mlb a little earlier and had some really distressing things to say about 2014 season. Things like, the focus being losing as many games as possible, I'm being facetious, they aren't really tanking, but they want one last high draft pick and will be looking for the #1 pick in the draft. Totally hemmed and hawed his way around the topic but was pretty clearly saying they are going to suck balls this year and are kind of happy about it.

 

 

Although very positive on the Tanaka front (which directly confronts his other comments)

 

Sign Tanaka and trade Shark the next day?

 

That was my theory before any TV deal news broke.

 

I think people need to realize our starting OF is Lake-Sweeney-Schierholtz backed up by (Josh Vitters and Justin Ruggiano) before being worried about winning too many games.

[Guest]

I maintain that the Schierholtz/Ruggiano platoon is going to result in a pretty productive RF (assuming that's where Ruggiano plays).

 

 

This FO doesn't suck and won't trade Samardzija just to trade him if the offers aren't there. They'd sooner let him play out another year or two and see where he is then.

[SouthSideRyan]

I maintain that the Schierholtz/Ruggiano platoon is going to result in a pretty productive RF (assuming that's where Ruggiano plays).

 

 

This FO doesn't suck and won't trade Samardzija just to trade him if the offers aren't there. They'd sooner let him play out another year or two and see where he is then.

 

They don't suck but if we have to keep payroll down until the second the tv contract starts it's possible they (wisely) choose tanaka over samardZija. We're not competing this year so if they swap shark for somebody who can be in the rotation in 15 they may view it as a wash

[jersey cubs fan]

I maintain that the Schierholtz/Ruggiano platoon is going to result in a pretty productive RF (assuming that's where Ruggiano plays).

 

 

This FO doesn't suck and won't trade Samardzija just to trade him if the offers aren't there. They'd sooner let him play out another year or two and see where he is then.

 

I maintain that "pretty productive" is a cop-out descriptor.

[Guest]

I maintain that the Schierholtz/Ruggiano platoon is going to result in a pretty productive RF (assuming that's where Ruggiano plays).

 

 

This FO doesn't suck and won't trade Samardzija just to trade him if the offers aren't there. They'd sooner let him play out another year or two and see where he is then.

 

I maintain that "pretty productive" is a cop-out descriptor.

 

Ok. Above league average for the position.

[Guest]

Cubs ZiPS projections come out on Friday.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Cubs ZiPS projections come out on Friday.

 

Hopefully in time to include Tanaka in them.

[Benny Rodriguez]

I maintain that the Schierholtz/Ruggiano platoon is going to result in a pretty productive RF (assuming that's where Ruggiano plays).

 

 

This FO doesn't suck and won't trade Samardzija just to trade him if the offers aren't there. They'd sooner let him play out another year or two and see where he is then.

 

I maintain that "pretty productive" is a cop-out descriptor.

 

Ok. Above league average for the position.

 

Since it was our best offensive position last year basically without a platoon, don't you think we need a bit more than just better than league average?

I have hope that it could be even better this..saving Nate from wearing down and missing some tough lefties.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I really, really want Josh Vitters to make the team out of ST. Beyond that, it'd be cool to have at least one young player surprise everyone and earn a job, even if it's just Olt at 3b (which I guess isn't a surprise, but still).

 

I really wonder what Epstein and Hoyer want out of this season. Do they want to show progress, flirt with .500 and build some buzz and maybe even sell some tickets? Or do they want draft position again? Do they want to stay in the protected pick zone, or do they not plan on getting any major FAs so it doesn't matter?

 

What is it in human nature that makes us love guys like Hendricks with no velocity but good command?

 

I really expect nothing from Jake Arrieta. If I never have to hear "upside" or "ceiling" in reference to a 27+ guy again, I would be happy.

 

There is a very high probability that this is the season we see Javier Baez hit his first HR as a Cub.

 

These next few months almost certainly represent rock bottom. I think it remains to be seen whether the peak will be as high as we hope, but it is uphill after this.