Perspective and a starting pitcher

[Lefty]

1) Cub fans are afraid we have an early 2000s Oakland A's problem in that we built a team for the regular season, but not one that will work in the playoffs. Way too premature to worry about that. At the 2014 trade deadline we traded Shark and the conventional wisdom was that "the plan" was reset. Just a year later we didn't "go for it" at the deadline, with the Cubs basically tied with the Giants, because we didn't want to compromise said plan. Barely two months later we lose in the NLCS after winning 97 regular season games. It will be very hard to get back to the NLCS. It is not the starting point for any discussions.

 

2) If you take out the four crappy starts of Beeler and Roach (that is what Replacement looks like) Cub fifth starters had the following stats:

 

30 GS 150.33 IP 147 H 9 W 5 L 130 K 38 BB 26 HR 4.13 ERA

 

Not too different from Hammel and Hendricks except for innings per start. Assuming Wood stays in the pen, what or who are we looking for?

 

I don't think one of the big three is in the cards. This front office needed a splash last year, but they now have credibility. What percentage moves can they make?

 

Would they offer Shark a one-year plus team option deal? Would he take it to try to boost his value? His road stats weren't terrible and he collapsed after the trade deadline. Get him interested and let him face a couple of pitchers a game.

 

James Shields is now 4/60, something the Cubs probably would have given him last year. He is a year older and did not have a great year. He might save the bullpen some serious innings and maybe the Padres will "Montero" him.

 

There are probably some guys who are FAs after 2016. They are probably candidates as well.

[jersey cubs fan]

Really, Cubs fans are afraid of that?

[Guest]

Really, Cubs fans are afraid of that?

That post had so many weird syatements. My favorite was we don't need a big splash this year because "credibility".

[biittner77]

Really, Cubs fans are afraid of that?

That post had so many weird syatements. My favorite was we don't need a big splash this year because "credibility".

 

I took that to mean that signing a big name to placate the fans no longer is something they would consider. That kind of goes without saying though.

 

If "built for the regular season, not the playoffs" means only having 2 starting pitchers that you feel good about giving the ball to in a short series, there's cause for concern there. But those two things aren't mutually exclusive. David Price, for example, would probably help win some regular season games.

[SouthSideRyan]

And James Shields has 3/65 left on his contract. Or 4/79 if you pick up his option.

 

And if Shark was taking a deal to boost his value, he's really unlikely to go for a team option.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

And James Shields has 3/65 left on his contract. Or 4/79 if you pick up his option.

 

And if Shark was taking a deal to boost his value, he's really unlikely to go for a team option.

 

And if he was going to take a one year deal to boost his value he probably would just take the $16 million qualifying offer since I can't see other teams giving him a one year deal and giving up a first round pick.