2016 Bold Predictions Thread

[David]

Fowler has an OPS over .820

 

The Cubs have 6 All-Stars.

Schwarber has over 30 starts at catcher.

 

Adam Warren is 3rd in the rotation come the playoffs.

 

this is not bold. we had 33% more in 2008.

 

10 all stars.. that's bold.

Ok Mr. Fantasy Fact-checker. What 10 are you putting in? Because when you start looking at who guy #6 would be, it is a bit of a stretch.

 

If it's not more than a bit of a stretch, it's not all that bold...and if the 08 team can get 8, our bold scenario needs to be at least that.

 

If you want me to answer this seriously, here are the guys who should be expected to be all stars without needing things to fall their way

 

Rizzo, Bryant, Heyward, Arrieta

 

These guys have shown an ability to play at that level before and somewhat recently or can be projected to do so at some point

 

Zobrist, Russell, Schwarber, Montero (iffy, sure, but this isn't a serious topic), Lester, Lackey

 

Then you can throw in a wild card like Rondon, since Marmol was one of ours in 08 and it seems like most of the super dominant pen guys are in the AL

 

So I guess there's my BOLD prediction. Ten of those 11 guys (or maybe some others come out of nowhere to get sprinkled in...like maybe Soler)

 

Not that I really think that's gonna happen. Realities of the roster construction probably dictate that 8 is the extreme high end...I think we can get there if we're as good as we should be.

Edited March 13, 2016 by David

[David]

i totally forgot that marmol wasn't even our closer in 08...dude was just that good.

[bukie]

Kyle Hendricks will be an All-Star.

[David]

Kyle Hendricks will be an All-Star.

 

even that wouldn't shock me...especially if he has a nasty W-L record, which he easily could

[bukie]

Kyle Hendricks will be an All-Star.

 

even that wouldn't shock me...especially if he has a nasty W-L record, which he easily could

Hell, many people forget because of his terrible second half, but Hammel was almost an all star last year, and probably should have been.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

 

this is not bold. we had 33% more in 2008.

 

10 all stars.. that's bold.

Ok Mr. Fantasy Fact-checker. What 10 are you putting in? Because when you start looking at who guy #6 would be, it is a bit of a stretch.

 

If it's not a bit of a stretch, it's not bold

...which is why 6 counts as bold, 2008 aside.

The way I take the question is "what is an improbable long shot that you would be willing to put money on given the right odds?" Last year I predicted that Fowler would lead the NL in runs scored (he was close) and that Arrieta would finish 2nd in the Cy Young award voting. I was robbed on that last one.

[David]

oh by the way, yeah, i forgot that if fowler's first half this year resembles his second half last year, he'd be in the conversation too.

 

yeah, we have a lot of guys capable of making the all star team. shockingly.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

oh by the way, yeah, i forgot that if fowler's first half this year resembles his second half last year, he'd be in the conversation too.

 

yeah, we have a lot of guys capable of making the all star team. shockingly.

Fowler...if only I had made a prediction about him...

[David]

oh by the way, yeah, i forgot that if fowler's first half this year resembles his second half last year, he'd be in the conversation too.

 

yeah, we have a lot of guys capable of making the all star team. shockingly.

Fowler...if only I had made a prediction about him...

Yes your mention of him would be why I made that post

[biittner77]

Cubs win 93 games. They beat the Pirates in the one game playoff then sweep the Cards- who won 135 games during the regular season- in the Divisional round. Entire population of St. Louis Emigrates to Canada but refuse to acknowledge their humiliating defeat instead blaming it on Trump not winning the Presidential election.

[mdwilla]

Baez leads the Cubs in HR and SB at at the All-Star break as a result of Schwarber getting more starts behind the plate than anyway saw coming.

[imb]

Lester posts his highest WAR of his career

[NOLA]

Lester posts his highest WAR of his career

I really see Lester dominating this season, without the slow start.

[imb]

Lester posts his highest WAR of his career

I really see Lester dominating this season, without the slow start.

 

Heard some radio dick head yesterday say "well Lester was OK last season, but the Cubs didn't get what they expected from him."

 

He had his third-lowest FIP of his career and more than a K an inning. I basically never complain about radio idiots because I know being ill informed is part of their shtick but jesus.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Lester had a 2.90 ERA when not facing the Tigers last year.

[Cubswin11]

The Lester wasn't good last year/didn't product to the contract narrative annoys me almost as much as the bullpen wasn't good last year/is a major area of concern or weakness still this year

[Derwood]

Lester picks off Billy Hamilton

[Transmogrified Tiger]

- Bryant outWARs Trout

 

- Lackey fails miserably at the start, only an injury elsewhere keeps him in the rotation but he's replaced by Warren by the the stretch run

 

- Fowler has the highest wOBA of any Cub outfielder

 

- Come July, Montero has a strong case to make the ASG

 

- Rondon/Cahill/Strop is as good a back-end of any pen in the league

 

- Hendricks has the 2nd highest fWAR among Cub pitchers

 

- Zobrist v. Baez at 2B becomes a major talking point

[Tim]

- Fowler has the highest wOBA of any Cub outfielder

Are you counting Schwarbs as a catcher?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

- Fowler has the highest wOBA of any Cub outfielder

Are you counting Schwarbs as a catcher?

 

I am not. Part of the fun is guessing things you don't think are super probable but you think are more likely than the consensus.