General Cubs Chit-Chat

WrigleyField 22 · January 7, 2020

Got a VM and email reminder yesterday about the possibility that I'll get my number called for the season ticket wait-list. Gotta say that this exciting offseason really has me thrilled about the possibility of dropping several thousands of dollars on these schmucks. On the other hand I'm about to have 2 children under 2 and live and work in the burbs. Geeze, I'm sure I'm gonna use these a ton....

What's another 15 years on the Wait list if I re-enroll? Maybe less as I'd hitch on with my BIL who would be my ticket partner if I jumped at it now.

ETA - well my BIL emailed me back and agreed he doesn't think its a good time to jump at them. Back in the queue I guess!

Tryptamine · January 7, 2020

Based on how I was around 20k in line last year and contacted this year, I don't think there's going to be much of a wait this time around.

minnesotacubsfan · January 8, 2020

Yuk

https://apple.news/A0wyhS6oGQlKXY9Mh3jfWJA

SouthSideRyan · January 8, 2020

Do you have a link that doesn’t suck

minnesotacubsfan · January 8, 2020

In content or origin?

No, they both suck

SouthSideRyan · January 8, 2020

I meant in readability on mobile, and now I'm sad I clicked it on my computer

minnesotacubsfan · January 8, 2020

I meant in readability on mobile, and now I'm sad I clicked it on my computer

Sorry, it was in the Apple News app i saw the article and I always seem to get the apple tag in the link even when I open it in my firefox app.

But yea, its terrible news.

JudasIscariotTheBird · January 9, 2020

Since we're all in such a good mood, I thought I'd add to the misery:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/Young-girl-hit-by-foul-ball-at-Astros-game-still-14955872.php

Tim · January 9, 2020

As currently constructed, I still think we're the best team in the division.

But man am I booooored with this offseason.

PackLandVA · January 9, 2020

As currently constructed, I still think we're the best team in the division.

But man am I booooored with this offseason.

February 12 will be here before we know it!

UMFan83 · January 9, 2020

As currently constructed, I still think we're the best team in the division.

But man am I booooored with this offseason.

I'm confused about "still" being the best team? I mean its certainly debatable but our 2nd best reliever right now is Rowan Wick and our position player and rotation depth is not great. Still have the top line talent and with solid seasons from the core we should be right up there, but I find it hard to call us the best team at this point.

squally1313 · January 9, 2020

The Brewers bullpen after Hader is a disaster, potentially salvaged by Knebel coming back from TJS in May. The Cardinals rotation is basically just Flaherty and the shrug emoji. I know I should be worried about the Reds a little, but I really couldn't tell you much about them at this point.

This is a shell of the 2015/2016 rosters, but I think it's fair to say this team, as long as KB and Willson stay here, should be the favorites going into opening day.

Tim · January 9, 2020

As currently constructed, I still think we're the best team in the division.

But man am I booooored with this offseason.

I'm confused about "still" being the best team? I mean its certainly debatable but our 2nd best reliever right now is Rowan Wick and our position player and rotation depth is not great. Still have the top line talent and with solid seasons from the core we should be right up there, but I find it hard to call us the best team at this point.

From a talent perspective, I think we still have more projected production than any other team in the division. I don't really buy into the theory that the whole is less than the sum of the parts with this team. I just think we experienced negative variance last year and that if you played that season 100 times, we'd win the division most of those times. None of the teams has added much and both MIL and STL have had a major subtraction or two. For better or worse, we're basically exactly the same team minus Hamels and a few relievers.

While there's not much in the pen you'd point to and write in for 70 appearances of great pitching, there are a fair amount of quality arms that simply lack the longer track record that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. But there's a lot of flexibility and I've got a fair bit of confidence that they can put together a pretty good performance with what they have.

The bench was awful last year, but those are actually players that have a decent track record of not being complete garbage until last year. Bote and Caratini are fine to excellent depth. Descalso, Kemp and Almora may not set the world on fire, but they shouldn't sum to a -2.0 WAR, either. The last few guys on everyone's bench look much the same.

The overall offense should be somewhere between good to excellent. The big factors there are Happ & Hoerner. If Happ can provide anything like what he did in the second half, he's a well above average CF and our outfield is suddenly looking a lot better. If Nico can reproduce his quality of contact from last year and raise his walk rate to what he did in the minors, he's a very solid piece of the puzzle, too. Them producing well is huge because then you limit the number of at bats you're giving to the end of the bench. Then you've still got Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Contreras and Baez to anchor the offense.

Darvish & Hendricks is a heck of a start to the rotation. There's interesting depth there with Mills, Rea, Cotton, Alzolay, etc. And, yeah, that's all I'm going to say here.

Hairyducked Idiot · January 9, 2020

To be clear, are we saying this team has a plurality or majority of the division-winning chances?

Bertz · January 9, 2020

To be clear, are we saying this team has a plurality or majority of the division-winning chances?

Not to speak for Tim but I'd say plurality. Fangraphs has the Cubs at 40 projected WAR (an ~88 win team), the Brewers at 36, Cards at 35, Reds at 32 (without Akiyama yet, so let's say 34), and Pirates at 30. I'd guess in division champ odds that equates to something along the lines of 30/22/20/18/10.

WrigleyField 22 · January 9, 2020

A majority would be tough even if the Cubs weren't a sad sack of LT avoiding horsefeathers.

UMFan83 · January 10, 2020

Nothing really new in this article but if you like reading articles that have a TL;DR of "WTF Cubs?" here is one from The Ringer:

https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2020/1/10/21059296/mlb-chicago-cubs-free-agency-cold-stove

CubinNY · January 10, 2020

Nothing really new in this article but if you like reading articles that have a TL;DR of "WTF Cubs?" here is one from The Ringer:

https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2020/1/10/21059296/mlb-chicago-cubs-free-agency-cold-stove

"Suffice it to say, things have taken a hard left turn off that course."

I would say a hard right turn.

Bull · January 11, 2020

As currently constructed, I still think we're the best team in the division.

But man am I booooored with this offseason.

I'm confused about "still" being the best team? I mean its certainly debatable but our 2nd best reliever right now is Rowan Wick and our position player and rotation depth is not great. Still have the top line talent and with solid seasons from the core we should be right up there, but I find it hard to call us the best team at this point.
From a talent perspective, I think we still have more projected production than any other team in the division. I don't really buy into the theory that the whole is less than the sum of the parts with this team. I just think we experienced negative variance last year and that if you played that season 100 times, we'd win the division most of those times. None of the teams has added much and both MIL and STL have had a major subtraction or two. For better or worse, we're basically exactly the same team minus Hamels and a few relievers.

While there's not much in the pen you'd point to and write in for 70 appearances of great pitching, there are a fair amount of quality arms that simply lack the longer track record that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. But there's a lot of flexibility and I've got a fair bit of confidence that they can put together a pretty good performance with what they have.

The bench was awful last year, but those are actually players that have a decent track record of not being complete garbage until last year. Bote and Caratini are fine to excellent depth. Descalso, Kemp and Almora may not set the world on fire, but they shouldn't sum to a -2.0 WAR, either. The last few guys on everyone's bench look much the same.

The overall offense should be somewhere between good to excellent. The big factors there are Happ & Hoerner. If Happ can provide anything like what he did in the second half, he's a well above average CF and our outfield is suddenly looking a lot better. If Nico can reproduce his quality of contact from last year and raise his walk rate to what he did in the minors, he's a very solid piece of the puzzle, too. Them producing well is huge because then you limit the number of at bats you're giving to the end of the bench. Then you've still got Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Contreras and Baez to anchor the offense.

Darvish & Hendricks is a heck of a start to the rotation. There's interesting depth there with Mills, Rea, Cotton, Alzolay, etc. And, yeah, that's all I'm going to say here.

Plus some of those core position players are theoretically moving into the peak of their prime.

It’s hard to imagine improvement with some, but Contreras, Schwarber, Bryant and Baez are theoretically yet to/about to peak while Happ, Almora, Bote could/should also be improving.

Rizzo and Heyward will turn 31 this year however and are in danger of precipitous decline.

Hairyducked Idiot · January 11, 2020

I'm confused about "still" being the best team? I mean its certainly debatable but our 2nd best reliever right now is Rowan Wick and our position player and rotation depth is not great. Still have the top line talent and with solid seasons from the core we should be right up there, but I find it hard to call us the best team at this point.
From a talent perspective, I think we still have more projected production than any other team in the division. I don't really buy into the theory that the whole is less than the sum of the parts with this team. I just think we experienced negative variance last year and that if you played that season 100 times, we'd win the division most of those times. None of the teams has added much and both MIL and STL have had a major subtraction or two. For better or worse, we're basically exactly the same team minus Hamels and a few relievers.

While there's not much in the pen you'd point to and write in for 70 appearances of great pitching, there are a fair amount of quality arms that simply lack the longer track record that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. But there's a lot of flexibility and I've got a fair bit of confidence that they can put together a pretty good performance with what they have.

The bench was awful last year, but those are actually players that have a decent track record of not being complete garbage until last year. Bote and Caratini are fine to excellent depth. Descalso, Kemp and Almora may not set the world on fire, but they shouldn't sum to a -2.0 WAR, either. The last few guys on everyone's bench look much the same.

The overall offense should be somewhere between good to excellent. The big factors there are Happ & Hoerner. If Happ can provide anything like what he did in the second half, he's a well above average CF and our outfield is suddenly looking a lot better. If Nico can reproduce his quality of contact from last year and raise his walk rate to what he did in the minors, he's a very solid piece of the puzzle, too. Them producing well is huge because then you limit the number of at bats you're giving to the end of the bench. Then you've still got Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Contreras and Baez to anchor the offense.

Darvish & Hendricks is a heck of a start to the rotation. There's interesting depth there with Mills, Rea, Cotton, Alzolay, etc. And, yeah, that's all I'm going to say here.

Plus some of those core position players are theoretically moving into the peak of their prime.

It’s hard to imagine improvement with some, but Contreras, Schwarber, Bryant and Baez are theoretically yet to/about to peak while Happ, Almora, Bote could/should also be improving.

Rizzo and Heyward will turn 31 this year however and are in danger of precipitous decline.

Players peak earlier than you're thinking. All those guys are pure decline age. Everyone declines forever. There are no peaks.

weis21 · January 11, 2020

Kyle thinks everyone peaks at age 23 because that’s how old he was the last time he got laid

Bull · January 11, 2020

From a talent perspective, I think we still have more projected production than any other team in the division. I don't really buy into the theory that the whole is less than the sum of the parts with this team. I just think we experienced negative variance last year and that if you played that season 100 times, we'd win the division most of those times. None of the teams has added much and both MIL and STL have had a major subtraction or two. For better or worse, we're basically exactly the same team minus Hamels and a few relievers.

While there's not much in the pen you'd point to and write in for 70 appearances of great pitching, there are a fair amount of quality arms that simply lack the longer track record that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. But there's a lot of flexibility and I've got a fair bit of confidence that they can put together a pretty good performance with what they have.

The bench was awful last year, but those are actually players that have a decent track record of not being complete garbage until last year. Bote and Caratini are fine to excellent depth. Descalso, Kemp and Almora may not set the world on fire, but they shouldn't sum to a -2.0 WAR, either. The last few guys on everyone's bench look much the same.

The overall offense should be somewhere between good to excellent. The big factors there are Happ & Hoerner. If Happ can provide anything like what he did in the second half, he's a well above average CF and our outfield is suddenly looking a lot better. If Nico can reproduce his quality of contact from last year and raise his walk rate to what he did in the minors, he's a very solid piece of the puzzle, too. Them producing well is huge because then you limit the number of at bats you're giving to the end of the bench. Then you've still got Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Contreras and Baez to anchor the offense.

Darvish & Hendricks is a heck of a start to the rotation. There's interesting depth there with Mills, Rea, Cotton, Alzolay, etc. And, yeah, that's all I'm going to say here.

Plus some of those core position players are theoretically moving into the peak of their prime.

It’s hard to imagine improvement with some, but Contreras, Schwarber, Bryant and Baez are theoretically yet to/about to peak while Happ, Almora, Bote could/should also be improving.

Rizzo and Heyward will turn 31 this year however and are in danger of precipitous decline.

Players peak earlier than you're thinking. All those guys are pure decline age. Everyone declines forever. There are no peaks.

I thought we had backed the peak age back from 31 years ago to 28 today.

And just because you peaked in high school doesn’t mean we all did.

Also, if peak is earlier than 28, why are we upset they want to trade Bryant? I mean, I am, but maybe I need to take a step back.

Hairyducked Idiot · January 11, 2020

Plus some of those core position players are theoretically moving into the peak of their prime.

It’s hard to imagine improvement with some, but Contreras, Schwarber, Bryant and Baez are theoretically yet to/about to peak while Happ, Almora, Bote could/should also be improving.

Rizzo and Heyward will turn 31 this year however and are in danger of precipitous decline.

Players peak earlier than you're thinking. All those guys are pure decline age. Everyone declines forever. There are no peaks.
I thought we had backed the peak age back from 31 years ago to 28 today.

And just because you peaked in high school doesn’t mean we all did.

Also, if peak is earlier than 28, why are we upset they want to trade Bryant? I mean, I am, but maybe I need to take a step back.

Historically, people thought baseball peaks were 28-32 but they were more like 25-29. They've been trending younger in the last 15 years or so, to the point where they might be as early as 23-25 now. Probably because in the past, players learned on the job up through the majors and skill progression cancelled out aging, but now players tend to get intense training from an early age and to the majors with less to gain from experience. So all that's left is good old physical decline, which starts in the very early 20s.

People being mad about trading Bryant? It seems pretty emotion-based to me.

JudasIscariotTheBird · January 11, 2020

People being mad about trading Bryant? It seems pretty emotion-based to me.

Without speaking for others, my emotions are tied to my preferred baseball team being cheap af and being uninterested in improving upon a currently well above average baseball team. By the way, my ties to said preferred baseball team are purely emotional and bereft of logic, reason, or material gain.

Regular Show · January 16, 2020

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I don't know how he returns to Wrigley Field and a future Cubs Convention without that forced apology the Ricketts are demanding. He also needs to open up about his PED usage, but I guess he cares about his slim HoF chances. If he admits to that (I believe he will someday) then he probably has no chance at making it down the road.

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