General Cubs Chit-Chat

[squally1313]

Ricketts won't say no to that money. We may never get those seats back again (only half joking)

 

He'll let people sit there as long as they agree to hold the tarp up over their head the whole game.

[Omar]

Raise the tarp with sticks, charge a premium for the "Wintrust Bleacher Club"

[Backtobanks]

Ricketts won't say no to that money. We may never get those seats back again (only half joking)

 

If the team gets worse, he might not have people to put in the seats.

[Omar]

Ricketts won't say no to that money. We may never get those seats back again (only half joking)

 

If the team gets worse, he might not have people to put in the seats.

 

nah

 

$10-15 baseball tickets, beer, and hot dogs. Chicagooans will flock to that no matter what.

[d_money]

Ricketts won't say no to that money. We may never get those seats back again (only half joking)

 

If the team gets worse, he might not have people to put in the seats.

 

nah

 

$10-15 baseball tickets, beer, and hot dogs. Chicagooans will flock to that no matter what.

Don’t forget the tourists from outta state

[squally1313]

Ricketts won't say no to that money. We may never get those seats back again (only half joking)

 

If the team gets worse, he might not have people to put in the seats.

 

nah

 

$10-15 baseball tickets, beer, and hot dogs. Chicagooans will flock to that no matter what.

 

As a bleacher season ticket holder, ticket prices + 12% amusement tax averages out to $50/ticket/game. Some of these early games have been the lowest tier ($20), but they ramp up significantly in the summer. And that's before all the other fees you're paying to buy online. Toss on either the highest, or near the highest beer prices....it's not quite as cheap as you'd like it to be.

[Omar]

Yeah, true. I was a bit naive and exaggerated that price range.

 

"Post 'covid vaccine wave' cabin fever" needs a meme term.

[Tryptamine]

Through 16 games the Cubs now have 93 hits which is the 2nd lowest in the league ahead of only the Mets who have 89 hits in 4 fewer games. The team immediately ahead of the Cubs is the Yankees who have also played 16 games but have 108 hits. Leading the league is the Red Sox who have 174 hits through 18 games.

[Bertz]

Through 16 games the Cubs now have 93 hits which is the 2nd lowest in the league ahead of only the Mets who have 89 hits in 4 fewer games. The team immediately ahead of the Cubs is the Yankees who have also played 16 games but have 108 hits. Leading the league is the Red Sox who have 174 hits through 18 games.

 

I think at this point, on a broad team-wide basis, it's BABIP. The team is last in the league at .227, even though their exit velocities, hard hit rate, and such are all better than average. Facing Atlanta without having to see Fried or Soroka cured a lot of ills. They're striking out too much, but I think that's basically Javy and having faced an inordinate amount of Brewers pitching.

 

On an individual level, we should be VERY worried about Javy, and mildly worried about Heyward and Joc. Otherwise I think everything else is noise. Happ and Bote's issues especially are pure BABIP.

[Cubswin11]

All but 1 NL East team, the Yankees, Padres, Jays, Rays, Astros, White Sox, Cardinals and Twins all have as many or more losses as the Cubs (who suck and we have the right to hate) at this point. If you told us that going in to the year ~20 games in you’d think we’d be like 15-5 or something.

[abuck1220]

I would love to hear an explanation as to how the cubs arrived at the organizational philosophy of building a pitching staff full of good control/no velocity starters and no control/good velocity relievers because it is almost impressive how it has absolutely not worked at all.

[Bertz]

I would love to hear an explanation as to how the cubs arrived at the organizational philosophy of building a pitching staff full of good control/no velocity starters and no control/good velocity relievers because it is almost impressive how it has absolutely not worked at all.

 

Cubs relievers had a 3.46 ERA coming into today

[Irrelevant Dude]

I would love to hear an explanation as to how the cubs arrived at the organizational philosophy of building a pitching staff full of good control/no velocity starters and no control/good velocity relievers because it is almost impressive how it has absolutely not worked at all.

 

Cubs relievers had a 3.46 ERA coming into today

 

Do you believe that ERA accurately reflects their performance, or has there been some unsustainable luck involved over a small sample size? Dillon Maples currently has an ERA of 2.00, but walks more than 1 batter per inning. Dan Winkler is at 1.43, but has also walked 1 batter per inning. It is only a matter of time before the walks come back to burn them, and the bullpen as a whole.

[CubinNY]

The bullpen is awful and cherry-picking isn't going to make it better.

[Bertz]

I would love to hear an explanation as to how the cubs arrived at the organizational philosophy of building a pitching staff full of good control/no velocity starters and no control/good velocity relievers because it is almost impressive how it has absolutely not worked at all.

 

Cubs relievers had a 3.46 ERA coming into today

 

Do you believe that ERA accurately reflects their performance, or has there been some unsustainable luck involved over a small sample size? Dillon Maples currently has an ERA of 2.00, but walks more than 1 batter per inning. Dan Winkler is at 1.43, but has also walked 1 batter per inning. It is only a matter of time before the walks come back to burn them, and the bullpen as a whole.

 

Sure, but then you have Chafin and Brothers on the flip side of that coin: strong peripherals and a crappy ERA.

Chafin's the primary setup man too, so you feel those unlucky runs more than you benefit from Maples escaping damage while we're already down 6.

 

We need to figure out which of Tepera/Adam/whomever from AAA is the second RH setup guy, but otherwise I feel quite good about the pen. Kimbrel's been incredible, Workman started a little slow but has been good overall, Chafin's been great but unlucky, etc.

 

I think early in the year people are even more prone to freakouts than normal, so a legitimately bad weekend for the pen has people on the ledge.

[abuck1220]

I would love to hear an explanation as to how the cubs arrived at the organizational philosophy of building a pitching staff full of good control/no velocity starters and no control/good velocity relievers because it is almost impressive how it has absolutely not worked at all.

 

Cubs relievers had a 3.46 ERA coming into today

 

oh come on. brothers posted an era of 0.00 in his outing saturday wherein he went walk, walk, hbp, k and pretty much lost the game.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

It's difficult for me to look at the bullpen and not conclude that it's fine, especially from a roster construction sense. The output is good, the underlying performance is fine(they're more middle of the pack in terms of FIP-based stuff), and the most important pieces are doing their part. Kimbrel is outstanding, Chafin has been good, Wick should hopefully supplement the back end of the pen before too long, and there's either good outcomes or room for optimism in several other spots getting sorted.

 

 

The rotation's results have been less good, but I don't think I'd say 'no velocity/good control' was the goal. For one, every team in baseball would want Hendricks in their rotation, and for another Alzolay has plenty of velocity. The rest is a function of:

 

1) not being given any money to spend, which both made trading Darvish an option and limited the market of what they could acquire

2) the post-pandemic season's uncertainty about workloads(and lack of farm depth) causing them to value durability, which is generally negatively correlated with stuff/velocity

3) being at an uncertain point in terms of the position player core's status beyond this year, which makes longer term commitments(either via trade, FA, or prospect) to risky assets(read: pitchers) an even riskier proposition

 

A number of these circumstances/problems are of their own design, but I also don't think it's fair to say they sat down in November and said "yes, finally we'll get to build our dream rotation of soft tossers", it's a logical outcome of (IMO) reasonable ideas to make the most of the current situation.

[abuck1220]

oh, i mostly agree. if the reasonably priced, free agent-to-be, #3/#4 in the rotation guy the padres had available to trade for darvish threw 95 mph, that's prob who would be in davies' spot in the rotation right now. and if the trevor williams-ish free agent that could be had for $2 mil threw 95 mph, that's prob who would be in his spot in the rotation right now.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

[abuck1220]

i apologize for calling davies a “good control/no velocity” guy when he’s actually the ever elusive “no control/no velocity” type.

[Bertz]

With the team playing like butt and an astounding 15 (!!!) impending free agents on the roster, it feels like it might be worth starting to keep an eye on the trade deadline. The way I see it there are five groups of guys on the roster who could be dealt:

 

The Nobodies - Low ceiling options with no realistic path to bringing back a big return

- Sogard, Duffy, Shelby Miller, Romine, Marisnick, Winkler

 

The Salvageables - Guys with solid track records who've gotten off to crappy starts.  They could still net something fun if they get hot for two months

- Davies, Joc, Workman, Tepera

 

The Solid Rentals - These guys have legit pedigrees for performance, but have gotten off to mixed starts (either good results with bad peripherals or vice versa)

- Arrieta, Chafin, Javy

 

The Stars - Guys with star pedigrees currently performing like stars

- KB, Rizzo

 

The Team Control guys - They are controlled through next year, so even if they produce and we sell they might not go anywhere

-  Willson, Kimbrel, Brothers, Williams

[d_money]

Totally agree with listing Javy as a rental. El Mago must be kicking himself in the butt for not signing that extension.

[Rex Buckingham]

The Team Control guys - They are controlled through next year, so even if they produce and we sell they might not go anywhere

-  Willson, Kimbrel, Brothers, Williams

 

I would fully expect them to trade Kimbrel if they keep sucking. That extra year adds value, and they won't need him next year since they'll probably suck again, so they might as well try to find some rando to try and catch lightning in a bottle then trade for more than he's worth because he's racked up some saves

[Bertz]

The Team Control guys - They are controlled through next year, so even if they produce and we sell they might not go anywhere

-  Willson, Kimbrel, Brothers, Williams

 

I would fully expect them to trade Kimbrel if they keep sucking. That extra year adds value, and they won't need him next year since they'll probably suck again, so they might as well try to find some rando to try and catch lightning in a bottle then trade for more than he's worth because he's racked up some saves

 

Totally agree. I think if things stay on their current trajectory he's the most likely guy to be traded after KB.

[CubinNY]

KB will be playing for the Mets or Yankees before July 4th.