2018 Cubs Bold Predictions Thread

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Addy finishes in top 5 MVP hitting .292 33 homers 122 RBIs

Schwarber hits 41 homers

Wilson leads team in saves

Happ joins 20/20 club

[bukie]

Cubs have 8 players with 20+ HR

Cubs have 6 players with 5+ fWAR

Cubs clear 100 wins by September.

Cubs win division by 20 games

[JennieGarthAlgar]

We will have a 9 game lead at the break, the 2018 NL All Star team will be our team next year and they will beat the American League 18-5

 

C Contreras

1B Rizzo

2b Baez

SS Russell

3B Bryant

LF Schwarber

CF Happ

RF Harper

SP Darvish

 

edit: Happ over Heyward wtf was i thinking

Edited March 25, 2018 by JennieGarthAlgar

[SouthSideRyan]

We've got a week to go before the opener, so let's go ahead and do this.

 

 

Bryant, Rizzo, and Schwarber combine for 110 HR

Cubs score 900 runs

Chatwood posts an ERA in the 2's

Cubs win 105 games

Darvish wins NL Cy Young

Hendricks posts his best FIP/xFIP

 

Does the rest of the team die in a plane crash?

[cubfan]

After inspiring the Cubs to win another World Series, Heyward retires and tours the country as a motivational speaker.

[Bluescale]

Heyward puts up a 1.100 OPS and opts out of his contract at the end of the year. How's that for bold?

[Bull]

Heyward puts up a 1.100 OPS and opts out of his contract at the end of the year. How's that for bold?

the boldest. I do think Heyward bounces back though. Chili makes everyone bloated this year. I mean their numbers. Their numbers will be bloated.

[Backtobanks]

Heyward gets 2 hits in a game early in the season and Maddon has him lead off for the next 155 games.

[Sammy Sofa]

Chili makes everyone bloated this year.

 

[UK]

Weis becomes a male escort to ensure a Cubs WS (not sure what the male escort job market is down in NC but live your dream).

 

Cubs go 11-1 in the post-season.

 

The one loss is caused by ECU losing at home on a hail Mary to Memphis and Weis' inability to perform after that.

[Bertz]

-Happ & Schwarber both cut their strikeout rates to the low 20's and improve their defense to the point where they are 4+ win guys.

- Zobrist is a trainwreck, so much so that we're considering releasing him after the year

- The pitching staff is basically as good as in 2016, but less reliant on BABIP/soft contact voodoo

- Heyward's bat rebounds to average, but he loses a step and his defense goes from other-worldly to merely good, so net he's still the ~2 win player from last year

- One of Addy/Javy takes a big step forward, while the other takes a big step back. Combined with the Happ/Schwarber progress, we change our target next winter from Harper to Machado.

- The Cards are right there with us on a 100 win pace up through the ASB, but during that first series back we totally pants them, 2008 in Milwaukee style, and they fade to around .500.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

-Happ & Schwarber both cut their strikeout rates to the low 20's and improve their defense to the point where they are 4+ win guys.

- Zobrist is a trainwreck, so much so that we're considering releasing him after the year

- The pitching staff is basically as good as in 2016, but less reliant on BABIP/soft contact voodoo

- Heyward's bat rebounds to average, but he loses a step and his defense goes from other-worldly to merely good, so net he's still the ~2 win player from last year

- One of Addy/Javy takes a big step forward, while the other takes a big step back. Combined with the Happ/Schwarber progress, we change our target next winter from Harper to Machado.

- The Cards are right there with us on a 100 win pace up through the ASB, but during that first series back we totally pants them, 2008 in Milwaukee style, and they fade to around .500.

I'm not letting you talk anyone out of Harper to the Cubs. Even if the Addy/Javy situation plays out like you describe, you just put the winner at SS and put Happ at 2B.

[UMFan83]

Feeling crazy so here’s my bold prediction: Ian Happ gets down ballot MVP votes.

 

Several voters who did not put him on the ballot are never heard from again.

[champaignchris]

Kyle Hendricks goes “next level” and becomes generally recognized as the ace of the Cubs staff and one of the elite pitchers in the game.

 

Heyward is out of the regular starting lineup by July.

 

Some Cubs A-ball prospect has a bust out year and “suddenly” the Cubs have a farm system again. Immediately members of the media demand the Cubs trade said prospect for whatever relief pitcher has a hot trade market at the time. The members of the media conveniently forget they demanded the same of Kyle Schwarber as he hits 45 HRs and posts a 4.5 WAR season.

 

Zach Britton is pitching for the Orioles by June and for the Cubs by the non-waiver deadline. Victor Caratini is involved in the trade.

[Regular Show]

Kyle Hendricks goes “next level” and becomes generally recognized as the ace of the Cubs staff and one of the elite pitchers in the game.

 

Heyward is out of the regular starting lineup by July.

 

Some Cubs A-ball prospect has a bust out year and “suddenly” the Cubs have a farm system again. Immediately members of the media demand the Cubs trade said prospect for whatever relief pitcher has a hot trade market at the time. The members of the media conveniently forget they demanded the same of Kyle Schwarber as he hits 45 HRs and posts a 4.5 WAR season.

 

Zach Britton is pitching for the Orioles by June and for the Cubs by the non-waiver deadline. Victor Caratini is involved in the trade.

 

Zach Britton is the DL with a pretty serious injury. I doubt he comes back by June. He should pitch before the trade deadline, but June seems too optimistic to me.

[gobigred]

94-68 win the division by 9 games over STL

[champaignchris]

Zach Britton is the DL with a pretty serious injury. I doubt he comes back by June. He should pitch before the trade deadline, but June seems too optimistic to me.

 

I’ve read “late May” as target date for his return.

 

I was being bold.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Caratini going to where Sisco is ready to finally seize the spot would be odd. Although a 3 way trade could always happen. I do hope that when Vic is traded it's to a team that is willing to give him an everyday role.

[Cubswin11]

I'll add another one, we go wire-to-wire in first place. Since we have the first game off Thursday we'll be in first place, first, before any other NL Central teams game gets done and at worst we spend time tied for first.

[Bluescale]

94-68 win the division by 9 games over STL

 

That's got to be the least bold prediction I've read in ages...

[David]

94-68 win the division by 9 games over STL

 

That's got to be the least bold prediction I've read in ages...

 

It's pretty bold to think they'll lose 68 times

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

94-68 win the division by 9 games over STL

 

That's got to be the least bold prediction I've read in ages...

 

It's pretty bold to think they'll lose 68 times

I think its nearly exactly what fangraphs predicts what will happen.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

That's got to be the least bold prediction I've read in ages...

 

It's pretty bold to think they'll lose 68 times

I think its nearly exactly what fangraphs predicts what will happen.

The boldest prediction of all is that fangraphs will be right

[Bluescale]

It's pretty bold to think they'll lose 68 times

I think its nearly exactly what fangraphs predicts what will happen.

 

It's precisely nearly exactly what Fangraphs predicts will happen.

[David]

 

That's got to be the least bold prediction I've read in ages...

 

It's pretty bold to think they'll lose 68 times

I think its nearly exactly what fangraphs predicts what will happen.

Oh sorry I take it back