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Why does this 90+ win team's season feel lacking?

UMFan83

By UMFan83,
in Chicago Cubs Talk

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Why is this team not as fun as they should be? (Select all that apply)  

113 members have voted

  1. 1. Why is this team not as fun as they should be? (Select all that apply)

    • We are spoiled by success so anything less than 100 wins seems disappointing
      11
    • We aren't as disappointing as it seems, VBs are just right on our heels so it feels like we are disappointing
      15
    • We built up this uber talented offense that forgot how to hit for 2.5 months and our team of dongsmiths is in the bottom 20% of the league in HRs
      36
    • They are as fun as they should be and you're just a ninny (For Duke)
      1
    • Starting Pitching and offense are seemingly never good at the same time
      12
    • Off the field issues casting a dark cloud on team (Russell, Murphy, etc)
      10
    • Injuries to Bryant, Morrow, Darvish, Strop and others are limiting our ceiling
      26
    • Other (Please list)
      2

UMFan83 GOAT

UMFan83

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

I know I'm not the only one that has been lamenting throughout the year how frustrating this season as been at times. And it doesn't make sense on the surface. With 6 days left in the regular season we have the best record in the NL, second best RD, our starting pitching is rounding into form, Javy is the most exciting player and a legit MVP candidate. And yet...if you look at the game threads, even in games we win it seems like we are in last place. Something to me just seems....missing with this team and I can't completely put my finger on why.

 

Just wanted to get the board's thoughts. Maybe I and others are just being ninnys, or spoiled brats, or bad fans or whatever.

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treebird All-Star

treebird

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

we have legitimately not been good for a very long stretch now, and too many of our star players are injured to have any real hope of making a surprise run in the playoffs.

 

i voted for forgot how to hit for 2.5 months and the injury one.

Banedon GOAT

Banedon

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
we have legitimately not been good for a very long stretch now

 

Disagree. They have two months where they have played less than .600 ball. .519 in May, and .545 in September.

treebird All-Star

treebird

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
we have legitimately not been good for a very long stretch now

 

Disagree. They have two months where they have played less than .600 ball. .519 in May, and .545 in September.

 

i’m mostly thinking about the second half run differential there. this team has been playing like a .500 team for a while now.

George Hayduke College Ball

George Hayduke

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

I think part of it too is, a lot of the things that have gone wrong have been glaringly obvious whereas the things that have gone right have been easy to overlook. For example the defense has again been the best in baseball, which is easy to forget. The bats have been average or worse for a while, but they've derived value from good base running when they do get on. The pitchers have walked a lot of guys and not struck out a lot of guys, but they've induced a lot of weak contact. They've had big name injuries and regressions, but also a lot of quality depth on the bench.

 

None of those pros are particularly flashy or exciting, but they have helped them keep winning. While there haven't been any great win streaks this season there haven't been any really terrible losing streaks either (that I can remember). They kind of just keep plugging along, though clearly this season in particular seems to be taking a toll and they're running out of steam.

 

I'm just hoping they win the division and the crapshooty nature of the playoffs works to their benefit this year.

Sammy Sofa GOAT

Sammy Sofa

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
I think part of it too is, a lot of the things that have gone wrong have been glaringly obvious whereas the things that have gone right have been easy to overlook. For example the defense has again been the best in baseball, which is easy to forget. The bats have been average or worse for a while, but they've derived value from good base running when they do get on. The pitchers have walked a lot of guys and not struck out a lot of guys, but they've induced a lot of weak contact. They've had big name injuries and regressions, but also a lot of quality depth on the bench.

 

None of those pros are particularly flashy or exciting, but they have helped them keep winning. While there haven't been any great win streaks this season there haven't been any really terrible losing streaks either (that I can remember). They kind of just keep plugging along, though clearly this season in particular seems to be taking a toll and they're running out of steam.

 

I'm just hoping they win the division and the crapshooty nature of the playoffs works to their benefit this year.

 

That feels like the kind of hodgepodge setup that can benefit from the long regular season and things like sequencing/schedule difficulty more than actually working when it comes time for the playoffs, crapshoot or not. Obviously, it's the signs of a well constructed team, but when you're relying so much on the fallback options it's almost inevitably going to hit a wall.

Andy GOAT

Andy

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

I voted for the frustrating offense, the injuries and the SP/offense never both being good.

 

There's indisputably some being spoiled in there, in that if this same year were happening in 2015 I don't think we're having these conversations as much.

Bertz Knoxville Smokies

Bertz

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

It's definitely not the second half thing. People were complaining just as much in April/May/June. Remember "vaunted run differential?"

 

I think it's about 60% people being spoiled, 30% the Brewers not letting up, and 10% the offense/pitching rarely being good at the same time.

Hairyducked Idiot MVP

Hairyducked Idiot

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
The Brewers being right on their heels IS disappointing; don't give me this wimpy, "seems disappointing" horse horsefeathers.

 

I don't want to step on Duke's lines, but they literally have the best record in the National League.

Banedon GOAT

Banedon

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
You know what the best record in the NL can always be?

 

A BETTER BEST RECORD IN THE NL.

 

http://digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/16/13/480x270/gallery-1459528059-friends-my-diamond-shoes-are-too-tight.gif

BigSlick South Bend Cubs

BigSlick

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

its mostly the injuries and disappointing progress from young players I think. Almost nobody is playing *better* than they have in recent years, with the extremely notable exception of Javy. (You could argue Schwarber I suppose, but he's smack dab in the middle of what reasonable projections are for him)

 

Also the games are miserable because they give up runs in the first inning in 80% of games

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