BOLD Predictions

[CubinNY]

We use to do this at the start of the season.

 

The Cubs have the best starting rotation in baseball in ERA and runs scored

 

The bullpen has the most blown saves in the NL

 

Joc is traded at the deadline Bryant isn't

 

The Cubs finish below.500

[David]

The Cubs rotation will be cromulent/decent and the offense and defense will be very good.

 

Trevor Williams is going to be very good.

 

The Cubs will be in first place, playing at a 90+ win pace and be buyers at the trade deadline.

 

Bullpen will be ok/fine (at least eventually).

 

That's it. That's the post.

[stitchface]

We use to do this at the start of the season.

 

The Cubs have the best starting rotation in baseball in ERA and runs scored

 

The bullpen has the most blown saves in the NL

 

Joc is traded at the deadline Bryant isn't

 

The Cubs finish below.500

 

Wind better blow in a lot for the first one. Hard to imagine being better than the Dodgers and Padres given their park advantages, and frankly, much better rotations. But, it is bold!

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Bryant is a Top 5 MVP candidate

 

Williams leads the rotation in ERA through merit and not by default

 

Cubs win 90+ games and the division

 

It is the last time they make the playoffs for the next 5 years

[Cubswin11]

- Cubs win 88 to 92 games and the division

 

- Contreras leads MLB in catcher WAR as the framing gains maintain from last year

 

- Rizzo and Bryant both post over 4 WAR

 

- The OF of Joc, Happ, Heyward gives us a top 5 OF by WAR

 

- Sogard is actually decent when used in the LaStella pinch hit/once a week or so start role

 

- Starting rotation is solid and keeps us in games more often than not. Hendricks and Davies both are FIP beaters, Williams becomes a lab/Hottovy success story, Jake and Adbert are a little up and down but generally fine. Mills does a good job in the Montgomery role of spot starting/being a long reliever. Then the rest of the alt site/minor guys like Miller, Franklin, Thompson, Braylin do enough until we add a SP or two at the deadline.

 

- Bullpen is solid and Kimbrel is mostly good as a closer.

Edited March 30, 2021 by Cubswin11

[TarzanJoeWallis]

Zach Davies has a better season than Yu Darvish.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Zach Davies has a better season than Yu Darvish.

 

Mad at myself for not thinking of this one.

[cl smooth]

cubs let javy, rizzo and bryant walk after the season.

[muntjack]

Bryant and Baez both finish with an OPS around .700

 

Contreras finishes top 5 in MVP voting

 

After being called up, Hoerner goes on to slash .280/.360/.470

 

Perhaps due in part to any drastic contrast in the rotation, Hendricks has his worst (1.5 WAR) season

 

The bullpen is a legitimate strength by July

 

Alzolay pitches game 1 of the division series

[Outshined_One]

Brennen Davis gets a mid-season callup and finishes in the Top 3 for NLROY voting.

[Old Style]

Ian Happ smiles.

[NOLA]

Sogard gets Covid by mid-April, prompting the return of Nico to Chicago as the Cubs lose the extra year of control. Ricketts fails to see the irony.

 

Kimbrel is more than adequate and the bullpen is a strength.

 

The Cubs, Cards and Brewers are all within 4 games of the division lead by the deadline. Willy still gets dealt.

 

Javy bounces back to near MVP caliber levels.

 

JHey slips back to pre-2020 awfulness.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Ian Happ smilesdoesn't kill a drifter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

this might have been funny pre-podcast days, wherein he's shown a great personality, IMO.

[Sammy Sofa]

Ian Happ smilesdoesn't kill a drifter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

this might have been funny pre-podcast days, wherein he's shown a great personality, IMO.

 

Every time a serial killer is arrested you always have the people saying, "oh, he we never suspected anything; he was a such a nice/quiet/considerate neighbor!"

[Sammy Sofa]

And I don't know about BOLD predictions, but my BALD prediction is that Bryant finally gets hair plugs this year.

[jersey cubs fan]

Ian Happ gets taken down in a big barstool scandal

[Rob]

While the pitching is surprisingly good, the offense completely falls apart. Bryant is constantly dealing with minor injuries that hinder his performance and tanks his trade value. Baez tries too hard and is awful. Rizzo is injured and misses a bunch of time. Contreras has a weirdly low BABIP. Heyward turns back into a pumpkin. Happ is merely okay. The only hitter who actually hits is Joc Pederson, who is traded off at midseason.

 

We will find out at some point that an interesting prospect was offered to us for one of our tradeable assets. But instead, we'll take nothing useful and toss in Heyward and a bunch of cash for the partial salary relief. He'll be great for his new team.

 

I wont watch a single game after August 1.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Sinclair sells Marquee, thus freeing me up to pay for Cubs content again.

 

Barring that, I'll be cruising on a pirate ship again.

[Post Count Padder]

Wrigley Field renamed Sinclair Making America Great Again Park at Wrigley Field or some horsefeathers. Ricketts talk about all the profits from such a move. Raise ticket prices. Let all the free agents walk. Say it was a tough fiscal year.

 

Oh you said BOLD.

[David]

Joc Pederson ends up with a top 5 MVP vote.

 

edit - that's not that bold. let's go with ends up top 5 in MVP voting. actually, make it top 3.

[BigbadB]

Bryant and Baez both finish with an OPS around .700

 

Contreras finishes top 5 in MVP voting

 

After being called up, Hoerner goes on to slash .280/.360/.470

 

Perhaps due in part to any drastic contrast in the rotation, Hendricks has his worst (1.5 WAR) season

 

The bullpen is a legitimate strength by July

 

Alzolay pitches game 1 of the division series

 

I'm having a tough time imagining the Cubs making the division series with Baez and Bryant both batting like Neifi Perez and the best starter having a bad season. But, hey, I'll take it.

[Bertz]

I'm all in on Tommy Hottovy as some Dr. Erskine type scientist who is able to wring everything out of our pitching staff. I'm taking the over on expectations for basically everyone on the pitching side

 

I'm softer on the hitting. I don't think they're going to crater, but there's going to be a lot of 40th percentile type performances

 

One of the walk year guys is going to go OFF. Like MVP type. Let's say Joc

 

The farm takes a stratospheric jump up the rankings. At least one outlet has them Top 5 at seasons end

 

Jed talks a big game about selling unless the team is great, but we hit the deadline at like an 86 win pace and he only gets rid of like one hitter and Andrew Chafin