9/27 - Cubs (Taillon) vs Braves (Vines): 6:20pm, Marquee

[Soul]

8 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Just a brutal two games.

You’re supposed to show up and offer some comforting words or something.

[Irrelevant Dude]

2 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Kind of funny that it took the Cubs going 6-12 in an 18 game stretch to blow their WC lead...how bad do you have to be to win this horsefeathers?

Rob Manfred here... I hear you have concerns with the number of teams making the playoffs.  In that case, we will add 2 more. Everyone will love it, and you will know that because I will say it is true!

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, Soul said:

You’re supposed to show up and offer some comforting words or something.

He's happy, the Brewers and Twins already won their divisions

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 minute ago, Soul said:

You’re supposed to show up and offer some comforting words or something.

Not a lot of comforting things to say. I was only able to watch from the seventh inning on and what I saw was... unpleasant.

[UMFan83]

The Cubs have played in 50 games since they acquired Cuas.  He's appeared in over half of them (26).  That's unreal

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, UMFan83 said:

He's happy, the Brewers and Twins already won their divisions

I'm cheering for the Cubs to get to the postseason. I have nothing against the team and enjoy this community, it's fun watching other people get excited and have a good time even if I have no emotional cheering interest.

It's not as if I'm going to root for the Diamondbacks. As a long-time SoCal resident...

[SOFNR]

I know we're supposed to be all excited just to be playing competitive baseball in September, but this entire month has just been excruciating to watch. I'd rather have not had the tease. Maybe eventually they'll construct a team built to win again but I expect next year to be similar, if not worse. They'll build an 80ish win team and hope for positive variance again. If the Ricketts can stay under the tax and keep the fans showing up into September they'll be ecstatic. This team would have been in the playoffs if they put any real effort into building a bullpen. Props to a lot of overachievers who really got us closer then we should have been.

Edited September 28, 2023 by SOFNR

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, SOFNR said:

If the Ricketts can stay under the tax and keep the fans showing up into September they'll be ecstatic.

If this team is going to be remotely competitive next year, I don't see any way they stay under the luxury tax threshold.  They will have to spend more than they did this year to even get back to the same level again.

[SOFNR]

4 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

If this team is going to be remotely competitive next year, I don't see any way they stay under the luxury tax threshold.  They will have to spend more than they did this year to even get back to the same level again.

What makes you think the Ricketts would even consider it? I think every sign has been maybe they'll spend on rare teams expected to be great, and even then they typically need to show it first. The Cubs have only started a season over the tax twice since the Ricketts took over. I can't really see any chance of it next year. I would agree it's going to be tough to replicate this years wins and stay under but I'm sure they'll try.

Edited September 28, 2023 by SOFNR

[UMFan83]

Just now, SOFNR said:

What makes you think the Ricketts would even consider it? I think every sign has been maybe they'll spend on rare teams expected to be great, and even then they typically need to show it first. The Cubs have only started a season over the tax twice since the Ricketts took over. I can't really see any chance of it next year.

I've railed on Poor Tom Ricketts for year but I don't think its a Jerry Reinsdorf sort of situation where an extremely unlikely set of circumstances need to occur to go into the tax.  They will go into the tax next year most likely.  I'm one of the most cynical sad sacks in this place but I feel fairly confident in that.

[UMFan83]

3 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

It's time for a rallying, inspirational speech somewhere between the "hero" speech from Spider Man 2 (esp in that it should be delivered by a 75+ YO English actress playing an aunt from Queens) and that one locker room speech - the inches and miles  - from Any Given Sunday. I just can't believe the scriptwriters wrote the Cubs, the Intelligent Spenders out of the NY/LA/CHI clubs, out of the playoffs or however it is the ML sports leagues work while the team literally has a playoff spot (tied it seems after tn?)

You do realize that tied for the Cubs in this case means 1 GB right?  Like they can win the rest of their games and not be in.

I think they can still make it....I'd put their odds at about 30% at this point.

 

Edit: Also I think that was sort of what you were trying to say?  Honestly your posts have been so bizarre lately I cant really tell lol

Edited September 28, 2023 by UMFan83

[SOFNR]

6 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

I've railed on Poor Tom Ricketts for year but I don't think its a Jerry Reinsdorf sort of situation where an extremely unlikely set of circumstances need to occur to go into the tax.  They will go into the tax next year most likely.  I'm one of the most cynical sad sacks in this place but I feel fairly confident in that.

I'd be pretty shocked. I think we'll see a pretty similar off-season to last year. But I'll be rooting for you to be right. 

[soccer10k]

It's Sunday night. The Cubs have missed out on the playoffs.

Tom: This isn't the time to hang our heads and give up guys. I know it seems bleak but just remember that we're tied for first place in the 2024 NL Central right now. Lot of baseball left to be played.

[UMFan83]

Last week of the season in 2008 I remember we played a series at Shea Stadium against the Mets.  The Mets were solidly in the playoffs at one point that month but were in the middle of a collapse.  The Cubs had clinched the 1 seed and HFA in the NL and had absolutely nothing to play for.  It was also the 2nd to last series of the season.  I think the Cubs took 3 of 4 that series and I remember laughing and making fun of them throughout for being unable to win when everything was on the line for them and nothing for us.  I guess this is payback lol

[JHBulls]

Another shattering loss is so disappointing. This team cannot catch any breaks at the worse possible time. 😞

[17 Seconds]

it hurts knowing we will go into next season projected for like 80 wins again

[Sosa21MVP]

At least there is football season oh wait I'm a Bears and IU fan nevermind. 

Um, basketball when?

[We Got The Whole 9]

36 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Too quick for the edit!....All that stuff's sounds like part of the 162 game ride right now. The Marlins are not a good team. Heck, the Brewers have a bottom 10 offense yet again

 

Who cares

[UMFan83]

 

lol we peaked at 93%. This is some 2016 election horsefeathers

[Cuzi]

21 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

lol we peaked at 93%. This is some 2016 election horsefeathers

This is Band of Brothers, only we are missing a Capt Winters that calls in Lt. Speirs to relieve Lt. Dike.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Cuzi

[Stratos]

The season is essentially over, the bullpen is toast.  Even if they squeak into the playoffs as a 3rd wildcard team this pen can't hold up throughout October.  This season is a repeat of 1998, shades of Rod Beck running on fumes in late Sept & Oct, Brant Brown dropping the routine flyball, and Kerry Wood being overused and abused in a playoff hunt.

The Cubs' only chance is for the team to suddenly catch fire (luck) or Alzolay needs to come back 100% and Leiter become Leiter again.  I'd find it more likely they both have to go under the knife within the next 6 months.

Good run, the guys played their butts off, the front office didn't give them all the tools they needed.  Can't blame Ross either.  Most of us thought Barnhart, Mancini, and Smyly were overpaid bad signings the moment they signed and we were proven right.  They could have built a deep pen with a couple of reliable relievers using Mancini's salary alone.

Sidenote:  Heyward has a 127 wRC+ and 2.5 WAR this year.  Maybe he'll get another ring this year.  Great job Cubs.

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, XZero77 said:

It's a middling team that managed to play itself into contention and was undermined by their manager. It's been said that a manager can't really do a ton to improve a team, but can do a lot to screw it over, and imo we're seeing that.

I'm not furious really, as I don't think this squad had/has much postseason run in it, but looking to the future Ross isn't the guy I want to be calling the shots if we get some actually well constructed teams.

Palencia, Cuas, Smyly, Thompson, Wesneski etc all suck.  Our situation at 3B sucks.  Not much a manager can do if they have no choice but to play turds.

He's not a great manager, but he's not bad.

[Stratos]

4 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

Guys they’re tied with 4 games left despite blowing 2 painful games. It’s gonna be ok. Just have to take care of business and hope the marlins lose

The problem is it's not going to be ok if the roster sucks and the guys sitting in the pen every game can't hold leads,  That doesn't change no matter how the Marlins play the rest of the way.  The team is built on a house of cards and that's the way the year has went.

[thawv]

8 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

Guys they’re tied with 4 games left despite blowing 2 painful games. It’s gonna be ok. Just have to take care of business and hope the marlins lose

Tied on paper, but in reality, they are down one game to the Marlins due to the tie breaker.

[thawv]

8 hours ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Also his love affair with Mastroboner after a few good games, he's still a bum. 

I don't care one way or another if Mastro is on this team or not.  But he's looking like a useful player right now.  The guy has enough major league at bats to still carry rookie status.  There's still a long way to go to determine who he is as a hitter.  At least for batting average.