Spring Training Game Thread

[Rcal10]

32 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Cubs are now doing shrinkflation LOL. 

We need to stop giving the Cubs so much of our money.  It's the only way they'll make changes because money is the only thing they care about.  They keep squeezing us just like many other big corporations do to their customers.

You do you Stratos. If it makes you feel good not to go to the games and not pay attention to the team or give the team any of your money, that is good for you. But I am a fan of the Cubs. I don’t like the ownership. I don’t like them not spending like they should. However I enjoy the team and the sport. I also love going to ball games. So I am going to continue to go and also watch them. Bottom line is if I didn’t go someone else would. Why should I deprive myself of something I enjoy because I don’t like the ownership. He’ll, I wouldn’t do much of anything it I allowed myself to follow that criteria in all aspects of life. I would never use Amazon. I wouldn’t go to several restaurants I like if I ever dug into their owners beliefs. Wouldn’t follow any sports, etc….

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

You do you Stratos. If it makes you feel good not to go to the games and not pay attention to the team or give the team any of your money, that is good for you. But I am a fan of the Cubs. I don’t like the ownership. I don’t like them not spending like they should. However I enjoy the team and the sport. I also love going to ball games. So I am going to continue to go and also watch them. Bottom line is if I didn’t go someone else would. Why should I deprive myself of something I enjoy because I don’t like the ownership. He’ll, I wouldn’t do much of anything it I allowed myself to follow that criteria in all aspects of life. I would never use Amazon. I wouldn’t go to several restaurants I like if I ever dug into their owners beliefs. Wouldn’t follow any sports, etc….

You're free to do whatever you want also.  Just don't expect things to change.  We're all very loyal to this team, even when they suck (including myself), it's our curse and Tom takes advantage of it.

[Rcal10]

7 hours ago, Stratos said:

You're free to do whatever you want also.  Just don't expect things to change.  We're all very loyal to this team, even when they suck (including myself), it's our curse and Tom takes advantage of it.

I agree with you that ownership takes advantage of the fans loyalty. I just don’t agree that me not going or spending money on the team would matter. If I didn’t go the next person up would go. And actually if attendance started dropping that would give him another excuse to not spend money. So I am going to do what I enjoy doing and go to games and watch games. As I said, I agree the ownership is hard to like. And I understand your theory. I just don’t think it works here, or even if it did it would takes years to chance. I don’t feel like boycotting for 5 to 7 years HOPING lowering revenues would make atom realize he needs to spend money and win to get and back. And even if it rid work I would be years older and not wanting to go to games as much anymore. 

[CubinNY]

Cubs will be on TV today. Everyone is tanned, rested, and ready.

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 hour ago, CubinNY said:

Cubs will be on TV today. Everyone is tanned, rested, and ready.

Apparently it has been a real battle getting rest for them since getting back to the US, and it's showed. The offense has been nonexistent.

[CubinNY]

11 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Apparently it has been a real battle getting rest for them since getting back to the US, and it's showed. The offense has been nonexistent.

They've had mostly AAA players in the lineup since they got back. 

[JBears79]

16 hours ago, CubinNY said:

I saw Chourio is hitting close .500 this spring. 

God, I really want the Cubs to develop one of these international super prospects. I'd like to have a top 5 prospect in the game once again. 

It looks like the Brewers have two more of them potentially in the pipeline as well with Jesus Made and Luis Pena.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, JBears79 said:

God, I really want the Cubs to develop one of these international super prospects. I'd like to have a top 5 prospect in the game once again. 

It looks like the Brewers have two more of them potentially in the pipeline as well with Jesus Made and Luis Pena.

Agreed. They have to start hitting on some international talent. Hopefully they will soon. But even if they did get one last season we might not see him for 4 more years. Maybe more. I do agree they didn’t do so well 5 to 7 years ago because we should be seeing some of that talent, and we are not. 

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Agreed. They have to start hitting on some international talent. Hopefully they will soon. But even if they did get one last season we might not see him for 4 more years. Maybe more. I do agree they didn’t do so well 5 to 7 years ago because we should be seeing some of that talent, and we are not. 

Well, I mean, the Cubs have a top-100 prospect, and a team-top-five prospect in Moises Ballesteros who was an IFA guy. I do agree, that there is a bit of a gap in big-Cubs IFA prospects at the MLB level over the last handful of years, as Ballesteros has been the defacto guy for a bit, but we are seeing some talent. Cristian Hernandez, as well, had a really nice year last season. He had a 135 wRC+ at Myrtle - there's some caveats (repeater, struggled at South Bend in small sample), but he's another IFA name. He's a breakout candidate this year on top of his strong 2024.

Behind him, the next classes are probably too young to really identify yet. There's some big names who haven't fully hit yet, but are one good year away from jumping lists, so I'll withhold judgement. 

[CubinNY]

Pressly getting beat bad.

[UMFan83]

12 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Pressly getting beat bad.

Maybe we don't keep acquiring Astros relievers with concerning peripherals?

[We Got The Whole 9]

Workman is the only offseason acquisition to have a good spring 

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Workman is the only offseason acquisition to have a good spring 

Keller? 

[gflore34]

13 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Maybe we don't keep acquiring Astros relievers with concerning peripherals?

That's what I was thinking, he's Neris redux written all over him, instead of walking the world, batters will be mashing.  We all know the story, get pummeled early, blow multiple games, have an effective stretch, then back to giving up costly runs.

Edited March 24, 2025 by gflore34

[We Got The Whole 9]

8 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Keller? 

He has allowed 5 ER in 11 IP FWIW, although his FIP is excellent. Brasier has also thrown 4 perfect innings.

[Bertz]

I mainly only care about the radar gun for Pressly.  He was south of 93 in that game against the Dodgers, which would be no bueno.  If his velo is fine we default to ST being meaningless for a vet like him.

Edited March 24, 2025 by Bertz

[Irrelevant Dude]

25 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Brasier has also thrown 4 perfect innings.

And 1 extremely imperfect one.

[chibears55]

Cubs getting their asses beat again, I know it ST but damn.

[NorthsideAvenger]

12 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Cubs getting their asses beat again, I know it ST but damn.

And this is why stats and records should NOT be kept during Spring Training. 

[chibears55]

Theilbar sucks

[Rcal10]

April is going to be a long month with many posters here. There will be numerous hot takes about how the Cubs suck. It is happening this spring. Can’t imagine how bad it will once all of baseball starts.  

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 hour ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

And 1 extremely imperfect one.

🤣 just saw the line 

[Cubs206]

They have a lot of people in the system that don’t seem to be on par with the other teams prospects if they keep getting beat later in games when the starters are out 

[chibears55]

27 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

April is going to be a long month with many posters here. There will be numerous hot takes about how the Cubs suck. It is happening this spring. Can’t imagine how bad it will once all of baseball starts.  

Theyll have played 30 games come May 2nd against a few very good teams, hopefully they can come away with a split.

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, Bertz said:

I mainly only care about the radar gun for Pressly.  He was south of 93 in that game against the Dodgers, which would be no bueno.  If his velo is fine we default to ST being meaningless for a vet like him.

I agree, ST stats for vets are typically meaningless.  If any period does matter to them its the last week of ST when they're not experimenting on new things as much and trying to get into game form.  Cubs pitching hasn't look good this spring, but it doesn't mean anything.

It would be really nice if Marquee could hook up a gun for the TV broadcast,

Edited March 24, 2025 by Stratos