Cubs Season Flow Thread

[BKHoo]

I really thought the division would be worse than this overall. Now the Brewers are hot.  The Reds are statistically the most unlucky team overall given their run differential. And the Cardinals have overperformed. The Pirates are the only team out of it. 

[imb]

5 hours ago, BKHoo said:

I really thought the division would be worse than this overall. Now the Brewers are hot.  The Reds are statistically the most unlucky team overall given their run differential. And the Cardinals have overperformed. The Pirates are the only team out of it. 

and we're in first baby long live the king

[CubinNY]

On 5/31/2025 at 1:36 PM, imb said:

and we're in first baby long live the king

Just to tack on to this. We knew the first six weeks were going to be tough. It was tougher still due to injuries and ineffectiveness in the pen. 
 

Counsell and Jed have got the pen sorted and the pitching has been good enough to win. They are winning games when they aren’t playing their best. That’s the mark of a good team.

 

if Shota gets healthy and Horton’s learning curve steepens, they are going to be set up well for short series baseball. And that’s if they don’t go get a TOR starter at the deadline.

 

I’d say on June 1, things have gone better than expected. Hopefully they get and stay healthy. 

[BigSlick]

I just like, don’t care about any of the other teams in the division right now. Seasons going too good, the vibes are too good, for me to care if the Brewers/Cardinals whatever are overperforming or not. 
 

if the cubs keep doing what they’re doing they’re fine and those losers don’t matter (until we maybe see one of them in the playoffs?)

[Bobson Dugnutt]

43 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

I just like, don’t care about any of the other teams in the division right now. Seasons going too good, the vibes are too good, for me to care if the Brewers/Cardinals whatever are overperforming or not. 
 

if the cubs keep doing what they’re doing they’re fine and those losers don’t matter (until we maybe see one of them in the playoffs?)

Yeah, this is where I’m at. Someone posted it the other day but I’m going off memory…Cubs have won or tied something in the neighborhood of 16 of 21 series. Just keep that up and things are going to be just fine.
 

I guess my only concern is building a big enough cushion in the division to absorb SP innings limits/additional injuries later in the season. That said, assuming the current five in the rotation can continue to hold down the fort until reinforcements arrive in the form of Shota, Assad, and the trade market, I don’t really care what the other teams do. It’s actually kind of fun to think about how exasperating it is for Brewers and Cardinals fans to watch their teams go white hot for two or three weeks only to look up and see the Cubs 4+ games up in the standings.

[thawv]

On 5/30/2025 at 8:12 AM, Bertz said:

"No hard Innings limit" =/= In the rotation through the playoffs

Horton is going to get paused or slowed down at some point.  There's not a hard limit, so it's not some Strasburg situation where Horton hits 120 innings and is immediately shut down, but they definitely have a realistic range in mind and will take proactive steps to limit him to roughly that range.

Expect either an IL trip at some point, even if its for something flimsy, or a transition to the bullpen.  Which one they go with probably depends on how well he's pitching.

And every word above applies to Brown as well.

I take Craig for his word.  They will monitor his pitch count every game, and his velocity.  He wants him in the rotation through the playoffs. 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, thawv said:

I take Craig for his word.  They will monitor his pitch count every game, and his velocity.  He wants him in the rotation through the playoffs. 

You can take Counsell at his word and still know he isn’t going to let him throw 170 innings this year. There is not a hard innings limit on him and Craig would love for him to pitch through the playoffs. I believe him when he says those two things. There is nothing in that sentence that says Horton will pitch every 5th day and get 20+ more starts and then be ready for the post season. 

[Cubfanintheknow]

Gotta love the fact that the Brewers and Cardinals have played their best baseball of the season to date and have actually lost a little ground in the standings. 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Cubfanintheknow said:

Gotta love the fact that the Brewers and Cardinals have played their best baseball of the season to date and have actually lost a little ground in the standings. 

I was really hoping the brewers went on a losing streak. I would have loved to get Peralta. He would cost a lot, but I think he would have been the most prefect guy the Cubs could get.

[Cubfanintheknow]

Maybe this needs its own thread, but...

2016 vs. 2025... which has been more fun?

Obviously the 2016 expectations were through the roof after the 2015 season. And of course... they delivered!

But I can't help but think I'm having more fun with the 2025 team because:
1) The expectations were much lower going into this season than 2016. It's bonus fun!
2) This team looks like they're having so much fun with their success (not that the 2016 team didn't have fun...
     they just expected to win. The 2025 Cubs are just enjoying this new found success).
3) Like 2016... there are a lot of guys you just want to root for.

Maybe it's just me... but the vibe is different. I'm just riding the wave of success this 2025 team is bringing a little more than 2016.

Am I crazy? (Wait... don't answer that.) 

(edited a typo)
 

Edited June 6, 2025 by Cubfanintheknow

[Derwood]

I wish we had a Leiter and Arrieta this year

[javy knows my name]

2 minutes ago, Cubfanintheknow said:

Maybe this needs its own thread, but...

2016 vs. 2025... which has been more fun?

Obviously the 2016 expectations were through the roof after the 2015 season. And of course... they delivered!

But I can't help but think I'm having more fun with the 2025 team because:
1) The expectations were much lower going into this season than 2016. It's bonus fun!
2) This team looks like they're having so much fun with their success (not that the 2016 team didn't have fun...
     they just expected to win. The 2025 Cubs are just enjoying this new found success).
3) Like 2016... there are a lot of guys you just want to root for.

Maybe it's just me... but the vibe is different. I'm just riding the wave of success this 2025 team is bringing a little more than 2016.

Am I crazy? (Wait... don't answer that.) 

(edited a typo)
 

Yes, and I'll add a 4th

4) Not only is this team dominating unexpectedly, but we have a bunch of individuals who were nobodies going in and are probably driving opposing teams crazy

PCA - a great prospect but young and doing unprecedented things with his skillset

Kelly's April

Busch becoming a powerhouse 1B

The clown car that is Rea, Boyd, Thielbar, etc over performing in a big way

Nico with RISP

I hope everyone else is losing their minds

[javy knows my name]

Just now, javy knows my name said:

Yes, and I'll add a 4th

4) Not only is this team dominating unexpectedly, but we have a bunch of individuals who were nobodies going in and are probably driving opposing teams crazy

PCA - a great prospect but young and doing unprecedented things with his skillset

Kelly's April

Busch becoming a powerhouse 1B

The clown car that is Rea, Boyd, Thielbar, etc over performing in a big way

Nico with RISP

I hope everyone else is losing their minds

And that's not to mention Amaya, Shaw, and Horton who are all hitting their potential 

[Cubfanintheknow]

11 minutes ago, javy knows my name said:

And that's not to mention Amaya, Shaw, and Horton who are all hitting their potential 

All this!!! It's all just so unexpected that it's adding to the excitement.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

56 minutes ago, Derwood said:

I wish we had a Leiter and Arrieta this year

I assume you meant Lester, but Hendricks was much better than Arrieta in 2016.

[BigSlick]

It's impossible for me to really look back on 2016 without the knowledge that they'd run the table but I feel like it was pretty clear that team was gonna be dominant all season long and it was never close. This team's dominance is definitely more of a surprise (of course it may end at any moment), but that team also had something very fun : a young crew coming all up at the same time who were hitting their primes concurrently. We have PCA of course, but not the same stacked graduating class like in 2016 (Schwarbs aside, because of the ACL tear) Also that pitching staff was insane, and very fun. 

I'm not having MORE fun than 2016, but its been, and I am confident, will continue to be fun. 

[Stratos]

On 6/3/2025 at 8:16 AM, Rcal10 said:

You can take Counsell at his word and still know he isn’t going to let him throw 170 innings this year. There is not a hard innings limit on him and Craig would love for him to pitch through the playoffs. I believe him when he says those two things. There is nothing in that sentence that says Horton will pitch every 5th day and get 20+ more starts and then be ready for the post season. 

Even throwing 130-140 IP playoffs is going to increase his injury risk.

Hopefully Imanaga gets healthy then they can send Horton down.  I'd really limit his pitch counts down there so he can contribute in MLB when needed including playoffs.  He could also pitch out of the pen for us to limit pitches/innings.

[Bull]

This team actually reminds me more of the 2008 squad.

[Rcal10]

I think recent bias is in play here. 2016 was the most fun ever for Cubs fans. This is a good team and fun to watch, but it isn’t 2016. Maybe I am biased because I went to 35 games that year. In those 35 games I was at game 5 of the WS. And that isn’t even a top 2 game I went to that year.  I was also at game 2 against the Giants in the first round. They beat the shark that day. But the 2 best games I was at are the Montero game where the park literally shook when he hit the grand slam. And then, or course, then greatest game ever played at Wrigley, game 6, the one to get them into the World Series. It wasn’t as loud as the Montero game. I think people were just watching and praying and taking it all in. We were actually robbed of being able to stand for the last out when Puig hit Into the double play. There was more a sense of relief and all sorts of people crying when they actually won. It ended so quickly people didn’t have time to cheer. So like I said, maybe my bias is because of those memories. This team has a chance to create that again. But it will be very hard to top the excitement that 2016 brought to Chicago. 

[Rcal10]

54 minutes ago, Bull said:

This team actually reminds me more of the 2008 squad.

I am thinking more 2015 because it basically snuck up on people. I think like 2015 people had hope like this years team, but didn’t expect this much success. 

Edited June 6, 2025 by Rcal10

[Derwood]

8 hours ago, Ding Dong Johnson said:

I assume you meant Lester, but Hendricks was much better than Arrieta in 2016.

Yes, but my iPhone thought better

[CubinNY]

Now they’ve made it past the easier part of their schedule they’ve passed two tests. Hold their own against the good teams and won against the lesser teams. 

its hard not to be optimistic about the rest of the season 

[Andy]

13 hours ago, Cubfanintheknow said:

Maybe this needs its own thread, but...

2016 vs. 2025... which has been more fun?

Obviously the 2016 expectations were through the roof after the 2015 season. And of course... they delivered!

But I can't help but think I'm having more fun with the 2025 team because:
1) The expectations were much lower going into this season than 2016. It's bonus fun!
2) This team looks like they're having so much fun with their success (not that the 2016 team didn't have fun...
     they just expected to win. The 2025 Cubs are just enjoying this new found success).
3) Like 2016... there are a lot of guys you just want to root for.

Maybe it's just me... but the vibe is different. I'm just riding the wave of success this 2025 team is bringing a little more than 2016.

Am I crazy? (Wait... don't answer that.) 

(edited a typo)
 

2016 was the most fun and it's never going to be topped. We all thought the team was going to be awesome, and if anything they exceeded expectations. It was a beginning-to-end blast.

That said, this season - so far - has been absolutely delightful, and PCA transforming into an MVP seemingly overnight has been a complete joy.

[CubinNY]

2 minutes ago, Andy said:

2016 was the most fun and it's never going to be topped. We all thought the team was going to be awesome, and if anything they exceeded expectations. It was a beginning-to-end blast.

That said, this season - so far - has been absolutely delightful, and PCA transforming into an MVP seemingly overnight has been a complete joy.

The end wasn't a blast for me; it was psychosis inducing. I had to hide in my bedroom and have my wife give me updates because there was no way I could stand to watch them lose. I was still traumatized from 2003.  

[Hunter]

7 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I think recent bias is in play here. 2016 was the most fun ever for Cubs fans. This is a good team and fun to watch, but it isn’t 2016. Maybe I am biased because I went to 35 games that year. In those 35 games I was at game 5 of the WS. 

I was also at Game 5. It was one of the better games that year because it was so pivotal. It was 1st elimination game the Cubs had to play through and turned the momentum back around. You had Lester going 6, and Chapman going 2.2. It had the HR by Bryant and the bobble catch over the first base railing with Ross and Rizzo. Yes it was only 3-2 as a score and would be a bit of a snooze-fest if you viewed as a regular season game, but it was the most important game of that series. Game 6 of the NLCS was probably my favorite. When Rizzo donged all over Kershaw and Kershaw blew up on the mound, I knew the Cubs were going to the WS. 

Edited June 6, 2025 by Hunter