Billy62

It is kind of surreal here. A lot of similarity between this teams woes and the "85" Cubs. After winning the division in "84" and then laying an egg against the Padres in the playoffs, the league missed what might have been a great Cubs-Tigers World Series. Then we reset and got ready for the following season. Had some trouble at the plate, and the entire rotation went on the shelf, and guys nobody knew anything about were on the hill. It was mostly bad, but I do remember a guy I think is name was Steve Engel, who pitched halfway decent. Never saw him again, I wonder what became of him.

Just a little bit more to add to the drama. Is it a reason? or is it an excuse? I am nowhere near medically qualified to tell the difference. But, with millions of dollars, playoff and postseason hopes on the table, and an adoring fanbase drinking the company Kool-Aid, Kyle should have been more forthcoming to the Cubs. If he has been then the Cubs should have been responsible enough to get it healed. If that meant shutting Kyle down for two months so be it. If this is the reason for the poor play as of late and then you ask the question "what if they had brought Caissie up sooner?" Although the answer to that question is not clear due to the sample size. Is Cassie hitting .280 or so with 10 Hrs and 40 RBI, or has reality set in and we see a guy with pedestrian numbers because he wasn't quite ready. We will probably know the answer to that question at the end of the month. If Owen is the real-deal and we balked on bringing him up and might have added 6 or 7 wins to our record, then we would be right in the thick of a divisional race, if not then it really does not impact us at all. The plus side is if Kyle is all healed up now and is going to be Tuckeresque from here on, and Caissie is as advertised, then we might be looking at a really strong finish that could lead us into the post-season as a team to watch. Being careful here though, been burned too many times before to go all in just yet, but I am guardedly optimistic.

Anyway, with the Tucker reset, at least it gets us a glimpse into the future. I believe it very doubtful if the Cubs bring Tucker back next season, and so far the early returns on Caisie are encouraging. I don't believe for a second that the teams woes are all on Tucker, although many seem to want to jump on that bandwagon. Yes, he has not produced going on two months now, but he is not alone. Suzuki, Happ, PCA, even Kelly have been cold to lukewarm for a while now. But, if this series is an indicator, I sense that the bats might be waking up a bit.

This winter when the Cubs signed Turner I liked the deal. It was not a lot of money, and if he could hit like he had done in the past, I did not really see a downside to the addition of a 40-year old. I thought he would play at least part time and would impart his wisdom on the kids coming up. I envisioned him getting a few more at-bats than he currently is getting. Its hard to stay fresh with so few at-bats, but he has shown that he still has a little power left and can still provide the clutch hit from time to time. I realized when he was signed that this was only going to be one season, but I am not sure if we are going to see a few more clutch hits out of Justin.

I can't seem to recall the year, but it seems to me somewhere in the mid 70's we saw this movie before. A strong season from April to June followed by a complete collapse in the second half of the season. This time it really has not been a total collapse, frustrating to be sure, but the team has been treading water albeit at an under .500 pace while the Brewers have been hotter than the sun. When you have a lineup like the Cubs with several hitters who are above the norm you expect periodically that individually one will fall into a slump here and there. Nowhere do you expect the entire lineup to go into the tank for an extended period. What makes it even more frustrating is that the starting pitching has been top notch, only adding to where you think this team could be if the offense wasn't so anemic currently. And then of course you have the trade deadline. All the talk of Hoyer making a gigantic splash at the end of the deadline bringing aboard a big stick and probably a couple of top notch arms. In the event, the Big Splash was hardly a ripple. I think this not only frustrates fans, but players as well. We already have seen our division lead evaporate, and I think we are kidding ourselves that we have a shot at righting the ship and catching the Brewers. Unless of course they start to tank and we grab a hunk of the sun as well. I know we are sitting ok for a wildcard spot, but that too can evaporate if the team continues to play at this level. I think Tucker's woes are part of the problem, but definitely not the whole enchilada. Still a fan here, and still paying attention to the games, but my early season elation has been replaced with frustration.

Now we come down to it. For more than a month we were inundated about the "big splash" the Cubs were going to make at the trading deadline. The names were paraded in front of us, and we were looking to the end of the day like a kid on Christmas morning. Then reality set in and the "Big Splash" was hardly a ripple. I think we have improved our bullpen, but so have other teams. Offensively I thought we were pretty well set, but if a big thumper suddenly became available, maybe we would seize on it. Pitching was our primary area of concern. Starters as well as the bullpen. We started the season losing Justin Steele to injury. Imanaga and Taillion have had stints on the shelf, and pitchers like Boyd and Colin Rea have really stepped up. I know money is the issue, and rightfully so. I mean nobody knows what the Tucker demands will be, and guys like PCA, Busch, Shaw, and a couple of others are going to have to be paid better next season. It makes perfect sense, still the carrot was held in front of us and now many feel a little betrayed. Maybe this works out and we have another parade, or more probably, we just get into the playoffs and then get beat in the first or second rounds. This will leave yet another winter when we will wonder what could have been. Still a fan but admittedly a little disappointed.

There are ballplayers and then there are ballplayers. You root for a team long enough and you will see the roster change over many times. Some players come and go with hardly a thought. Then there are players who come and leave footprints in your heart before they move on. For me, Ryne Sandberg filled that bill. Maybe it was because I was already a fan of the team before he arrived. Maybe it was because like many other fans, he thrilled me with his upper tier level of play and often exciting performances on the field. Or maybe just because he was an excellent human being. Perhaps it was all of those. When I heard of Ryno's passing I felt a deep sense of loss, like if I just found out that we had lost a good friend. Then I thought on it and came to the conclusion that that was what had exactly happened. No, I never actually met the man, but I held him in high esteem and mourn his loss on the same level as if we were personal friends. Why is that? What makes a ballplayer more than just a ballplayer in your heart and mind? I wish I could put my finger on it. I have been a Cub fan since the late 60's and have seen a multitude of players over the years. But this kind of intimacy is reserved for a select few even though I have enjoyed the play of so many more. The #23 will always be etched in my mind of a man with an infectious smile, and a down to earth persona that just made him that much more likeable. Add to that a level of play far above the norm and you get a person and player worthy of remembrance. Rest in Peace Ryno, you will never be forgotten and you will be sorely missed.

It’s a pickle to be sure. I think if Justin Turner was given a series of consecutive at-bats, I believe his numbers would improve. But, at age 40 consistent play without rest does invite the injury bug. But, there are a few plug and play assets that can be utilized. At least for the short term.

As. Inconsistent as that bullpen can be, that offense is so electric. Go Cubs Go. 🙂

Another bullpen failure tonight. Let’s hope our offense can pull the fat out of the fire….again.

Of course this injury is huge. However, one of the things this team has been beating into our heads the last couple of seasons is our depth. With this injury we will now start to see how true that is. Initially I was very pleased with our winter, and where we are now against the level of competition we have faced has been very satisfactory. But, if there is one part of our team that causes one to raise an eyebrow it would be our bullpen. Especially the back end. Every team will experience severe let downs occasionally in the later innings, but this is only April and the team has blown five or six late inning leads. This was a problem last year and I thought we had addressed it. But have we?

This is actually an easy decision. If Cease is only going to be here for a season and then hit the FA market, then it would be shortsighted to trade away so much future talent. But, if you can work out a deal that keeps him in a Cub uniform for 2-3 seasons, then such an investment makes sense. But what you have to spend and what you get back has to be analyzed.

Can't really say that I agree here Statyllus. I mean this is just a bench move. I don't think you would want to expend millions of dollars to improve your bench. The big money goes to your starters and maybe specialty pitchers. Of course if an established player who is short on time comes popping up on your doorstep that might be an exception. I think they might be looking Shaw's way for 3B, or maybe there is somebody else in their sights. This is what the off-season is all about.

Matt, not really surprised that the Cubs cut ties with Matt Mervis this winter. Actually I pretty much expected it. However, other than just removing him from the roster with a DFA or just letting him languish in Iowa, they got a little value in return. This spring Brujan should get a look, and maybe find a spot for himself on the roster, and then maybe not. Mervis had his shot and with a decent sample size showed that he was not able to consistently hit major league pitching, with a fair amount of swing and miss. It takes some of the 1B depth away from the Cubs, and pretty much cements Michael Busch's presence there. Which of course I am ok with. Not an earth shattering deal by any means for the ball club but does show at least an effort to move some pieces on the board. Really curious as how the Suzuki situation is going to play out. Suzuki for an established closer? or does he bite the bullet and accept the DH assignment? I'd love to keep him as a DH, but realize if that lowers his morale, what would that mean to his effectiveness? Regardless, if the Cubs deal him, they should get some value in return. Still pumping cubbie blue here and am hoping for an improved ball club. 🙂

I like this deal. You get the slugger you feel has been missing from the line-up. You had to give up some talent to get him, but I think this deal improves the ball club. The only question is for how long. He comes in with a sticker price of $16.7 million for this year, I am not clear on what his option status is, I can only hope the team can ink him to a deal that doesn't lead to him being a free agent next year. But yes this is what we have been looking for. Still got some pieces to work out and now we have a new hole at 3B. But a nice start.

I am all for player development. Any long term success cannot be accomplished without it. After two consecutive competitive yet not reaching the next level seasons, I am skeptical on betting the ranch on another season based on the talent we have on the farm. Considering the fact that we have at least 11 players from last years squad filing for free-agency, a handful with the possibility of arbitration issues, and the fact that some recent moves of bringing up some of the AAA players are not panning out....at least not yet, makes me think that the team might be better suited by signing a free-agent or two if nothing else than to hedge their bets. I mean what if we play out this season and this crop of AAA players proves to be a bust, and the team falls back to say 73-89. I like the signing of Matthew Boyd, not a terribly big amount of money spent, and a decent track record. Is he the answer? Probably not on his own, but maybe as a piece to a larger puzzle he is. To me the season is like making a pie. We are at the point now where the apples are being cut and the cinnamon and sugar is being measured out for the filling. Come October, when we cut into this pie we will know if we did right in mixing in the ingredients. I think the signing of Gage Workman is a pretty good move. Not much risk if he doesn't work out. $50,000 and a plane ticket back to Detroit. But, I think he will work out. At least for the role intended. Off the bench, the trend that he hits lefties well, struggles heavily against righties, with some thump in his bat, makes me wonder if he can occupy Patrick Wisdom's spot on the roster. If not, you really haven't missed much. The other three contract purchases through the Triple AAA phase of the Rule 5 Draft also are low in risk, but admittedly low in reward as well. Older farm hands with checkered backgrounds. Clenney, the oldest at 28 sported a 5.37 E.R.A. last season at AA. He did average more than a strikeout per inning at that level but he seems very hittable. Kwiatkowski, a year younger sported a 2.86 E.R.A. during a split between AA and AAA last season. Strikeouts are fewer, but he seems capable of providing outs. Then there is Jensen, also 27, spent most of last season at AA and was pretty efficient, compiling a 3.74 E.R.A. between AA and a short sample at AAA. He recorded 106 k's in 89 innings. This is what would look good on your roster. But, when he was sent to AAA and not so much. He got lit up pretty good with an E.R.A. of 9.00. Do any of these pitchers appear likely to crack the MLB roster? I don't know, I just don't want to see us waste what talent we do have on another mediocre season. We have the fan base and our pockets are deep enough to make a bigger splash for our fans. 2016 was nine seasons ago. Our glory is fleeting.

Well here it is Jason. The Cubs and there highly touted farm system. When you look at the numbers from last season you see a farm system just bursting at the seams. Yet, when they come up, these kids fall mostly below expectations. It begs the question of "why is that?" Is it coaching? Is our development program flawed? Or do we have a bunch of 4A ballplayers. Lights out at AAA ball, but unable to crack the lineup at the major league level. Seen some promise last year. Miguel Amaya literally caught fire towards the end of last season. Was it a fluke? Or did he kind of put the bowtie on his development at the Major-League Level? Regardless, before he caught fire, there was thought of sending him back to Iowa or working out some sort of deal for an established veteran? Then there is Pete Crow-Armstrong. Started slow, but seemed to start really coming on in the second half of last season. 1st base is solidified, although I must admit that I am not 100% sold yet on Michael Busch. He had an awesome streak at the beginning of last season, then his numbers were pedestrian for a while, then towards the end of last season he did come on again for a minute. I think he is the real, deal just not sure. I think the jury is about ready to come in on Matt Mervis. Just can't seem to hit major league pitching. I think he and a couple others were the reason the Cubs hung on to Patrick Wisdom. A nice guy, with some thump in his bat, but a lot of swing and miss, and some inconsistency in the field. I think he will land a starting job elsewhere (maybe the White Sox), but a bench player on this team was below his caliber. He could start for some other clubs. Lastly, the biggest issue......pitching. Throwing strikes and staying healthy seems difficult for this group. Havin an outstanding fastball and decent curveball doesn't really matter much if you are walking 2-3 guys per inning. Once again, is this coaching? Is the injury problem conditioning? Point is, we really got a shot here, are we taking care of business, or are we feeling the heat and bringing up the "kids" too fast?

Well the winter is here! This actually is one of my favorite parts of the baseball season. It can be bittersweet. With some exceptions over the years, I really don't like to see players go. I understand the reality, but it still tugs at the heart strings a bit. But then there is the added excitement of new faces coming aboard and the hope that you are watching your team building a new more competitive version of itself. So after two consecutive 83-79 seasons, I don't see the team as broken, but in order to advance to the next tier changes have to be made. Kyle Hendricks going to the Angels was easier for me to see happening. I knew after his final outing of last season that he was not going to be back. We picked up a catcher and two pitchers so far. Not earth shattering deals, but small improvements just the same. If we get more of the same from Amaya that we got towards the end of last season, that spot in the line-up is going to be a lot more solid. Bethancourt, Smiley, and Almonte had already declared free agency along with Hendricks. With the new FA filings by Wisdom, Madrigal, Alzolay, Tauchman, Wingenter and Davis, it looks like the door is wide open for trades and new signings. Where these guys are going to land is open now to all sorts of speculation. Although, even though I have no info to support this. My gut tells me that Wisdom is going across town to the White Sox. So now we get to see what Hoyer's plan is now. He must realize that this is a make or break season this year. Standing pat for the most part and expecting big things from the farm did not really pan out. So I am asking Santa for a big stick or two in the line-up, maybe a flamethrower starter, a solid reliever in the middle, and a lights out closer. Basically waiting for the deals to begin.

With Cody opting in it kind of leaves the team with a glut of outfielders both at the MLB an MIB levels. It is a nice problem to have. Curious to see how this gets addressed.

Not surprisingly, but still somewhat saddening was reading where Kyle Hendricks has selected free agency. I don't think the Cubs are of a mind to offer him a deal, so its basically the exclamation point to the end of his tenure with the Cubs. Likewise, Jorge Lopez also selected free agency, and the team sent Caleb Knight down to Iowa. The first hurdle here will be the releasing of players on the 60-Day injured list to the 40-man roster. And the 40-man is filled, so there are going to be some early decisions. Alzolay, Almonte, Merryweather, Madrigal, and Wisdom come to mind. I am sure there are others but had a few beers waiting on the trick-or-treaters, so the mind is not in mid-season form. 🙂

Now that the World Series is over, the winter will really begin. After two competitive yet not playoff qualifying seasons, am really curious about who the Cubs part ways with and the new faces coming aboard. This can be an exciting and heart wrenching period. Let the dealings begin. 🙂

So, as we approach the off-season the question will be asked over and over again of how to improve this ball club. It is guaranteed to be at least a .500 campaign for 2024, which leads me to the conclusion that this was a solidly mediocre team. Not bad, not overly good......just mediocre. Not good enough to get into the playoffs, and if they did, it most likely would have been a short appearance and then a fast exit. Now, the eyes will be on Hoyer. What can he do to take us to the next level? Obviously standing pretty much pat last season really didn't work. If that was because he felt that some real fire was coming up from the minors, fine. But if it was a desire of the Ricketts clan to keep spending down and profits up shame on them. If you build a winner, every nickel you spend comes back dressed up as a quarter. With the fact of staring at 2025 with it pretty sure that you will not have the services of Hendricks, Wisdom, Smyly and maybe even Bellinger if he opts out, who will be the new faces? This is what the winter does to bring excitement.

Excellent observations Matt!

Candid, Sure, because at the end of the day we are all fans. Every morning we wake up there is always the possibility that our team will do something to make themselves a little better. Of course the opposite is just as true. But, if you have been a Cubs fan for any length of time, you have seen enough of the dark side to just let it happen and not anticipate its arrival. So, its three games against the Reds and then the off-season, where Hoyer's season really heats up. 🙂

It's the question right? Can the Cubs make it to the post-season? Absolutely! All they have to do is win out through September and early October and its a lock. Another shocker sports fans, is if they do that we are also talking a division title. But lets come down to earth and deal with a little reality. This team has been pretty much Jekyll and Hyde all season long. So, are they going to keep this torrid pace, or are the going to backslide some? I would hazard a guess that the upcoming series with the Yankees and Dodgers will have some bearing on that matter. Absent of a swan dive at the end like last season I think the team has an outside shot. The competition is a little lighter and the team has been swinging some pretty good bats. Relief pitching has been a little of both lately. The way Lopez blowtorched the end of the first Pirates game made me think that Neris was back. Its achievable, but its going to take some work