Rcal10

So to be clear, 92 wins is not a good season. That is not successful. They have to win the WS for you to call it a success. I just think people are confusing disappointment at the end of the season as an unsuccessful season. And if that is the guide, not being disappointed at the end of the season, the only way anyone would ever call a season a success if if they won the WS. I also was disappointed. Of course we all were. But 92 wins and winning in the playoffs is success. So if growth in many young players. If the question was asked about being disappointed at how the season ended my answer would be the same as yours. Yes, I was disappointed. But 2025 will go down as a successful season to me. let me ask you this. Had they built on the roster by adding Bieber and Suarez and lost Wiggins and Cassie in the process, but still lost in the NLDS after winning 96 games, would that have been a success? They would be worse off now, but won 4 more games and, apparently, tried at the deadline. So success? Is there a scenerio where you would call 2025 a success that doesn’t have them winning the pennant, at least. Is that the bar for success?

Cubs won 92 games in 2025. And they did so after losing their best pitcher in early April. So, would it have been better if they went 29-25 their first 54 games and then went 63-45 after? Who cares how they got to 92 wins. BTW your version of “hung on” has then playing to an 87 win pace over 162 games. Not great, but good. And not “hung on”. All teams have good streaks that propel them to the record they end up with and then have a long period of time where they hang on. That said, of course the fans were disappointed. No matter if they won 98 games and beat out the Brewers, once they lost fans would be disappointed. But that is not the question. Neither is did Tom spend enough to win or does the FO care about winning. The question was if the Cubs had a successful 2025. Unless the only way that question could be answered yes is by winning the WS, by all accounts they did have a successful 2025. 6th most wins in baseball. Won a playoff series and were a few well timed hits away from winning another and going to the NLCS. Growth from PCA, Busch, Palencia. Shaw and Horton stepping up as rookies. How is that not success in 2025 as well as setting themselves up for better years ahead? Had they traded for Bieber at the deadline and had to give up Wiggins but still lost in the NLDS would that have made you feel they had a good season? Had they traded for Suarez at the deadline and he hit under .200 for them, and they lost in the NLDS would that have made you feel they had a good season. With each of those deals they would be worse now. Also, for those complaining about the deadline lack of movement, who did the Brewers acquire at the deadline? Did that indicate they didn’t care either? I understand those who complain about the spending. Suggest they should win the division every year by outspending the opposition, but that isn’t the question. The question is do you consider 2025 successful? To that simple question based on the reason I gave above, my answer would be yes. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed losing when they did and doesn’t mean I am happy with the budget.

I deleted everything else from your post because we have heard it all before. And it has nothing to do with the actual question. So we agree, last year was a successful season.

I doubt ownership is fooling anyone. But what are the choices. Either be a fan rooting for the team to win and enjoying them, a fan who constantly howls at the moon complaining they don’t spend money, or stop being a fan. Those who choose to enjoy the team aren’t fooled. They just choose not to be miserable. And if winning 92 games and being a few hits away from the NLCS while having guys like PCA and Busch taking steps forward as well as rookies like Shaw and Horton contributing, is not considered a success those who want to be miserable will always be miserable.

I dislike black licorice and avoid it.

Because, apparently, Jed doesn’t view another pen arm as good use of the money he has to spend. They do have $10M to $15M to spend, but a pen arm wasn’t what they wanted. Spending that money would have left him short on spending for what he obviously thinks are bigger needs. If he has $25M to a stretch of $32M he didn’t want to put $13M into a pen arm. Jed has done well building pens cheaply. so he stuck to what he feels comfortable with. He has sucked at finding cheap bats. In the end, if he doesn’t spend at least $20M more, I will agree with you that he should have signed Fairbanks. But for now, I would much rather that money be spent elsewhere. I’m not saying I agree with it. I wish they spend more. But they don’t. So he has to prioritize. Spending 40% to 50% of their remaining money on Fairbanks was obviously not their priority.

I honestly don’t see Bregman. But I agree with you, Okamoto, by himself, would not be a needle moving off season. However I like him at 3rd for 3 or 4 years better than I do signing Fairbanks for 1 year. I think the Cubs found an easier comp to Fairbanks(likely not as good, but decent) for $11M less, then they would find for Okamoto if they only had $2M to spend for that other bat. Point is, they have a budget. So they have to mix and match the best they can. Apparently Fairbanks wasn’t a priority. Most likely because money and their team payroll structure. Which was my original answer.

I said Bregman OR a high end pitcher. Not both. I said Imai and possibly Okamoto. That would be IF Imai or Okamoto’s numbers have been greatly exaggerated, as was Shoto’s when he came over. So both Imai AND Okamoto for $35M TOTAL (or something around there). Regardless, if you added $13M for Fairbanks you are limited yourself elsewhere.

I can tell you why not Webb and Fairbanks but you aren’t going to like the answer. The budget. If you sign Fairbanks you can forget about any pitcher making $10M+ being added to the rotation. This is an ownership issue not an Jed issue. He only has so much to work with. By signing Webb he still has a chance at Imai or Gallen. Maybe even add someone like Okamoto as well. If he signs Fairbanks we are looking at Moncada and another guy like Rea added to the rotation. Now if they fail on Imai, Gallen, Okamoto, Bregman or another high end pitcher I will be right with you complaining about their lack of activity.

For the record, I wish they spent more money. But if they didn’t sign Fairbanks because they end up signing Imai or even Gallen when they otherwise couldn’t, if Fairbanks was on the team, I am fine with not having Fairbanks. They signed Webb for $11M less. He has also been solid the last 3 years and last year pitched more innings than Fairbanks. I don’t like they budget, but it is what it is. So within the budget Jed allocates the best he can. He does find cheap pen arms so he is sticking to that playbook. If he spends to about $8M to $10M short of the LT I will at least feel he did what he could.

Wasn’t a fan of his call to end the Packers game. TBH, the national guys were way more excited about that play then Joniak.

Wish I would have read what you wrote before I responded. You said what I said, just did it better.

Fair. But doesn’t PCA taking a step up and Shaw providing a decent 3rd base option help going forward. Also, Busch taking a huge step up and Horton proved to be pretty good as well bodes well moving forward. So shouldn’t all of those be considered as positives, we didn’t know about, moving forward? I think 2025 did provide a path forward and made them closer to a WS, because of all the unknowns that room steps forward. You can’t factor in what they have done so far this off season when looking back at 2025.

Brady for so much better in a short time. Hated him early in his career as a color guy. I really like him now. He knows what he is talking about and actually praises players when they make a good play. Also gets excited. He did a good job Saturday.

I answered the question based on results on the field. 92 wins and one win away from an NLCS is a successful season. Doesn’t mean I was happy with the season. I don’t like that they aren’t even considering Tucker now. I don’t like so many players going into FA next year. But just answering the question as asked, 92 wins and one win away from the NLCS is a good season.

Wish I had your confidence. I don’t. I think it will be one more. Probably Gallen. Maybe a cheap bat who can play 3rd a little. But I wouldn’t call that 2 significant moves.

I think it is an either or, not both. Hoping for both. And if it is both I would think that’s a trade for a pitcher and maybe sign Okamoto. I don’t see Bregman as their significant FA signing. And if they sign Imai, I don’t see a significant trade for a bat.

Thawv, come on man. Give it a rest. Every damn post is so negative. You sound like a white Sox fan. Cubs are a good team. Sure, I would like to see better. I would like if the FO spent more. But this continual assault is getting old. We get it. You hate Jed, you hate the owners, the FO is stupid, all they care about is making money. Ownership, FO, manager, scouts, and coaches all have no idea what they are doing. Did I cover it all? My question is why are you even a fan if you have this much constant distain for everything they do?

To be fair, it isn’t exactly a Dbacks run that happens every 4-5 years. If you win 90 games you are good. How many did the Blue Jays win last year, 93? Cubs won 92. Every year a team right around 90 wins makes the WS. If they continue to win 90 they will eventually win. And, 90 wins is a good season regardless of what happens in the playoffs. If you only consider AA good season one that gets you to the WS, you are going to have an awful lot of bad seasons, even if they spent a lot of money.

Willis coming in was something the Bears had not prepared for, I am sure. All week they practiced for Love and then during the game an entire new QB with a diffeent skill set played. If, by some chance, they face the Packers with Willis at QB again, and they are prepared for Willis, they will do much better.

I don’t disagree, except I think their goal is to make a team capable of winning 88 games, not 82.

Probably because this isn’t the place for this talk and, frankly, no one here is going to change anyone’s mind so why bother. I have to separate politics from entertainment. I come here for entertainment. I would guess a lot of people not speaking in this are similar to me. But, because it doesn’t happen often, I have to say I agree with CubinNY on this topic😬. I just don’t feel like discussing politics here.

The downside of the Sox signing Murakami is they were not a team the Cubs had to worry about spending money. Would have liked to see the Red Aoz get him, as an example. All the teams that spend money still have the same amount to spend.

They have to move Cassie or Mo as the headliner. I think the issue is people not wanted BOTH moved for him.

Honestly I have wondered this a long time. Even when someone says a player is good against fastballs. Heard it a lot with Swanson. But how is that measured? I get being able to tell someone’s EV on stipulate pitches. Or their rate of contract. That is also easy. But how do they come up with an actual BA?