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2016 WS Champions/Cubs Thread


SenorGato

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  • 1 month later...
  • 11 months later...

Here we go again ... for some reason (probably the brutal winter grinding my brain to mush) I have optimism going into 2014. 

Certainly not to make the play-off's this season, but to see some real progress with TheoBall and realistically look at being competitive within the next couple of campaigns.

We have 7 of the top 100 prospects (5 of the top 50) in the bigs with an 8th in Mike Olt who was bumped off list after a beaning gave him temporary blurred vision last season.

Pitching is still near atrocious but with the exception of Jackson we haven't thrown any money away on FA's before everything else is soup.

Still woeful in the catcher slot - but everything else is starting to shape up. 

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Here we go again ... for some reason (probably the brutal winter grinding my brain to mush) I have optimism going into 2014.

Certainly not to make the play-off's this season, but to see some real progress with TheoBall and realistically look at being competitive within the next couple of campaigns.

We have 7 of the top 100 prospects (5 of the top 50) in the bigs with an 8th in Mike Olt who was bumped off list after a beaning gave him temporary blurred vision last season.

Pitching is still near atrocious but with the exception of Jackson we haven't thrown any money away on FA's before everything else is soup.

Still woeful in the catcher slot - but everything else is starting to shape up.

Cubs fans have every right to be excited about their club. Young talented players are going to make their mark in the next couple of years. 2014 although will most likely not produce a playoff team, could be very exciting for Cubbies fans especially in September with Sep. call ups. Good luck! Coming from a Yanks fan.

EDIT: And I hope Castro turns it around for you guys, too much talent not to.

Edited by Jetlife33
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Cubs fans have every right to be excited about their club. Young talented players are going to make their mark in the next couple of years. 2014 although will most likely not produce a playoff team, could be very exciting for Cubbies fans especially in September with Sep. call ups. Good luck! Coming from a Yanks fan.

EDIT: And I hope Castro turns it around for you guys, too much talent not to.

Thanks for the well wishes, bro. There's actually 4 long time posters here that are cursed with Cubs/Jets masochism.

On Castro - hoping last year was a combination sophomore jinx and also him really feeling the pressure to produce offense - as no one else was. 

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Thanks for the well wishes, bro. There's actually 4 long time posters here that are cursed with Cubs/Jets masochism.

On Castro - hoping last year was a combination sophomore jinx and also him really feeling the pressure to produce offense - as no one else was.

No problem, if anyone deserves to be excited about their team it's Cubbies fans. Good luck this year.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bah, mere months away from at least one of Baez or Bryant. The power injection either could/should/will give the lineup is badly needed. 

 

Oh and after a couple of years where my fellow Cubs fans mostly told me I was crazy - Javier Baez to 2B is picking up steam. Castro obviously needs to get his act back together but I have been looking forward to those two manning the MIF since 2012. 

 

What else...Oh, they need to be able to land Tyler Beede this year. 

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Bah, mere months away from at least one of Baez or Bryant. The power injection either could/should/will give the lineup is badly needed. 

 

Oh and after a couple of years where my fellow Cubs fans mostly told me I was crazy - Javier Baez to 2B is picking up steam. Castro obviously needs to get his act back together but I have been looking forward to those two manning the MIF since 2012. 

 

What else...Oh, they need to be able to land Tyler Beede this year. 

Think of Olt at the hot corner with good vision combined with your suggested MIF and Rizzo finding some plate consistency at 1st. Stick Bryant out in left and have any one of 3 high potential rooks with Nate in the OF. Go buy some pitching and 2016 is looking pretty ok.

Edited by NJ
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Here we go again ... for some reason (probably the brutal winter grinding my brain to mush) I have optimism going into 2014. 

Certainly not to make the play-off's this season, but to see some real progress with TheoBall and realistically look at being competitive within the next couple of campaigns.

We have 7 of the top 100 prospects (5 of the top 50) in the bigs with an 8th in Mike Olt who was bumped off list after a beaning gave him temporary blurred vision last season.

Pitching is still near atrocious but with the exception of Jackson we haven't thrown any money away on FA's before everything else is soup.

Still woeful in the catcher slot - but everything else is starting to shape up. 

I'm kinda with you and I'm not sure why. I don't expect the playoffs, I don't even really expect a legit run at .500. I think it's because the time is really nearing. This is the last season the Cubs go into before the future HAPPENS. I expect Baez to make his debut at some point this season. Perhaps in September, Bryant or some of the others will join him. You know what blows my ******* mind? We get to add the fourth pick in the draft to our already insane farm. Assuming we get the best available pitcher, our future rotation starts to take shape as well. With Baez, Bryant, Rizzo, Castro, Soler, Alcantara, Olt, and Almora, our lineup already has the potential to be lethal in the future. If you can pencil in Wood/Edwards/4th pick into the future rotation, there's no holes in this team that can't be fixed via aggressive free agency. Add a front line starter about 2016 once the entire farm is here. For the first time in my life, I think the Cubs will actually win one before we all ******* die.

Edited by The Troll
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With Justin Masterson, James Shields, and Matt Scherzer seeming as if they might hit FA (right now in March) the pitching could get a necessary injection of talent from FA. Any of those guys would be quality pickups, though the Scherzer rumor - he turned down 24 per year or something - is disheartening. I love Masterson's arm, probably the hardest throwing sinkerballing starter. 

 

Anyway, I'm pretty positive about this year. I think we're going to get good stuff out of the bullpen, I'm optimistic about the right side of the infield...oh but that OF. I like Sweeney in the OF and Schierholtz/Ruggiano should be a good platoon, but the OF is almost as talent hungry as the pitching is right now.

 

The SP is mediocre as ****, but it's a quantity of mediocrities this year. Way better depth than in recent years, I think. 

 

I'm very unsure about Castro. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Uniform differences are not even on the list of issues ...

 

I just take solace in knowing that the world will never be the same gain when one of Baez/Bryant turns into a franchise anchor. That and the new Godzilla PLUS the Raid 2, which I only vaguely knew was going to happen.

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I just take solace in knowing that the world will never be the same gain when one of Baez/Bryant turns into a franchise anchor. That and the new Godzilla PLUS the Raid 2, which I only vaguely knew was going to happen.

I think we hit big on both of them ... and Soler. If only half of the other high rated prospects are average - we're playing post season again.  

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  • 1 month later...

Some notes and sh*t on the Cubs:

 

- They think their cable deal will break records. They want to do their homework and Crane Kenney suggested they have approached Google on something. Really focused on how people will use media and get their entertainment. That interview was on YES's Sports Money program actually, it was really good. 

 

- The roof top owners are being greedy, but I can never outright side against the little guy being greedy towards something much larger. I would like to see them get a fair settlement, whatever that would be (projected profit on no Jumbotron Wrigley based on attendance from 2010-2013? I have no clue how that sh*t works, obvy).

 

- Castro's fixed. Huzzah! 

 

- Rizzo is excellent. Samardzija is rounding out nice as well.

 

- I don't buy Welington Castillo or Travis Wood as long term anchors, but I am thankful for their cheap production. Same for Darwin Barney, who I expected more from this year blindly. Not sold on Castillo's bat (career BABIP in the .340s is unsustainable for him and pretty much anyone else), Wood (40% cutter at 27? Not enough fastball), but Cubs fans seem convinced they have decade starters here for some reason. Barney is being patient, hitting more flyballs, and swinging and missing more - signs that he is looking to hit more HRs. 

 

- The Samardzija to the Yankees rumors are going to come up more and more so I want to say: Gary Sanchez. The guy is an elite catching prospect who's bat can handle his mediocre glove at C. His ceiling is an elite version of Castillo, or what Cubs fans think the 27 year old 2nd year starter will eventually become. Many Banuelos is coming back strong from TJ surgery as well. 

 

- The Samardzija to the Jays rumors have been around for over a year, both teams have scouted each other extensively. Besides the obvious names - Stroman and Sanchez  - I am a fan of 2011 first round pick Daniel Norris. 6'2" LHSP prospect with good arm strength, athleticism, velocity, and ever improving secondary pitches. He's been a project for the Blue Jays, was rated the #1 HS arm in his draft, and has been showing massive improvements in recent times. 

 

- Draft Tyler Beede, Brady Aiken, or Alex Jackson. Beede has some similarities to Matt Harvey coming out of college.

 

- Shintaro Fujinami, Shohei Otani, and Aroldis Chapman will all hit FA between 2017-2019. Chapman for the rotation, not the pen, so long as he is still healthy (I think he will be). It's gotten that bad - I look forward to future FAs when these young stuperstars hit FA, none older than 29. 

 

- Between Kris Bryant and Javier Baez I think the Cubs will get their franchise bat/player. Baez at 2B and Bryant at 3B for as long as it can last.

 

- The organization has alot of bullpen talent for the short and long term. I like what they've done there. 

 

- They need to trade for an OFer, preferably one with some CF potential (and either way a young guy who can play competent defense). Kemp is expensive, probably should move from CF, but otherwise is still interesting. Stanton should basically be priority #1 if he's available. Heyward could be an interesting buy low candidate. I don't know what the Tigers want to do with Jackson. I like Maybin but he's been hurt so PAs are needed. Gonzalez...there's probably more.

Edited by SenorGato
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Samardzija not getting any run support and having zero wins to show for his excellent start to this seasons is criminal. 

 

"I’m a grown man of 29. I’m not a prospect of 22. I feel good. I think I’m grown up enough and responsible enough to understand when I can go and when I can’t go." - Samardzija on media and fan outcry on his Monday 5/5 pitch count of 126, a career high.

 

 

I think Samardzija has turned himself into a first division SP, a guy a team would be comfortable with throwing in the playoffs. I wish that team would be the Cubs but the outlook by Chicago fans is bleak.

 

I want to see him sent to the Yankees, if he is traded, for reasons beyond them having a worthy duo of prospects in Sanchez and Banuelos. He has the intangibles for the job. 

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Watching Ellsbury play for the Yankees, which I'm not doing right now, is infuriating. The Cubs most productive Cubs OFer has been the injured Justin Ruggiano with a .326 wOBA and .740 OPS. The closest they come to a competent CFer is the currently injured Ryan Sweeney.

 

OTOH I like me some Chris Bosio. He and Derek Johnson give me alot of faith in the future of pitching within this organization. I really buy into the guys they have coaching these players at both the major and minor league level. Renteria has chops. 

Edited by SenorGato
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Kris Bryant

Javier Baez

Addison Russell

Arismendy Alcantara

Kyle Schwarber

Jorge Soler

Albert Almora

 

That's a sh*tload of bat potential. Sucks to trade Samardzija, but never felt too attached anyway. He'll be available in 2016 FA. Russell is a real get.

Edited by SenorGato
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  • 3 weeks later...

Kris Bryant

Javier Baez

Addison Russell

Arismendy Alcantara

Kyle Schwarber

Jorge Soler

Albert Almora

 

That's a sh*tload of bat potential. Sucks to trade Samardzija, but never felt too attached anyway. He'll be available in 2016 FA. Russell is a real get.

They offered him 85m and he didn't take it. Good for him but at the same time fk him - we got a ton for him and are starting to accumulate legit potential all stars to go along with the 2 young ones we already have. Soup in 2016  - money then or shortly there after.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I hope that the Mets do not target Baez. What I saw this weekend was a kid who is all or nothing. The swing is extremely long, and he is easily fooled out of the zone. Pitchers, it would seem, will wise up to him in a hurry. Looks like a project, not a sure thing

 

Yeah, OK. Baez is going to K, but that power, the MIF defensive profile, and age are all on his side. I am fine with the Mets not targeting Baez. Feel free to target Alcantara if you want a Cubs SS prospect. 

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I hope that the Mets do not target Baez. What I saw this weekend was a kid who is all or nothing. The swing is extremely long, and he is easily fooled out of the zone. Pitchers, it would seem, will wise up to him in a hurry. Looks like a project, not a sure thing

It's said he has the quickest bat speed in the bigs. Being 21, he's got some time to wise up on the strike zone and pitch judgement and I'm betting he does. Doesn't matter if the Mets want him or not - he's not leaving Chi unless he does a couple seasons of better than 190 k's and I'm not expecting it.

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It's said he has the quickest bat speed in the bigs. Being 21, he's got some time to wise up on the strike zone and pitch judgement and I'm betting he does. Doesn't matter if the Mets want him or not - he's not leaving Chi unless he does a couple seasons of better than 190 k's and I'm not expecting it.

With as long as a swing that he has, he will need to have a quick bat. Mets beat him on fastballs where he was late several times. That said, he also hit a ball over the fence (I didn't see what pitch he hit there).

 

Long swings allow a lot less room for error. He will also need to recognize the off speed junk much more readily. 

 

With all that, it is fun to watch kids come up and see what they have

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Actually yeah - I think Baez's swing is long. The bat speed is elite but there's moving parts that make him inefficient anyway. Still think his main issue is his approach to hitting. The second deck HR was a fastball. 

 

Baez throughout the minors tended to struggle, big Ks and even lower walks especially, early on at a level before getting the hang of it and rampaging the league. Was the same way at A ball, High A, AA, and AAA...Mets don't really have anything I want too badly (big fan of Nimmo, I like Wheeler and Harvey, like Matz and Syndergaard on the farm). 

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Actually yeah - I think Baez's swing is long. The bat speed is elite but there's moving parts that make him inefficient anyway. Still think his main issue is his approach to hitting. The second deck HR was a fastball. 

 

Baez throughout the minors tended to struggle, big Ks and even lower walks especially, early on at a level before getting the hang of it and rampaging the league. Was the same way at A ball, High A, AA, and AAA...Mets don't really have anything I want too badly (big fan of Nimmo, I like Wheeler and Harvey, like Matz and Syndergaard on the farm). 

What has been bandied about-of course, nothing may come of it:

http://nypost.com/2014/08/17/mets-have-pitching-cubs-hitting-so-why-hasnt-a-deal-happened/

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I'm not against the Cubs going after a young pitching prospect or younger MLB pitcher they really like, but I prefer the 90s Yankees route of veteran aces plucked from other teams (and Andy Pettitte). My top two pitching targets this offseason are Hamels and Shields. 

 

Hamels

Arrieta

Shields

Fill out the back end with the beer we got...tell 'em some of those beers...whats some of the beer we got...Doubront...Turner...Straily...Hendricks...Boo Jackson...Wood...

 

Maybe even take a gamble and turn Andrew Miller back into a starter. That's a long shot. 

Edited by SenorGato
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MLB pitchers I would like to trade for:

 

Cole Hamels

Yu Darvish

Matt Moore

Corey Kluber

Patrick Corbin

Nathan Eovaldi

Trevor Bauer

Shelby Miller

Kyle Gibson

Randall Delgado

Martin Perez

Derek Holland

Phil Wheeler

 

Various degrees of interest...really focus on the first four. 

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